CIA — The World Factbook 2002 — Country Listing

Afghanistan
Albania
Algeria
American Samoa
Andorra
Angola
Anguilla
Antarctica
Antigua and Barbuda
Arctic Ocean
Argentina
Armenia
Aruba
Ashmore and Cartier Islands
Atlantic Ocean
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan

Bahamas, The
Bahrain
Baker Island
Bangladesh
Barbados
Bassas da India
Belarus
Belgium
Belize
Benin
Bermuda
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Bouvet Island
Brazil
British Indian Ocean Territory
British Virgin Islands
Brunei
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burma
Burundi

Cambodia
Cameroon
Canada
Cape Verde
Cayman Islands
Central African Republic
Chad
Chile
China
Christmas Island
Clipperton Island
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Colombia
Comoros
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Congo, Republic of the
Cook Islands
Coral Sea Islands
Costa Rica
Cote d'Ivoire
Croatia
Cuba
Cyprus
Czech Republic

Denmark
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic

East Timor
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia
Ethiopia
Europa Island

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
Faroe Islands
Fiji
Finland
France
French Guiana
French Polynesia
French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Gabon
Gambia, The
Gaza Strip
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Gibraltar
Glorioso Islands
Greece
Greenland
Grenada
Guadeloupe
Guam
Guatemala
Guernsey
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana

Haiti
Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Holy See (Vatican City)
Honduras
Hong Kong
Howland Island
Hungary

Iceland
India
Indian Ocean
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy

Jamaica
Jan Mayen
Japan
Jarvis Island
Jersey
Johnston Atoll
Jordan
Juan de Nova Island

Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kingman Reef
Kiribati
Korea, North
Korea, South
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan

Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg

Macau
Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Malta
Man, Isle of
Marshall Islands
Martinique
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mayotte
Mexico
Micronesia, Federated States of
Midway Islands
Moldova
Monaco
Mongolia
Montserrat
Morocco
Mozambique

Namibia
Nauru
Navassa Island
Nepal
Netherlands
Netherlands Antilles
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
Niue
Norfolk Island
Northern Mariana Islands
Norway

Oman

Pacific Ocean
Pakistan
Palau
Palmyra Atoll
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paracel Islands
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Pitcairn Islands
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico

Qatar

Reunion
Romania
Russia
Rwanda

Saint Helena
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Samoa
San Marino
Sao Tome and Principe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
Somalia
South Africa
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Southern Ocean
Spain
Spratly Islands
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Suriname
Svalbard
Swaziland
Sweden
Switzerland
Syria

Taiwan entry follows Zimbabwe
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand
Togo
Tokelau
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Tromelin Island
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Turks and Caicos Islands
Tuvalu

Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States
Uruguay
Uzbekistan

Vanuatu
Venezuela
Vietnam
Virgin Islands

Wake Island
Wallis and Futuna
West Bank
Western Sahara
World

Yemen
Yugoslavia

Zambia
Zimbabwe

Taiwan

CIA - The World Factbook 2002

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Aruba

Introduction

Aruba

Background: Discovered and claimed for Spain in 1499, Aruba was acquired by the Dutch in 1636. The island's economy has been dominated by three main industries. A 19th century gold rush was followed by prosperity brought on by the opening in 1924 of an oil refinery. The last decades of the 20th century saw a boom in the tourism industry. Aruba seceded from the Netherlands Antilles in 1986 and became a separate, autonomous member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Movement toward full independence was halted at Aruba's request in 1990.

Geography Aruba

Location: Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela

Geographic coordinates: 12 30 N, 69 58 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 193 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 193 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 68.5 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain: flat with a few hills; scant vegetation

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point:
Mount Jamanota 188 m

Natural resources: NEGL; white sandy beaches

Land use: arable land: 11% (including aloe 0.01%) permanent crops: 0% other: 89% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 0.01 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: a flat, riverless island renowned for its white sand beaches; its tropical climate is moderated by constant trade winds from the Atlantic Ocean; the temperature is almost constant at about 27 degrees Celsius (81 degrees Fahrenheit)

People Aruba

Population: 70,441 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 21% (male 7,635; female 7,169) 15-64 years: 68.4% (male 23,270; female 24,906) 65 years and over: 10.6% (male 3,081; female 4,380) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.59% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 12.22 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 6.29 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: NEGL migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 6.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 82.19 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.8 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Aruban(s) adjective: Aruban; Dutch

Ethnic groups: mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80%

Religions: Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, Hindu, Muslim, Confucian,
Jewish

Languages: Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch,
English dialect), English (widely spoken), Spanish

Literacy: definition: NA total population: 97% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Aruba

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Aruba

Dependency status: part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs obtained in 1986 upon separation from the Netherlands Antilles; Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairs

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Oranjestad

Administrative divisions: none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Independence: none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

National holiday: Flag Day, 18 March

Constitution: 1 January 1986

Legal system: based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980), represented by Governor General Olindo KOOLMAN (since 1 January 1992) head of government: Prime Minister Nelson O. ODUBER (since 30 October 2001); deputy prime minister NA cabinet: Council of Ministers (elected by the Staten) election results: Nelson O. ODUBER elected prime minister; percent of legislative vote - NA% elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed for a six-year term by the monarch; prime minister and deputy prime minister elected by the Staten for four-year terms; election last held 28 September 2001 (next to be held by December 2005)

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislature or Staten (21 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms) election results: percent of vote by party - MEP 52.4%, AVP 26.7%, PPA 9.6%, OLA 5.7%, Aliansa 3.5%, other 2.1%; seats by party - MEP 12, AVP 6, PPA 2, OLA 1 elections: Judicial branch: Joint High Court of Justice (judges are appointed by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders: Aruba Solidarity Movement or MAS
[leader NA]; Aruban Democratic Alliance or Aliansa [leader NA]; Aruban
Democratic Party or PDA [Leo BERLINSKI]; Aruban Liberal Party or OLA
[Glenbert CROES]; Aruban Patriotic Party or PPA [Benny NISBET]; Aruban
People's Party or AVP [Tico CROES]; Concentration for the Liberation
of Aruba or CLA [leader NA]; People's Electoral Movement Party or MEP
[Nelson O. ODUBER]; For a Restructured Aruba Now or PARA [leader NA];
National Democratic Action or ADN [Pedro Charro KELLY]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: Caricom (observer), ECLAC (associate), Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), WCL, WToO (associate)

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Diplomatic representation from the US: Consul General Barbara J. STEPHENSON embassy: Curacao telephone: [599] (9) 461-3066 FAX: [599] (9) 461-6489

Flag description: blue, with two narrow, horizontal, yellow stripes across the lower portion and a red, four-pointed star outlined in white in the upper hoist-side corner

Economy Aruba

Economy - overview: Tourism is the mainstay of the small, open Aruban economy, with offshore banking and oil refining and storage also important. The rapid growth of the tourism sector over the last decade has resulted in a substantial expansion of other activities. Construction has boomed, with hotel capacity five times the 1985 level. In addition, the reopening of the country's oil refinery in 1993, a major source of employment and foreign exchange earnings, has further spurred growth. Aruba's small labor force and low unemployment rate have led to a large number of unfilled job vacancies, despite sharp rises in wage rates in recent years. The government's goal of balancing the budget within two years will hamper expenditures, as will the decline in stopover tourist arrivals following the 11 September terrorist attacks.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.94 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 2.5% (2000)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $28,000 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4% (2000)

Labor force: 41,501 (1997 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: most employment is in wholesale and retail trade and repair, followed by hotels and restaurants; oil refining

Unemployment rate: 0.6% (1999 est.)

Budget: revenues: $135.81 million expenditures: $147 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000)

Industries: tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 450 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 418.5 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: aloes; livestock; fish

Exports: $2.58 billion (including oil reexports) (f.o.b., 2000)

Exports - commodities: live animals and animal products, art and collectibles, machinery and electrical equipment, transport equipment

Exports - partners: US 42%, Colombia 20%, Netherlands 12% (1999)

Imports: $2.61 billion (f.o.b., 2000)

Imports - commodities: machinery and electrical equipment, crude oil for refining and reexport, chemicals; foodstuffs

Imports - partners: US 63%, Netherlands 11%, Netherlands Antilles 3%,
Japan (1999)

Debt - external: $285 million (1996)

Economic aid - recipient: $26 million (1995); note - the Netherlands provided a $127 million aid package to Aruba and Suriname in 1996

Currency: Aruban guilder/florin (AWG)

Currency code: AWG

Exchange rates: Aruban guilders/florins per US dollar - 1.7900 (fixed rate since 1986)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Aruba

Telephones - main lines in use: 33,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 3,402 (1997)

Telephone system: more than adequate international: interisland microwave radio relay links

Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 6, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 50,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)

Televisions: 20,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .aw

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA

Internet users: 4,000 (2000)

Transportation Aruba

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 800 km paved: 513 km note: most coastal roads are paved, while unpaved roads serve large tracts of the interior (1995) unpaved: 287 km

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Barcadera, Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas

Merchant marine: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Airports: 1 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2001)

Military Aruba

Military branches: no regular indigenous military forces; Royal Dutch
Navy and Marines, Coast Guard

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the
Netherlands

Transnational Issues Aruba

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: drug-money-laundering center and transit point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Antigua and Barbuda

Introduction

Antigua and Barbuda

Background: The islands of Antigua and Barbuda became an independent state within the British Commonwealth of Nations in 1981. Some 3,000 refugees fleeing a volcanic eruption on nearby Montserrat have settled in Antigua and Barbuda since 1995.

Geography Antigua and Barbuda

Location: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North
Atlantic Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates: 17 03 N, 61 48 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 443 sq km (Antigua 280 sq km; Barbuda 161 sq km) water: 0 sq km note: includes Redonda, 1.6 sq km land: 442 sq km

Area - comparative: 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 153 km

Maritime claims: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: Climate: tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain: mostly low-lying limestone and coral islands, with some higher volcanic areas

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point:
Boggy Peak 402 m

Natural resources: NEGL; pleasant climate fosters tourism

Land use: arable land: 18% permanent crops: 0% other: 82% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October); periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: water management - a major concern because of limited natural fresh water resources - is further hampered by the clearing of trees to increase crop production, causing rainfall to run off quickly

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Geography - note: Antigua has a deeply indented shoreline with many natural harbors and beaches; Barbuda has a very large western harbor

People Antigua and Barbuda

Population: 67,448 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 28% (male 9,618; female 9,293) 15-64 years: 67.3% (male 22,695; female 22,682) 65 years and over: 4.7% (male 1,289; female 1,871) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.69% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 18.84 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 5.75 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -6.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 21.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 73.45 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.29 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Antiguan(s), Barbudan(s) adjective: Antiguan, Barbudan

Ethnic groups: black, British, Portuguese, Lebanese, Syrian

Religions: Anglican (predominant), other Protestant, some Roman Catholic

Languages: English (official), local dialects

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has completed five or more years of schooling total population: 89% male: 90% female: 88% (1960 est.)

Government Antigua and Barbuda

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Antigua and Barbuda

Government type: constitutional monarchy with UK-style parliament

Capital: Saint John's

Administrative divisions: 6 parishes and 2 dependencies*; Barbuda*,
Redonda*, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Mary, Saint Paul, Saint Peter,
Saint Philip

Independence: 1 November 1981 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day (National Day), 1 November (1981)

Constitution: 1 November 1981

Legal system: based on English common law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General James B. CARLISLE (since NA 1993) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general chosen by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; prime minister appointed by the governor general cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister head of government: Prime Minister Lester Bryant BIRD (since 8 March 1994)

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (17-member body appointed by the governor general) and the House of Representatives (17 seats; members are elected by proportional representation to serve five-year terms) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - ALP 12, UPP 4, independent 1 elections: House of Representatives - last held 9 March 1999 (next to be held NA March 2004)

Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint Lucia; one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the Court of Summary Jurisdiction)

Political parties and leaders: Antigua Labor Party or ALP [Lester Bryant BIRD]; Barbuda People's Movement or BPM [Thomas H. FRANK]; United Progressive Party or UPP [Baldwin SPENCER] (a coalition of three opposition parties - United National Democratic Party or UNDP, Antigua Caribbean Liberation Movement or ACLM, and Progressive Labor Movement or PLM)

Political pressure groups and leaders: Antigua Trades and Labor Union or ATLU [William ROBINSON]; People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Hugh MARSHALL]

International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC,
FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, NAM (observer), OAS, OECS, OPANAL,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Lionel Alexander HURST chancery: 3216 New [1] (202) 362-5211 FAX: Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Antigua and Barbuda (embassy closed 30 June 1994); the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Antigua and Barbuda

Flag description: red, with an inverted isosceles triangle based on the top edge of the flag; the triangle contains three horizontal bands of black (top), light blue, and white, with a yellow rising sun in the black band

Economy Antigua and Barbuda

Economy - overview: Tourism continues to dominate the economy, accounting for more than half of GDP. Weak tourist arrival numbers since early 2000 have slowed the economy, however, and pressed the government into a tight fiscal corner. The dual-island nation's agricultural production is focused on the domestic market and constrained by a limited water supply and a labor shortage stemming from the lure of higher wages in tourism and construction work. Manufacturing comprises enclave-type assembly for export with major products being bedding, handicrafts, and electronic components. Prospects for economic growth in the medium term will continue to depend on income growth in the industrialized world, especially in the US, which accounts for about one-third of all tourist arrivals.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $674 million (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3.5% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $10,000 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.9% industry: 19.1% services: 77% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.4% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 30,000

Labor force - by occupation: commerce and services 82%, agriculture 11%, industry 7% (1983)

Unemployment rate: 7% (2000 est.)

Budget: revenues: $123.7 million expenditures: $145.9 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Industries: tourism, construction, light manufacturing (clothing, alcohol, household appliances)

Industrial production growth rate: 6% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production: 100 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 93 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: cotton, fruits, vegetables, bananas, coconuts, cucumbers, mangoes, sugarcane; livestock

Exports: $40 million (2000 est.)

Exports - commodities: petroleum products 48%, manufactures 23%, machinery and transport equipment 17%, food and live animals 4%, other 8%

Exports - partners: OECS 26%, Barbados 15%, Guyana 4%, Trinidad and
Tobago 2%, US 0.3%

Imports: $357 million (2000 est.)

Imports - commodities: food and live animals, machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, oil

Imports - partners: US 27%, UK 16%, Canada 4%, OECS 3%

Debt - external: $231 million (1999)

Economic aid - recipient: $2.3 million (1995)

Currency: East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code: XCD

Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Communications Antigua and Barbuda

Telephones - main lines in use: 28,000 (1996)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 1,300 (1996)

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: good automatic telephone system international: 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Saba (Netherlands Antilles) and Guadeloupe

Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 36,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 2 (1997)

Televisions: 31,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .ag

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 16 (2000)

Internet users: 5,000 (2001)

Transportation Antigua and Barbuda

Railways: total: 77 km narrow gauge: 64 km 0.760-m gauge; 13 km 0.610-m gauge (used almost exclusively for handling sugarcane) (2001 est.)

Highways: total: 1,165 km paved: 384 km unpaved: 781 km note: it is assumed that the main roads are paved; the secondary roads are assumed to be unpaved (1995)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Saint John's

Merchant marine: total: 762 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,541,940 GRT/5,894,553 DWT ships by type: bulk 20, cargo 469, chemical tanker 9, combination bulk 4, container 202, liquefied gas 7, multi-functional large-load carrier 6, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 9, roll on/roll off 35 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Australia 1, Bangladesh 2, Belgium 3, Colombia 1, Cuba 1, Estonia 1, Germany 747, Greece 1, Iceland 8, Latvia 1, Lebanon 2, Lithuania 1, Netherlands 22, New Zealand 2, Portugal 1, Slovenia 6, South Africa 1, Sweden 2, United Kingdom 1, United States 7 (2002 est.)

Airports: 3 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2001)

Military Antigua and Barbuda

Military branches: Royal Antigua and Barbuda Defense Force, Royal
Antigua and Barbuda Police Force (including the Coast Guard)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Transnational Issues Antigua and Barbuda

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: considered a minor transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe; more significant as a drug-money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Afghanistan

Introduction

Afghanistan

Background: Afghanistan's recent history is characterized by war and civil strife, with intermittent periods of relative calm and stability. The Soviet Union invaded in 1979 but was forced to withdraw 10 years later by anti-Communist mujahidin forces supplied and trained by the US, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and others. Fighting subsequently continued among the various mujahidin factions, giving rise to a state of warlordism that spawned the Taliban in the early 1990s. The Taliban was able to seize most of the country, aside from Northern Alliance strongholds primarily in the northeast, until US and allied military action in support of the opposition following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks forced the group's downfall. The four largest Afghan opposition groups met in Bonn, Germany, in late 2001 and agreed on a plan for the formulation of a new government structure that resulted in the inauguration of Hamid KARZAI as Chairman of the Afghan Interim Authority (AIA) on 22 December 2001. In addition to occasionally violent political jockeying and ongoing military action to root out remaining terrorists and Taliban elements, the country suffers from enormous poverty, a crumbling infrastructure, and widespread land mines.

Geography Afghanistan

Location: Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran

Geographic coordinates: 33 00 N, 65 00 E

Map references: Asia

Area: total: 647,500 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 647,500 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries: total: 5,529 km border countries: China 76 km, Iran 936 km, Pakistan 2,430 km, Tajikistan 1,206 km, Turkmenistan 744 km, Uzbekistan 137 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers

Terrain: mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Amu Darya 258 m highest point:
Nowshak 7,485 m

Natural resources: natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, chromite, talc, barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and semiprecious stones

Land use: arable land: 12% permanent crops: 0% other: 88% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 23,860 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains; flooding; droughts

Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources; inadequate supplies of potable water; soil degradation; overgrazing; deforestation (much of the remaining forests are being cut down for fuel and building materials); desertification; air and water pollution

Environment - international agreements: party to: Desertification,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Nuclear
Test Ban signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note: landlocked; the Hindu Kush mountains that run northeast to southwest divide the northern provinces from the rest of the country; the highest peaks are in the northern Vakhan (Wakhan Corridor)

People Afghanistan

Population: 27,755,775 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 42% (male 5,953,291; female 5,706,542) 15-64 years: 55.2% (male 7,935,101; female 7,382,101) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 410,278; female 368,462) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.43% note: this rate reflects the continued return of refugees from Iran (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 41.03 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 17.43 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 10.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.11 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 144.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 45.85 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 5.72 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: less than 0.01% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Afghan(s) adjective: Afghan

Ethnic groups: Pashtun 44%, Tajik 25%, Hazara 10%, minor ethnic groups
(Aimaks, Turkmen, Baloch, and others) 13%, Uzbek 8%

Religions: Sunni Muslim 84%, Shi'a Muslim 15%, other 1%

Languages: Pashtu 35%, Afghan Persian (Dari) 50%, Turkic languages (primarily Uzbek and Turkmen) 11%, 30 minor languages (primarily Balochi and Pashai) 4%, much bilingualism

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write male: 51% female: 21% (1999 est.) total population: 36%

People - note: large numbers of Afghan refugees create burdens on neighboring states

Government Afghanistan

Country name: conventional long form: Islamic State of Afghanistan conventional short form: Afghanistan local short form: Afghanestan former: Republic of Afghanistan local long form: Dowlat-e Eslami-ye Afghanestan

Government type: transitional

Capital: Kabul

Administrative divisions: 32 provinces (velayat, singular - velayat);
Badakhshan, Badghis, Baghlan, Balkh, Bamian, Farah, Faryab, Ghazni,
Ghowr, Helmand, Herat, Jowzjan, Kabol, Kandahar, Kapisa, Konar, Kondoz,
Laghman, Lowgar, Nangarhar, Nimruz, Oruzgan, Paktia, Paktika, Parvan,
Samangan, Sar-e Pol, Takhar, Vardak, Zabol, Nurestan, and Khowst

Independence: 19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign affairs)

National holiday: Independence Day, 19 August (1919)

Constitution: the Bonn Agreement calls for a Constitutional Loya Jirga (Grand Council) to be convened within 18 months of the establishment of the Transitional Authority to draft a new constitution for the country; the basis for the next constitution is the 1963/64 Constitution, according to the Bonn Agreement

Legal system: the Bonn Agreement calls for a judicial commission to rebuild the justice system in accordance with Islamic principles, international standards, the rule of law, and Afghan legal traditions

Suffrage: NA; previously males 15-50 years of age

Executive branch: note: following the Taliban's refusal to hand over Usama bin LADIN to the US for his suspected involvement in the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks in the US, a US-led international coalition was formed; after several weeks of aerial bombardment by coalition forces and military action on the ground, including Afghan opposition forces, the Taliban was ousted from power on 17 November 2001; in December 2001 a number of prominent Afghans met under UN auspices in Bonn, Germany, to decide on a plan for governing the country; as a result, the Afghan Interim Authority (AIA) - made up of 30 members, headed by a chairman and five deputy chairmen - was inaugurated on 22 December 2001 with about a six-month mandate to be followed by a two-year Transitional Authority (TA) after which elections are to be held; the structure of the follow-on TA will be announced on 10 June 2002 when the Loya Jirga (grand assembly) is convened chief of state: Chairman of the AIA, Hamad KARZAI (since 22 December 2001); note - presently the chairman is both chief of state and head of government head of government: Chairman of the AIA, Hamad KARZAI (since 22 December 2001); note - presently the chairman is both chief of state and head of government cabinet: the 30-member AIA elections: NA

Legislative branch: nonfunctioning as of June 1993

Judicial branch: the Bonn Agreement calls for the establishment of a
Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: NA; note - political parties in Afghanistan are in flux and many prominent players have plans to create new parties; the three main groups represented in the Afghan Interim Authority (AIA) are: the Northern Alliance (also known as the United Islamic Front for the Salvation of Afghanistan) - the main opposition to the Taliban - composed of different ethnic and political groups; the Rome Group, associated with the former king of Afghanistan, composed mainly of expatriate Afghans; and the Peshawar Group, another expatriate group; there are also several "independent" groups

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA; note - ministries formed under the Afghan Interim Authority(AIA) include former pressure group leaders

International organization participation: AsDB, CP, ECO, ESCAP, FAO,
G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IOC (suspended), IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW (signatory), UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US: ambassador Ishaq SHAHRYAR (as of 19 June 2002) chancery: consulate(s) general: New York telephone: 202-483-6410

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Robert Patrick John FINN; note - embassy in Kabul reopened 16 December 2001 following closure in January 1989 embassy: FAX: NA

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of black (hoist), red, and green with a gold emblem centered on the red band; the emblem features a temple-like structure encircled by a wreath on the left and right and by a bold Islamic inscription above

Economy Afghanistan

Economy - overview: Afghanistan is an extremely poor, landlocked country, highly dependent on farming and livestock raising (sheep and goats). Economic considerations have played second fiddle to political and military upheavals during two decades of war, including the nearly 10-year Soviet military occupation (which ended 15 February 1989). During that conflict one-third of the population fled the country, with Pakistan and Iran sheltering a combined peak of more than 6 million refugees. Gross domestic product has fallen substantially over the past 20 years because of the loss of labor and capital and the disruption of trade and transport; severe drought added to the nation's difficulties in 1998-2001. The majority of the population continues to suffer from insufficient food, clothing, housing, and medical care, problems exacerbated by military operations and political uncertainties. Inflation remains a serious problem. Following the US-led coalition war that led to the defeat of the Taliban in November 2001 and the formulation of the Afghan Interim Authority (AIA) resulting from the December 2001 Bonn Agreement, International efforts to rebuild Afghanistan were addressed at the Tokyo Donors Conference for Afghan Reconstruction in January 2002, when $4.5 billion was collected for a trust fund to be administered by the World Bank. Priority areas for reconstruction include the construction of education, health, and sanitation facilities, enhancement of administrative capacity, the development of the agricultural sector, and the rebuilding of road, energy, and telecommunication links.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $21 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: NA%

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $800 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 60% industry: 20% services: 20% (1990 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

Labor force: 10 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 80%, industry 10%, services 10% (1990 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Industries: small-scale production of textiles, soap, furniture, shoes, fertilizer, and cement; handwoven carpets; natural gas, coal, copper

Electricity - production: 375 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 36% hydro: 64% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 453.75 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 105 million kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: wheat, fruits, nuts, wool, mutton, sheepskin, and lambskin

Exports: $1.2 billion (2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: opium, fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton, hides and pelts, precious and semi-precious gems

Exports - partners: Pakistan 32%, India 8%, Belgium 7%, Germany 5%,
Russia 5%, UAE 4% (1999)

Imports: $1.3 billion (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: capital goods, food and petroleum products; most consumer goods

Imports - partners: Pakistan 19%, Japan 16%, Kenya 9%, South Korea 7%,
India 6%, Turkmenistan 6% (1999)

Debt - external: $5.5 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: international pledges made by more than 60 countries and international financial institutions at the Tokyo Donors Conference for Afghan reconstruction in January 2002 reached $4.5 billion through 2006, with $1.8 billion allocated for 2002; according to a joint preliminary assessment conducted by the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and the UN Development Program, rebuilding Afghanistan will cost roughly $15 billion over the next ten years

Currency: afghani (AFA)

Currency code: AFA

Exchange rates: afghanis per US dollar - 4,700 (January 2000), 4,750 (February 1999), 17,000 (December 1996), 7,000 (January 1995), 1,900 (January 1994), 1,019 (March 1993), 850 (1991); note - these rates reflect the free market exchange rates rather than the official exchange rate, which was fixed at 50.600 afghanis to the dollar until 1996, when it rose to 2,262.65 per dollar, and finally became fixed again at 3,000.00 per dollar in April 1996

Fiscal year: 21 March - 20 March

Communications Afghanistan

Telephones - main lines in use: 29,000 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular: NA

Telephone system: very limited telephone and telegraph service domestic: Herat, Kandahar, Jalalabad, and Kabul through satellite and microwave systems international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) linked only to Iran and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); commercial satellite telephone center in Ghazni

Radio broadcast stations: AM 7 (6 are inactive; the active station is in Kabul), FM 1, shortwave 1 (broadcasts in Pashtu, Afghan Persian (Dari), Urdu, and English) (1999)

Radios: 167,000 (1999)

Television broadcast stations: at least 10 (one government-run central television station in Kabul and regional stations in nine of the 32 provinces; the regional stations operate on a reduced schedule; also, in 1997, there was a station in Mazar-e Sharif reaching four northern Afghanistan provinces) (1998)

Televisions: 100,000 (1999)

Internet country code: .af

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: NA

Transportation Afghanistan

Railways: total: 24.6 km broad gauge: 9.6 km 1.524-m gauge from
Gushgy (Turkmenistan) to Towraghondi; 15 km 1.524-m gauge from Termiz
(Uzbekistan) to Kheyrabad transshipment point on south bank of Amu Darya
(2001)

Highways: total: 21,000 km paved: 2,793 km unpaved: 18,207 km (1998 est.)

Waterways: 1,200 km note: chiefly Amu Darya, which handles vessels up to 500 DWT (2001)

Pipelines: natural gas 180 km note: product pipelines from Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan have been in disrepair and disuse for years (2002)

Ports and harbors: Kheyrabad, Shir Khan

Airports: 46 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 10 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

Airports - with unpaved runways: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: Heliports: 2 (2001)

Military Afghanistan

Military branches: NA; note - the December 2001 Bonn Agreement calls for all militia forces to come under Afghan Interim Authority (AIA) control, but formation of a national army is likely to be a gradual process; Afghanistan's forces continue to be factionalized largely along ethnic lines

Military manpower - military age: 22 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 6,896,623 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 3,696,379 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 252,869 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Transnational Issues Afghanistan

Disputes - international: close ties with Pashtuns in Pakistan make long border difficult to control

Illicit drugs: poppy ban cut 2001 cultivation by 97% to 1,695 hectares, with potential production of 74 tons of opium; a major source of hashish; many heroin-processing laboratories throughout the country; major political factions in the country profit from the drug trade

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Algeria

Introduction

Algeria

Background: After a century of rule by France, Algeria became independent in 1962. The surprising first round success of the fundamentalist FIS (Islamic Salvation Front) party in the December 1991 balloting caused the army to intervene, crack down on the FIS, and postpone the subsequent elections. The FIS response has resulted in a continuous low-grade civil conflict with the secular state apparatus, which nonetheless has allowed elections featuring pro-government and moderate religious-based parties. FIS's armed wing, the Islamic Salvation Army, disbanded itself in January 2000 and many armed militants surrendered under an amnesty program designed to promote national reconciliation. Nevertheless, residual fighting continues. Other concerns include Berber unrest, large-scale unemployment, a shortage of housing, and the need to diversify the petroleum-based economy.

Geography Algeria

Location: Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between
Morocco and Tunisia

Geographic coordinates: 28 00 N, 3 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 2,381,740 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 2,381,740 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Texas

Land boundaries: total: 6,343 km border countries: Libya 982 km, Mali 1,376 km, Mauritania 463 km, Morocco 1,559 km, Niger 956 km, Tunisia 965 km, Western Sahara 42 km

Coastline: 998 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 32-52 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: arid to semiarid; mild, wet winters with hot, dry summers along coast; drier with cold winters and hot summers on high plateau; sirocco is a hot, dust/sand-laden wind especially common in summer

Terrain: mostly high plateau and desert; some mountains; narrow, discontinuous coastal plain

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Chott Melrhir -40 m highest point:
Tahat 3,003 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, uranium, lead, zinc

Land use: arable land: 3% permanent crops: 0% other: 97% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 5,600 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes; mudslides and floods in rainy season

Environment - current issues: soil erosion from overgrazing and other poor farming practices; desertification; dumping of raw sewage, petroleum refining wastes, and other industrial effluents is leading to the pollution of rivers and coastal waters; Mediterranean Sea, in particular, becoming polluted from oil wastes, soil erosion, and fertilizer runoff; inadequate supplies of potable water

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Geography - note: second-largest
country in Africa (after Sudan)

People Algeria

Population: 32,277,942 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 33.5% (male 5,512,369; female 5,311,914) 15-64 years: 62.4% (male 10,175,135; female 9,950,315) 65 years and over: 4.1% (male 610,643; female 717,566) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.68% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 22.34 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 5.15 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 39.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 71.67 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.63 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.07% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Algerian(s) adjective: Algerian

Ethnic groups: Arab-Berber 99%, European less than 1%

Religions: Sunni Muslim (state religion) 99%, Christian and Jewish 1%

Languages: Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 61.6% male: 73.9% female: 49% (1995 est.)

Government Algeria

Country name: conventional long form: People's Democratic Republic of
Algeria conventional short form: Algeria local short form: Al Jaza'ir
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Jaza'iriyah ad Dimuqratiyah ash
Sha'biyah

Government type: republic

Capital: Algiers

Administrative divisions: 48 provinces (wilayas, singular - wilaya);
Adrar, Ain Defla, Ain Temouchent, Alger, Annaba, Batna, Bechar, Bejaia,
Biskra, Blida, Bordj Bou Arreridj, Bouira, Boumerdes, Chlef, Constantine,
Djelfa, El Bayadh, El Oued, El Tarf, Ghardaia, Guelma, Illizi, Jijel,
Khenchela, Laghouat, Mascara, Medea, Mila, Mostaganem, M'Sila, Naama,
Oran, Ouargla, Oum el Bouaghi, Relizane, Saida, Setif, Sidi Bel Abbes,
Skikda, Souk Ahras, Tamanghasset, Tebessa, Tiaret, Tindouf, Tipaza,
Tissemsilt, Tizi Ouzou, Tlemcen

Independence: 5 July 1962 (from France)

National holiday: Revolution Day, 1 November (1954)

Constitution: 19 November 1976, effective 22 November 1976; revised 3
November 1988, 23 February 1989, and 28 November 1996

Legal system: socialist, based on French and Islamic law; judicial review of legislative acts in ad hoc Constitutional Council composed of various public officials, including several Supreme Court justices; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA (since 28 April 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Ali BENFLIS (since 26 August 2000) Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president elections: 15 April 1999 (next to be held NA April 2004); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA elected president; percent of vote - Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA over 70%; note - his six opposing candidates withdrew on the eve of the election citing electoral fraud

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the National People's Assembly or Al-Majlis Ech-Chaabi Al-Watani (389 seats - changed from 380 seats in the 2002 elections; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Council of Nations (144 seats; one-third of the members appointed by the president, two-thirds elected by indirect vote; members serve six-year terms; the constitution requires half the council to be renewed every three years) elections: National People's Assembly - last held 30 May 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); Council of Nations - last held 30 December 2000 (next to be held NA 2003) election results: party - FLN 199, RND 48, MRN 43, MSP 38, PT 21, FNA 8, Nahda 1, PRA 1, MEN 1, independents 29; Council of Nations - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RND 79, FLN 12, FFS 4, MSP 1 (remaining 48 seats appointed by the president, party breakdown NA)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Political parties and leaders: Algerian National Front or FNA [Moussa
TOUATI]; Democratic National Rally or RND [Ahmed OUYAHIA, chairman];
Islamic Salvation Front or FIS (outlawed April 1992) [Ali BELHADJ and
Dr. Abassi MADANI (imprisoned), Rabeh KEBIR (self-exile in Germany)];
Movement of a Peaceful Society or MSP [Mahfoud NAHNAH, chairman]; National
Entente Movement or MEN [Ali BOUKHAZNA]; National Liberation Front or FLN
[Boualem BENHAMOUDA, secretary general]; National Reform Movement or
MRN [Abdellah DJABALLAH]; National Renewal Party or PRA [leader NA];
Progressive Republican Party [Khadir DRISS]; Rally for Culture and
Democracy or RCD [Said SAADI, secretary general]; Renaissance Movement
or EnNahda Movement [Lahbib ADAMI]; Social Liberal Party or PSL [Ahmed
KHELIL]; Socialist Forces Front or FFS [Hocine Ait AHMED, secretary
general (self-exile in Switzerland)]; Union for Democracy and Liberty
[Mouley BOUKHALAFA]; Workers Party or PT [Louisa HANOUN] note: a law
banning political parties based on religion was enacted in March 1997

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL,
AMF, AMU, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OAU, OIC, OPCW,
OPEC, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Idriss JAZAIRY chancery: 2118 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008 FAX: [1] (202) 667-2174 telephone: [1] (202) 265-2800

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Janet A. SANDERSON embassy: 4 Chemin Cheikh Bachir El-Ibrahimi, Algiers mailing address: B. P. Box 549, Alger-Gare, 16000 Algiers telephone: [213] (21) 69-11-86, 69-12-55, 69-18-54, 69-38-75 FAX: [213] (21) 69-39-79

Flag description: two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and white; a red, five-pointed star within a red crescent centered over the two-color boundary; the crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam (the state religion)

Economy Algeria

Economy - overview: The hydrocarbons sector is the backbone of the economy, accounting for roughly 60% of budget revenues, 30% of GDP, and over 95% of export earnings. Algeria has the fifth-largest reserves of natural gas in the world and is the second largest gas exporter; it ranks 14th in oil reserves. Algeria's financial and economic indicators improved during the mid-1990s, in part because of policy reforms supported by the IMF and debt rescheduling from the Paris Club. Algeria's finances in 2000 and 2001 benefited from the temporary spike in oil prices and the government's tight fiscal policy, leading to a large increase in the trade surplus, record highs in foreign exchange reserves, and reduction in foreign debt. The government's continued efforts to diversify the economy by attracting foreign and domestic investment outside the energy sector has had little success in reducing high unemployment and improving living standards. In 2001, the government signed an Association Treaty with the European Union that will eventually lower tariffs and increase trade.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $177 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3.8% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $5,600 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 17% industry: 33% services: 50% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 23% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.4% highest 10%: 25% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 35.3 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 9.4 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: government 29%, agriculture 25%, construction and public works 15%, industry 11%, other 20% (1996 est.)

Unemployment rate: 34% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $20.3 billion expenditures: $18.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.8 billion (2001 est.)

Industries: petroleum, natural gas, light industries, mining, electrical, petrochemical, food processing

Industrial production growth rate: 6% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 23.556 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.58% hydro: 0.42% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 21.847 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 210 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 150 million kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, oats, grapes, olives, citrus, fruits; sheep, cattle

Exports: $20 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: petroleum, natural gas, and petroleum products 97%

Exports - partners: Italy 23%, Spain 13%, US 13%, France 11%, Brazil 7%, (2000)

Imports: $1 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: capital goods, food and beverages, consumer goods

Imports - partners: France 29%, US 9%, Italy 8%, Germany 6%, Spain 5% (2000)

Debt - external: $24.7 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $100 million (1999 est.)

Currency: Algerian dinar (DZD)

Currency code: DZD

Exchange rates: Algerian dinars per US dollar - 77.889 (January 2002), 77.215 (2001), 75.260 (2000), 66.574 (1999), 58.739 (1998), 57.707 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Algeria

Telephones - main lines in use: 2.3 million (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 33,500 (1999)

Telephone system: general assessment: telephone density in Algeria is very low, not exceeding five telephones per 100 persons; the number of fixed main lines increased in the last few years to a little more than 2,000,000, but only about two-thirds of these have subscribers; much of the infrastructure is outdated and inefficient domestic: good service in north but sparse in south; domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations (20 additional domestic earth stations are planned) international: 5 submarine cables; microwave radio relay to Italy, France, Spain, Morocco, and Tunisia; coaxial cable to Morocco and Tunisia; participant in Medarabtel; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik, and 1 Arabsat (1998)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 25, FM 1, shortwave 8 (1999)

Radios: 7.1 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 46 (plus 216 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions: 3.1 million (1997)

Internet country code: .dz

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)

Internet users: 180,000 (2001)

Transportation Algeria

Railways: total: 4,820 km standard gauge: 3,664 km 1.435-m gauge (301 km electrified; 215 km double-track) narrow gauge: 1,156 km 1.055-m gauge (1999 est.)

Highways: total: 104,000 km paved: 71,656 km (including 640 km of expressways) unpaved: 32,344 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: none

Pipelines: crude oil 6,612 km; petroleum products 298 km; natural gas 2,948 km

Ports and harbors: Algiers, Annaba, Arzew, Bejaia, Beni Saf, Dellys,
Djendjene, Ghazaouet, Jijel, Mostaganem, Oran, Skikda, Tenes

Merchant marine: total: 73 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 903,944 GRT/1,051,433 DWT ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 25, chemical tanker 7, liquefied gas 10, petroleum tanker 5, roll on/roll off 12, short-sea passenger 4, specialized tanker 1, includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: United Arab Emirates 2 (2002 est.)

Airports: 136 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 52 over 3,047 m: 9 2,438 to 3,047 m: 26 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 1 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 84 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 23 under 914 m: 18 (2001) 914 to 1,523 m: 40

Heliports: 1 (2001)

Military Algeria

Military branches: Peoples National Army (ANP), Algerian National Navy
(ANN), Air Force, Territorial Air Defense, National Gendarmerie

Military manpower - military age: 19 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 9,016,048 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 5,513,317 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 388,939 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $1.87 billion (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 4.1% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Algeria

Disputes - international: part of southeastern region claimed by Libya; Algeria supports exiled West Saharan Polisario Front and rejects Moroccan administration of Western Sahara

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Azerbaijan

Introduction

Azerbaijan

Background: Azerbaijan - a nation of Turkic Muslims - has been an independent republic since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Despite a 1`994 cease-fire, Azerbaijan has yet to resolve its conflict with Armenia over the Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh enclave (largely Armenian populated). Azerbaijan has lost almost 20% of its territory and must support some 750,000 refugees and internally displaced persons as a result of the conflict. Corruption is ubiquitous and the promise of widespread wealth from Azerbaijan's undeveloped petroleum resources remains largely unfulfilled.

Geography Azerbaijan

Location: Southwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Russia

Geographic coordinates: 40 30 N, 47 30 E

Map references: Asia

Area: total: 86,600 sq km note: includes the exclave of Naxcivan
Autonomous Republic and the Nagorno-Karabakh region; the region's autonomy
was abolished by Azerbaijani Supreme Soviet on 26 November 1991 water:
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maine

Land boundaries: total: 2,013 km border countries: Armenia (with Azerbaijan-proper) 566 km, Armenia (with Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave) 221 km, Georgia 322 km, Iran (with Azerbaijan-proper) 432 km, Iran (with Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave) 179 km, Russia 284 km, Turkey 9 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked); note - Azerbaijan borders the Caspian Sea (800 km, est.)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: dry, semiarid steppe

Terrain: large, flat Kur-Araz Ovaligi (Kura-Araks Lowland) (much of it
below sea level) with Great Caucasus Mountains to the north, Qarabag
Yaylasi (Karabakh Upland) in west; Baku lies on Abseron Yasaqligi
(Apsheron Peninsula) that juts into Caspian Sea

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m highest point:
Bazarduzu Dagi 4,485 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, nonferrous metals, alumina

Land use: arable land: 19% permanent crops: 3% other: 78% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 14,550 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: droughts

Environment - current issues: local scientists consider the Abseron Yasaqligi (Apsheron Peninsula) (including Baku and Sumqayit) and the Caspian Sea to be the ecologically most devastated area in the world because of severe air, water, and soil pollution; soil pollution results from the use of DDT as a pesticide and also from toxic defoliants used in the production of cotton

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection,
Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: both the main area of the country and the Naxcivan exclave are landlocked

People Azerbaijan

Population: 7,798,497 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 28.3% (male 1,122,340; female 1,082,355) 15-64 years: 64.3% (male 2,441,830; female 2,577,109) 65 years and over: 7.4% (male 228,735; female 346,128) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.38% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 18.84 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 9.61 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -5.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 82.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 67.53 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.29 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: less than 0.01% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: less than 500 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Azerbaijani(s) adjective: Azerbaijani

Ethnic groups: Azeri 90%, Dagestani 3.2%, Russian 2.5%, Armenian 2%, other 2.3% (1998 est.) note: almost all Armenians live in the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region

Religions: Muslim 93.4%, Russian Orthodox 2.5%, Armenian Orthodox 2.3%, other 1.8% (1995 est.) note: religious affiliation is still nominal in Azerbaijan; percentages for actual practicing adherents are much lower

Languages: Azerbaijani (Azeri) 89%, Russian 3%, Armenian 2%, other 6% (1995 est.)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 99% female: 96% (1989 est.)

Government Azerbaijan

Country name: Republic of Azerbaijan conventional short form: Republic local long form: Azarbaycan Respublikasi

Government type: republic

Capital: Baku (Baki)

Administrative divisions: 59 rayons (rayonlar; rayon - singular), 11
cities* (saharlar; sahar - singular), 1 autonomous republic** (muxtar
respublika); Abseron Rayonu, Agcabadi Rayonu, Agdam Rayonu, Agdas Rayonu,
Agstafa Rayonu, Agsu Rayonu, Ali Bayramli Sahari*, Astara Rayonu, Baki
Sahari*, Balakan Rayonu, Barda Rayonu, Beylaqan Rayonu, Bilasuvar Rayonu,
Cabrayil Rayonu, Calilabad Rayonu, Daskasan Rayonu, Davaci Rayonu, Fuzuli
Rayonu, Gadabay Rayonu, Ganca Sahari*, Goranboy Rayonu, Goycay Rayonu,
Haciqabul Rayonu, Imisli Rayonu, Ismayilli Rayonu, Kalbacar Rayonu,
Kurdamir Rayonu, Lacin Rayonu, Lankaran Rayonu, Lankaran Sahari*, Lerik
Rayonu, Masalli Rayonu, Mingacevir Sahari*, Naftalan Sahari*, Naxcivan
Muxtar Respublikasi**, Neftcala Rayonu, Oguz Rayonu, Qabala Rayonu,
Qax Rayonu, Qazax Rayonu, Qobustan Rayonu, Quba Rayonu, Qubadli Rayonu,
Qusar Rayonu, Saatli Rayonu, Sabirabad Rayonu, Saki Rayonu, Saki Sahari*,
Salyan Rayonu, Samaxi Rayonu, Samkir Rayonu, Samux Rayonu, Siyazan Rayonu,
Sumqayit Sahari*, Susa Rayonu, Susa Sahari*, Tartar Rayonu, Tovuz Rayonu,
Ucar Rayonu, Xacmaz Rayonu, Xankandi Sahari*, Xanlar Rayonu, Xizi Rayonu,
Xocali Rayonu, Xocavand Rayonu, Yardimli Rayonu, Yevlax Rayonu, Yevlax
Sahari*, Zangilan Rayonu, Zaqatala Rayonu, Zardab Rayonu

Independence: 30 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: Founding of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaidzhan, 28 May (1918)

Constitution: adopted 12 November 1995

Legal system: based on civil law system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Heydar ALIYEV (since 18 June 1993) head of government: Prime Minister Artur RASIZADE (since 26 November 1996) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the National Assembly elections: president elected by popular vote to a five-year term; election last held 11 October 1998 (next to be held NA October 2003); prime minister and first deputy prime ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the National Assembly election results: Etibar MAMEDOV 11.8%, Nizami SULEYMANOV 8.2%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Milli Mejlis (125 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 4 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NAP and allies 108, APF 6, CSP 3, PNIA 2, Musavat Party 2, CPA 2, APF "traditionalist" 1, Compatriot Party 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: Azerbaijan Popular Front or APF [Ali KARIMLI, leader of "reform faction"; Mirmahmud FATTAYEV, leader of "traditionalist" faction]; Civic Solidarity Party or CSP [Sabir RUSTAMKHANLY]; Civic Union Party [Ayaz MUTALIBOV]; Communist Party of Azerbaijan or CPA [Ramiz AHMADOV]; Compatriot Party [Mais SAFARLI]; Democratic Party for Azerbaijan or DPA [Rasul QULIYEV, chairman]; Justice Party [Ilyas ISMAILOV]; Liberal Party of Azerbaijan [Lala Shvkat HACIYEVA]; Musavat [Isa GAMBAR, chairman]; New Azerbaijan Party or NAP [Heydar ALIYEV, chairman]; Party for National Independence of Azerbaijan or PNIA [Etibar MAMMADOV, chairman]; Social Democratic Party of Azerbaijan or SDP [Zardust ALIZADE and Araz ALIZADE] note: Political pressure groups and leaders: Sadval, Lezgin movement; self-proclaimed Armenian Nagorno-Karabakh Republic; Talysh independence movement

International organization participation: AsDB, BSEC, CCC, CE, CIS,
EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent),
ITU, NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Hafiz Mir Jalal PASHAYEV chancery: 2741 [1] (202) 337-5911 telephone: Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ross WILSON embassy: 83 Azadliq Avenue, Baku 370007 mailing address: American Embassy Baku, Department of State, [9] (9412) 98-03-35, 36, 37 FAX: Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), red, and green; a crescent and eight-pointed star in white are centered in red band

Economy Azerbaijan

Economy - overview: Azerbaijan's number one export is oil. Azerbaijan's oil production declined through 1997 but has registered an increase every year since. Negotiation of production-sharing arrangements (PSAs) with foreign firms, which have thus far committed $60 billion to oilfield development, should generate the funds needed to spur future industrial development. Oil production under the first of these PSAs, with the Azerbaijan International Operating Company, began in November 1997. Azerbaijan shares all the formidable problems of the former Soviet republics in making the transition from a command to a market economy, but its considerable energy resources brighten its long-term prospects. Baku has only recently begun making progress on economic reform, and old economic ties and structures are slowly being replaced. An obstacle to economic progress, including stepped up foreign investment in the non-energy sector, is the continuing conflict with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Trade with Russia and the other former Soviet republics is declining in importance while trade is building with Turkey and the nations of Europe. Long-term prospects will depend on world oil prices, the location of new pipelines in the region, and Azerbaijan's ability to manage its oil wealth.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $24.3 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 9.9% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,100 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 22% industry: 33% services: 45% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 64% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 27.8% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 36 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.6% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 2.9 million (1997)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture and forestry 32%, industry 15%, services 53% (1997)

Unemployment rate: 20% (official rate is 1.3% for 2001) (1999 est.)

Budget: revenues: $888 million expenditures: $978 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Industries: petroleum and natural gas, petroleum products, oilfield equipment; steel, iron ore, cement; chemicals and petrochemicals; textiles

Industrial production growth rate: 5.1% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 17.6 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 91.37% hydro: 8.63% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 16.7 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 900 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 1.25 billion kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: cotton, grain, rice, grapes, fruit, vegetables, tea, tobacco; cattle, pigs, sheep, goats

Exports: $2 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: oil and gas 90%, machinery, cotton, foodstuffs

Exports - partners: Italy 43.7%, France 11.8%, Israel 7.7%, Turkey 6.0%,
France 5.6% (2000)

Imports: $1.6 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, metals, chemicals

Imports - partners: Russia 21.3%, Turkey 11%, US 8.9%, Iran 5.8%,
Germany 5.8% (2000)

Debt - external: $1.5 billion (2001)

Economic aid - recipient: ODA, $113 million (1996)

Currency: Azerbaijani manat (AZM)

Currency code: AZM

Exchange rates: Azerbaijani manats per US dollar - 4,804 (11 February 2002), 4,656.58 (2001), 4,474.15 (2000), 4,120.17 (1999), 3,869 (1998), 3,985.38 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Azerbaijan

Telephones - main lines in use: 663,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 40,000 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: inadequate; requires considerable expansion and modernization; teledensity of 8.6 main lines per 100 persons is very low domestic: the majority of telephones are in Baku and other industrial centers - about 700 villages still without public telephone service; satellite service connects Baku to a modern switch in its exclave of Naxcivan international: the old Soviet system of cable and microwave is still serviceable; a satellite connection to Turkey enables Baku to reach about 200 additional countries, some of which are directly connected to Baku by satellite providers other than Turkey (1997)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 10, FM 17, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios: 175,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 2 (1997)

Televisions: 170,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .az

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)

Internet users: 12,000 (2001)

Transportation Azerbaijan

Railways: total: 2,125 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines broad gauge: 2,125 km 1.520-m gauge (1,278 km electrified) (1993 est.)

Highways: total: 36,700 km paved: 31,800 km (includes some all-weather gravel-surfaced roads) unpaved: 4,900 km (these roads are made of unstabilized earth and are difficult to negotiate in wet weather) (1990)

Waterways: none

Pipelines: crude oil 1,130 km; petroleum products 630 km; natural gas 1,240 km

Ports and harbors: Baku (Baki)

Merchant marine: total: 54 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 246,051 GRT/306,756 DWT ships by type: cargo 12, petroleum tanker 40, roll on/roll off 2 (2002 est.)

Airports: 52 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 9 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 43 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 28 (2001)

Military Azerbaijan

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 2,131,331 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,706,325 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 77,099 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $121 million (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.6% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Azerbaijan

Disputes - international: Armenia supports ethnic Armenian secessionists in Nagorno-Karabakh and militarily occupies almost one-fifth of Azerbaijan - Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) continues to mediate dispute; Azerbaijan signed bilateral agreements with Russia delimiting the Caspian seabed, but littoral states are far from multilateral agreement on dividing the waters and seabed regimes - Iran insists on division of Caspian Sea into five equal sectors while Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan have generally agreed upon equidistant seabed boundaries; Iran threatens to conduct oil exploration in Azerbaijani-claimed waters, while interdicting Azerbaijani activities; Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan await ICJ decision to resolve sovereignty dispute over oilfields in the Caspian Sea

Illicit drugs: limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for CIS consumption; limited government eradication program; transshipment point for opiates via Iran, Central Asia, and Russia to Western Europe

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Albania

Introduction

Albania

Background: In 1990 Albania ended 44 years of xenophobic communist rule and established a multiparty democracy. The transition has proven difficult as corrupt governments have tried to deal with high unemployment, a dilapidated infrastructure, widespread gangsterism, and disruptive political opponents. International observers judged local elections in 2001 to be acceptable and a step toward democratic development, but identified serious deficiencies which should be addressed through reforms in the Albanian electoral code.

Geography Albania

Location: Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

Geographic coordinates: 41 00 N, 20 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 28,748 sq km water: 1,350 sq km land: 27,398 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries: total: 720 km border countries: Greece 282 km, The
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 151 km, Yugoslavia 287 km

Coastline: 362 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry summers; interior is cooler and wetter

Terrain: mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m highest point:
Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,753 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, timber, nickel, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 21% permanent crops: 4% other: 75% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 3,400 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast; floods; drought

Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial and domestic effluents

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection,
Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links
Adriatic Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea)

People Albania

Population: 3,544,841 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 28.8% (male 528,678; female 493,531) 15-64 years: 64% (male 1,094,034; female 1,175,024) 65 years and over: 7.2% (male 111,524; female 142,050) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.06% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 18.59 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 6.49 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 38.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 75.14 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.27 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: less than 0.01% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: less than 100 (2000 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Albanian(s) adjective: Albanian

Ethnic groups: Albanian 95%, Greek 3%, other 2% (Vlach, Gypsy, Serb, and Bulgarian) (1989 est.) note: in 1989, other estimates of the Greek population ranged from 1% (official Albanian statistics) to 12% (from a Greek organization)

Religions: Muslim 70%, Albanian Orthodox 20%, Roman Catholic 10% note: all mosques and churches were closed in 1967 and religious observances prohibited; in November 1990, Albania began allowing private religious practice

Languages: Albanian (Tosk is the official dialect), Greek

Literacy: definition: age 9 and over can read and write total population: 93% (1997 est.) male: NA% female: NA%

Government Albania

Country name: Republic of Albania conventional short form: of Albania local long form: Republika e Shqiperise

Government type: emerging democracy

Capital: Tirana

Administrative divisions: 36 districts (rrethe, singular - rreth) and 1 municipality* (bashki); Berat, Bulqize, Delvine, Devoll (Bilisht), Diber (Peshkopi), Durres, Elbasan, Fier, Gjirokaster, Gramsh, Has (Krume), Kavaje, Kolonje (Erseke), Korce, Kruje, Kucove, Kukes, Kurbin, Lezhe, Librazhd, Lushnje, Malesi e Madhe (Koplik), Mallakaster (Ballsh), Mat (Burrel), Mirdite (Rreshen), Peqin, Permet, Pogradec, Puke, Sarande, Shkoder, Skrapar (Corovode), Tepelene, Tirane (Tirana), Tirane* (Tirana), Tropoje (Bajram Curri), Vlore note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)

Independence: 28 November 1912 (from Ottoman Empire)

National holiday: Independence Day, 28 November (1912)

Constitution: a constitution was adopted by popular referendum on 28
November 1998; note - the opposition Democratic Party boycotted the vote

Legal system: has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch: chief of state: President of the Republic Rexhep MEIDANI (since 24 July 1997) head of government: Prime Minister Pandeli MAJKO (since 22 February 2002) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and approved by the president election results: Rexhep MEIDANI elected president; People's Assembly vote by number - total votes 122, for 110, against 3, abstained 2, invalid 7 elections: president elected by the People's Assembly for a five-year term; election last held 24 July 1997 (next to be held NA July 2002); prime minister appointed by the president

Legislative branch: unicameral People's Assembly or Kuvendi Popullor (140 seats; 100 are elected by direct popular vote and 40 by proportional vote for four-year terms) election results: percent of vote by party - PS 41.5%, PD and coalition allies 36.8%, NDP 5.2%, PSD 3.6%, PBDNJ 2.6%, PASH 2.6%, PAD 2.5%; seats by party - PS 73, PD and coalition allies 46, NDP 6, PSD 4, PBDNJ 3, PASH 3, PAD 3, independents 2 elections: last held 24 June with subsequent rounds on 8 July, 22 July, 29 July, 19 August 2001 (next to be held NA June 2005)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (chairman is elected by the People's
Assembly for a four-year term)

Political parties and leaders: Agrarian Party or PASH [Lufter XHUVELI];
Albanian National Front (Balli Kombetar) or PBK [Shptim ROQI]; Albanian
Republican Party or PR [Fatmir MEDIU]; Albanian Socialist Party or PS
(formerly the Albania Workers Party) [Fatos NANO, chairman]; Christian
Democratic Party or PDK [Zef BUSHATI]; Democratic Alliance or PAD
[Nerltan CEKA]; Democratic Party or PD [Sali BERISHA]; Group of Reformist
Democrats [Leonard NDOKA]; Legality Movement Party or PLL [Ekrem SPAHIA];
Liberal Union Party or PBL [Teodor LACO]; New Democratic Party or NDP
[Genc POLLO]; OMONIA [Vagjelis DULES]; Party of National Unity or PUK
[Idajet BEQUIRI]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Skender GJINUSHI];
Unity for Human Rights Party or PBDNJ [Vasil MELO, chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACCT, BSEC, CCC, CE, CEI,
EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, OIC, OPCW,
OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Fatos TARIFA chancery: 2100 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 FAX: [1] (202) 628-7342 telephone: [1] (202) 223-4942

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Joseph LIMPRECHT embassy: Rruga Elbasanit, Labinoti #103, Tirana mailing
address: U. S. Department of State, 9510
 [355] (4) 247285 FAX:
Flag description: red with a black two-headed eagle in the center

Economy Albania

Economy - overview: Poor and backward by European standards, Albania is making the difficult transition to a more modern open-market economy. The government has taken measures to curb violent crime and to revive economic activity and trade. The economy is bolstered by remittances from abroad of $400-$600 million annually, mostly from Greece and Italy. Agriculture, which accounts for 52% of GDP, is held back because of frequent drought and the need to modernize equipment and consolidate small plots of land. Severe energy shortages are forcing small firms out of business, increasing unemployment, scaring off foreign investors, and spurring inflation.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $13.2 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 7.3% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,800 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 52% industry: 21% services: 27% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 30% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 1.283 million (not including 352,000 emigrant workers and 261,000 domestically unemployed) (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 50%, industry and services 50%

Unemployment rate: 17% officially (2001 est.); may be as high as 30%

Budget: revenues: $697 million expenditures: $1.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $368 million (2002 est.)

Industries: food processing, textiles and clothing; lumber, oil, cement, chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower

Industrial production growth rate: 9% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production: 4.738 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 3% hydro: 97% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 5.378 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 100 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 1.072 billion kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: wheat, corn, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, sugar beets, grapes; meat, dairy products

Exports: $306 million (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: textiles and footwear; asphalt, metals and metallic ores, crude oil; vegetables, fruits, tobacco

Exports - partners: Italy 70%, Greece 12%, Germany 6%, The Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 2%, Austria 1% (2001)

Imports: $1.1 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, textiles, chemicals

Imports - partners: Italy 32%, Greece 26%, Turkey 6%, Germany 6%,
Bulgaria 2% (2001)

Debt - external: $1 billion (2000)

Economic aid - recipient: $315 million (top donors were Italy, EU,
Germany) (2000 est.)

Currency: lek (ALL)

Currency code: ALL

Exchange rates: leke per US dollar - 140.16 (November 2001), 143.71 (2000) 137.69 (1999), 150.63 (1998), 148.93 (1997); note - leke is the plural of lek

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Albania

Telephones - main lines in use: 120,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 250,000 (2001)

Telephone system: general assessment: Albania has the poorest telephone service in Europe with fewer than two telephones per 100 inhabitants; it is doubtful that every village has telephone service domestic: obsolete wire system; no longer provides a telephone for every village; in 1992, following the fall of the Communist government, peasants cut the wire to about 1,000 villages and used it to build fences international: inadequate; international traffic carried by microwave radio relay from the Tirana exchange to Italy and Greece

Radio broadcast stations: AM 13, FM 4, shortwave 2 (2001)

Radios: 1 million (2001)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (plus 58 repeaters) (2001)

Televisions: 700,000 (2001)

Internet country code: .al

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 10 (2001)

Internet users: 12,000 (2001)

Transportation Albania

Railways: total: 447 km standard gauge: 447 km 1.435-m gauge (2001 est.)

Highways: total: 18,000 km paved: 5,400 km unpaved: 12,600 km (1998 est.)

Waterways: 43 km note: includes Albanian sections of Lake Scutari,
Lake Ohrid, and Lake Prespa (1990)

Pipelines: crude oil 196 km; petroleum products 55 km; natural gas 64 km (1996)

Ports and harbors: Durres, Sarande, Shengjin, Vlore

Merchant marine: total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 13,423 GRT/20,837 DWT ships by type: cargo 7, includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Croatia 1, Honduras 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 11 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: 4 (2001) 914 to 1,523 m: Heliports: 1 (2001)

Military Albania

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Interior
Ministry Troops, Border Guards

Military manpower - military age: 19 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 888,086 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 727,406 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 35,792 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $56.5 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.49% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Albania

Disputes - international: the Albanian Government supports protection of the rights of ethnic Albanians outside of its borders in the Kosovo region of Yugoslavia and in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia while continuing to seek regional cooperation; many Albanians illegally transit neighboring states to emigrate to western Europe

Illicit drugs: increasingly active transshipment point for Southwest Asian opiates, hashish, and cannabis transiting the Balkan route and - to a far lesser extent - cocaine from South America destined for Western Europe; limited opium and growing cannabis production; ethnic Albanian narcotrafficking organizations active and rapidly expanding in Europe

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Armenia

Introduction

Armenia

Background: An Armenian Apostolic Christian country, Armenia was incorporated into Russia in 1828 and the USSR in 1920. Armenian leaders remain preoccupied by the long conflict with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh, a primarily Armenian-populated region, assigned to Soviet Azerbaijan in the 1920s by Moscow. Armenia and Azerbaijan began fighting over the area in 1988; the struggle escalated after both countries attained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. By May 1994, when a cease-fire took hold, Armenian forces held not only Nagorno-Karabakh but also a significant portion of Azerbaijan proper. The economies of both sides have been hurt by their inability to make substantial progress toward a peaceful resolution.

Geography Armenia

Location: Southwestern Asia, east of Turkey

Geographic coordinates: 40 00 N, 45 00 E

Map references: Asia

Area: total: 29,800 sq km water: 1,400 sq km land: 28,400 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries: total: 1,254 km border countries: Azerbaijan-proper 566 km, Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave 221 km, Georgia 164 km, Iran 35 km, Turkey 268 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: highland continental, hot summers, cold winters

Terrain: Armenian Highland with mountains; little forest land; fast flowing rivers; good soil in Aras River valley

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Debed River 400 m highest point:
Aragats Lerrnagagat' 4,090 m

Natural resources: small deposits of gold, copper, molybdenum, zinc, alumina

Land use: arable land: 18% permanent crops: 2% other: 80% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 2,870 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts

Environment - current issues: soil pollution from toxic chemicals such as DDT; energy blockade, the result of conflict with Azerbaijan and disagreements with Turkey, has led to deforestation when citizens scavenged for firewood; pollution of Hrazdan (Razdan) and Aras Rivers; the draining of Sevana Lich (Lake Sevan), a result of its use as a source for hydropower, threatens drinking water supplies; restart of Metsamor nuclear power plant in spite of its location in a seismically-active zone

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear
Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:
Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note: landlocked in the Lesser Caucasus Mountains; Sevana
Lich (Lake Sevan) is the largest lake in this mountain range

People Armenia

Population: 3,330,099 note: Armenia's first census since independence was conducted in October 2001, but official figures have not yet been released (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 22.2% (male 374,597; female 363,115) 15-64 years: 67.7% (male 1,104,100; female 1,150,282) 65 years and over: 10.1% (male 141,330; female 196,675) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.15% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 12 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 9.94 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -3.51 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 41.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 71.12 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.53 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.01% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: less than 500 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Armenian(s) adjective: Armenian

Ethnic groups: Armenian 93%, Azeri 3%, Russian 2%, other (mostly Yezidi Kurds) 2% (1989) note: as of the end of 1993, virtually all Azeris had emigrated from Armenia

Religions: Armenian Apostolic 94%, other Christian 4%, Yezidi
(Zoroastrian/animist) 2%

Languages: Armenian 96%, Russian 2%, other 2%

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 98% (1989 est.)

Government Armenia

Country name: Republic of Armenia conventional short form: Republic;
Armenian Republic local long form: Hayastani Hanrapetut'yun

Government type: republic

Capital: Yerevan

Administrative divisions: 11 provinces (marzer, singular - marz);
Aragatsotn, Ararat, Armavir, Geghark'unik', Kotayk', Lorri, Shirak,
Syunik', Tavush, Vayots' Dzor, Yerevan

Independence: 21 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day, 21 September (1991)

Constitution: adopted by nationwide referendum 5 July 1995

Legal system: based on civil law system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Robert KOCHARIAN (since 30 March 1998) head of Prime Minister Andranik MARKARYAN (since 12 May 2000) cabinet: elected by popular vote for a five-year term; special election last held 30 March 1998 (next to be held NA March 2003); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Robert KOCHARIAN elected president; percent of vote - Robert KOCHARIAN 59.5%, Karen DEMIRCHYAN 40.5%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Parliament) or Azgayin Zhoghov (131 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Unity Bloc 61 (Republican Party 41, People's Party of Armenia 20), Stability Group (independent Armenian deputies who have formed a bloc) 21, ACP 10, ARF (Dashnak) 8, Law and Unity Party 7, NDU 6, Law-Governed Party 6, independents 10, unfilled 2; note - seats by party change frequently

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Constitutional Court

Political parties and leaders: Agro-Technical People's Group
(formerly Stability Group) [Hmayk HOVHANISSIAN]; Armenian Communist
Party or ACP [Vladimir DARBINYAN]; Armenia Democratic Party [Armen
SARGSIAN]; Armenian Revolutionary Federation ("Dashnak" Party) or ARF
[Hrant MARKARYAN]; Christian Democratic Union or CDU [Azat ARSHAKYN,
chairman]; Constitutional Rights Union [Hrant KHACHATRYAN]; Democratic
Liberal Party/Ramkvar Azatakyan or DL/RA [Ruben MIRZAKHANIAN, chairman];
Law and Unity Party [Artashes GEGAMIAN, chairman]; Law-Governed Party
[Artur BAGDASARIAN, chairman]; National Accord Front [Ashot MANUTCHARIAN];
National Democratic Alliance [Arshak ZADOYAN]; National Democratic Party
[Shavarsh KOCHARIAN]; National Democratic Union or NDU [Vazgen MANUKIAN];
Pan-Armenian National Movement or PANM [Alex ARZOUMANYAN]; People's
Democratic Party [Gagik ASLANYAN]; People's Deputies Group [Hovhannes
HOVHANISSIAN]; People's Party of Armenia [Stepan DEMIRCHYAN]; Republic
Party [Aram SARGSIAN]; Republican Party or RPA [Andranik MARKARYAN];
Shamiram Women's Movement or SWM [Shogher MATEVOSIAN]; Social Democratic
(Hunchak) Party [Yeghia SHAMSHAYN]; Social Democratic Union (formerly
National Self-Determination Union) [Paruyr HAYRIKIAN]; Twenty-first
Century Party [David SHAKHNAZARIAN]; Unity Bloc [Stepan DEMIRCHIAN and
Andranik MARKARYAN] (a coalition of the Republican Party and People's
Party of Armenia); Yerkrapah Union [Manval GRIGORYAN]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: BSEC, CCC, CE, CIS, EAPC,
EBRD, ECE, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (observer), OAS (observer),
OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Arman KIRAKOSIAN consulate(s) general: Los [1] (202) 319-1976 chancery: Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John M. ORDWAY embassy: 18 Baghramyan Ave., Yerevan 375019 mailing address: American Embassy Yerevan, Department of [374](1) 521-611, 543-900 FAX: Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, and orange

Economy Armenia

Economy - overview: Under the old Soviet central planning system, Armenia had developed a modern industrial sector, supplying machine tools, textiles, and other manufactured goods to sister republics in exchange for raw materials and energy. Since the implosion of the USSR in December 1991, Armenia has switched to small-scale agriculture away from the large agroindustrial complexes of the Soviet era. The agricultural sector has long-term needs for more investment and updated technology. The privatization of industry has been at a slower pace, but has been given renewed emphasis by the current administration. Armenia is a food importer, and its mineral deposits (gold, bauxite) are small. The ongoing conflict with Azerbaijan over the ethnic Armenian-dominated region of Nagorno-Karabakh and the breakup of the centrally directed economic system of the former Soviet Union contributed to a severe economic decline in the early 1990s. By 1994, however, the Armenian Government had launched an ambitious IMF-sponsored economic program that has resulted in positive growth rates in 1995-2001. Armenia also managed to slash inflation and to privatize most small- and medium-sized enterprises. The chronic energy shortages Armenia suffered in recent years have been largely offset by the energy supplied by one of its nuclear power plants at Metsamor. Armenia's severe trade imbalance has been offset somewhat by international aid, domestic restructuring of the economy, and foreign direct investment.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $11.2 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 9.6% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,350 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 29% industry: 32% services: 39% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 55% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 35.2% (1996)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 44.4 (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.1% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 1.4 million (2001)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 44%, services 14%, industry 42% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: 20% note: official rate is 10.9% for 2000 (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $358 million expenditures: $458 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Industries: metal-cutting machine tools, forging-pressing machines, electric motors, tires, knitted wear, hosiery, shoes, silk fabric, chemicals, trucks, instruments, microelectronics, gem cutting, jewelry manufacturing, software development, food processing, brandy

Industrial production growth rate: 3.8% (2001)

Electricity - production: 5.69 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 36.34% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 32.34% hydro: 31.32%

Electricity - consumption: 4.89 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 704 million kWh note: exports an unknown quantity to Georgia; includes exports to Nagorno-Karabakh region in Azerbaijan (2000)

Electricity - imports: 300 million kWh note: imports an unknown quantity from Iran (2000)

Agriculture - products: fruit (especially grapes), vegetables; livestock

Exports: $338.5 million (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: diamonds, scrap metal, machinery and equipment, brandy, copper ore

Exports - partners: Belgium 23%, Russia 15%, US 13%, Iran 10% (2000)

Imports: $868.6 million (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: natural gas, petroleum, tobacco products, foodstuffs, diamonds

Imports - partners: Russia 15%, US 12%, Belgium 10%, Iran 9% (2000)

Debt - external: $839 million (June 2001)

Economic aid - recipient: $245.5 million (1995)

Currency: dram (AMD)

Currency code: AMD

Exchange rates: drams per US dollar - 564.08 (January 2002), 555.08 (2001), 539.53 (2000), 535.06 (1999), 504.92 (1998), 490.85 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Armenia

Telephones - main lines in use: 568,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 25,000 (2001)

Telephone system: general assessment: system inadequate; now 90% privately owned and undergoing modernization and expansion domestic: the majority of subscribers and the most modern equipment are in Yerevan (this includes paging and mobile cellular service) international: Yerevan is connected to the Trans-Asia-Europe fiber-optic cable through Iran; additional international service is available by microwave radio relay and landline connections to the other countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States and through the Moscow international switch and by satellite to the rest of the world; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (2000)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 9, FM 6, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios: 850,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (plus an unknown number of repeaters) (1998)

Televisions: 825,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .am

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 9 (2001)

Internet users: 30,000 (2001)

Transportation Armenia

Railways: total: 852 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines broad gauge: 852 km 1.520-m gauge (779 km electrified) (2001 est.)

Highways: total: 11,300 km paved: 10,500 km (includes some all-weather gravel-surfaced roads) unpaved: 800 km (these roads are made of unstabilized earth and are difficult to negotiate in wet weather) (1990)

Waterways: NA km

Pipelines: natural gas 900 km (1991)

Ports and harbors: none

Airports: 7 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 7 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2001)

Military Armenia

Military branches: Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, Border Guards

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 912,650 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 722,035 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 34,998 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $135 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 6.5% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Armenia

Disputes - international: Armenia supports ethnic Armenian secessionists in Nagorno-Karabakh and militarily occupies almost one-fifth of Azerbaijan - Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) continues to mediate dispute; border with Turkey remains closed over Nagorno-Karabakh dispute; traditional demands regarding former Armenian lands in Turkey have subsided

Illicit drugs: illicit cultivator of cannabis mostly for domestic consumption; increasingly used as a transshipment point for illicit drugs - mostly opium and hashish - to Western Europe and the US via Iran, Central Asia, and Russia

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Andorra

Introduction

Andorra

Background: Long isolated and impoverished, mountainous Andorra has achieved considerable prosperity since World War II through its tourist industry. Many immigrants (legal and illegal) are attracted to the thriving economy with its lack of income taxes.

Geography Andorra

Location: Southwestern Europe, between France and Spain

Geographic coordinates: 42 30 N, 1 30 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 468 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 468 sq km

Area - comparative: 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 120.3 km border countries: France 56.6 km,
Spain 63.7 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: temperate; snowy, cold winters and warm, dry summers

Terrain: rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Riu Runer 840 m highest point: Coma
Pedrosa 2,946 m

Natural resources: hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore, lead

Land use: arable land: 2% permanent crops: 0% other: 98% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: avalanches

Environment - current issues: deforestation; overgrazing of mountain meadows contributes to soil erosion; air pollution; wastewater treatment and solid waste disposal

Environment - international agreements: party to: Hazardous Wastes signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: landlocked; straddles a number of important crossroads in the Pyrenees

People Andorra

Population: 68,403 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 15.2% (male 5,456; female 4,951) 15-64 years: 71.9% (male 25,855; female 23,311) 65 years and over: 12.9% (male 4,425; female 4,405) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.11% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 9.97 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 5.57 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 6.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female total population: 1.09 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 4.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 86.58 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.26 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Andorran(s) adjective: Andorran

Ethnic groups: Spanish 43%, Andorran 33%, Portuguese 11%, French 7%, other 6% (1998)

Religions: Roman Catholic (predominant)

Languages: Catalan (official), French, Castilian

Literacy: definition: NA total population: 100% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Andorra

Country name: Principality of Andorra conventional short form: Government type: parliamentary democracy (since March 1993) that retains as its heads of state a coprincipality; the two princes are the president of France and bishop of Seo de Urgel, Spain, who are represented locally by coprinces' representatives

Capital: Andorra la Vella

Administrative divisions: 7 parishes (parroquies, singular - parroquia);
Andorra la Vella, Canillo, Encamp, La Massana, Escaldes-Engordany,
Ordino, Sant Julia de Loria

Independence: 1278 (was formed under the joint suzerainty of France and Spain)

National holiday: Our Lady of Meritxell Day, 8 September (1278)

Constitution: Andorra's first written constitution was drafted in 1991; approved by referendum 14 March 1993; came into force 4 May 1993

Legal system: based on French and Spanish civil codes; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: French Coprince Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995), represented by Frederic de SAINT-SERNIN (since NA); Spanish Coprince Episcopal Monseigneur Joan MARTI Alanis (since 31 January 1971), represented by Nemesi MARQUES OSTE (since NA) elections: Executive Council president elected by the General Council and formally appointed by the coprinces for a four-year term; election last held 4 March 2001 (next to be held NA 2005) election results: Marc FORNE Molne elected executive council president; percent of General Council vote - NA% cabinet: Executive Council or Govern designated by the Executive Council president head of government: Executive Council President Marc FORNE Molne (since 21 December 1994)

Legislative branch: unicameral General Council of the Valleys or Consell General de las Valls (28 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote, 14 from a single national constituency and 14 to represent each of the 7 parishes; members serve four-year terms) elections: last held 4 March 2001 (next to be held NA March 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - PLA 46.1%, PSD 30%, PD 23.8%, other 0.1%; seats by party - PLA 15, PSD 6, PD 5, independents 2

Judicial branch: Tribunal of Judges or Tribunal de Batlles; Tribunal of
the Courts or Tribunal de Corts; Supreme Court of Justice of Andorra or
Tribunal Superior de Justicia d'Andorra; Supreme Council of Justice or
Consell Superior de la Justicia; Fiscal Ministry or Ministeri Fiscal;
Constitutional Tribunal or Tribunal Constitucional

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party or PD (formerly part of National Democratic Group or AND) [leader NA]; Liberal Party of Andorra or PLA [Marc Forne MOLNE] (used to be Liberal Union or UL); National Democratic Initiative or IDN [Vincenc MATEU Zamora]; New Democracy or ND [Jaume BARTOMEU Cassany]; Social Democratic Party or PSD (formerly part of National Democratic Group of AND) [leader NA]; Union of the People of Ordino (Unio Parroquial d'Ordino) or UPO [Simo DURO Coma] note: there are two other small parties

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: CCC, CE, ECE, ICAO, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OSCE, UN, UNESCO, WHO, WIPO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Jelena V. PIA-COMELLA chancery: 2 United Nations Plaza, 25th Floor, New York, NY 10017 FAX: [1] (212) 750-6630 telephone: [1] (212) 750-8064

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Andorra; the US Ambassador to Spain is accredited to Andorra; US interests in Andorra are represented by the Consulate General's office in Barcelona (Spain); mailing address: 280-2227; FAX: (3493) 205-7705

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red with the national coat of arms centered in the yellow band; the coat of arms features a quartered shield; similar to the flags of Chad and Romania, which do not have a national coat of arms in the center, and the flag of Moldova, which does bear a national emblem

Economy Andorra

Economy - overview: Tourism, the mainstay of Andorra's tiny, well-to-do economy, accounts for roughly 80% of GDP. An estimated 9 million tourists visit annually, attracted by Andorra's duty-free status and by its summer and winter resorts. Andorra's comparative advantage has recently eroded as the economies of neighboring France and Spain have been opened up, providing broader availability of goods and lower tariffs. The banking sector, with its "tax haven" status, also contributes substantially to the economy. Agricultural production is limited - only 2% of the land is arable - and most food has to be imported. The principal livestock activity is sheep raising. Manufacturing output consists mainly of cigarettes, cigars, and furniture. Andorra is a member of the EU Customs Union and is treated as an EU member for trade in manufactured goods (no tariffs) and as a non-EU member for agricultural products.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.3 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3.8% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $19,000 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.3% (2000)

Labor force: 33,000 (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 1%, industry 21%, services 78% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: 0%

Budget: revenues: $385 million expenditures: $342 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997)

Industries: tourism (particularly skiing), cattle raising, timber, tobacco, banking

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: NA% other: NA% nuclear:
NA% hydro: NA%

Electricity - consumption: NA kWh

Electricity - exports: NA kWh

Electricity - imports: NA kWh note: most electricity supplied by Spain and France; Andorra generates a small amount of hydropower

Agriculture - products: small quantities of tobacco, rye, wheat, barley, oats, vegetables; sheep

Exports: $58 million (f.o.b., 1998)

Exports - commodities: tobacco products, furniture

Exports - partners: France 34%, Spain 58% (1998)

Imports: $1.077 billion (c.i.f., 1998)

Imports - commodities: consumer goods, food, electricity

Imports - partners: Spain 48%, France 35%, US 2.3% (1998)

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid - recipient: none

Currency: euro (EUR); French franc (FRF); Spanish peseta (ESP)

Currency code: EUR; FRF; ESP

Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997); Spanish pesetas per US dollar - 149.40 (1998), 146.41 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Andorra

Telephones - main lines in use: 32,946 (December 1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 14,117 (December 1998)

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: modern system with microwave radio relay connections between exchanges international: landline circuits to France and Spain

Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 15, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 16,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 0 (1997)

Televisions: 27,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .ad

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: 24,500 (2001)

Transportation Andorra

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 269 km paved: 198 km unpaved: 71 km (1994 est.)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: none

Airports: none (2001)

Military Andorra

Military branches: no regular military forces, but there is a police force

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France and Spain

Transnational Issues Andorra

Disputes - international: border is undemarcated in sections

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Angola

Introduction

Angola

Background: Civil war has been the norm in Angola since independence from Portugal in 1975. A 1994 peace accord between the government and the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) provided for the integration of former UNITA insurgents into the government and armed forces. A national unity government was installed in April of 1997, but serious fighting resumed in late 1998, rendering hundreds of thousands of people homeless. Up to 1.5 million lives may have been lost in fighting over the past quarter century. The death of Jonas SAVIMBI and a cease fire with UNITA may bode well for the country.

Geography Angola

Location: Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between
Namibia and Democratic Republic of the Congo

Geographic coordinates: 12 30 S, 18 30 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 1,246,700 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 1,246,700 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries: total: 5,198 km border countries: Democratic Republic
of the Congo 2,511 km (of which 225 km is the boundary of discontiguous
Cabinda Province), Republic of the Congo 201 km, Namibia 1,376 km,
Zambia 1,110 km

Coastline: 1,600 km

Maritime claims: 200 NM territorial sea: Climate: semiarid in south and along coast to Luanda; north has cool, dry season (May to October) and hot, rainy season (November to April)

Terrain: narrow coastal plain rises abruptly to vast interior plateau

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Morro de Moco 2,620 m

Natural resources: petroleum, diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, copper, feldspar, gold, bauxite, uranium

Land use: arable land: 2% permanent crops: 1% other: 97% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 750 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on the plateau

Environment - current issues: overuse of pastures and subsequent soil erosion attributable to population pressures; desertification; deforestation of tropical rain forest, in response to both international demand for tropical timber and to domestic use as fuel, resulting in loss of biodiversity; soil erosion contributing to water pollution and siltation of rivers and dams; inadequate supplies of potable water

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: Cabinda is separated from rest of country by the
Democratic Republic of the Congo

People Angola

Population: 10,593,171 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 43.3% (male 2,318,326; female 2,272,726) 15-64 years: 53.9% (male 2,904,595; female 2,806,430) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 131,316; female 159,778) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.18% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 46.18 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 24.35 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 191.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 40.18 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 6.43 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 2.78% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 160,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 15,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Angolan(s) adjective: Angolan

Ethnic groups: Ovimbundu 37%, Kimbundu 25%, Bakongo 13%, mestico (mixed
European and Native African) 2%, European 1%, other 22%

Religions: indigenous beliefs 47%, Roman Catholic 38%, Protestant 15% (1998 est.)

Languages: Portuguese (official), Bantu and other African languages

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 42% male: 56% female: 28% (1998 est.)

Government Angola

Country name: Republic of Angola conventional short form: local long form: Republica de Angola

Government type: republic, nominally a multiparty democracy with a strong presidential system

Capital: Luanda

Administrative divisions: 18 provinces (provincias, singular -
provincia); Bengo, Benguela, Bie, Cabinda, Cuando Cubango, Cuanza Norte,
Cuanza Sul, Cunene, Huambo, Huila, Luanda, Lunda Norte, Lunda Sul,
Malanje, Moxico, Namibe, Uige, Zaire

Independence: 11 November 1975 (from Portugal)

National holiday: Independence Day, 11 November (1975)

Constitution: 11 November 1975; revised 7 January 1978, 11 August 1980, 6 March 1991, and 26 August 1992

Legal system: based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law; recently modified to accommodate political pluralism and increased use of free markets

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS (since 21 September 1979); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS (since 21 September 1979); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: DOS SANTOS originally elected (in 1979) without opposition under a one-party system and stood for reelection in Angola's first multiparty elections 29-30 September 1992 (next to be held NA) election results: DOS SANTOS 49.6%, Jonas SAVIMBI 40.1%, making a run-off election necessary; the run-off was not held and SAVIMBI's National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) repudiated the results of the first election; the civil war resumed

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (220 seats; members elected by proportional vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 29-30 September 1992 (next to be held NA) election results: percent of vote by party - MPLA 54%, UNITA 34%, others 12%; seats by party - MPLA 129, UNITA 70, PRS 6, FNLA 5, PLD 3, others 7

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Tribunal da Relacao (judges are appointed by the president)

Political parties and leaders: Liberal Democratic Party or PLD [Analia de Victoria PEREIRA]; National Front for the Liberation of Angola or FNLA [disputed leadership: Lucas NGONDA, Holden ROBERTO]; National Union for the Total Independence of Angola or UNITA [Jonas SAVIMBI], largest opposition party has engaged in years of armed resistance; Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola or MPLA [Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS], ruling party in power since 1975; Social Renewal Party or PRS [disputed leadership: Eduardo KUANGANA, Antonio MUACHICUNGO]; UNITA-Renovada [Eugenio NGOLO "Manuvakola"] note: won a few seats and have little influence in the National Assembly

Political pressure groups and leaders: Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda or FLEC [N'zita Henriques TIAGO; Antonio Bento BEMBE] note: FLEC is waging a small-scale, highly factionalized, armed struggle for the independence of Cabinda Province

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEEAC, ECA,
FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OAU, SADC, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Josefina Perpetua Pitra DIAKIDI FAX: [1] (202) 785-1258 consulate(s)
general: New York telephone: [1] (202) 785-1156 chancery: 2100 16th
Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher William DELL embassy: number international mail: State, Washington, DC 20521-2550 telephone: [244] (2) 445-481, 447-028, 446-224, 445-727 FAX: [244] (2) 446-924

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and black with a centered yellow emblem consisting of a five-pointed star within half a cogwheel crossed by a machete (in the style of a hammer and sickle)

Economy Angola

Economy - overview: Angola is an economy in disarray because of a quarter century of nearly continuous warfare. Subsistence agriculture provides the main livelihood for 85% of the population. Oil production and the supporting activities are vital to the economy, contributing about 45% to GDP and 90% of exports. Violence continues, millions of land mines remain, and many farmers are reluctant to return to their fields. As a result, much of the country's food must still be imported. To fully take advantage of its rich natural resources - gold, diamonds, extensive forests, Atlantic fisheries, and large oil deposits - Angola will need to end its conflict and continue reforming government policies. Internal strife discourages investment outside of the petroleum sector, which is producing roughly 800,000 barrels of oil per day. While Angola made progress in bringing inflation down further, from over 300% in 2000 to about 110% in 2001, the government has failed to make sufficient progress on reforms recommended by the IMF, such as increasing foreign exchange reserves and promoting greater transparency in government spending. Angola's GDP could be among the world's fastest growing in 2002 if oil production from the Girassol field, which began production in December 2001, reaches 200,000 barrels per day as expected.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $13.3 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 5.4% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,330 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6% industry: 70% services: 24% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 110% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 5 million (1997 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 85%, industry and services 15% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate: extensive unemployment and underemployment affecting more than half the population (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $928 million expenditures: $2.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $963 million (1992 est.)

Industries: petroleum; diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, feldspar, bauxite, uranium, and gold; cement; basic metal products; fish processing; food processing; brewing; tobacco products; sugar; textiles

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 1.19 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 40.34% hydro: 59.66% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 1.107 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: bananas, sugarcane, coffee, sisal, corn, cotton, manioc (tapioca), tobacco, vegetables, plantains; livestock; forest products; fish

Exports: $7 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: crude oil 90%, diamonds, refined petroleum products, gas, coffee, sisal, fish and fish products, timber, cotton

Exports - partners: US 44.5%, EU 17.3%, China 22.7%, South Korea 8.1% (2000)

Imports: $2.7 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and electrical equipment, vehicles and spare parts; medicines, food, textiles, military goods

Imports - partners: EU 47.4%, South Korea 16%, South Africa 15.9%,
US 11.3%, Brazil 5.5% (2000)

Debt - external: $10.4 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $383.5 million (1999)

Currency: kwanza (AOA)

Currency code: AOA

Exchange rates: kwanza per US dollar - 32.8716 (January 2002), 22.058 (2001), 10.041 (2000), 2.791 (1999), 0.393 (1998), 0.229 (1997); note - in December 1999 the kwanza was revalued with six zeroes dropped off the old value

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Angola

Telephones - main lines in use: 69,700 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 25,800 (2000)

Telephone system: general assessment: telephone service limited mostly to government and business use; HF radiotelephone used extensively for military links domestic: limited system of wire, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 36, FM 7, shortwave 9 (2000)

Radios: 815,000 (2000)

Television broadcast stations: 7 (2000)

Televisions: 196,000 (2000)

Internet country code: .ao

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: 30,000 (2001)

Transportation Angola

Railways: total: 2,771 km (inland, much of the track is unusable because of land mines still in place from the civil war) narrow gauge: 2,648 km 1.067-m gauge; 123 km 0.600-m gauge (2000 est.)

Highways: total: 76,626 km paved: 19,156 km unpaved: 57,470 km (1997)

Waterways: 1,295 km

Pipelines: crude oil 179 km

Ports and harbors: Ambriz, Cabinda, Lobito, Luanda, Malongo, Mocamedes,
Namibe, Porto Amboim, Soyo

Merchant marine: total: 9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 39,305
GRT/63,528 DWT ships by type: cargo 8, petroleum tanker 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 244 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 32 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 212 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 30 914 to 1,523 m: 95 under 914 m: 80 (2001)

Military Angola

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, National
Police Force

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 2,532,469 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,272,509 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 103,807 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $1.2 billion (FY97)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 22% (1999)

Transnational Issues Angola

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: used as a transshipment point for cocaine destined for
Western Europe and other African states

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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American Samoa

Introduction

American Samoa

Background: Settled as early as 1000 B. C., Samoa was "discovered" by European explorers in the 18th century. International rivalries in the latter half of the 19th century were settled by an 1899 treaty in which Germany and the US divided the Samoan archipelago. The US formally occupied its portion - a smaller group of eastern islands with the excellent harbor of Pago Pago - the following year.

Geography American Samoa

Location: Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and New Zealand

Geographic coordinates: 14 20 S, 170 00 W

Map references: Oceania

Area: includes Rose Island and Swains Island water: Area - comparative: slightly larger than Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 116 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical marine, moderated by southeast trade winds; annual rainfall averages about 3 m; rainy season from November to April, dry season from May to October; little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain: five volcanic islands with rugged peaks and limited coastal plains, two coral atolls (Rose Island, Swains Island)

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point:
Lata 966 m

Natural resources: pumice, pumicite

Land use: arable land: 5% permanent crops: 10% other: 85% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: typhoons common from December to March

Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources; the water division of the government has spent substantial funds in the past few years to improve water catchments and pipelines

Geography - note: Pago Pago has one of the best natural deepwater harbors in the South Pacific Ocean, sheltered by shape from rough seas and protected by peripheral mountains from high winds; strategic location in the South Pacific Ocean

People American Samoa

Population: 68,688 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 38.1% (male 13,445; female 12,688) 15-64 years: 56.7% (male 19,228; female 19,741) 65 years and over: 5.2% (male 1,931; female 1,655) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.31% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 24.04 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 4.34 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 3.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.17 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 10.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 80.21 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 3.4 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: American Samoan(s) adjective: American Samoan

Ethnic groups: Samoan (Polynesian) 89%, Caucasian 2%, Tongan 4%, other 5%

Religions: Christian Congregationalist 50%, Roman Catholic 20%,
Protestant and other 30%

Languages: Samoan (closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages), English note: most people are bilingual

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 98% female: 97% (1980 est.)

Government American Samoa

Country name: conventional long form: Territory of American Samoa conventional short form: American Samoa abbreviation: AS

Dependency status: unincorporated and unorganized territory of the US; administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior

Government type: NA

Capital: Pago Pago

Administrative divisions: none (territory of the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are three districts and two islands* at the second order; Eastern, Manu'a, Rose Island*, Swains Island*, Western

Independence: none (territory of the US)

National holiday: Flag Day, 17 April (1900)

Constitution: ratified 1966, in effect 1967

Legal system: NA

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001) and Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001) election results: Tauese P. SUNIA reelected governor; percent of vote - Tauese P. SUNIA (Democrat) 50.7%, Lealaifuaneva Peter REID (independent) 47.8% elections: US president and vice president elected on the same ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2004) head of government: Togiola TULAFONO (since 3 January 1997) cabinet: NA

Legislative branch: bicameral Fono or Legislative Assembly consists of the House of Representatives (21 seats - 20 of which are elected by popular vote and 1 is an appointed, nonvoting delegate from Swains Island; members serve two-year terms) and the Senate (18 seats; members are elected from local chiefs and serve four-year terms) elections: House of Representatives - last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2002); Senate - last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2004) note: Representatives; election last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2002); results - Eni F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA (Democrat) reelected as delegate for a sixth term election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - independents 18

Judicial branch: High Court (chief justice and associate justices are appointed by the US Secretary of the Interior)

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party [leader NA]; Republican
Party [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ESCAP (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, SPC

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of the US)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of the US)

Flag description: blue, with a white triangle edged in red that is based on the outer side and extends to the hoist side; a brown and white American bald eagle flying toward the hoist side is carrying two traditional Samoan symbols of authority, a staff and a war club

Economy American Samoa

Economy - overview: This is a traditional Polynesian economy in which more than 90% of the land is communally owned. Economic activity is strongly linked to the US, with which American Samoa conducts most of its foreign trade. Tuna fishing and tuna processing plants are the backbone of the private sector, with canned tuna the primary export. Transfers from the US Government add substantially to American Samoa's economic well-being. Attempts by the government to develop a larger and broader economy are restrained by Samoa's remote location, its limited transportation, and its devastating hurricanes. Tourism, a developing sector, has been held back by the recurring financial difficulties in East Asia.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $500 million (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: NA%

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $8,000 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

Labor force: 14,000 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation: government 33%, tuna canneries 34%, other 33% (1990)

Unemployment rate: 6% (2000)

Budget: revenues: $121 million (37% in local revenue and 63% in US grants) expenditures: $127 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY96/97)

Industries: tuna canneries (largely supplied by foreign fishing vessels), handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 130 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 120.9 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: bananas, coconuts, vegetables, taro, breadfruit, yams, copra, pineapples, papayas; dairy products, livestock

Exports: $345 million (1999)

Exports - commodities: canned tuna 93%

Exports - partners: US 99.6%

Imports: $452 million (1999)

Imports - commodities: materials for canneries 56%, food 8%, petroleum products 7%, machinery and parts 6%

Imports - partners: US 62%, Australia 11%, Japan 9%, NZ 7%, Fiji 4%, other 7%

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid - recipient: important financial support from the US, more than $40 million in 1994

Currency: US dollar (USD)

Currency code: USD

Exchange rates: the US dollar is used

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

Communications American Samoa

Telephones - main lines in use: 13,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 2,550 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: good telex, telegraph, facsimile and cellular telephone services; domestic satellite system with 1 Comsat earth station international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 57,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)

Televisions: 14,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .as

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: NA

Transportation American Samoa

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 350 km paved: 150 km unpaved: 200 km

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Aunu'u (new construction), Auasi, Faleosao, Ofu,
Pago Pago, Ta'u

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: 4 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2001)

Military American Samoa

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues American Samoa

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Argentina

Introduction

Argentina

Background: Following independence from Spain in 1816, Argentina experienced periods of internal political conflict between conservatives and liberals and between civilian and military factions. After World War II, a long period of Peronist authoritarian rule and interference in subsequent governments was followed by a military junta that took power in 1976. Democracy returned in 1983, and numerous elections since then have underscored Argentina's progress in democratic consolidation.

Geography Argentina

Location: Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Chile and Uruguay

Geographic coordinates: 34 00 S, 64 00 W

Map references: South America

Area: total: 2,766,890 sq km land: 2,736,690 sq km water: 30,200 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly less than three-tenths the size of the US

Land boundaries: total: 9,665 km border countries: Bolivia 832 km,
Brazil 1,224 km, Chile 5,150 km, Paraguay 1,880 km, Uruguay 579 km

Coastline: 4,989 km

Maritime claims: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: Climate: mostly temperate; arid in southeast; subantarctic in southwest

Terrain: rich plains of the Pampas in northern half, flat to rolling plateau of Patagonia in south, rugged Andes along western border

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Salinas Chicas -40 m (located on
Peninsula Valdes) highest point: Cerro Aconcagua 6,960 m

Natural resources: fertile plains of the Pampas, lead, zinc, tin, copper, iron ore, manganese, petroleum, uranium

Land use: arable land: 9% permanent crops: 1% other: 90% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 15,610 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: San Miguel de Tucuman and Mendoza areas in the Andes subject to earthquakes; pamperos are violent windstorms that can strike the Pampas and northeast; heavy flooding

Environment - current issues: environmental problems (urban and rural) typical of an industrializing economy such as deforestation, soil degradation, desertification, air pollution, and water pollution note: Argentina is a world leader in setting voluntary greenhouse gas targets

Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental
Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified:
Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note: second-largest country in South America (after Brazil); strategic location relative to sea lanes between the South Atlantic and the South Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage); Cerro Aconcagua is South America's tallest mountain, while the Valdes Peninsula is the lowest point on the continent

People Argentina

Population: 37,812,817 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 26.3% (male 5,090,046; female 4,854,761) 15-64 years: 63.2% (male 11,968,135; female 11,937,709) 65 years and over: 10.5% (male 1,636,332; female 2,325,834) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.13% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 18.23 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 7.57 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 17.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 79.03 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.41 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.69% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 130,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 1,800 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Argentine(s) adjective: Argentine

Ethnic groups: white (mostly Spanish and Italian) 97%, mestizo,
Amerindian, or other nonwhite groups 3%

Religions: nominally Roman Catholic 92% (less than 20% practicing),
Protestant 2%, Jewish 2%, other 4%

Languages: Spanish (official), English, Italian, German, French

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.2% male: 96.2% female: 96.2% (1995 est.)

Government Argentina

Country name: Argentine Republic conventional short form: Government type: republic

Capital: Buenos Aires

Administrative divisions: 23 provinces (provincias, singular -
provincia), and 1 autonomous city* (distrito federal); Buenos Aires,
Buenos Aires Capital Federal*, Catamarca, Chaco, Chubut, Cordoba,
Corrientes, Entre Rios, Formosa, Jujuy, La Pampa, La Rioja, Mendoza,
Misiones, Neuquen, Rio Negro, Salta, San Juan, San Luis, Santa Cruz,
Santa Fe, Santiago del Estero, Tierra del Fuego - Antartida e Islas del
Atlantico Sur, Tucuman note: Independence: 9 July 1816 (from Spain)

National holiday: Revolution Day, 25 May (1810)

Constitution: 1 May 1853; revised August 1994

Legal system: mixture of US and West European legal systems; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and mandatory

Executive branch: chief of state: President Eduardo Alberto DUHALDE (since 2 January 2002); note - selected by National Congress in aftermath of resignation of former President DE LA RUA on 20 December 2001 and resignations of others who briefly held the office following DE LA RUA's departure; Vice President Carlos "Chacho" ALVAREZ resigned 6 October 2000 and the post remains vacant; note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Eduardo Alberto DUHALDE (since 2 January 2002); note - selected by National Congress in aftermath of resignation of former President DE LA RUA on 20 December 2001 and resignations of others who briefly held the office following DE LA RUA's departure; Vice President Carlos "Chacho" ALVAREZ resigned 6 October 2000 and the post remains vacant; note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president election results: Fernando DE LA RUA elected president; percent of vote - 48.5% ; Vice President Carlos "Chacho" ALVAREZ resigned 6 October 2000 and a replacement was not named; DE LA RUA resigned 20 December 2001; following a series of interim presidents, Eduardo Alberto DUHALDE was selected president by the National Congress on 1 January 2002 elections: for four-year terms; election last held 24 October 1999 (next to be held NA October 2003)

Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate (72 seats; formerly, three members appointed by each of the provincial legislatures; presently transitioning to one-third of the members being elected every two years to six-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies (257 seats; one-half of the members elected every two years to four-year terms) election results: Senate - percent of vote by bloc or party - NA%; seats by bloc or party - Justicialist (Peronist) 40, UCR 24, provincial parties 6, Frepaso 1, ARI 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by bloc or party - NA%; seats by bloc or party - Justicialist (Peronist) 113, UCR 74, provincial parties 27, Frepaso 17, ARI 17, AR 9 elections: Senate - last held 14 October 2001 (next to be held NA October 2003); Chamber of Deputies - last held 14 October 2001 (next to be held NA October 2003)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (the nine Supreme Court judges are appointed by the president with approval by the Senate)

Political parties and leaders: Action for the Republic or AR [Domingo
CAVALLO]; Alternative for a Republic of Equals or ARI [Elisa CARRIO];
Front for a Country in Solidarity or Frepaso (a four-party coalition)
[Dario Pedro ALESSANDRO]; Justicialist Party or PJ [Carlos Saul MENEM]
(Peronist umbrella political organization); Radical Civic Union or UCR
[Angel ROZAS]; several provincial parties

Political pressure groups and leaders: Argentine Association of Pharmaceutical Labs (CILFA); Argentine Industrial Union (manufacturers' association); Argentine Rural Society (large landowners' association); business organizations; General Confederation of Labor or CGT (Peronist-leaning umbrella labor organization); Peronist-dominated labor movement; Roman Catholic Church; students

International organization participation: AfDB, Australia Group, BCIE,
BIS, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-6, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MINURSO, MIPONUH, MTCR, NSG,
OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOVIC, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Diego Ramiro GUELAR chancery: 1600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington,
DC 20009 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles,
Miami, New York FAX: [1] (202) 332-3171 telephone: [1] (202) 238-6400

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador James
D. WALSH embassy: Avenida Colombia 4300, C1425GMN Buenos Aires mailing
address: international mail: use street address; APO address: Unit 4334,
APO AA 34034 telephone: [54] (11) 5777-4533 FAX: [54] (11) 5511-4240

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of light blue (top), white, and light blue; centered in the white band is a radiant yellow sun with a human face known as the Sun of May

Economy Argentina

Economy - overview: Argentina benefits from rich natural resources, a highly literate population, an export-oriented agricultural sector, and a diversified industrial base. However, when President Carlos MENEM took office in 1989, the country had piled up huge external debts, inflation had reached 200% per month, and output was plummeting. To combat the economic crisis, the government embarked on a path of trade liberalization, deregulation, and privatization. In 1991, it implemented radical monetary reforms which pegged the peso to the US dollar and limited the growth in the monetary base by law to the growth in reserves. Inflation fell sharply in subsequent years. In 1995, the Mexican peso crisis produced capital flight, the loss of banking system deposits, and a severe, but short-lived, recession; a series of reforms to bolster the domestic banking system followed. Real GDP growth recovered strongly, reaching 8% in 1997. In 1998, international financial turmoil caused by Russia's problems and increasing investor anxiety over Brazil produced the highest domestic interest rates in more than three years, halving the growth rate of the economy. Conditions worsened in 1999 with GDP falling by 3%. President Fernando DE LA RUA, who took office in December 1999, sponsored tax increases and spending cuts to reduce the deficit, which had ballooned to 2.5% of GDP in 1999. Growth in 2000 was a negative 0.5%, as both domestic and foreign investors remained skeptical of the government's ability to pay debts and maintain the peso's fixed exchange rate with the US dollar. The economic situation worsened still further in 2001 with the widening of spreads on Argentine bonds, massive withdrawals from the banks, and a further decline in consumer and investor confidence. Government efforts to achieve a "zero deficit", to stabilize the banking system, and to restore economic growth proved inadequate in the face of the mounting economic problems. At the start of 2002, newly elected president Eduardo DUHALDE met with IMF officials to secure an additional $20 billion loan, but immediate action seemed unlikely. The peso's peg to the dollar was abandoned in January 2002, and the peso was floated from the dollar in February; inflation picked up rapidly.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $453 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: -4.6% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $12,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6% industry: 28% services: 66% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 37% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 15 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Unemployment rate: 25% (yearend 2001)

Budget: revenues: $44 billion expenditures: $48 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Industries: food processing, motor vehicles, consumer durables, textiles, chemicals and petrochemicals, printing, metallurgy, steel

Industrial production growth rate: 1% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production: 82.802 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 51.81% hydro: 40.67% other: 0.29% (2000) nuclear: 7.23%

Electricity - consumption: 80.806 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 3.7 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 7.5 billion kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: sunflower seeds, lemons, soybeans, grapes, corn, tobacco, peanuts, tea, wheat; livestock

Exports: $26.5 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Exports - commodities: edible oils, fuels and energy, cereals, feed, motor vehicles

Exports - partners: Brazil 26.5%, US 11.8%, Chile 10.6%, Spain 3.5% (2000)

Imports: $23.8 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, metal manufactures, plastics

Imports - partners: Brazil 25.1%, US 18.7%, Germany 5%, China 4.6% (2000)

Debt - external: $155 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $10 billion (2001 est.)

Currency: Argentine peso (ARS)

Currency code: ARS

Exchange rates: Argentine pesos per US dollar - 1.33325 (January 2002), 1.000 (1997-2001); note - fixed rate pegged to the US dollar was abandoned in January 2002; peso now floats

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Argentina

Telephones - main lines in use: 7.5 million (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 3 million (December 1999)

Telephone system: general assessment: by opening the telecommunications market to competition and foreign investment with the "Telecommunications Liberalization Plan of 1998", Argentina encouraged the growth of modern telecommunication technology; fiber-optic cable trunk lines are being installed between all major cities; the major networks are entirely digital and the availability of telephone service is being improved; however, telephone density is presently minimal, and making telephone service universally available will take some time domestic: microwave radio relay, fiber-optic cable, and a domestic satellite system with 40 earth stations serve the trunk network; more than 110,000 pay telephones are installed and mobile telephone use is rapidly expanding international: Unisur submarine cables; two international gateways near Buenos Aires (1999)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 260 (including 10 inactive stations),
FM NA (probably more than 1,000, mostly unlicensed), shortwave 6 (1998)

Radios: 24.3 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 42 (plus 444 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 7.95 million (1997)

Internet country code: .ar

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 33 (2000)

Internet users: 3.88 million (2001)

Transportation Argentina

Railways: total: 33,744 km (167 km electrified) broad gauge: 20,594 km 1.676-m gauge (141 km electrified) standard gauge: 2,739 km 1.435-m gauge (26 km electrified) narrow gauge: 10,154 km 1.000-m gauge; 257 km 0.750-m gauge (2000 est.)

Highways: total: 215,434 km paved: 63,553 km (including 734 km of expressways) unpaved: 151,881 km (1998 est.)

Waterways: 10,950 km

Pipelines: crude oil 4,090 km; petroleum products 2,900 km; natural gas 9,918 km

Ports and harbors: Bahia Blanca, Buenos Aires, Comodoro Rivadavia,
Concepcion del Uruguay, La Plata, Mar del Plata, Necochea, Rio Gallegos,
Rosario, Santa Fe, Ushuaia

Merchant marine: total: 24 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 147,505 GRT/222,500 DWT ships by type: cargo 9, petroleum tanker 10, railcar carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 1, short-sea passenger 1, includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: United Arab Emirates 1, Uruguay 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 1,369 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 144 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 26 1,524 to 2,437 m: 60 914 to 1,523 m: 45 under 914 m: 9 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: Military Argentina

Military branches: Argentine Army, Navy of the Argentine Republic (includes naval aviation and Marines), Coast Guard, Argentine Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Aeronautical Police Force

Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 9,521,633 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 7,721,219 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 335,085 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $4.3 billion (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.3% (FY00)

Transnational Issues Argentina

Disputes - international: claims UK-administered Falkland Islands
(Islas Malvinas); claims UK-administered South Georgia and the South
Sandwich Islands; territorial claim in Antarctica partially overlaps
British and Chilean claims

Illicit drugs: used as a transshipment country for cocaine headed for Europe and the US; increasing use as a money-laundering center; domestic consumption of drugs in urban centers is increasing

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Australia

Introduction

Australia

Background: Australia became a commonwealth of the British Empire in 1901. It was able to take advantage of its natural resources to rapidly develop its agricultural and manufacturing industries and to make a major contribution to the British effort in World Wars I and II. Long-term concerns include pollution, particularly depletion of the ozone layer, and management and conservation of coastal areas, especially the Great Barrier Reef. A referendum to change Australia's status, from a commonwealth headed by the British monarch to an independent republic, was defeated in 1999.

Geography Australia

Location: Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South
Pacific Ocean

Geographic coordinates: 27 00 S, 133 00 E

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 7,686,850 sq km water: 68,920 sq km note: includes Lord
Howe Island and Macquarie Island land: 7,617,930 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than the US contiguous 48 states

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 25,760 km

Maritime claims: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: Climate: generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical in north

Terrain: mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Lake Eyre -15 m highest point: Mount
Kosciuszko 2,229 m

Natural resources: bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, silver, uranium, nickel, tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas, petroleum

Land use: arable land: 7% permanent crops: 0% other: 93% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 24,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: cyclones along the coast; severe droughts; forest fires

Environment - current issues: soil erosion from overgrazing, industrial development, urbanization, and poor farming practices; soil salinity rising due to the use of poor quality water; desertification; clearing for agricultural purposes threatens the natural habitat of many unique animal and plant species; the Great Barrier Reef off the northeast coast, the largest coral reef in the world, is threatened by increased shipping and its popularity as a tourist site; limited natural fresh water resources

Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental
Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note: world's smallest continent but sixth-largest country; population concentrated along the eastern and southeastern coasts; regular, tropical, invigorating, sea breeze known as "the Doctor" occurs along the west coast in the summer

People Australia

Population: 19,546,792 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 20.4% (male 2,046,052; female 1,949,725) 15-64 years: 67% (male 6,610,840; female 6,480,354) 65 years and over: 12.6% (male 1,078,506; female 1,381,315) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.96% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 12.71 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 7.25 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 4.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 4.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 80 years female: 83 years (2002 est.) male: 77.15 years

Total fertility rate: 1.77 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.15% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 14,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 100 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Australian(s) adjective: Australian

Ethnic groups: Caucasian 92%, Asian 7%, aboriginal and other 1%

Religions: Anglican 26.1%, Roman Catholic 26%, other Christian 24.3%, non-Christian 11%, other 12.6%

Languages: English, native languages

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (1980 est.)

Government Australia

Country name: conventional long form: Commonwealth of Australia conventional short form: Australia

Government type: democratic, federal-state system recognizing the
British monarch as sovereign

Capital: Canberra

Administrative divisions: 6 states and 2 territories*; Australian
Capital Territory*, New South Wales, Northern Territory*, Queensland,
South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia

Dependent areas: Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos
(Keeling) Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands,
Norfolk Island

Independence: 1 January 1901 (federation of UK colonies)

National holiday: Australia Day, 26 January (1788)

Constitution: 9 July 1900, effective 1 January 1901

Legal system: based on English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Rt. Rev. Dr. Peter HOLLINGWORTH (since 29 June 2001) head of government: Prime Minister John Winston HOWARD (since 11 March 1996); Deputy Prime Minister John ANDERSON (since 20 July 1999) cabinet: Cabinet Parliament nominates, from among its members, a list of candidates to serve as government ministers; from this list, the governor general makes the final selections for the Cabinet elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general for a three-year term note: government coalition - Liberal Party and National Party

Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Parliament consists of the Senate (76 seats - 12 from each of the six states and two from each of the two mainland territories; one-half of the members elected every three years by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives (150 seats - this is up from 148 seats in 2001 election; members elected by popular vote on the basis of preferential representation to serve three-year terms; no state can have fewer than five representatives) elections: Senate - last held 10 November 2001 (next to be held by November 2004); House of Representatives - last held 10 November 2001 (next to be held by November 2004) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Liberal Party-National Party coalition 35, Australian Labor Party 28, Australian Democrats 8, Green Party 2, One Nation Party 1, Country Labor Party 1, independent 1; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Liberal Party-National Party coalition 82, Australian Labor Party 65, independent and other 3

Judicial branch: High Court (the chief justice and six other justices are appointed by the governor general)

Political parties and leaders: Australian Democrats [Natasha
STOTT-DESPOJA]; Australian Labor Party [Simon CREAN]; Country Labor Party
[leader NA]; Green Party [Bob BROWN]; Liberal Party [John Winston HOWARD];
National Party [John ANDERSON]; One Nation Party [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Australian Democratic Labor Party (anti-Communist Labor Party splinter group); Australian Monarchist League [leader NA]; Australian Republican Movement [leader NA]

International organization participation: ANZUS, APEC, ARF (dialogue
partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CCC,
CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest),
NEA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, PCA, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
UNMEE, UNTAET, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: Ambassador Michael J. THAWLEY consulate(s) general: FAX: [1] (202) 797-3168 telephone: [1] (202) 797-3000 chancery: 1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
J. Thomas SCHIEFFER embassy: Moonah Place, Yarralumla, Canberra,
Australian Capital Territory 2600 mailing address: consulate(s) general:
Melbourne, Perth, Sydney

Flag description: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and a large seven-pointed star in the lower hoist-side quadrant; the remaining half is a representation of the Southern Cross constellation in white with one small five-pointed star and four, larger, seven-pointed stars

Economy Australia

Economy - overview: Australia has a prosperous Western-style capitalist economy, with a per capita GDP on par with the four dominant West European economies. The Australian economy has been resilient in the face of the global economic downturn in 2001 chalking up 2.3% GDP growth, as the domestic economy is offsetting the external slump and business and consumer confidence remains robust. Canberra's emphasis on reforms is a key factor behind the economy's strength, and Australia is expected to outperform its trading partners in 2002, with GDP growth projected to be 3% or better. Australia probably will experience some weakness in mid-2002 as its business cycle tends to lag the US by about six months, and larger problems could emerge if Australia's trade position worsens.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $465.9 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 2.3% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $24,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3% industry: 25% services: 72% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2% highest 10%: 25.4% (1994)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 35.2 (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.3% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 9.2 million (December 2001)

Labor force - by occupation: services 73%, industry 22%, agriculture 5% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate: 6.7% (2001)

Budget: revenues: $86.8 billion expenditures: $84.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY00/01 est.)

Industries: mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food processing, chemicals, steel

Industrial production growth rate: 0.4% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 202.676 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 89.79% hydro: 8.47% other: 1.74% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 188.489 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, sugarcane, fruits; cattle, sheep, poultry

Exports: $68.8 billion (2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: coal, gold, meat, wool, alumina, iron ore, wheat, machinery and transport equipment

Exports - partners: Japan 19%, US 9%, South Korea 7%, China 6%, New
Zealand 5.8%, Singapore 4% (2001 est.)

Imports: $70.2 billion (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, computers and office machines, telecommunication equipment and parts; crude oil and petroleum products

Imports - partners: US 20%, Japan 13%, China 7.7%, UK 6%, Germany 5%,
South Korea 4%, NZ 4%, Malaysia 3.6% (2001 est.)

Debt - external: $168.7 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - donor: ODA, $894 million (FY99/00)

Currency: Australian dollar (AUD)

Currency code: AUD

Exchange rates: Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.9354 (January 2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Communications Australia

Telephones - main lines in use: 10.05 million (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 8.6 million (2000)

Telephone system: general assessment: excellent domestic and international service domestic: domestic satellite system; much use of radiotelephone in areas of low population density; rapid growth of mobile cellular telephones international: submarine cables to New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia; satellite earth stations - 10 Intelsat (4 Indian Ocean and 6 Pacific Ocean), 2 Inmarsat (Indian and Pacific Ocean regions) (1998)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 262, FM 345, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios: 25.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 104 (1997)

Televisions: 10.15 million (1997)

Internet country code: .au

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 603 (2001)

Internet users: 10.06 million (2001)

Transportation Australia

Railways: total: 33,819 km (2,540 km electrified) broad gauge: 3,719 km 1.600-m gauge narrow gauge: 14,506 km 1.067-m gauge standard gauge: 15,422 km 1.435-m gauge dual gauge: 172 km NA gauges (1999 est.)

Highways: total: 913,000 km paved: 353,331 km (including 1,363 km of expressways) unpaved: 559,669 km (1996)

Waterways: 8,368 km (mainly used by small, shallow-draft craft)

Pipelines: crude oil 2,500 km; petroleum products 500 km; natural gas 5,600 km

Ports and harbors: Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Devonport
(Tasmania), Fremantle, Geelong, Hobart (Tasmania), Launceston (Tasmania),
Mackay, Melbourne, Sydney, Townsville

Merchant marine: total: 55 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,469,362 GRT/1,869,262 DWT ships by type: bulk 26, cargo 5, chemical tanker 4, container 1, liquefied gas 4, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 7, roll on/roll off 6, includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: France 2, United Kingdom 2, United States 14 (2002 est.)

Airports: 421 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 139 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 111 under 914 m: 12 (2001)

Military Australia

Military branches: Royal Australian Army, Royal Australian Navy, Royal
Australian Air Force

Military manpower - military age: 17 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 5,013,406 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 4,321,387 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 142,686 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $9.3 billion (FY01/02 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2% (FY01/02)

Transnational Issues Australia

Disputes - international: Australia-East Timor-Indonesia are working to resolve maritime boundary and sharing of seabed resources in "Timor Gap"; Australia asserts a territorial claim to Antarctica and to its continental shelf

Illicit drugs: Tasmania is one of the world's major suppliers of licit opiate products; government maintains strict controls over areas of opium poppy cultivation and output of poppy straw concentrate

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Introduction

Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Background: These uninhabited islands came under Australian authority in 1931; formal administration began two years later. Ashmore Reef supports a rich and diverse avian and marine habitat; in 1983 it became a National Nature Reserve. Cartier Island, a former bombing range, is now a marine reserve.

Geography Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Location: Southeastern Asia, islands in the Indian Ocean, northwest of Australia

Geographic coordinates: 12 14 S, 123 05 E

Map references: Southeast Asia

Area: total: 5 sq km note: includes Ashmore Reef (West, Middle, and
East Islets) and Cartier Island water: 0 sq km land: 5 sq km

Area - comparative: about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 74.1 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 12 NM continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM

Climate: tropical

Terrain: low with sand and coral

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 3 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (all grass and sand) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: surrounded by shoals and reefs that can pose maritime hazards

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: Ashmore Reef National Nature Reserve established in
August 1983

People Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Population: no indigenous inhabitants note: Indonesian fishermen are allowed access to the lagoon and fresh waster at Ashmore Reef's West Island

Population growth rate: NA

People - note: the landing of illegal immigrants from Indonesia's Rote
Island has become an ongoing problem

Government Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Country name: conventional long form: Territory of Ashmore and Cartier
Islands conventional short form: Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Dependency status: territory of Australia; administered by the Australian
Department of Transport and Regional Services

Legal system: the laws of the Commonwealth of Australia and the laws of the Northern Territory of Australia, where applicable, apply

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of Australia)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of Australia)

Flag description: the flag of Australia is used

Economy Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Transportation Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Military Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Australia; periodic visits by the Royal Australian Navy and Royal Australian Air Force

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Austria

Introduction

Austria

Background: Once the center of power for the large Austro-Hungarian Empire, Austria was reduced to a small republic after its defeat in World War I. Following annexation by Nazi Germany in 1938 and subsequent occupation by the victorious Allies in 1945, Austria's status remained unclear for a decade. A State Treaty signed in 1955 ended the occupation, recognized Austria's independence, and forbade unification with Germany. A constitutional law of that same year declared the country's "perpetual neutrality" as a condition for Soviet military withdrawal. This neutrality, once ingrained as part of the Austrian cultural identity, has been called into question since the Soviet collapse of 1991 and Austria's entry into the European Union in 1995. A prosperous country, Austria entered the European Monetary Union in 1999.

Geography Austria

Location: Central Europe, north of Italy and Slovenia

Geographic coordinates: 47 20 N, 13 20 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 83,858 sq km water: 1,120 sq km land: 82,738 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maine

Land boundaries: total: 2,562 km border countries: Czech Republic 362 km, Germany 784 km, Hungary 366 km, Italy 430 km, Liechtenstein 35 km, Slovakia 91 km, Slovenia 330 km, Switzerland 164 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: temperate; continental, cloudy; cold winters with frequent rain in lowlands and snow in mountains; cool summers with occasional showers

Terrain: in the west and south mostly mountains (Alps); along the eastern and northern margins mostly flat or gently sloping

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Neusiedler See 115 m highest point:
Grossglockner 3,798 m

Natural resources: iron ore, oil, timber, magnesite, lead, coal, lignite, copper, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 17% permanent crops: 1% other: 82% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 457 sq km (2000 est.)

Natural hazards: landslides; avalanches; earthquakes

Environment - current issues: some forest degradation caused by air and soil pollution; soil pollution results from the use of agricultural chemicals; air pollution results from emissions by coal- and oil-fired power stations and industrial plants and from trucks transiting Austria between northern and southern Europe

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air
Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur
94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear
Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note: landlocked; strategic location at the crossroads of central Europe with many easily traversable Alpine passes and valleys; major river is the Danube; population is concentrated on eastern lowlands because of steep slopes, poor soils, and low temperatures elsewhere

People Austria

Population: 8,169,929 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 16.4% (male 686,205; female 652,840) 15-64 years: 68.2% (male 2,814,866; female 2,756,777) 65 years and over: 15.4% (male 484,313; female 774,928) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.23% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 9.58 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 9.73 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 2.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 4.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 81.31 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.4 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 843 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 8 (2001 est.)

Nationality: noun: Austrian(s) adjective: Austrian

Ethnic groups: German 88%, non-nationals 9.3% (includes Croatians, Slovenes, Hungarians, Czechs, Slovaks, Roma), naturalized 2% (includes those who have lived in Austria at least three generations)

Religions: Roman Catholic 78%, Protestant 5%, Muslim and other 17%

Languages: German

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Austria

Country name: Republic of Austria conventional short form: Oesterreich

Government type: federal republic

Capital: Vienna

Administrative divisions: 9 states (Bundeslaender, singular -
Bundesland); Burgenland, Kaernten, Niederoesterreich, Oberoesterreich,
Salzburg, Steiermark, Tirol, Vorarlberg, Wien

Independence: 1156 (from Bavaria)

National holiday: National Day, 26 October (1955); note - commemorates the State Treaty restoring national sovereignty and the end of occupation and the passage of the law on permanent neutrality

Constitution: 1920; revised 1929 (reinstated 1 May 1945)

Legal system: civil law system with Roman law origin; judicial review of legislative acts by the Constitutional Court; separate administrative and civil/penal supreme courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; compulsory for presidential elections

Executive branch: chief of state: President Thomas KLESTIL (since 8 July 1992) head of government: Chancellor Wolfgang SCHUESSEL (OeVP)(since 4 February 2000); Vice Chancellor Susanne RIESS-PASSER (FPOe) (since 4 February 2000) cabinet: Council of Ministers chosen by the president on the advice of the chancellor elections: president elected by direct popular vote for a six-year term; presidential election last held 19 April 1998 (next to be held in the spring of 2004); chancellor traditionally chosen by the president from the plurality party in the National Council; in the case of the current coalition, the chancellor was chosen from another party after the plurality party failed to form a government; vice chancellor chosen by the president on the advice of the chancellor note: government coalition - OeVP and FPOe election results: Thomas KLESTIL reelected president; percent of vote - Thomas KLESTIL 63%, Gertraud KNOLL 14%, Heide SCHMIDT 11%, Richard LUGNER 10%, Karl NOWAK 2%

Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung consists of Federal Council or Bundesrat (64 members; members represent each of the states on the basis of population, but with each state having at least three representatives; members serve a four- or six-year term) and the National Council or Nationalrat (183 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms) election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - SPOe 33.2%, OeVP 26.9%, FPOe 26.9%, Greens 7.4%; seats by party - SPOe 65, OeVP 52, FPOe 52, Greens 14 elections: National Council - last held 3 October 1999 (next to be held in the fall of 2003)

Judicial branch: Supreme Judicial Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Administrative Court or Verwaltungsgerichtshof; Constitutional Court or Verfassungsgerichtshof

Political parties and leaders: Austrian People's Party or OeVP [Wolfgang
SCHUESSEL]; Freedom Party of Austria or FPOe [Susanne RIESS-PASSER];
Social Democratic Party of Austria or SPOe [Alfred GUSENBAUER]; The
Greens Alternative or GA [Alexander VAN DER BELLEN]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Austrian Trade Union Federation (primarily Socialist) or OeGB; Federal Economic Chamber; OeVP-oriented League of Austrian Industrialists or VOeI; Roman Catholic Church, including its chief lay organization, Catholic Action; three composite leagues of the Austrian People's Party or OeVP representing business, labor, and farmers

International organization participation: AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group,
BIS, BSEC (observer), CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU,
ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO,
NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN,
UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE,
UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WEU (observer),
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Peter MOSER chancery: 3524 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008-3035 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York FAX: [1] (202) 895-6750 telephone: [1] (202) 895-6700

Diplomatic representation from the US: Ambassador William Lee LYONS BROWN, Jr. embassy: address telephone: [43] (1) 31339-0 FAX: [43] (1) 3100682

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and red

Economy Austria

Economy - overview: Austria, with its well-developed market economy and high standard of living, is closely tied to other EU economies, especially Germany's. Membership in the EU has drawn an influx of foreign investors attracted by Austria's access to the single European market and proximity to EU aspirant economies. Slowing growth in Germany and elsewhere in the world slowed the economy to only 1.2% growth in 2001; the economy is expected to do little better in 2002. To meet increased competition from both EU and Central European countries, Austria will need to emphasize knowledge-based sectors of the economy, continue to deregulate the service sector, and lower its tax burden.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $220 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 1.2% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $27,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2% industry: 29% services: 69% (2001)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.4% highest 10%: 19.3% (1992)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 23.1 (1987)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.6% (2001)

Labor force: 4.3 million (2001)

Labor force - by occupation: services 67%, industry and crafts 29%, agriculture and forestry 4% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate: 4.8% (2001)

Budget: revenues: $53 billion expenditures: $54 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Industries: construction, machinery, vehicles and parts, food, chemicals, lumber and wood processing, paper and paperboard, communications equipment, tourism

Industrial production growth rate: 3.8% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 60.285 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 28.46% hydro: 68.64% other: 2.9% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 54.764 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 15.11 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 13.809 billion kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: grains, potatoes, sugar beets, wine, fruit; dairy products, cattle, pigs, poultry; lumber

Exports: $70 billion (f.o.b., 2001) (2000 est.)

Exports - commodities: machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, paper and paperboard, metal goods, chemicals, iron and steel; textiles, foodstuffs

Exports - partners: EU 63% (Germany 35%, Italy 9%, France 5%),
Switzerland 5%, US 5%, Hungary 4% (2000)

Imports: $73 billion (c.i.f., 2001)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, metal goods, oil and oil products; foodstuffs

Imports - partners: EU 68% (Germany 42%, Italy 7%, France 5%), US 6%,
Switzerland 3%, Hungary 2% (2000)

Debt - external: $12.1 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - donor: ODA, $410 million (2000)

Currency: euro (EUR); Austrian schilling (ATS) note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by the financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code: EUR; ATS

Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); Austrian schillings per US dollar - 11.86 (January 1999), 12.91 (1999), 12.379 (1998), 12.204 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Austria

Telephones - main lines in use: 4 million (consisting of 3,600,000 analog main lines plus 400,000 Integrated Services Digital Network connections); in addition, there are 100,000 Asymmetric Digital Services lines (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 6 million (2001)

Telephone system: general assessment: highly developed and efficient domestic: there are 48 main lines for every 100 persons; the fiber optic net is very extensive; all telephone applications and Internet services are available international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Eutelsat; in addition, there are about 600 VSAT (very small aperture terminals) (2002)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 160 (plus several hundred repeaters), shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios: 6.08 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 45 (plus more than 1,000 repeaters) (2001)

Televisions: 4.25 million (1997)

Internet country code: .at

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 37 (2000)

Internet users: 3 million (2000)

Transportation Austria

Railways: total: 6,095.2 km (3,643.3 km electrified) standard gauge: 5,564.2 km 1.435-m gauge (3,521.2 km electrified) narrow gauge: 33.9 km 1.000-m gauge (28.1 km electrified); 497.1 km 0.760-m gauge (94 km electrified) (2001 est.)

Highways: total: 133,361 km paved: 133,361 km (including 1,613 km of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (1998)

Waterways: 358 km (1999)

Pipelines: crude oil 777 km; natural gas 840 km (1999)

Ports and harbors: Linz, Vienna, Enns, Krems

Merchant marine: total: 10 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 46,563 GRT/59,278 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 6, combination bulk 1, container 2 (2002 est.)

Airports: 55 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 24 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 14 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 31 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 27 (2001)

Heliports: 1 (2001)

Military Austria

Military branches: Land Forces (KdoLdSK), Air Forces (KdoLuSK)

Military manpower - military age: 19 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 2,092,623 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,728,191 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 50,580 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $1,497,100,000 (FY01/02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.8% (FY01/02)

Transnational Issues Austria

Disputes - international: minor disputes with Czech Republic and Slovenia continue over nuclear power plants and post-World War II treatment of German-speaking minorities

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and South
American cocaine destined for Western Europe

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Anguilla

Introduction

Anguilla

Background: Colonized by English settlers from Saint Kitts in 1650, Anguilla was administered by Great Britain until the early 19th century, when the island - against the wishes of the inhabitants - was incorporated into a single British dependency along with Saint Kitts and Nevis. Several attempts at separation failed. In 1971, two years after a revolt, Anguilla was finally allowed to secede; this arrangement was formally recognized in 1980 with Anguilla becoming a separate British dependency.

Geography Anguilla

Location: Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, east of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates: 18 15 N, 63 10 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 102 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 102 sq km

Area - comparative: about half the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 61 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 3 NM

Climate: tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds

Terrain: flat and low-lying island of coral and limestone

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point:
Crocus Hill 65 m

Natural resources: salt, fish, lobster

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (mostly rock with sparse scrub oak, few trees, some commercial salt ponds) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: frequent hurricanes and other tropical storms (July to October)

Environment - current issues: supplies of potable water sometimes cannot meet increasing demand largely because of poor distribution system

Geography - note: the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the
Lesser Antilles

People Anguilla

Population: 12,446 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 25% (male 1,575; female 1,529) 15-64 years: 68.1% (male 4,356; female 4,124) 65 years and over: 6.9% (male 383; female 479) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.44% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 14.94 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 5.54 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 15.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 23.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 79.5 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.77 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Anguillan(s) adjective: Anguillan

Ethnic groups: black (predominant), mulatto, white

Religions: Anglican 40%, Methodist 33%, Seventh-Day Adventist 7%,
Baptist 5%, Roman Catholic 3%, other 12%

Languages: English (official)

Literacy: definition: age 12 and over can read and write total population: 95% male: 95% female: 95% (1984 est.)

Government Anguilla

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Anguilla

Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK

Government type: NA

Capital: The Valley

Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday: Anguilla Day, 30 May

Constitution: Anguilla Constitutional Order 1 April 1982; amended 1990

Legal system: based on English common law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Peter JOHNSTONE (since NA February 2000) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; chief minister appointed by the governor from among the members of the House of Assembly head of government: Chief Minister Osbourne FLEMING (since 3 March 2000) cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from among the elected members of the House of Assembly

Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly (11 seats total, 7 elected by direct popular vote, 2 ex officio members, and 2 appointed; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 3 March 2000 (next to be held NA June 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UF 4, AUM 2, independent 1

Judicial branch: High Court (judge provided by Eastern Caribbean
Supreme Court)

Political parties and leaders: Anguilla United Movement or AUM [Hubert
HUGHES]; The United Front or UF [Osbourne FLEMMING, Victor BANKS],
a coalition of the Anguilla Democratic Party or ADP and the Anguilla
National Alliance or ANA

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: Caricom (associate), CDB,
Interpol (subbureau), OECS (associate), ECLAC (associate)

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description: blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Anguillan coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms depicts three orange dolphins in an interlocking circular design on a white background with blue wavy water below

Economy Anguilla

Economy - overview: Anguilla has few natural resources, and the economy depends heavily on luxury tourism, offshore banking, lobster fishing, and remittances from emigrants. Increased activity in the tourism industry, which has spurred the growth of the construction sector, has contributed to economic growth. Anguillan officials have put substantial effort into developing the offshore financial sector, which is small, but growing. In the medium term, prospects for the economy will depend largely on the tourism sector and, therefore, on revived income growth in the industrialized nations as well as on favorable weather conditions.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $104 million (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 0% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $8,600 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4% industry: 18% services: 78% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.3% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 6,735 (1999)

Labor force - by occupation: commerce 36%, services 29%, construction 18%, transportation and utilities 10%, manufacturing 3%, agriculture/fishing/forestry/mining 4%

Unemployment rate: 8% (1999)

Budget: revenues: $20.4 million expenditures: $23.3 million, including capital expenditures of $3.8 million (1997 est.)

Industries: tourism, boat building, offshore financial services

Industrial production growth rate: 3.1% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production: 45.85 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: NA% hydro: NA% other:
NA% nuclear: NA%

Electricity - consumption: 42.6 million kWh

Agriculture - products: small quantities of tobacco, vegetables; cattle raising

Exports: $2.6 million (1999)

Exports - commodities: lobster, fish, livestock, salt, concrete blocks, rum

Exports - partners: UK, US, Puerto Rico

Imports: $80.9 million (1999)

Imports - commodities: fuels, foodstuffs, manufactures, chemicals, textiles

Imports - partners: US, Puerto Rico, UK

Debt - external: $8.8 million (1998)

Economic aid - recipient: $3.5 million (1995)

Currency: East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code: XCD

Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Communications Anguilla

Telephones - main lines in use: 4,974 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 1,629 (2000)

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: modern internal telephone system international: microwave radio relay to island of Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 6, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios: 3,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)

Televisions: 1,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .ai

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 16 (2000)

Internet users: 919 (2000)

Transportation Anguilla

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 105 km paved: 65 km unpaved: 40 km (1998 est.)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Blowing Point, Road Bay

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: 3 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2001)

Military Anguilla

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Anguilla

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Antarctica

Introduction

Antarctica

Background: Speculation over the existence of a "southern land" was not confirmed until the early 1820s when British and American commercial operators and British and Russian national expeditions began exploring the Antarctic Peninsula region and other areas south of the Antarctic Circle. Not until 1840 was it established that Antarctica was indeed a continent and not just a group of islands. Several exploration "firsts" were achieved in the early 20th century. Following World War II, there was an upsurge in scientific research on the continent. A number of countries have set up year-round research stations on Antarctica. Seven have made territorial claims, but no other country recognizes these claims. In order to form a legal framework for the activities of nations on the continent, an Antarctic Treaty was negotiated that neither denies nor gives recognition to existing territorial claims; signed in 1959, it entered into force in 1961.

Geography Antarctica

Location: continent mostly south of the Antarctic Circle

Geographic coordinates: 90 00 S, 0 00 E

Map references: Antarctic Region

Area: total: 14 million sq km note: fifth-largest continent, following Asia, Africa, North America, and South America, but larger than Australia and the subcontinent of Europe land: 14 million sq km (280,000 sq km ice-free, 13.72 million sq km ice-covered) (est.)

Area - comparative: slightly less than 1.5 times the size of the US

Land boundaries: 0 km note: see entry on International disputes

Coastline: 17,968 km

Maritime claims: none; 20 of 27 Antarctic consultative nations have made no claims to Antarctic territory (although Russia and the US have reserved the right to do so) and do not recognize the claims of the other nations; also see the Disputes - international entry

Climate: severe low temperatures vary with latitude, elevation, and distance from the ocean; East Antarctica is colder than West Antarctica because of its higher elevation; Antarctic Peninsula has the most moderate climate; higher temperatures occur in January along the coast and average slightly below freezing

Terrain: about 98% thick continental ice sheet and 2% barren rock, with average elevations between 2,000 and 4,000 meters; mountain ranges up to nearly 5,000 meters; ice-free coastal areas include parts of southern Victoria Land, Wilkes Land, the Antarctic Peninsula area, and parts of Ross Island on McMurdo Sound; glaciers form ice shelves along about half of the coastline, and floating ice shelves constitute 11% of the area of the continent

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Bentley Subglacial Trench -2,555 m highest point: Vinson Massif 4,897 m note: the lowest known land point in Antarctica is hidden in the Bentley Subglacial Trench; at its surface is the deepest ice yet discovered and the world's lowest elevation not under seawater

Natural resources: iron ore, chromium, copper, gold, nickel, platinum and other minerals, and coal and hydrocarbons have been found in small uncommercial quantities; none presently exploited; krill, finfish, and crab have been taken by commercial fisheries

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (ice 98%, barren rock 2%) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: katabatic (gravity-driven) winds blow coastward from the high interior; frequent blizzards form near the foot of the plateau; cyclonic storms form over the ocean and move clockwise along the coast; volcanism on Deception Island and isolated areas of West Antarctica; other seismic activity rare and weak; large icebergs may calve from ice shelf

Environment - current issues: in 1998, NASA satellite data showed that the antarctic ozone hole was the largest on record, covering 27 million square kilometers; researchers in 1997 found that increased ultraviolet light coming through the hole damages the DNA of icefish, an antarctic fish lacking hemoglobin; ozone depletion earlier was shown to harm one-celled antarctic marine plants; in 2002, significant areas of ice shelves disintegrated in response to regional warming

Geography - note: the coldest, windiest, highest (on average), and driest continent; during summer, more solar radiation reaches the surface at the South Pole than is received at the Equator in an equivalent period; mostly uninhabitable

People Antarctica

Population: no indigenous inhabitants, but there are seasonally staffed research stations note: approximately 27 nations, all signatory to the Antarctic Treaty, send personnel to perform seasonal (summer) and year-round research on the continent and in its surrounding oceans; the population of persons doing and supporting science on the continent and its nearby islands south of 60 degrees south latitude (the region covered by the Antarctic Treaty) varies from approximately 4,000 in summer to 1,000 in winter; in addition, approximately 1,000 personnel including ship's crew and scientists doing onboard research are present in the waters of the treaty region; summer (January) population - 3,687 total; Argentina 302, Australia 201, Belgium 13, Brazil 80, Bulgaria 16, Chile 352, China 70, Finland 11, France 100, Germany 51, India 60, Italy 106, Japan 136, South Korea 14, Netherlands 10, NZ 60, Norway 40, Peru 28, Poland 70, Russia 254, South Africa 80, Spain 43, Sweden 20, UK 192, US 1,378 (1998-99); winter (July) population - 964 total; Argentina 165, Australia 75, Brazil 12, Chile 129, China 33, France 33, Germany 9, India 25, Japan 40, South Korea 14, NZ 10, Poland 20, Russia 102, South Africa 10, UK 39, US 248 (1998-99); year-round stations - 42 total; Argentina 6, Australia 4, Brazil 1, Chile 4, China 2, Finland 1, France 1, Germany 1, India 1, Italy 1, Japan 1, South Korea 1, NZ 1, Norway 1, Poland 1, Russia 6, South Africa 1, Spain 1, Ukraine 1, UK 2, US 3, Uruguay 1 (1998-99); summer-only stations - 32 total; Argentina 3, Australia 4, Bulgaria 1, Chile 7, Germany 1, India 1, Japan 3, NZ 1, Peru 1, Russia 3, Sweden 2, UK 5 (1998-99); in addition, during the austral summer some nations have numerous occupied locations such as tent camps, summer-long temporary facilities, and mobile traverses in support of research (July 2002 est.)

Population growth rate: NA

Government Antarctica

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Antarctica

Government type: Antarctic Treaty Summary - the Antarctic Treaty, signed on 1 December 1959 and entered into force on 23 June 1961, establishes the legal framework for the management of Antarctica. The 24th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting was held in Russia in July 2001. At the end of 2001, there were 45 treaty member nations: 27 consultative and 18 non-consultative. Consultative (voting) members include the seven nations that claim portions of Antarctica as national territory (some claims overlap) and 20 nonclaimant nations. The US and Russia have reserved the right to make claims. The US does not recognize the claims of others. Antarctica is administered through meetings of the consultative member nations. Decisions from these meetings are carried out by these member nations (within their areas) in accordance with their own national laws. The year in parentheses indicates when an acceding nation was voted to full consultative (voting) status, while no date indicates the country was an original 1959 treaty signatory. Claimant nations are - Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway, and the UK. Nonclaimant consultative nations are - Belgium, Brazil (1983), Bulgaria (1998) China (1985), Ecuador (1990), Finland (1989), Germany (1981), India (1983), Italy (1987), Japan, South Korea (1989), Netherlands (1990), Peru (1989), Poland (1977), Russia, South Africa, Spain (1988), Sweden (1988), Uruguay (1985), and the US. Non-consultative (nonvoting) members, with year of accession in parentheses, are - Austria (1987), Canada (1988), Colombia (1989), Cuba (1984), Czech Republic (1993), Denmark (1965), Estonia (2001), Greece (1987), Guatemala (1991), Hungary (1984), North Korea (1987), Papua New Guinea (1981), Romania (1971), Slovakia (1993), Switzerland (1990), Turkey (1995), Ukraine (1992), and Venezuela (1999). Article 1 - area to be used for peaceful purposes only; military activity, such as weapons testing, is prohibited, but military personnel and equipment may be used for scientific research or any other peaceful purpose; Article 2 - freedom of scientific investigation and cooperation shall continue; Article 3 - free exchange of information and personnel, cooperation with the UN and other international agencies; Article 4 - does not recognize, dispute, or establish territorial claims and no new claims shall be asserted while the treaty is in force; Article 5 - prohibits nuclear explosions or disposal of radioactive wastes; Article 6 - includes under the treaty all land and ice shelves south of 60 degrees 00 minutes south and reserves high seas rights; Article 7 - treaty-state observers have free access, including aerial observation, to any area and may inspect all stations, installations, and equipment; advance notice of all expeditions and of the introduction of military personnel must be given; Article 8 - allows for jurisdiction over observers and scientists by their own states; Article 9 - frequent consultative meetings take place among member nations; Article 10 - treaty states will discourage activities by any country in Antarctica that are contrary to the treaty; Article 11 - disputes to be settled peacefully by the parties concerned or, ultimately, by the ICJ; Articles 12, 13, 14 - deal with upholding, interpreting, and amending the treaty among involved nations. Other agreements - some 200 recommendations adopted at treaty consultative meetings and ratified by governments include - Agreed Measures for Fauna and Flora (1964) which were later incorporated into the Environmental Protocol; Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (1972); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (1980); a mineral resources agreement was signed in 1988 but remains unratified; the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty was signed 4 October 1991 and entered into force 14 January 1998; this agreement provides for the protection of the Antarctic environment through five specific annexes: 1) marine pollution, 2) fauna and flora, 3) environmental impact assessments, 4) waste management, and 5) protected area management; it prohibits all activities relating to mineral resources except scientific research.

Legal system: Antarctica is administered through meetings of the consultative member nations. Decisions from these meetings are carried out by these member nations (within their areas) in accordance with their own national laws. US law, including certain criminal offenses by or against US nationals, such as murder, may apply extra-territorially. Some US laws directly apply to Antarctica. For example, the Antarctic Conservation Act, 16 U.S.C. section 2401 et seq., provides civil and criminal penalties for the following activities, unless authorized by regulation of statute: plants and animals; entry into specially protected areas; the discharge or disposal of pollutants; and the importation into the US of certain items from Antarctica. Violation of the Antarctic Conservation Act carries penalties of up to $10,000 in fines and one year in prison. The National Science Foundation and Department of Justice share enforcement responsibilities. Public Law 95-541, the US Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978, as amended in 1996, requires expeditions from the US to Antarctica to notify, in advance, the Office of Oceans and Polar Affairs, Room 5801, Department of State, Washington, DC 20520, which reports such plans to other nations as required by the Antarctic Treaty. For more information, contact Permit Office, Office of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation, Arlington, Virginia 22230; telephone: Economy Antarctica

Economy - overview: Fishing off the coast and tourism, both based abroad, account for the limited economic activity. Antarctic fisheries in 2000-01 (1 July-30 June) reported landing 112,934 metric tons. Unregulated fishing probably landed more fish than the regulated fishery, and allegedly illegal fishing in antarctic waters in 1998 resulted in the seizure (by France and Australia) of at least eight fishing ships. The Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources determines the recommended catch limits for marine species. A total of 12,248 tourists visited in the 2000-01 antarctic summer, down from the 14,762 who visited the previous year. Nearly all of them were passengers on 21 commercial (nongovernmental) ships and several yachts that made trips during the summer. Most tourist trips lasted approximately two weeks.

Communications Antarctica

Telephones - main lines in use: 0 note: information for US bases only (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular: NA; Iridium system in use

Telephone system: local systems at some research stations domestic: Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM 2, shortwave 1 note: information for US bases only (2002)

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 1 (cable system with six channels; American Forces Antarctic Network-McMurdo) note: information for US bases only (2002)

Televisions: several hundred at McMurdo Station (US) note: information for US bases only (2001)

Internet country code: .aq

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA

Transportation Antarctica

Ports and harbors: there are no developed ports and harbors in Antarctica; most coastal stations have offshore anchorages, and supplies are transferred from ship to shore by small boats, barges, and helicopters; a few stations have a basic wharf facility; US coastal stations include McMurdo (77 51 S, 166 40 E), Palmer (64 43 S, 64 03 W); government use only except by permit (see Permit Office under "Legal System"); all ships at port are subject to inspection in accordance with Article 7, Antarctic Treaty; offshore anchorage is sparse and intermittent

Airports: 30 (2001) note: 27 stations, operated by 16 national governments party to the Antarctic Treaty, have aircraft landing facilities for either helicopters and/or fixed-wing aircraft; commercial enterprises operate two additional aircraft landing facilities; helicopter pads are available at 27 stations; runways at 15 locations are gravel, sea-ice, blue-ice, or compacted snow suitable for landing wheeled, fixed-wing aircraft; of these, 1 is greater than 3 km in length, 6 are between 2 km and 3 km in length, 3 are between 1 km and 2 km in length, 3 are less than 1 km in length, and 2 are of unknown length; snow surface skiways, limited to use by ski-equipped, fixed-wing aircraft, are available at another 15 locations; of these, 4 are greater than 3 km in length, 3 are between 2 km and 3 km in length, 2 are between 1 km and 2 km in length, 2 are less than 1 km in length, and 4 are of unknown length; aircraft landing facilities generally subject to severe restrictions and limitations resulting from extreme seasonal and geographic conditions; aircraft landing facilities do not meet ICAO standards; advance approval from the respective governmental or nongovernmental operating organization required for landing; landed aircraft are subject to inspection in accordance with Article 7, Antarctic Treaty

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 19 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 5 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

Heliports: 27 stations have helicopter landing facilities (helipads) (2001)

Military Antarctica

Military - note: the Antarctic Treaty prohibits any measures of a military nature, such as the establishment of military bases and fortifications, the carrying out of military maneuvers, or the testing of any type of weapon; it permits the use of military personnel or equipment for scientific research or for any other peaceful purposes

Transnational Issues Antarctica

Disputes - international: Antarctic Treaty freezes claims (see Antarctic Treaty Summary in Government type entry); sections (some overlapping) claimed by Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, NZ, Norway, and UK; the US and most other states do not recognize the territorial claims of other states and have made no claims themselves (the US and Russia reserve the right to do so); no claims have been made in the sector between 90 degrees west and 150 degrees west; several states with land claims in Antarctica have expressed their intention to submit data to the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf to extend their continental shelf claims to adjoining undersea ridges

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Bahrain

Introduction

Bahrain

Background: Bahrain's small size and central location among Persian Gulf countries require it to play a delicate balancing act in foreign affairs among its larger neighbors. Possessing minimal oil reserves, Bahrain has turned to petroleum processing and refining, and has transformed itself into an international banking center. The new amir is pushing economic and political reforms, and has worked to improve relations with the Shi'a community. In February 2001, Bahraini voters approved a referendum on the National Action Charter - the centerpiece of the amir's political liberalization program.

Geography Bahrain

Location: Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi
Arabia

Geographic coordinates: 26 00 N, 50 33 E

Map references: Middle East

Area: total: 665 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 665 sq km

Area - comparative: 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 161 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: extending to boundaries to be determined

Climate: arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers

Terrain: mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point:
Jabal ad Dukhan 122 m

Natural resources: oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls

Land use: arable land: 5% permanent crops: 4% other: 91% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 50 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: periodic droughts; dust storms

Environment - current issues: desertification resulting from the degradation of limited arable land, periods of drought, and dust storms; coastal degradation (damage to coastlines, coral reefs, and sea vegetation) resulting from oil spills and other discharges from large tankers, oil refineries, and distribution stations; lack of freshwater resources, groundwater and seawater are the only sources for all water needs

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Geography - note: close to primary Middle Eastern petroleum sources; strategic location in Persian Gulf, which much of Western world's petroleum must transit to reach open ocean

People Bahrain

Population: 656,397 note: includes 228,424 non-nationals (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 29.2% (male 97,022; female 94,605) 15-64 years: 67.7% (male 261,919; female 182,727) 65 years and over: 3.1% (male 10,230; female 9,894) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.67% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 19.53 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 3.95 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 1.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.43 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female total population: 1.29 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 19.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 75.96 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.75 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.15% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Bahraini(s) adjective: Bahraini

Ethnic groups: Bahraini 63%, Asian 19%, other Arab 10%, Iranian 8%

Religions: Shi'a Muslim 70%, Sunni Muslim 30%

Languages: Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 88.5% male: 91.6% female: 84.2% (2002 est.)

Government Bahrain

Country name: Kingdom of Bahrain conventional short form: Mamlakat al Bahrayn

Government type: constitutional hereditary monarchy

Capital: Manama

Administrative divisions: 12 municipalities (manatiq, singular - mintaqah); Al Hadd, Al Manamah, Al Mintaqah al Gharbiyah, Al Mintaqah al Wusta, Al Mintaqah ash Shamaliyah, Al Muharraq, Ar Rifa' wa al Mintaqah al Janubiyah, Jidd Hafs, Madinat Hamad, Madinat 'Isa, Juzur Hawar, Sitrah note: all municipalities administered from Manama

Independence: 15 August 1971 (from UK)

National holiday: National Day, 16 December (1971); note - 15 August 1971 is the date of independence from the UK, 16 December 1971 is the date of independence from British protection

Constitution: adopted late December 2000; Bahrani voters approved on 13-14 February 2001 a referendum on legislative changes (revised constitution calls for a partially elected legislature, a constitutional monarchy, and an independent judiciary)

Legal system: based on Islamic law and English common law

Suffrage: none

Executive branch: chief of state: King HAMAD bin Isa Al Khalifa (since 6 March 1999); Heir Apparent Crown Prince SALMAN bin Hamad (son of the monarch, born 21 October 1969) head of government: Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Salman Al Khalifa (since NA 1971) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly was dissolved 26 August 1975 and legislative powers were assumed by the Cabinet; appointed Advisory Council established 16 December 1992; the National Action Charter created a bicameral legislature on 23 December 2000; approved by referendum of 14 February 2001

Judicial branch: High Civil Appeals Court

Political parties and leaders: political parties prohibited but politically oriented nongovernment organizations are allowed

Political pressure groups and leaders: Shi'a activists fomented unrest sporadically in 1994-97, demanding the return of an elected National Assembly and an end to unemployment; several small, clandestine leftist and Islamic fundamentalist groups are active

International organization participation: ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CCC,
ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC,
OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Khalifa bin Ali bin Rashid AL KHALIFA chancery: 3502 International Drive
NW, Washington, DC 20008 FAX: [1] (202) 362-2192 consulate(s) general:
New York telephone: [1] (202) 342-0741

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Ronald E. NEUMANN embassy: Building #979, Road 3119 (next to Al-Ahli
Sports Club), Block 321, Zinj District, Manama mailing address: American
Embassy Manama, PSC 451, FPO AE 09834-5100;
 American Embassy, Box 26431, Manama telephone:
Flag description: red with a white serrated band (eight white points)
on the hoist side

Economy Bahrain

Economy - overview: In Bahrain, petroleum production and refining account for about 60% of export receipts, 60% of government revenues, and 30% of GDP. With its highly developed communication and transport facilities, Bahrain is home to numerous multinational firms with business in the Gulf. Bahrain is dependent on Saudi Arabia for oil revenue granted as aid. A large share of exports consists of petroleum products made from refining imported crude. Construction proceeds on several major industrial projects. Unemployment, especially among the young, and the depletion of oil and underground water resources are major long-term economic problems.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $8.4 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $13,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 35% services: 64% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.5% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 295,000 (1998 est.) note: 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (July 1998 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: industry, commerce, and service 79%, government 20%, agriculture 1% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate: 15% (1998 est.)

Budget: revenues: $1.8 billion expenditures: $2.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $700 million (2002 est.)

Industries: petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, offshore banking, ship repairing; tourism

Industrial production growth rate: 2% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production: 5.765 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 5,361.45 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: fruit, vegetables; poultry, dairy products; shrimp, fish

Exports: $5.5 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Exports - commodities: petroleum and petroleum products, aluminum, textiles

Exports - partners: India 8.4%, US 3.9%, Saudi Arabia 3.4%, Japan 2.8%,
South Korea 2.1% (2000)

Imports: $4.5 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Imports - commodities: crude oil, machinery, chemicals

Imports - partners: Saudi Arabia 28.7%, US 12.5%, UK 6.6%, France 6%,
Japan 4% (2000)

Debt - external: $2.8 billion (2000)

Economic aid - recipient: $48.4 million (1995)

Currency: Bahraini dinar (BHD)

Currency code: BHD

Exchange rates: Bahraini dinars per US dollar - 0.3760 (fixed rate pegged to the US dollar)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Bahrain

Telephones - main lines in use: 152,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 58,543 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: modern system domestic: modern fiber-optic integrated services; digital network with rapidly growing use of mobile cellular telephones international: tropospheric scatter to Qatar and UAE; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; submarine cable to Qatar, UAE, and Saudi Arabia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat (1997)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 338,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 4 (1997)

Televisions: 275,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .bh

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: 105,000 (2001)

Transportation Bahrain

Railways: 0 km

Highways: 3,164 km paved: 2,433 km unpaved: 731 km note: a paved causeway links Bahrain and Saudi Arabia

Waterways: none

Pipelines: crude oil 56 km; petroleum products 16 km; natural gas 32 km

Ports and harbors: Manama, Mina' Salman, Sitrah

Merchant marine: total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 270,784 GRT/384,561 DWT ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 4, container 2, includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Kuwait 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 4 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 over 3,047 m: 2 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2001)

Heliports: 1 (2001)

Military Bahrain

Military branches: Bahrain Defense Forces (BDF) comprising Ground Force (includes Air Defense), Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Police Force, Amiri Guards, National Guard

Military manpower - military age: 15 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 222,572 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 121,955 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 5,926 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $526.2 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 6.7% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Bahrain

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Barbados

Introduction

Barbados

Background: The island was uninhabited when first settled by the British in 1627. Its economy remained heavily dependent on sugar, rum, and molasses production through most of the 20th century. In the 1990s, tourism and manufacturing surpassed the sugar industry in economic importance.

Geography Barbados

Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North
Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela

Geographic coordinates: 13 10 N, 59 32 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 431 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 431 sq km

Area - comparative: 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 97 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical; rainy season (June to October)

Terrain: relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Mount Hillaby 336 m

Natural resources: petroleum, fish, natural gas

Land use: arable land: 37% permanent crops: 2% other: 61% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 10 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides

Environment - current issues: pollution of coastal waters from waste disposal by ships; soil erosion; illegal solid waste disposal threatens contamination of aquifers

Environment - international agreements: party to: Climate Change,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: Geography - note: easternmost
Caribbean island

People Barbados

Population: 276,607 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 21.4% (male 29,888; female 29,338) 15-64 years: 69.8% (male 94,214; female 98,811) 65 years and over: 8.8% (male 9,378; female 14,978) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.46% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 13.32 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 8.38 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 11.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 76.12 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.64 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 1.17% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 1,800 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 130 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Barbadian(s) or Bajan (colloquial) adjective:
Barbadian or Bajan (colloquial)

Ethnic groups: black 90%, white 4%, Asian and mixed 6%

Religions: Protestant 67% (Anglican 40%, Pentecostal 8%, Methodist 7%, other 12%), Roman Catholic 4%, none 17%, other 12%

Languages: English

Literacy: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population:
Government Barbados

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Barbados

Government type: parliamentary democracy; independent sovereign state within the Commonwealth

Capital: Bridgetown

Administrative divisions: 11 parishes; Christ Church, Saint Andrew,
Saint George, Saint James, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Lucy, Saint
Michael, Saint Peter, Saint Philip, Saint Thomas; note - the city of
Bridgetown may be given parish status

Independence: 30 November 1966 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 30 November (1966)

Constitution: 30 November 1966

Legal system: English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Clifford Straughn HUSBANDS (since 1 June 1996) head of government: Prime Minister Owen Seymour ARTHUR (since 6 September 1994); Deputy Prime Minister Billie MILLER (since 6 September 1994) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; prime minister appointed by the governor general

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (21-member body appointed by the governor general) and the House of Assembly (28 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: 2004) election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - BLP 26, DLP 2

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Judicature (judges are appointed by the Service Commissions for the Judicial and Legal Services)

Political parties and leaders: Barbados Labor Party or BLP [Owen ARTHUR]; Democratic Labor Party or DLP [Clyde MASCOLL]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Richard HAYNES]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Barbados Workers Union
[Leroy TROTMAN]; Clement Payne Labor Union [David COMMISSIONG];
People's Progressive Movement [Eric SEALY]; Worker's Party of Barbados
[Dr. George BELLE]

International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB,
ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Michael
Ian KING consulate(s): Los Angeles consulate(s) general: Miami and New
York FAX: [1] (202) 332-7467 telephone: [1] (202) 939-9200 chancery:
2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Marcia BERNICHT embassy: Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Building, Broad Street, Bridgetown; (courier) ALICO Building-Cheapside, Bridgetown mailing P. O. Box 302, Bridgetown; CMR 1014, APO AA 34055 telephone: Flag description: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold, and blue with the head of a black trident centered on the gold band; the trident head represents independence and a break with the past (the colonial coat of arms contained a complete trident)

Economy Barbados

Economy - overview: Historically, the Barbadian economy had been dependent on sugarcane cultivation and related activities, but production in recent years has diversified into manufacturing and tourism. Offshore finance and information services are important foreign exchange earners, and there is also a light manufacturing sector. The government continues its efforts to reduce unemployment, encourage direct foreign investment, and privatize remaining state-owned enterprises. The economy contracted in 2001 due to slowdowns in tourism and consumer spending. Growth will remain anemic in 2002 with a recovery likely near the end of the year.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $4 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: -2% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $14,500 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6% industry: 16% services: 78% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.5% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 128,500 (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: services 75%, industry 15%, agriculture 10% (1996 est.)

Unemployment rate: 10% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $847 million (including grants) expenditures: $886 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Industries: tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export

Industrial production growth rate: -3.2% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production: 740 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 688.2 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: sugarcane, vegetables, cotton

Exports: $272 million (2000)

Exports - commodities: sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and beverages, chemicals, electrical components, clothing

Exports - partners: Caribbean Community 43.2%, US 15.3%, UK 13.2% (2000)

Imports: $1.16 billion (2000)

Imports - commodities: consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construction materials, chemicals, fuel, electrical components

Imports - partners: US 40.8%, Caribbean Community 19.8%, UK 8.1%,
Japan 5.2%, Canada 4.2% (2000)

Debt - external: $425 million (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $9.1 million (1995)

Currency: Barbadian dollar (BBD)

Currency code: BBD

Exchange rates: Barbadian dollars per US dollar - 2.0000 (fixed rate pegged to the US dollar)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Communications Barbados

Telephones - main lines in use: 108,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 8,013 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: island-wide automatic telephone system international: satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Trinidad and Saint Lucia

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 237,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (plus two cable channels) (1997)

Televisions: 76,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .bb

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 19 (2000)

Internet users: 6,000 (2000)

Transportation Barbados

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 1,650 km paved: 1,628 km unpaved: 22 km (1998)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Bridgetown, Speightstown (Port Charles Marina)

Merchant marine: total: 41 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 629,987 GRT/1,073,991 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Australia 1, Bahamas, The 1, Canada 4, Germany 1, Greece 2, Hong Kong 7, Norway 7, United Kingdom 18 (2002 est.) ships by type: Airports: 1 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2001)

Military Barbados

Military branches: Royal Barbados Defense Force (including Ground Forces and Coast Guard), Royal Barbados Police Force

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 78,132 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 53,532 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Transnational Issues Barbados

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: one of many Caribbean transshipment points for narcotics bound for Europe and the US

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Botswana

Introduction

Botswana

Background: Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name upon independence in 1966. The economy, one of the most robust on the continent, is dominated by diamond mining.

Geography Botswana

Location: Southern Africa, north of South Africa

Geographic coordinates: 22 00 S, 24 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 600,370 sq km water: 15,000 sq km land: 585,370 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries: total: 4,013 km border countries: Namibia 1,360 km,
South Africa 1,840 km, Zimbabwe 813 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: semiarid; warm winters and hot summers

Terrain: predominantly flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert in southwest

Elevation extremes: lowest point: junction of the Limpopo and Shashe
Rivers 513 m highest point: Tsodilo Hills 1,489 m

Natural resources: diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver

Land use: arable land: 1% permanent crops: 0% other: 99% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 10 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the west, carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure visibility

Environment - current issues: overgrazing; desertification; limited fresh water resources

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: landlocked; population concentrated in eastern part of the country

People Botswana

Population: 1,591,232 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 40% (male 319,988; female 316,961) 15-64 years: 55.8% (male 428,638; female 458,777) 65 years and over: 4.2% (male 26,965; female 39,903) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.18% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 28.04 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 26.26 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 64.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 35.43 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 3.6 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 35.8% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 290,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 24,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural) adjective:
Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)

Ethnic groups: Tswana (or Setswana) 79%, Kalanga 11%, Basarwa 3%, other, including Kgalagadi and white 7%

Religions: indigenous beliefs 85%, Christian 15%

Languages: English (official), Setswana

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 69.8% male: 80.5% female: 59.9% (1995 est.)

Government Botswana

Country name: Republic of Botswana conventional short form: Government type: parliamentary republic

Capital: Gaborone

Administrative divisions: 10 districts and four town councils*; Central,
Chobe, Francistown*, Gaborone*, Ghanzi, Kgalagadi, Kgatleng, Kweneng,
Lobatse*, Ngamiland, North-East, Selebi-Pikwe*, South-East, Southern

Independence: 30 September 1966 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day (Botswana Day), 30 September (1966)

Constitution: March 1965, effective 30 September 1966

Legal system: based on Roman-Dutch law and local customary law; judicial review limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Festus MOGAE (since 1 April 1998) and Vice President Seretse Ian KHAMA (since 13 July 1998); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: Ian KHAMA (since 13 July 1998); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term; election last held 16 October 1999 (next to be held NA October 2004); vice president appointed by the president election results: Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the House of Chiefs (a largely advisory 15-member body consisting of the chiefs of the eight principal tribes, four elected subchiefs, and three members selected by the other 12 members) and the National Assembly (44 seats, 40 members are directly elected by popular vote and 4 are appointed by the majority party; members serve five-year terms) elections: National Assembly elections last held 16 October 1999 (next to be held NA October 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - BDP 54.3%, BNF 24.7%, other 21%; seats by party - BDP 33, BNF 6, other 1

Judicial branch: High Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrates' Courts (one in each district)

Political parties and leaders: Botswana Democratic Party or BDP [Festus MOGAE]; Botswana National Front or BNF [Otswoletse MOUPO]; Botswana Congress Party or BCP [Otiandisa KOOSQLEDSE]; Botswana Alliance Movement or BAM [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO] note: a number of minor parties joined forces in 1999 to form the BAM but did not capture any parliamentary seats; the BAM parties are: the United Action Party [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO], the Independence Freedom Party or IFP [Motsamai MPHO], and the Botswana Progressive Union [D. K. KWELE]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO,
G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol,
IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Kgosi
SEEPAPITSO IV chancery: 1531-1533 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington,
DC 20036 FAX: [1] (202) 244-4164 telephone: [1] (202) 244-4990

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
John E. LANGE embassy: address NA, Gaborone
 [267] 353982 FAX:
Flag description: light blue with a horizontal white-edged black stripe
in the center

Economy Botswana

Economy - overview: Botswana has maintained one of the world's highest growth rates since independence in 1966. Through fiscal discipline and sound management, Botswana has transformed itself from one of the poorest countries in the world to a middle-income country with a per capita GDP of $7,800 in 2001. Two major investment services rank Botswana as the best credit risk in Africa. Diamond mining has fueled much of expansion and currently accounts for more than one-third of GDP and for four-fifths of export earnings. Tourism, subsistence farming, and cattle raising are other key sectors. On the downside, the government must deal with high rates of unemployment and poverty. Unemployment officially is 21%, but unofficial estimates place it closer to 40%. HIV/AIDS infection rates are the highest in the world and threaten Botswana's impressive economic gains.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $12.4 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4.7% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $7,800 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4% industry: 44% (including 36% mining) services: 52% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 47% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.6% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 264,000 formal sector employees (2000)

Labor force - by occupation: NA

Unemployment rate: 40% (official rate is 21%) (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $2.3 billion expenditures: $2.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY01/02)

Industries: diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash; livestock processing; textiles

Industrial production growth rate: 2.4% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 500 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 1.451 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 986 million kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: livestock, sorghum, maize, millet, beans, sunflowers, groundnuts

Exports: $2.5 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: diamonds 80%, copper, nickel, soda ash, meat, textiles (2001)

Exports - partners: EFTA 85%, Southern African Customs Union (SACU) 10%, Zimbabwe 2% (1999)

Imports: $2.1 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, machinery, electrical goods, transport equipment, textiles, fuel and petroleum products, wood and paper products, metal and metal products (2000)

Imports - partners: Southern African Customs Union (SACU) 77%, EFTA 9%,
Zimbabwe 4% (1999)

Debt - external: $325 million (2001)

Economic aid - recipient: $73 million (1995)

Currency: pula (BWP)

Currency code: BWP

Exchange rates: pulas per US dollar - 6.8353 (January 2002), 5.8412 (2001), 5.1018 (2000), 4.6244 (1999), 4.2259 (1998), 3.6508 (1997)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Communications Botswana

Telephones - main lines in use: 150,000 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 200,000 (2000)

Telephone system: general assessment: the system is expanding with the growth of mobile cellular service and participation in regional development domestic: radiotelephone communication stations; mobile cellular service is growing fast international: two international exchanges; digital microwave radio relay links to Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 8, FM 13, shortwave 4 (2001)

Radios: 252,720 (2000)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (2001)

Televisions: 31,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .bw

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 11 (2001)

Internet users: 33,000 (2001)

Transportation Botswana

Railways: total: 888 km narrow gauge: 888 km 1.067-m gauge (2000 est.)

Highways: total: 10,217 km paved: 5,620 km unpaved: 4,597 km (1999)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: none

Airports: 92 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 81 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 56 under 914 m: 22 (2001)

Military Botswana

Military branches: Botswana Defense Force (including Army and Air Wing),
Botswana National Police

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 384,888 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 202,685 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 19,479 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $135 million (FY01/02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.5% (FY01/02)

Transnational Issues Botswana

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

========================================================================

Bermuda

Introduction

Bermuda

Background: Bermuda was first settled in 1609 by shipwrecked English colonists headed for Virginia. Tourism to the island to escape North American winters first developed in Victorian times. Tourism continues to be important to the island's economy, although international business has overtaken it in recent years. Bermuda has developed into a highly successful offshore financial center. A referendum on independence was soundly defeated in 1995.

Geography Bermuda

Location: North America, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, east of North Carolina (US)

Geographic coordinates: 32 20 N, 64 45 W

Map references: North America

Area: total: 53.3 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 53.3 sq km

Area - comparative: about one-third the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 103 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: subtropical; mild, humid; gales, strong winds common in winter

Terrain: low hills separated by fertile depressions

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Town Hill 76 m

Natural resources: limestone, pleasant climate fostering tourism

Land use: arable land: 6% permanent crops: 0% other: 94% (55% developed, 45% rural/open space) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: hurricanes (June to November)

Environment - current issues: asbestos disposal; water pollution; preservation of open space; sustainable development

Geography - note: consists of about 138 coral islands and islets with ample rainfall, but no rivers or freshwater lakes; some land, reclaimed and otherwise, was leased by US Government from 1941 to 1995

People Bermuda

Population: 63,960 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 19.2% (male 6,058; female 6,225) 15-64 years: 69.4% (male 21,950; female 22,442) 65 years and over: 11.4% (male 3,163; female 4,122) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.69% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 11.82 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 7.49 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 2.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 0.94 male(s)/female under 15 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 9.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 79.27 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.81 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Bermudian(s) adjective: Bermudian

Ethnic groups: black 58%, white 36%, other 6%

Religions: non-Anglican Protestant 39%, Anglican 27%, Roman Catholic 15%, other 19%

Languages: English (official), Portuguese

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 98% female: 99% (1970 est.)

Government Bermuda

Country name: Bermuda former: Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK

Government type: parliamentary British overseas territory with internal self-government

Capital: Hamilton

Administrative divisions: 9 parishes and 2 municipalities*; Devonshire,
Hamilton, Hamilton*, Paget, Pembroke, Saint George*, Saint George's,
Sandys, Smith's, Southampton, Warwick

Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday: Bermuda Day, 24 May

Constitution: 8 June 1968, amended 1989

Legal system: English law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Sir John VEREKER (since NA April 2002) head of government: by the premier, appointed by the governor elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; governor invites the leader of largest party in Parliament to form a government as premier

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (an 11-member body appointed by the governor, the premier, and the opposition) and the House of Assembly (40 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last general election held 9 November 1998 (next to be held NA November 2003) election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 54%, UBP 44%, NLP 1%, independents 1%; seats by party - PLP 26, UBP 14

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrate Courts

Political parties and leaders: National Liberal Party or NLP [Dessaline
WALDRON]; Progressive Labor Party or PLP [Jennifer SMITH]; United Bermuda
Party or UBP [Dr. Grant GIBBONS]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Bermuda Employer's Union
[Eddie SAINTS]; Bermuda Industrial Union or BIU [Derrick BURGESS];
Bermuda Public Services Association or BPSA [leader NA]; Bermuda Union
of Teachers [Michael CHARLES]

International organization participation: Caricom (observer), CCC,
ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), IOC

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Acting Consul General Karen EMMERSON consulate(s) Crown Hill, 16 Middle Road, Devonshire DVQ3 mailing address: Department of State, 5300 Hamilton Place, Washington, DC 20520-5300 telephone: [1] (441) 295-1342 FAX: [1] (441) 295-1592, [1] (441) 296-9233

Flag description: red, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Bermudian coat of arms (white and green shield with a red lion holding a scrolled shield showing the sinking of the ship Sea Venture off Bermuda in 1609) centered on the outer half of the flag

Economy Bermuda

Economy - overview: Bermuda enjoys one of the highest per capita incomes in the world, with its economy primarily based on providing financial services for international business and luxury facilities for tourists. The effects of 11 September 2001 have had both positive and negative ramifications for Bermuda. On the positive side, a number of new reinsurance companies have located on the island, contributing to the expansion of an already robust international business sector. On the negative side, Bermuda's already weakening tourism industry - which derives over 80% of its visitors from the US - has been further hit as American tourists have chosen not to travel. Most capital equipment and food must be imported, with the US serving as the primary source of goods, followed by the UK. Bermuda's industrial sector is small, although construction continues to be important. Agriculture is limited, only 6% of the land being arable.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $2.2 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 2.9% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $34,800 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 10% services: 89% (1995 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (July 2001)

Labor force: 37,472 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation: clerical 22%, services 20%, laborers 17%, professional and technical 17%, administrative and managerial 13%, sales 8%, agriculture and fishing 3% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: 4.5% (1993)

Budget: revenues: $609.5 million expenditures: $574.6 million, including capital expenditures of $54.8 million (FY00/01)

Industries: tourism, international business, light manufacturing

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 595 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 553.35 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: bananas, vegetables, citrus, flowers; dairy products

Exports: $51 million (2000)

Exports - commodities: reexports of pharmaceuticals

Exports - partners: EU excluding UK 77.9%, US 9.8%, UK 6.9% (1999)

Imports: $719 million (2000)

Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, chemicals, food and live animals

Imports - partners: EU excluding UK 35.4%, US 17.8%, UK 15.4%, Russia 14.6% (1999)

Debt - external: $145 million (FY99/00)

Economic aid - recipient: $NA

Currency: Bermudian dollar (BMD)

Currency code: BMD

Exchange rates: Bermudian dollar per US dollar - 1.0000 (fixed rate pegged to the US dollar)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Communications Bermuda

Telephones - main lines in use: 52,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 7,980 (1996)

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: modern, fully automatic telephone system international: 3 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 82,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (1997)

Televisions: 66,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .bm

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 20 (2000)

Internet users: 25,000 (2000)

Transportation Bermuda

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 450 km paved: NA note: public roads - 209 km; private roads - 241 km (2002) unpaved: NA

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Hamilton, Saint George's, Dockyard

Merchant marine: total: 102 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,485,450 GRT/8,782,869 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Croatia 5, Denmark 2, Germany 1, Greece 1, Hong Kong 9, Indonesia 1, Norway 2, Sweden 11, United Kingdom 52, United States 13 (2002 est.) ships by type: bulk 28, cargo 4, container 16, liquefied gas 6, passenger 3, petroleum tanker 17, refrigerated cargo 16, roll on/roll off 9, short-sea passenger 3

Airports: 1 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2960 m) (2002)

Military Bermuda

Military branches: no regular indigenous military forces; Bermuda
Regiment, Bermuda Police Force, Bermuda Reserve Constabulary

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $4,027,970 (January 2002)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.11% (FY00/01)

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Bermuda

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

========================================================================

Belgium

Introduction

Belgium

Background: Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830 and was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. It has prospered in the past half century as a modern, technologically advanced European state and member of NATO and the EU. Tensions between the Dutch-speaking Flemings of the north and the French-speaking Walloons of the south have led in recent years to constitutional amendments granting these regions formal recognition and autonomy.

Geography Belgium

Location: Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands

Geographic coordinates: 50 50 N, 4 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 30,510 sq km land: 30,230 sq km water: 280 sq km

Area - comparative: about the size of Maryland

Land boundaries: total: 1,385 km border countries: France 620 km,
Germany 167 km, Luxembourg 148 km, Netherlands 450 km

Coastline: 66 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: median line with neighbors territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive fishing zone: median line with neighbors (extends about 68 km from coast)

Climate: temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy

Terrain: flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: North Sea 0 m highest point: Signal de Botrange 694 m

Natural resources: coal, natural gas

Land use: arable land: 25% permanent crops: 0% note: includes Luxembourg (1998 est.) other: 75%

Irrigated land: 40 sq km (includes Luxembourg) (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: flooding is a threat in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes

Environment - current issues: the environment is exposed to intense pressures from human activities: breeding and crop cultivation; air and water pollution also have repercussions for neighboring countries; uncertainties regarding federal and regional responsibilities (now resolved) have slowed progress in tackling environmental challenges

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution,
Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air
Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation,
Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note: crossroads of Western Europe; majority of West
European capitals within 1,000 km of Brussels, the seat of both the
European Union and NATO

People Belgium

Population: 10,274,595 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 17.3% (male 911,729; female 871,470) 15-64 years: 65.6% (male 3,395,885; female 3,341,536) 65 years and over: 17.1% (male 716,673; female 1,037,302) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.15% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 10.58 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 10.08 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 4.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 81.62 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.61 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.15% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 7,700 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Belgian(s) adjective: Belgian

Ethnic groups: Fleming 58%, Walloon 31%, mixed or other 11%

Religions: Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25%

Languages: Dutch 60%, French 40%, German less than 1%, legally bilingual
(Dutch and French)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Belgium

Country name: Kingdom of Belgium conventional short form:
Belgique/Koninkrijk Belgie

Government type: federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarch

Capital: Brussels

Administrative divisions: 10 provinces (French: provinces, singular
- province; Dutch: provincien, singular - provincie) and 1 region*
(French: region; Dutch: gewest); Antwerpen, Brabant Wallon, Brussels*
(Bruxelles), Hainaut, Liege, Limburg, Luxembourg, Namur, Oost-Vlaanderen,
Vlaams-Brabant, West-Vlaanderen

Independence: 4 October 1830 a provisional government declared independence from the Netherlands; 21 July 1831 the ascension of King Leopold I to the throne

National holiday: Independence Day, 21 July (1831)

Constitution: 7 February 1831, last revised 14 July 1993; parliament approved a constitutional package creating a federal state

Legal system: civil law system influenced by English constitutional theory; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch: chief of state: King ALBERT II (since 9 August 1993); Heir Apparent Prince PHILIPPE, son of the monarch head of government: Prime Minister Guy VERHOFSTADT (since 13 July 1999) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch and approved by Parliament elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch and then approved by Parliament note: government coalition - VLD, PRL, PS, SP, AGALEV, and ECOLO

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of a Senate or Senaat in Dutch, Senat in French (71 seats; 40 members are directly elected by popular vote, 31 are indirectly elected; members serve four-year terms) and a Chamber of Deputies or Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers in Dutch, Chambre des Representants in French (150 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate and Chamber of Deputies - last held 13 June 1999 (next to be held in NA 2003) note: as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision that furthered devolution into a federal state, there are now three levels of government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a complex division of responsibilities; this reality leaves six governments each with its own legislative assembly; for other acronyms of the listed parties see the Political parties and leaders entry election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - VLD 15.4%, CVP 14.7%, PRL 10.6%, PS 9.7%, VB 9.4%, SP 8.9%, ECOLO 7.4%, AGALEV 7.1%, PSC 6.0%, VU 5.1%; seats by party - VLD 11, CVP 10, PS 10, PRL 9, VB 6, SP 6, ECOLO 6, AGALEV 5, PSC 5, VU 3; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - VLD 14.3%, CVP 14.1%, PS 10.2%, PRL 10.1%, VB 9.9%, SP 9.5%, ECOLO 7.4%, AGALEV 7.0%, PSC 5.9%, VU 5.6%; seats by party - VLD 23, CVP 22, PS 19, PRL 18, VB 15, SP 14, ECOLO 11, PSC 10, AGALEV 9, VU 8, FN 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice or Hof van Cassatie (in Dutch) or Cour de Cassation (in French) (judges are appointed for life by the monarch, although selected by the Government)

Political parties and leaders: AGALEV (Flemish Greens) [Jos GEYSELS]; Christian Democrats and Flemish or CD & V [Stefaan DE CLERCK, president]; note - used to be the Flemish Christian Democrats or CVP; ECOLO (Francophone Greens) [no president; led by three person federal secretariat]; Flemish Liberal Democrats or VLD [Karel DE GUCHT, president]; Francophone Christian Democrats or PSC (Social Christian Party) [Joelle MILQUET, president]; Francophone Liberal Reformation Party or PRL [Daniel DUCARME, president]; Francophone Socialist Party or PS [Elio DI RUPO, president]; National Front or FN [Daniel FERET]; New Flemish Alliance or NVA [Geert BOURGEOIS]; note - split from Volksunie or VB; Social Progressive Alternative Party or SP.A [Patrick JANSSENS, president]; note - was Flemish Socialist Party or SP; Spirit [Annemie VAN DE CASTEELE]; note - split from Volksunie or VU; Vlaams Blok or VB [Frank VANHECKE]; other minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders: Christian and Socialist Trade Unions; Federation of Belgian Industries; numerous other associations representing bankers, manufacturers, middle-class artisans, and the legal and medical professions; various organizations represent the cultural interests of Flanders and Wallonia; various peace groups such as Pax Christi and groups representing immigrants

International organization participation: ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia
Group, Benelux, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU,
FAO, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
MINURSO, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNMOP, UNRWA, UNTSO,
UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Alexis REYN chancery: 3330 Garfield Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York FAX: [1] (202) 333-3079 telephone: [1] (202) 333-6900

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen Franklin BRAUER embassy: 27 Boulevard du Regent, B-1000 Brussels mailing address: PSC 82, Box 002, APO AE 09710 telephone: [32] (2) 508-2111 FAX: [32] (2) 511-2725

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow, and red; the design was based on the flag of France

Economy Belgium

Economy - overview: This modern private enterprise economy has capitalized on its central geographic location, highly developed transport network, and diversified industrial and commercial base. Industry is concentrated mainly in the populous Flemish area in the north. With few natural resources, Belgium must import substantial quantities of raw materials and export a large volume of manufactures, making its economy unusually dependent on the state of world markets. About three-quarters of its trade is with other EU countries. Belgium's public debt is expected to fall to about 100% of GDP in 2002, and the government has succeeded in balancing its budget. Belgium, together with 11 of its EU partners, began circulating euro currency in January 2002. Economic growth in 2001 dropped sharply due to the global economic slowdown. Prospects for 2002 depend largely on recovery in the EU and the US.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $267.7 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 1.1% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $26,100 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.4% industry: 24% services: 74.6% (2000)

Population below poverty line: 4%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.7% highest 10%: 20.2% (1992)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 25 (1992)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.4% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 4.44 million (2001)

Labor force - by occupation: services 73%, industry 25%, agriculture 2% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: 6.8% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $113.44 billion expenditures: $106 billion, including capital expenditures of $7.17 billion (2000)

Industries: engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, processed food and beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass, petroleum, coal

Industrial production growth rate: 4.5% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production: 79.348 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 40.31% hydro: 0.57% other: 1.46% (2000) nuclear: 57.66%

Electricity - consumption: 78.13 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 7.309 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 11.645 billion kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef, veal, pork, milk

Exports: $160.3 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Exports - commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, metals and metal products

Exports - partners: EU 74% (France 18%, Germany 17%, Netherlands 13%,
UK 10%), US 6% (2000)

Imports: $154 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals and metal products

Imports - partners: EU 68% (Germany 17%, Netherlands 17%, France 13%,
UK 9%) (2000)

Debt - external: $28.3 billion (1999 est.)

Economic aid - donor: ODA, $764 million (1997)

Currency: euro (EUR); Belgian franc (BEF) note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code: EUR; BEF

Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); Belgian francs per US dollar - 34.77 (January 1999), 36.229 (1998), 35.774 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Belgium

Telephones - main lines in use: 4.769 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 974,494 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: highly developed, technologically advanced, and completely automated domestic and international telephone and telegraph facilities domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; extensive cable network; limited microwave radio relay network international: 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Eutelsat

Radio broadcast stations: FM 79, AM 7, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios: 8.075 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 25 (plus 10 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 4.72 million (1997)

Internet country code: .be

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 61 (2000)

Internet users: 2.807 million (2001)

Transportation Belgium

Railways: total: 3,422 km standard gauge: 3,422 km 1.435-m gauge (2,517 km electrified; 2,563 km double-tracked) (2001)

Highways: total: 145,774 km paved: 116,182 km (including 1,674 km of expressways) unpaved: 29,592 km (1999)

Waterways: 1,570 km (route length in regular commercial use) (2001)

Pipelines: crude oil 161 km; petroleum products 1,167 km; natural gas 3,300 km

Ports and harbors: Antwerp (one of the world's busiest ports), Brugge,
Gent, Hasselt, Liege, Mons, Namur, Oostende, Zeebrugge

Merchant marine: total: 20 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 31,362 GRT/54,058 DWT ships by type: cargo 6, chemical tanker 9, petroleum tanker 5, includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Finland 1, Netherlands 3 (2002 est.)

Airports: 42 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 24 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 6 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 16 (2001)

Heliports: 1 (2001)

Military Belgium

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Components, National Gendarmerie

Military manpower - military age: 19 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 2,508,557 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 2,070,016 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 63,247 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $3,076,500,000 (FY01/02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.4% (FY01/02)

Transnational Issues Belgium

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: growing producer of synthetic drugs; transit point for US-bound ecstasy; source of precursor chemicals for South American cocaine processors; transshipment point for cocaine, heroin, hashish, and marijuana entering Western Europe

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Bahamas, The

Introduction

Bahamas, The

Background: Since attaining independence from the UK in 1973, The Bahamas have prospered through tourism and international banking and investment management. Because of its geography, the country is a major transshipment point for illegal drugs, particularly shipments to the US, and its territory is used for smuggling illegal migrants into the US.

Geography Bahamas, The

Location: Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida

Geographic coordinates: 24 15 N, 76 00 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 13,940 sq km water: 3,870 sq km land: 10,070 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 3,542 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream

Terrain: long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Mount Alvernia, on Cat Island 63 m

Natural resources: salt, aragonite, timber, arable land

Land use: arable land: 1% permanent crops: 0% other: 99% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive flood and wind damage

Environment - current issues: coral reef decay; solid waste disposal

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain of which 30 are inhabited

People Bahamas, The

Population: 300,529 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 29% (male 43,964; female 43,250) 15-64 years: 64.7% (male 95,508; female 98,859) 65 years and over: 6.3% (male 7,948; female 11,000) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.86% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 18.69 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 7.49 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -2.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 17.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 73.49 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.28 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 4.13% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 6,900 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 500 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Bahamian(s) adjective: Bahamian

Ethnic groups: black 85%, white 12%, Asian and Hispanic 3%

Religions: Baptist 32%, Anglican 20%, Roman Catholic 19%, Methodist 6%,
Church of God 6%, other Protestant 12%, none or unknown 3%, other 2%

Languages: English, Creole (among Haitian immigrants)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.2% male: 98.5% female: 98% (1995 est.)

Government Bahamas, The

Country name: conventional long form: Commonwealth of The Bahamas conventional short form: The Bahamas

Government type: constitutional parliamentary democracy

Capital: Nassau

Administrative divisions: 21 districts; Acklins and Crooked Islands,
Bimini, Cat Island, Exuma, Freeport, Fresh Creek, Governor's Harbour,
Green Turtle Cay, Harbour Island, High Rock, Inagua, Kemps Bay, Long
Island, Marsh Harbour, Mayaguana, New Providence, Nichollstown and Berry
Islands, Ragged Island, Rock Sound, Sandy Point, San Salvador and Rum Cay

Independence: 10 July 1973 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 10 July (1973)

Constitution: 10 July 1973

Legal system: based on English common law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Ivy DUMONT (since NA May 2002) head of government: Cynthia PRATT (since 7 May 2002) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the prime minister's recommendation elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (16-member body appointed by the governor general upon the advice of the prime minister and the opposition leader for five-year terms) and the House of Assembly (40 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held NA March 2002 (next to be held by March 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 50.8%, FNM 41.1%, independents 5.2%; seats by party - PLP 29, FNM 7, independents 4

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; magistrates courts

Political parties and leaders: Free National Movement or FNM [leader-designate Tommy TURNQUEST]; Progressive Liberal Party or PLP [Perry CHRISTIE]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB,
ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joshua SEARS consulate(s) general: Miami and [1] (202) 319-2660 chancery: Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador J. Richard BLANKENSHIP embassy: Queen Street, Nassau mailing address: local or express mail address: P. O. Box N-8197, Nassau; stateside address: American Embassy Nassau, P. O. Box 599009, Miami, FL 33159-9009; pouch address: Nassau, Department of State, [1] (242) 322-1181, 328-2206 FAX: Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of aquamarine (top), gold, and aquamarine, with a black equilateral triangle based on the hoist side

Economy Bahamas, The

Economy - overview: The Bahamas is a stable, developing nation with an economy heavily dependent on tourism and offshore banking. Tourism alone accounts for more than 60% of GDP and directly or indirectly employs almost half of the archipelago's labor force. Steady growth in tourism receipts and a boom in construction of new hotels, resorts, and residences have led to solid GDP growth in recent years. Manufacturing and agriculture together contribute approximately a tenth of GDP and show little growth, despite government incentives aimed at those sectors. Overall growth prospects in the short run rest heavily on the fortunes of the tourism sector, which depends on growth in the US, the source of the majority of tourist visitors.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $5 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3.5% (2001)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $16,800 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3% industry: 7% services: 90% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.5% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 156,000 (1999)

Labor force - by occupation: tourism 40%, other services 50%, industry 5%, agriculture 5% (1995 est.)

Unemployment rate: 6.9% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $918.5 million expenditures: $956.5 million, including capital expenditures of $106.7 million (FY99/00)

Industries: tourism, banking, cement, oil refining and transshipment, salt, rum, aragonite, pharmaceuticals, spiral-welded steel pipe

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 1.54 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 1.432 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: citrus, vegetables; poultry

Exports: $535.8 million (2000)

Exports - commodities: fish and crawfish; rum, salt, chemicals; fruit and vegetables (1999)

Exports - partners: US 28.2%, France 16.5%, Germany 14.1%, UK 12.4% (2000)

Imports: $1.88 billion (2000)

Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, mineral fuels; food and live animals (1999)

Imports - partners: US 31.6%, South Korea 18.2%, Italy 17.4%, Japan 5.8% (2000)

Debt - external: $381.9 million (2000)

Economic aid - recipient: $9.8 million (1995)

Currency: Bahamian dollar (BSD)

Currency code: BSD

Exchange rates: Bahamian dollars per US dollar - 1.000 (fixed rate pegged to the dollar)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Communications Bahamas, The

Telephones - main lines in use: 96,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 6,152 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: modern facilities domestic: totally automatic system; highly developed international: tropospheric scatter and submarine cable to Florida; 3 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (1997)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 215,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)

Televisions: 67,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .bs

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 19 (2000)

Internet users: 13,100 (2001)

Transportation Bahamas, The

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 2,693 km paved: 1,546 km unpaved: 1,147 km (1997)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Freeport, Matthew Town, Nassau

Merchant marine: total: 1,076 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 31,309,187 GRT/45,859,485 DWT ships by type: bulk 159, cargo 246, chemical tanker 41, combination bulk 13, combination ore/oil 22, container 80, liquefied gas 28, livestock carrier 2, multi-functional large-load carrier 8, passenger 88, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 178, railcar carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 120, roll on/roll off 49, short-sea passenger 16, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 22 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Angola 1, Argentina 1, Australia 4, Belgium 18, Bermuda 1, Canada 5, Chile 1, China 3, Croatia 2, Cuba 3, Cyprus 2, Denmark 27, Ecuador 1, Estonia 2, Finland 9, France 15, Germany 26, Greece 173, Hong Kong 6, India 2, Indonesia 2, Ireland 1, Israel 3, Italy 9, Jamaica 1, Japan 32, Kenya 3, Malaysia 10, Malta 2, Monaco 67, Netherlands 32, New Zealand 2, Norway 237, Panama 2, Philippines 3, Poland 13, Reunion 1, Russia 6, Saudi Arabia 9, Singapore 13, Slovenia 1, South Korea 2, Spain 7, Sweden 12, Switzerland 8, Thailand 1, Trinidad and Tobago 2, Turkey 2, Ukraine 2, United Arab Emirates 10, United Kingdom 107, United States 159, Uruguay 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 67 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 32 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 3 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 35 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 23 (2001)

Heliports: 1 (2001)

Military Bahamas, The

Military branches: Royal Bahamas Defense Force (Coast Guard only),
Royal Bahamas Police Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $20 million (FY95/96)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.7% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Bahamas, The

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for
US and Europe; banking industry vulnerable to money laundering

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Bangladesh

Introduction

Bangladesh

Background: Bangladesh came into existence in 1971 when Bengali East Pakistan seceded from its union with West Pakistan. About a third of this extremely poor country floods annually during the monsoon rainy season, hampering economic development.

Geography Bangladesh

Location: Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and India

Geographic coordinates: 24 00 N, 90 00 E

Map references: Asia

Area: total: 144,000 sq km land: 133,910 sq km water: 10,090 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Iowa

Land boundaries: total: 4,246 km border countries: Burma 193 km, India 4,053 km

Coastline: 580 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 18 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: up to the outer limits of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate: tropical; mild winter (October to March); hot, humid summer
(March to June); humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October)

Terrain: mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point:
Keokradong 1,230 m

Natural resources: natural gas, arable land, timber, coal

Land use: arable land: 61% permanent crops: 3% other: 36% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 38,440 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: droughts, cyclones; much of the country routinely inundated during the summer monsoon season

Environment - current issues: many people are landless and forced to live on and cultivate flood-prone land; water-borne diseases prevalent in surface water; water pollution, especially of fishing areas, results from the use of commercial pesticides; ground water contaminated by naturally occurring arsenic; intermittent water shortages because of falling water tables in the northern and central parts of the country; soil degradation and erosion; deforestation; severe overpopulation

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not
ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: most of the country is situated on deltas of large rivers flowing from the Himalayas: the Ganges unites with the Jamuna (main channel of the Brahmaputra) and later joins the Meghna to eventually empty into the Bay of Bengal

People Bangladesh

Population: 133,376,684 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 33.8% (male 23,069,242; female 21,995,457) 15-64 years: (male 2,444,314; female 2,069,816) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.59% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 25.12 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 8.47 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.18 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 68.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 60.74 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.72 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.02% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 13,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 1,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Bangladeshi(s) adjective: Bangladeshi

Ethnic groups: Bengali 98%, tribal groups, non-Bengali Muslims (1998)

Religions: Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, other 1% (1998)

Languages: Bangla (official, also known as Bengali), English

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 56% male: 63% female: 49% (2000 est.)

Government Bangladesh

Country name: conventional long form: People's Republic of Bangladesh conventional short form: Bangladesh former: East Pakistan

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Dhaka

Administrative divisions: 5 divisions; Barisal, Chittagong, Dhaka,
Khulna, Rajshahi; note - there may be one additional division named Sylhet

Independence: 16 December 1971 (from West Pakistan); note - 26 March 1971 is the date of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December 1971 is known as Victory Day and commemorates the official creation of the state of Bangladesh

National holiday: Independence Day, 26 March (1971); note - 26 March 1971 is the date of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December 1971 is Victory Day and commemorates the official creation of the state of Bangladesh

Constitution: 4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972, suspended following coup of 24 March 1982, restored 10 November 1986, amended many times

Legal system: based on English common law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President A. Q. M. Badruddoza CHOWDHURY (since 12 November 2001); note - the president's duties are normally ceremonial, but with the 13th amendment to the constitution ("Caretaker Government Amendment"), the president's role becomes significant at times when Parliament is dissolved and a caretaker government is installed - at presidential direction - to supervise the elections head of government: selected by the prime minister and appointed by the president elections: last held 1 October 2001 (next to be held by NA October 2006); following legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins the most seats is usually appointed prime minister by the president election results: percent of National Parliament vote - NA%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Parliament or Jatiya Sangsad; 300 seats elected by popular vote from single territorial constituencies (the constitutional amendment reserving 30 seats for women over and above the 300 regular parliament seats expired in May 2001); members serve five-year terms elections: last held 1 October 2001 (next to be held before October 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - BNP and alliance partners 46%, AL 42%; seats by party - BNP 201, AL 62, JI 18, JP (Ershad faction) 14, IOJ 2, JP (Naziur) 1, other 4; note - the election of October 2001 brought a majority BNP government aligned with three other smaller parties - Jamaat-i-Islami, Islami Oikya Jote, and Jatiya Party (Naziur)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (the chief justices and other judges are appointed by the president)

Political parties and leaders: Awami League or AL [Sheikh HASINA];
Bangladesh Communist Party or BCP [Saifuddin Ahmed MANIK]; Bangladesh
Nationalist Party or BNP [Khaleda ZIA, chairperson]; Islami Oikya Jote
or IOJ [Mufti Fazlul Haq AMINI]; Jamaat-E-Islami or JI [Motiur Rahman
NIZAMI]; Jatiya Party or JP (Ershad faction) [Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD];
Jatiya Party (Manzur faction) [[Naziur Rahman MANZUR]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO,
G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM,
OIC, OPCW, SAARC, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM,
UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNTAET, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: Ambassador Ahmad Tariq KARIM consulate(s) general: 244-0183 chancery: 3510 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mary Ann PETERS embassy: Madani Avenue, G. P. O. Box 323, Dhaka 1000 telephone: Flag description: green with a large red disk slightly to the hoist side of center; the red sun of freedom represents the blood shed to achieve independence; the green field symbolizes the lush countryside, and secondarily, the traditional color of Islam

Economy Bangladesh

Economy - overview: Despite sustained domestic and international efforts to improve economic and demographic prospects, Bangladesh remains a poor, overpopulated, and ill-governed nation. Although more than half of GDP is generated through the service sector, nearly two-thirds of Bangladeshis are employed in the agriculture sector, with rice as the single most important product. Major impediments to growth include frequent cyclones and floods, inefficient state-owned enterprises, inadequate port facilities, a rapidly growing labor force that cannot be absorbed by agriculture, delays in exploiting energy resources (natural gas), insufficient power supplies, and slow implementation of economic reforms. Economic reform is stalled in many instances by political infighting and corruption at all levels of government. Progress also has been blocked by opposition from the bureaucracy, public sector unions, and other vested interest groups. The newly-elected BNP government, led by Prime Minister Khaleda ZIA, has the parliamentary strength to push through needed reforms, but the party's level of political will to do so remains undetermined.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $230 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 5.6% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,750 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 30% industry: 18% services: 52% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 35.6% (FY95/96 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.9% highest 10%: 28.6% (1995-96 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 33.6 (1995-96)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.8% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 64.1 million (1998) note: extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Oman, Qatar, and Malaysia; workers' remittances estimated at $1.71 billion in 1998-99

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 63%, services 26%, industry 11%
(FY95/96)

Unemployment rate: 35% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $4.9 billion expenditures: $6.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY99/00 est.)

Industries: cotton textiles, jute, garments, tea processing, paper newsprint, cement, chemical fertilizer, light engineering, sugar

Industrial production growth rate: 6.2% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 13.493 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 92.45% hydro: 7.55% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 12.548 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: rice, jute, tea, wheat, sugarcane, potatoes, tobacco, pulses, oilseeds, spices, fruit; beef, milk, poultry

Exports: $6.6 billion (2001)

Exports - commodities: garments, jute and jute goods, leather, frozen fish and seafood

Exports - partners: US 31.8%, Germany 10.9%, UK 7.9%, France 5.2%,
Netherlands 5.2%, Italy 4.42% (2000)

Imports: $8.7 billion (2001)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, iron and steel, textiles, raw cotton, food, crude oil and petroleum products, cement

Imports - partners: India 10.5%, EU 9.5%, Japan 9.5%, Singapore 8.5%,
China 7.4% (2000)

Debt - external: $17 billion (2000)

Economic aid - recipient: $1.575 billion (2000 est.)

Currency: taka (BDT)

Currency code: BDT

Exchange rates: taka per US dollar - 57.756 (January 2002), 55.807 (2001), 52.142 (2000), 49.085 (1999), 46.906 (1998), 43.892 (1997)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Communications Bangladesh

Telephones - main lines in use: 500,000 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 283,000 (2000)

Telephone system: totally inadequate for a modern country domestic: UHF microwave radio relay links, and some fiber-optic cable in cities international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); international radiotelephone communications and landline service to neighboring countries (2000)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 12, FM 12, shortwave 2 (1999)

Radios: 6.15 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 15 (1999)

Televisions: 770,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .bd

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 10 (2000)

Internet users: 30,000 (2000)

Transportation Bangladesh

Railways: total: 2,745 km broad gauge: 923 km 1.676-m gauge narrow gauge: 1,822 km 1.000-m gauge (2000 est.)

Highways: total: 201,182 km paved: 19,112 km unpaved: 182,070 km (1997)

Waterways: up to 8,046 km depending on season note: includes 3,058 km main cargo routes

Pipelines: natural gas 1,250 km

Ports and harbors: Chittagong, Dhaka, Mongla Port, Narayanganj (2001)

Merchant marine: total: 34 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 269,932 GRT/379,271 DWT ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 26, container 3, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1, includes s foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Singapore 5 (2002 est.)

Airports: 18 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 15 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 5 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2001)

Military Bangladesh

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, paramilitary forces (includes Bangladesh Rifles, Bangladesh Ansars, Village Defense Parties, Armed Police Battalions, National Cadet Corps)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 37,303,372 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 22,139,736 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $559 million (FY96/97)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.8% (FY96/97)

Transnational Issues Bangladesh

Disputes - international: only a small portion of the boundary with India remains undelimited; discussions to demarcate the boundary, exchange 162 miniscule enclaves, and allocate divided villages remain stalled; skirmishes, illegal border trafficking, and violence along the border continue; Bangladesh has protested India's attempts to fence off high traffic sections of the porous boundary; Burmese attempts to construct a dam on the border stream in 2001 prompted an armed response halting construction; Burmese Muslim refugees migrate into Bangladesh straining meager resources

Illicit drugs: transit country for illegal drugs produced in neighboring countries

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Belize

Introduction

Belize

Background: Territorial disputes between the UK and Guatemala delayed the independence of Belize (formerly British Honduras) until 1981. Guatemala refused to recognize the new nation until 1992. Tourism has become the mainstay of the economy. The country remains plagued by high unemployment, growing involvement in the South American drug trade, and increased urban crime.

Geography Belize

Location: Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Mexico

Geographic coordinates: 17 15 N, 88 45 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 22,966 sq km water: 160 sq km land: 22,806 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Land boundaries: total: 516 km border countries: Guatemala 266 km,
Mexico 250 km

Coastline: 386 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM in the north, 3 NM in the south; note - from the mouth of the Sarstoon River to Ranguana Cay, Belize's territorial sea is 3 NM; according to Belize's Maritime Areas Act, 1992, the purpose of this limitation is to provide a framework for the negotiation of a definitive agreement on territorial differences with Guatemala

Climate: tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November); dry season (February to May)

Terrain: flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point:
Victoria Peak 1,160 m

Natural resources: arable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 3% permanent crops: 1% other: 96% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 30 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: frequent, devastating hurricanes (June to November) and coastal flooding (especially in south)

Environment - current issues: deforestation; water pollution from sewage, industrial effluents, agricultural runoff; solid and sewage waste disposal

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: only country in Central America without a coastline on the North Pacific Ocean

People Belize

Population: 262,999 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 41.6% (male 55,716; female 53,581) 15-64 years: 54.9% (male 73,068; female 71,368) 65 years and over: 3.5% (male 4,511; female 4,755) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.65% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 31.08 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 4.6 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 24.31 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 73.87 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 3.96 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 2.01% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 2,400 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 170 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Belizean(s) adjective: Belizean

Ethnic groups: mestizo 48.7%, Creole 24.9%, Maya 10.6%, Garifuna 6.1%, other 9.7%

Religions: Roman Catholic 49.6%, Protestant 27% (Anglican 5.3%, Methodist 3.5%, Mennonite 4.1%, Seventh-Day Adventist 5.2%, Pentecostal 7.4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.5%), none 9.4%, other 14% (2000)

Languages: English (official), Spanish, Mayan, Garifuna (Carib), Creole

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 70.3% male: 70.3% female: 70.3% (1991 est.) note: other sources list the literacy rate as high as 75%

Government Belize

Country name: Belize former: Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Belmopan

Administrative divisions: 6 districts; Belize, Cayo, Corozal, Orange
Walk, Stann Creek, Toledo

Independence: 21 September 1981 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 21 September (1981)

Constitution: 21 September 1981

Legal system: English law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Colville YOUNG, Sr. (since 17 November 1993) head of government: Prime Minister Said Wilbert MUSA (since 27 August 1998); Deputy Prime Minister John BRICENO (since 1 September 1998) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; governor general appoints the member of the House of Representatives who is leader of the majority party to be prime minister

Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (12 members appointed by the governor general - six on the advice of the prime minister, three on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and one each on the advice of the Belize Council of Churches and Evangelical Association of Churches, the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Belize Better Business Bureau, and the National Trade Union Congress and the Civil Society Steering Committee; members are appointed for five-year terms) and the House of Representatives (29 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: House of Representatives - last held 27 August 1998 (next to be held by NA August 2003) election results: percent of vote by party - PUP 59.2%, UDP 40.8%; seats by party - PUP 26, UDP 3

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (the chief justice is appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister)

Political parties and leaders: People's United Party or PUP [Said MUSA]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Dean BARROW, party leader; Douglas SINGH, party chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Society for the Promotion of
Education and Research or SPEAR [Diane HAYLOCK]; United Worker's Front

International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC,
FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Lisa M. SHOMAN consulate(s) general: Los [1] (202) 332-9636 chancery: Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Russell F. FREEMAN embassy: 29 Gabourel Lane and Hutson Street, Belize City mailing address: P. O. Box 286, Unit 7401, APO AA 34025 telephone: [501] (2) 77161 FAX: [501] (2) 30802

Flag description: blue with a narrow red stripe along the top and the bottom edges; centered is a large white disk bearing the coat of arms; the coat of arms features a shield flanked by two workers in front of a mahogany tree with the related motto SUB UMBRA FLOREO (I Flourish in the Shade) on a scroll at the bottom, all encircled by a green garland

Economy Belize

Economy - overview: The small, essentially private enterprise economy is based primarily on agriculture, agro-based industry, and merchandising, with tourism and construction assuming greater importance. Sugar, the chief crop, accounts for nearly half of exports, while the banana industry is the country's largest employer. The government's expansionary monetary and fiscal policies, initiated in September 1998, led to GDP growth of 6.4% in 1999 and 10.5% in 2000. Growth decelerated in 2001 to 3% due to the global slowdown and severe hurricane damage to agriculture, fishing, and tourism. Major concerns continue to be the rapidly expanding trade deficit and foreign debt. A key short-term objective remains the reduction of poverty with the help of international donors.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $830 million (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,250 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 18% industry: 24% services: 58% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 33% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.7% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 90,000 note: shortage of skilled labor and all types of technical personnel (1997 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 27%, industry 18%, services 55% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate: 11.5% (2000)

Budget: revenues: $186 million expenditures: $253 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Industries: garment production, food processing, tourism, construction

Industrial production growth rate: 4.6% (1999)

Electricity - production: 192 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 58.33% hydro: 41.67% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 178.56 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: bananas, coca, citrus, sugarcane; lumber; fish, cultured shrimp

Exports: $239.6 million (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: sugar, bananas, citrus, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood

Exports - partners: EU 45% (UK 33%), US 42%, Caricom 6%, Canada 1% (1999)

Imports: $505 million (c.i.f., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and transportation equipment, manufactured goods; food, beverages, tobacco; fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals

Imports - partners: US 51%, Mexico 12%, Central America 5%, UK 4% (1999)

Debt - external: $500 million (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $NA

Currency: Belizean dollar (BZD)

Currency code: BZD

Exchange rates: Belizean dollars per US dollar - 2.0000 (fixed rate pegged to the US dollar)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Communications Belize

Telephones - main lines in use: 31,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 3,023 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: above-average system domestic: trunk network depends primarily on microwave radio relay international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 133,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 2 (1997)

Televisions: 41,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .bz

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)

Internet users: 15,000 (2000)

Transportation Belize

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 2,880 km paved: 490 km unpaved: 2,390 km (1998 est.)

Waterways: 825 km (river network used by shallow-draft craft; seasonally navigable)

Ports and harbors: Belize City, Big Creek, Corozol, Punta Gorda

Merchant marine: total: 315 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,240,551 GRT/1,761,168 DWT ships by type: bulk 26, cargo 204, chemical tanker 6, combination ore/oil 1, container 12, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 39, refrigerated cargo 15, roll on/roll off 8, short-sea passenger 1, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Albania 2, Belgium 3, British Virgin Islands 6, Cambodia 1, China 38, Cyprus 1, Ecuador 1, Egypt 1, Equatorial Guinea 1, Eritrea 1, Estonia 7, Germany 3, Greece 4, Grenada 1, Honduras 1, Hong Kong 20, Indonesia 6, Italy 2, Japan 4, Jordan 1, Lebanon 1, Liberia 5, Malaysia 3, Malta 2, Man, Isle of 1, Marshall Islands 13, Mexico 1, Netherlands 1, Nigeria 1, Panama 12, Philippines 4, Portugal 1, Romania 1, Russia 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3, Saudi Arabia 1, Singapore 22, South Korea 10, Spain 4, Switzerland 1, Taiwan 1, Thailand 6, Tunisia 1, Turkey 1, Ukraine 3, United Arab Emirates 9, United Kingdom 2, United States 4, Virgin Islands (UK) 6, Yemen 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 44 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 40 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 29 (2001)

Military Belize

Military branches: Belize Defense Force (includes Army, Maritime Wing,
Air Wing, and Volunteer Guard)

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 64,909 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 38,472 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 2,847 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $7.7 million (FY00/01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.87% (FY00/01)

Transnational Issues Belize

Disputes - international: the "Line of Adjacency" established in 2000 as an agreed limit to check squatters settling in Belize, remains in place while the Organization of American States (OAS) assists states to resolve Guatemalan territorial claims in Belize and Guatemalan maritime access to the Caribbean Sea; Honduras claims the Sapodilla Cays off the coast of Belize

Illicit drugs: major transshipment point for cocaine; small-scale illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; minor money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Bosnia and Herzegovina

Introduction

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Background: Bosnia and Herzegovina's declaration of sovereignty in October 1991, was followed by a declaration of independence from the former Yugoslavia on 3 March 1992 after a referendum boycotted by ethnic Serbs. The Bosnian Serbs - supported by neighboring Serbia and Montenegro - responded with armed resistance aimed at partitioning the republic along ethnic lines and joining Serb-held areas to form a "greater Serbia." In March 1994, Bosniaks and Croats reduced the number of warring factions from three to two by signing an agreement creating a joint Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. On 21 November 1995, in Dayton, Ohio, the warring parties signed a peace agreement that brought to a halt the three years of interethnic civil strife (the final agreement was signed in Paris on 14 December 1995). The Dayton Agreement retained Bosnia and Herzegovina's international boundaries and created a joint multi-ethnic and democratic government. This national government was charged with conducting foreign, economic, and fiscal policy. Also recognized was a second tier of government comprised of two entities roughly equal in size: the Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska (RS). The Federation and RS governments were charged with overseeing internal functions. In 1995-96, a NATO-led international peacekeeping force (IFOR) of 60,000 troops served in Bosnia to implement and monitor the military aspects of the agreement. IFOR was succeeded by a smaller, NATO-led Stabilization Force (SFOR) whose mission is to deter renewed hostilities. SFOR remains in place at the January 2002 level of approximately 18,000 troops, though further reductions may take place later in the year.

Geography Bosnia and Herzegovina

Location: Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Croatia

Geographic coordinates: 44 00 N, 18 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 51,129 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 51,129 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than West Virginia

Land boundaries: total: 1,459 km border countries: Croatia 932 km,
Yugoslavia 527 km

Coastline: 20 km

Maritime claims: NA

Climate: hot summers and cold winters; areas of high elevation have short, cool summers and long, severe winters; mild, rainy winters along coast

Terrain: mountains and valleys

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m highest point:
Maglic 2,386 m

Natural resources: coal, iron, bauxite, manganese, forests, copper, chromium, lead, zinc, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 10% permanent crops: 3% other: 87% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: destructive earthquakes

Environment - current issues: air pollution from metallurgical plants; sites for disposing of urban waste are limited; water shortages and destruction of infrastructure because of the 1992-95 civil strife

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Climate
Change, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation,
Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not
ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: within Bosnia and Herzegovina's recognized borders, the country is divided into a joint Bosniak/Croat Federation (about 51% of the territory) and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska or RS (about 49% of the territory); the region called Herzegovina is contiguous to Croatia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Montenegro), and traditionally has been settled by an ethnic Croat majority in the west and an ethnic Serb majority in the east

People Bosnia and Herzegovina

Population: 3,964,388 note: all data dealing with population are subject to considerable error because of the dislocations caused by military action and ethnic cleansing (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 19.8% (male 403,391; female 382,037) 15-64 years: 70.6% (male 1,432,559; female 1,366,224) 65 years and over: 9.6% (male 161,659; female 218,518) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.76% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 12.76 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 8.1 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 2.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 23.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 74.93 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.71 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.04% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Bosnian(s) adjective: Bosnian

Ethnic groups: Serb 31%, Bosniak 44%, Croat 17%, Yugoslav 5.5%, other 2.5% (1991) note: with the religious term Muslim - an adherent of Islam

Religions: Muslim 40%, Orthodox 31%, Roman Catholic 15%, Protestant 4%, other 10%

Languages: Croatian, Serbian, Bosnian

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Bosnia and Herzegovina

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Bosnia and Herzegovina local long form: none local short form: Bosna i Hercegovina

Government type: emerging federal democratic republic

Capital: Sarajevo

Administrative divisions: there are two first-order administrative divisions and one internationally supervised district* - Brcko district (Brcko Distrikt)*, the Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Federacija Bosna i Hercegovina) and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska; note - Brcko district is in northeastern Bosnia and is an administrative unit under the sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina; it is not part of either Republika Srpska or the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina; the district remains under international supervision

Independence: 1 March 1992 (from Yugoslavia; referendum for independence was completed 1 March 1992; independence was declared 3 March 1992)

National holiday: National Day, 25 November (1943)

Constitution: the Dayton Agreement, signed 14 December 1995, included a new constitution now in force; note - each of the entities also has its own constitution

Legal system: based on civil law system

Suffrage: 16 years of age, if employed; 18 years of age, universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Chairman of the Presidency Beriz BELKIC (chairman since 14 February 2002, presidency member since 30 March 2001 - Bosniak); other members of the three-member rotating (every eight months) presidency: 30 March 2001 - Croat) elections: the three members of the presidency (one Bosniak, one Croat, one Serb) are elected by popular vote for a four-year term; the member with the most votes becomes the chairman unless he or she was the incumbent chairman at the time of the election, but the chairmanship rotates every eight months; election last held 12-13 September 1998 (next to be held NA October 2002); the chairman of the Council of Ministers is appointed by the presidency and confirmed by the National House of Representatives head of government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers Dragan MIKEREVIC (since 15 March 2002), position rotates every eight months cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the council chairman; approved by the National House of Representatives election results: percent of vote - Zivko RADISIC with 52% of the Serb vote was elected chairman of the collective presidency for the first eight months; Ante JELAVIC with 52% of the Croat vote followed RADISIC in the rotation; Alija IZETBEGOVIC with 87% of the Bosniak vote won the highest number of votes in the election but was ineligible to serve a second term until RADISIC and JELAVIC had each served a first term as Chairman of the Presidency; IZETBEGOVIC retired from the presidency 14 October 2000 and was replaced first temporarily by Halid GENJAC and subsequently by Beriz BELKIC; Ante JELAVIC was replaced by Jozo KRIZANOVIC in March 2001 when the High Representative barred him from public office note: (since 1 January 2002); Vice President Karlo FILIPOVIC (since 1 January 2002); note - president and vice president rotate every year; President of the Republika Srpska: Mirko SAROVIC (since 11 November 2000); Vice President of the Republika Srpska: Dragan CAVIZ (since NA)

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliamentary Assembly or Skupstina consists of the National House of Representatives or Predstavnicki Dom (42 seats - 14 Serb, 14 Croat, and 14 Bosniak; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the House of Peoples or Dom Naroda (15 seats - 5 Bosniak, 5 Croat, 5 Serb; members elected by the Bosniak/Croat Federation's House of Representatives and the Republika Srpska's National Assembly to serve four-year terms); note - Bosnia's election law specifies four-year terms for the state and first-order administrative division entity legislatures; officials elected in 2000 and previously were elected to two-year terms on the presumption that a permanent law would be in place before 2002 election results: National House of Representatives - percent of vote by party/coalition - SDP 22%, SDA 20%, SDS 15%, HDZ-BiH 12%, SBH 12%, PDP 5%, NHI 2%, BPS 2%, DPS 2%, SNS 2% SNSD-DSP 2%, DNZ 2%, SPRS 2%; seats by party/coalition - SDP 9, SDA 8, SDS 6, HDZ-BiH 5, SBH 5, PDP 2, NHI 1, BPS 1, DPS 1, SNS 1, SNSD-DSP 1, DNZ 1, SPRS 1; House of Peoples - percent of vote by party/coalition - NA%; seats by party/coalition - NA elections: National House of Representatives - elections last held 11 November 2000 (next to be held in NA October 2002); House of Peoples - last constituted after the 11 November 2000 elections (next to be constituted in the fall of 2002) note: the Bosniak/Croat Federation has a bicameral legislature that consists of a House of Representatives (140 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); elections last held 11 November 2000 (next to be held NA October 2002); percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party/coalition - SDA 38, SDP 37, HDZ-BiH 25, SBH 21, DNZ 3, NHI 2, BPS 2, DPS 2, BOSS 2, GDS 1, RP 1, HSS 1, LDS 1, Pensioners' Party of FBiH 1, SNSD-DSP 1, HKDU 1, HSP 1; and a House of Peoples (74 seats - 30 Bosniak, 30 Croat, and 14 others); last constituted November 2000; the Republika Srpska has a National Assembly (83 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); elections last held 11 November 2000 (next to be held in the fall of 2002); percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party/coalition - SDS 31, PDP 11, SNSD 11, SDA 6, DSP 4, SDP 4, SPRS 4, SBH 4, DNS 3, SNS 2, NHI 1, DSRS 1, Pensioners' Party 1; Bosnia's election law specifies four-year terms for the state and first-order administrative division entity legislatures; officials elected in 2000 and prior were elected to two-year terms on the presumption that a permanent law would be in place before 2002

Judicial branch: BiH Constitutional Court (consists of nine members: four members are selected by the Bosniak/Croat Federation's House of Representatives, two members by the Republika Srpska's National Assembly, and three non-Bosnian members by the president of the European Court of Human Rights) note: cases related to state-level law and appellate jurisdiction over cases initiated in the entities; the entities each have a Supreme Court; each entity also has a number of lower courts; there are 10 cantonal courts in the Federation, plus a number of municipal courts; the Republika Srpska has five municipal courts

Political parties and leaders: Bosnian Party or BOSS [Mirnes AJANOVIC];
Bosnian Patriotic Party or BPS [Sefer HALILOVIC]; Civic Democratic
Party of BiH or GDS [Ibrahim SPAHIC]; Croat Christian Democratic Union
or HKDU BiH [Ante PASALIC]; Croatian Democratic Union of BiH or HDZ-BiH
[Ante JELAVIC; note - not recognized by the international community];
Croatian Party of Rights of BiH or HSP-BiH [Zdravko HRSTIC]; Croatian
Peasants Party of BiH or HSS-BiH [Ilija SIMIC]; Democratic National
Alliance or DNS [Dragan KOSTIC]; Democratic Party of Pensioners or DPS
[Alojz KNEZOVIC]; Democratic Party of RS or DSRS [Dragomir DUMIC];
Democratic Peoples Union or DNZ [Fikret ABDIC]; Democratic Socialist
Party or DSP [Nebojsa RADMANOVIC]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDS
[Rasim KADIC]; New Croatian Initiative or NHI [Kresimir ZUBAK]; Party
for Bosnia and Herzegovina or SBH [Safet HALILOVIC]; Party of Democratic
Action or SDA [Sulejman TIHIC]; Party of Democratic Progress or PDP
[Mladen IVANIC]; Party of Independent Social Democrats or SNSD [Milorad
DODIK]; Pensioners' Party of FBiH [Husein VOJNIKOVIC]; Pensioners' Party
of SR [Stojan BOGOSAVAC]; People's Party-Working for Progress or NS-RZB
[Mladen IVANKOVIC]; Republican Party of BiH or RP [Stjepan KLJUIC];
Serb Democratic Party or SDS [Dragan KALINIC]; Serb National Alliance
(Serb People's Alliance) or SNS [Branislav LULIC]; Social Democratic
Party of BIH or SDP-BiH [Zlatko LAGUMDZIJA]; Socialist Party of Republika
Srpska or SPRS [Zivko RADISIC]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: BIS, CE (guest), CEI, EBRD,
ECE, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), OAS (observer),
OIC (observer), OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Igor DAVIDOVIC chancery: 2109 E Street NW, [1] (202) 337-1500 consulate(s) general: Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Clifford J. BOND embassy: Alipasina 43, 71000 Sarajevo mailing address: use street address telephone: [387] (33) 445-700 FAX: [387] (33) 659-722 branch office(s): Banja Luka, Mostar

Flag description: a wide medium blue vertical band on the fly side with a yellow isosceles triangle abutting the band and the top of the flag; the remainder of the flag is medium blue with seven full five-pointed white stars and two half stars top and bottom along the hypotenuse of the triangle

Government - note: The Dayton Agreement, signed in Paris on 14 December 1995, retained Bosnia and Herzegovina's exterior border and created a joint multi-ethnic and democratic government. This national government - based on proportional representation similar to that which existed in the former socialist regime - is charged with conducting foreign, economic, and fiscal policy. The Dayton Agreement also recognized a second tier of government, comprised of two entities - a joint Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Bosnian Serb Republika Srpska (RS) - each presiding over roughly one-half the territory. The Federation and RS governments are charged with overseeing internal functions. The Bosniak/Croat Federation is further divided into 10 cantons. The Dayton Agreement established the Office of the High Representative (OHR) to oversee the implementation of the civilian aspects of the agreement. About 250 international and 450 local staff members are employed by the OHR.

Economy Bosnia and Herzegovina

Economy - overview: Bosnia and Herzegovina ranked next to The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia as the poorest republic in the old Yugoslav federation. Although agriculture is almost all in private hands, farms are small and inefficient, and the republic traditionally is a net importer of food. Industry has been greatly overstaffed, one reflection of the socialist economic structure of Yugoslavia. TITO had pushed the development of military industries in the republic with the result that Bosnia hosted a large share of Yugoslavia's defense plants. The bitter interethnic warfare in Bosnia caused production to plummet by 80% from 1990 to 1995, unemployment to soar, and human misery to multiply. With an uneasy peace in place, output recovered in 1996-99 at high percentage rates from a low base; but output growth slowed in 2000 and 2001. GDP remains far below the 1990 level. Economic data are of limited use because, although both entities issue figures, national-level statistics are limited. Moreover, official data do not capture the large share of activity that occurs on the black market. The marka - the national currency introduced in 1998 - is now pegged to the euro, and the Central Bank of Bosnia and Herzegovina has dramatically increased its reserve holdings. Implementation of privatization, however, has been slow, and local entities only reluctantly support national-level institutions. Banking reform accelerated in 2001 as all the communist-era payments bureaus were shut down. The country receives substantial amounts of reconstruction assistance and humanitarian aid from the international community but will have to prepare for an era of declining assistance.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $7 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 6% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,800 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 16% industry: 28% services: 56% (1998 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 1.026 million

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Unemployment rate: 40% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $1.9 billion expenditures: $2.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)

Industries: steel, coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, manganese, bauxite, vehicle assembly, textiles, tobacco products, wooden furniture, tank and aircraft assembly, domestic appliances, oil refining

Industrial production growth rate: 9% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 2.615 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 37.67% hydro: 62.33% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 2.577 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 205 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 350 million kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: wheat, corn, fruits, vegetables; livestock

Exports: $1.1 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: miscellaneous manufactures, crude materials

Exports - partners: Croatia, Switzerland, Italy, Germany

Imports: $3.1 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, industrial products, foodstuffs

Imports - partners: Croatia, Slovenia, Germany, Italy

Debt - external: $2.8 billion (2001)

Economic aid - recipient: $650 million (2001 est.)

Currency: marka (BAM)

Currency code: BAM

Exchange rates: marka per US dollar - 2.161 (October 2001), 2.124 (2000), 1.837 (1999), 1.760 (1998), 1.734 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Bosnia and Herzegovina

Telephones - main lines in use: 303,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 9,000 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: telephone and telegraph network
needs modernization and expansion; many urban areas are below average
as contrasted with
 NA international:
Radio broadcast stations: AM 8, FM 16, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios: 940,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 33 (plus 277 repeaters) (September 1995)

Televisions: NA

Internet country code: .ba

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 3 (2000)

Internet users: 3,500 (2000)

Transportation Bosnia and Herzegovina

Railways: total: 1,021 km (795 km electrified; operating as diesel or steam until grids are repaired) standard gauge: 1,021 km 1.435-m gauge; note - many segments still need repair and/or reconstruction because of war damage (2000 est.)

Highways: total: 21,846 km paved: 14,020 km note: road system is in need of maintenance and repair (2001) unpaved: 7,826 km

Waterways: NA km; large sections of the Sava blocked by downed bridges, silt, and debris

Pipelines: crude oil 174 km; natural gas 90 km (1992)

Ports and harbors: Bosanska Gradiska, Bosanski Brod, Bosanski Samac, and Brcko (all inland waterway ports on the Sava), Orasje

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: 27 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 3 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 19 under 914 m: 11 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 7

Heliports: 5 (2001)

Military Bosnia and Herzegovina

Military branches: VF Army (the air and air defense forces are subordinate commands within the Army), VRS Army (the air and air defense forces are subordinate commands within the Army)

Military manpower - military age: 19 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,131,537 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 898,117 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 29,757 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Transnational Issues Bosnia and Herzegovina

Disputes - international: Bosnia and Herzegovina and Yugoslavia have delimited about half of their boundary, but several segments, particularly along the meandering Drina River, remain in dispute; discussions continue with Croatia on the disputed boundary in the Una River near Kostajnica, Hrvatska Dubica, and Zeljava; protests Croatian claim to the tip of the Klek Peninsula and several islands near Neum

Illicit drugs: minor transit point for marijuana and opiate trafficking routes to Western Europe

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Bolivia

Introduction

Bolivia

Background: Bolivia, named after independence fighter Simon BOLIVAR, broke away from Spanish rule in 1825; much of its subsequent history has consisted of a series of nearly 200 coups and counter-coups. Comparatively democratic civilian rule was established in the 1980s, but leaders have faced difficult problems of deep-seated poverty, social unrest, and drug production. Current goals include attracting foreign investment, strengthening the educational system, continuing the privatization program, and waging an anticorruption campaign.

Geography Bolivia

Location: Central South America, southwest of Brazil

Geographic coordinates: 17 00 S, 65 00 W

Map references: South America

Area: total: 1,098,580 sq km water: 14,190 sq km land: 1,084,390 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly less than three times the size of Montana

Land boundaries: total: 6,743 km border countries: Argentina 832 km,
Brazil 3,400 km, Chile 861 km, Paraguay 750 km, Peru 900 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: varies with altitude; humid and tropical to cold and semiarid

Terrain: rugged Andes Mountains with a highland plateau (Altiplano), hills, lowland plains of the Amazon Basin

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Rio Paraguay 90 m highest point:
Nevado Sajama 6,542 m

Natural resources: tin, natural gas, petroleum, zinc, tungsten, antimony, silver, iron, lead, gold, timber, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 2% permanent crops: 0% other: 98% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,280 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: flooding in the northeast (March-April)

Environment - current issues: the clearing of land for agricultural purposes and the international demand for tropical timber are contributing to deforestation; soil erosion from overgrazing and poor cultivation methods (including slash-and-burn agriculture); desertification; loss of biodiversity; industrial pollution of water supplies used for drinking and irrigation

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed,
but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Marine
Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection

Geography - note: landlocked; shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake (elevation 3,805 m), with Peru

People Bolivia

Population: 8,445,134 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 37.8% (male 1,626,596; female 1,565,124) 15-64 years: 57.7% (male 2,383,852; female 2,491,823) 65 years and over: 4.5% (male 169,583; female 208,156) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.69% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 26.41 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 8.05 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 57.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 67.1 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 3.37 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 4,200 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 380 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Bolivian(s) adjective: Bolivian

Ethnic groups: Quechua 30%, mestizo (mixed white and Amerindian ancestry) 30%, Aymara 25%, white 15%

Religions: Roman Catholic 95%, Protestant (Evangelical Methodist)

Languages: Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara (official)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 83.1% male: 90.5% female: 76% (1995 est.)

Government Bolivia

Country name: Republic of Bolivia conventional short form: Government type: republic

Capital: La Paz (seat of government); Sucre (legal capital and seat of judiciary)

Administrative divisions: 9 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Chuquisaca, Cochabamba, Beni, La Paz, Oruro, Pando, Potosi, Santa Cruz, Tarija

Independence: 6 August 1825 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Day, 6 August (1825)

Constitution: 2 February 1967; revised in August 1994

Legal system: based on Spanish law and Napoleonic Code; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age, universal and compulsory (married); 21 years of age, universal and compulsory (single)

Executive branch: chief of state: President Jorge Fernando QUIROGA Ramirez (since 7 August 2001); Vice President NA; note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government note: Vice President Jorge Fernando QUIROGA Ramirez assumed the presidency upon the resignation in August 2001 of former President Hugo BANZER Suarez for health reasons head of government: President NA; note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government note: Vice President Jorge Fernando QUIROGA Ramirez assumed the presidency upon the resignation in August 2001 of former President Hugo BANZER Suarez for health reasons elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 1 June 1997 (next to be held 30 June 2002) election results: (ADN) 22%; Jaime PAZ Zamora (MIR) 17%, Juan Carlos DURAN (MNR) 18%, Ivo KULJIS (UCS) 16%, Remedios LOZA (CONDEPA) 17%; no candidate received a majority of the popular vote; Hugo BANZER Suarez won a congressional runoff election on 5 August 1997 after forming a "megacoalition" with MIR, UCS, CONDEPA, NFR, and former Christian Democratic Party (PDC); resigned 7 August 2001 and was succeeded by Vice President Jorge Fernando QUIROGA Ramirez who is serving out BANZER's term; QUIROGA will step down in August 2002 when the new president is chosen by Congress, a result of no candidate winning a majority in the 30 June 2002 election cabinet: Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (27 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (130 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; note - some members are drawn from party lists, thus not directly elected) election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - ADN 11, MIR 7, MNR 4, CONDEPA 3, UCS 2; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - MNR 26, MIR 24, ADN 20, UCS 20, CONDEPA 19, NFR 11, MBL 5, IU 4, FSB 1 elections: Chamber of Senators and Chamber of Deputies - last held 1 June 1997 (next to be held NA June 2002)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges appointed for 10-year terms by National Congress); District Courts (one in each department); provincial and local courts (to try minor cases)

Political parties and leaders: Bolivian Socialist Falange or FSB
[Otto RICHTER]; Civic Solidarity Union or UCS [Johnny FERNANDEZ];
Conscience of the Fatherland or CONDEPA [Remedios LOZA Alvarado]; Free
Bolivia Movement or MBL [Franz BARRIOS]; Movement of the Revolutionary
Left or MIR [Jaime PAZ Zamora]; Nationalist Democratic Action or ADN
[Jorge Fernando QUIROGA Ramirez]; Nationalist Revolutionary Movement or
MNR [Gonzalo SANCHEZ DE LOZADA]; New Republican Force or NFR [Manfred
REYES-VILLA]; United Left or IU [Marcos DOMIC] note: the ADN, MIR,
and UCS comprise the ruling coalition

Political pressure groups and leaders: Cocalero Groups; indigenous organizations; labor unions; Sole Confederation of Campesino Workers of Bolivia or CSUTCB [Felipe QUISPE]

International organization participation: CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate),
MONUC, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNTAET, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Marlene FERNANDEZ del Granado FAX: [1] (202) 328-3712 consulate(s) general: Miami, New York, and San Francisco telephone: [1] (202) 483-4410 chancery: 3014 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
V. Manuel ROCHA embassy: Avenida Arce 2780, San Jorge, La Paz mailing
address: P. O. Box 425, La Paz; APO AA 34032 telephone: [591] 243-3812
FAX: [591] (2) 433854

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green with the coat of arms centered on the yellow band; similar to the flag of Ghana, which has a large black five-pointed star centered in the yellow band

Economy Bolivia

Economy - overview: Bolivia, long one of the poorest and least developed Latin American countries, has made considerable progress toward the development of a market-oriented economy. Successes under President SANCHEZ DE LOZADA (1993-97) included the signing of a free trade agreement with Mexico and becoming an associate member of the Southern Cone Common Market (Mercosur), as well as the privatization of the state airline, telephone company, railroad, electric power company, and oil company. Growth slowed in 1999, in part due to tight government budget policies, which limited needed appropriations for anti-poverty programs, and the fallout from the Asian financial crisis. In 2000, major civil disturbances in April, and again in September and October, held down overall growth to 2.5%. Bolivia's GDP failed to grow in 2001 due to the global slowdown and laggard domestic activity. Growth is expected to pick up in 2002, but the fiscal deficit and debt burden will remain high.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $21.4 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 0% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,600 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 14% industry: 31% services: 55% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 70% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.5% highest 10%: 45.7% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 58.9 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 2.5 million

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Unemployment rate: 7.6% (2000) note: widespread underemployment

Budget: revenues: $4 billion expenditures: $4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2002 est.)

Industries: mining, smelting, petroleum, food and beverages, tobacco, handicrafts, clothing

Industrial production growth rate: 3.9% (1998)

Electricity - production: 3.87 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 48.37% hydro: 50.13% other: 1.5% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 3.605 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 5 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 11 million kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: soybeans, coffee, coca, cotton, corn, sugarcane, rice, potatoes; timber

Exports: $1.2 billion (2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: soybeans, natural gas, zinc, gold, wood

Exports - partners: US 32%, Colombia 18%, UK 15%, Brazil 15%, Peru 6% (2000)

Imports: $1.5 billion (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: capital goods, raw materials and semi-manufactures, chemicals, petroleum, food

Imports - partners: US 24%, Argentina 17%, Brazil 15%, Chile 9%, Peru 5 (2000)

Debt - external: $5.8 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $588 million (1997)

Currency: boliviano (BOB)

Currency code: BOB

Exchange rates: bolivianos per US dollar - 6.8613 (January 2002), 6.6069 (2001), 6.1835 (2000), 5.8124 (1999), 5.5101 (1998), 5.2543 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Bolivia

Telephones - main lines in use: 327,600 (1996)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 116,000 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: new subscribers face bureaucratic difficulties; most telephones are concentrated in La Paz and other cities; mobile cellular telephone use expanding rapidly domestic: primary trunk system, which is being expanded, employs digital microwave radio relay; some areas are served by fiber-optic cable; mobile cellular systems are being expanded international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 171, FM 73, shortwave 77 (1999)

Radios: 5.25 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 48 (1997)

Televisions: 900,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .bo

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 9 (2000)

Internet users: 78,000 (2000)

Transportation Bolivia

Railways: total: 3,691 km narrow gauge: 3,652 km 1.000-m gauge; 39 km 0.760-m gauge (13 km electrified) (1995 est.)

Highways: 2,500 km (including 30 km of expressways) unpaved: Waterways: 10,000 km (commercially navigable)

Pipelines: crude oil 1,800 km; petroleum products 580 km; natural gas 1,495 km

Ports and harbors: Puerto Aguirre (on the Paraguay/Parana waterway, at the Bolivia/Brazil border); also, Bolivia has free port privileges in maritime ports in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Paraguay

Merchant marine: total: 36 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 196,399 GRT/320,137 DWT ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 15, chemical tanker 2, container 1, petroleum tanker 13, roll on/roll off 2 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of Belize 2, China 2, Cuba 1, Cyprus 1, Egypt 1, Honduras 1, Latvia 2, Liberia 2, Panama 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Saudi Arabia 1, Singapore 1, South Korea 3, Switzerland 1, Ukraine 1, United Arab Emirates 5, United States 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 1,109 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 13 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: Military Bolivia

Military branches: Army (Ejercito Boliviano), Navy (Fuerza Naval, includes Marines), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Boliviana), National Police Force (Policia Nacional de Bolivia)

Military manpower - military age: 19 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 2,062,321 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,343,755 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 90,120 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $147 million (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.8% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Bolivia

Disputes - international: continues to demand a sovereign corridor to the South Pacific Ocean since the Atacama region was lost to Chile in 1884

Illicit drugs: world's third-largest cultivator of coca (after Colombia and Peru) with an estimated 19,900 hectares under cultivation in July 2001, stable from July 2000 levels; intermediate coca products and cocaine exported to or through Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, and Chile to the US and other international drug markets; eradication and alternative crop programs under the QUIROGA administration has kept pace with farmers' attempts to increase cultivation after significant reductions in 1998 and 1999

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Burma

Introduction

Burma

Background: Despite multiparty elections in 1990 that resulted in the main opposition party winning a decisive victory, the ruling military junta refused to hand over power. Key opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize recipient AUNG SAN SUU KYI, under house arrest from 1989 to 1995, was again placed under house detention in September 2000; her supporters are routinely harassed or jailed.

Geography Burma

Location: Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Bay of
Bengal, between Bangladesh and Thailand

Geographic coordinates: 22 00 N, 98 00 E

Map references: Southeast Asia

Area: total: 678,500 sq km land: 657,740 sq km water: 20,760 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries: total: 5,876 km border countries: Bangladesh 193 km,
China 2,185 km, India 1,463 km, Laos 235 km, Thailand 1,800 km

Coastline: 1,930 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate: tropical monsoon; cloudy, rainy, hot, humid summers (southwest monsoon, June to September); less cloudy, scant rainfall, mild temperatures, lower humidity during winter (northeast monsoon, December to April)

Terrain: central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Andaman Sea 0 m highest point:
Hkakabo Razi 5,881 m

Natural resources: petroleum, timber, tin, antimony, zinc, copper, tungsten, lead, coal, some marble, limestone, precious stones, natural gas, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 14% permanent crops: 1% other: 85% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 15,920 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: destructive earthquakes and cyclones; flooding and landslides common during rainy season (June to September); periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: deforestation; industrial pollution of air, soil, and water; inadequate sanitation and water treatment contribute to disease

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test
Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: strategic location near major Indian Ocean shipping lanes

People Burma

Population: 42,238,224 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 28.6% (male 6,158,039; female 5,905,314) 15-64 years: (male 905,476; female 1,130,881) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.56% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 19.65 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 12.25 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 72.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 57.07 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.23 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 1.99% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 530,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 48,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Burmese (singular and plural) adjective: Burmese

Ethnic groups: Burman 68%, Shan 9%, Karen 7%, Rakhine 4%, Chinese 3%,
Indian 2%, Mon 2%, other 5%

Religions: Buddhist 89%, Christian 4% (Baptist 3%, Roman Catholic 1%),
Muslim 4%, animist 1%, other 2%

Languages: Burmese, minority ethnic groups have their own languages

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write total population: statistics; estimates of functional literacy are likely closer to 30% (1999 est.)

Government Burma

Country name: conventional long form: Union of Burma conventional short form: Burma local short form: Myanma Naingngandaw local long form: Pyidaungzu Myanma Naingngandaw (translated by the US Government as Union of Myanma and by the Burmese as Union of Myanmar) former: Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma note: since 1989 the military authorities in Burma have promoted the name Myanmar as a conventional name for their state; this decision was not approved by any sitting legislature in Burma, and the US Government did not adopt the name, which is a derivative of the Burmese short-form name Myanma Naingngandaw

Government type: military regime

Capital: Rangoon (regime refers to the capital as Yangon)

Administrative divisions: 7 divisions* (yin-mya, singular - yin) and
7 states (pyine-mya, singular - pyine); Chin State, Ayeyarwady*, Bago*,
Kachin State, Kayin State, Kayah State, Magway*, Mandalay*, Mon State,
Rakhine State, Sagaing*, Shan State, Tanintharyi*, Yangon*

Independence: 4 January 1948 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 4 January (1948)

Constitution: 3 January 1974 (suspended since 18 September 1988); national convention started on 9 January 1993 to draft a new constitution; progress has since been stalled

Legal system: has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Prime Minister and Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Sr. Gen. THAN SHWE (since 23 April 1992); note - the prime minister is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: Prime Minister and Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Sr. Gen. THAN SHWE (since 23 April 1992); note - the prime minister is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: State Peace and Development Council (SPDC); military junta, so named 15 November 1997, which initially assumed power 18 September 1988 under the name State Law and Order Restoration Council; the SPDC oversees the cabinet elections: none; the prime minister assumed power upon resignation of the former prime minister

Legislative branch: unicameral People's Assembly or Pyithu Hluttaw (485 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 27 May 1990, but Assembly never convened election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NLD 392, SNLD 23, NUP 10, other 60

Judicial branch: remnants of the British-era legal system are in place, but there is no guarantee of a fair public trial; the judiciary is not independent of the executive

Political parties and leaders: National League for Democracy or NLD
[AUNG SHWE, chairman, AUNG SAN SUU KYI, general secretary]; National
Unity Party or NUP (proregime) [THA KYAW]; Shan Nationalities League
for Democracy or SNLD [U KHUN TUN OO]; Union Solidarity and Development
Association or USDA (proregime, a social and political organization)
[THAN AUNG, general secretary]; and other smaller parties

Political pressure groups and leaders: All Burma Student Democratic Front or ABSDF; Kachin Independence Army or KIA; Karen National Union or KNU; National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma or NCGUB [Dr. SEIN WIN] consists of individuals legitimately elected to the People's Assembly but not recognized by the military regime (the group fled to a border area and joined with insurgents in December 1990 to form a parallel government); several Shan factions; United Wa State Army or UWSA

International organization participation: ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CCC, CP,
ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador U LINN MYAING consulate(s) general: New [1] (202) 332-9044 chancery: Diplomatic representation from the US: Permanent Charge d'Affaires Priscilla A. CLAPP embassy: 96546 telephone: [95] (1) 282055, 282182 FAX: [95] (1) 280409

Flag description: red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing, all in white, 14 five-pointed stars encircling a cogwheel containing a stalk of rice; the 14 stars represent the 14 administrative divisions

Economy Burma

Economy - overview: Burma is a resource-rich country that suffers from abject rural poverty. The military regime took steps in the early 1990s to liberalize the economy after decades of failure under the "Burmese Way to Socialism", but those efforts have since stalled. Burma has been unable to achieve monetary or fiscal stability, resulting in an economy that suffers from serious macroeconomic imbalances - including an official exchange rate that overvalues the Burmese kyat by more than 100 times the market rate. In addition, most overseas development assistance ceased after the junta suppressed the democracy movement in 1988 and subsequently ignored the results of the 1990 election. Burma is data poor, and official statistics are often dated and inaccurate. Published estimates of Burma's foreign trade are greatly understated because of the size of the black market and border trade - often estimated to be one to two times the official economy.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $63 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 2.3% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,500 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 42% industry: 17% services: 41% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 25% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 32.4% (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 20% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 23.7 million (1999 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 65%, industry 10%, services 25% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: 5.1% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $7.9 billion expenditures: $12.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.7 billion (FY96/97)

Industries: agricultural processing; knit and woven apparel; wood and wood products; copper, tin, tungsten, iron; construction materials; pharmaceuticals; fertilizer

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 4.766 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 83.3% hydro: 16.7% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 4.432 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: rice, pulses, beans, sesame, groundnuts, sugarcane; hardwood; fish and fish products

Exports: $1.8 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Exports - commodities: apparel 55%, foodstuffs 18%, wood products 13%, precious stones 2% (2000)

Exports - partners: US 27%, India 16%, China 7%, Japan 6%, Singapore 6% (2000 est.) note: as narcotics, teak, and gems - or the largely unrecorded border trade with China and Thailand

Imports: $2.2 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Imports - commodities: machinery, transport equipment, construction materials, food products, textile fabrics, petroleum products

Imports - partners: China 26%, Singapore 23%, South Korea 15%, Japan 10%,
Taiwan 10% (2000 est.)

Debt - external: $6 billion (FY99/00 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $99 million (FY98/99)

Currency: kyat (MMK)

Currency code: MMK

Exchange rates: kyats per US dollar - official rate - 6.8581 (January 2002), 6.7489 (2001), 6.5167 (2000), 6.2858 (1999), 6.3432 (1998), 6.2418 (1997); kyats per US dollar - black market exchange rate - 435 (yearend 2000)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Communications Burma

Telephones - main lines in use: 250,000 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 8,492 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: meets minimum requirements for local and intercity service for business and government; international service is good domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios: 4.2 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 2 (1998)

Televisions: 320,000 (2000)

Internet country code: .mm

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 note: as of September 2000, Internet connections were legal only for the government, tourist offices, and a few large businesses (2000)

Internet users: 500 (2000)

Transportation Burma

Railways: total: 3,991 km narrow gauge: 3,991 km 1.000-m gauge (2000 est.)

Highways: total: 28,200 km paved: 3,440 km unpaved: 24,760 km (1996)

Waterways: 12,800 km note: 3,200 km navigable by large commercial vessels

Pipelines: crude oil 1,343 km; natural gas 330 km

Ports and harbors: Bassein, Bhamo, Chauk, Mandalay, Moulmein, Myitkyina,
Rangoon, Akyab (Sittwe), Tavoy

Merchant marine: total: 35 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 382,386 GRT/582,084 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Germany 5, Japan 4 (2002 est.) ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 21, container 1, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 1

Airports: 80 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 8 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

Airports - with unpaved runways: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: Heliports: 2 (2001)

Military Burma

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 12,211,144 note: both sexes liable for military service (2002 est.) females age 15-49: 12,223,069

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 6,502,013 females age 15-49: 6,491,732 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 486,432 females: 470,667 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $39 million (FY97/98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.1% (FY97/98)

Transnational Issues Burma

Disputes - international: despite renewed border committee talks, significant differences remain with Thailand over boundary alignment and the handling of ethnic guerrilla rebels, refugees, smuggling, and drug trafficking in cross-border region; Burmese attempts to construct a dam on border stream with Bangladesh in 2001 prompted an armed response halting construction; Burmese Muslim migration into Bangladesh strains Bangladesh's meager resources

Illicit drugs: world's largest producer of illicit opium, surpassing Afghanistan (potential production in 2001 - 865 metric tons, down 21% due to drought, and to a lesser extent, eradication; cultivation in 2002 - 105,000 hectares, a 3% decline from 2000); surrender of drug warlord KHUN SA's Mong Tai Army in January 1996 was hailed by Rangoon as a major counternarcotics success, but lack of government will and ability to take on major narcotrafficking groups and lack of serious commitment against money laundering continues to hinder the overall antidrug effort; major source of methamphetamine and heroin for regional consumption

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Benin

Introduction

Benin

Background: Dahomey gained its independence from France in 1960; the name was changed to Benin in 1975. From 1974 to 1989 the country was a socialist state; free elections were reestablished in 1991.

Geography Benin

Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
Nigeria and Togo

Geographic coordinates: 9 30 N, 2 15 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 112,620 sq km water: 2,000 sq km land: 110,620 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries: total: 1,989 km border countries: Burkina Faso 306 km,
Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km, Togo 644 km

Coastline: 121 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 200 NM

Climate: tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

Terrain: mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Mont Sokbaro 658 m

Natural resources: small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber

Land use: arable land: 15% permanent crops: 1% other: 84% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 120 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from
December to March

Environment - current issues: inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural harbors, river mouths, or islands

People Benin

Population: 6,787,625 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 47.2% (male 1,616,138; female 1,585,463) 15-64 years: 50.5% (male 1,665,439; female 1,764,966) 65 years and over: 2.3% (male 65,877; female 89,742) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.91% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 43.66 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 14.52 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 88.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 50.61 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 6.14 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 4.1% (2002)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 160,000 (2002)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 37,000 (2002)

Nationality: noun: Beninese (singular and plural) adjective: Beninese

Ethnic groups: African 99% (42 ethnic groups, most important being Fon,
Adja, Yoruba, Bariba), Europeans 5,500

Religions: indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20%

Languages: French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 37.5% male: 52.2% female: 23.6% (2000)

Government Benin

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Benin conventional short form: Benin local short form: Benin former: Dahomey local long form: Republique du Benin

Government type: republic under multiparty democratic rule; dropped Marxism-Leninism December 1989; democratic reforms adopted February 1990; transition to multiparty system completed 4 April 1991

Capital: Porto-Novo is the official capital; Cotonou is the seat of government

Administrative divisions: 12 provinces; Alibori, Atakora, Atlantique,
Borgou, Collines, Couffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou

Independence: 1 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday: National Day, 1 August (1960)

Constitution: December 1990

Legal system: based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Mathieu KEREKOU (since 4 April 1996); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Mathieu KEREKOU (since 4 April 1996); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: reelected by popular vote for a five-year term; runoff election held 22 March 2001 (next to be held NA March 2006) note: the four top-ranking contenders following the first-round presidential elections were: 27.1%, Adrien HOUNGBEDJI (National Assembly Speaker) 12.6%, and Bruno AMOUSSOU (Minister of State) 8.6%; the second-round balloting, originally scheduled for 18 March 2001, was postponed four days because both SOGOLO and HOUNGBEDJI withdrew alleging electoral fraud; this left KEREKOU to run against his own Minister of State, AMOUSSOU, in what was termed a "friendly match" election results: Mathieu KEREKOU reelected president; percent of vote - Mathieu KEREKOU 84.1%, Bruno AMOUSSOU 15.9%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (83 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RB 27, PRD 11, FARD-ALAFIA 10, PSD 9, MADEP 6, E'toile 4, Alliance IPD 4, Car-DUNYA 3, MERCI 2, other 7 elections: last held 30 March 1999 (next to be held NA March 2003)

Judicial branch: Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle;
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Court of Justice

Political parties and leaders: African Movement for Democracy and Progress or MADEP [Sefou FAGBOHOUN]; Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP [Sylvain Adekpedjou AKINDES]; Alliance of the Social Democratic Party or PSD and the National Union for Solidarity and Progress or UNSP [Bruno AMOUSSOU]; Cameleon Alliance or AC [leader NA]; Car-DUNYA [Saka SALEY]; Communist Party of Benin or PCB [Pascal FANTONDJI, first secretary]; Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI]; Front for Renewal and Development or FARD-ALAFIA [Jerome Sakia KINA]; Impulse for Progress and Democracy or IPD [Bertin BORNA]; Liberal Democrats' Rally for National Reconstruction-Vivoten or RDL-Vivoten [Severin ADJOVI]; Movement for Citizens' Commitment and Awakening or MERCI [Severin ADJOVI]; New Generation for the Republic or NGR [Paul DOSSOU]; Our Common Cause or NCC [Francois Odjo TANKPINON]; Party Democratique du Benin or PDB [Col. Soule DANKORO]; Rally for Democracy and Pan-Africanism or RDP [Dominique HOYMINOU, Dr. Giles Auguste MINONTIN]; Renaissance Party du Benin or RB [Nicephore SOGLO]; The Star Alliance (Alliance E'toile) [Sacca LAFIA]; Union for National Democracy and Solidarity or UDS [Adamou N'Diaye MAMA] note: the Coalition of Democratic Forces, [Gatien HOUNGBEDJI], an alliance of parties and organizations supporting President KEREKOU

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS,
Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU,
MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE,
UNMIK, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Cyrille Segbe OGUIN FAX: [1] (202) 265-1996 telephone: [1] (202) 232-6656 chancery: 2124 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Pamela E. BRIDGEWATER embassy: Rue Caporal
 B. P. 2012, Cotonou telephone:
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red
with a vertical green band on the hoist side

Economy Benin

Economy - overview: The economy of Benin remains underdeveloped and dependent on subsistence agriculture, cotton production, and regional trade. Growth in real output averaged a stable 5% in the past five years, but rapid population rise offset much of this increase. Inflation has subsided over the past several years. In order to raise growth still further, Benin plans to attract more foreign investment, place more emphasis on tourism, facilitate the development of new food processing systems and agricultural products, and encourage new information and communication technology. The 2001 privatization policy should continue in telecommunications, water, electricity, and agriculture in spite of initial government reluctance. The Paris Club and bilateral creditors have eased the external debt situation.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $6.8 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 5.4% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,040 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 36% industry: 14% services: 50% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 37% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (2001 est.)

Labor force: NA

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $377.4 million expenditures: $561.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001)

Industries: textiles, food processing, chemical production, construction materials (2001)

Industrial production growth rate: 8.3% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 240 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 16.67% hydro: 83.33% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 523.2 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 300 million kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil, peanuts, livestock (2001)

Exports: $35.3 million (f.o.b., 2000)

Exports - commodities: cotton, crude oil, palm products, cocoa

Exports - partners: Brazil, France, Indonesia, Thailand, Morocco,
Portugal, Cote d'Ivoire (2001)

Imports: $437.6 million (c.i.f., 2000)

Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products

Imports - partners: France, US, China, Cote d'Ivoire, Netherlands,
Japan (2001)

Debt - external: $1.18 billion (2000)

Economic aid - recipient: $342.6 million (2000)

Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Currency code: XOF

Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 742.79 (January 2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997); note - from 1 January 1999, the XOF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF per euro

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Benin

Telephones - main lines in use: 51,000 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 55,500 (2000)

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: fair system of open wire, microwave radio relay, and cellular connections international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); submarine cable

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (2000)

Radios: 660,000 (2000)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (2001)

Televisions: 66,000 (2000)

Internet country code: .bj

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 4 (2002)

Internet users: 50,000 (2002)

Transportation Benin

Railways: total: 578 km narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge (2000 est.)

Highways: 1,357 km (including 10 km of expressways) unpaved: Waterways: streams navigable along small sections, important only locally

Ports and harbors: Cotonou, Porto-Novo

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: 5 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2001)

Military Benin

Military branches: Armed Forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force),
National Gendarmerie

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,509,760 note: both sexes are liable for military service (2002 est.) females age 15-49: 1,536,036

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 771,373 females age 15-49: 778,730 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 71,278 females: 70,088 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $27 million (FY96)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.2% (FY96)

Transnational Issues Benin

Disputes - international: Benin and Niger have refered to the ICJ the dispute over l'Ete and 14 smaller disputed islands in the Niger River, which has never been delimited; with Nigeria, several villages are in dispute along the Okpara River and only 35 km of the 436 km boundary are demarcated; the Benin-Niger-Nigeria tripoint remains undemarcated; Benin accuses Togo of moving boundary markers and stationing troops in its territory; two villages are in dispute with Burkina Faso

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for narcotics associated with Nigerian trafficking organizations and most commonly destined for Western Europe and the US

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Belarus

Introduction

Belarus

Background: After seven decades as a constituent republic of the USSR, Belarus attained its independence in 1991. It has retained closer political and economic ties to Russia than any of the other former Soviet republics. Belarus and Russia signed a treaty on a two-state union on 8 December 1999 envisioning greater political and economic integration; Belarus has agreed on the framework for implementation of the accord.

Geography Belarus

Location: Eastern Europe, east of Poland

Geographic coordinates: 53 00 N, 28 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 207,600 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 207,600 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Kansas

Land boundaries: total: 2,900 km border countries: Latvia 141 km,
Lithuania 502 km, Poland 407 km, Russia 959 km, Ukraine 891 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between continental and maritime

Terrain: generally flat and contains much marshland

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Nyoman River 90 m highest point:
Dzyarzhynskaya Hara 346 m

Natural resources: forests, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural gas, granite, dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, clay

Land use: arable land: 30% permanent crops: 1% other: 69% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,150 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: soil pollution from pesticide use; southern part of the country contaminated with fallout from 1986 nuclear reactor accident at Chornobyl' in northern Ukraine

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air
Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note: landlocked; glacial scouring accounts for the flatness of Belarusian terrain and for its 11,000 lakes; the country is geologically well endowed with extensive deposits of granite, dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, and clay

People Belarus

Population: 10,335,382 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 17.3% (male 914,579; female 876,346) 15-64 years: 68.6% (male 3,443,859; female 3,643,628) 65 years and over: 14.1% (male 482,624; female 974,346) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.14% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 9.86 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 13.99 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 2.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.5 male(s)/female total population: 0.88 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 14.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 74.56 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.31 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.28% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 14,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 400 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Belarusian(s) adjective: Belarusian

Ethnic groups: Belarusian 81.2%, Russian 11.4%, Polish, Ukrainian, and other 7.4%

Religions: Eastern Orthodox 80%, other (including Roman Catholic,
Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 20% (1997 est.)

Languages: Belarusian, Russian, other

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 99% female: 97% (1989 est.)

Government Belarus

Country name: Republic of Belarus conventional short form: Socialist
Republic local long form: Respublika Byelarus'

Government type: republic

Capital: Minsk

Administrative divisions: 6 voblastsi (singular - voblasts') and one municipality* (harady, singular - horad); Brestskaya (Brest), Homyel'skaya (Homyel'), Horad Minsk*, Hrodzyenskaya (Hrodna), Mahilyowskaya (Mahilyow), Minskaya, Vitsyebskaya (Vitsyebsk); note - when using a place name with the adjectival ending 'skaya' the word voblasts' should be added to the place name note: Independence: 25 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day, 3 July (1944); note - 3 July 1944 was the date Minsk was liberated from German troops, 25 August 1991 was the date of independence from the Soviet Union

Constitution: 30 March 1994; revised by national referendum of 24 November 1996 giving the presidency greatly expanded powers and became effective 27 November 1996

Legal system: based on civil law system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Aleksandr LUKASHENKO (since 20 July 1994) head of government: Prime Minister Gennadiy NOVITSKIY (since 1 October 2001); Deputy Prime Ministers Andrei KOBYAKOV (since 13 March 2000), Aleksandr POPKOV (since 10 November 1998), Sergei SIDORSKY (since NA September 2001), Vladimir DRAZHIN (since NA September 2001) cabinet: president; percent of vote - Aleksandr LUKASHENKO 75.6%, Vladimir GONCHARIK 15.4% elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; first election took place 23 June and 10 July 1994; according to the 1994 constitution, the next election should have been held in 1999, however LUKASHENKO extended his term to 2001 via a November 1996 referendum; new election held 9 September 2001 (next election to be held by September 2006); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Natsionalnoye Sobranie consists of the Council of the Republic or Soviet Respubliki (64 seats; 56 members elected by regional councils and 8 members appointed by the president, all for 4-year terms) and the Chamber of Representatives or Palata Pretsaviteley (110 seats; members elected by universal adult suffrage to serve 4-year terms) election results: party affiliation data unavailable; under present political conditions party designations are meaningless elections: Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); Constitutional Court (half of the judges appointed by the president and half appointed by the Chamber of Representatives)

Political parties and leaders: Agrarian Party or AP [Semyon SHARETSKY,
chairman]; Belarusian Communist Party or KPB [Viktor CHIKIN, chairman];
Belarusian Ecological Green Party (merger of Belarusian Ecological
Party and Green Party of Belarus) [leader NA]; Belarusian Patriotic
Movement (Belarusian Patriotic Party) or BPR [Anatoliy BARANKEVICH,
chairman]; Belarusian Popular Front or BNF [Vintsuk VYACHORKA]; Belarusian
Social-Democrat Party or SDBP [Nikolay STATKEVICH, chairman]; Belarusian
Social-Democratic Party or Hromada [Stanislav SHUSHKEVICH, chairman];
Belarusian Socialist Party [Vyacheslav KUZNETSOV]; Civic Accord Bloc
(United Civic Party) or CAB [Stanislav BOGDANKEVICH, chairman]; Liberal
Democratic Party or LDPB [Sergei GAYDUKEVICH, chairman]; Party of
Communists Belarusian or PKB [Sergei KALYAKIN, chairman]; Republican
Party of Labor and Justice or RPPS [Anatoliy NETYLKIN, chairman];
Social-Democrat Party of Popular Accord or PPA [Leanid SECHKA]; Women's
Party or "Nadezhda" [Valentina POLEVIKOVA, chairperson]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: CCC, CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD,
ECE, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM
(observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Valeriy V. TSEPAKLO chancery: 1619 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 consulate(s) general: New York FAX: [1] (202) 986-1805 telephone: [1] (202) 986-1604

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Michael KOZAK embassy: 46 Starovilenskaya use embassy street address telephone: Flag description: red horizontal band (top) and green horizontal band one-half the width of the red band; a white vertical stripe on the hoist side bears the Belarusian national ornament in red

Economy Belarus

Economy - overview: Belarus has seen little structural reform since 1995, when President LUKASHENKO launched the country on the path of "market socialism." In keeping with this policy, LUKASHENKO reimposed administrative controls over prices and currency exchange rates and expanded the state's right to intervene in the management of private enterprise. In addition to the burdens imposed by high inflation and persistent trade deficits, businesses have been subject to pressure on the part of central and local governments, e.g., arbitrary changes in regulations, numerous rigorous inspections, retroactive application of new business regulations, and arrests of "disruptive" businessmen and factory owners. Close relations with Russia, possibly leading to reunion, color the pattern of economic developments. For the time being, Belarus remains self-isolated from the West and its open-market economies.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $84.8 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4.1% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $8,200 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 13% industry: 42% services: 45% (2000)

Population below poverty line: 22% (1995 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 5.1% highest 10%: 20% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 21.7 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 46.1% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 4.8 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation: industry and construction NA%, agriculture and forestry NA%, services NA%

Unemployment rate: 2.1% officially registered unemployed (December 2000); large number of underemployed workers

Budget: revenues: $4 billion expenditures: $4.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $180 million (1997 est.)

Industries: metal-cutting machine tools, tractors, trucks, earthmovers, motorcycles, television sets, chemical fibers, fertilizer, textiles, radios, refrigerators

Industrial production growth rate: 5.4% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 24.66 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.51% hydro: 0.08% other: 0.41% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 26.78 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 300 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 4.15 billion kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: grain, potatoes, vegetables, sugar beets, flax; beef, milk

Exports: $7.5 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Exports - commodities: machinery and equipment, mineral products, chemicals, textiles, foodstuffs, metals

Exports - partners: Russia 51%, Ukraine 8%, Poland 4%, Germany 3% (2000)

Imports: $8.1 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Imports - commodities: mineral products, machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs, metals

Imports - partners: Russia 65%, Germany 7%, Poland 3% (2000)

Debt - external: $770 million (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $194.3 million (1995)

Currency: Belarusian ruble (BYB/BYR)

Currency code: BYB/BYR

Exchange rates: Belarusian rubles per US dollar - 1,590 (yearend 2001), 1,531.000 (November 2001), 876.750 (2000), 248.795 (1999), 46.127 (1998), 26.020 (1997); note - on 1 January 2000, the national currency was redenominated at one new ruble to 2,000 old rubles

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Belarus

Telephones - main lines in use: 2.313 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 8,167 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: the Ministry of Telecommunications controls all telecommunications through its carrier (a joint stock company) Beltelcom which is a monopoly domestic: local - Minsk has a digital metropolitan network and a cellular NMT-450 network; waiting lists for telephones are long; local service outside Minsk is neglected and poor; intercity - Belarus has a partly developed fiber-optic backbone system presently serving at least 13 major cities (1998); Belarus's fiber optics form synchronous digital hierarchy rings through other countries' systems; an inadequate analog system remains operational international: Belarus is a member of the Trans-European Line (TEL), Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line, and has access to the Trans-Siberia Line (TSL); three fiber-optic segments provide connectivity to Latvia, Poland, Russia, and Ukraine; worldwide service is available to Belarus through this infrastructure; additional analog lines to Russia; Intelsat, Eutelsat, and Intersputnik earth stations

Radio broadcast stations: AM 28, FM 37, shortwave 11 (1998)

Radios: 3.02 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 47 (plus 27 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions: 2.52 million (1997)

Internet country code: .by

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 23 (2002)

Internet users: 180,000 (2001)

Transportation Belarus

Railways: total: 5,523 km broad gauge: 5,523 km 1.520-m gauge (875 km electrified) (2000 est.)

Highways: total: 98,200 km paved: 66,100 km (includes some all-weather gravel-surfaced roads) unpaved: 32,100 km (these roads are made of unstabilized earth and are difficult to negotiate in wet weather) (1990)

Waterways: NA km; note - Belarus has extensive and widely used canal and river systems

Pipelines: crude oil 1,470 km; refined products 1,100 km; natural gas 1,980 km (1992)

Ports and harbors: Mazyr

Airports: 136 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 33 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 19 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 11 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 103 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 65 (2001)

Military Belarus

Military branches: Army, Air Force (including air defense), Interior
Ministry Troops, Border Guards

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 2,744,267 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 2,149,873 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 86,396 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $156 million (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Belarus

Disputes - international: boundary demarcation with Latvia and Lithuania is pending European Union funding

Illicit drugs: limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly for the domestic market; transshipment point for illicit drugs to and via Russia, and to the Baltics and Western Europe

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Solomon Islands

Introduction

Solomon Islands

Background: The UK established a protectorate over the Solomon Islands in the 1890s. Some of the most bitter fighting of World War II occurred on these islands. Self-government was achieved in 1976 and independence two years later. Ethnic violence, government malfeasance, and endemic crime have undermined stability and civil society.

Geography Solomon Islands

Location: Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea

Geographic coordinates: 8 00 S, 159 00 E

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 28,450 sq km water: 910 sq km land: 27,540 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 5,313 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM continental shelf: 200 NM

Climate: tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather

Terrain: mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point:
Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m

Natural resources: fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel

Land use: arable land: 1% permanent crops: 1% other: 98% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity

Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; many of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea,
Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,
Whaling signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note: strategic location on sea routes between the South
Pacific Ocean, the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea

People Solomon Islands

Population: 494,786 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 43.4% (male 109,339; female 105,170) 15-64 years: 53.5% (male 134,125; female 130,804) 65 years and over: 3.1% (male 7,467; female 7,881) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.91% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 33.26 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 4.19 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 23.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 74.39 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 4.5 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Solomon Islander(s) adjective: Solomon Islander

Ethnic groups: Melanesian 93%, Polynesian 4%, Micronesian 1.5%, European 0.8%, Chinese 0.3%, other 0.4%

Religions: Anglican 45%, Roman Catholic 18%, United (Methodist/Presbyterian) 12%, Baptist 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 7%, other Protestant 5%, indigenous beliefs 4%

Languages: Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca; English is official but spoken by only 1%-2% of the population note: 120 indigenous languages

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Solomon Islands

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Solomon Islands former: British Solomon Islands

Government type: parliamentary democracy tending toward anarchy

Capital: Honiara

Administrative divisions: 9 provinces and 1 capital territory*; Central,
Choiseul (Lauru), Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita,
Rennell/Bellona, Temotu, Western

Independence: 7 July 1978 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 7 July (1978)

Constitution: 7 July 1978

Legal system: English common law, which is widely disregarded

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir John LAPLI (since NA 1999) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of Parliament for up to five years; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by Parliament; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of Parliament cabinet: Cabinet consists of 20 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of Parliament head of government: Minister Snyder RINI (since 17 December 2001)

Legislative branch: unicameral National Parliament (50 seats; members elected from single-member constituencies by popular vote to serve four-year terms) election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 40%, SIACC 40%, PPP 20%; seats by party - PAP 16, SIACC 13, PPP 2, SILP 1, independents 18 elections: last held 5 December 2001 (next to be held by December 2005)

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders: Association of Independents [Snyder RINI]; People's Alliance Party or PAP [Allan KEMAKEZA]; People's Progressive Party or PPP [Mannaseh Damukana SOGAVARE]; Solomon Islands Alliance for Change Coalition or SIACC [Bartholomew ULUFA'ALU]; Solomon Islands Labor Party or SILP [Joses TUHANUKU] note: in general, Solomon Islands politics is characterized by fluid coalitions

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO,
G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU,
Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Jeremiah MANELE 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400L, New York, NY 10017 telephone: Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Solomon Islands (embassy closed July 1993); the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to the Solomon Islands

Flag description: divided diagonally by a thin yellow stripe from the lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is blue with five white five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern; the lower triangle is green

Economy Solomon Islands

Economy - overview: The bulk of the population depends on agriculture, fishing, and forestry for at least part of their livelihood. Most manufactured goods and petroleum products must be imported. The islands are rich in undeveloped mineral resources such as lead, zinc, nickel, and gold. However, severe ethnic violence, the closing of key business enterprises, and an empty government treasury have led to serious economic disarray, indeed near collapse. Tanker deliveries of crucial fuel supplies (including those for electrical generation) have become sporadic due to the government's inability to pay and attacks against ships. Telecommunications are threatened by the nonpayment of bills and by the lack of technical and maintenance staff many of whom have left the country.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $800 million (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: -10% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 42% industry: 11% services: 47% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.9% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 26,842

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 75%, industry 5%, services 20% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $38 million (2001) expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Industries: fish (tuna), mining, timber

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 32 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 29.76 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: cocoa, beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs; timber; fish

Exports: $165 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Exports - commodities: timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa

Exports - partners: Japan 22%, China 15%, Philippines 13%, South Korea 12%, UK 12%, Thailand 5% (2000)

Imports: $152 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Imports - commodities: plant and equipment, manufactured goods, food and live animals, fuels, chemicals

Imports - partners: Australia 27%, Singapore 25%, NZ 5.5%, Japan 5.3%,
US 5.1% (2000)

Debt - external: $137 million (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $28 million mainly from Japan, Australia,
China, and NZ (2001 est.)

Currency: Solomon Islands dollar (SBD)

Currency code: SBD

Exchange rates: Solomon Islands dollars per US dollar - 5.3728 (December 2001), 5.0889 (2000), 4.8381 (1999), 4.8156 (1998), 3.7169 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Solomon Islands

Telephones - main lines in use: 8,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 658 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 57,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 0 (1997)

Televisions: 3,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .sb

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: 3,000 (2000)

Transportation Solomon Islands

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 1,360 km paved: 34 km unpaved: 1,326 km (includes about 800 km of private plantation roads) (1996 est.)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Aola Bay, Honiara, Lofung, Noro, Viru Harbor, Yandina

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: 31 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 29 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 19 (2001)

Military Solomon Islands

Military branches: no regular military forces; Solomon Islands National
Reconnaissance and Surveillance Force; Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIP)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Transnational Issues Solomon Islands

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Navassa Island

Introduction

Navassa Island

Background: This uninhabited island was claimed by the US in 1857 for its guano, and mining took place between 1865 and 1898. The lighthouse, built in 1917, was shut down in 1996 and administration of Navassa Island transferred from the Coast Guard to the Department of the Interior. A 1998 scientific expedition to the island described it as a unique preserve of Caribbean biodiversity; the following year it became a National Wildlife Refuge.

Geography Navassa Island

Location: Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, about one-fourth of the way from Haiti to Jamaica

Geographic coordinates: 18 25 N, 75 02 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 5.2 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 5.2 sq km

Area - comparative: about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 8 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: marine, tropical

Terrain: raised coral and limestone plateau, flat to undulating; ringed by vertical white cliffs (9 to 15 m high)

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: unnamed location on southwest side 77 m

Natural resources: guano

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: strategic location 160 km south of the US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; mostly exposed rock, but enough grassland to support goat herds; dense stands of fig-like trees, scattered cactus

People Navassa Island

Population: uninhabited note: transient Haitian fishermen and others camp on the island (July 2002 est.)

Population growth rate: NA

Government Navassa Island

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Navassa Island

Dependency status: unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service, US Department of the Interior; in September 1996, the Coast Guard ceased operations and maintenance of Navassa Island Light, a 46-meter-tall lighthouse on the southern side of the island; there has also been a private claim advanced against the island

Legal system: the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description: the flag of the US is used

Economy Navassa Island

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Transportation Navassa Island

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Military Navassa Island

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Navassa Island

Disputes - international: claimed by Haiti

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Brazil

Introduction

Brazil

Background: Following three centuries under the rule of Portugal, Brazil became an independent nation in 1822. By far the largest and most populous country in South America, Brazil has overcome more than half a century of military intervention in the governance of the country to pursue industrial and agricultural growth and development of the interior. Exploiting vast natural resources and a large labor pool, Brazil became South America's leading economic power by the 1970s. Highly unequal income distribution remains a pressing problem.

Geography Brazil

Location: Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean

Geographic coordinates: 10 00 S, 55 00 W

Map references: South America

Area: total: 8,511,965 sq km land: 8,456,510 sq km note: includes
Arquipelago de Fernando de Noronha, Atol das Rocas, Ilha da Trindade,
Ilhas Martin Vaz, and Penedos de Sao Pedro e Sao Paulo water: 55,455 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than the US

Land boundaries: total: 14,691 km border countries: Argentina 1,224 km,
Bolivia 3,400 km, Colombia 1,643 km, French Guiana 673 km, Guyana 1,119
km, Paraguay 1,290 km, Peru 1,560 km, Suriname 597 km, Uruguay 985 km,
Venezuela 2,200 km

Coastline: 7,491 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate: mostly tropical, but temperate in south

Terrain: mostly flat to rolling lowlands in north; some plains, hills, mountains, and narrow coastal belt

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Pico da Neblina 3,014 m

Natural resources: bauxite, gold, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, platinum, tin, uranium, petroleum, hydropower, timber

Land use: arable land: 6% permanent crops: 2% other: 92% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 26,560 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: recurring droughts in northeast; floods and occasional frost in south

Environment - current issues: deforestation in Amazon Basin destroys the habitat and endangers a multitude of plant and animal species indigenous to the area; there is a lucrative illegal wildlife trade; air and water pollution in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, and several other large cities; land degradation and water pollution caused by improper mining activities; wetland degradation; severe oil spills

Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental
Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but
not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note: largest country in South America; shares common boundaries with every South American country except Chile and Ecuador

People Brazil

Population: 176,029,560 note: Brazil took an intercensal count in August 1996 which reported a population of 157,079,573; that figure was about 5% lower than projections by the US Census Bureau, which is close to the implied underenumeration of 4.6% for the 1991 census; estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 28% (male 25,140,954; female 24,199,276) 15-64 years: (male 3,992,017; female 5,863,234) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.87% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 18.08 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 9.32 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 35.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 67.91 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.05 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.57% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 540,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 18,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Brazilian(s) adjective: Brazilian

Ethnic groups: white (includes Portuguese, German, Italian, Spanish,
Polish) 55%, mixed white and black 38%, black 6%, other (includes
Japanese, Arab, Amerindian) 1%

Religions: Roman Catholic (nominal) 80%

Languages: Portuguese (official), Spanish, English, French

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 83.3% male: 83.3% female: 83.2% (1995 est.)

Government Brazil

Country name: conventional long form: Federative Republic of Brazil conventional short form: Brazil local short form: Brasil local long form: Republica Federativa do Brasil

Government type: federative republic

Capital: Brasilia

Administrative divisions: 26 states (estados, singular - estado) and 1
federal district* (distrito federal); Acre, Alagoas, Amapa, Amazonas,
Bahia, Ceara, Distrito Federal*, Espirito Santo, Goias, Maranhao,
Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Para, Paraiba, Parana,
Pernambuco, Piaui, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Norte, Rio Grande do Sul,
Rondonia, Roraima, Santa Catarina, Sao Paulo, Sergipe, Tocantins

Independence: 7 September 1822 (from Portugal)

National holiday: Independence Day, 7 September (1822)

Constitution: 5 October 1988

Legal system: based on Roman codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: voluntary between 16 and 18 years of age and over 70; compulsory over 18 and under 70 years of age

Executive branch: chief of state: President Fernando Henrique CARDOSO (since 1 January 1995); Vice President Marco MACIEL (since 1 January 1995); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government election results: Fernando Henrique CARDOSO reelected president; percent of vote - 53% elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 4 October 1998 (next to be held 6 October 2002) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president head of government: President Fernando Henrique CARDOSO (since 1 January 1995); Vice President Marco MACIEL (since 1 January 1995); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress or Congresso Nacional consists of the Federal Senate or Senado Federal (81 seats; three members from each state or federal district elected according to the principle of majority to serve eight-year terms; one-third elected after a four-year period, two-thirds elected after the next four-year period) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara dos Deputados (513 seats; members are elected by proportional representation to serve four-year terms) election results: PFL 20, PSDB 16, PT 7, PPB 5, PSB 3, PDT 2, PPS 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PFL 106, PSDB 99, PMDB 82, PPB 60, PT 58, PTB 31, PDT 25, PSB 19, PL 12, PCdoB 7, other 14 note: PSDB 13, PT 7, PDT 5, PSB 4, PTB 4, PPB 2, PPS 2, PL 1, independent 1; Chamber of Deputies - seats by party (as of January 2002) - PFL 96, PSDB 93, PMDB 90, PT 59, PPB 49, PTB 33, PL 24, PDT 17, PSB 16, PPS 13, PCdoB 10, other 13 elections: Federal Senate - last held 4 October 1998 for one-third of the Senate (next to be held 6 October 2002 for two-thirds of the Senate); Chamber of Deputies - last held 4 October 1998 (next to be held 6 October 2002)

Judicial branch: Supreme Federal Tribunal (11 ministers are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate); Higher Tribunal of Justice; Regional Federal Tribunals (judges are appointed for life)

Political parties and leaders: Brazilian Democratic Movement Party
or PMDB [Michel TEMER, president]; Brazilian Labor Party or PTB [Jose
Carlos MARTINEZ, president]; Brazilian Social Democracy Party or PSDB
[Senator Jose ANIBAL, president]; Brazilian Socialist Party or PSB [Miguel
ARRAES, president]; Brazilian Progressive Party or PPB [Paulo Salim
MALUF]; Communist Party of Brazil or PCdoB [Renato RABELLO, chairman];
Democratic Labor Party or PDT [Leonel BRIZOLA, president]; Liberal Front
Party or PFL [Jorge BORNHAUSEN, president]; Liberal Party or PL [Deputy
Valdemar COSTA Neto, president]; Popular Socialist Party or PPS [Senator
Roberto FREIRE, president]; Worker's Party or PT [Jose DIRCEU, president]

Political pressure groups and leaders: left wing of the Catholic Church,
Landless Worker's Movement, and labor unions allied to leftist Worker's
Party are critical of government's social and economic policies

International organization participation: AfDB, BIS, CCC, ECLAC, FAO,
G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO,
ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA,
RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMOP, UNMOVIC, UNTAET,
UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Rubens Antonio BARBOSA FAX: [1] (202) 238-2827 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Francisco chancery: 3006 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 238-2700

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Donna J. HRINAK embassy: Avenida das Nacoes, Quadra 801, Lote 3, Distrito
Federal Cep 70403-900, Brasilia mailing
 [55] (061) 321-7272 FAX: consulate(s): Recife

Flag description: green with a large yellow diamond in the center bearing a blue celestial globe with 27 white five-pointed stars (one for each state and the Federal District) arranged in the same pattern as the night sky over Brazil; the globe has a white equatorial band with the motto ORDEM E PROGRESSO (Order and Progress)

Economy Brazil

Economy - overview: Possessing large and well-developed agricultural, mining, manufacturing, and service sectors, Brazil's economy outweighs that of all other South American countries and is expanding its presence in world markets. The maintenance of large current account deficits via capital account surpluses became problematic as investors became more risk averse to emerging market exposure as a consequence of the Asian financial crisis in 1997 and the Russian bond default in August 1998. After crafting a fiscal adjustment program and pledging progress on structural reform, Brazil received a $41.5 billion IMF-led international support program in November 1998. In January 1999, the Brazilian Central Bank announced that the real would no longer be pegged to the US dollar. This devaluation helped moderate the downturn in economic growth in 1999 that investors had expressed concerns about over the summer of 1998, and the country posted moderate GDP growth. Economic growth slowed considerably in 2001 - to less than 2% - because of a slowdown in major markets and the hiking of interest rates by the Central Bank to combat inflationary pressures. Investor confidence was strong at yearend 2001, in part because of the strong recovery in the trade balance.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.34 trillion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 1.9% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $7,400 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 9% industry: 32% services: 59% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 22% (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1% highest 10%: 46.7% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 59.1 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.7% (2001)

Labor force: 79 million (1999 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: services 53%, agriculture 23%, industry 24%

Unemployment rate: 6.4% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $100.6 billion expenditures: $91.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000)

Industries: textiles, shoes, chemicals, cement, lumber, iron ore, tin, steel, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, other machinery and equipment

Industrial production growth rate: 1% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 342.302 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 5.85% other: 3.74% (2000) hydro: 88.97% nuclear: 1.44%

Electricity - consumption: 360.641 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 42.3 billion kWh note: supplied by Paraguay (2000)

Agriculture - products: coffee, soybeans, wheat, rice, corn, sugarcane, cocoa, citrus; beef

Exports: $57.8 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: manufactures, iron ore, soybeans, footwear, coffee, autos

Exports - partners: US 24.4%, Argentina 11.2%, Germany 8.7%, Japan 5.5%,
Italy 3.9%, Netherlands (2001)

Imports: $57.7 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, chemical products, oil, electricity, autos and auto parts

Imports - partners: US 23.2%, Argentina 11.2%, Germany 8.7%, Japan 5.5%,
Italy 3.9% (2001)

Debt - external: $251 billion (2001)

Economic aid - recipient: NA

Currency: real (BRL)

Currency code: BRL

Exchange rates: reals per US dollar - 2.378 (January 2002), 2.358 (2001), 1.830 (2000), 1.815 (1999), 1.161 (1998), 1.078 (1997) note: from October 1994 through 14 January 1999, the official rate was determined by a managed float; since 15 January 1999, the official rate floats independently with respect to the US dollar

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Brazil

Telephones - main lines in use: 17.039 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 4.4 million (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: good working system domestic: extensive microwave radio relay system and a domestic satellite system with 64 earth stations international: 3 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region east), connected by microwave relay system to Mercosur Brazilsat B3 satellite earth station

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1,365, FM 296, shortwave 161 (of which 91 are collocated with AM stations) (1999)

Radios: 71 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 138 (1997)

Televisions: 36.5 million (1997)

Internet country code: .br

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 50 (2000)

Internet users: 11.94 million (2001)

Transportation Brazil

Railways: total: broad gauge: 5,679 km 1.600-m gauge (1,199 km electrified) narrow gauge: 24,666 km 1.000-m gauge (930 km electrified) dual gauge: 336 km 1.000-m and 1.600-m gauges (three rails) standard gauge: 194 km 1.440-m gauge note: in addition to the interurban routes itemized above, Brazil has 247.8 km of suburban railway consisting of 170.8 km of 1.600-m gauge (75 km electrified) and 77 km of 1.000-m gauge (1999 est.)

Highways: total: 1.98 million km paved: 184,140 km unpaved: 1,795,860 km (1996)

Waterways: 50,000 km

Pipelines: crude oil 2,980 km; petroleum products 4,762 km; natural gas 4,246 km (1998)

Ports and harbors: Belem, Fortaleza, Ilheus, Imbituba, Manaus,
Paranagua, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande, Salvador,
Santos, Vitoria

Merchant marine: total: 165 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,662,570 GRT/5,875,933 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Chile 2, Germany 6, Greece 1, Monaco 1 (2002 est.) ships by type: bulk 32, cargo 25, chemical tanker 5, combination ore/oil 9, container 12, liquefied gas 11, multi-functional large-load carrier 1, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 54, roll on/roll off 10, short-sea passenger 1

Airports: 3,365 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 627 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 21 1,524 to 2,437 m: 153 914 to 1,523 m: 407 under 914 m: 40 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: 1,316 under 914 m: Military Brazil

Military branches: Brazilian Army, Brazilian Navy (includes naval air and marines), Brazilian Air Force, Federal Police (paramilitary)

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 48,859,610 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 32,743,504 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 1,762,740 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $13.408 billion (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.9% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Brazil

Disputes - international: uncontested dispute with Uruguay over islands in the Rio Quarai (Rio Cuareim) and the Arroio Invernada (Arroyo de la Invernada)

Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis; minor coca cultivation in the Amazon region, used for domestic consumption; government has a large-scale eradication program to control cannabis; important transshipment country for Colombian and Peruvian cocaine headed for the US and Europe; also used by traffickers as a way station for narcotics air transshipments between Peru and Colombia; upsurge in drug-related violence and weapons smuggling; important market for Colombian, Bolivian, and Peruvian cocaine

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Bassas da India

Introduction

Bassas da India

Background: This atoll is a volcanic rock surrounded by reefs and is awash at high tide. A French possession since 1897, it was placed under the administration of a commissioner residing in Reunion in 1968.

Geography Bassas da India

Location: Southern Africa, islands in the southern Mozambique Channel, about one-half of the way from Madagascar to Mozambique

Geographic coordinates: 21 30 S, 39 50 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 0.2 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 0.2 sq km

Area - comparative: about one-third the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 35.2 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical

Terrain: volcanic rock

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 2.4 m

Natural resources: none

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (all rock) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: maritime hazard since it is usually under water during high tide and surrounded by reefs; subject to periodic cyclones

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: the islands emerge from a circular reef that sits atop a long-extinct, submerged volcano

People Bassas da India

Population: uninhabited (July 2002 est.)

Population growth rate: NA

Government Bassas da India

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Bassas da India

Dependency status: possession of France; administered by a high commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion

Legal system: the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Flag description: the flag of France is used

Economy Bassas da India

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Transportation Bassas da India

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Military Bassas da India

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Bassas da India

Disputes - international: claimed by Madagascar

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Bhutan

Introduction

Bhutan

Background: In 1865, Britain and Bhutan signed the Treaty of Sinchulu, under which Bhutan would receive an annual subsidy in exchange for ceding some border land. Under British influence, a monarchy was set up in 1907; three years later, a treaty was signed whereby the British agreed not to interfere in Bhutanese internal affairs and Bhutan allowed Britain to direct its foreign affairs. This role was assumed by independent India after 1947. Two years later, a formal Indo-Bhutanese accord returned the areas of Bhutan annexed by the British, formalized the annual subsidies the country received, and defined India's responsibilities in defense and foreign relations. A refugee issue of some 100,000 Bhutanese in Nepal remains unresolved; 90% of the refugees are housed in seven United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) camps. Maoist Assamese separatists from India, who have established themselves in the southeast portion of Bhutan, have drawn Indian cross-border incursions.

Geography Bhutan

Location: Southern Asia, between China and India

Geographic coordinates: 27 30 N, 90 30 E

Map references: Asia

Area: total: 47,000 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 47,000 sq km

Area - comparative: about half the size of Indiana

Land boundaries: total: 1,075 km border countries: China 470 km, India 605 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: varies; tropical in southern plains; cool winters and hot summers in central valleys; severe winters and cool summers in Himalayas

Terrain: mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Drangme Chhu 97 m highest point:
Kula Kangri 7,553 m

Natural resources: timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbide

Land use: arable land: 3% permanent crops: 0% other: 97% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 400 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: violent storms from the Himalayas are the source of the country's name which translates as Land of the Thunder Dragon; frequent landslides during the rainy season

Environment - current issues: soil erosion; limited access to potable water

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Nuclear Test Ban signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note: landlocked; strategic location between China and India; controls several key Himalayan mountain passes

People Bhutan

Population: 2,094,176 note: other estimates range as low as 810,000
(July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 39.8% (male 431,883; female 401,386) 15-64 years: 56.2% (male 606,184; female 571,310) 65 years and over: 4% (male 42,193; female 41,220) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.15% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 35.26 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 13.74 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 106.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 52.83 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 5 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: less than 0.01% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: less than 100 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Bhutanese (singular and plural) adjective: Bhutanese

Ethnic groups: Bhote 50%, ethnic Nepalese 35% (includes Lhotsampas—one of several Nepalese ethnic groups), indigenous or migrant tribes 15%

Religions: Lamaistic Buddhist 75%, Indian- and Nepalese-influenced
Hinduism 25%

Languages: Dzongkha (official), Bhotes speak various Tibetan dialects,
Nepalese speak various Nepalese dialects

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 42.2% male: 56.2% female: 28.1% (1995 est.)

Government Bhutan

Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Bhutan conventional short form: Bhutan

Government type: monarchy; special treaty relationship with India

Capital: Thimphu

Administrative divisions: 18 districts (dzongkhag, singular and plural);
Bumthang, Chhukha, Chirang, Dagana, Geylegphug, Ha, Lhuntshi, Mongar,
Paro, Pemagatsel, Punakha, Samchi, Samdrup Jongkhar, Shemgang, Tashigang,
Thimphu, Tongsa, Wangdi Phodrang note: there may be two new districts
named Gasa and Yangtse

Independence: 8 August 1949 (from India)

National holiday: National Day (Ugyen WANGCHUCK became first hereditary king), 17 December (1907)

Constitution: no written constitution or bill of rights; note - Bhutan uses 1953 Royal decree for the Constitution of the National Assembly; on 7 July 1998, a Royal edict was ratified giving the National Assembly additional powers

Legal system: based on Indian law and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: each family has one vote in village-level elections

Executive branch: chief of state: King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK (since 24 July 1972) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary, but democratic reforms in July 1998 grant the National Assembly authority to remove the monarch with two-thirds vote head of government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers Lyonpo Khandu WANGCHUK (since 8 August 2001) cabinet: Council of Ministers (Lhengye Shungtsog) nominated by the monarch, approved by the National Assembly; members serve fixed, five-year terms; note - there is also a Royal Advisory Council (Lodoi Tsokde), members nominated by the monarch

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Tshogdu (150 seats; 105 elected from village constituencies, 10 represent religious bodies, and 35 are designated by the monarch to represent government and other secular interests; members serve three-year terms) elections: last held NA (next to be held NA) election results: NA

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Appeal (the monarch); High Court (judges appointed by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders: no legal parties

Political pressure groups and leaders: Buddhist clergy; ethnic Nepalese organizations leading militant antigovernment campaign; Indian merchant community; United Front for Democracy (exiled)

International organization participation: AsDB, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IMF, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OPCW (signatory), SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: none; note - Bhutan has a Permanent
Mission to the UN; address: 2 United Nations Plaza, 27th Floor, New York,
NY 10017; telephone [1] (212) 826-1919; the Bhutanese mission to the UN
has consular jurisdiction in the US consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US and Bhutan have no formal diplomatic relations, although informal contact is maintained between the Bhutanese and US Embassy in New Delhi (India)

Flag description: divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; the upper triangle is yellow and the lower triangle is orange; centered along the dividing line is a large black and white dragon facing away from the hoist side

Economy Bhutan

Economy - overview: The economy, one of the world's smallest and least developed, is based on agriculture and forestry, providing the main livelihood for more than 90% of the population. Agriculture consists largely of subsistence farming and animal husbandry. Rugged mountains dominate the terrain and make the building of roads and other infrastructure difficult and expensive. The economy is closely aligned with India's through strong trade and monetary links. The industrial sector is technologically backward, with most production of the cottage industry type. Most development projects, such as road construction, rely on Indian migrant labor. Bhutan's hydropower potential and its attraction for tourists are key resources. The Bhutanese Government has made some progress in expanding the nation's productive base and improving social welfare. Model education, social, and environment programs in Bhutan are underway with support from multilateral development organizations. Each economic program takes into account the government's desire to protect the country's environment and cultural traditions. Detailed controls and uncertain policies in areas like industrial licensing, trade, labor, and finance continue to hamper foreign investment. Major hydroelectric projects will lead expansion of GDP in 2002 by an estimated 6%.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $2.5 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 6% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 45% industry: 20% services: 35% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7% (2000 est.)

Labor force: NA note: massive lack of skilled labor

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 93%, services 5%, industry and commerce 2%

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $146 million expenditures: $152 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY95/96 est.) note: the government of India finances nearly three-fifths of Bhutan's budget expenditures

Industries: cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages, calcium carbide

Industrial production growth rate: 9.3% (1996 est.)

Electricity - production: 1.876 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0.05% hydro: 99.95% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 380.68 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 1.385 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 21 million kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: rice, corn, root crops, citrus, foodgrains; dairy products, eggs

Exports: $154 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Exports - commodities: electricity (to India), cardamom, gypsum, timber, handicrafts, cement, fruit, precious stones, spices

Exports - partners: India 94%, Bangladesh

Imports: $196 million (c.i.f., 2000 est.)

Imports - commodities: fuel and lubricants, grain, machinery and parts, vehicles, fabrics, rice

Imports - partners: India 77%, Japan, UK, Germany, US

Debt - external: $245 million (1998)

Economic aid - recipient: substantial aid from India and other nations

Currency: ngultrum (BTN); Indian rupee (INR)

Currency code: BTN; INR

Exchange rates: ngultrum per US dollar - 48.336 (January 2002), 47.186 (2001), 44.942 (2000), 43.055 (1999), 41.259 (1998), 36.313 (1997); note - the Bhutanese ngultrum is at par with the Indian rupee which is also legal tender

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Communications Bhutan

Telephones - main lines in use: 6,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: NA

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: domestic telephone service is very poor with few telephones in use international: international telephone and telegraph service is by landline through India; a satellite earth station was planned (1990)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios: 37,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 0 (1997)

Televisions: 11,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .bt

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA

Internet users: 500 (2000)

Transportation Bhutan

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 3,285 km paved: 1,994 km unpaved: 1,291 km (1996)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: none

Airports: 2 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)

Military Bhutan

Military branches: Royal Bhutan Army, Royal Bodyguard, National Militia,
Royal Bhutan Police, Forest Guards

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 517,470 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 276,303 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 21,167 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $9.3 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.9% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Bhutan

Disputes - international: approximately 100,000 Bhutanese refugees living in Nepal, 90% of whom reside in seven UN Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees camps, place decades-long strains on Nepal

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Bulgaria

Introduction

Bulgaria

Background: The Bulgars, a Central Asian Turkic tribe, merged with the local Slavic inhabitants in the late 7th century to form the first Bulgarian state. In succeeding centuries, Bulgaria struggled with the Byzantine Empire to assert its place in the Balkans, but by the end of the 14th century the country was overrun by the Ottoman Turks. Bulgaria regained its independence in 1878, but having fought on the losing side in both World Wars, it fell within the Soviet sphere of influence and became a People's Republic in 1946. Communist domination ended in 1990, when Bulgaria held its first multiparty election since World War II and began the contentious process of moving toward political democracy and a market economy while combating inflation, unemployment, corruption, and crime. Today, reforms and democratization keep Bulgaria on a path toward eventual integration into NATO and the EU - with which it began accession negotiations in 2000.

Geography Bulgaria

Location: Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Romania and Turkey

Geographic coordinates: 43 00 N, 25 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 110,910 sq km water: 360 sq km land: 110,550 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Tennessee

Land boundaries: total: 1,808 km border countries: Greece 494 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 148 km, Romania 608 km, Yugoslavia 318 km, Turkey 240 km

Coastline: 354 km

Maritime claims: 200 NM territorial sea: Climate: temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers

Terrain: mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Black Sea 0 m highest point: Musala 2,925 m

Natural resources: bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land

Land use: arable land: 39% permanent crops: 2% other: 59% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 8,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: earthquakes, landslides

Environment - current issues: air pollution from industrial emissions; rivers polluted from raw sewage, heavy metals, detergents; deforestation; forest damage from air pollution and resulting acid rain; soil contamination from heavy metals from metallurgical plants and industrial wastes

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air
Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants,
Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law
of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Geography - note: strategic location
near Turkish Straits; controls key land routes from Europe to Middle
East and Asia

People Bulgaria

Population: 7,621,337 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 14.6% (male 572,961; female 543,004) 15-64 years: 68.5% (male 2,569,199; female 2,648,461) 65 years and over: 16.9% (male 540,109; female 747,603) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: -1.11% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 8.05 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 14.42 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -4.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 14.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 75.22 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.13 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.01% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 346 (2000)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Bulgarian(s) adjective: Bulgarian

Ethnic groups: Bulgarian 83.6%, Turk 9.5%, Roma 4.6%, other 2.3% (including Macedonian, Armenian, Tatar, Circassian) (1998)

Religions: Bulgarian Orthodox 83.8%, Muslim 12.1%, Roman Catholic 1.7%,
Jewish 0.8%, Protestant, Gregorian-Armenian, and other 1.6% (1998)

Languages: Bulgarian, secondary languages closely correspond to ethnic breakdown

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 99% female: 98% (1999)

Government Bulgaria

Country name: Republic of Bulgaria conventional short form: Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Sofia

Administrative divisions: 28 provinces (oblasti, singular - oblast);
Blagoevgrad, Burgas, Dobrich, Gabrovo, Khaskovo, Kurdzhali, Kyustendil,
Lovech, Montana, Pazardzhik, Pernik, Pleven, Plovdiv, Razgrad, Ruse,
Shumen, Silistra, Sliven, Smolyan, Sofiya, Sofiya-Grad, Stara Zagora,
Turgovishte, Varna, Veliko Turnovo, Vidin, Vratsa, Yambol

Independence: 3 March 1878 (from Ottoman Empire)

National holiday: Liberation Day, 3 March (1878)

Constitution: adopted 12 July 1991

Legal system: civil law and criminal law based on Roman law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Georgi PARVANOV (since 22 January 2002); Vice President Angel MARIN (since 22 January 2002) head of government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers (Prime Minister) Simeon SAXE-COBURG-GOTHA (since 24 July 2001); Deputy Prime Ministers Nikolay VASILEV (since 24 July 2001), Kostadin PASKALEV (since 24 July 2001), and Lidiya SHULEVA (since 24 July 2001) cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the National Assembly elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 11 November and 18 November 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); chairman of the Council of Ministers (prime minister) nominated by the president; deputy prime ministers nominated by the prime minister election results: 54.13%, Petar STOYANOV 45.87%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Narodno Sobranie (240 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 17 June 2001 (next to be held NA June 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - NMS2 42.74%, UHdDF 18.18%, CFB 17.15%, MRF 7.45%; seats by party - NMS2 120, UHdDF 51, CFB 48, MRF 21; note - seating as of February 2002 - NMS2 115, UHdDF 51, CFB 48, MRF 21, independents 5

Judicial branch: Supreme Administrative Court; Supreme Court of Cassation; Constitutional Court (12 justices appointed or elected for nine-year terms); Supreme Judicial Council (consists of the chairmen of the two Supreme Courts, the Chief Prosecutor, and 22 other members; responsible for appointing the justices, prosecutors, and investigating magistrates in the justice system; members of the Supreme Judicial Council elected for five-year terms, 11 elected by the National Assembly and 11 by bodies of the judiciary)

Political parties and leaders: Bulgarian Radical Union [Evgeniy
BAKURDZHIEV]; Bulgarian Socialist Party or BSP [Sergei STANISHEV];
Coalition for Bulgaria or CFB (bloc led by BSP, includes Ecoglasnost
Political Club and Bulgarian Agrarian National Union) [leader NA];
Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization or VMRO [Krasimir
KARAKACHNOV]; Movement for Rights and Freedoms or MRF [Ahmed DOGAN];
National Movement for Simeon II or NMS2 [Simeon SAXE-COBURG-GOTHA]; New
Civic Party for Bulgaria [Bogomil BONEV]; People's Union or PU (includes
Bulgarian Agrarian National Union and Democratic Party) [Anastasiya
MOZER]; St. George's Day [Lyuben DILOV, Jr.]; Union of Democratic Forces
or UHdDF [Ekaterina MIKHAYLOVA]; Union of Free Democrats or UFD [Stefan
SOFIYANSKI]; United Democratic Forces (consisting of UHdDF and People's
Union) [Ekaterina MIKHAYLOVA]

Political pressure groups and leaders: agrarian movement; Bulgarian Democratic Center; Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria or CITUB; Democratic Alliance for the Republic or DAR; New Union for Democracy or NUD; Podkrepa Labor Confederation; numerous regional, ethnic, and national interest groups with various agendas

International organization participation: ACCT, Australia Group, BIS,
BSEC, CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, G- 9,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer),
OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UPU, WCL, WEU (associate partner),
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: Ambassador-designate Elena
POPTODOROVA consulate(s): 1621 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Richard M. MILES embassy: 1 Suborna Street, Sofia mailing address:
American Embassy Sofia, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5740
telephone: [359] (2) 937-5100 FAX: [359] (2) 981-89-77

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of white (top), green, and red; the national emblem formerly on the hoist side of the white stripe has been removed - it contained a rampant lion within a wreath of wheat ears below a red five-pointed star and above a ribbon bearing the dates 681 (first Bulgarian state established) and 1944 (liberation from Nazi control)

Economy Bulgaria

Economy - overview: Bulgaria, a former communist country striving to enter the European Union, has experienced macroeconomic stability and positive growth rates since a major economic downturn in 1996 led to the fall of the then socialist government. The current government, elected in 2001, has pledged to maintain the fundamental economic policy objectives of its predecessor, i.e., retaining the Currency Board, practicing sound financial policies, accelerating privatization, and pursuing structural reforms. A $300 million stand-by agreement negotiated with the IMF at the end of 2001 will help the government maintain economic stability as it seeks to overcome high rates of poverty and unemployment.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $48 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $6,200 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 14.5% industry: 27.8% services: 57.7% (2000)

Population below poverty line: 35% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.5% highest 10%: 22.8% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 34.1 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.5% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 3.83 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 26%, industry 31%, services 43% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate: 17.5% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $5.57 billion expenditures: $5.68 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Industries: electricity, gas and water; food, beverages and tobacco; machinery and equipment, base metals, chemical products, coke, refined petroleum, nuclear fuel

Industrial production growth rate: 2% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 38.84 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 47.9% hydro: 7.54% other: 0.1% (2000) nuclear: 44.46%

Electricity - consumption: 34.42 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 3.2 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 1.5 billion kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: vegetables, fruits, tobacco, livestock, wine, wheat, barley, sunflowers, sugar beets

Exports: $4.6 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: clothing, footwear, iron and steel, machinery and equipment, fuels

Exports - partners: Italy 14%, Turkey 10%, Germany 9%, Greece 8%,
Yugoslavia 8% (2000)

Imports: $6.2 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: fuels, minerals, and raw materials; machinery and equipment; metals and ores; chemicals and plastics; food, textiles

Imports - partners: Russia 24%, Germany 14%, Italy 8%, Greece 5%,
France 5% (2000)

Debt - external: $10.2 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $1 billion (1999 est.)

Currency: lev (BGL)

Currency code: BGL

Exchange rates: leva per US dollar - 2.2147 (January 2002), 2.1847 (2001), 2.1233 (2000), 1.8364 (1999), 1,760.36 (1998), 1,681.88 (1997) note: on 5 July 1999, the lev was redenominated; the post-5 July 1999 lev is equal to 1,000 of the pre-5 July 1999 lev

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Bulgaria

Telephones - main lines in use: 3,186,731 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 1.054 million (2001)

Telephone system: general assessment: extensive but antiquated domestic: more than two-thirds of the lines are residential; telephone service is available in most villages; a fairly modern digital cable trunk line now connects switching centers in most of the regions, the others are connected by digital microwave radio relay international: direct dialing to 58 countries; satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); 2 Intelsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 31, FM 63, shortwave 2 (2001)

Radios: 4.51 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 39 (plus 1,242 repeaters) (2001)

Televisions: 3.31 million (1997)

Internet country code: .bg

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 200 (2001)

Internet users: 585,000 (2001)

Transportation Bulgaria

Railways: total: 4,294 km standard gauge: 4,049 km 1.435-m gauge (2,710 km electrified) narrow gauge: 245 km 0.760-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 37,288 km paved: 33,786 km (including 324 km of expressways) unpaved: 3,502 km (2001)

Waterways: 470 km (1987)

Pipelines: petroleum products 525 km; natural gas 1,500 km (1999)

Ports and harbors: Burgas, Lom, Nesebur, Ruse, Varna, Vidin

Merchant marine: total: 77 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 881,758 GRT/1,312,833 DWT ships by type: bulk 43, cargo 15, chemical tanker 4, container 2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 4, railcar carrier 2, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 3, short-sea passenger 1, specialized tanker 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 215 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 129 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 93 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 15

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 86 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 74 (2001)

Heliports: 1 (2001)

Military Bulgaria

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces (subordinate to Ministry of Defense), Internal Forces (subordinate to Ministry of Interior), Civil Defense Forces (subordinate to the president)

Military manpower - military age: 19 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,873,052 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,566,816 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 56,104 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $356 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.7% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Bulgaria

Disputes - international: because of a shift in the Danube course since the last correction of the boundary in 1920, a joint Bulgarian-Romanian team will recommend sovereignty changes to several islands and redefine the boundary

Illicit drugs: major European transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and, to a lesser degree, South American cocaine for the European market; limited producer of precursor chemicals

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Bouvet Island

Introduction

Bouvet Island

Background: This uninhabited volcanic island is almost entirely covered by glaciers and is difficult to approach. It was discovered in 1739 by a French naval officer after whom the island was named. No claim was made until 1825 when the British flag was raised. In 1928, the UK waived its claim in favor of Norway, which had occupied the island the previous year. In 1971, Bouvet Island and the adjacent territorial waters were designated a nature reserve. Since 1977, Norway has run an automated meteorological station on the island.

Geography Bouvet Island

Location: Southern Africa, island in the South Atlantic Ocean, south-southwest of the Cape of Good Hope (South Africa)

Geographic coordinates: 54 26 S, 3 24 E

Map references: Antarctic Region

Area: total: 58.5 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 58.5 sq km

Area - comparative: about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 29.6 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 4 NM

Climate: antarctic

Terrain: volcanic; coast is mostly inaccessible

Elevation extremes: lowest point: South Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Olav Peak 935 m

Natural resources: none

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (93% ice) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: covered by glacial ice; declared a nature reserve

People Bouvet Island

Population: uninhabited (July 2002 est.)

Population growth rate: NA

Government Bouvet Island

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Bouvet Island

Dependency status: territory of Norway; administered by the Polar
Department of the Ministry of Justice and Police from Oslo

Legal system: the laws of Norway, where applicable, apply

Flag description: the flag of Norway is used

Economy Bouvet Island

Economy - overview: no economic activity; declared a nature reserve

Communications Bouvet Island

Internet country code: .bv

Communications - note: automatic meteorological station

Transportation Bouvet Island

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Military Bouvet Island

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Norway

Transnational Issues Bouvet Island

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Brunei

Introduction

Brunei

Background: The Sultanate of Brunei's heyday occurred between the 15th and 17th centuries, when its control extended over coastal areas of northwest Borneo and the southern Philippines. Brunei subsequently entered a period of decline brought on by internal strife over royal succession, colonial expansion of European powers, and piracy. In 1888, Brunei became a British protectorate; independence was achieved in 1984. Brunei benefits from extensive petroleum and natural gas fields, the source of one of the highest per capita GDPs in the less developed countries. The same family has now ruled Brunei for over six centuries.

Geography Brunei

Location: Southeastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and Malaysia

Geographic coordinates: 4 30 N, 114 40 E

Map references: Southeast Asia

Area: total: 5,770 sq km water: 500 sq km land: 5,270 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Delaware

Land boundaries: total: 381 km border countries: Malaysia 381 km

Coastline: 161 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM or to median line territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical; hot, humid, rainy

Terrain: flat coastal plain rises to mountains in east; hilly lowland in west

Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point:
Bukit Pagon 1,850 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, timber

Land use: arable land: 1% permanent crops: 1% other: 98% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 10 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are very rare

Environment - current issues: seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia

Environment - international agreements: party to: Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: close to vital sea lanes through South China Sea linking Indian and Pacific Oceans; two parts physically separated by Malaysia; almost an enclave of Malaysia

People Brunei

Population: 350,898 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 30.2% (male 54,038; female 51,833) 15-64 years: 67% (male 125,051; female 110,257) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 4,609; female 5,110) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.06% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 20.06 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 3.38 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 3.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.13 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 13.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 76.56 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.4 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: less than 100 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Bruneian(s) adjective: Bruneian

Ethnic groups: Malay 67%, Chinese 15%, indigenous 6%, other 12%

Religions: Muslim (official) 67%, Buddhist 13%, Christian 10%, indigenous beliefs and other 10%

Languages: Malay (official), English, Chinese

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 88.2% male: 92.6% female: 83.4% (1995 est.)

Government Brunei

Country name: conventional long form: Negara Brunei Darussalam conventional short form: Brunei

Government type: constitutional sultanate

Capital: Bandar Seri Begawan

Administrative divisions: 4 districts (daerah-daerah, singular - daerah);
Belait, Brunei and Muara, Temburong, Tutong

Independence: 1 January 1984 (from UK)

National holiday: National Day, 23 February (1984); note - 1 January 1984 was the date of independence from the UK, 23 February 1984 was the date of independence from British protection

Constitution: 29 September 1959 (some provisions suspended under a
State of Emergency since December 1962, others since independence on 1
January 1984)

Legal system: based on English common law; for Muslims, Islamic Shari'a law supersedes civil law in a number of areas

Suffrage: none

Executive branch: chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah (since 5 October 1967); note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah (since 5 October 1967); note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Cabinet Ministers appointed and presided over by the monarch; deals with executive matters; note - there is also a Religious Council (members appointed by the monarch) that advises on religious matters, a Privy Council (members appointed by the monarch) that deals with constitutional matters, and the Council of Succession (members appointed by the monarch) that determines the succession to the throne if the need arises elections: Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council or Majlis Masyuarat Megeri (a privy council that serves only in a consultative capacity; NA seats; members last held in March 1962 note: monarch; an elected Legislative Council is being considered as part of constitutional reform, but elections are unlikely for several years

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (chief justice and judges are sworn in by the monarch for three-year terms)

Political parties and leaders: Brunei Solidarity National Party or PPKB in Malay [Haji Mohd HATTA bin Haji Zainal Abidin, president]; the PPKB is the only legal political party in Brunei; it was registered in 1985, but became largely inactive after 1988, it was revived in 1995 and again in 1998; it has less than 200 registered party members; other parties include Brunei People's Party or PRB (banned in 1962) and Brunei National Democratic Party (registered in May 1965, deregistered by the Brunei Government in 1988)

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: APEC, ARF, ASEAN, C, CCC,
ESCAP, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador PUTEH ibni Mohammad Alam FAX: [1] (202) 885-0560 telephone: [1] (202) 237-1838 chancery: 3520 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Sylvia Gaye STANFIELD embassy: Third Floor, Teck Guan Plaza, Jalan
Sultan, Bandar Seri Begawan mailing address: PSC 470 (BSB), FPO AP 96507
telephone: [673] (2) 229670 FAX: [673] (2) 225293

Flag description: yellow with two diagonal bands of white (top, almost double width) and black starting from the upper hoist side; the national emblem in red is superimposed at the center; the emblem includes a swallow-tailed flag on top of a winged column within an upturned crescent above a scroll and flanked by two upraised hands

Economy Brunei

Economy - overview: This small, wealthy economy is a mixture of foreign and domestic entrepreneurship, government regulation, welfare measures, and village tradition. Crude oil and natural gas production account for nearly half of GDP. Per capita GDP is far above most other Third World countries, and substantial income from overseas investment supplements income from domestic production. The government provides for all medical services and subsidizes rice and housing. Brunei's leaders are concerned that steadily increased integration in the world economy will undermine internal social cohesion although it became a more prominent player by serving as chairman for the 2000 APEC (Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation) forum. Plans for the future include upgrading the labor force, reducing unemployment, strengthening the banking and tourist sectors, and, in general, further widening the economic base beyond oil and gas.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $6.2 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $18,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5% industry: 45% services: 50% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1% (1999 est.)

Labor force: 143,400 (1999 est.); note - includes foreign workers and military personnel note: temporary residents make up 41% of labor force (1991)

Labor force - by occupation: government 48%, production of oil, natural gas, services, and construction 42%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 10% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: 10% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $2.5 billion expenditures: $2.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.35 billion (1997 est.)

Industries: petroleum, petroleum refining, liquefied natural gas, construction

Industrial production growth rate: 4% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production: 2.22 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 2.065 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: rice, vegetables, fruits, chickens, water buffalo

Exports: $3 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Exports - commodities: crude oil, natural gas, refined products

Exports - partners: Japan 42%, US 17%, South Korea 14%, Thailand 3% (1999)

Imports: $1.4 billion (c.i.f., 2000 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, chemicals

Imports - partners: Singapore 34%, UK 15%, Malaysia 15%, US 5% (1999)

Debt - external: $0

Economic aid - recipient: $4.3 million (1995)

Currency: Bruneian dollar (BND)

Currency code: BND

Exchange rates: Bruneian dollars per US dollar - 1.8388 (January 2002), 1.8917 (2001), 1.7240 (2000), 1.6950 (1999), 1.6736 (1998), 1.4848 (1997); note - the Bruneian dollar is at par with the Singapore dollar

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Brunei

Telephones - main lines in use: 79,000 (1996)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 43,524 (1996)

Telephone system: general assessment: service throughout country is excellent; international service good to Europe, US, and East Asia domestic: every service available international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean); digital submarine cable links to Malaysia, Singapore, and Philippines (2001)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 10, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 329,000 (1998)

Television broadcast stations: 2 (1997)

Televisions: 201,900 (1998)

Internet country code: .bn

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)

Internet users: 28,000 (2001)

Transportation Brunei

Railways: total: 13 km (private line) narrow gauge: 13 km 0.610-m gauge (2001 est.)

Highways: total: 1,712 km paved: 1,284 km unpaved: 428 km (1996)

Waterways: 209 km; navigable by craft drawing less than 1.2 m

Pipelines: crude oil 135 km; petroleum products 418 km; natural gas 920 km

Ports and harbors: Bandar Seri Begawan, Kuala Belait, Muara, Seria,
Tutong

Merchant marine: total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 348,476
GRT/340,635 DWT ships by type: liquefied gas 7 note: includes some
foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: United
Kingdom 7 (2002 est.)

Airports: 2 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)

Heliports: 3 (2001)

Military Brunei

Military branches: Land Forces, Navy, Air Force, Royal Brunei Police

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 108,921 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 62,864 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 3,005 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $343 million (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 5.1% (FY98)

Transnational Issues Brunei

Disputes - international: Brunei established an exclusive economic fishing zone encompassing Louisa Reef in southern Spratly Islands in 1984, but makes no public territorial claim to the offshore reefs

Illicit drugs: drug trafficking and illegally importing controlled substances are serious offenses in Brunei and carry a mandatory death penalty

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Burundi

Introduction

Burundi

Background: Burundi's first democratically elected president was assassinated in October 1993 after only four months in office. Since then, some 200,000 Burundians have perished in widespread, often intense ethnic violence between Hutu and Tutsi factions. Hundreds of thousands have been internally displaced or have become refugees in neighboring countries. Burundian troops, seeking to secure their borders, intervened in the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1998. More recently, many of these troops have been redeployed back to Burundi to deal with periodic upsurges in rebel activity. A new transitional government, inaugurated on 1 November 2001, was to be the first step towards holding national elections in three years. However, the unwillingness of the Hutu rebels to enact a cease fire with Bujumbura continues to obstruct prospects for a sustainable peace.

Geography Burundi

Location: Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Geographic coordinates: 3 30 S, 30 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 27,830 sq km water: 2,180 sq km land: 25,650 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries: total: 974 km border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 233 km, Rwanda 290 km, Tanzania 451 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: equatorial; high plateau with considerable altitude variation (772 m to 2,670 m above sea level); average annual temperature varies with altitude from 23 to 17 degrees centigrade but is generally moderate as the average altitude is about 1,700 m; average annual rainfall is about 150 cm; wet seasons from February to May and September to November, and dry seasons from June to August and December to January

Terrain: hilly and mountainous, dropping to a plateau in east, some plains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Lake Tanganyika 772 m highest point:
Mount Heha 2,670 m

Natural resources: nickel, uranium, rare earth oxides, peat, cobalt, copper, platinum (not yet exploited), vanadium, arable land, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 30% permanent crops: 13% other: 57% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 740 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: flooding, landslides, drought

Environment - current issues: soil erosion as a result of overgrazing and the expansion of agriculture into marginal lands; deforestation (little forested land remains because of uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel); habitat loss threatens wildlife populations

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection signed,
but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban

Geography - note: landlocked; straddles crest of the Nile-Congo watershed; the Kagera, which drains into Lake Victoria, is the most remote headstream of the White Nile

People Burundi

Population: 6,373,002 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 46.5% (male 1,497,865; female 1,466,455) 15-64 years: 50.7% (male 1,592,253; female 1,640,254) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 71,915; female 104,260) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.36% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 39.87 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 16.3 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 69.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 46.83 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 6.07 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 11.32% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 360,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 39,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Burundian(s) adjective: Burundi

Ethnic groups: Hutu (Bantu) 85%, Tutsi (Hamitic) 14%, Twa (Pygmy) 1%,
Europeans 3,000, South Asians 2,000

Religions: Christian 67% (Roman Catholic 62%, Protestant 5%), indigenous beliefs 23%, Muslim 10%

Languages: Kirundi (official), French (official), Swahili (along Lake
Tanganyika and in the Bujumbura area)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 35.3% male: 49.3% female: 22.5% (1995 est.)

Government Burundi

Country name: Republic of Burundi conventional short form: former:
Urundi

Government type: republic

Capital: Bujumbura

Administrative divisions: 16 provinces; Bubanza, Bujumbura, Bururi,
Cankuzo, Cibitoke, Gitega, Karuzi, Kayanza, Kirundo, Makamba, Muramvya,
Muyinga, Mwaro, Ngozi, Rutana, Ruyigi

Independence: 1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian administration)

National holiday: Independence Day, 1 July (1962)

Constitution: 13 March 1992; provided for establishment of a plural political system; supplanted on 6 June 1998 by a Transitional Constitution which enlarged the National Assembly and created two vice presidents

Legal system: based on German and Belgian civil codes and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: NA years of age; universal adult

Executive branch: chief of state: President Pierre BUYOYA (a Tutsi, was sworn in as president of a transition government on 1 November 2001; he is scheduled to hold office for 18 months before transferring power to his vice president, a Hutu); Vice President Domitien NDAYIZEYE (since 1 November 2001) head of government: President Pierre BUYOYA (a Tutsi, was sworn in as president of a transition government on 1 November 2001; he is scheduled to hold office for 18 months before transferring power to his vice president, a Hutu); Vice President Domitien NDAYIZEYE (since 1 November 2001) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by president elections: NA; current president assumed power following a coup on 25 July 1996 in which former President NTIBANTUNGANYA was overthrown

Legislative branch: bicameral, consists of a National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (expanded from 121 to approximately 140 seats under the transitional government inaugurated 1 November 2001; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and a Senate (54 seats; term length is undefined, the current senators will likely serve out the three-year transition period) elections: last held 29 June 1993 (next was scheduled to be held in 1998, but were suspended by presidential decree in 1996; elections are planned to follow the completion of the three-year transitional government) election results: percent of vote by party - FRODEBU 71.04%, UPRONA 21.4%, other 7.56%; seats by party - FRODEBU 65, UPRONA 16, civilians 27, other parties 13

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Constitutional Court;
Courts of Appeal (there are three in separate locations); Tribunals of
First Instance (17 at the province level and 123 small local tribunals)

Political parties and leaders: the two national, mainstream, governing parties are: Unity for National Progress or UPRONA [Luc RUKINGAMA, president]; Burundi Democratic Front or FRODEBU [Jean MINANI, president] note: a multiparty system was introduced after 1998, included are: Burundi African Alliance for the Salvation or ABASA [Terrence NSANZE]; Rally for Democracy and Economic and Social Development or RADDES [Joseph NZENZIMANA]; Party for National Redress or PARENA [Jean-Baptiste BAGAZA]; People's Reconciliation Party or PRP [Mathias HITIMANA]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Loosely organized Hutu and Tutsi militias, often affiliated with Hutu and Tutsi extremist parties or subordinate to government security forces

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEEAC,
CEPGL, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas
NDIKUMANA chancery: Suite 212, 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington,
DC 20007 FAX: [1] (202) 342-2578 telephone: [1] (202) 342-2574

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mary Carlin YATES embassy: Avenue des B. P. 1720, Bujumbura telephone: Flag description: divided by a white diagonal cross into red panels (top and bottom) and green panels (hoist side and outer side) with a white disk superimposed at the center bearing three red six-pointed stars outlined in green arranged in a triangular design (one star above, two stars below)

Economy Burundi

Economy - overview: Burundi is a landlocked, resource-poor country with an underdeveloped manufacturing sector. The economy is predominantly agricultural with roughly 90% of the population dependent on subsistence agriculture. Its economic health depends on the coffee crop, which accounts for 80% of foreign exchange earnings. The ability to pay for imports therefore rests largely on the vagaries of the climate and the international coffee market. Since October 1993 the nation has suffered from massive ethnic-based violence which has resulted in the death of more than 200,000 persons and the displacement of about 800,000 others. Only one in four children go to school, and more than one in ten adults has HIV/AIDS. Foods, medicines, and electricity remain in short supply. Doubts regarding the sustainability of peace continue to impede development. A Geneva donors' conference in November 2001 brought $800 million in pledges, and an IMF-staff-monitored program could lead to a further agreement in 2002.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $3.7 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 1.4% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $600 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 50% industry: 18% services: 32% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 70% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.4% highest 10%: 26.6% (1992)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 33.3 (1992)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 14% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 1.9 million

Labor force - by occupation: NA

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $125 million expenditures: $176 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Industries: light consumer goods such as blankets, shoes, soap; assembly of imported components; public works construction; food processing

Industrial production growth rate: 6.3% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production: 148 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0.68% other: 0% (2000) hydro: 99.32% nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 166.64 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 29 million kWh note: supplied by the Democratic
Republic of the Congo (2000)

Agriculture - products: coffee, cotton, tea, corn, sorghum, sweet potatoes, bananas, manioc (tapioca); beef, milk, hides

Exports: $24 million (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: coffee, tea, sugar, cotton, hides

Exports - partners: EU 52.5%, US 11.5%, Kenya 11.5%, Switzerland 4.9% (2000 est.)

Imports: $125 million (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: capital goods, petroleum products, foodstuffs

Imports - partners: EU 37.6%, Tanzania 10.3%, Zambia 4.3%, India 3.4%,
China 3.4% (2000 est.)

Debt - external: $1.12 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $74 million (1999)

Currency: Burundi franc (BIF)

Currency code: BIF

Exchange rates: Burundi francs per US dollar - 865.14 (January 2002), 830.35 (2001), 720.67 (2000), 563.56 (1999), 477.77 (1998), 352.35 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Burundi

Telephones - main lines in use: 20,000 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 16,300 (2000)

Telephone system: general assessment: primitive system domestic: sparse system of open wire, radiotelephone communications, and low-capacity microwave radio relay international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios: 440,000 (2001)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (2001)

Televisions: 25,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .bi

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: 2,000 (2000)

Transportation Burundi

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 14,480 km paved: 1,028 km unpaved: 13,452 km (1996)

Waterways: Lake Tanganyika

Ports and harbors: Bujumbura

Airports: 7 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2001)

Military Burundi

Military branches: Army (including naval and air units), Gendarmerie

Military manpower - military age: 16 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,439,032 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 752,584 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 79,360 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $36.9 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 5.3% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Burundi

Disputes - international: Tutsi, Hutu, and other conflicting ethnic groups, political rebels, and various government forces continue fighting in Great Lakes region, transcending the boundaries of Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Canada

Introduction

Canada

Background: A land of vast distances and rich natural resources, Canada became a self-governing dominion in 1867 while retaining ties to the British crown. Economically and technologically the nation has developed in parallel with the US, its neighbor to the south across an unfortified border. Its paramount political problem continues to be the relationship of the province of Quebec, with its French-speaking residents and unique culture, to the remainder of the country.

Geography Canada

Location: Northern North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean on the east, North Pacific Ocean on the west, and the Arctic Ocean on the north, north of the conterminous US

Geographic coordinates: 60 00 N, 95 00 W

Map references: North America

Area: total: 9,976,140 sq km land: 9,220,970 sq km water: 755,170 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than the US

Land boundaries: total: 8,893 km border countries: US 8,893 km (includes 2,477 km with Alaska)

Coastline: 243,791 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate: varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north

Terrain: mostly plains with mountains in west and lowlands in southeast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Mount Logan 5,959 m

Natural resources: iron ore, nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, molybdenum, potash, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, petroleum, natural gas, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 5% permanent crops: 0% other: 95% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 7,200 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: continuous permafrost in north is a serious obstacle to development; cyclonic storms form east of the Rocky Mountains, a result of the mixing of air masses from the Arctic, Pacific, and North American interior, and produce most of the country's rain and snow east of the mountains

Environment - current issues: air pollution and resulting acid rain severely affecting lakes and damaging forests; metal smelting, coal-burning utilities, and vehicle emissions impacting on agricultural and forest productivity; ocean waters becoming contaminated due to agricultural, industrial, mining, and forestry activities

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air
Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants,
Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Marine
Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber
94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note: second-largest country in world (after Russia); strategic location between Russia and US via north polar route; approximately 85% of the population is concentrated within 300 km of the US/Canada border

People Canada

Population: 31,902,268 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 18.7% (male 3,059,023; female 2,910,203) 15-64 years: 68.4% (male 10,975,701; female 10,857,869) 65 years and over: 12.9% (male 1,743,654; female 2,355,818) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.96% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 11.09 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 7.54 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 6.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 4.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 83.25 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.6 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.3% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 49,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 400 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Canadian(s) adjective: Canadian

Ethnic groups: British Isles origin 28%, French origin 23%, other European 15%, Amerindian 2%, other, mostly Asian, African, Arab 6%, mixed background 26%

Religions: Roman Catholic 46%, Protestant 36%, other 18% note: based on the 1991 census

Languages: English 59.3% (official), French 23.2% (official), other 17.5%

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% (1986 est.) male: NA% female: NA%

Government Canada

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Canada

Government type: confederation with parliamentary democracy

Capital: Ottawa

Administrative divisions: 10 provinces and 3 territories*; Alberta,
British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador,
Northwest Territories*, Nova Scotia, Nunavut*, Ontario, Prince Edward
Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory*

Independence: 1 July 1867 (from UK)

National holiday: Canada Day, 1 July (1867)

Constitution: 17 April 1982 (Constitution Act); originally, the machinery of the government was set up in the British North America Act of 1867; charter of rights and unwritten customs

Legal system: based on English common law, except in Quebec, where civil law system based on French law prevails; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Adrienne CLARKSON (since 7 October 1999) elections: monarch on the advice of the prime minister for a five-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party in the House of Commons is automatically designated by the governor general to become prime minister head of government: Prime Minister Jean CHRETIEN (since 4 November 1993); Deputy Prime Minister John MANLEY (since NA January 2002) cabinet: Federal Ministry chosen by the prime minister from among the members of his own party sitting in Parliament

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat (members appointed by the governor general with the advice of the prime minister and serve until reaching 75 years of age ; its normal limit is 104 senators) and the House of Commons or Chambre des Communes (301 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: House of Commons - last held 27 November 2000 (next to be held by 2005) election results: House of Commons - percent of vote by party - Liberal Party 41%, Conservative Alliance 26%, Bloc Quebecois 11%, New Democratic Party 9%, Progressive Conservative Party 12%; seats by party - Liberal Party 172, Conservative Alliance 66, Bloc Quebecois 38, New Democratic Party 13, Progressive Conservative Party 12; note - percent of vote by party as of January 2002 - Liberal Party 51%, Canadian Alliance 10%, Bloc Quebecois 10%, New Democratic Party 9%, Progressive Conservative Party 18%; seats by party - Liberal Party 172, Canadian Alliance 66, Bloc Quebecois 38, New Democratic Party 13, Progressive Conservative Party 12

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Canada (judges are appointed by the prime minister through the governor general); Federal Court of Canada; Federal Court of Appeal; Provincial Courts (these are named variously Court of Appeal, Court of Queens Bench, Superior Court, Supreme Court, and Court of Justice)

Political parties and leaders: Bloc Quebecois [Gilles DUCEPPE]; Canadian
Alliance [Stephen HARPER]; Liberal Party [Jean CHRETIEN]; New Democratic
Party [Alexa McDONOUGH]; Progressive Conservative Party [Joe CLARK]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACCT, AfDB, APEC, ARF (dialogue
partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CCC,
CDB, CE (observer), EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, ESA (cooperating state),
FAO, G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
MINURCA, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW,
OSCE, PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNMEE,
UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOVIC, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Michael
F. KERGIN chancery: 501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001 FAX:
[1] (202) 682-7726 telephone: [1] (202) 682-1740 consulate(s) general:
Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles,
Minneapolis, New York, and Seattle consulate(s): Miami, Princeton,
San Francisco, and San Jose

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Paul CELLUCCI embassy: 490 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 1G8 mailing address: P. O. Box 5000, Ogdensburg, NY 13669-0430 telephone: [1] (613) 238-5335, 4470 FAX: [1] (613) 238-5720 consulate(s) general: Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec, Toronto, and Vancouver

Flag description: three vertical bands of red (hoist side), white (double width, square), and red with a red maple leaf centered in the white band

Economy Canada

Economy - overview: As an affluent, high-tech industrial society, Canada today closely resembles the US in its market-oriented economic system, pattern of production, and high living standards. Since World War II, the impressive growth of the manufacturing, mining, and service sectors has transformed the nation from a largely rural economy into one primarily industrial and urban. The 1989 US-Canada Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) (which includes Mexico) touched off a dramatic increase in trade and economic integration with the US. As a result of the close cross-border relationship, the economic downturn in the United States in 2001 had a negative impact on the Canadian economy. Real growth averaged nearly 3% during 1993-2000, but declined in 2001. Unemployment is up, with contraction in the manufacturing and natural resource sectors. Nevertheless, with its great natural resources, skilled labor force, and modern capital plant Canada enjoys solid economic prospects. Two shadows loom, the first being the continuing constitutional impasse between English- and French-speaking areas, which has been raising the possibility of a split in the federation. Another long-term concern is the flow south to the US of professionals lured by higher pay, lower taxes, and the immense high-tech infrastructure.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $875 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 1.9% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $27,700 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2% industry: 29% services: 69% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 23.8% (1994)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 31.5 (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.8% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 16.4 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: services 74%, manufacturing 15%, construction 5%, agriculture 3%, other 3% (2000)

Unemployment rate: 7.2% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $178.6 billion expenditures: $161.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY00/01 est.)

Industries: transportation equipment, chemicals, processed and unprocessed minerals, food products; wood and paper products; fish products, petroleum and natural gas

Industrial production growth rate: 0.5% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 576.218 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 25.3% hydro: 61.22% other: 1.56% (2000) nuclear: 11.92%

Electricity - consumption: 499.766 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 48.802 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 12.685 billion kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, oilseed, tobacco, fruits, vegetables; dairy products; forest products; fish

Exports: $273.8 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: motor vehicles and parts, industrial machinery, aircraft, telecommunications equipment; chemicals, plastics, fertilizers; wood pulp, timber, crude petroleum, natural gas, electricity, aluminum

Exports - partners: US 86%, Japan 3%, UK, Germany, South Korea,
Netherlands, China (1999)

Imports: $238.3 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, crude oil, chemicals, electricity, durable consumer goods

Imports - partners: US 74%, EU 9%, Japan 3% (2000)

Debt - external: $1.9 billion (2000)

Economic aid - donor: ODA, $1.3 billion (1999)

Currency: Canadian dollar (CAD)

Currency code: CAD

Exchange rates: Canadian dollars per US dollar - 1.6003 (January 2002), 1.5488 (2001), 1.4851 (2000), 1.4857 (1999), 1.4835 (1998), 1.3846 (1997)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Communications Canada

Telephones - main lines in use: 18.5 million (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 4.207 million (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: excellent service provided by modern technology domestic: domestic satellite system with about 300 earth stations international: 5 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (4 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) and 2 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 535, FM 53, shortwave 6 (1998)

Radios: 32.3 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 80 (plus many repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 21.5 million (1997)

Internet country code: .ca

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 760 (2000 est.)

Internet users: 14.44 million (2001)

Transportation Canada

Railways: total: 36,114 km standard gauge: 36,114 km 1.435-m gauge (156 km electrified) note: Canada has two major transcontinental freight railway systems: Canadian National (privatized November 1995) and Canadian Pacific Railway; passenger service is provided by the government-operated firm VIA, which has no trackage of its own (2000 est.)

Highways: total: 901,902 km paved: 318,371 km (including 16,571 km of expressways) unpaved: 583,531 km (1999)

Waterways: 3,000 km (including Saint Lawrence Seaway)

Pipelines: crude and refined oil 23,564 km; natural gas 74,980 km

Ports and harbors: Becancour (Quebec), Churchill, Halifax, Hamilton,
Montreal, New Westminster, Prince Rupert, Quebec, Saint John (New
Brunswick), St. John's (Newfoundland), Sept Isles, Sydney, Trois-Rivieres,
Thunder Bay, Toronto, Vancouver, Windsor

Merchant marine: total: 122 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,797,240 GRT/2,680,223 DWT ships by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 66, cargo 13, chemical tanker 5, combination bulk 2, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 18, railcar carrier 2, roll on/roll off 8, short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Germany 3, Monaco 16, United Kingdom 1, United States 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 1,419 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 519 over 3,047 m: 18 2,438 to 3,047 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 244 under 914 m: 90 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 151

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 900 1,524 to 2,437 m: 74 914 to 1,523 m: 364 under 914 m: 462 (2001)

Heliports: 18 (2001)

Military Canada

Military branches: Canadian Armed Forces (comprising Land Forces Command,
Maritime Command, Air Command, Communications Command, Training Command)

Military manpower - military age: 17 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 8,361,475 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 7,139,068 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 217,516 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $7,860,500,000 (FY01/02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.1% (FY01/02)

Transnational Issues Canada

Disputes - international: maritime boundary disputes with the US (Dixon
Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, Machias Seal Island)

Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic drug market; use of hydroponics technology permits growers to plant large quantities of high-quality marijuana indoors; transit point for heroin and cocaine entering the US market

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Cambodia

Introduction

Cambodia

Background: Following a five-year struggle, Communist Khmer Rouge forces captured Phnom Penh in 1975 and ordered the evacuation of all cities and towns; over 1 million displaced people died from execution or enforced hardships. A 1978 Vietnamese invasion drove the Khmer Rouge into the countryside and touched off 13 years of fighting. UN-sponsored elections in 1993 helped restore some semblance of normalcy, as did the rapid diminishment of the Khmer Rouge in the mid-1990s. A coalition government, formed after national elections in 1998, brought renewed political stability and the surrender of remaining Khmer Rouge forces.

Geography Cambodia

Location: Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, between
Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos

Geographic coordinates: 13 00 N, 105 00 E

Map references: Southeast Asia

Area: total: 181,040 sq km land: 176,520 sq km water: 4,520 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Oklahoma

Land boundaries: total: 2,572 km border countries: Laos 541 km, Thailand 803 km, Vietnam 1,228 km

Coastline: 443 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate: tropical; rainy, monsoon season (May to November); dry season
(December to April); little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain: mostly low, flat plains; mountains in southwest and north

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m highest point:
Phnum Aoral 1,810 m

Natural resources: timber, gemstones, some iron ore, manganese, phosphates, hydropower potential

Land use: arable land: 21% permanent crops: 1% other: 78% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 2,700 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: monsoonal rains (June to November); flooding; occasional droughts

Environment - current issues: illegal logging activities throughout the country and strip mining for gems in the western region along the border with Thailand have resulted in habitat loss and declining biodiversity (in particular, destruction of mangrove swamps threatens natural fisheries); soil erosion; in rural areas, a majority of the population does not have access to potable water; toxic waste delivery from Taiwan sparked unrest in Kampong Saom (Sihanoukville) in December 1998

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life
Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping

Geography - note: a land of paddies and forests dominated by the Mekong
River and Tonle Sap

People Cambodia

Population: 12,775,324 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 40.7% (male 2,646,883; female 2,550,015) 15-64 years: 55.8% (male 3,373,692; female 3,758,736) 65 years and over: 3.5% (male 182,149; female 263,849) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.24% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 32.93 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 10.51 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 64 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 59.5 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 4.66 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 4.04% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 220,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 14,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Cambodian(s) adjective: Cambodian

Ethnic groups: Khmer 90%, Vietnamese 5%, Chinese 1%, other 4%

Religions: Theravada Buddhist 95%, other 5%

Languages: Khmer (official) 95%, French, English

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 35% male: 48% female: 22% (1990 est.)

Government Cambodia

Country name: Kingdom of Cambodia conventional short form: Kampuchea former: Khmer Republic, Kampuchea Republic

Government type: multiparty democracy under a constitutional monarchy established in September 1993

Capital: Phnom Penh

Administrative divisions: 20 provinces (khett, singular and plural)
and 4 municipalities* (krong, singular and plural); Banteay Mean Cheay,
Batdambang, Kampong Cham, Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Spoe, Kampong Thum,
Kampot, Kandal, Kaoh Kong, Keb*, Kracheh, Mondol Kiri, Otdar Mean Cheay,
Pailin*, Phnum Penh*, Pouthisat, Preah Seihanu* (Sihanoukville), Preah
Vihear, Prey Veng, Rotanah Kiri, Siem Reab, Stoeng Treng, Svay Rieng,
Takev

Independence: 9 November 1953 (from France)

National holiday: Independence Day, 9 November (1953)

Constitution: promulgated 21 September 1993

Legal system: primarily a civil law mixture of French-influenced codes from the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) period, royal decrees, and acts of the legislature, with influences of customary law and remnants of communist legal theory; increasing influence of common law in recent years

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: King Norodom SIHANOUK (reinstated 24 September 1993) head of government: Prime Minister HUN SEN (since 30 November 1998) and Deputy Prime Ministers SAR KHENG (since NA) and TOL LAH (since NA) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is chosen by a Royal Throne Council; prime minister appointed by the monarch after a vote of confidence by the National Assembly

Legislative branch: bicameral consists of the National Assembly (122 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Senate (61 seats; two members appointed by the monarch, two elected by the National Assembly, and 57 elected by "functional constituencies"; members serve five-year terms) elections: National Assembly - last held 26 July 1998 (next to be held NA July 2003); Senate - last held 2 March 1999 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - CPP 41%, FUNCINPEC 32%, SRP 14%, other 13%; seats by party - CPP 64, FUNCINPEC 43, SRP 15; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CPP 31, FUNCINPEC 21, SRP 7, other 2

Judicial branch: Supreme Council of the Magistracy (provided for in the constitution and formed in December 1997); Supreme Court (and lower courts) exercises judicial authority

Political parties and leaders: Buddhist Liberal Party or BLP [IENG
MOULY]; Cambodian Pracheachon Party or Cambodian People's Party or CPP
[CHEA SIM]; Khmer Citizen Party or KCP [NGUON SOEUR]; National United
Front for an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful, and Cooperative Cambodia or
FUNCINPEC [Prince NORODOM RANARIDDH]; Sam Rangsi Party or SRP (formerly
Khmer Nation Party or KNP) [SAM RANGSI]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACCT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CCC,
CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (subscriber), ITU,
NAM, OPCW (signatory), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: [1] (202) 726-8381 telephone:
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Kent M. WIEDEMANN embassy: 16-18 Mongkol
 Box P, APO AP 96546 telephone:
Flag description: three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (double
width), and blue with a white three-towered temple representing Angkor
Wat outlined in black in the center of the red band

Economy Cambodia

Economy - overview: Cambodia's economy slowed dramatically in 1997-98 due to the regional economic crisis, civil violence, and political infighting. Foreign investment and tourism fell off. In 1999, the first full year of peace in 30 years, progress was made on economic reforms and growth resumed at 5%. GDP growth for 2000 had been projected to reach 5.5%, but the worst flooding in 70 years severely damaged agricultural crops, and high oil prices hurt industrial production, and growth for the year is estimated at only 4%. In 2001, severe floods damaged an estimated 15% of the area devoted to rice. Tourism now is Cambodia's fastest growing industry, with arrivals up 34% in 2000 and up another 40% in 2001 before the September 11 terrorist attacks in the US. The long-term development of the economy after decades of war remains a daunting challenge. The population lacks education and productive skills, particularly in the poverty-ridden countryside, which suffers from an almost total lack of basic infrastructure. Fear of renewed political instability and corruption within the government discourage foreign investment and delay foreign aid. On the brighter side, the government is addressing these issues with assistance from bilateral and multilateral donors.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $18.7 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 5.3% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,500 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 50% industry: 15% services: 35% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 36% (1997 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 33.8% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 40.4 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.6% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 6 million (1998 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 80% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate: 2.8% (1999 est.)

Budget: revenues: $363 million expenditures: $532 million, including capital expenditures of $225 million (2000 est.)

Industries: tourism, garments, rice milling, fishing, wood and wood products, rubber, cement, gem mining, textiles

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 132 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 62.12% hydro: 37.88% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 122.76 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: rice, rubber, corn, vegetables

Exports: $1.05 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Exports - commodities: timber, garments, rubber, rice, fish

Exports - partners: US 46.4%, Vietnam 26.1%, Germany 5.6%, Singapore 5.0%, UK 3.9% (2000)

Imports: $1.4 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Imports - commodities: petroleum products, cigarettes, gold, construction materials, machinery, motor vehicles

Imports - partners: Singapore 22.5%, Thailand 19.8%, Hong Kong 15.6%,
China 4.9%, Vietnam 4.9% (2000)

Debt - external: $829 million (1999 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $548 million pledged in grants and concessional loans for 2001 by international donors

Currency: riel (KHR)

Currency code: KHR

Exchange rates: riels per US dollar - 3,895.0 (January 2002), 3,918.5 (2001), 3,840.8 (2000), 3,807.8 (1999), 3,744.4 (1998), 2,946.3 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Cambodia

Telephones - main lines in use: 21,800 (mid-1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 80,000 (2000)

Telephone system: general assessment: adequate landline and/or cellular service in Phnom Penh and other provincial cities; rural areas have little telephone service domestic: NA international: adequate but expensive landline and cellular service available to all countries from Phnom Penh and major provincial cities; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 3, shortwave 3 (1999)

Radios: 1.34 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 5 (1999)

Televisions: 94,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .kh

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)

Internet users: 6,000 (2001)

Transportation Cambodia

Railways: total: 603 km narrow gauge: 603 km 1.000-m gauge (2001 est.)

Highways: total: 35,769 km paved: 4,165 km unpaved: 31,604 km (1997)

Waterways: 3,700 km note: navigable all year to craft drawing 0.6 m or less; 282 km navigable to craft drawing as much as 1.8 m

Ports and harbors: Kampong Saom (Sihanoukville), Kampot, Krong Kaoh Kong,
Phnom Penh

Merchant marine: total: 404 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,889,404 GRT/2,740,232 DWT ships by type: bulk 37, cargo 312, chemical tanker 2, combination bulk 5, container 7, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 2, multi-functional large-load carrier 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 15, refrigerated cargo 10, roll on/roll off 9, short-sea passenger 2 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Aruba 1, Belize 8, British Virgin Islands 1, Bulgaria 3, China 21, Cyprus 15, Denmark 1, Egypt 7, Estonia 1, Georgia 1, Germany 1, Greece 12, Honduras 5, Hong Kong 12, Iceland 1, Indonesia 2, Iran 1, Ireland 1, Italy 1, Japan 5, Jordan 1, Latvia 2, Lebanon 5, Liberia 5, Lithuania 1, Malta 1, Netherlands 1, Norway 2, Panama 7, Romania 4, Russia 67, Saint Kitts and Nevis 10, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4, Singapore 15, South Korea 24, Syria 13, Thailand 1, Turkey 22, Ukraine 13, United Arab Emirates 2, United Kingdom 1, United States 5, Vietnam 2, Virgin Islands (UK) 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 20 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 15 under 914 m: 1 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 13

Heliports: 2 (2001)

Military Cambodia

Military branches: Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF): Army, Navy,
Air Force

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 2,990,790 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,673,713 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 162,643 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $112 million (FY01 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3% (FY01 est.)

Transnational Issues Cambodia

Disputes - international: demarcation of boundaries with Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam is nearing completion; accuses Thailand of moving or destroying boundary markers and encroachment, of not respecting its claims, and of sealing off access to the Preah Vihear temple ruin awarded to Cambodia by the ICJ in 1962; accuses Vietnam of territorial encroachments and initiating armed border incidents in seven provinces, despite substantial demarcation efforts to date; disputes several offshore islands with Vietnam, which prevents delimitation of a maritime boundary

Illicit drugs: possible money laundering; narcotics-related corruption reportedly involving some in the government, military, and police; possible small-scale opium, heroin, and amphetamine production; large producer of cannabis for the international market

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Chad

Introduction

Chad

Background: Chad, part of France's African holdings until 1960, endured three decades of ethnic warfare as well as invasions by Libya before a semblance of peace was finally restored in 1990. The government eventually suppressed or came to terms with most political-military groups, settled a territorial dispute with Libya on terms favorable to Chad, drafted a democratic constitution, and held multiparty presidential and National Assembly elections in 1996 and 1997 respectively. In 1998 a new rebellion broke out in northern Chad, which continued to escalate throughout 2000. A peace agreement, signed in January 2002 between the government and the rebels, provides for the demobilization of the rebels and their reintegration into the political system. Despite movement toward democratic reform, power remains in the hands of a northern ethnic oligarchy.

Geography Chad

Location: Central Africa, south of Libya

Geographic coordinates: 15 00 N, 19 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 1.284 million sq km water: 24,800 sq km land: 1,259,200 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly more than three times the size of California

Land boundaries: total: 5,968 km border countries: Cameroon 1,094 km,
Central African Republic 1,197 km, Libya 1,055 km, Niger 1,175 km,
Nigeria 87 km, Sudan 1,360 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: tropical in south, desert in north

Terrain: broad, arid plains in center, desert in north, mountains in northwest, lowlands in south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Djourab Depression 160 m highest point:
Emi Koussi 3,415 m

Natural resources: petroleum (unexploited but exploration under way), uranium, natron, kaolin, fish (Lake Chad)

Land use: arable land: 3% permanent crops: 0% other: 97% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 200 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds occur in north; periodic droughts; locust plagues

Environment - current issues: inadequate supplies of potable water; improper waste disposal in rural areas contributes to soil and water pollution; desertification

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea,
Marine Dumping

Geography - note: landlocked; Lake Chad is the most significant water body in the Sahel

People Chad

Population: 8,997,237 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 47.8% (male 2,162,732; female 2,135,354) 15-64 years: 49.4% (male 2,108,134; female 2,340,189) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 103,683; female 147,145) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.27% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 47.74 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 15.06 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 93.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 53.4 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 6.5 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 5%-7% (2001)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 300,000 (2001)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 14,000 (confirmed AIDS cases, actual number far higher but difficult to estimate) (2001)

Nationality: noun: Chadian(s) adjective: Chadian

Ethnic groups: 200 distinct groups; in the north and center: Arabs,
Gorane (Toubou, Daza, Kreda), Zaghawa, Kanembou, Ouaddai, Baguirmi,
Hadjerai, Fulbe, Kotoko, Hausa, Boulala, and Maba, most of whom are
Muslim; in the south: are Christian or animist; about 1,000 French
citizens live in Chad

Religions: Muslim 51%, Christian 35%, animist 7%, other 7%

Languages: French (official), Arabic (official), Sara (in south), more than 120 different languages and dialects

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write French or
Arabic total population: 40% male: 49% female: 31% (1998)

Government Chad

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Chad conventional short form: Chad local long form: Republique du Tchad local short form: Tchad

Government type: republic

Capital: N'Djamena

Administrative divisions: 14 prefectures (prefectures, singular - prefecture); Batha, Biltine, Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti, Chari-Baguirmi, Guera, Kanem, Lac, Logone Occidental, Logone Oriental, Mayo-Kebbi, Moyen-Chari, Ouaddai, Salamat, Tandjile note: instead of 14 prefectures, there may be a new administrative structure of 28 departments (departments, singular - department), and 1 city*; Assongha, Baguirmi, Bahr El Gazal, Bahr Koh, Batha Oriental, Batha Occidental, Biltine, Borkou, Dababa, Ennedi, Guera, Hadjer Lamis, Kabia, Kanem, Lac, Lac Iro, Logone Occidental, Logone Oriental, Mandoul, Mayo-Boneye, Mayo-Dallah, Monts de Lam, N'djamena*, Ouaddai, Salamat, Sila, Tandjile Oriental, Tandjile Occidental, Tibesti

Independence: 11 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday: Independence Day, 11 August (1960)

Constitution: passed by referendum 31 March 1996

Legal system: based on French civil law system and Chadian customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY (since 4 December 1990) head of government: Prime Minister Nagoum YAMASSOUM (since 13 December 1999) cabinet: Council of State, members appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister election results: Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY reelected president; percent of vote - Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY 63%, Ngarlegy YORONGAR 16%, Saleh KEBZABO 7% note: government coalition - MPS, UNDR, and URD elections: president elected by popular vote to serve five-year term; if no candidate receives at least 50% of the total vote, the two candidates receiving the most votes must stand for a second round of voting; last held 20 May 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); prime minister appointed by the president

Legislative branch: bicameral according to constitution, consists of a National Assembly (155 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and a Senate (not yet created and size unspecified, members to serve six-year terms, one-third of membership renewable every two years) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - MPS 110, RDP 12, FAR 9, RNDP 5, URD 5, UNDR 3, others 11 elections: National Assembly - last held 25 April 2002 (next to be held in NA April 2006)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Criminal Courts;
Magistrate Courts

Political parties and leaders: Federation Action for the Republic or FAR [Ngarlejy YORONGAR]; National Rally for Development and Progress or RNDP [Mamadou BISSO]; National Union for Development and Renewal or UNDR [Saleh KEBZABO]; National Union for Renewal and Democracy or UNRD [leader NA]; Party for Liberty and Democracy or PLD [Ibni Oumar Mahamat SALEH]; Patriotic Salvation Movement or MPS [Mahamat Saleh AHMAT, chairman] (originally in opposition but now the party in power and the party of the president); Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Lal Mahamat CHOUA]; Union for Democracy and the Republic or UDR [Jean Bawoyeu ALINGUE]; Union for Renewal and Democracy or URD [Gen. Wadal Abdelkader KAMOUGUE]; Viva Rally for Development and Progress or Viva RNDP [Delwa Kassire COUMAKOYE]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CEEAC,
CEMAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW (signatory),
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Hassaballah Abdelhadi Ahmat SOUBIANE chancery: 2002 R Street NW,
Washington, DC 20009 FAX: [1] (202) 265-1937 telephone: [1] (202) 462-4009

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher E. GOLDTHWAIT embassy: Avenue B. P. 413, N'Djamena telephone: Flag description: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red; similar to the flag of Romania; also similar to the flags of Andorra and Moldova, both of which have a national coat of arms centered in the yellow band; design was based on the flag of France

Economy Chad

Economy - overview: Chad's primarily agricultural economy will be boosted by major oilfield and pipeline projects that began in 2000. Over 80% of Chad's population relies on subsistence farming and stock raising for their livelihood. Cotton, cattle, and gum arabic provide the bulk of Chad's export earnings, but Chad will begin to export oil in 2004. Chad's economy has long been handicapped by its land-locked position, high energy costs, and a history of instability. Chad relies on foreign assistance and foreign capital for most public and private sector investment projects. A consortium led by two US companies is investing $3.7 billion to develop oil reserves estimated at 1 billion barrels in southern Chad.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $8.9 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 8% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,030 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 38% industry: 13% services: 49% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 80% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (2000 est.)

Labor force: NA

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture more than 80% (subsistence farming, herding, and fishing)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $198 million expenditures: $218 million, including capital expenditures of $146 million (1998 est.)

Industries: cotton textiles, meatpacking, beer brewing, natron (sodium carbonate), soap, cigarettes, construction materials

Industrial production growth rate: 5% (1995)

Electricity - production: 92 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 85.56 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: cotton, sorghum, millet, peanuts, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca); cattle, sheep, goats, camels

Exports: $172 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Exports - commodities: cotton, cattle, gum arabic

Exports - partners: Portugal 38%, Germany 12%, Thailand, Costa Rica,
South Africa, France, Nigeria (2001)

Imports: $223 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and transportation equipment, industrial goods, petroleum products, foodstuffs, textiles

Imports - partners: France 40%, Cameroon 13%, Nigeria 12%, India 5% (1999)

Debt - external: $1.1 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $238.3 million (1995); note - $125 million committed by Taiwan (August 1997); $30 million committed by African Development Bank

Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Currency code: XAF

Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 742.79 (January 2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997); note - from 1 January 1999, the XAF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XAF per euro

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Chad

Telephones - main lines in use: 10,260 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 20,000 (2002)

Telephone system: general assessment: primitive system domestic: fair system of radiotelephone communication stations international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 5 (1998)

Radios: 1.67 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)

Televisions: 10,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .td

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: 1,000 (2000)

Transportation Chad

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 33,400 km paved: 450 km note: probably no more than 8,000 km of the total receive maintenance, the remainder being desert tracks (2000) unpaved: 32,950 km

Waterways: 2,000 km

Ports and harbors: none

Airports: 49 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 7 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 42 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 20 under 914 m: 10 (2001)

Military Chad

Military branches: Armed Forces (including National Army, Air Force, and Gendarmerie), Rapid Intervention Force, National and Nomadic Guard (GNNT), Presidential Security Guard, Police

Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,881,769 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 985,094 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 82,003 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $31 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.9% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Chad

Disputes - international: Lake Chad Commission urges signatories Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria to ratify delimitation treaty over lake region, the site of continuing armed clashes; Nigeria requests and Chad rejects redemarcation of boundary, which lacks clear demarcation in sections and has caused several cross-border incidents; Chadian rebels from Aozou reside in Libya

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Sri Lanka

Introduction Sri Lanka

Background: Occupied by the Portuguese in the 16th century and the Dutch in the 17th century, the island was ceded to the British in 1802. As Ceylon it became independent in 1948; its name was changed in 1972. Tensions between the Sinhalese majority and Tamil separatists erupted in violence in the mid-1980s. Tens of thousands have died in an ethnic war that continues to fester.

Geography Sri Lanka

Location: Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India

Geographic coordinates: 7 00 N, 81 00 E

Map references: Asia

Area: total: 65,610 sq km water: 870 sq km land: 64,740 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than West Virginia

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 1,340 km

Maritime claims: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: Climate: tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October)

Terrain: mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interior

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point:
Pidurutalagala 2,524 m

Natural resources: limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 13% permanent crops: 16% other: 71% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 6,510 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: occasional cyclones and tornadoes

Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by poaching and urbanization; coastal degradation from mining activities and increased pollution; freshwater resources being polluted by industrial wastes and sewage runoff; waste disposal; air pollution in Colombo

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:
Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note: strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes

People Sri Lanka

Population: 19,576,783 note: since the outbreak of hostilities between the government and armed Tamil separatists in the mid-1980s, several hundred thousand Tamil civilians have fled the island; as of mid-1999, approximately 66,000 were housed in 133 refugee camps in south India, another 40,000 lived outside the Indian camps, and more than 200,000 Tamils have sought refuge in the West (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 25.6% (male 2,559,246; female 2,446,393) 15-64 years: 67.7% (male 6,446,320; female 6,802,515) 65 years and over: 6.7% (male 628,398; female 693,911) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.85% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 16.36 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 6.45 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 15.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 75 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.93 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.07% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 7,500 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 490 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Sri Lankan(s) adjective: Sri Lankan

Ethnic groups: Sinhalese 74%, Tamil 18%, Moor 7%, Burgher, Malay, and Vedda 1%

Religions: Buddhist 70%, Hindu 15%, Christian 8%, Muslim 7% (1999)

Languages: Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil (national language) 18%, other 8% note: English is commonly used in government and is spoken competently by about 10% of the population

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 90.2% male: 93.4% female: 87.2% (1995 est.)

Government Sri Lanka

Country name: conventional long form: Democratic Socialist Republic of
Sri Lanka conventional short form: Sri Lanka former: Serendib, Ceylon

Government type: republic

Capital: Colombo; note - Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte is the legislative capital

Administrative divisions: 8 provinces; Central, North Central, North
Eastern, North Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western; note -
North Eastern province may have been divided in two - Northern and Eastern

Independence: 4 February 1948 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 4 February (1948)

Constitution: adopted 16 August 1978

Legal system: a highly complex mixture of English common law, Roman-Dutch, Muslim, Sinhalese, and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (since 12 November 1994); note - Ranil WICKREMASINGHE (since 9 December 2001) is the prime minister; in Sri Lanka the president is considered both the chief of state and head of government, in contrast to the more common practice of dividing the roles between the president and the prime minister when both offices exist head of government: President Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (since 12 November 1994); note - Ranil WICKREMASINGHE (since 9 December 2001) is the prime minister; in Sri Lanka the president is considered both the chief of state and head of government, in contrast to the more common practice of dividing the roles between the president and the prime minister when both offices exist cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president in consultation with the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 21 December 1999 (next to be held NA December 2005) election results: Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA reelected president; percent of vote - Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (PA) 51%, Ranil WICKREMASINGHE (UNP) 42%, other 7%

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (225 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of a modified proportional representation system by district to serve six-year terms) elections: last held 7 December 2001 (next to be held NA December 2007) election results: percent of vote by party or electoral alliance - UNP, SLMC and CWC 46.8%, PA and EPDP 38%, JVP 9.1%, Tamil National Alliance 3.89%, PLOTE 0.19%; seats by party or electoral alliance - UNP, SLMC and CWC 114, PA and EPDP 79, JVP 16, Tamil National Alliance 15, PLOTE 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Appeals; judges for both courts are appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders: All Ceylon Tamil Congress or ACTC
[KUMARGURUPARAM]; Ceylon Workers Congress or CWC [Arumugam THONDAMAN];
Communist Party or CP [D. GUNASEKERA]; Democratic United National (Lalith)
Front or DUNLF [Shrimani ATULATHMUDALI]; Eelam People's Democratic Party
or EPDP [Douglas DEVANANDA]; Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation
Front or EPRLF [Suresh PREMACHANDRAN]; Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna or
JVP [Tilvan SILVA]; National Unity Alliance or NUA [Ferial ASHRAFF];
People's Alliance or PA [Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA]; People's
Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam or PLOTE [leader NA]; Sihala
Urumaya or SU [Tilak KARUNARATNE]; Sri Lanka Freedom Party or SLFP
[Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA]; Sri Lanka Muslim Congress or SLMC
[Rauff HAKEEM]; Sri Lanka Progressive Front or SLPF [P. Nelson PERERA];
Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization or TELO [SABARATNAM]; Tamil National
Alliance or TNA [Nadarajah RAVIRAJ]; Tamil United Liberation Front or TULF
[R. SAMPATHAN]; United National Party or UNP [Ranil WICKREMASINGHE];
Upcountry People's Front or UPF [P. CHANDRASEKARAN]; several ethnic
Tamil and Muslim parties, represented in either Parliament or provincial
councils

Political pressure groups and leaders: Buddhist clergy; labor unions; Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam or LTTE [Velupillai PRABHAKARAN](insurgent group fighting for a separate state); radical chauvinist Sinhalese groups such as the National Movement Against Terrorism; Sinhalese Buddhist lay groups

International organization participation: AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP,
FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAS
(observer), OPCW, PCA, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Warnasena RASAPUTRAM consulate(s): New York [1] (202) 232-7181 telephone: Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
E. Ashley WILLS embassy: 210 Galle Road, Colombo 3 mailing address:
P. O. Box 106, Colombo telephone: [94] (1) 448007 FAX: [94] (1) 437345

Flag description: yellow with two panels; the smaller hoist-side panel has two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and orange; the other panel is a large dark red rectangle with a yellow lion holding a sword, and there is a yellow bo leaf in each corner; the yellow field appears as a border around the entire flag and extends between the two panels

Economy Sri Lanka

Economy - overview: In 1977, Colombo abandoned statist economic policies and its import substitution trade policy for market-oriented policies and export-oriented trade. Sri Lanka's most dynamic sectors now are food processing, textiles and apparel, food and beverages, telecommunications, and insurance and banking. By 1996 plantation crops made up only 20% of exports (compared with 93% in 1970), while textiles and garments accounted for 63%. GDP grew at an average annual rate of 5.5% throughout the 1990s until a drought and a deteriorating security situation lowered growth to 3.8% in 1996. The economy rebounded in 1997-2000 with average growth of 5.3%. But 2001 saw the first contraction in the country's history, due to a combination of power shortages, severe budgetary problems, the global slowdown, and continuing civil strife.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $62.7 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: -1% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,250 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 21% industry: 27% services: 52% (2000)

Population below poverty line: 22% (1997 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.5% highest 10%: 28% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 34.4 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 14.2% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 6.6 million (1998)

Labor force - by occupation: services 45%, agriculture 38%, industry 17% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate: 7.7% (2001)

Budget: revenues: $2.8 billion expenditures: $4.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Industries: rubber processing, tea, coconuts, and other agricultural commodities; clothing, cement, petroleum refining, textiles, tobacco

Industrial production growth rate: 1.4% (2001)

Electricity - production: 6.619 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 31.86% hydro: 68.14% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 6.156 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: rice, sugarcane, grains, pulses, oilseed, spices, tea, rubber, coconuts; milk, eggs, hides, beef

Exports: $4.9 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Exports - commodities: textiles and apparel 15%, tea, diamonds, coconut products, petroleum products

Exports - partners: US 39%, UK 13%, Middle East 8%, Germany 4%, Japan 4% (2000)

Imports: $6 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, textiles, petroleum, foodstuffs

Imports - partners: Japan 9%, India 8%, Hong Kong 7%, Singapore 7%,
South Korea 5% (2000)

Debt - external: $9.9 billion (2000)

Economic aid - recipient: $577 million (1998)

Currency: Sri Lankan rupee (LKR)

Currency code: LKR

Exchange rates: Sri Lankan rupees per US dollar - 93.383 (January 2002), 89.383 (2001), 77.005 (2000), 70.635 (1999), 64.450 (1998), 58.995 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Sri Lanka

Telephones - main lines in use: 494,509 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 228,604 (1999)

Telephone system: general assessment: very inadequate domestic service, particularly in rural areas; likely improvement with privatization of national telephone company and encouragement to private investment; good international service (1999) domestic: national trunk network consists mostly of digital microwave radio relay; fiber-optic links now in use in Colombo area and two fixed wireless local loops have been installed; competition is strong in mobile cellular systems; telephone density remains low at 2.6 main lines per 100 persons (1999) international: submarine cables to Indonesia and Djibouti; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (1999)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 26, FM 45, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios: 3.85 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 21 (1997)

Televisions: 1.53 million (1997)

Internet country code: .lk

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 5 (2000)

Internet users: 121,500 (2001)

Transportation Sri Lanka

Railways: total: 1,463 km broad gauge: 1,404 km 1.676-m gauge narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge (2001)

Highways: total: 11,285 km paved: 10,721 km unpaved: 564 km (1998 est.)

Waterways: 430 km (navigable by shallow-draft craft)

Pipelines: crude oil and petroleum products 62 km (1987)

Ports and harbors: Colombo, Galle, Jaffna, Trincomalee

Merchant marine: total: 18 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 137,321 GRT/233,367 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 15, container 1, petroleum tanker 1, includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Germany 9, Hong Kong 1, United Arab Emirates 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 15 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 14 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 6 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2001)

Military Sri Lanka

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Police Force

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 5,347,153 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 4,148,825 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 193,522 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $719 million (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 4.2% (FY98)

Transnational Issues Sri Lanka

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Congo, Republic of the

Introduction

Congo, Republic of the

Background: Upon independence in 1960, the former French region of Middle Congo became the Republic of the Congo. A quarter century of experimentation with Marxism was abandoned in 1990 and a democratically elected government installed in 1992. A brief civil war in 1997 restored former Marxist President SASSOU-NGUESSO.

Geography Congo, Republic of the

Location: Western Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between
Angola and Gabon

Geographic coordinates: 1 00 S, 15 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 342,000 sq km water: 500 sq km land: 341,500 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Montana

Land boundaries: total: 5,504 km border countries: Angola 201 km, Cameroon 523 km, Central African Republic 467 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Gabon 1,903 km

Coastline: 169 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 200 NM

Climate: tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June to October); constantly high temperatures and humidity; particularly enervating climate astride the Equator

Terrain: coastal plain, southern basin, central plateau, northern basin

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Mount Berongou 903 m

Natural resources: petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates, natural gas, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 1% permanent crops: 0% other: 99% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 10 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: seasonal flooding

Environment - current issues: air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from the dumping of raw sewage; tap water is not potable; deforestation

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:
Law of the Sea

Geography - note: about 70% of the population lives in Brazzaville,
Pointe-Noire, or along the railroad between them

People Congo, Republic of the

Population: 2,958,448 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 42.4% (male 630,985; female 622,024) 15-64 years: 54.3% (male 783,238; female 823,882) 65 years and over: 3.3% (male 39,369; female 58,950) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.18% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 37.91 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 16.1 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 97.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 51.24 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 4.94 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 6.43% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 86,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 8,600 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Congolese (singular and plural) adjective: Congolese or Congo

Ethnic groups: Kongo 48%, Sangha 20%, M'Bochi 12%, Teke 17%, Europeans and other 3% note: may be half that in 1998, following the widespread destruction of foreign businesses in 1997

Religions: Christian 50%, animist 48%, Muslim 2%

Languages: French (official), Lingala and Monokutuba (lingua franca trade languages), many local languages and dialects (of which Kikongo has the most users)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 74.9% male: 83.1% female: 67.2% (1995 est.)

Government Congo, Republic of the

Country name: Republic of the Congo conventional short form:
Congo/Brazzaville, Congo local long form: Republique du Congo

Government type: republic

Capital: Brazzaville

Administrative divisions: 9 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 commune*; Bouenza, Brazzaville*, Cuvette, Kouilou, Lekoumou, Likouala, Niari, Plateaux, Pool, Sangha

Independence: 15 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday: Independence Day, 15 August (1960)

Constitution: constitution approved by referendum in January 2002

Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 25 October 1997, following the civil war in which he toppled elected president Pascal LISSOUBA); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (eligible for a second seven-year term); election last held 10 March 2002 (next to be held NA 2009) head of government: civil war in which he toppled elected president Pascal LISSOUBA); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: SASSOU-NGUESSO reelected president; percent of vote - Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO 89.4%, Joseph Kignoumbi Kia MBOUNGOU 2.7%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Transitional Council (75 seats, members elected by reconciliation forum of 1,420 delegates in January 1998); note - the National Transitional Council will be replaced by a bicameral Parliament, with a National Assembly and Senate, following elections in 2002 elections: National Transitional Council - last held NA January 1998 (next to be held in 2002); note - at that election the National Transitional Council is to be replaced by a bicameral legislature election results: National Transitional Council - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Political parties and leaders: the most important of the many parties are
the Democratic and Patriotic Forces or FDP (an alliance of Convention for
Alternative Democracy, Congolese Labor Party or PCT, Liberal Republican
Party, National Union for Democracy and Progress, Patriotic Union
for the National Reconstruction, and Union for the National Renewal)
[Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO, president]; Congolese Movement for Democracy and
Integral Development or MCDDI [Michel MAMPOUYA]; Pan-African Union for
Social Development or UPADS [Martin MBERI]; Rally for Democracy and
Social Progress or RDPS [Jean-Pierre Thystere TCHICAYA, president];
Rally for Democracy and the Republic or RDR [Raymond Damasge NGOLLO];
Union for Democracy and Republic [leader NA]; Union of Democratic Forces
or UFD [Sebastian EBAO]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Congolese Trade Union Congress
or CSC; General Union of Congolese Pupils and Students or UGEEC;
Revolutionary Union of Congolese Women or URFC; Union of Congolese
Socialist Youth or UJSC

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC,
CEEAC, CEMAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW (signatory),
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Serge MOMBOULI FAX: [1] (202) 726-1860 telephone: [1] (202) 726-5500 chancery: 4891 Colorado Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20011

Diplomatic representation from the US: NA mailing address: is temporarily collocated with the US Embassy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (US Embassy Kinshasa, 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa)

Flag description: divided diagonally from the lower hoist side by a yellow band; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the lower triangle is red; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy Congo, Republic of the

Economy - overview: The economy is a mixture of village agriculture and handicrafts, an industrial sector based largely on oil, support services, and a government characterized by budget problems and overstaffing. Oil has supplanted forestry as the mainstay of the economy, providing a major share of government revenues and exports. In the early 1980s, rapidly rising oil revenues enabled the government to finance large-scale development projects with GDP growth averaging 5% annually, one of the highest rates in Africa. The government has mortgaged a substantial portion of its oil earnings, contributing to a shortage of revenues. The 12 January 1994 devaluation of Franc Zone currencies by 50% resulted in inflation of 61% in 1994, but inflation has subsided since. Economic reform efforts continued with the support of international organizations, notably the World Bank and the IMF. The reform program came to a halt in June 1997 when civil war erupted. Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO, who returned to power when the war ended in October 1997, publicly expressed interest in moving forward on economic reforms and privatization and in renewing cooperation with international financial institutions. However, economic progress was badly hurt by slumping oil prices and the resumption of armed conflict in December 1998, which worsened the republic's budget deficit. Given a fragile peace, agreements with the IMF and the World Bank, and general international support for reconstruction and development, prospects for structural reform and 4% growth in 2002-03 appear strong.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $2.5 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4.2% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $900 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 10% industry: 48% services: 42% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (2001 est.)

Labor force: NA

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $870 million expenditures: $970 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)

Industries: petroleum extraction, cement, lumber, brewing, sugar, palm oil, soap, flour, cigarettes

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 302 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0.66% hydro: 99.34% other: 0% (1999) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 406.9 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports: 126 million kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products: cassava (tapioca), sugar, rice, corn, peanuts, vegetables, coffee, cocoa; forest products

Exports: $2.6 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Exports - commodities: petroleum 90%, lumber, plywood, sugar, cocoa, coffee, diamonds

Exports - partners: US 20.9%, South Korea 15.5%, China 6.7%, Germany 3.2% (2000)

Imports: $725 million (f.o.b., 2001)

Imports - commodities: petroleum products, capital equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs

Imports - partners: France 20.5%, US 9.8%, Italy 7.5%, Belgium 3.8% (2000)

Debt - external: $5 billion (1999 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $159.1 million (1995)

Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Currency code: XAF

Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 742.79 (January 2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997); note - from 1 January 1999, the XAF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XAF per euro

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Congo, Republic of the

Telephones - main lines in use: 22,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 250,000 (2001)

Telephone system: general assessment: services barely adequate for government use; key exchanges are in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, and Loubomo; intercity lines frequently out-of-order domestic: primary network consists of microwave radio relay and coaxial cable international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 3 (2001)

Radios: 341,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (2002)

Televisions: 33,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .cg

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: 500 (2000)

Transportation Congo, Republic of the

Railways: total: 894 km narrow gauge: 894 km 1.067-m gauge (2000 est.)

Highways: total: 12,800 km paved: 1,242 km unpaved: 11,558 km (1996)

Waterways: 1,120 km note: the Congo and Ubangi (Oubangui) rivers provide 1,120 km of commercially navigable water transport; other rivers are used for local traffic only

Pipelines: crude oil 25 km

Ports and harbors: Brazzaville, Impfondo, Ouesso, Oyo, Pointe-Noire

Airports: 33 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 29 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 12 (2001)

Military Congo, Republic of the

Military branches: Army, Air Force, Navy, Gendarmerie, National Police

Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 702,048 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 356,388 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 32,350 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $84 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.8% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Congo, Republic of the

Disputes - international: most of the Congo River boundary with the
Democratic Republic of the Congo is indefinite (no agreement has been
reached on the division of the river or its islands, except in the
Stanley Pool/Pool Malebo area)

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Introduction

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Background: Since 1997 the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DROC; formerly called Zaire) has been rent by ethnic strife and civil war, touched off by a massive inflow in 1994 of refugees from the fighting in Rwanda and Burundi. The government of former president MOBUTU Sese Seko was toppled by a rebellion led by Laurent KABILA in May 1997; his regime was subsequently challenged by a Rwanda- and Uganda-backed rebellion in August 1998. Troops from Zimbabwe, Angola, Namibia, Chad, and Sudan intervened to support the Kinshasa regime. A cease-fire was signed on 10 July 1999 by the DROC, Zimbabwe, Angola, Uganda, Namibia, Rwanda, and Congolese armed rebel groups RCD-G and MLC, but sporadic fighting continued. KABILA was assassinated on 16 January 2001 and his son Joseph KABILA was named head of state on 26 January 2001. Despite taking a radically different approach than his father, the new president has been equally unsuccessful in ending the war.

Geography Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Location: Central Africa, northeast of Angola

Geographic coordinates: 0 00 N, 25 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 2,345,410 sq km water: 77,810 sq km land: 2,267,600 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly less than one-fourth the size of the US

Land boundaries: total: 10,744 km border countries: Angola 2,511 km (of which 225 km is the boundary of Angola's discontiguous Cabinda Province), Burundi 233 km, Central African Republic 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Rwanda 217 km, Sudan 628 km, Tanzania 473 km, Uganda 765 km, Zambia 1,930 km

Coastline: 37 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: boundaries with neighbors territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical; hot and humid in equatorial river basin; cooler and drier in southern highlands; cooler and wetter in eastern highlands; north of Equator - wet season April to October, dry season December to February; south of Equator - wet season November to March, dry season April to October

Terrain: vast central basin is a low-lying plateau; mountains in east

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Pic Marguerite on Mont Ngaliema (Mount Stanley) 5,110 m

Natural resources: cobalt, copper, cadmium, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, germanium, uranium, radium, bauxite, iron ore, coal, hydropower, timber

Land use: arable land: 3% permanent crops: 1% other: 96% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 110 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: periodic droughts in south; Congo River floods (seasonal); in the east, in the Great Rift Valley, there are active volcanoes

Environment - current issues: poaching threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; deforestation; refugees responsible for significant deforestation, soil erosion, and wildlife poaching; mining of minerals (coltan - a mineral used in creating capacitors, diamonds, and gold) causing environmental damage

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:
Environmental Modification

Geography - note: straddles Equator; has very narrow strip of land that controls the lower Congo River and is only outlet to South Atlantic Ocean; dense tropical rain forest in central river basin and eastern highlands

People Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Population: 55,225,478 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 48.2% (male 13,369,493; female 13,256,174) 15-64 years: (male 581,568; female 813,944) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.79% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 45.55 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 14.93 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -2.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: one million refugees fled into Zaire (now called the Democratic Republic of the Congo or DROC) in 1994 as a result of the ethnic fighting in Rwanda; fighting in the DROC between rebels and government forces in October 1996 caused 875,000 refugees to return to Rwanda in late 1996 and early 1997 and additional refugees have returned in subsequent years; fighting between the Congolese government and Uganda- and Rwanda-backed Congolese rebels spawned a regional war in DROC in August 1998, which left 1.8 million Congolese displaced in DROC and caused 300,000 Congolese refugees to flee to surrounding countries (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 98.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 51.13 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 6.77 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 5.07% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 1.1 million (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 95,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Congolese (singular and plural) adjective: Congolese or Congo

Ethnic groups: over 200 African ethnic groups of which the majority are Bantu; the four largest tribes - Mongo, Luba, Kongo (all Bantu), and the Mangbetu-Azande (Hamitic) make up about 45% of the population

Religions: Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 20%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%, other syncretic sects and indigenous beliefs 10%

Languages: French (official), Lingala (a lingua franca trade language),
Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or Swahili), Kikongo, Tshiluba

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write French, Lingala, Kingwana, or Tshiluba total population: 77.3% male: 86.6% female: 67.7% (1995 est.)

Government Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Country name: conventional long form: Democratic Republic of the Congo conventional short form: none local short form: none former: Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Congo/Leopoldville, Congo/Kinshasa, Zaire local long form: Government type: dictatorship; presumably undergoing a transition to representative government

Capital: Kinshasa

Administrative divisions: 10 provinces (provinces, singular - province)
and one city* (ville); Bandundu, Bas-Congo, Equateur, Kasai-Occidental,
Kasai-Oriental, Katanga, Kinshasa*, Maniema, Nord-Kivu, Orientale,
Sud-Kivu

Independence: 30 June 1960 (from Belgium)

National holiday: Independence Day, 30 June (1960)

Constitution: 24 June 1967, amended August 1974, revised 15 February 1978, amended April 1990; transitional constitution promulgated in April 1994; in November 1998, a draft constitution was approved by former President Laurent KABILA but it was not ratified by a national referendum; one outcome of the ongoing inter-Congolese dialogue is to be a new constitution

Legal system: based on Belgian civil law system and tribal law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch: chief of state: President Joseph KABILA (since 26 January 2001); note - following the assassination of his father, Laurent Desire KABILA, on 16 January 2001, Joseph KABILA succeeded to the presidency; the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: assassination of his father, Laurent Desire KABILA, on 16 January 2001, Joseph KABILA succeeded to the presidency; the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: National Executive Council, appointed by the president elections: before Laurent Desire KABILA seized power on 16 May 1997, the president was elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held 29 July 1984 (next was scheduled to be held in May 1997); formerly, there was also a prime minister who was elected by the High Council of the Republic; note - elections were not held in 1991 as called for by the constitution note: November 1965 until forced into exile on 16 May 1997 when his government was overthrown militarily by Laurent Desire KABILA; KABILA immediately assumed governing authority and pledged to hold elections by April 1999, but, in December 1998, announced that elections would be postponed until all foreign military forces attempting to topple the government had withdrawn from the country; KABILA was assassinated in January 2001 and was succeeded by his son Joseph KABILA election results: results of the last election were: MOBUTU Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga reelected president in 1984 without opposition

Legislative branch: a 300-member Transitional Constituent Assembly
established in August 2000 elections: NA; members of the Transitional
Constituent Assembly were appointed by former President Laurent Desire
KABILA

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Social Christian Party or PDSC [Andre BO-BOLIKO]; Forces for Renovation for Union and Solidarity or FONUS [Joseph OLENGHANKOY]; National Congolese Lumumbist Movement or MNC [Francois LUMUMBA]; Popular Movement of the Revolution or MPR [three factions: MPR-Fait Prive (Catherine NZUZI wa Mbombo); MPR/Vunduawe (Felix VUNDUAWE); MPR/Mananga (MANANGA Dintoka Mpholo)]; Unified Lumumbast Party or PALU [Antoine GIZENGA]; Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS [Etienne TSHISEKEDI wa Mulumba]; Union of Federalists and Independent Republicans or UFERI [two factions: UFERI (Lokambo OMOKOKO); UFERI/OR (Adolph Kishwe MAYA)]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC,
CEEAC, CEPGL, ECA, FAO, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW (signatory), PCA, SADC, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Faida MITIFU FAX: [1] (202) 234-2609 telephone: [1] (202) 234-7690, 7691 chancery: 1800 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Aubrey HOOKS embassy: 310 Avenue des Unit 31550, APO AE 09828 telephone: Flag description: light blue with a large yellow five-pointed star in the center and a columnar arrangement of six small yellow five-pointed stars along the hoist side

Economy Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Economy - overview: The economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo - a nation endowed with vast potential wealth - has declined drastically since the mid-1980s. The war, which began in August 1998, has dramatically reduced national output and government revenue and has increased external debt. Foreign businesses have curtailed operations due to uncertainty about the outcome of the conflict, lack of infrastructure, and the difficult operating environment. The war has intensified the impact of such basic problems as an uncertain legal framework, corruption, raging inflation, and lack of openness in government economic policy and financial operations. A number of IMF and World Bank missions have met with the government to help it develop a coherent economic plan, and President KABILA has begun implementing reforms.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $32 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: -4% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $590 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 54% industry: 9% services: 37% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 358% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 14.51 million (1993 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 65%, industry 16%, services 19% (1991 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $269 million expenditures: $244 million, including capital expenditures of $24 million (1996 est.)

Industries: mining (diamonds, copper, zinc), mineral processing, consumer products (including textiles, footwear, cigarettes, processed foods and beverages), cement

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 5.268 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 2.05% hydro: 97.95% other: 0% (1999) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 4.55 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports: 404 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports: 55 million kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products: coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber, tea, quinine, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, bananas, root crops, corn, fruits; wood products

Exports: $750 million (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: diamonds, copper, coffee, cobalt, crude oil

Exports - partners: Benelux 62%, US 18%, South Africa, Finland, Italy (1999)

Imports: $1.024 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, mining and other machinery, transport equipment, fuels

Imports - partners: South Africa 28%, Benelux 14%, Nigeria 9%, Kenya 7%,
China (1999)

Debt - external: $12.9 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $195.3 million (1995)

Currency: Congolese franc (CDF)

Currency code: CDF

Exchange rates: Congolese francs per US dollar - 305 (January 2002), 21.82 (2000), 4.02 (1999), 1.61 (1998), 1.31 (1997) note: on 30 June 1998 the Congolese franc was introduced, replacing the new zaire

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Telephones - main lines in use: 21,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 15,000 (2000)

Telephone system: general assessment: poor domestic: barely adequate wire and microwave radio relay service in and between urban areas; domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 11, shortwave 2 (2001)

Radios: 18.03 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 4 (2001)

Televisions: 6.478 million (1997)

Internet country code: .cd

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)

Internet users: 1,500 (1999)

Transportation Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Railways: total: 5,138 km narrow gauge: 3,987 km 1.067-m gauge (858 km electrified); 125 km 1.000-m gauge; 1,026 km 0.600-m gauge note: severely reduced route-distance in use because of damage to facilities by civil strife (2000 est.)

Highways: total: 157,000 km (including 30 km of expressways)(1996) paved: NA km unpaved: NA km

Waterways: 15,000 km (including the Congo and its tributaries, and unconnected lakes)

Pipelines: petroleum products 390 km

Ports and harbors: Banana, Boma, Bukavu, Bumba, Goma, Kalemie, Kindu,
Kinshasa, Kisangani, Matadi, Mbandaka

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: 232 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 24 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 15

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 208 1,524 to 2,437 m: 20 914 to 1,523 m: 96 under 914 m: 92 (2001)

Heliports: 1 (2001)

Military Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Special Security Battalion

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 11,996,175 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 6,110,595 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $250 million (FY97)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 4.6% (FY97)

Transnational Issues Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Disputes - international: Democratic Republic of the Congo is in the grip of a civil war that has drawn in military forces from neighboring states, with Uganda and Rwanda supporting the rebel movements that occupy much of the eastern portion of the state; Tutsi, Hutu, and other conflicting ethnic groups, political rebels, and various government forces continue fighting in Great Lakes region, transcending the boundaries of Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda; most of the Congo River boundary with the Republic of the Congo is indefinite (no agreement has been reached on the division of the river or its islands, except in the Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool area)

Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for domestic consumption

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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China

Introduction

China

Background: For centuries China stood as a leading civilization, outpacing the rest of the world in the arts and sciences. But in the 19th and early 20th centuries, China was beset by civil unrest, major famines, military defeats, and foreign occupation. After World War II, the Communists under MAO Zedong established a dictatorship that, while ensuring China's sovereignty, imposed strict controls over everyday life and cost the lives of tens of millions of people. After 1978, his successor DENG Xiaoping gradually introduced market-oriented reforms and decentralized economic decision making, and output quadrupled by 2000. Political controls remain tight even while economic controls continue to be relaxed.

Geography China

Location: Eastern Asia, bordering the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow
Sea, and South China Sea, between North Korea and Vietnam

Geographic coordinates: 35 00 N, 105 00 E

Map references: Asia

Area: total: 9,596,960 sq km land: 9,326,410 sq km water: 270,550 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than the US

Land boundaries: total: 22,147.34 km border countries: Afghanistan 76 km, Bhutan 470 km, Burma 2,185 km, Hong Kong 30 km, India 3,380 km, Kazakhstan 1,533 km, North Korea 1,416 km, Kyrgyzstan 858 km, Laos 423 km, Macau 0.34 km, Mongolia 4,677 km, Nepal 1,236 km, Pakistan 523 km, Russia (northeast) 3,605 km, Russia (northwest) 40 km, Tajikistan 414 km, Vietnam 1,281 km

Coastline: 14,500 km

Maritime claims: 200 NM continental shelf: Climate: extremely diverse; tropical in south to subarctic in north

Terrain: mostly mountains, high plateaus, deserts in west; plains, deltas, and hills in east

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Turpan Pendi -154 m highest point:
Mount Everest 8,850 m (1999 est.)

Natural resources: coal, iron ore, petroleum, natural gas, mercury, tin, tungsten, antimony, manganese, molybdenum, vanadium, magnetite, aluminum, lead, zinc, uranium, hydropower potential (world's largest)

Land use: arable land: 13% permanent crops: 1% other: 86% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 525,800 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: frequent typhoons (about five per year along southern and eastern coasts); damaging floods; tsunamis; earthquakes; droughts; land subsidence

Environment - current issues: air pollution (greenhouse gases, sulfur dioxide particulates) from reliance on coal, produces acid rain; water shortages, particularly in the north; water pollution from untreated wastes; deforestation; estimated loss of one-fifth of agricultural land since 1949 to soil erosion and economic development; desertification; trade in endangered species

Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental
Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber
83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified:
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note: world's fourth-largest country (after Russia, Canada, and US); Mount Everest on the border with Nepal, is the world's tallest peak

People China

Population: 1,284,303,705 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 24.3% (male 163,821,081; female 148,855,387) 15-64 years: (male 43,834,528; female 49,382,568) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.87% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 15.85 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 6.77 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 27.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 73.86 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.82 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: less than 0.2% (2000-01 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 1.25 million (January 2001)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 17,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Chinese (singular and plural) adjective: Chinese

Ethnic groups: Han Chinese 91.9%, Zhuang, Uygur, Hui, Yi, Tibetan,
Miao, Manchu, Mongol, Buyi, Korean, and other nationalities 8.1%

Religions: Daoist (Taoist), Buddhist, Muslim 1%-2%, Christian 3%-4% note: officially atheist (2002 est.)

Languages: Standard Chinese or Mandarin (Putonghua, based on the Beijing dialect), Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghaiese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan (Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, minority languages (see Ethnic groups entry)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 81.5% male: 89.9% female: 72.7% (1995 est.)

Government China

Country name: conventional long form: People's Republic of China
conventional short
 PRC local long form:
Government type: Communist state

Capital: Beijing

Administrative divisions: 23 provinces (sheng, singular and plural), 5 autonomous regions* (zizhiqu, singular and plural), and 4 municipalities** (shi, singular and plural); Anhui, Beijing**, Chongqing**, Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guangxi*, Guizhou, Hainan, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Jilin, Liaoning, Nei Mongol*, Ningxia*, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanghai**, Shanxi, Sichuan, Tianjin**, Xinjiang*, Xizang* (Tibet), Yunnan, Zhejiang; note - China considers Taiwan its 23rd province; see separate entries for the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau

Independence: 221 BC (unification under the Qin or Ch'in Dynasty 221
BC; Qing or Ch'ing Dynasty replaced by the Republic on 12 February 1912;
People's Republic established 1 October 1949)

National holiday: Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China, 1 October (1949)

Constitution: most recent promulgation 4 December 1982

Legal system: a complex amalgam of custom and statute, largely criminal law; rudimentary civil code in effect since 1 January 1987; new legal codes in effect since 1 January 1980; continuing efforts are being made to improve civil, administrative, criminal, and commercial law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President JIANG Zemin (since 27 March 1993) and Vice President HU Jintao (since 16 March 1998) elections: president and vice president elected by the National People's Congress for five-year terms; elections last held 16-18 March 1998 (next to be held NA March 2003); premier nominated by the president, confirmed by the National People's Congress head of government: Premier ZHU Rongji (since 18 March 1998); Vice Premiers QIAN Qichen (since 29 March 1993), LI Lanqing (29 March 1993), WU Bangguo (since 17 March 1995), and WEN Jiabao (since 18 March 1998) cabinet: State Council appointed by the National People's Congress (NPC) election results: JIANG Zemin reelected president by the Ninth National People's Congress with a total of 2,882 votes (36 delegates voted against him, 29 abstained, and 32 did not vote); HU Jintao elected vice president by the Ninth National People's Congress with a total of 2,841 votes (67 delegates voted against him, 39 abstained, and 32 did not vote)

Legislative branch: unicameral National People's Congress or Quanguo Renmin Daibiao Dahui (2,979 seats; members elected by municipal, regional, and provincial people's congresses to serve five-year terms) elections: last held NA December 1997-NA February 1998 (next to be held late 2002-NA March 2003) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - NA

Judicial branch: Supreme People's Court (judges appointed by the National People's Congress); Local Peoples Courts (comprise higher, intermediate and local courts); Special Peoples Courts (primarily military, maritime, and railway transport courts)

Political parties and leaders: Chinese Communist Party or CCP [JIANG Zemin, General Secretary of the Central Committee]; eight registered small parties controlled by CCP

Political pressure groups and leaders: no substantial political opposition groups exist, although the government has identified the Falungong sect and the China Democracy Party as potential rivals

International organization participation: AfDB, APEC, ARF (dialogue
partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIS, CCC, CDB, ESCAP, FAO,
G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MINURSO,
MONUC, NAM (observer), OPCW, PCA, UN, UN Security Council, UNAMSIL,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMOVIC,
UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador YANG Jiechi consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco FAX: [1] (202) 328-2582 telephone: [1] (202) 328-2500 chancery: 2300 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Clark T. RANDT, Jr. embassy: Xiu Shui Bei Jie 3, 100600 Beijing mailing address: PSC 461, Box 50, FPO AP 96521-0002 telephone: [86] (10) 6532-3431 FAX: [86] (10) 6532-6422 consulate(s) general: Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenyang

Flag description: red with a large yellow five-pointed star and four smaller yellow five-pointed stars (arranged in a vertical arc toward the middle of the flag) in the upper hoist-side corner

Economy China

Economy - overview: In late 1978 the Chinese leadership began moving the economy from a sluggish Soviet-style centrally planned economy to a more market-oriented system. Whereas the system operates within a political framework of strict Communist control, the economic influence of non-state organizations and individual citizens has been steadily increasing. The authorities have switched to a system of household and village responsibility in agriculture in place of the old collectivization, increased the authority of local officials and plant managers in industry, permitted a wide variety of small-scale enterprise in services and light manufacturing, and opened the economy to increased foreign trade and investment. The result has been a quadrupling of GDP since 1978. In 2001, with its 1.27 billion people but a GDP of just $4,300 per capita, China stood as the second largest economy in the world after the US (measured on a purchasing power parity basis). Agriculture and industry have posted major gains, especially in coastal areas near Hong Kong and opposite Taiwan, where foreign investment has helped spur output of both domestic and export goods. On the darker side, the leadership has often experienced in its hybrid system the worst results of socialism (bureaucracy and lassitude) and of capitalism (windfall gains and growing income disparities). Beijing thus has periodically backtracked, retightening central controls at intervals. The government has struggled to (a) collect revenues due from provinces, businesses, and individuals; (b) reduce corruption and other economic crimes; and (c) keep afloat the large state-owned enterprises many of which had been shielded from competition by subsidies and had been losing the ability to pay full wages and pensions. From 80 to 120 million surplus rural workers are adrift between the villages and the cities, many subsisting through part-time low-paying jobs. Popular resistance, changes in central policy, and loss of authority by rural cadres have weakened China's population control program, which is essential to maintaining long-term growth in living standards. Another long-term threat to continued rapid economic growth is the deterioration in the environment, notably air pollution, soil erosion, and the steady fall of the water table especially in the north. China continues to lose arable land because of erosion and economic development. Beijing will intensify efforts to stimulate growth through spending on infrastructure - such as water control and power grids - and poverty relief and through rural tax reform aimed at eliminating arbitrary local levies on farmers. Access to the World Trade Organization strengthens China's ability to maintain sturdy growth rates, and at the same time puts additional pressure on the hybrid system of strong political controls and growing market influences. Although Beijing has claimed 7%-8% annual growth in recent years, many observers believe the rate, while strong, is more like 5%.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $5.56 trillion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 7.3% (official estimate) (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $4,300 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 17.7% industry: 49.3% services: 33% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 10% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.4% highest 10%: 30.4% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 40 (2001)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.8% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 706 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 50%, industry 23%, services 27% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate: urban unemployment roughly 10%; substantial unemployment and underemployment in rural areas (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $161.8 billion expenditures: $191.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000)

Industries: iron and steel, coal, machine building, armaments, textiles and apparel, petroleum, cement, chemical fertilizers, footwear, toys, food processing, automobiles, consumer electronics, telecommunications

Industrial production growth rate: 9.9% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 1.308 trillion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 81.83% hydro: 16.83% other: 0.12% (2000) nuclear: 1.22%

Electricity - consumption: 1.206 trillion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 10.25 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 400 million kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: rice, wheat, potatoes, sorghum, peanuts, tea, millet, barley, cotton, oilseed; pork; fish

Exports: $262.1 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: machinery and equipment; textiles and clothing, footwear, toys and sporting goods; mineral fuels

Exports - partners: US 21%, Hong Kong 18%, Japan 17%, South Korea,
Germany, Netherlands, UK, Singapore, Taiwan (2000)

Imports: $236.2 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, mineral fuels, plastics, iron and steel, chemicals

Imports - partners: Japan 18%, Taiwan 11%, South Korea 10%, US 10%
Germany, Hong Kong, Russia, Malaysia (2000)

Debt - external: $167 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $NA

Currency: yuan (CNY)

Currency code: CNY

Exchange rates: yuan per US dollar - 8.2767 (January 2002), 8.2771 (2001), 8.2785 (2000), 8.2783 (1999), 8.2790 (1998), 8.2898 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications China

Telephones - main lines in use: 135 million (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 65 million (January 2001)

Telephone system: general assessment: domestic and international services are increasingly available for private use; unevenly distributed domestic system serves principal cities, industrial centers, and many towns domestic: have been installed; a domestic satellite system with 55 earth stations is in place international: satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region) and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Ocean regions); several international fiber-optic links to Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Russia, and Germany (2000)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 369, FM 259, shortwave 45 (1998)

Radios: 417 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3,240 (of which 209 are operated by China Central Television, 31 are provincial TV stations and nearly 3,000 are local city stations) (1997)

Televisions: 400 million (1997)

Internet country code: .cn

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 3 (2000)

Internet users: 26.5 million (2001)

Transportation China

Railways: total: 67,524 km (including 5,400 km of provincial "local" rails) standard gauge: 63,924 km 1.435-m gauge (13,362 km electrified; 20,250 km double-track) narrow gauge: 3,600 km 0.750-m and 1.000-m gauge local industrial lines (1999 est.)

Highways: total: 1.4 million km paved: 271,300 km (with at least 16,000 km of expressways) unpaved: 1,128,700 km (1999)

Waterways: 110,000 km (1999)

Pipelines: crude oil 9,070 km; petroleum products 560 km; natural gas 9,383 km (1998)

Ports and harbors: Dalian, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Haikou, Huangpu,
Lianyungang, Nanjing, Nantong, Ningbo, Qingdao, Qinhuangdao, Shanghai,
Shantou, Shenzhen, Tianjin, Wenzhou, Xiamen, Xingang, Yantai, Zhanjiang
(2001)

Merchant marine: total: 1,764 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 16,915,047 GRT/25,366,296 DWT ships by type: barge carrier 2, bulk 328, cargo 822, chemical tanker 25, combination bulk 10, combination ore/oil 1, container 134, liquefied gas 26, multi-functional large-load carrier 6, passenger 7, passenger/cargo 45, petroleum tanker 263, refrigerated cargo 26, roll on/roll off 23, short-sea passenger 42, specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Croatia 1, Germany 1, Hong Kong 16, Japan 2, Panama 2, South Korea 1, Spain 1, Taiwan 9, Tanzania 1, Turkey 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 489 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: 88 1,524 to 2,437 m: Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 165 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 29 914 to 1,523 m: 56 under 914 m: 78 (2001)

Military China

Military branches: People's Liberation Army (PLA): comprises ground forces, Navy (including naval infantry and naval aviation), Air Force, and II Artillery Corps (strategic missile force), People's Armed Police Force (internal security troops, nominally a state security body but included by the Chinese as part of the "armed forces" and considered to be an adjunct to the PLA), militia

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 370,087,489 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 203,003,036 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 10,089,458 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $20.048 billion (2002); note - this is the officially announced figure, but actual defense spending more likely ranges from $45 billion to $65 billion for 2002

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.6% (2002); note - this is the officially announced figure, but actual defense spending is more likely between 3.5% to 5.0% of GDP for 2002

Transnational Issues China

Disputes - international: in 2000, China joined ASEAN discussions towards creating a South China Sea "code of conduct" - a non-legally binding, confidence-building measure; much of the rugged, militarized boundary with India is in dispute, but talks to resolve the least contested middle sector resumed in 2001; ongoing talks with Tajikistan have failed to resolve the longstanding dispute over the indefinite boundary; Kazakhstan is working rapidly with China to delimit its large open borders to control population migration, illegal activities, and trade; 2001 Treaty of Good Neighborliness, Friendship, and Cooperation commits Russia and China to seek peaceable unanimity over disputed alluvial islands at the confluence of the Amur and Ussuri rivers and a small island on the Argun; involved in a complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; maritime boundary agreement with Vietnam in the Gulf of Tonkin awaits ratification; Paracel Islands occupied by China, but claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; claims Japanese-administered Senkaku-shoto (Senkaku Islands/Diaoyu Tai), as does Taiwan; demarcation of the land boundary with Vietnam has commenced, but details of the alignment have not been made public; 33-km section of boundary with North Korea in the Paektu-san (mountain) area is indefinite

Illicit drugs: major transshipment point for heroin produced in the Golden Triangle; growing domestic drug abuse problem; source country for chemical precursors and methamphetamine

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Chile

Introduction

Chile

Background: A three-year-old Marxist government was overthrown in 1973 by a dictatorial military regime led by Augusto PINOCHET, who ruled until a freely elected president was installed in 1990. Sound economic policies, first implemented by the PINOCHET dictatorship, led to unprecedented growth in 1991-97 and have helped secure the country's commitment to democratic and representative government.

Geography Chile

Location: Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean and South Pacific Ocean, between Argentina and Peru

Geographic coordinates: 30 00 S, 71 00 W

Map references: South America

Area: total: 756,950 sq km land: 748,800 sq km note: includes Easter
Island (Isla de Pascua) and Isla Sala y Gomez water: 8,150 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana

Land boundaries: total: 6,171 km border countries: Argentina 5,150 km,
Bolivia 861 km, Peru 160 km

Coastline: 6,435 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200/350 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate: temperate; desert in north; Mediterranean in central region; cool and damp in south

Terrain: low coastal mountains; fertile central valley; rugged Andes in east

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point:
Nevado Ojos del Salado 6,880 m

Natural resources: copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals, molybdenum, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 3% permanent crops: 0% other: 97% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 18,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis

Environment - current issues: widespread deforestation and mining threaten natural resources; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage

Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental
Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban

Geography - note: strategic location relative to sea lanes between
Atlantic and Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake
Passage); Atacama Desert is one of world's driest regions

People Chile

Population: 15,498,930 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 26.9% (male 2,127,696; female 2,033,201) 15-64 years: 65.6% (male 5,070,476; female 5,103,490) 65 years and over: 7.5% (male 482,846; female 681,221) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.09% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 16.46 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 5.59 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 9.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 79.62 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.13 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.19% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 15,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 1,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Chilean(s) adjective: Chilean

Ethnic groups: white and white-Amerindian 95%, Amerindian 3%, other 2%

Religions: Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 11%, Jewish NEGL%

Languages: Spanish

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 95.2% male: 95.4% female: 95% (1995 est.)

Government Chile

Country name: Republic of Chile conventional short form: Government type: republic

Capital: Santiago

Administrative divisions: 13 regions (regiones, singular - region);
Aisen del General Carlos Ibanez del Campo, Antofagasta, Araucania,
Atacama, Bio-Bio, Coquimbo, Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins, Los
Lagos, Magallanes y de la Antartica Chilena, Maule, Region Metropolitana
(Santiago), Tarapaca, Valparaiso note: the US does not recognize claims
to Antarctica

Independence: 18 September 1810 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Day, 18 September (1810)

Constitution: 11 September 1980, effective 11 March 1981, amended 30
July 1989, 1993, and 1997

Legal system: based on Code of 1857 derived from Spanish law and subsequent codes influenced by French and Austrian law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction note: Chile is in the process of completely overhauling its criminal justice system; a new, US-style adversarial system is being gradually implemented throughout the country

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch: chief of state: President Ricardo LAGOS Escobar (since 11 March 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Ricardo LAGOS Escobar (since 11 March 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president election results: Ricardo LAGOS Escobar elected president; percent of vote - Ricardo LAGOS Escobar 51.32%, Joaquin LAVIN 48.68% elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 12 December 1999, with runoff election held 16 January 2000 (next to be held NA December 2005)

Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate or Senado (49 seats, 38 elected by popular vote, 9 designated members, and 2 former presidents who serve six-year terms and are senators for life); elected members serve eight-year terms (one-half elected every four years) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (120 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) election results: PS 5, PPD 3), UDI 9, RN 7, independents 2; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CPD 63 (PDC 24, PPD 21, PS 11, PRSD 6,), UDI 35, RN 22, independent 1 elections: Senate - last held 16 December 2001 (next to be held NA December 2005); Chamber of Deputies - last held 16 December 2001 (next to be held NA December 2005)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are appointed by the president and ratified by the Senate from lists of candidates provided by the court itself; the president of the Supreme Court is elected by the 21-member court); Constitutional Tribunal

Political parties and leaders: Center-Center Union Party or UCCP
[Francisco Javier ERRAZURIZ]; Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Patricia
ALYWIN]; Coalition of Parties for Democracy ("Concertacion") or CPD
- including PDC, PS, PPD, PRSD; Independent Democratic Union or UDI
[Pablo LONGUEIRA]; National Renewal or RN [Alberto CARDEMIL]; Party for
Democracy or PPD [Guido GIRARDI]; Radical Social Democratic Party or PRSD
[Anselmo SULE]; Socialist Party or PS [Ricardo NUNEZ]

Political pressure groups and leaders: revitalized university student federations at all major universities; Roman Catholic Church; United Labor Central or CUT includes trade unionists from the country's five largest labor confederations

International organization participation: APEC, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-15,
G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur
(associate), NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMOGIP, UNTAET, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Andres BIANCHI chancery: 1732 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington,
DC 20036 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,
New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico) FAX:
[1] (202) 887-5579 telephone: [1] (202) 785-1746

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Philip S. GOLDBERG embassy: Avenida Andres Bello 2800, Las Condes, Santiago mailing address: APO AA 34033 telephone: [56] (2) 232-2600 FAX: [56] (2) 330-3710

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; there is a blue square the same height as the white band at the hoist-side end of the white band; the square bears a white five-pointed star in the center; design was based on the US flag

Economy Chile

Economy - overview: Chile has a market-oriented economy characterized by a high level of foreign trade. During the early 1990s, Chile's reputation as a role model for economic reform was strengthened when the democratic government of Patricio AYLWIN - which took over from the military in 1990 - deepened the economic reform initiated by the military government. Growth in real GDP averaged 8% during 1991-97, but fell to half that level in 1998 because of tight monetary policies implemented to keep the current account deficit in check and because of lower export earnings - the latter a product of the global financial crisis. A severe drought exacerbated the recession in 1999, reducing crop yields and causing hydroelectric shortfalls and electricity rationing, and Chile experienced negative economic growth for the first time in more than 15 years. Despite the effects of the recession, Chile maintained its reputation for strong financial institutions and sound policy that have given it the strongest sovereign bond rating in South America. By the end of 1999, exports and economic activity had begun to recover, and growth rebounded to 5.4% in 2000. Unemployment remains stubbornly high, however, putting pressure on President LAGOS to improve living standards. The Argentine financial meltdown has put pressure on the Chilean peso and is slowing the country's economic growth. Meanwhile, Chile and the US are conducting negotiations for a free trade agreement.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $153 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3.1% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $10,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 8% industry: 38% services: 54% (2000)

Population below poverty line: 22% (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.2% highest 10%: 41.3% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 57.5 (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.5% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 5.9 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 14%, industry 27%, services 59% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate: 10.1% (2001)

Budget: revenues: $17 billion expenditures: $17 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Industries: copper, other minerals, foodstuffs, fish processing, iron and steel, wood and wood products, transport equipment, cement, textiles

Industrial production growth rate: 2.5% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 39.577 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 51.17% hydro: 46.36% other: 2.47% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 37.897 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 1.09 billion kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: wheat, corn, grapes, beans, sugar beets, potatoes, fruit; beef, poultry, wool; fish; timber

Exports: $18.5 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Exports - commodities: copper, fish, fruits, paper and pulp, chemicals

Exports - partners: US 17%, Japan 14%, UK 6%, Brazil 5%, China 5% (2000)

Imports: $18 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Imports - commodities: consumer goods, chemicals, motor vehicles, fuels, electrical machinery, heavy industrial machinery, food

Imports - partners: US 19%, Argentina 16%, Brazil 7%, China 6%, Japan 4% (2000)

Debt - external: $39.6 billion (2001)

Economic aid - recipient: ODA, $40 million (2001 est.)

Currency: Chilean peso (CLP)

Currency code: CLP

Exchange rates: Chilean pesos per US dollar - 651.90 (January 2002), 618.70 (2001), 535.47 (2000), 508.78 (1999), 460.29 (1998), 419.30 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Chile

Telephones - main lines in use: 2.603 million (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 944,225 (1998)

Telephone system: general assessment: modern system based on extensive microwave radio relay facilities domestic: extensive microwave radio relay links; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 180 (eight inactive), FM 64, shortwave 17 (one inactive) (1998)

Radios: 5.18 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 63 (plus 121 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 3.15 million (1997)

Internet country code: .cl

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 7 (2000)

Internet users: 1.75 million (2001)

Transportation Chile

Railways: total: 6,702 km broad gauge: 2,831 km 1.676-m gauge (1,317 km electrified) narrow gauge: 117 km 1.067-m gauge (28 km electrified); 3,754 km 1.000-m gauge (37 km electrified) (2000 est.)

Highways: total: 79,800 km paved: 11,012 km unpaved: 68,788 km (1996)

Waterways: 725 km

Pipelines: crude oil 755 km; petroleum products 785 km; natural gas 320 km

Ports and harbors: Antofagasta, Arica, Chanaral, Coquimbo, Iquique,
Puerto Montt, Punta Arenas, San Antonio, San Vicente, Talcahuano,
Valparaiso

Merchant marine: total: 47 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 669,670 GRT/931,647 DWT ships by type: bulk 11, cargo 4, chemical tanker 10, container 5, liquefied gas 2, passenger 3, petroleum tanker 4, roll on/roll off 5, vehicle carrier 3, includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Netherlands 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 363 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 70 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 20 914 to 1,523 m: 22 under 914 m: 16 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 293 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 60 under 914 m: 217 (2001)

Military Chile

Military branches: Army of the Nation, National Navy (including naval air, coast guard, and marines), Air Force of the Nation, Chilean Carabineros (National Police), Investigations Police

Military manpower - military age: 19 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 4,104,197 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 3,034,912 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 136,830 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $2.5 billion (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.1% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Chile

Disputes - international: Bolivia continues to demand a sovereign corridor to the South Pacific Ocean since the Atacama region was lost to Chile in 1884; territorial claim in Antarctica (Chilean Antarctic Territory) partially overlaps Argentine and British claims; dispute with Peru over the economic zone delimited by the maritime boundary

Illicit drugs: a growing transshipment country for cocaine destined for the US and Europe; economic prosperity has made Chile more attractive to traffickers seeking to launder drug profits; imported precursors passed on to Bolivia; domestic cocaine consumption is rising

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Cayman Islands

Introduction

Cayman Islands

Background: The Cayman Islands were colonized from Jamaica by the British during the 18th and 19th centuries. Administered by Jamaica from 1863, they remained a British dependency after 1962 when the former became independent.

Geography Cayman Islands

Location: Caribbean, island group in Caribbean Sea, nearly one-half of the way from Cuba to Honduras

Geographic coordinates: 19 30 N, 80 30 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 262 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 262 sq km

Area - comparative: 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 160 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical marine; warm, rainy summers (May to October) and cool, relatively dry winters (November to April)

Terrain: low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point:
The Bluff 43 m

Natural resources: fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: hurricanes (July to November)

Environment - current issues: no natural fresh water resources; drinking water supplies must be met by rainwater catchments

Geography - note: important location between Cuba and Central America

People Cayman Islands

Population: 36,273 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 22% (male 3,836; female 4,156) 15-64 years: 69.7% (male 12,335; female 12,929) 65 years and over: 8.3% (male 1,399; female 1,618) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.03% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 13.45 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 5.24 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 12.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: major destination for Cubans trying to migrate to the US (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 0.86 male(s)/female under 15 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 9.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 81.59 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.03 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Caymanian(s) adjective: Caymanian

Ethnic groups: mixed 40%, white 20%, black 20%, expatriates of various ethnic groups 20%

Religions: United Church (Presbyterian and Congregational), Anglican,
Baptist, Church of God, other Protestant, Roman Catholic

Languages: English

Literacy: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population:
Government Cayman Islands

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Cayman Islands

Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK

Government type: British crown colony

Capital: George Town

Administrative divisions: 8 districts; Creek, Eastern, Midland, South
Town, Spot Bay, Stake Bay, West End, Western

Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday: Constitution Day, first Monday in July

Constitution: 1959, revised 1972 and 1992

Legal system: British common law and local statutes

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); Governor Bruce DINWIDDY (since 29 May 2002) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor is appointed by the monarch head of government: (three members appointed by the governor, four members elected by the Legislative Assembly)

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly (18 seats, three appointed members from the Executive Council and 15 elected by popular vote; members serve four-year terms) elections: last held 8 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2004) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - NA

Judicial branch: Summary Court; Grand Court; Cayman Islands Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders: there are no formal political parties but
the following loose groupings act as political organizations; National
Team [leader NA]; Democratic Alliance [leader NA]; Team Cayman [leader
NA]; United Democratic Party [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: Caricom (observer), CDB,
Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UNESCO (associate)

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description: blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Caymanian coat of arms on a white disk centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms includes a pineapple and turtle above a shield with three stars (representing the three islands) and a scroll at the bottom bearing the motto HE HATH FOUNDED IT UPON THE SEAS

Economy Cayman Islands

Economy - overview: With no direct taxation, the islands are a thriving offshore financial center. More than 40,000 companies were registered in the Cayman Islands as of 1998, including almost 600 banks and trust companies; banking assets exceed $500 billion. A stock exchange was opened in 1997. Tourism is also a mainstay, accounting for about 70% of GDP and 75% of foreign currency earnings. The tourist industry is aimed at the luxury market and caters mainly to visitors from North America. Total tourist arrivals exceeded 1.2 million in 1997, with 600,000 from the US. About 90% of the islands' food and consumer goods must be imported. The Caymanians enjoy one of the highest outputs per capita and one of the highest standards of living in the world.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.18 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4.5% (2000)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $30,000 (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.4% industry: 3.2% services: 95.4% (1994 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.3% (2000)

Labor force: 19,820 (1995)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 1.4%, industry 12.6%, services 86% (1995)

Unemployment rate: 4.1% (1997)

Budget: revenues: $265.2 million expenditures: $248.9 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997)

Industries: tourism, banking, insurance and finance, construction, construction materials, furniture

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 355 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 330.15 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: vegetables, fruit; livestock, turtle farming

Exports: $1.2 million (1999)

Exports - commodities: turtle products, manufactured consumer goods

Exports - partners: mostly US

Imports: $457.4 million (1999)

Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, manufactured goods

Imports - partners: US, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, Netherlands Antilles,
Japan

Debt - external: $70 million (1996)

Economic aid - recipient: $NA

Currency: Caymanian dollar (KYD)

Currency code: KYD

Exchange rates: Caymanian dollars per US dollar - 0.82 (29 October 2001), 0.83 (3 November 1995), 0.85 (22 November 1993)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Communications Cayman Islands

Telephones - main lines in use: 19,000 (1995)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 2,534 (1995)

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: 1 submarine coaxial cable; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 36,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 with cable system

Televisions: 7,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .ky

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 16 (2000)

Internet users: NA

Transportation Cayman Islands

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 406 km paved: 304 km unpaved: 102 km

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Cayman Brac, George Town

Merchant marine: total: 121 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,034,181 GRT/3,191,597 DWT ships by type: bulk 24, cargo 4, chemical tanker 34, container 1, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 14, refrigerated cargo 40, roll on/roll off 2, specialized tanker 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Bahrain 2, China 1, Germany 4, Greece 27, Hong Kong 3, Italy 2, Japan 1, Norway 14, Sweden 13, United Kingdom 15, United States 35 (2002 est.)

Airports: 3 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)

Military Cayman Islands

Military branches: no regular indigenous military forces; Royal Cayman
Islands Police Force (RCIPF)

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Cayman Islands

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: vulnerable to drug money laundering and drug transshipment to the US and Europe

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Introduction Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Background: There are 27 coral islands in the group. Captain William Keeling discovered the islands in 1609, but they remained uninhabited until the 19th century. Annexed by the UK in 1857, they were transferred to the Australian Government in 1955. The population on the two inhabited islands generally is split between the ethnic Europeans on West Island and the ethnic Malays on Home Island.

Geography Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Location: Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia, about halfway from Australia to Sri Lanka

Geographic coordinates: 12 30 S, 96 50 E

Map references: Southeast Asia

Area: total: 14 sq km note: includes the two main islands of West Island and Home Island water: 0 sq km land: 14 sq km

Area - comparative: about 24 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 26 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical with high humidity, moderated by the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year

Terrain: flat, low-lying coral atolls

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 5 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: cyclone season is October to April

Environment - current issues: fresh water resources are limited to rainwater accumulations in natural underground reservoirs

Geography - note: islands are thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation

People Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Population: 632 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA% 15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA%

Population growth rate: -0.22% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population

Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population

Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: NA years male: NA years female: NA years

Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Cocos Islander(s) adjective: Cocos Islander

Ethnic groups: Europeans, Cocos Malays

Religions: Sunni Muslim 80%, other 20% (2002 est.)

Languages: Malay (Cocos dialect), English

Government Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Country name: conventional long form: Territory of Cocos (Keeling)
Islands conventional short form: Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Dependency status: territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services

Government type: NA

Capital: West Island

Administrative divisions: none (territory of Australia)

Independence: none (territory of Australia)

National holiday: NA

Constitution: Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955

Legal system: based upon the laws of Australia and local laws

Suffrage: NA

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia head of government: Administrator (nonresident) William Leonard TAYLOR (since 4 February 1999) cabinet: NA

Legislative branch: unicameral Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council (7 seats)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court

Political parties and leaders: none

Political pressure groups and leaders: none

International organization participation: none

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of Australia)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of Australia)

Flag description: the flag of Australia is used

Economy Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Economy - overview: Grown throughout the islands, coconuts are the sole cash crop. Small local gardens and fishing contribute to the food supply, but additional food and most other necessities must be imported from Australia. There is a small tourist industry.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $NA

GDP - real growth rate: NA%

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $NA

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

Labor force: NA

Labor force - by occupation: the Cocos Islands Cooperative Society Ltd. employs construction workers, stevedores, and lighterage workers; tourism employs others

Unemployment rate: 60% (2000 est.)

Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Industries: copra products and tourism

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: NA kWh

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: NA% hydro: NA% other:
NA% nuclear: NA%

Electricity - consumption: NA kWh

Agriculture - products: vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts

Exports: $NA

Exports - commodities: copra

Exports - partners: Australia

Imports: $NA

Imports - commodities: foodstuffs

Imports - partners: Australia

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid - recipient: $NA

Currency: Australian dollar (AUD)

Currency code: AUD

Exchange rates: Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.9354 (January 2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Communications Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Telephones - main lines in use: 287 (1992)

Telephones - mobile cellular: NA

Telephone system: general assessment: connected within Australia's telecommunication system domestic: NA international: telephone, telex, and facsimile communications with Australia and elsewhere via satellite; 1 satellite earth station of NA type (2002)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (2000)

Radios: 300 (1992)

Television broadcast stations: NA

Televisions: NA

Internet country code: .cc

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)

Internet users: NA

Transportation Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 15 km (2001) paved: NA km unpaved: NA km

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: none; lagoon anchorage only

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: 1 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2001)

Military Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Australia; the territory does have a five-person police force

Transnational Issues Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Cameroon

Introduction

Cameroon

Background: The former French Cameroon and part of British Cameroon merged in 1961 to form the present country. Cameroon has generally enjoyed stability, which has permitted the development of agriculture, roads, and railways, as well as a petroleum industry. Despite movement toward democratic reform, political power remains firmly in the hands of an ethnic oligarchy.

Geography Cameroon

Location: Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between
Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria

Geographic coordinates: 6 00 N, 12 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 475,440 sq km water: 6,000 sq km land: 469,440 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than California

Land boundaries: total: 4,591 km border countries: Central African
Republic 797 km, Chad 1,094 km, Republic of the Congo 523 km, Equatorial
Guinea 189 km, Gabon 298 km, Nigeria 1,690 km

Coastline: 402 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 50 NM

Climate: varies with terrain, from tropical along coast to semiarid and hot in north

Terrain: diverse, with coastal plain in southwest, dissected plateau in center, mountains in west, plains in north

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Fako (on Cameroon Mountain) 4,095 m

Natural resources: petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 13% permanent crops: 3% other: 84% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 330 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: volcanic activity with periodic releases of poisonous gases from Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun volcanoes

Environment - current issues: water-borne diseases are prevalent; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; poaching; overfishing

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban

Geography - note: sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa; throughout the country there are areas of thermal springs and indications of current or prior volcanic activity; Mount Cameroon, the highest mountain in Sub-Saharan west Africa, is an active volcano

People Cameroon

Population: 16,184,748 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 42.1% (male 3,443,505; female 3,367,571) 15-64 years: 54.5% (male 4,431,524; female 4,392,155) 65 years and over: 3.4% (male 253,242; female 296,751) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.36% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 35.66 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 12.08 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 68.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 55.23 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 4.72 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 7.73% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 540,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 52,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Cameroonian(s) adjective: Cameroonian

Ethnic groups: Cameroon Highlanders 31%, Equatorial Bantu 19%, Kirdi 11%, Fulani 10%, Northwestern Bantu 8%, Eastern Nigritic 7%, other African 13%, non-African less than 1%

Religions: indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%

Languages: 24 major African language groups, English (official), French (official)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 63.4% male: 75% female: 52.1% (1995 est.)

Government Cameroon

Country name: Republic of Cameroon conventional short form: Government type: unitary republic; multiparty presidential regime (opposition parties legalized in 1990) note: preponderance of power remains with the president

Capital: Yaounde

Administrative divisions: 10 provinces; Adamaoua, Centre, Est,
Extreme-Nord, Littoral, Nord, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Ouest

Independence: 1 January 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday: Republic Day (National Day), 20 May (1972)

Constitution: 20 May 1972 approved by referendum; 2 June 1972 formally adopted; revised January 1996

Legal system: based on French civil law system, with common law influence; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal

Executive branch: President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982) elections: held 12 October 1997 (next to be held NA October 2004); prime minister appointed by the president head of government: Prime Minister Peter Mafany MUSONGE (since 19 September 1996) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from proposals submitted by the prime minister election results: President Paul BIYA reelected; percent of vote - Paul BIYA 92.6%; note - supporters of the opposition candidates boycotted the elections, making a comparison of vote shares relatively meaningless

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (180 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms; note - the president can either lengthen or shorten the term of the legislature) elections: last held 17 May 1997 (next to be held NA 2002) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RDCP 109, SDF 43, UNDP 13, UDC 5, UPC-K 1, MDR 1, MLDC 1; note - results from seven contested seats were canceled by the Supreme Court, further elections on 3 August 1997 gave these seats to the RDCP note: the constitution calls for an upper chamber for the legislature, to be called a Senate, but it has yet to be established

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); High Court of Justice (consists of nine judges and 6 substitute judges, elected by the National Assembly)

Political parties and leaders: Cameroonian Democratic Union or UDC
[Adamou NDAM NJOYA]; Democratic Rally of the Cameroon People or RDCP
[Paul BIYA]; Movement for the Defense of the Republic or MDR [Dakole
DAISSALA]; Movement for the Liberation and Development of Cameroon or
MLDC [leader Marcel YONDO]; Movement for the Youth of Cameroon or MYC
[Dieudonne TINA]; National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP
[Maigari BELLO BOUBA, chairman]; Social Democratic Front or SDF [John FRU
NDI]; Union of Cameroonian Populations or UPC [Augustin Frederic KODOCK]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Southern Cameroon National Council [Frederick Ebong ALOBWEDE]; Human Rights Defense Group [Albert MUKONG, president]

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, C,
CCC, CEEAC, CEMAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-19, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN,
UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIK,
UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jerome MENDOUGA chancery: 2349 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 FAX: [1] (202) 387-3826 telephone: [1] (202) 265-8790

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
George McDade STAPLES embassy: Rue Nachtigal, Yaounde mailing address:
P. O. Box 817, Yaounde; pouch: American Embassy, Department of State,
Washington, DC 20521-2520 telephone: [237] 23-40-14, 22-17-94 FAX:
[237] 23-07-53 branch office(s): Douala

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), red, and yellow with a yellow five-pointed star centered in the red band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy Cameroon

Economy - overview: Because of its oil resources and favorable agricultural conditions, Cameroon has one of the best-endowed primary commodity economies in sub-Saharan Africa. Still, it faces many of the serious problems facing other underdeveloped countries, such as a top-heavy civil service and a generally unfavorable climate for business enterprise. Since 1990, the government has embarked on various IMF and World Bank programs designed to spur business investment, increase efficiency in agriculture, improve trade, and recapitalize the nation's banks. In June 2000, the government completed an IMF-sponsored, three-year structural adjustment program; however, the IMF is pressing for more reforms, including increased budget transparency and privatization. International oil and cocoa prices have considerable impact on the economy.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $26.4 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4.9% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 44% industry: 20% services: 36% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 48% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2% (2000 est.)

Labor force: NA

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 70%, industry and commerce 13%, other 17%

Unemployment rate: 30% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $2.2 billion expenditures: $2.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY00/01 est.)

Industries: petroleum production and refining, food processing, light consumer goods, textiles, lumber

Industrial production growth rate: 4.2% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production: 3.623 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 2.57% hydro: 97.43% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 3.369 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: coffee, cocoa, cotton, rubber, bananas, oilseed, grains, root starches; livestock; timber

Exports: $2.1 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Exports - commodities: crude oil and petroleum products, lumber, cocoa beans, aluminum, coffee, cotton

Exports - partners: Italy 24%, France 18%, Netherlands 10% (2000 est.)

Imports: $1.5 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery, electrical equipment, transport equipment, fuel, food

Imports - partners: France 29%, Germany 7%, US 6%, Japan 6% (2000 est.)

Debt - external: $10.9 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: on 23 January 2001, the Paris Club agreed to reduce Cameroon's debt of $1.3 billion by $900 million; total debt relief now amounts to $1.26 billion

Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Currency code: XAF

Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 742.79 (January 2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997); note - from 1 January 1999, the XAF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XAF per euro

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Communications Cameroon

Telephones - main lines in use: 95,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 300,000 (2002)

Telephone system: available only to business and government domestic: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 11, FM 8, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios: 2.27 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (1998)

Televisions: 450,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .cm

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 29 (2002)

Internet users: 20,000 (2000) note: in 2000, Cameroon also had 112 cyber-cafes

Transportation Cameroon

Railways: total: 1,104 km narrow gauge: 1,104 km 1.000-m gauge (1995 est.)

Highways: total: 34,300 km paved: 4,288 km unpaved: 30,012 km (1995)

Waterways: 2,090 km (of decreasing importance)

Ports and harbors: Bonaberi, Douala, Garoua, Kribi, Tiko

Airports: 49 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 11 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 38 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 21 under 914 m: 10 (2001)

Military Cameroon

Military branches: Army, Navy (includes naval infantry), Air Force,
National Gendarmerie, Presidential Guard

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 3,872,965 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,959,357 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 174,308 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $118.6 million (FY00/01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.4% (FY98/99)

Transnational Issues Cameroon

Disputes - international: oral arguments on the land and maritime boundary disputes between Cameroon and Nigeria were presented to the ICJ; disputes center around Bakasi Peninsula, where armed clashes continue, Bouram Island on Lake Chad, and the maritime boundary and economic zone dispute in the Gulf of Guinea, which also involves Equatorial Guinea; Lake Chad Basin Commission urges signatories Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria to ratify delimitation treaty over lake region, the site of continuing armed clashes

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Comoros

Introduction

Comoros

Background: Unstable Comoros has endured 19 coups or attempted coups since gaining independence from France in 1975. In 1997, the islands of Anjouan and Moheli declared their independence from Comoros. In 1999, military chief Col. AZALI seized power. He has pledged to resolve the secessionist crisis through a confederal arrangement named the 2000 Fomboni Accord. In December 2001, voters approved a new constitution and presidential elections took place in the spring of 2002.

Geography Comoros

Location: Southern Africa, group of islands in the Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique

Geographic coordinates: 12 10 S, 44 15 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 2,170 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 2,170 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington,
DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 340 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical marine; rainy season (November to May)

Terrain: volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point:
Le Kartala 2,360 m

Natural resources: NEGL

Land use: arable land: 35% permanent crops: 18% other: 47% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: cyclones possible during rainy season (December to
April); Le Kartala on Grand Comore is an active volcano

Environment - current issues: soil degradation and erosion results from crop cultivation on slopes without proper terracing; deforestation

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: important location at northern end of Mozambique
Channel

People Comoros

Population: 614,382 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 42.9% (male 132,013; female 131,282) 15-64 years: 54.2% (male 164,245; female 168,793) 65 years and over: 2.9% (male 8,588; female 9,461) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.99% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 39.01 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 9.1 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: NEGL migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 81.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 63.09 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 5.26 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.12% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Comoran(s) adjective: Comoran

Ethnic groups: Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava

Religions: Sunni Muslim 98%, Roman Catholic 2%

Languages: Arabic (official), French (official), Shikomoro (a blend of
Swahili and Arabic)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 57.3% male: 64.2% female: 50.4% (1995 est.)

Government Comoros

Country name: conventional long form: Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros conventional short form: Comoros local short form: Comores local long form: Republique Federale Islamique des Comores

Government type: independent republic

Capital: Moroni

Administrative divisions: 3 islands; Grande Comore (Njazidja), Anjouan (Nzwani), and Moheli (Mwali); note - there are also four municipalities named Domoni, Fomboni, Moroni, and Moutsamoudou

Independence: 6 July 1975 (from France)

National holiday: Independence Day, 6 July (1975)

Constitution: 23 December 2001 note: a Transitional National Unity Government (GUNT) was formed on 20 January 2002 following the passing of the new constitution; the GUNT governed until the presidential elections on 14 April 2002

Legal system: French and Muslim law in a new consolidated code

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President AZALI Assoumani (since 26 May 2002); note - AZALI Assoumani became president on 6 May 1999 after a bloodless coup on 30 April 1999; on 16 January 2002, President AZALI resigned his position to run in the 14 April 2002 presidential elections; during that time, Prime Minister Hamada Madi BOLERO served as interim president election results: President AZALI Assoumani elected president with 75% of the vote elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 14 April 2002 (next to be held NA April 2007); prime minister appointed by the president head of government: Prime Minister Hamada Madi BOLERO (since NA November 2000); note - on 16 January 2002, President AZALI resigned his position to run in the 14 April 2002 presidential elections; Prime Minister Hamada Madi BOLERO was appointed interim president and Djaffar SALIM interim deputy prime minister cabinet: Legislative branch: bicameral legislature consists of the Senate (15 seats - five from each island); members selected by regional councils for six-year terms) and a Federal Assembly or Assemblee Federale (42 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - the Federal Assembly was dissolved following the coup of 30 April 1999 elections: Federal Assembly - last held 1 and 8 December 1996 (next to be held NA) note: the Federal Assembly (two from each island) are permitted to be in the opposition, but if no party accomplishes that, the second most successful party will be in the opposition; in the elections of December 1996 the FNJ appeared to qualify as opposition election results: Federal Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RND 39, FNJ 3, independent 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supremes (two members appointed by the president, two members elected by the Federal Assembly, one elected by the Council of each island, and others are former presidents of the republic)

Political parties and leaders: Front National pour la Justice or FNJ
(Islamic party in opposition) [Ahmed Abdallah MOHAMED, Ahmed ABOUBACAR,
Soidiki M'BAPANOZA]; Rassemblement National pour le Development or RND
(party of the government) [Ali Bazi SELIM]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL,
CCC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS
(associate), ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU,
NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO,
WMO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Ahmed DJABIR (ambassador to the US and Canada and permanent representative to the UN) telephone: [1] (212) [1] (212) 983-4712 and 715-0699 chancery: Republic of the Comoros to the United Nations, 420 East 50th Street, New York, NY 10022

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Comoros; the ambassador to Mauritius is accredited to Comoros

Flag description: four equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), white, red, and blue with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist; centered within the triangle is a white crescent with the convex side facing the hoist and four white, five-pointed stars placed vertically in a line between the points of the crescent; the horizontal bands and the four stars represent the four main islands of the archipelago - Mwali, Njazidja, Nzwani, and Mayotte (a territorial collectivity of France, but claimed by Comoros); the crescent, stars, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam

Economy Comoros

Economy - overview: One of the world's poorest countries, Comoros is made up of three islands that have inadequate transportation links, a young and rapidly increasing population, and few natural resources. The low educational level of the labor force contributes to a subsistence level of economic activity, high unemployment, and a heavy dependence on foreign grants and technical assistance. Agriculture, including fishing, hunting, and forestry, contributes 40% to GDP, employs 80% of the labor force, and provides most of the exports. The country is not self-sufficient in food production; rice, the main staple, accounts for the bulk of imports. The government is struggling to upgrade education and technical training, to privatize commercial and industrial enterprises, to improve health services, to diversify exports, to promote tourism, and to reduce the high population growth rate. Increased foreign support is essential if the goal of 4% annual GDP growth is to be met. Remittances from 150,000 Comorans abroad help supplement GDP.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $424 million (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 1% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $710 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 40% industry: 4% services: 56% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 60% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.5% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 144,500 (1996 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 80%

Unemployment rate: 20% (1996 est.)

Budget: revenues: $27.6 million expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Industries: tourism, perfume distillation

Industrial production growth rate: -2% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production: 19 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 89.47% hydro: 10.53% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 17.67 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, copra, coconuts, bananas, cassava (tapioca)

Exports: $35.3 million (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: vanilla, ylang-ylang, cloves, perfume oil, copra

Exports - partners: France 46%, US 18%, Singapore 18%, Germany 9% (1999)

Imports: $44.9 million (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods; petroleum products, cement, transport equipment

Imports - partners: France 34%, South Africa 14%, Kenya 7%, Pakistan 4% (1999)

Debt - external: $225 million (yearend 2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $10 million (2001 est.)

Currency: Comoran franc (KMF)

Currency code: KMF

Exchange rates: Comoran francs per US dollar - 557.09 (January 2002), 549.78 (2001), 533.98 (2000), 461.77 (1999), 442.46 (1998), 437.75 (1997) note: prior to January 1999, the official rate was pegged to the French franc at 75 Comoran francs per French franc; since 1 January 1999, the Comoran franc is pegged to the euro at a rate of 491.9677 Comoran francs per euro

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Comoros

Telephones - main lines in use: 7,000 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: NA

Telephone system: general assessment: sparse system of microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone communication stations domestic: HF radiotelephone communications and microwave radio relay international: HF radiotelephone communications to Madagascar and Reunion

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios: 90,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: NA

Televisions: 1,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .km

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: 1,500 (2001)

Transportation Comoros

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 880 km paved: 673 km unpaved: 207 km (1996)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Fomboni, Moroni, Moutsamoudou

Merchant marine: total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 139,779
GRT/205,369 DWT ships by type: cargo 6 note: includes some foreign-owned
ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Malta 1, Pakistan 1,
Turkey 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 4 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2001)

Military Comoros

Military branches: Comoran Security Force

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 145,509 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 86,455 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $6 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Comoros

Disputes - international: claims French-administered Mayotte; the island of Anjouan (Nzwani) has moved to secede from Comoros again after recent military coup

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Colombia

Introduction

Colombia

Background: Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Ecuador and Venezuela). A 40-year insurgent campaign to overthrow the Colombian Government escalated during the 1990s, undergirded in part by funds from the drug trade. Although the violence is deadly and large swaths of the countryside are under guerrilla influence, the movement lacks the military strength or popular support necessary to overthrow the government. An anti-insurgent army of paramilitaries has grown to be several thousand strong in recent years, challenging the insurgents for control of territory and illicit industries such as the drug trade and the government's ability to exert its dominion over rural areas. While Bogota continues to try to negotiate a settlement, neighboring countries worry about the violence spilling over their borders.

Geography Colombia

Location: Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between
Panama and Venezuela, and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between
Ecuador and Panama

Geographic coordinates: 4 00 N, 72 00 W

Map references: South America

Area: total: 1,138,910 sq km land: 1,038,700 sq km note: includes Isla de Malpelo, Roncador Cay, Serrana Bank, and Serranilla Bank water: 100,210 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly less than three times the size of Montana

Land boundaries: total: 6,004 km border countries: Brazil 1,643 km,
Ecuador 590 km, Panama 225 km, Peru 1,496 km (est.), Venezuela 2,050 km

Coastline: 3,208 km (Caribbean Sea 1,760 km, North Pacific Ocean 1,448 km)

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate: tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands

Terrain: flat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes Mountains, eastern lowland plains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Pico Cristobal Colon 5,775 m note: nearby Pico Simon Bolivar also has the same elevation

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel, gold, copper, emeralds, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 2% other: 96% (1998 est.) permanent crops: 2%

Irrigated land: 8,500 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional earthquakes; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil and water quality damage from overuse of pesticides; air pollution, especially in Bogota, from vehicle emissions

Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life
Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping

Geography - note: only South American country with coastlines on both
North Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea

People Colombia

Population: 41,008,227 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 31.6% (male 6,552,961; female 6,399,666) 15-64 years: (male 886,921; female 1,098,961) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.6% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 21.99 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 5.66 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 23.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 74.83 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.64 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.31% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 71,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 1,700 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Colombian(s) adjective: Colombian

Ethnic groups: mestizo 58%, white 20%, mulatto 14%, black 4%, mixed black-Amerindian 3%, Amerindian 1%

Religions: Roman Catholic 90%

Languages: Spanish

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 91.3% male: 91.2% female: 91.4% (1995 est.)

Government Colombia

Country name: Republic of Colombia conventional short form: Government type: republic; executive branch dominates government structure

Capital: Bogota

Administrative divisions: 32 departments (departamentos, singular -
departamento) and 1 capital district* (distrito capital); Amazonas,
Antioquia, Arauca, Atlantico, Distrito Capital de Bogota*, Bolivar,
Boyaca, Caldas, Caqueta, Casanare, Cauca, Cesar, Choco, Cordoba,
Cundinamarca, Guainia, Guaviare, Huila, La Guajira, Magdalena, Meta,
Narino, Norte de Santander, Putumayo, Quindio, Risaralda, San Andres y
Providencia, Santander, Sucre, Tolima, Valle del Cauca, Vaupes, Vichada

Independence: 20 July 1810 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Day, 20 July (1810)

Constitution: 5 July 1991

Legal system: based on Spanish law; a new criminal code modeled after US procedures was enacted in 1992-93; judicial review of executive and legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Andres PASTRANA (since 7 August 1998); Vice President Gustavo BELL Lemus (since 7 August 1998); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: BELL Lemus (since 7 August 1998); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet consists of a coalition of the two dominant parties - the PL and PSC - and independents elections: election last held 26 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2006) election results: on 26 May 2002, President-elect Alvaro URIBE Velez received 53% of the vote; Vice President-elect Francisco SANTOS was elected on the same ticket; they will take office in August 2002

Legislative branch: bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the Senate or Senado (102 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Camara de Representantes (166 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: of Representatives - last held 10 March 2002 (next to be held NA March 2006) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PL 28, PSC 13, independents and smaller parties (many aligned with conservatives) 61; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PL 54, PSC 21, independents and other parties 91

Judicial branch: four, coequal, supreme judicial organs; Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justical (highest court of criminal law; judges are selected from the nominees of the Higher Council of Justice for eight-year terms); Council of State (highest court of administrative law, judges are selected from the nominees of the Higher Council of Justice for eight-year terms); Constitutional Court (guards integrity and supremacy of the constitution, rules on constitutionality of laws, amendments to the constitution, and international treaties); Higher Council of Justice (administers and disciplines the civilian judiciary; members of the disciplinary chamber resolve jurisdictional conflicts arising between other courts; members are elected by three sister courts and Congress for eight-year terms)

Political parties and leaders: Conservative Party or PSC [Carlos HOLGUIN Sardi]; Liberal Party or PL [Horatio SERPA Uribe]; Patriotic Union or UP is a legal political party formed by Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC and Colombian Communist Party or PCC [Jaime CAICEDO]; 19 of April Movement or M-19 [Antonio NAVARRO Wolff] note: Colombia has about 60 formally recognized political parties, most of which do not have a presence in either house of Congress

Political pressure groups and leaders: two largest insurgent groups active in Colombia - Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC and National Liberation Army or ELN; largest anti-insurgent paramilitary group is United Self-Defense Groups of Colombia or AUC

International organization participation: BCIE, CAN, Caricom (observer),
CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-3, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN,
UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNU, UPU,
WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Luis Alberto MORENO Mejia chancery: 2118 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), and Washington, DC consulate(s): Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Anne W. PATTERSON embassy: Calle 22D-BIS, numbers 47-51, Apartado Aereo 3831 mailing address: Carrera 45 #22D-45, Bogota, D.C., APO AA 34038 telephone: [57] (1) 315-0811 FAX: [57] (1) 315-2197

Flag description: three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double-width), blue, and red; similar to the flag of Ecuador, which is longer and bears the Ecuadorian coat of arms superimposed in the center

Economy Colombia

Economy - overview: Colombia's economy suffered from weak domestic demand, austere government budgets, and a difficult security situation. A new president takes office in 2002 and will face economic challenges ranging from pension reform to reduction of unemployment. Two of Colombia's leading exports, oil and coffee, face an uncertain future; new exploration is needed to offset declining oil production, while coffee harvests and prices are depressed. Problems in public security are a concern for Colombian business leaders, who are calling for progress in the government's peace negotiations with insurgent groups. Colombia is looking for continued support from the international community to boost economic and peace prospects.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $255 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 1.5% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $6,300 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 19% industry: 26% services: 55% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 55% (2001)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1% highest 10%: 44% (1999)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 57.1 (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.6% (2001)

Labor force: 18.3 million (1999 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: services 46%, agriculture 30%, industry 24% (1990)

Unemployment rate: 17% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $24 billion expenditures: $25.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Industries: textiles, food processing, oil, clothing and footwear, beverages, chemicals, cement; gold, coal, emeralds

Industrial production growth rate: 4% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 43.342 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 25.93% hydro: 73.09% other: 0.98% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 40.348 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 37 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 77 million kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: coffee, cut flowers, bananas, rice, tobacco, corn, sugarcane, cocoa beans, oilseed, vegetables; forest products; shrimp

Exports: $12.3 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: petroleum, coffee, coal, apparel, bananas, cut flowers

Exports - partners: US 43%, Andean Community of Nations 22%, EU 14%, (2001 est.)

Imports: $12.7 billion (c.i.f., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: industrial equipment, transportation equipment, consumer goods, chemicals, paper products, fuels, electricity

Imports - partners: US 35%, EU 16%, Andean Community of Nations 15%,
Japan 5% (2001 est.)

Debt - external: $39 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $NA

Currency: Colombian peso (COP)

Currency code: COP

Exchange rates: Colombian pesos per US dollar - 2,275.89 (January 2002), 2,299.63 (2001), 2,087.90 (2000), 1,756.23 (1999), 1,426.04 (1998), 1,140.96 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Colombia

Telephones - main lines in use: 5,433,565 (December 1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 1,800,229 (December 1998)

Telephone system: general assessment: modern system in many respects domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system; domestic satellite system with 41 earth stations; fiber-optic network linking 50 cities international: satellite earth stations - 6 Intelsat, 1 Inmarsat; 3 fully digitalized international switching centers; 8 submarine cables

Radio broadcast stations: AM 454, FM 34, shortwave 27 (1999)

Radios: 21 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 60 (includes seven low-power stations) (1997)

Televisions: 4.59 million (1997)

Internet country code: .co

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 18 (2000)

Internet users: 878,000 (2001)

Transportation Colombia

Railways: total: 3,304 km standard gauge: 150 km 1.435-m gauge (connects Cerrejon coal mines to maritime port at Bahia de Portete) narrow gauge: 3,154 km 0.914-m gauge (major sections not in use) (2000 est.)

Highways: total: 110,000 km paved: 26,000 km unpaved: 84,000 km (2000)

Waterways: 18,140 km (navigable by river boats) (April 1996)

Pipelines: crude oil 3,585 km; petroleum products 1,350 km; natural gas 830 km; natural gas liquids 125 km

Ports and harbors: Bahia de Portete, Barranquilla, Buenaventura,
Cartagena, Leticia, Puerto Bolivar, San Andres, Santa Marta, Tumaco, Turbo

Merchant marine: total: 11 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 32,438
GRT/43,126 DWT
 bulk 5, cargo 3, container 1, petroleum tanker 2 note: Germany 1
 (2002 est.)

Airports: 1,066 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 93 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 36 under 914 m: 9 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 37

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 973 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 58 under 914 m: 602 (2001) 914 to 1,523 m: 312

Heliports: 1 (2001)

Military Colombia

Military branches: Army (Ejercito Nacional), Navy (Armada Nacional, including Marines and Coast Guard), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Colombiana), National Police (Policia Nacional)

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 10,946,932 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 7,308,703 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 379,295 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $3.3 billion (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.4% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Colombia

Disputes - international: Nicaragua filed a claim against Honduras in 1999 and against Colombia in 2001 at the ICJ over disputed maritime boundary involving 50,000 sq km in the Caribbean Sea, including the Archipelago de San Andres y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank; maritime boundary dispute with Venezuela in the Gulf of Venezuela; Colombian drug activities penetrate Peruvian border area

Illicit drugs: illicit producer of coca, opium poppies, and cannabis; world's leading coca cultivator (cultivation of coca in 2000 - 136,200 hectares, an 11% increase over 1999); potential production of opium since 1995 has remained relatively stable at 66 metric tons; potential production of heroin has averaged 6.5 metric tons; the world's largest processor of coca derivatives into cocaine; supplier of about 90% of the cocaine to the US and the great majority of cocaine to other international drug markets, and an important supplier of heroin to the US market; active aerial eradication program

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Northern Mariana Islands

Introduction

Northern Mariana Islands

Background: Under US administration as part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific, the people of the Northern Mariana Islands decided in the 1970s not to seek independence but instead to forge closer links with the US. Negotiations for territorial status began in 1972. A covenant to establish a commonwealth in political union with the US was approved in 1975. A new government and constitution went into effect in 1978.

Geography Northern Mariana Islands

Location: Oceania, islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines

Geographic coordinates: 15 12 N, 145 45 E

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 477 sq km note: includes 14 islands including Saipan,
Rota, and Tinian water: 0 sq km land: 477 sq km

Area - comparative: 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 1,482 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical marine; moderated by northeast trade winds, little seasonal temperature variation; dry season December to June, rainy season July to October

Terrain: southern islands are limestone with level terraces and fringing coral reefs; northern islands are volcanic

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Agrihan 965 m

Natural resources: arable land, fish

Land use: arable land: 15% permanent crops: 7% other: 78% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons (especially August to November)

Environment - current issues: contamination of groundwater on Saipan may contribute to disease; clean-up of landfill; protection of endangered species conflicts with development

Geography - note: strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean

People Northern Mariana Islands

Population: 77,311 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 23.4% (male 9,208; female 8,902) 15-64 years: 74.8% (male 27,041; female 30,781) 65 years and over: 1.8% (male 690; female 689) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.49% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 20.29 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 2.42 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 17.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.88 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 5.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 79.23 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.76 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: NA adjective: NA

Ethnic groups: Chamorro, Carolinians and other Micronesians, Caucasian,
Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, Korean

Religions: Christian (Roman Catholic majority, although traditional beliefs and taboos may still be found)

Languages: English, Chamorro, Carolinian note: 86% of population speaks a language other than English at home

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 97% female: 96% (1980 est.)

Government Northern Mariana Islands

Country name: conventional long form: Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands conventional short form: Northern Mariana Islands former:
Mariana Islands District (Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands)

Dependency status: commonwealth in political union with the US; federal funds to the Commonwealth administered by the US Department of the Interior, Office of Insular Affairs

Government type: commonwealth; self-governing with locally elected governor, lieutenant governor, and legislature

Capital: Saipan

Administrative divisions: none (commonwealth in political union with the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are four municipalities at the second order; Northern Islands, Rota, Saipan, Tinian

Independence: none (commonwealth in political union with the US)

National holiday: Commonwealth Day, 8 January (1978)

Constitution: Covenant Agreement effective 4 November 1986 and the Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands effective 1 January 1978

Legal system: based on US system, except for customs, wages, immigration laws, and taxation

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

Executive branch: chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001) head of government: Governor Juan N. BABOUTA (since NA January 2002) and Lieutenant Governor Diego T. BENEVENTE (since NA January 2002) cabinet: for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held NA November 2001 (next to be held NA November 2005) election results: Juan N. BABOUTA (Republican Party) 49%

Legislative branch: + bicameral Legislature consists of the Senate (9 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year staggered terms) and the House of Representatives (18 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Republican Party 4, Democratic Party 3, Reform Party 1, independent 1; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Republican Party 16, Democratic Party 1, Covenant Party 1 note: the Northern Mariana Islands does not have a nonvoting delegate in the US Congress; instead, it has an elected official or "resident representative" located in Washington, DC; seats by party - Republican Party 1 (Pedro A. TENORIO) elections: Senate - last held 5 November 2001 (next to be held NA November 2003); House of Representatives - last held 5 November 2001 (next to be held NA November 2003)

Judicial branch: Commonwealth Supreme Court; Superior Court; Federal
District Court

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party [Dr. Carlos S. CAMACHO];
Republican Party [Benigno R. FITIAL]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ESCAP (associate), Interpol (subbureau), SPC

Flag description: blue, with a white, five-pointed star superimposed on the gray silhouette of a latte stone (a traditional foundation stone used in building) in the center, surrounded by a wreath

Economy Northern Mariana Islands

Economy - overview: The economy benefits substantially from financial assistance from the US. The rate of funding has declined as locally generated government revenues have grown. The key tourist industry employs about 50% of the work force and accounts for roughly one-fourth of GDP. Japanese tourists predominate. Annual tourist entries have exceeded one-half million in recent years, but financial difficulties in Japan have caused a temporary slowdown. The agricultural sector is made up of cattle ranches and small farms producing coconuts, breadfruit, tomatoes, and melons. Garment production is by far the most important industry with employment of 17,500 mostly Chinese workers and sizable shipments to the US under duty and quota exemptions.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $900 million (2000 est.) note: GDP numbers reflect US spending

GDP - real growth rate: NA%

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $12,500 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.2% (1997 est.)

Labor force: 6,006 total indigenous labor force; 2,699 unemployed; 28,717 foreign workers (1995)

Labor force - by occupation: NA

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $193 million expenditures: $223 million, including capital expenditures of NA (FY 2001/02 est.)

Industries: tourism, construction, garments, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: NA kWh

Electricity - consumption: NA kWh

Agriculture - products: coconuts, fruits, vegetables; cattle

Exports: $NA

Exports - commodities: garments

Exports - partners: US

Imports: $NA

Imports - commodities: food, construction equipment and materials, petroleum products

Imports - partners: US, Japan

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid - recipient: extensive funding from US

Currency: US dollar (USD)

Currency code: USD

Exchange rates: the US dollar is used

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

Communications Northern Mariana Islands

Telephones - main lines in use: 21,000 (1996)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 1,200 (1995)

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 1 (on Saipan and one station planned for Rota; in addition, two cable services on Saipan provide varied programming from satellite networks) (1997)

Televisions: NA

Internet country code: .mp

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2001)

Internet users: NA

Transportation Northern Mariana Islands

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 362 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (1991)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Saipan, Tinian

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: 6 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 3 under 914 m: 2 (2001) 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

Heliports: 1 (2001)

Military Northern Mariana Islands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Northern Mariana Islands

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Coral Sea Islands

Introduction Coral Sea Islands

Background: Scattered over some 1 million square kilometers of ocean, the Coral Sea Islands were declared a territory of Australia in 1969. They are uninhabited except for a small meteorological staff on Willis Island. Automated weather stations, beacons, and a lighthouse occupy many other islands and reefs.

Geography Coral Sea Islands

Location: Oceania, islands in the Coral Sea, northeast of Australia

Geographic coordinates: 18 00 S, 152 00 E

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: less than 3 sq km note: includes numerous small islands and reefs scattered over a sea area of about 780,000 sq km, with the Willis Islets the most important water: 0 sq km land: less than 3 sq km

Area - comparative: NA

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 3,095 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 3 NM

Climate: tropical

Terrain: sand and coral reefs and islands (or cays)

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Cato Island 6 m

Natural resources: NEGL

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (mostly grass or scrub cover) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: occasional tropical cyclones

Environment - current issues: no permanent fresh water resources

Geography - note: important nesting area for birds and turtles

People Coral Sea Islands

Population: no indigenous inhabitants note: there is a staff of three to four at the meteorological station (July 2002 est.)

Population growth rate: NA

Government Coral Sea Islands

Country name: conventional long form: Coral Sea Islands Territory conventional short form: Coral Sea Islands

Dependency status: territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Department of the Environment, Sport, and Territories

Legal system: the laws of Australia, where applicable, apply

Executive branch: administered from Canberra by the Department of the
Environment, Sport, and Territories

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of Australia)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of Australia)

Flag description: the flag of Australia is used

Economy Coral Sea Islands

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Communications Coral Sea Islands

Communications - note: there are automatic weather stations on many of the isles and reefs relaying data to the mainland

Transportation Coral Sea Islands

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Military Coral Sea Islands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Australia; visited regularly by the Royal Australian Navy; Australia has control over the activities of visitors

Transnational Issues Coral Sea Islands

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Costa Rica

Introduction Costa Rica

Background: Costa Rica is a Central American success story: since the late 19th century, only two brief periods of violence have marred its democratic development. Although still a largely agricultural country, it has expanded its economy to include strong technology and tourism sectors. The standard of living is relatively high. Land ownership is widespread.

Geography Costa Rica

Location: Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the
North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama

Geographic coordinates: 10 00 N, 84 00 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: 440 sq km land: Area - comparative: slightly smaller than
West Virginia

Land boundaries: total: 639 km border countries: Nicaragua 309 km,
Panama 330 km

Coastline: 1,290 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands

Terrain: coastal plains separated by rugged mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point:
Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m

Natural resources: hydropower

Land use: arable land: 4% permanent crops: 6% other: 90% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,260 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes

Environment - current issues: deforestation and land use change, largely a result of the clearing of land for cattle ranching and agriculture; soil erosion; coastal marine pollution; fisheries protection; solid waste management; air pollution

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban,
Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified:
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note: four volcanoes, two of them active, rise near the capital of San Jose in the center of the country; one of the volcanoes, Irazu, erupted destructively in 1963-65

People Costa Rica

Population: 3,834,934 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 30.8% (male 603,270; female 575,766) 15-64 years: 63.9% (male 1,239,618; female 1,211,641) 65 years and over: 5.3% (male 95,182; female 109,457) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.61% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 19.83 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 4.31 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 10.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 78.89 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.42 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.54% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 12,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 750 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Costa Rican(s) adjective: Costa Rican

Ethnic groups: white (including mestizo) 94%, black 3%, Amerindian 1%,
Chinese 1%, other 1%

Religions: Roman Catholic 76.3%, Evangelical 13.7%, other Protestant 0.7%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.3%, other 4.8%, none 3.2%

Languages: Spanish (official), English spoken around Puerto Limon

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 95.5% male: 95.5% female: 95.5% (1999 est.)

Government Costa Rica

Country name: Republic of Costa Rica conventional short form:
Costa Rica

Government type: democratic republic

Capital: San Jose

Administrative divisions: 7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia);
Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose

Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution: 7 November 1949

Legal system: based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch: chief of state: President Abel PACHECO (since 8 May 2002); First Vice President Lineth SABORIO (since NA May 2002); Second Vice President Luis FISHMAN (since NA May 2002); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Abel PACHECO (since 8 May 2002); First Vice President Lineth SABORIO (since NA May 2002); Second Vice President Luis FISHMAN (since NA May 2002); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 3 February 2002; run-off election held 7 April 2002 (next to be held NA February 2006) election results: Abel PACHECO elected president; percent of vote - Abel PACHECO (PUSC) 58%; Rolando ARAYA (PLN) 42%

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (57 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 3 February 2002 (next to be held 3 February 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PUSC 19, PLN 17, PAC 14, PML 6, PRC 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (22 justices are elected for eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly)

Political parties and leaders: Agricultural Labor Action or PALA [Carlos
Alberto SOLIS Blanco]; Citizen Action Party or PAC [Otton SOLIS]; Costa
Rican Renovation Party or PRC [Justo OROZCO]; Democratic Force Party or
PFD [Jose M. NUNEZ]; Libertarian Movement Party or PML [Otto GUEVARA
Guth]; National Christian Alliance Party or ANC [Alejandro MADRIGAL];
National Independent Party or PNI [Jorge GONZALEZ Marten]; National
Integration Party or PIN [Walter MUNOZ Cespedes]; National Liberation
Party or PLN [Sonia PICADO]; Social Christian Unity Party or PUSC [Luis
Manuel CHACON] note: mainly a two-party system - PUSC and PLN - until
the 3 February 2002 election in which the PAC captured a significant
percentage, forcing a run-off in April 2002

Political pressure groups and leaders: Authentic Confederation of
Democratic Workers or CATD (Communist Party affiliate); Chamber of
Coffee Growers; Confederated Union of Workers or CUT (Communist Party
affiliate); Costa Rican Confederation of Democratic Workers or CCTD
(Liberation Party affiliate); Federation of Public Service Workers or
FTSP; National Association for Economic Development or ANFE; National
Association of Educators or ANDE; Rerum Novarum or CTRN (PLN affiliate)
[Gilbert Brown]

International organization participation: BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77,
IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM (observer),
OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jaime DAREMBLUM Rosenstein chancery: 2114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Phoenix, San Antonio, San Francisco, St. Paul, and Tampa consulate(s): Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John J. DANILOVICH embassy: Calle 120 APO AA 34020 telephone: Flag description: five horizontal bands of blue (top), white, red (double width), white, and blue, with the coat of arms in a white disk on the hoist side of the red band

Economy Costa Rica

Economy - overview: Costa Rica's basically stable economy depends on tourism, agriculture, and electronics exports. Poverty has been substantially reduced over the past 15 years, and a strong social safety net has been put into place. Foreign investors remain attracted by the country's political stability and high education levels, and tourism continues to bring in foreign exchange. However, traditional export sectors have not kept pace. Low coffee prices and an overabundance of bananas have hurt the agricultural sector. The government continues to grapple with its large deficit and massive internal debt and with the need to modernize the state-owned electricity and telecommunications sector.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $31.9 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 0.3% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $8,500 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11% industry: 37% services: 52% (2000)

Population below poverty line: 20.6% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.7% highest 10%: 34.6% (2001)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 45.9 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 12.1% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 1.9 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 20%, industry 22%, services 58% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: 5.2% (2000 est.)

Budget: revenues: $1.91 billion expenditures: $2.35 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Industries: microprocessors, food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products

Industrial production growth rate: -2.1% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 6.887 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 1.15% hydro: 82.56% other: 16.29% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 5.895 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 532 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 22 million kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: coffee, pineapples, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes; beef; timber

Exports: $5 billion (2001)

Exports - commodities: coffee, bananas, sugar; pineapples; textiles, electronic components, medical equipment

Exports - partners: US 51.8%, EU 20%, Central America 10.6%, Puerto
Rico 2.8%, Mexico 1.7% (2000)

Imports: $6.5 billion (2001)

Imports - commodities: raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum

Imports - partners: US 53.2%, EU 10.3%, Mexico 6.2%, Venezuela 5.3%,
Central America 4.9% (2000)

Debt - external: $4.6 billion (2001 est.)

Currency: Costa Rican colon (CRC)

Currency code: CRC

Exchange rates: Costa Rican colones per US dollar - 343.08 (January 2002), 328.87 (2001), 308.19 (2000), 285.68 (1999), 257.23 (1998), 232.60 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Costa Rica

Telephones - main lines in use: 450,000 (1998) note: 584,000 installed in 1997, but only about 450,000 were in use in 1998

Telephones - mobile cellular: 143,000 (2000)

Telephone system: very good domestic telephone service domestic: and coaxial cable link rural areas; Internet service is available international: connected to Central American Microwave System; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); two submarine cables (1999)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 50, FM 43, shortwave 19 (1998)

Radios: 980,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 6 (plus 11 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 525,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .cr

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 3 (of which only one is legal) (2000)

Internet users: 250,000 (2001)

Transportation Costa Rica

Railways: total: 950 km narrow gauge: 950 km 1.067-m gauge (260 km electrified) (2000 est.)

Highways: total: 37,273 km paved: 7,827 km unpaved: 29,446 km (1998 est.)

Waterways: 730 km (seasonally navigable)

Pipelines: petroleum products 176 km

Ports and harbors: Caldera, Golfito, Moin, Puerto Limon, Puerto Quepos,
Puntarenas

Merchant marine: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,716 GRT/NA DWT ships by type: Airports: 152 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 29 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 19 under 914 m: 7 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 123 914 to 1,523 m: 28 under 914 m: 95 (2001)

Military Costa Rica

Military branches: no regular indigenous military forces; Air Section,
Ministry of Public Forces (Fuerza Publica)

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,058,283 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 707,927 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 39,411 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $69 million (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.6% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Costa Rica

Disputes - international: legal dispute over navigational rights of
Rio San Juan on border with Nicaragua

Illicit drugs: transshipment country for cocaine and heroin from South America; illicit production of cannabis on small, scattered plots; domestic cocaine consumption is rising, particularly crack cocaine

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Central African Republic

Introduction

Central African Republic

Background: The former French colony of Ubangi-Shari became the Central African Republic upon independence in 1960. After three tumultuous decades of misrule - mostly by military governments - a civilian government was installed in 1993.

Geography Central African Republic

Location: Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Geographic coordinates: 7 00 N, 21 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 622,984 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 622,984 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries: total: 5,203 km border countries: Cameroon 797 km, Chad 1,197 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 467 km, Sudan 1,165 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers

Terrain: vast, flat to rolling, monotonous plateau; scattered hills in northeast and southwest

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Oubangui River 335 m highest point:
Mont Ngaoui 1,420 m

Natural resources: diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 3% permanent crops: 0% other: 97% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are common

Environment - current issues: tap water is not potable; poaching has diminished its reputation as one of the last great wildlife refuges; desertification; deforestation

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
Protection, Tropical Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note: landlocked; almost the precise center of Africa

People Central African Republic

Population: 3,642,739 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 43% (male 788,417; female 776,721) 15-64 years: 53.2% (male 951,908; female 986,947) 65 years and over: 3.8% (male 60,395; female 78,351) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.8% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 36.6 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 18.62 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 103.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 45.13 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 4.77 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 13.84% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 240,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 23,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Central African(s) adjective: Central African

Ethnic groups: Baya 33%, Banda 27%, Mandjia 13%, Sara 10%, Mboum 7%,
M'Baka 4%, Yakoma 4%, other 2%

Religions: indigenous beliefs 35%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%,
Muslim 15% note: animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the
Christian majority

Languages: French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language), tribal languages

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 60% male: 68.5% female: 52.4% (1995 est.)

Government Central African Republic

Country name: Central African Republic conventional short form: local long form: Republique Centrafricaine abbreviation: CAR

Government type: republic

Capital: Bangui

Administrative divisions: 14 prefectures (prefectures, singular - prefecture), 2 economic prefectures* (prefectures economiques, singular - prefecture economique), and 1 commune**; Bamingui-Bangoran, Bangui**, Basse-Kotto, Gribingui*, Haute-Kotto, Haute-Sangha, Haut-Mbomou, Kemo-Gribingui, Lobaye, Mbomou, Nana-Mambere, Ombella-Mpoko, Ouaka, Ouham, Ouham-Pende, Sangha*, Vakaga

Independence: 13 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday: Republic Day, 1 December (1958)

Constitution: passed by referendum 29 December 1994; adopted 7 January 1995

Legal system: based on French law

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Ange-Felix PATASSE (since 22 October 1993) head of government: Prime Minister Martin ZIGUELE (since 1 April 2001) cabinet: Council of Ministers elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 19 September 1999 (next to be held NA September 2005); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Ange-Felix PATASSE reelected president; percent of vote - Ange-Felix PATASSE 51.63%, Andre KOLINGBA 19.38%, David DACKO 11.15%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (109 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; note - there were 85 seats in the National Assembly before the 1998 election) elections: election results: percent of vote by party - MLPC 43%, RDC 18%, MDD 9%, FPP 6%, PSD 5%, ADP 4%, PUN 3%, FODEM 2%, PLD 2%, UPR 1%, FC 1%, independents 6%; seats by party - MLPC 47, RDC 20, MDD 8, FPP 7, PSD 6, ADP 5, PUN 3, FODEM 2, PLD 2, UPR 1, FC 1, independents 7

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Constitutional Court
(3 judges appointed by the president, 3 by the president of the National
Assembly, and 3 by fellow judges); Court of Appeal; Criminal Courts;
Inferior Courts

Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP [Jacques MBOLIEDAS]; Central African Democratic Assembly or RDC [Andre KOLINGBA]; Civic Forum or FC [Gen. Timothee MALENDOMA]; Democratic Forum for Modernity or FODEM [Charles MASSI]; Liberal Democratic Party or PLD [Nestor KOMBO-NAGUEMON]; Movement for Democracy and Development or MDD [David DACKO]; Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People or MLPC [the party of the president, Ange-Felix PATASSE]; Patriotic Front for Progress or FPP [Abel GOUMBA]; People's Union for the Republic or UPR [Pierre Sammy MAKFOY]; National Unity Party or PUN [Jean-Paul NGOUPANDE]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Enoch LAKOUE]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC,
CEEAC, CEMAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC (observer),
OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Emmanuel TOUABOY FAX: [1] (202) 332-9893 telephone: [1] (202) 483-7800 chancery: 1618 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Mattie R. SHARPLESS embassy: Avenue David Dacko, Bangui mailing address:
B. P. 924, Bangui telephone: [236] 61 02 00 FAX: [236] 61 44 94

Flag description: four equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, green, and yellow with a vertical red band in center; there is a yellow five-pointed star on the hoist side of the blue band

Economy Central African Republic

Economy - overview: Subsistence agriculture, together with forestry, remains the backbone of the economy of the Central African Republic (CAR), with more than 70% of the population living in outlying areas. The agricultural sector generates half of GDP. Timber has accounted for about 16% of export earnings and the diamond industry for 54%. Important constraints to economic development include the CAR's landlocked position, a poor transportation system, a largely unskilled work force, and a legacy of misdirected macroeconomic policies. The 50% devaluation of the currencies of 14 Francophone African nations on 12 January 1994 had mixed effects on the CAR's economy. Diamond, timber, coffee, and cotton exports increased, leading an estimated rise of GDP of 7% in 1994 and nearly 5% in 1995. Military rebellions and social unrest in 1996 were accompanied by widespread destruction of property and a drop in GDP of 2%. The IMF approved an Extended Structure Adjustment Facility in 1998 and the World Bank extended further credits in 1999 and approved a $10 million loan in early 2001. As of January 2002, many civil servants were owed as much as 16 months pay during the PATASSE administration, as well as 14 months pay from the KOLINGBA administration.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $4.6 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 1.8% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,300 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 55% industry: 20% services: 25% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.7% highest 10%: 47.7% (1993)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 61.3 (1993)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.6% (2001 est.)

Labor force: NA

Unemployment rate: 8% (23% for Bangui) (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Industries: diamond mining, sawmills, breweries, textiles, footwear, assembly of bicycles and motorcycles

Industrial production growth rate: 3.9% (2001)

Electricity - production: 104 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 20.19% hydro: 79.81% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 96.72 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: cotton, coffee, tobacco, manioc (tapioca), yams, millet, corn, bananas; timber

Exports: $166 million (f.o.b., 2000)

Exports - commodities: diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco

Exports - partners: Benelux 64%, Cote d'Ivoire, Spain, China, Egypt,
France (1999)

Imports: $154 million (f.o.b., 2000)

Imports - commodities: food, textiles, petroleum products, machinery, electrical equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, industrial products

Imports - partners: France 35%, Cameroon 13%, Benelux, Cote d'Ivoire,
Germany, Japan (1999)

Debt - external: $881.4 million (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $172.2 million (1995); note - traditional budget subsidies from France

Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Currency code: XAF

Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 742.79 (January 2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997); note - from 1 January 1999, the XAF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XAF per euro

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Central African Republic

Telephones - main lines in use: 10,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 570 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: fair system domestic: network consists principally of microwave radio relay and low-capacity, low-powered radiotelephone communication international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios: 283,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (2001)

Televisions: 18,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .cf

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: 1,500 (2001)

Transportation Central African Republic

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 23,810 km paved: 429 km unpaved: 23,381 km (2000)

Waterways: 900 km note: traditional trade carried on by means of shallow-draft dugouts; Oubangui is the most important river, navigable all year to craft drawing 0.6 m or less; 282 km navigable to craft drawing as much as 1.8 m

Ports and harbors: Bangui, Nola, Salo, Nzinga

Airports: 51 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 48 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 15 (2001)

Military Central African Republic

Military branches: Central African Armed Forces (FACA) (including
Republican Guard, Ground Forces, Naval Forces, and Air Force),
Presidential Security Guard, Gendarmerie, National Police

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 845,182 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 442,220 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $29 million (FY96)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.2% (FY96)

Transnational Issues Central African Republic

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Cuba

Introduction

Cuba

Background: Fidel CASTRO led a rebel army to victory in 1959; his iron rule has held the country together since. Cuba's Communist revolution, with Soviet support, was exported throughout Latin America and Africa during the 1960s, 70s, and 80s. The country is now slowly recovering from a severe economic recession in 1990, following the withdrawal of former Soviet subsidies, worth $4 billion to $6 billion annually. Havana portrays its difficulties as the result of the US embargo in place since 1961. Illicit migration to the US - using homemade rafts, alien smugglers, or falsified visas - is a continuing problem. Some 3,000 Cubans attempted the crossing of the Straits of Florida in 2001; the US Coast Guard interdicted only about 25% of these.

Geography Cuba

Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North
Atlantic Ocean, 150 km south of Key West, Florida

Geographic coordinates: 21 30 N, 80 00 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 110,860 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 110,860 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay 29 km note: Coastline: 3,735 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical; moderated by trade winds; dry season (November to
April); rainy season (May to October)

Terrain: mostly flat to rolling plains, with rugged hills and mountains in the southeast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point:
Pico Turquino 2,005 m

Natural resources: cobalt, nickel, iron ore, copper, manganese, salt, timber, silica, petroleum, arable land

Land use: arable land: 33% other: 59% (1998 est.) permanent crops: 8%

Irrigated land: 870 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: the east coast is subject to hurricanes from August to October (in general, the country averages about one hurricane every other year); droughts are common

Environment - current issues: air and water pollution; biodiversity loss; deforestation

Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but
not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note: largest country in Caribbean and westernmost island of the Greater Antilles

People Cuba

Population: 11,224,321 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 20.6% (male 1,188,125; female 1,125,743) 15-64 years: 69.3% (male 3,902,162; female 3,880,531) 65 years and over: 10.1% (male 520,849; female 606,911) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.35% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 12.08 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 7.35 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 7.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 79.15 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.6 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.03% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 2,800 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 120 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Cuban(s) adjective: Cuban

Ethnic groups: mulatto 51%, white 37%, black 11%, Chinese 1%

Religions: nominally 85% Roman Catholic prior to CASTRO assuming power;
Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews, and Santeria are also represented

Languages: Spanish

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write male: 96.2% female: 95.3% (1995 est.) total population: 95.7%

People - note: illicit migration is a continuing problem; Cubans attempt to depart the island and enter the US using homemade rafts, alien smugglers, direct flights, or falsified visas; some 3,000 Cubans took to the Straits of Florida in 2001; the US Coast Guard interdicted about 25% of these migrants; Cubans also use non-maritime routes to enter the US; some 2,400 Cubans arrived overland via the southwest border and direct flights to Miami in 2000

Government Cuba

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Cuba conventional short form: Cuba local short form: Cuba local long form: Republica de Cuba

Government type: Communist state

Capital: Havana

Administrative divisions: 14 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia)
and 1 special municipality* (municipio especial); Camaguey, Ciego de
Avila, Cienfuegos, Ciudad de La Habana, Granma, Guantanamo, Holguin,
Isla de la Juventud*, La Habana, Las Tunas, Matanzas, Pinar del Rio,
Sancti Spiritus, Santiago de Cuba, Villa Clara

Independence: 20 May 1902 (from Spain 10 December 1898; administered by the US from 1898 to 1902)

National holiday: Independence Day, 10 December (1898); note - 10 December 1898 is the date of independence from Spain, 20 May 1902 is the date of independence from US administration

Constitution: 24 February 1976, amended July 1992

Legal system: based on Spanish and American law, with large elements of Communist legal theory; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 16 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President of the Council of State and President of the Council of Ministers Fidel CASTRO Ruz (prime minister from February 1959 until 24 February 1976 when office was abolished; president since 2 December 1976); First Vice President of the Council of State and First Vice President of the Council of Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (since 2 December 1976); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government elections: president and vice president elected by the National Assembly; election last held 24 February 1998 (next to be held in 2003) election results: Fidel CASTRO Ruz elected president; percent of legislative vote - 100%; Raul CASTRO Ruz elected vice president; percent of legislative vote - 100% cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the president of the Council of State, appointed by the National Assembly; note - there is also a Council of State whose members are elected by the National Assembly head of government: President of the Council of State and President of the Council of Ministers Fidel CASTRO Ruz (prime minister from February 1959 until 24 February 1976 when office was abolished; president since 2 December 1976); First Vice President of the Council of State and First Vice President of the Council of Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (since 2 December 1976); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly of People's Power or Asemblea Nacional del Poder Popular (601 seats, elected directly from slates approved by special candidacy commissions; members serve five-year terms) elections: percent of vote - PCC 94.39%; seats - PCC 601

Judicial branch: People's Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo Popular (president, vice president, and other judges are elected by the National Assembly)

Political parties and leaders: only party - Cuban Communist Party or PCC
[Fidel CASTRO Ruz, first secretary]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77,
IAEA, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS (excluded from formal
participation since 1962), OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: none; note - Cuba has an Interests
Section in the Swiss Embassy, headed by Principal Officer Dagoberto
RODRIGUEZ Barrera (since August 2001); address: Cuban Interests Section,
Swiss Embassy, 2630 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009; telephone:
[1] (202) 797-8518

Diplomatic representation from the US: none; note - the US has an
Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy, headed by Principal Officer
Vicki HUDDLESTON; address: USINT, Swiss Embassy, Calzada between L and
M Streets, Vedado Seccion, Havana; telephone: protecting power in Cuba
is Switzerland

Flag description: five equal horizontal bands of blue (top and bottom) alternating with white; a red equilateral triangle based on the hoist side bears a white, five-pointed star in the center; design influenced by the US flag

Economy Cuba

Economy - overview: The government continues to balance the need for economic loosening against a concern for firm political control. It has undertaken limited reforms in recent years to stem excess liquidity, increase enterprise efficiency, and alleviate serious shortages of food, consumer goods, and services, but is unlikely to implement extensive changes. A major feature of the economy is the dichotomy between relatively efficient export enclaves and inefficient domestic sectors. The average Cuban's standard of living remains at a lower level than before the severe economic depression of the early 1990s, which was caused by the loss of Soviet aid and domestic inefficiencies. High oil prices, recessions in key export markets, and damage from Hurricane Michelle hampered growth in 2001. Cuba paid high prices for oil imports in the face of slumping prices in the key sugar and nickel industries and suffered a slowdown in tourist arrivals following September 11. The government subsequently depreciated the peso by approximately 30% and now aims for 3% growth in 2002.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $25.5 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,300 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 7.6% industry: 34.5% services: 57.9% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.5% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 4.3 million (2000 est.) note: state sector 78%, non-state sector 22% (1999)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 24%, industry 25%, services 51% (1999)

Unemployment rate: 4.1% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $14.9 billion expenditures: $15.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Industries: sugar, petroleum, tobacco, chemicals, construction, services, nickel, steel, cement, agricultural machinery, biotechnology

Industrial production growth rate: 2.4% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 14.87 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 94.63% hydro: 0.4% other: 4.97% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 13.829 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: sugar, tobacco, citrus, coffee, rice, potatoes, beans; livestock

Exports: $1.7 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: sugar, nickel, tobacco, fish, medical products, citrus, coffee

Exports - partners: Russia 18%, Canada 16%, Netherlands 12% (2000)

Imports: $4.9 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: petroleum, food, machinery, chemicals, semifinished goods, transport equipment, consumer goods

Imports - partners: Spain 16%, Venezuela 13%, Italy 8% (2000)

Debt - external: $11 billion (convertible currency, 2000 est.); another $15 billion -$20 billion owed to Russia (2001)

Economic aid - recipient: $68.2 million (1997 est.)

Currency: Cuban peso (CUP)

Currency code: CUP

Exchange rates: Cuban pesos per US dollar - 1.0000 (nonconvertible, official rate, for international transactions, pegged to the US dollar); convertible peso sold for domestic use at a rate of 1.00 US dollar per 27 pesos by the Government of Cuba (January 2002)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Cuba

Telephones - main lines in use: 473,031 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 2,994 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: principal trunk system, end to end of country, is coaxial cable; fiber-optic distribution in Havana and on Isla de la Juventud; 2 microwave radio relay installations (one is old, US-built; the other newer, built during the period of Soviet support); both analog and digital mobile cellular service established international: Radio broadcast stations: AM 169, FM 55, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios: 3.9 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 58 (1997)

Televisions: 2.64 million (1997)

Internet country code: .cu

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 5 (2001)

Internet users: 60,000 (2001)

Transportation Cuba

Railways: total: 4,807 km standard gauge: 4,807 km 1.435-m gauge, in public use (147 km electrified) note: in addition to the 4,807 km of standard-gauge track in public use, 7,162 km of track is in private use by sugar plantations; about 90% of the private use track is standard gauge and the rest is narrow gauge (2000 est.)

Highways: total: 60,858 km paved: 29,820 km (including 638 km of expressway) unpaved: 31,038 km (1997)

Waterways: 240 km

Ports and harbors: Cienfuegos, Havana, Manzanillo, Mariel, Matanzas,
Nuevitas, Santiago de Cuba

Merchant marine: total: 14 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 44,187 GRT/63,416 DWT ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 6, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 3 (2002 est.)

Airports: 172 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 78 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 20 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 36 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 94 914 to 1,523 m: 31 under 914 m: 63 (2001)

Military Cuba

Military branches: Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) including Ground
Forces, Revolutionary Navy (MGR), Air and Air Defense Force (DAAFAR),
Territorial Militia Troops (MTT), and Youth Labor Army (EJT); note -
the Border Guard Troops (TGF) are controlled by the Interior Ministry

Military manpower - military age: 17 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 3,102,312 females age 15-49: 3,036,549 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,915,586 females age 15-49: 1,869,867 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 86,632 females: 79,562 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: roughly 4% (FY95 est.)

Military - note: Moscow, for decades the key military supporter and supplier of Cuba, cut off almost all military aid by 1993

Transnational Issues Cuba

Disputes - international: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased to US and only mutual agreement or US abandonment of the area can terminate the lease

Illicit drugs: territorial waters and air space serve as transshipment zone for cocaine and heroin bound for the US and Europe; established the death penalty for certain drug-related crimes in 1999

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Cape Verde

Introduction Cape Verde

Background: The uninhabited islands were discovered and colonized by the Portuguese in the 15th century; they subsequently became a trading center for African slaves and later an important coaling and resupply stop for whaling and transatlantic shipping. Most Cape Verdeans have both African and Portuguese antecedents. Independence was achieved in 1975.

Geography Cape Verde

Location: Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Senegal

Geographic coordinates: 16 00 N, 24 00 W

Map references: Political Map of the World

Area: total: 4,033 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 4,033 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Rhode Island

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 965 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM contiguous zone: 24 NM

Climate: temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and very erratic

Terrain: steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Mt. Fogo 2,829 m (a volcano on Fogo Island)

Natural resources: salt, basalt rock, limestone, kaolin, fish

Land use: arable land: 10% permanent crops: 0% other: 90% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 30 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring dust; volcanically and seismically active

Environment - current issues: soil erosion; demand for wood used as fuel has resulted in deforestation; desertification; environmental damage has threatened several species of birds and reptiles; illegal beach sand extraction; overfishing

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not
ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: strategic location 500 km from west coast of Africa near major north-south sea routes; important communications station; important sea and air refueling site

People Cape Verde

Population: 408,760 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 41.9% (male 86,466; female 84,918) 15-64 years: 51.5% (male 100,684; female 109,841) 65 years and over: 6.6% (male 10,363; female 16,488) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.85% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 27.81 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 7.01 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -12.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 51.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 72.91 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 3.91 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.04% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 775 (2001)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 225 (as of 2001)

Nationality: noun: Cape Verdean(s) adjective: Cape Verdean

Ethnic groups: Creole (mulatto) 71%, African 28%, European 1%

Religions: Roman Catholic (infused with indigenous beliefs); Protestant (mostly Church of the Nazarene)

Languages: Portuguese, Crioulo (a blend of Portuguese and West African words)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 71.6% male: 81.4% female: 63.8% (1995 est.)

Government Cape Verde

Country name: Republic of Cape Verde conventional short form:
Cabo Verde

Government type: republic

Capital: Praia

Administrative divisions: 17 districts (concelhos, singular - concelho);
Boa Vista, Brava, Calheta, Maio, Mosteiros, Paul, Praia, Porto Novo,
Ribeira Grande, Sal, Santa Catarina, Santa Cruz, Sao Domingos, Sao
Nicolau, Sao Filipe, Sao Vicente, Tarrafal

Independence: 5 July 1975 (from Portugal)

National holiday: Independence Day, 5 July (1975)

Constitution: new constitution came into force 25 September 1992; underwent a major revision on 23 November 1995, substantially increasing the powers of the president, and a further revision in 1999, to create the position of national ombudsman (Provedor de Justica)

Legal system: derived from the legal system of Portugal

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Pedro PIRES (since 22 March 2001) head of government: Prime Minister Jose Maria Pereira NEVES (since 1 February 2001) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 11 and 25 February 2001 (next to be held NA February 2006); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly and appointed by the president election results: 49.43%, Carlos VIEGA (MPD) 49.42%; note - the election was won by only twelve votes

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (72 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 14 January 2001 (next to be held NA December 2005) election results: seats by party - PAICV 40, MPD 30, ADM 2

Judicial branch: Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Supremo Tribunal de Justia

Political parties and leaders: African Party for Independence of Cape Verde or PAICV [Jose Maria Pereira NEVES, chairman]; Democratic Alliance for Change or ADM [Dr. Eurico MONTEIRO] (a coalition of PCD, PTS, and UCID); Democratic Christian Party or PDC [Manuel RODRIGUES, chairman]; Democratic Renovation Party or PRD [Jacinto SANTOS, president]; Movement for Democracy or MPD [Agostinho LOPES, president]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Dr. Eurico MONTEIRO, president]; Party of Work and Solidarity or PTS [Anibal MEDINA, president]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Joao ALEM, president]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA,
ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU,
OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
(observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jose
BRITO consulate(s) general: Boston FAX: [1] (202) 965-1207 telephone:
[1] (202) 965-6820 chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington,
DC 20007

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Michael D. METELITS embassy: Rua Abilio Macedo 81, Praia mailing address:
C. P. 201, Praia telephone: [238] 61 56 16 FAX: [238] 61 13 55

Flag description: three horizontal bands of light blue (top, double width), white (with a horizontal red stripe in the middle third), and light blue; a circle of 10 yellow five-pointed stars is centered on the hoist end of the red stripe and extends into the upper and lower blue bands

Economy Cape Verde

Economy - overview: Cape Verde suffers from a poor natural resource base, including serious water shortages exacerbated by cycles of long-term drought. The economy is service-oriented, with commerce, transport, and public services accounting for 70% of GDP. Although nearly 70% of the population lives in rural areas, the share of agriculture in GDP in 2001 was only 11%, of which fishing accounts for 1.5%. About 82% of food must be imported. The fishing potential, mostly lobster and tuna, is not fully exploited. Cape Verde annually runs a high trade deficit, financed by foreign aid and remittances from emigrants; remittances supplement GDP by more than 20%. Economic reforms, launched by the new democratic government in 1991, are aimed at developing the private sector and attracting foreign investment to diversify the economy. Prospects for 2002 depend heavily on the maintenance of aid flows, remittances, and the momentum of the government's development program.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $600 million (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,500 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11% industry: 17% services: 72% (2001)

Population below poverty line: 30% (2000)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (2001)

Labor force: NA

Unemployment rate: 21% (2000 est.)

Budget: revenues: $112 million expenditures: $198 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000)

Industries: food and beverages, fish processing, shoes and garments, salt mining, ship repair

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 41 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 38.13 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: bananas, corn, beans, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, coffee, peanuts; fish

Exports: $27.3 million (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: fuel, shoes, garments, fish, hides

Exports - partners: Portugal 45%, UK 20%, Germany 20%, Guinea-Bissau 5% (1999)

Imports: $218 million (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, industrial products, transport equipment, fuels

Imports - partners: Portugal 52%, Germany 7%, France 4%, UK 3% (1999)

Debt - external: $301 million (2000)

Economic aid - recipient: $136 million (1999)

Currency: Cape Verdean escudo (CVE)

Currency code: CVE

Exchange rates: Cape Verdean escudos per US dollar - 123.556 (January 2002), 115.877 (2000), 102.700 (1999), 98.158 (1998), 93.177 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Cape Verde

Telephones - main lines in use: 60,935 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 28,119 (2002)

Telephone system: general assessment: effective system, being improved domestic: interisland microwave radio relay system with both analog and digital exchanges; work is in progress on a submarine fiber-optic cable system which is scheduled for completion in 2003 international: 2 coaxial submarine cables; HF radiotelephone to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 11 (and 14 repeaters), shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 100,000 (2002 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (2002)

Televisions: 15,000 (2002 est.)

Internet country code: .cv

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: 8,000 (2001)

Transportation Cape Verde

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 1,100 km paved: 858 km unpaved: 242 km (1996)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Mindelo, Praia, Tarrafal

Merchant marine: total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,395
GRT/6,614 DWT ships by type: cargo 3, chemical tanker 1 note: includes
a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: United
Kingdom 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 9 note: 3 airports are reported to be nonoperational (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2001)

Military Cape Verde

Military branches: Army, Coast Guard

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 92,486 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 52,215 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $9.3 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.6% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Cape Verde

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: used as a transshipment point for illicit drugs moving from Latin America and Asia destined for Western Europe

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Cook Islands

Introduction Cook Islands

Background: Named after Captain Cook, who sighted them in 1770, the islands became a British protectorate in 1888. By 1900, administrative control was transferred to New Zealand; in 1965 residents chose self-government in free association with New Zealand. The emigration of skilled workers to New Zealand and government deficits are continuing problems.

Geography Cook Islands

Location: Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates: 21 14 S, 159 46 W

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 240 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 240 sq km

Area - comparative: 1.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 120 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate: tropical; moderated by trade winds

Terrain: low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point:
Te Manga 652 m

Natural resources: NEGL

Land use: arable land: 17% permanent crops: 13% other: 70% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: typhoons (November to March)

Environment - current issues: NA

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: the northern Cook Islands are seven low-lying, sparsely populated, coral atolls; the southern Cook Islands consist of eight elevated, fertile, volcanic isles where most of the populace lives

People Cook Islands

Population: 20,811 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA% 15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA%

Population growth rate: NA% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population

Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population

Sex ratio: NA

Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: NA years male: NA years female: NA years

Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Cook Islander(s) adjective: Cook Islander

Ethnic groups: Polynesian (full blood) 81.3%, Polynesian and European 7.7%, Polynesian and non-European 7.7%, European 2.4%, other 0.9%

Religions: Christian (majority of populace are members of the Cook
Islands Christian Church)

Languages: English (official), Maori

Literacy: definition: NA total population: 95% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Cook Islands

Country name: Cook Islands former: Dependency status: self-governing in free association with New Zealand; Cook Islands is fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains responsibility for external affairs and defense, in consultation with the Cook Islands

Government type: self-governing parliamentary democracy

Capital: Avarua

Administrative divisions: none

Independence: none (became self-governing in free association with New Zealand on 4 August 1965 and has the right at any time to move to full independence by unilateral action)

National holiday: Constitution Day, first Monday in August (1965)

Constitution: 4 August 1965

Legal system: based on New Zealand law and English common law

Suffrage: NA years of age; universal adult

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Frederick GOODWIN (since NA); New Zealand High Commissioner Kurt MEYER (since NA), representative of New Zealand note: on 12 February 2002, Prime Minister Terepai MAOATE was ousted following a vote of no-confidence; a four-party coalition is the third government since 1999 elections: monarch; the New Zealand high commissioner is appointed by the New Zealand Government; following legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins the most seats usually becomes prime minister head of government: Minister Sir Geoffrey HENRY (since 12 February 2002) cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister; collectively responsible to Parliament

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (25 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held NA June 1999 (next to be held by NA 2004) note: the House of Ariki (chiefs) advises on traditional matters and maintains considerable influence, but has no legislative powers election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CIP 12, DAP 12, NAP 1

Judicial branch: High Court

Political parties and leaders: Cook Islands People's Party or CIP
[Geoffrey HENRY]; Democratic Alliance Party or DAP [Terepai MAOATE];
New Alliance Party or NAP [Norman GEORGE]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACP, AsDB, ESCAP (associate),
FAO, ICAO, ICFTU, IFAD, IFRCS (associate), IOC, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC,
SPF, UNESCO, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)

Flag description: blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and a large circle of 15 white five-pointed stars (one for every island) centered in the outer half of the flag

Economy Cook Islands

Economy - overview: Like many other South Pacific island nations, the Cook Islands' economic development is hindered by the isolation of the country from foreign markets, the limited size of domestic markets, lack of natural resources, periodic devastation from natural disasters, and inadequate infrastructure. Agriculture provides the economic base with major exports made up of copra and citrus fruit. Manufacturing activities are limited to fruit processing, clothing, and handicrafts. Trade deficits are offset by remittances from emigrants and by foreign aid, overwhelmingly from New Zealand. In the 1980s and 1990s, the country lived beyond its means, maintaining a bloated public service and accumulating a large foreign debt. Subsequent reforms, including the sale of state assets, the strengthening of economic management, the encouragement of tourism, and a debt restructuring agreement, have rekindled investment and growth.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $105 million (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: NA%

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 17% industry: 7.8% services: 75.2% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.2% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 8,000 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 29%, industry 15%, services 56% note: shortage of skilled labor (1995)

Unemployment rate: 13% (1996)

Budget: revenues: $28 million expenditures: $27 million, including capital expenditures of $3.3 million (FY00/01 est.)

Industries: fruit processing, tourism, fishing

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 24 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 22.32 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: copra, citrus, pineapples, tomatoes, beans, pawpaws, bananas, yams, taro, coffee; pigs, poultry

Exports: $9.1 million (f.o.b., 2000)

Exports - commodities: copra, papayas, fresh and canned citrus fruit, coffee; fish; pearls and pearl shells; clothing

Exports - partners: Australia 34%, Japan 27%, New Zealand 25%, US 8% (2000)

Imports: $50.7 million (c.i.f., 2000)

Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, textiles, fuels, timber, capital goods

Imports - partners: NZ 61%, Fiji 19%, US 9%, Australia 6%, Japan 2% (2000)

Debt - external: $141 million (1996 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $13.1 million (1995); note - New Zealand continues to furnish the greater part

Currency: New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Currency code: NZD

Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 2.3535 (January 2002), 2.3776 (2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999), 1.8632 (1998), 1.5083 (1997)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Communications Cook Islands

Telephones - main lines in use: 5,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 0 (1994)

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: the individual islands are connected by a combination of satellite earth stations, microwave systems, and VHF and HF radiotelephone; within the islands, service is provided by small exchanges connected to subscribers by open wire, cable, and fiber-optic cable international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 14,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 2 (plus eight low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 4,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .ck

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 3 (2000)

Internet users: NA

Transportation Cook Islands

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 320 km (1992) paved: NA unpaved: NA

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Avarua, Avatiu

Airports: 7 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2001)

Military Cook Islands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of New Zealand, in consultation with the Cook Islands and at its request

Transnational Issues Cook Islands

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Cyprus

Introduction

Cyprus

Background: Independence from the UK was approved in 1960 with constitutional guarantees by the Greek Cypriot majority to the Turkish Cypriot minority. In 1974, a Greek-sponsored attempt to seize the government was met by military intervention from Turkey, which soon controlled almost 40% of the island. In 1983, the Turkish-held area declared itself the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus", but it is recognized only by Turkey. UN-led talks on the status of Cyprus resumed in December 1999 to prepare the ground for meaningful negotiations leading to a comprehensive settlement.

Geography Cyprus

Location: Middle East, island in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Turkey

Geographic coordinates: 35 00 N, 33 00 E

Map references: Middle East

Area: total: 9,250 sq km (of which 3,355 sq km are in the Turkish
Cypriot area) water: 10 sq km land: 9,240 sq km

Area - comparative: about 0.6 times the size of Connecticut

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 648 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters

Terrain: central plain with mountains to north and south; scattered but significant plains along southern coast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point:
Olympus 1,951 m

Natural resources: copper, pyrites, asbestos, gypsum, timber, salt, marble, clay earth pigment

Land use: arable land: 10% permanent crops: 5% other: 85% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 400 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: moderate earthquake activity; droughts

Environment - current issues: water resource problems (no natural reservoir catchments, seasonal disparity in rainfall, sea water intrusion to island's largest aquifer, increased salination in the north); water pollution from sewage and industrial wastes; coastal degradation; loss of wildlife habitats from urbanization

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: Geography - note:
the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily and
Sardinia)

People Cyprus

Population: 767,314 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 22.4% (male 87,981; female 84,168) 15-64 years: 66.6% (male 258,414; female 252,778) 65 years and over: 11% (male 36,607; female 47,366) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.57% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 12.91 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 7.63 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 7.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 79.5 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.9 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 400 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Cypriot(s) adjective: Cypriot

Ethnic groups: Greek 85.2%, Turkish 11.6%, other 3.2% (2000)

Religions: Greek Orthodox 78%, Muslim 18%, Maronite, Armenian Apostolic, and other 4%

Languages: Greek, Turkish, English

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 98.7% female: 95% (1999)

Government Cyprus

Country name: Republic of Cyprus conventional short form: Republic of Northern Cyprus" (TRNC)

Government type: republic note: a disaggregation of the two ethnic communities inhabiting the island began following the outbreak of communal strife in 1963; this separation was further solidified after the Turkish intervention in July 1974 after a Greek junta-based coup attempt gave the Turkish Cypriots de facto control in the north; Greek Cypriots control the only internationally recognized government; on 15 November 1983 Turkish Cypriot "President" Rauf DENKTASH declared independence and the formation of a "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" (TRNC), recognized only by Turkey; both sides publicly support a settlement based on a federation (Greek Cypriot position) or confederation (Turkish Cypriot position)

Capital: Nicosia

Administrative divisions: 6 districts; Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Nicosia, Paphos; note - Turkish Cypriot area's administrative divisions include Kyrenia, all but a small part of Famagusta, and small parts of Lefkosa (Nicosia) and Larnaca

Independence: 16 August 1960 (from UK); note - Turkish Cypriot area proclaimed self-rule on 13 February 1975

National holiday: Independence Day, 1 October (1960); note - Turkish
Cypriot area celebrates 15 November (1983) as Independence Day

Constitution: 16 August 1960; negotiations to create the basis for a new or revised constitution to govern the island and to better relations between Greek and Turkish Cypriots have been held intermittently; in 1975 Turkish Cypriots created their own constitution and governing bodies within the "Turkish Federated State of Cyprus," which was renamed the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" in 1983; a new constitution for the Turkish Cypriot area passed by referendum on 5 May 1985

Legal system: based on common law, with civil law modifications

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Glafcos CLERIDES (since 28 February 1993); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government; post of vice president is currently vacant; under the 1960 constitution, the post is reserved for a Turkish Cypriot head of government: President Glafcos CLERIDES (since 28 February 1993); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government; post of vice president is currently vacant; under the 1960 constitution, the post is reserved for a Turkish Cypriot cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed jointly by the president and vice president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 15 February 1998 (next to be held NA February 2003) note: Rauf R. DENKTASH has been "president" of the Turkish Cypriot area since 13 February 1975 ("president" elected by popular vote for a five-year term); elections last held 15 April 2000 (next to be held NA April 2005); results - Rauf R. DENKTASH reelected president after the other contender withdrew; Dervis EROGLU has been "prime minister" of the Turkish Cypriot area since 16 August 1996; there is a Council of Ministers (cabinet) in the Turkish Cypriot area election results: Glafcos CLERIDES reelected president; percent of vote - Glafcos CLERIDES 50.8%, George IAKOVOU 49.2%

Legislative branch: unicameral - Greek Cypriot area: House of Representatives or Vouli Antiprosopon (80 seats; 56 assigned to the Greek Cypriots, 24 to Turkish Cypriots; note - only those assigned to Greek Cypriots are filled; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); Turkish Cypriot area: Assembly of the Republic or Cumhuriyet Meclisi (50 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) election results: Greek Cypriot area: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - AKEL 34.71%, DISY 34%, DIKO 14.84%, KISOS 6.51%, others 9.94%; seats by party - AKEL (Communist) 20, DISY 19, DIKO 9, KISOS 4, others 4; Turkish Cypriot area: Assembly of the Republic - percent of vote by party - UBP 40.3%, DP 22.6%, TKP 15.4%, CTP 13.4%, UDP 4.6%, YBH 2.5%, BP 1.2%; seats by party - UBP 24, DP 13, TKP 7, CTP 6 elections: Greek Cypriot area: last held 27 May 2001 (next to be held NA May 2006); Turkish Cypriot area: last held 6 December 1998 (next to be held NA December 2003)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed jointly by the president and vice president) note: there is also a Supreme Court in the Turkish Cypriot area

Political parties and leaders: Greek Cypriot area: Democratic Party
or DIKO [Tassos PAPADOPOULOS]; Democratic Rally or DISY [Nikos
ANASTASIADHIS]; Eurodemocratic Renewal Movement or KEA [Antonis
PASCHALIDES]; Fighting Democratic Movement or ADIK [Dinos MIKHAILIDIS];
Green Party of Cyprus [George PERDIKIS]; New Horizons [Nikolaus KOUTSOU];
Restorative Party of the Working People or AKEL (Communist Party)
[Dimitrios CHRISTOFIAS]; Social Democrats Movement or KISOS (formerly
United Democratic Union of Cyprus or EDEK) [Yiannakis OMIROU]; United
Democrats Movement or EDE [George VASSILIOU]; Turkish Cypriot area:
Communal Liberation Party or TKP [Huseyin ANGOLEMLI]; Democratic Party
or DP [Salih COSAR]; National Birth Party or UDP [Enver EMIN]; National
Unity Party or UBP [Dervis EROGLU]; Our Party or BP [Okyay SADIKOGLU];
Patriotic Unity Movement or YBH [Izzet IZCAN]; Republican Turkish Party
or CTP [Mehmet ALI TALAT]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Confederation of Cypriot Workers
or SEK (pro-West); Confederation of Revolutionary Labor Unions or Dev-Is;
Federation of Turkish Cypriot Labor Unions or Turk-Sen; Pan-Cyprian
Labor Federation or PEO (Communist controlled)

International organization participation: Australia Group, C, CCC,
CE, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (associate), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: Ambassador Erato KOZAKOU-MARCOULLIS chancery: representative of the Turkish Cypriot area in the US is Osman ERTUG; office at 1667 K Street NW, Washington, DC; telephone [1] (202) 887-6198 consulate(s) general: New York telephone: [1] (202) 462-5772

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Donald K. BANDLER embassy: corner of Metochiou and Ploutarchou Streets,
Engomi, 2407 Nicosia mailing address: (22) 780944

Flag description: white with a copper-colored silhouette of the island (the name Cyprus is derived from the Greek word for copper) above two green crossed olive branches in the center of the flag; the branches symbolize the hope for peace and reconciliation between the Greek and Turkish communities note: bottom between which is a red crescent and red star on a white field

Economy Cyprus

Economy - overview: Economic affairs are affected by the division of the country. The Greek Cypriot economy is prosperous but highly susceptible to external shocks. Erratic growth rates in the 1990s reflect the economy's vulnerability to swings in tourist arrivals, caused by political instability in the region and fluctuations in economic conditions in Western Europe. Economic policy is focused on meeting the criteria for admission to the EU. As in the Turkish sector, water shortages are a perennial problem; a few desalination plants are now online. The Turkish Cypriot economy has less than one-half the per capita GDP of the south. Because it is recognized only by Turkey, it has had much difficulty arranging foreign financing, and foreign firms have hesitated to invest there. It remains heavily dependent on agriculture and government service, which together employ about half of the work force. To compensate for the economy's weakness, Turkey provides substantial direct and indirect aid to tourism, education, industry, etc.

GDP: Greek Cypriot area: purchasing power parity - $9.1 billion (2001 est.); Turkish Cypriot area: purchasing power parity - $1.1 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: Greek Cypriot area: 2.6% (2001 est.); Turkish
Cypriot area: 0.8% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: Greek Cypriot area: purchasing power parity - $15,000 (2001 est.); Turkish Cypriot area: purchasing power parity - $7,000 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: Greek Cypriot area: agriculture 4.6%, industry 19.9%, services 75.5% (2001); Turkish Cypriot area: agriculture 8.3%, industry 20.7%, services 71.0% (2000)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): Greek Cypriot area: 1.9% (2001 est.);
Turkish Cypriot area: 53.2% (2000 est.)

Labor force: Greek Cypriot area: 291,000; Turkish Cypriot area: 86,300 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation: Greek Cypriot area: services 73%, industry 22%, agriculture 5% (2000); Turkish Cypriot area: services 56.4%, industry 22.8%, agriculture 20.8% (1998)

Unemployment rate: Greek Cypriot area: 3% (2001 est.); Turkish Cypriot area: 5.6% (1999 est.)

Budget: revenues: Greek Cypriot area - $2.4 billion (2001 est.); Turkish Cypriot area - $294 million (2000 est.) expenditures: Greek Cypriot area - $3.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $539 million (2001 est.); Turkish Cypriot area - $495 million, including capital expenditures of $60 million (2000 est.)

Industries: food, beverages, textiles, chemicals, metal products, tourism, wood products

Industrial production growth rate: Greek Cypriot area: 2.2% (1999);
Turkish Cypriot area: -0.3% (1999)

Electricity - production: 3.13 billion kWh (1999); Turkish Cypriot area:
NA kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0% hydro: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 2.911 billion kWh (1999); Turkish Cypriot area: NA kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: potatoes, citrus, vegetables, barley, grapes, olives, vegetables

Exports: Greek Cypriot area: $851 million (f.o.b., 2001 est.); Turkish
Cypriot area: $50.7 million (f.o.b., 2000)

Exports - commodities: Greek Cypriot area: citrus, potatoes, grapes, wine, cement, clothing and shoes; Turkish Cypriot area: citrus, potatoes, textiles

Exports - partners: Greek Cypriot area: EU 36% (UK 17%, Greece 8%),
Russia 8%, Syria 7%, Lebanon 5%, US 2% (2000); Turkish Cypriot area:
Turkey 51%, UK 31%, other EU 16.5% (1999)

Imports: Greek Cypriot area: $3.5 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.); Turkish
Cypriot area: $424.9 million (f.o.b., 2000)

Imports - commodities: Greek Cypriot area: consumer goods, petroleum and lubricants, food and feed grains, machinery; Turkish Cypriot area: food, minerals, chemicals, machinery

Imports - partners: Greek Cypriot area: EU 52% (UK 11%, Italy 9%, Greece 9%, Germany 7%), US 10% (2000); Turkish Cypriot area: Turkey 59%, UK 13%, other EU 13% (1999)

Debt - external: Greek Cypriot area: $NA; Turkish Cypriot area: $NA

Economic aid - recipient: Greek Cypriot area - $17 million (1998); Turkish Cypriot area - $700 million from Turkey in grants and loans (1990-97) which are usually forgiven

Currency: Greek Cypriot area: Cypriot pound (CYP); Turkish Cypriot area:
Turkish lira (TRL)

Currency code: CYP; TRL

Exchange rates: Cypriot pounds per US dollar - 0.6518 (January 2002), 0.6427 (2001), 0.6208 (2000), 0.5423 (1999), 0.5170 (1998), 0.5135 (1997); Turkish liras per US dollar - 1,370,629 (January 2002), 1,223,140 (2001), 625,219 (2000), 418,783 (1999), 260,724 (1998), 151,865 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Cyprus

Telephones - main lines in use: Greek Cypriot area: 405,000 (1998);
Turkish Cypriot area: 83,162 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular: Greek Cypriot area: 68,000 (1998);
Turkish Cypriot area: 70,000 (1999)

Telephone system: general assessment: excellent in both the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot areas domestic: open wire, fiber-optic cable, and microwave radio relay international: tropospheric scatter; 3 coaxial and 5 fiber-optic submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean), 2 Eutelsat, 2 Intersputnik, and 1 Arabsat

Radio broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 60, shortwave 1 (1998); Turkish
Cypriot area: Radios: Greek Cypriot area: 310,000 (1997); Turkish
Cypriot area: 56,450 (1994)

Television broadcast stations: Greek Cypriot area: 4 (plus 225 low-power repeaters) (September 1995); Turkish Cypriot area: 4 (plus 5 repeaters) (September 1995)

Televisions: Greek Cypriot area: 248,000 (1997); Turkish Cypriot area: 52,300 (1994)

Internet country code: .cy

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 6 (2000)

Internet users: 120,000 (2001)

Transportation Cyprus

Railways: 0 km

Highways: 10,663 km (1998 est.); Turkish Cypriot area: Greek Cypriot area: Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Paphos,
Vasilikos

Merchant marine: total: 1,254 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 22,802,712 GRT/36,337,768 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Austria 12, Belgium 2, Bulgaria 2, Canada 3, Chile 2, China 16, Croatia 2, Cuba 11, Finland 1, Germany 229, Greece 607, Guam 1, Hong Kong 6, India 6, Iran 1, Ireland 1, Israel 5, Italy 1, Japan 26, Latvia 14, Lebanon 1, Lithuania 2, Mexico 1, Monaco 10, Netherlands 30, Norway 23, Panama 1, Philippines 2, Poland 19, Portugal 2, Russia 57, Singapore 2, Slovenia 2, South Korea 4, Spain 7, Sudan 2, Sweden 6, Switzerland 4, Turkey 1, Ukraine 1, United Arab Emirates 13, United Kingdom 6, United States 4, Vietnam 1 (2002 est.) ships by type: barge carrier 2, bulk 438, cargo 378, chemical tanker 24, combination bulk 31, combination ore/oil 2, container 133, liquefied gas 4, passenger 7, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 131, refrigerated cargo 46, roll on/roll off 41, short-sea passenger 10, specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 3

Airports: 15 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 12 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2001) 914 to 1,523 m: 3

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2001)

Heliports: 7 (2001)

Military Cyprus

Military branches: Greek area: Greek Cypriot National Guard (GCNG; including air and naval elements), Greek Cypriot Police Turkish area: Turkish Cypriot Security Force (GKK)

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 200,071 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 137,322 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 6,616 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $370 million (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 4.2% (FY00)

Transnational Issues Cyprus

Disputes - international: reunification talks - the first since 1974 hostilities divided the island into two de facto autonomous areas, a Greek Cypriot area controlled by the internationally recognized Cypriot Government (59% of the island's land area) and a Turkish-Cypriot area (37% of the island), that are separated by a UN buffer zone (4% of the island) - have recommenced; there are two UK sovereign base areas mostly within the Greek-Cypriot portion of the island

Illicit drugs: minor transit point for heroin and hashish via air routes and container traffic to Europe, especially from Lebanon and Turkey; some cocaine transits as well

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Denmark

Introduction

Denmark

Background: Once the seat of Viking raiders and later a major north European power, Denmark has evolved into a modern, prosperous nation that is participating in the general political and economic integration of Europe. However, the country has opted out of European Union's Maastricht Treaty, the European monetary system (EMU), and issues concerning certain internal affairs.

Geography Denmark

Location: Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, on a peninsula north of Germany (Jutland); also includes two major islands (Sjaelland and Fyn)

Geographic coordinates: 56 00 N, 10 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 43,094 sq km water: 700 sq km note: includes the island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea and the rest of metropolitan Denmark (the Jutland Peninsula, and the major islands of Sjaelland and Fyn), but excludes the Faroe Islands and Greenland land: 42,394 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Massachusetts

Land boundaries: total: 68 km border countries: Germany 68 km

Coastline: 7,314 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: temperate; humid and overcast; mild, windy winters and cool summers

Terrain: low and flat to gently rolling plains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Lammefjord -7 m highest point: Yding
Skovhoej 173 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, fish, salt, limestone, stone, gravel and sand

Land use: arable land: 56% permanent crops: 0% other: 44% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 4,760 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: flooding is a threat in some areas of the country (e.g., parts of Jutland, along the southern coast of the island of Lolland) that are protected from the sea by a system of dikes

Environment - current issues: air pollution, principally from vehicle and power plant emissions; nitrogen and phosphorus pollution of the North Sea; drinking and surface water becoming polluted from animal wastes and pesticides

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air
Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants,
Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile
Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but
not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea

Geography - note: controls Danish Straits (Skagerrak and Kattegat) linking Baltic and North Seas; about one-quarter of the population lives in greater Copenhagen

People Denmark

Population: 5,368,854 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 18.7% (male 514,589; female 488,121) 15-64 years: 66.4% (male 1,806,722; female 1,760,149) 65 years and over: 14.9% (male 334,599; female 464,674) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.29% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 11.74 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 10.81 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 2.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 4.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 79.67 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.73 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.17% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 4,300 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Dane(s) adjective: Danish

Ethnic groups: Scandinavian, Inuit, Faroese, German, Turkish, Iranian,
Somali

Religions: Evangelical Lutheran 95%, other Protestant and Roman Catholic 3%, Muslim 2%

Languages: Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic (an Inuit dialect), German (small minority) note: English is the predominant second language

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Denmark

Country name: Kingdom of Denmark conventional short form: Government type: constitutional monarchy

Capital: Copenhagen

Administrative divisions: metropolitan Denmark - 14 counties (amter, singular - amt) and 2 kommunes*; Arhus, Bornholm, Fredericksberg*, Frederiksborg, Fyn, Kobenhavn, Kobenhavns*, Nordjylland, Ribe, Ringkobing, Roskilde, Sonderjylland, Storstrom, Vejle, Vestsjalland, Viborg note: see separate entries for the Faroe Islands and Greenland, which are part of the Kingdom of Denmark and are self-governing overseas administrative divisions

Independence: first organized as a unified state in 10th century; in 1849 became a constitutional monarchy

National holiday: none designated; Constitution Day, 5 June is generally viewed as the National Day

Constitution: 1849 was the original constitution; there was a major overhaul 5 June 1953, allowing for a unicameral legislature and a female chief of state

Legal system: civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II (since 14 January 1972); Heir Apparent Crown Prince FREDERIK, elder son of the monarch (born 26 May 1968) head of government: Prime Minister Anders Fogh RASMUSSEN (since 27 November 2001) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister and approved by Parliament elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins the most seats is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Folketing (179 seats, including 2 from Greenland and 2 from the Faroe Islands; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Liberal Party 56, Social Democrats 52, Danish People's Party 22, Conservative Party 16, Socialist People's Party 12, Social Liberal Party 9, Christian People's Party 4, Unity List 4; note - does not include the 2 seats from Greenland and the 2 seats from the Faroe Islands

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the monarch for life)

Political parties and leaders: Center Democratic Party [Mimi JAKOBSEN]; Christian People's Party [Jann SJURSEN]; Conservative Party (sometimes known as Conservative People's Party) [Bendt BENDTSEN]; Danish People's Party [Pia KJAERSGAARD]; Liberal Party [Anders Fogh RASMUSSEN]; Social Democratic Party [Poul Nyrup RASMUSSEN]; Social Liberal Party (sometimes called the Radical Left) [Marianne JELVED, leader; Johannes LEBECH, chairman]; Socialist People's Party [Holger K. NIELSEN]; Red-Green Unity List (bloc includes Left Socialist Party, Communist Party of Denmark, Socialist Workers' Party) [collective leadership]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group,
BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9,
IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NATO, NC, NEA,
NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNMOP, UNMOT,
UNOMIG, UNTAET, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ulrik
Andreas FEDERSPIEL consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New
York FAX: [1] (202) 328-1470 telephone: [1] (202) 234-4300 chancery:
3200 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Stuart BERNSTEIN embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds PSC 73, APO AE 09716 telephone: Flag description: red with a white cross that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side, and that design element of the Dannebrog (Danish flag) was subsequently adopted by the other Nordic countries of Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden

Economy Denmark

Economy - overview: This thoroughly modern market economy features high-tech agriculture, up-to-date small-scale and corporate industry, extensive government welfare measures, comfortable living standards, a stable currency, and high dependence on foreign trade. Denmark is a net exporter of food and energy and has a comfortable balance of payments surplus. The government has been successful in meeting, and even exceeding, the economic convergence criteria for participating in the third phase (a common European currency) of the European Monetary Union (EMU), but Denmark, in a September 2000 referendum, reconfirmed its decision not to join the 11 other EU members in the euro. Even so, the Danish currency remains pegged to the euro.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $149.8 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 1.1% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $28,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3% industry: 22% services: 75% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2% highest 10%: 24% (2000 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 24.7 (1992)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.4% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 2.856 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: services 79%, industry 17%, agriculture 4% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: 5.3% (2000)

Budget: revenues: $52.9 billion expenditures: $51.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $500 million (2001 est.)

Industries: food processing, machinery and equipment, textiles and clothing, chemical products, electronics, construction, furniture, and other wood products, shipbuilding, windmills

Industrial production growth rate: 1% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 35.792 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 83.86% hydro: 0.08% other: 16.06% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 33.925 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 7.679 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 8.318 billion kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: barley, wheat, potatoes, sugar beets; pork, dairy products; fish

Exports: $52.4 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Exports - commodities: machinery and instruments, meat and meat products, dairy products, fish, chemicals, furniture, ships, windmills

Exports - partners: EU 65.9% (Germany 19.1%, Sweden 12.9%, UK 9.8%,
France 5.0%, Netherlands 5.0%), US 5.9%, Norway 5.5% (2000)

Imports: $44.1 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, raw materials and semimanufactures for industry, chemicals, grain and foodstuffs, consumer goods

Imports - partners: EU 69.7% (Germany 21.1%, Sweden 12.3%, UK 8.6%,
Netherlands 7.5%, France 5.2%, Italy 4.4%), US 4.1% (2000)

Debt - external: $21.7 billion (2000)

Economic aid - donor: ODA, $1.63 billion (1999)

Currency: Danish krone (DKK)

Currency code: DKK

Exchange rates: Danish kroner per US dollar - 8.418 (January 2002), 8.323 (2001), 8.083 (2000), 6.976 (1999), 6.701 (1998), 6.604 (1997); note - the Danes rejected the euro in a 28 September 2000 referendum

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Denmark

Telephones - main lines in use: 4.785 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 1,444,016 (1997)

Telephone system: excellent telephone and telegraph services domestic: network, 4 cellular mobile communications systems international: 18 submarine fiber-optic cables linking Denmark with Norway, Sweden, Russia, Poland, Germany, Netherlands, UK, Faroe Islands, Iceland, and Canada; satellite earth stations - 6 Intelsat, 10 Eutelsat, 1 Orion, 1 Inmarsat (Blaavand-Atlantic-East); note - the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) share the Danish earth station and the Eik, Norway, station for worldwide Inmarsat access (1997)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 355, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 6.02 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 26 (plus 51 repeaters) (1998)

Televisions: 3.121 million (1997)

Internet country code: .dk

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 13 (2000)

Internet users: 2.93 million (2001)

Transportation Denmark

Railways: 2,859 km (508 km privately owned and operated) standard gauge: (1998 est.)

Highways: total: 71,474 km paved: 71,474 km (including 880 km of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (1999)

Waterways: 417 km

Pipelines: crude oil 110 km; petroleum products 578 km; natural gas 700 km

Ports and harbors: Abenra, Alborg, Arhus, Copenhagen, Esbjerg,
Fredericia, Kolding, Odense, Roenne (Bornholm), Vejle

Merchant marine: total: 301 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,258,959 GRT/8,143,520 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Germany 1, Greenland 1, Indonesia 1, Netherlands 1, Norway 9, United Kingdom 1 (2002 est.) ships by type: bulk 8, cargo 105, chemical tanker 26, container 72, liquefied gas 20, livestock carrier 5, petroleum tanker 25, railcar carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 13, roll on/roll off 16, short-sea passenger 7, specialized tanker 3

Airports: 116 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 28 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 3 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 88 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 80 (2001)

Military Denmark

Military branches: Royal Danish Army, Royal Danish Navy, Royal Danish
Air Force, Home Guard

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,287,168 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,099,900 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 29,212 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $2.47 billion (FY99/00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.4% (FY99/00)

Transnational Issues Denmark

Disputes - international: Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Denmark, Iceland, and the UK (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary agreement in the Rockall area); dispute with Iceland over the Faroe Islands' fisheries median line boundary within 200 NM; disputes with Iceland, the UK, and Ireland over the Faroe Islands continental shelf boundary outside 200 NM; Faroese are considering proposals for full independence

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Djibouti

Introduction

Djibouti

Background: The French Territory of the Afars and the Issas became
Djibouti in 1977. A peace accord in 1994 ended a three-year uprising by
Afars rebels.

Geography Djibouti

Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, between Eritrea and Somalia

Geographic coordinates: 11 30 N, 43 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 23,000 sq km water: 20 sq km land: 22,980 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Land boundaries: total: 516 km border countries: Eritrea 109 km,
Ethiopia 349 km, Somalia 58 km

Coastline: 314 km

Maritime claims: 200 NM territorial sea: Climate: desert; torrid, dry

Terrain: coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Lac Assal -155 m highest point:
Moussa Ali 2,028 m

Natural resources: geothermal areas

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 10 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: earthquakes; droughts; occasional cyclonic disturbances from the Indian Ocean bring heavy rains and flash floods

Environment - current issues: inadequate supplies of potable water; desertification; endangered species

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none
of the selected agreements

Geography - note: strategic location near world's busiest shipping lanes and close to Arabian oilfields; terminus of rail traffic into Ethiopia; mostly wasteland; Lac Assal (Lake Assal) is the lowest point in Africa

People Djibouti

Population: 472,810 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 42.6% (male 100,903; female 100,420) 15-64 years: 54.5% (male 135,409; female 122,209) 65 years and over: 2.9% (male 7,220; female 6,649) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.59% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 40.33 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 14.43 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.09 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 99.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 53.52 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 5.64 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 11.75% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 37,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 4,400 (2002 est.)

Nationality: noun: Djiboutian(s) adjective: Djiboutian

Ethnic groups: Somali 60%, Afar 35%, French, Arab, Ethiopian, and
Italian 5%

Religions: Muslim 94%, Christian 6%

Languages: French (official), Arabic (official), Somali, Afar

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 46.2% male: 60.3% female: 32.7% (1995 est.)

Government Djibouti

Country name: Republic of Djibouti conventional short form: Somaliland

Government type: republic

Capital: Djibouti

Administrative divisions: 5 districts (cercles, singular - cercle);
'Ali Sabih, Dikhil, Djibouti, Obock, Tadjoura

Independence: 27 June 1977 (from France)

National holiday: Independence Day, 27 June (1977)

Constitution: multiparty constitution approved by referendum 4 September 1992

Legal system: based on French civil law system, traditional practices, and Islamic law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal adult

Executive branch: chief of state: President Ismail Omar GUELLEH (since 8 May 1999) head of government: Prime Minister DILEITA Mohamed Dileita (since 4 March 2001) Council of Ministers responsible to the president elections: 9 April 1999 (next to be held December 2002); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Ismail Omar GUELLEH elected president; percent of vote - Ismail Omar GUELLEH 74.4%, IDRIS Moussa Ahmed 25.6%

Legislative branch: unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (65 seats; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms) elections: last held 19 December 1997 (next to be held NA December 2002) election results: party) dominated the election

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Political parties and leaders: Democratic National Party or PND [ADEN
Robleh Awaleh]; Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Abdillahi HAMARITEH];
Front pour la Restauration de l'Unite Democratique or FRUD [Ali Mohamed
DAOUD]; People's Progress Assembly or RPP (governing party) [Ismail
Omar GUELLEH]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Movement for Unity and Democracy or MUD

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL,
AMF, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW (signatory),
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador ROBLE Olhaye Oudine FAX: [1] (202) 331-0302 telephone: [1] (202) 331-0270 chancery: Suite 515, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Donald YAMAMOTO embassy: Plateau du Serpent, Boulevard Marechal Joffre,
Djibouti mailing address: B. P. 185, Djibouti telephone: [253] 35 39 95
FAX: [253] 35 39 40

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of light blue (top) and light green with a white isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bearing a red five-pointed star in the center

Economy Djibouti

Economy - overview: The economy is based on service activities connected with the country's strategic location and status as a free trade zone in northeast Africa. Two-thirds of the inhabitants live in the capital city, the remainder being mostly nomadic herders. Scanty rainfall limits crop production to fruits and vegetables, and most food must be imported. Djibouti provides services as both a transit port for the region and an international transshipment and refueling center. It has few natural resources and little industry. The nation is, therefore, heavily dependent on foreign assistance to help support its balance of payments and to finance development projects. An unemployment rate of 50% continues to be a major problem. Inflation is not a concern, however, because of the fixed tie of the franc to the US dollar. Per capita consumption dropped an estimated 35% over the last seven years because of recession, civil war, and a high population growth rate (including immigrants and refugees). Faced with a multitude of economic difficulties, the government has fallen in arrears on long-term external debt and has been struggling to meet the stipulations of foreign aid donors. Another factor limiting growth is the negative impact on port activity now that Ethiopia has more trade route options.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $586 million (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 0% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3% industry: 10% services: 87% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 50% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 282,000

Labor force - by occupation: NA%

Unemployment rate: 50% (2000 est.)

Budget: revenues: $135 million expenditures: $182 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)

Industries: construction, agricultural processing

Industrial production growth rate: 3% (1996 est.)

Electricity - production: 180 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 167.4 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: fruits, vegetables; goats, sheep, camels

Exports: $260 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Exports - commodities: reexports, hides and skins, coffee (in transit)

Exports - partners: Somalia 53%, Yemen 23%, Ethiopia 5% (1998)

Imports: $440 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Imports - commodities: foods, beverages, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum products

Imports - partners: France 13%, Ethiopia 12%, Italy 9%, Saudi Arabia 6%,
UK 6% (1998)

Debt - external: $366 million (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $36 million (2001)

Currency: Djiboutian franc (DJF)

Currency code: DJF

Exchange rates: Djiboutian francs per US dollar - 177.721 (fixed rate since 1973)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Djibouti

Telephones - main lines in use: 10,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular: NA (2002)

Telephone system: general assessment: telephone facilities in the city of Djibouti are adequate as are the microwave radio relay connections to outlying areas microwave radio relay network international: Singapore; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; Medarabtel regional microwave radio relay telephone network

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2001)

Radios: 52,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (2002)

Televisions: 28,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .dj

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: 1,400 (2000)

Transportation Djibouti

Railways: total: 100 km (Djibouti segment of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railroad) narrow gauge: 100 km 1.000-m gauge note: Djibouti and Ethiopia plan to revitalize the century-old railroad that links their capitals by 2003 (2001 est.)

Highways: total: 2,890 km paved: 364 km unpaved: 2,526 km (1996)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Djibouti

Airports: 12 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 3 (2001)

Military Djibouti

Military branches: Djibouti National Army (including Navy and Air Force)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 110,221 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 64,940 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $26.5 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 4.4% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Djibouti

Disputes - international: Djibouti maintains economic ties and border accords with "Somaliland" leadership while politically supporting the Somali Transitional National Government in Mogadishu

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Dominica

Introduction

Dominica

Background: Dominica was the last of the Caribbean islands to be colonized by Europeans, due chiefly to the fierce resistance of the native Caribs. France ceded possession to Great Britain in 1763, which made the island a colony in 1805. In 1980, two years after independence, Dominica's fortunes improved when a corrupt and tyrannical administration was replaced by that of Mary Eugenia CHARLES, the first female prime minister in the Caribbean, who remained in office for 15 years.

Geography Dominica

Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates: 15 25 N, 61 20 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 754 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 754 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly more than four times the size of Washington,
DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 148 km

Maritime claims: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: Climate: tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall

Terrain: rugged mountains of volcanic origin

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point:
Morne Diablatins 1,447 m

Natural resources: timber, hydropower, arable land

Land use: arable land: 4% permanent crops: 16% other: 80% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: flash floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes can be expected during the late summer months

Environment - current issues: NA

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Geography - note: known as "The Nature Island of the Caribbean" due to its spectacular, lush, and varied flora and fauna, which are protected by an extensive natural park system; the most mountainous of the Lesser Antilles, its volcanic peaks are cones of lava craters and include Boiling Lake, the second-largest, thermally active lake in the world

People Dominica

Population: 70,158 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 28.3% (male 10,052; female 9,800) 15-64 years: 63.8% (male 23,011; female 21,782) 65 years and over: 7.9% (male 2,245; female 3,268) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.81% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 17.3 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 7.11 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -18.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 15.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 76.88 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.01 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Dominican(s) adjective: Dominican

Ethnic groups: black, mixed black and European, European, Syrian,
Carib Amerindian

Religions: Roman Catholic 77%, Protestant 15% (Methodist 5%, Pentecostal 3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3%, Baptist 2%, other 2%), none 2%, other 6%

Languages: English (official), French patois

Literacy: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population:
Government Dominica

Country name: conventional long form: Commonwealth of Dominica conventional short form: Dominica

Government type: parliamentary democracy; republic within the
Commonwealth

Capital: Roseau

Administrative divisions: 10 parishes; Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint
George, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Luke, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick,
Saint Paul, Saint Peter

Independence: 3 November 1978 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 3 November (1978)

Constitution: 3 November 1978

Legal system: based on English common law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Vernon Lordon SHAW (since 6 October 1998) elections: president elected by the House of Assembly for a five-year term; election last held 6 October 1998 (next to be held NA October 2003); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Vernon Lordon SHAW elected president; percent of legislative vote - NA% cabinet: head of government: Prime Minister Pierre CHARLES (since 1 October 2000); note - assumed post after death of Prime Minister Roosevelt DOUGLAS

Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly (30 seats, 9 appointed senators, 21 elected by popular vote; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 31 January 2000 (next to be held by NA 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -DLP 10, UWP 9, DFP 2

Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of the
Court of Appeal and the High Court (located in Saint Lucia; one of the
six judges must reside in Dominica and preside over the Court of Summary
Jurisdiction)

Political parties and leaders: Dominica Freedom Party or DFP [Charles
SAVARIN]; Dominica Labor Party or DLP [Pierre CHARLES]; United Workers
Party or UWP [Edison JAMES]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Dominica Liberation Movement or
DLM (a small leftist party)

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, C, Caricom, CDB,
ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, NAM (observer), OAS, OECS,
OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Nicholas J. O. LIVERPOOL (resident in Dominica) chancery: 3216 New Mexico
Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 364-6781 consulate(s)
general: New York FAX: [1] (202) 364-6791

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in
Dominica; US interests are served by the embassy in Bridgetown, Barbados

Flag description: green, with a centered cross of three equal bands - the vertical part is yellow (hoist side), black, and white and the horizontal part is yellow (top), black, and white; superimposed in the center of the cross is a red disk bearing a sisserou parrot encircled by 10 green, five-pointed stars edged in yellow; the 10 stars represent the 10 administrative divisions (parishes)

Economy Dominica

Economy - overview: The Dominican economy depends on agriculture, primarily bananas, and remains highly vulnerable to climatic conditions. Hurricane Luis devastated the country's banana crop in 1995 after tropical storms wiped out a quarter of the 1994 crop. The subsequent recovery has been fueled by increases in construction, soap production, and tourist arrivals. Development of the tourism industry remains difficult however, because of the rugged coastline, lack of beaches, and the absence of an international airport. Economic growth is sluggish, and unemployment is greater than 20%. The government has been attempting to develop an offshore financial sector in order to diversify the island's production base.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $262 million (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: -3.2% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,700 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 18% industry: 23% services: 59% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 25,000

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 40%, industry and commerce 32%, services 28%

Unemployment rate: 23% (2000 est.)

Budget: revenues: $72 million expenditures: $79.9 million, including capital expenditures of $11.5 million (FY97/98)

Industries: soap, coconut oil, tourism, copra, furniture, cement blocks, shoes

Industrial production growth rate: -10% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production: 67 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 47.76% hydro: 52.24% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 62.31 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: bananas, citrus, mangoes, root crops, coconuts, cocoa; forest and fishery potential not exploited

Exports: $49 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Exports - commodities: bananas, soap, bay oil, vegetables, grapefruit, oranges

Exports - partners: Caricom countries 47%, UK 36%, US 7% (1996 est.)

Imports: $132 million (c.i.f., 2000 est.)

Imports - commodities: manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, food, chemicals

Imports - partners: US 41%, Caricom countries 25%, UK 13%, Netherlands,
Canada (1996 est.)

Debt - external: $150 million (2000)

Economic aid - recipient: $24.4 million (1995)

Currency: East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code: XCD

Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Communications Dominica

Telephones - main lines in use: 19,000 (1996)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 461 (1996)

Telephone system: fully automatic network international: Guadeloupe;
VHF and UHF radiotelephone links to Saint Lucia

Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 10, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 46,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 0 (however, there is one cable television company) (1997)

Televisions: 6,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .dm

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 16 (2000)

Internet users: 2,000 (2000)

Transportation Dominica

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 780 km paved: 390 km unpaved: 390 km (2001)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Portsmouth, Roseau

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: 2 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2001)

Military Dominica

Military branches: Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force (including
Special Service Unit, Coast Guard)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Transnational Issues Dominica

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe; minor cannabis producer; banking industry is vulnerable to money laundering

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Jarvis Island

Introduction

Jarvis Island

Background: First discovered by the British in 1821, the uninhabited island was annexed by the US in 1858, but abandoned in 1879 after tons of guano had been removed. The UK annexed the island in 1889, but never carried out plans for further exploitation. The US occupied and reclaimed the island in 1935. Abandoned after World War II, the island is currently a National Wildlife Refuge administered by the US Department of the Interior; a day beacon is situated near the middle of the west coast.

Geography Jarvis Island

Location: Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and the Cook Islands

Geographic coordinates: 0 22 S, 160 03 W

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 4.5 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 4.5 sq km

Area - comparative: about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 8 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun

Terrain: sandy, coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 7 m

Natural resources: guano (deposits worked until late 1800s), terrestrial and aquatic wildlife

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island poses a maritime hazard

Environment - current issues: no natural fresh water resources

Geography - note: sparse bunch grass, prostrate vines, and low-growing shrubs; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife

People Jarvis Island

Population: uninhabited note: Millersville settlement on western side of island occasionally used as a weather station from 1935 until World War II, when it was abandoned; reoccupied in 1957 during the International Geophysical Year by scientists who left in 1958; public entry is by special-use permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service only and generally restricted to scientists and educators; visited annually by US Fish and Wildlife Service (July 2002 est.)

Population growth rate: NA

Government Jarvis Island

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Jarvis Island

Dependency status: unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system

Legal system: the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description: the flag of the US is used

Economy Jarvis Island

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Transportation Jarvis Island

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one small boat landing area in the middle of the west coast and another near the southwest corner of the island

Transportation - note: there is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast

Military Jarvis Island

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US Coast Guard

Transnational Issues Jarvis Island

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Dominican Republic

Introduction

Dominican Republic

Background: A legacy of unsettled, mostly nonrepresentative, rule for much of the 20th century was brought to an end in 1996 when free and open elections ushered in a new government.

Geography Dominican Republic

Location: Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Haiti

Geographic coordinates: 19 00 N, 70 40 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 48,730 sq km land: 48,380 sq km water: 350 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire

Land boundaries: total: 360 km border countries: Haiti 360 km

Coastline: 1,288 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 6 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate: tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation; seasonal variation in rainfall

Terrain: rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys interspersed

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Lago Enriquillo -46 m highest point:
Pico Duarte 3,175 m

Natural resources: nickel, bauxite, gold, silver

Land use: arable land: 21% permanent crops: 10% other: 69% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 2,590 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: water shortages; soil eroding into the sea damages coral reefs; deforestation; Hurricane Georges damage

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note: shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti (eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic, western one-third is Haiti)

People Dominican Republic

Population: 8,721,594 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 33.7% (male 1,503,344; female 1,439,157) 15-64 years: 61.3% (male 2,720,308; female 2,621,539) 65 years and over: 5% (male 206,556; female 230,690) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.61% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 24.4 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 4.68 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -3.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 33.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 75.91 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.94 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 2.8% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 130,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 4,900 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Dominican(s) adjective: Dominican

Ethnic groups: white 16%, black 11%, mixed 73%

Religions: Roman Catholic 95%

Languages: Spanish

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 82.1% male: 82% female: 82.2% (1995 est.)

Government Dominican Republic

Country name: Dominican Republic conventional short form: Government type: representative democracy

Capital: Santo Domingo

Administrative divisions: 29 provinces (provincias, singular -
provincia) and 1 district* (distrito); Azua, Baoruco, Barahona, Dajabon,
Distrito Nacional*, Duarte, Elias Pina, El Seibo, Espaillat, Hato Mayor,
Independencia, La Altagracia, La Romana, La Vega, Maria Trinidad Sanchez,
Monsenor Nouel, Monte Cristi, Monte Plata, Pedernales, Peravia, Puerto
Plata, Salcedo, Samana, Sanchez Ramirez, San Cristobal, San Juan, San
Pedro de Macoris, Santiago, Santiago Rodriguez, Valverde

Independence: 27 February 1844 (from Haiti)

National holiday: Independence Day, 27 February (1844)

Constitution: 28 November 1966

Legal system: based on French civil codes

Suffrage: 18 years of age, universal and compulsory; married persons regardless of age note: members of the armed forces and police cannot vote

Executive branch: chief of state: President Rafael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez (since 16 August 2000); Vice President Milagros ORTIZ-BOSCH (since 16 August 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Rafael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez (since 16 August 2000); Vice President Milagros ORTIZ-BOSCH (since 16 August 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 16 May 2000 (next to be held NA May 2004) election results: Rafael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez (PRD) 49.87%, Danilo MEDINA (PLD) 24.95%, Joaquin BALAGUER (PRSC) 24.6%

Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate or Senado (30 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (149 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Deputies - last held 16 May 1998 (next to be held NA May 2002) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PRD 24, PLD 3, PRSC 3; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PRD 83, PLD 49, PRSC 17

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are elected by a Council made up of members of the legislative and executive branches with the president presiding)

Political parties and leaders: Dominican Liberation Party or PLD [Leonel
FERNANDEZ Reyna]; Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD [Hatuey DE CAMPS];
Social Christian Reformist Party or PRSC [Joaquin BALAGUER Ricardo]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Collective of Popular
Organizations or COP

International organization participation: ACP, Caricom (observer), ECLAC,
FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, LAIA
(observer), NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA, RG, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Hugo
GUILIANI Cury consulate(s): Houston, Jacksonville, Mobile, and Ponce
(Puerto Rico) consulate(s) general: Philadelphia, San Francisco, and
San Juan (Puerto Rico) FAX: [1] (202) 265-8057 telephone: [1] (202)
332-6280 chancery: 1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Hans H. HERTELL embassy: corner of Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo Navarro, Santo Domingo mailing [1] (809) 221-7121 FAX: Flag description: a centered white cross that extends to the edges divides the flag into four rectangles - the top ones are blue (hoist side) and red, and the bottom ones are red (hoist side) and blue; a small coat of arms is at the center of the cross

Economy Dominican Republic

Economy - overview: The Dominican economy experienced dramatic growth over the last decade, even though the economy was hit hard by Hurricane Georges in 1998. Although the country has long been viewed primarily as an exporter of sugar, coffee, and tobacco, in recent years the service sector has overtaken agriculture as the economy's largest employer, due to growth in tourism and free trade zones. The country suffers from marked income inequality; the poorest half of the population receives less than one-fifth of GNP, while the richest 10% enjoy 40% of national income. A US $500 million foreign bond issue in September 2001 will contribute to increased public investment spending.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $50 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 1.5% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $5,800 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11.1% industry: 34.1% services: 54.8% (2000)

Population below poverty line: 25% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 39.6% (1989)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 47.4 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 2.3 million - 2.6 million

Labor force - by occupation: services and government 58.7%, industry 24.3%, agriculture 17% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate: 15% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $2.9 billion expenditures: $3.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.1 billion (2001 est.)

Industries: tourism, sugar processing, ferronickel and gold mining, textiles, cement, tobacco

Industrial production growth rate: 2% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 9.475 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 87.21% hydro: 12.53% other: 0.26% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 8,812.029 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: sugarcane, coffee, cotton, cocoa, tobacco, rice, beans, potatoes, corn, bananas; cattle, pigs, dairy products, beef, eggs

Exports: $5.5 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: ferronickel, sugar, gold, silver, coffee, cocoa, tobacco, meats, consumer goods

Exports - partners: US 87.3%, Netherlands 1.1%, Canada 0.7%, France 0.7% (2000 est.)

Imports: $8.7 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Imports - partners: US 60.5%, Japan 10.4%, Mexico 4.7%, Venezuela 3% (2000 est.)

Debt - external: $5.4 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $239.6 million (1995)

Currency: Dominican peso (DOP)

Currency code: DOP

Exchange rates: Dominican pesos per US dollar - 17.310 (January 2002), 16.952 (2001), 16.415 (2000), 16.033 (1999), 15.267 (1998), 14.265 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Dominican Republic

Telephones - main lines in use: 709,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 130,149 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: relatively efficient system based on islandwide microwave radio relay network international: 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 120, FM 56, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios: 1.44 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 25 (1997)

Televisions: 770,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .do

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 24 (2000)

Internet users: 25,000 (1999)

Transportation Dominican Republic

Railways: total: 757 km standard gauge: 375 km 1.435-m gauge (Central Romana Railroad) miscellaneous gauge: 240 km operated by sugar companies in various gauges (0.558-m, 0.762-m, 1.067-m gauges) (2000 est.) narrow gauge: 142 km 0.762-m gauge (Dominican Republic Government Railway)

Highways: total: 12,600 km paved: 6,224 km unpaved: 6,376 km (1996)

Waterways: none

Pipelines: crude oil 96 km; petroleum products 8 km

Ports and harbors: Barahona, La Romana, Manzanillo, Puerto Plata,
San Pedro de Macoris, Santo Domingo

Merchant marine: total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,587
GRT/1,165 DWT ships by type: cargo 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 29 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 13 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 16 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 10 (2001)

Military Dominican Republic

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 2,323,088 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,455,887 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 87,404 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $180 million (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.1% (FY98)

Transnational Issues Dominican Republic

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe; has become a transshipment point for ecstasy from the Netherlands and Belgium destined for US and Canada

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Ecuador

Introduction

Ecuador

Background: The "Republic of the Equator" was one of three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Colombia and Venezuela). Between 1904 and 1942, Ecuador lost territories in a series of conflicts with its neighbors. A border war with Peru that flared in 1995 was resolved in 1999.

Geography Ecuador

Location: Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the
Equator, between Colombia and Peru

Geographic coordinates: 2 00 S, 77 30 W

Map references: South America

Area: total: 283,560 sq km note: includes Galapagos Islands water: 6,720 sq km land: 276,840 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Nevada

Land boundaries: total: 2,010 km border countries: Colombia 590 km,
Peru 1,420 km

Coastline: 2,237 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: claims continental shelf between mainland and Galapagos Islands territorial sea: 200 NM

Climate: tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations; tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands

Terrain: coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands (sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente)

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point:
Chimborazo 6,267 m

Natural resources: petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 6% permanent crops: 5% other: 89% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 8,650 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; floods; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution; pollution from oil production wastes in ecologically sensitive areas of the Galapagos Islands

Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental
Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous
Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none
of the selected agreements

Geography - note: Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world

People Ecuador

Population: 13,447,494 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 35.4% (male 2,415,764; female 2,337,095) 15-64 years: 60.2% (male 4,007,495; female 4,090,957) 65 years and over: 4.4% (male 276,482; female 319,701) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.96% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 25.47 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 5.36 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 33.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 74.57 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 3.05 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.3% (2001)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 20,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 232 (2001)

Nationality: noun: Ecuadorian(s) adjective: Ecuadorian

Ethnic groups: mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 65%, Amerindian 25%,
Spanish and others 7%, black 3%

Religions: Roman Catholic 95%

Languages: Spanish (official), Amerindian languages (especially Quechua)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 90.1% male: 92% female: 88.2% (1995 est.)

Government Ecuador

Country name: Republic of Ecuador conventional short form: Government type: republic

Capital: Quito

Administrative divisions: 22 provinces (provincias, singular -
provincia); Azuay, Bolivar, Canar, Carchi, Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, El
Oro, Esmeraldas, Galapagos, Guayas, Imbabura, Loja, Los Rios, Manabi,
Morona-Santiago, Napo, Orellana, Pastaza, Pichincha, Sucumbios,
Tungurahua, Zamora-Chinchipe

Independence: 24 May 1822 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Day (independence of Quito), 10 August (1809)

Constitution: 10 August 1998

Legal system: based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal, compulsory for literate persons ages 18-65, optional for other eligible voters

Executive branch: chief of state: President Gustavo NOBOA Bejarano (since 22 January 2000) selected president following coup that deposed President Jamil MAHUAD; Vice President Pedro PINTO Rubianes (since 28 January 2000) elected by National Congress from a slate of candidates submitted by President NOBOA; note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government elections: formerly, the president and vice president were elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year term (no reelection); election last held 31 May 1998; runoff election held 12 July 1998 (next to be held 20 October 2002) head of government: President Gustavo NOBOA Bejarano (since 22 January 2000) selected president following coup that deposed President Jamil MAHUAD; Vice President Pedro PINTO Rubianes (since 28 January 2000) elected by National Congress from a slate of candidates submitted by President NOBOA; note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president election results: results of the last election prior to the coup were: Jamil MAHUAD elected president; percent of vote - 51% note: a military-indigenous coup toppled democratically-elected President Jamil MAHAUD on 21 January 2000; the military quickly handed power over to Vice President Gustavo NOBOA on 22 January 2000; National Congress then elected a new vice president from a slate of candidates submitted by NOBOA; the new administration is scheduled to complete the remainder of MAHAUD's term, due to expire in January 2003

Legislative branch: unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (123 seats; 20 members are popularly elected at-large nationally to serve four-year terms; 103 members are popularly elected by province to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 31 May 1998 (next to be held 20 October 2002) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - DP 32, PSC 27, PRE 24, ID 18, P-NP 9, FRA 5, PCE 3, MPD 2, CFP 1; note - defections by members of National Congress are commonplace, resulting in frequent changes in the numbers of seats held by the various parties

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (new justices are elected by the full Supreme Court)

Political parties and leaders: Concentration of Popular Forces or CFP
[Averroes BUCARAM]; Democratic Left or ID [Rodrigo BORJA Cevallos];
Ecuadorian Conservative Party or PCE [Jacinto JIJON Y CAMANO]; Independent
National Movement or MIN [Eliseo AZUERO]; Pachakutik-New Country or P-NP
[Miguel LLUCO]; Popular Democracy or DP [Dr. Juan Manuel FUERTES]; Popular
Democratic Movement or MPD [Gustavo TERAN Acosta]; Radical Alfarista Front
or FRA [Fabian ALARCON, director]; Roldosist Party or PRE [Abdala BUCARAM
Ortiz, director]; Social Christian Party or PSC [Pascual DEL CIOPPO]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Confederation of Indigenous
Nationalities of Ecuador or CONAIE [Leonidas IZA, president]; Coordinator
of Social Movements or CMS [F. Napoleon SANTOS]; Federation of Indigenous
Evangelists of Ecuador or FEINE [Marco MURILLO, president]; National
Federation of Indigenous Afro-Ecuatorianos and Peasants or FENOCIN
[Pedro DE LA CRUZ, president]; Popular Front or FP [Luis VILLACIS]

International organization participation: CAN, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77,
IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS,
OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: Ambassador Ivonne A-BAKI consulate(s) general: Philadelphia, and San Francisco FAX: [1] (202) 667-3482 telephone: [1] (202) 234-7200 chancery: 2535 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Larry L. PALMER embassy: Avenida 12 de Octubre y Avenida Patria, Quito mailing address: APO AA 34039 telephone: [593] (2) 256-2890 FAX: [593] (2) 502-052 consulate(s) general: Guayaquil

Flag description: three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double width), blue, and red with the coat of arms superimposed at the center of the flag; similar to the flag of Colombia which is shorter and does not bear a coat of arms

Economy Ecuador

Economy - overview: Ecuador has substantial oil resources and rich agricultural areas. Because the country exports primary products such as oil, bananas, and shrimp, fluctuations in world market prices can have a substantial domestic impact. Ecuador joined the World Trade Organization in 1996, but has failed to comply with many of its accession commitments. The aftermath of El Nino and depressed oil market of 1997-98 drove Ecuador's economy into a free-fall in 1999. The beginning of 1999 saw the banking sector collapse, which helped precipitate an unprecedented default on external loans later that year. Continued economic instability drove a 70% depreciation of the currency throughout 1999, which forced a desperate government to "dollarize" the currency regime in 2000. The move stabilized the currency, but did not stave off the ouster of the government. Gustavo NOBOA, who assumed the presidency in January 2000, has managed to pass substantial economic reforms and mend relations with international financial institutions. Ecuador completed its first standby agreement since 1986 when the IMF Board approved a 10 December 2001 disbursement of $96 million, the final installment of a $300 million standby credit agreement.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $39.6 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4.3% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11% industry: 25% services: 64% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 70% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.2% highest 10%: 33.8% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 43.7 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 22% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 3.7 million (urban)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate: 14%; note - widespread underemployment (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $5.6 billion expenditures: planned $5.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Industries: petroleum, food processing, textiles, metal work, paper products, wood products, chemicals, plastics, fishing, lumber

Industrial production growth rate: 5.1% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 10.395 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 25.01% hydro: 74.99% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 9.667 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: bananas, coffee, cocoa, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca), plantains, sugarcane; cattle, sheep, pigs, beef, pork, dairy products; balsa wood; fish, shrimp

Exports: $4.8 billion (2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: petroleum, bananas, shrimp, coffee, cocoa, cut flowers, fish

Exports - partners: US 38%, Peru 6%, Chile 5%, Colombia 5%, Italy 3% (2000)

Imports: $4.8 billion (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, raw materials, fuels; consumer goods

Imports - partners: US 25%, Colombia 13%, Japan 8%, Venezuela 8%,
Brazil 4% (2000)

Debt - external: $14 billion (2001)

Economic aid - recipient: $120 million (2001)

Currency: US dollar (USD)

Currency code: USD

Exchange rates: sucres per US dollar - 25,000.0 (January 2002), 25,000.0 (2001), 24,988.4 (2000), 11,786.8 (1999), 5,446.6 (1998), 3,988.3 (1997) note: on 13 March 2000, the National Congress approved a new exchange system whereby the US dollar was adopted as the main legal tender in Ecuador for all purposes; on 20 March 2000, the Central Bank of Ecuador started to exchange sucres for US dollars at a fixed rate of 25,000 sucres per US dollar; since 30 April 2000, all transactions are denominated in US dollars

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Ecuador

Telephones - main lines in use: 1,115,272 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 384,000 (1999)

Telephone system: generally elementary but being expanded domestic: earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 392, FM 35, shortwave 29 (2001)

Radios: 5 million (2001)

Television broadcast stations: 7 (plus 14 repeaters) (2001)

Televisions: 2.5 million (2001)

Internet country code: .ec

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 31 (2001)

Internet users: 180,000 (2001)

Transportation Ecuador

Railways: total: 965 km narrow gauge: 965 km 1.067-m gauge (2000 est.)

Highways: total: 43,197 km paved: 8,165 km unpaved: 35,032 km (2001)

Waterways: 1,500 km

Pipelines: crude oil 800 km; petroleum products 1,358 km

Ports and harbors: Esmeraldas, Guayaquil, La Libertad, Manta, Puerto
Bolivar, San Lorenzo

Merchant marine: total: 33 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 239,876 GRT/393,680 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Chile 1, Greece 1 (2002 est.) ships by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 3, liquefied gas 1, passenger 3, petroleum tanker 23, specialized tanker 1

Airports: 205 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 61 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 19 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 144 914 to 1,523 m: 31 under 914 m: 113 (2001)

Heliports: 1 (2001)

Military Ecuador

Military branches: Army, Navy (including Marines), Air Force, National
Police

Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 3,468,678 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 2,337,944 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 132,978 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $720 million (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.4% (FY98)

Transnational Issues Ecuador

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: significant transit country for cocaine originating in Colombia and Peru; importer of precursor chemicals used in production of illicit narcotics; important money-laundering hub; increased activity on the northern frontier by trafficking groups and Colombian insurgents

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Egypt

Introduction

Egypt

Background: Nominally independent from the UK in 1922, Egypt acquired full sovereignty following World War II. The completion of the Aswan High Dam in 1971 and the resultant Lake Nasser have altered the time-honored place of the Nile river in the agriculture and ecology of Egypt. A rapidly growing population (the largest in the Arab world), limited arable land, and dependence on the Nile all continue to overtax resources and stress society. The government has struggled to ready the economy for the new millennium through economic reform and massive investment in communications and physical infrastructure.

Geography Egypt

Location: Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between
Libya and the Gaza Strip

Geographic coordinates: 27 00 N, 30 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 1,001,450 sq km land: 995,450 sq km water: 6,000 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly more than three times the size of New Mexico

Land boundaries: total: 2,665 km border countries: Gaza Strip 11 km,
Israel 266 km, Libya 1,115 km, Sudan 1,273 km

Coastline: 2,450 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate: desert; hot, dry summers with moderate winters

Terrain: vast desert plateau interrupted by Nile valley and delta

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Qattara Depression -133 m highest point: Mount Catherine 2,629 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese, limestone, gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, zinc

Land use: arable land: 3% permanent crops: 0% other: 97% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 33,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: periodic droughts; frequent earthquakes, flash floods, landslides; hot, driving windstorm called khamsin occurs in spring; dust storms, sandstorms

Environment - current issues: agricultural land being lost to urbanization and windblown sands; increasing soil salination below Aswan High Dam; desertification; oil pollution threatening coral reefs, beaches, and marine habitats; other water pollution from agricultural pesticides, raw sewage, and industrial effluents; very limited natural fresh water resources away from the Nile which is the only perennial water source; rapid growth in population overstraining the Nile and natural resources

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Geography - note: controls Sinai Peninsula, only land bridge between Africa and remainder of Eastern Hemisphere; controls Suez Canal, shortest sea link between Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea; size, and juxtaposition to Israel, establish its major role in Middle Eastern geopolitics; dependence on upstream neighbors; dominance of Nile basin issues; prone to influxes of refugees

People Egypt

Population: 70,712,345 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 33.96% (male 12,292,185; female 11,721,469) 15-64 years: (male 1,191,091; female 1,541,459) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.66% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 24.41 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 7.58 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 58.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 66.24 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.99 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.02% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Egyptian(s) adjective: Egyptian

Ethnic groups: Eastern Hamitic stock (Egyptians, Bedouins, and Berbers) 99%, Greek, Nubian, Armenian, other European (primarily Italian and French) 1%

Religions: Muslim (mostly Sunni) 94%, Coptic Christian and other 6%

Languages: Arabic (official), English and French widely understood by educated classes

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 51.4% male: 63.6% female: 38.8% (1995 est.)

Government Egypt

Country name: Arab Republic of Egypt conventional short form: local long form: Jumhuriyat Misr al-Arabiyah

Government type: republic

Capital: Cairo

Administrative divisions: 26 governorates (muhafazat, singular -
muhafazah); Ad Daqahliyah, Al Bahr al Ahmar, Al Buhayrah, Al Fayyum,
Al Gharbiyah, Al Iskandariyah, Al Isma'iliyah, Al Jizah, Al Minufiyah,
Al Minya, Al Qahirah, Al Qalyubiyah, Al Wadi al Jadid, Ash Sharqiyah,
As Suways, Aswan, Asyut, Bani Suwayf, Bur Sa'id, Dumyat, Janub Sina',
Kafr ash Shaykh, Matruh, Qina, Shamal Sina', Suhaj

Independence: 28 February 1922 (from UK)

National holiday: Revolution Day, 23 July (1952)

Constitution: 11 September 1971

Legal system: based on English common law, Islamic law, and Napoleonic codes; judicial review by Supreme Court and Council of State (oversees validity of administrative decisions); accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch: chief of state: President Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK (since 14 October 1981) head of government: Prime Minister Atef Mohammed ABEID (since 5 Cabinet appointed by the president elections: nomination must then be validated by a national, popular referendum; national referendum last held 26 September 1999 (next to be held NA October 2005); prime minister appointed by the president election results: national referendum validated President MUBARAK's nomination by the People's Assembly to a fourth term

Legislative branch: bicameral system consists of the People's Assembly or Majlis al-Sha'b (454 seats; 444 elected by popular vote, 10 appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms) and the Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura - which functions only in a consultative role (264 seats; 176 elected by popular vote, 88 appointed by the president; members serve NA-year terms) elections: People's Assembly - three-phase voting - last held 19 October, 29 October, 8 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2005); Advisory Council - last held 7 June 1995 (next to be held NA) election results: opposition 4%; seats by party - NDP 398, NWP 7, Tagammu 6, Nasserists 2, LSP 1, independents 38, undecided 2; Advisory Council - percent of vote by party - NDP 99%, independents 1%; seats by party - NA

Judicial branch: Supreme Constitutional Court

Political parties and leaders: Nasserist Arab Democratic Party or Nasserists [Dia' al-din DAWUD]; National Democratic Party or NDP [President Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK] - governing party; National Progressive Unionist Grouping or Tagammu [Khalid MUHI AL-DIN]; New Wafd Party or NWP [No'man GOMA]; Socialist Liberal Party or LSP [leader NA] note: formation of political parties must be approved by the government

Political pressure groups and leaders: despite a constitutional ban against religious-based parties, the technically illegal Muslim Brotherhood constitutes MUBARAK's potentially most significant political opposition; MUBARAK tolerated limited political activity by the Brotherhood for his first two terms, but moved more aggressively since then to block its influence; civic society groups are sanctioned, but constrained in practical terms; trade unions and professional associations are officially sanctioned

International organization participation: ABEDA, ACC, ACCT, AfDB,
AFESD, AL, AMF, BSEC (observer), CAEU, CCC, EBRD, ECA, ESCWA, FAO,
G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO,
MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OAU, OIC, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN,
UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNOMIG,
UNRWA, UNTAET, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador M. Nabil FAHMY chancery: 3521 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, New York, and San Francisco FAX: [1] (202) 244-4319 telephone: [1] (202) 895-5440

Diplomatic representation from the US: Ambassador C. David WELCH (since 3 Aug. 2001) embassy: APO AE 09839-4900 telephone: [20] (2) 797-3300 FAX: [20] (2) 797-3200

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with the national emblem (a shield superimposed on a golden eagle facing the hoist side above a scroll bearing the name of the country in Arabic) centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Yemen, which has a plain white band; also similar to the flag of Syria, which has two green stars, and to the flag of Iraq, which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white band

Economy Egypt

Economy - overview: Egypt improved its macroeconomic performance throughout most of the last decade by following IMF advice on fiscal, monetary, and structural reform policies. As a result, Cairo managed to tame inflation, slash budget deficits, and attract more foreign investment. In the past three years, however, the pace of reform has slackened, and excessive spending on national infrastructure projects has widened budget deficits again. Lower foreign exchange earnings since 1998 resulted in pressure on the Egyptian pound and periodic dollar shortages. Monetary pressures have increased since 11 September 2001 because of declines in tourism, Suez canal tolls, and exports, and Cairo has devalued the pound several times in the past year. The development of a gas export market is a major bright spot for future growth prospects.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $258 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 2.5% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,700 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 14% industry: 30% services: 56% (2001)

Population below poverty line: 22.9% (FY95/96 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.4% highest 10%: 25% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 28.9 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.3% (2001)

Labor force: 20.6 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 29%, industry 22%, services 49% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: 12% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $21.5 billion expenditures: $26.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.9 billion (2001)

Industries: textiles, food processing, tourism, chemicals, hydrocarbons, construction, cement, metals

Industrial production growth rate: 1.8% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 69.592 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 77.1% hydro: 22.9% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 64.721 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: cotton, rice, corn, wheat, beans, fruits, vegetables; cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats

Exports: $7.1 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: crude oil and petroleum products, cotton, textiles, metal products, chemicals

Exports - partners: EU 43% (Italy 18%, Germany 4%, UK 3.2%), US 15%,
Middle East 11%, Asian countries 9%, (2000)

Imports: $164 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, wood products, fuels

Imports - partners: EU 36% (Germany 8%, Italy 8%, France 6%), US 18%,
Asian countries 13%, , Middle East 6% (2000)

Debt - external: $29 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: ODA, $2.25 billion (1999)

Currency: Egyptian pound (EGP)

Currency code: EGP

Exchange rates: Egyptian pounds per US dollar - market rate - 4.5000 (January 2002), 4.4900 (2001), 3.6900 (2000), 3.4050 (1999), 3.3880 (1998), 3.3880 (1997)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Communications Egypt

Telephones - main lines in use: 3,971,500 (December 1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 380,000 (1999)

Telephone system: general assessment: large system; underwent extensive upgrading during 1990s and is reasonably modern; Internet access and cellular service are available domestic: principal centers at Alexandria, Cairo, Al Mansurah, Ismailia, Suez, and Tanta are connected by coaxial cable and microwave radio relay international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean), 1 Arabsat, and 1 Inmarsat; 5 coaxial submarine cables; tropospheric scatter to Sudan; microwave radio relay to Israel; a participant in Medarabtel and a signatory to Project Oxygen (a global submarine fiber-optic cable system)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 42 (plus 15 repeaters), FM 14, shortwave 3 (1999)

Radios: 20.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 98 (September 1995)

Televisions: 7.7 million (1997)

Internet country code: .eg

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 50 (2000)

Internet users: 560,000 (2001)

Transportation Egypt

Railways: total: 4,955 km standard gauge: 4,955 km 1,435-m gauge (42 km electrified; 1,560 km double-track) (2000 est.)

Highways: total: 64,000 km paved: 50,000 km unpaved: 14,000 km (1996)

Waterways: 3,500 km note: including the Nile, Lake Nasser,
Alexandria-Cairo Waterway, and numerous smaller canals in the delta;
Suez Canal (193.5 km including approaches), used by oceangoing vessels
drawing up to 16.1 m of water

Pipelines: crude oil 1,171 km; petroleum products 596 km; natural gas 460 km

Ports and harbors: Alexandria, Al Ghardaqah, Aswan, Asyut, Bur Safajah,
Damietta, Marsa Matruh, Port Said, Suez

Merchant marine: total: 175 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,331,186 GRT/1,987,964 DWT ships by type: bulk 23, cargo 58, container 2, liquefied gas 1, passenger 61, petroleum tanker 14, roll on/roll off 13, short-sea passenger 3 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience:, Denmark 1, Germany 1, Greece 6, Lebanon 3, Monaco 1, Ukraine 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 92 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 72 over 3,047 m: 13 2,438 to 3,047 m: 37 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 3 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 17

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 20 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 under 914 m: 10 (2001) 914 to 1,523 m: 7

Heliports: 2 (2001)

Military Egypt

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Command

Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 19,030,030 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 12,320,902 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 712,983 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $4.04 billion (FY99/00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 4.1% (FY99/00)

Transnational Issues Egypt

Disputes - international: Egypt and Sudan each claim to administer triangular areas which extend north and south of the 1899 Treaty boundary along the 22nd Parallel (in the north, the "Hala'ib Triangle", is the largest with 20,580 sq km); in 2001, the two states agreed to discuss an "area of integration" and withdraw military forces in the overlapping areas

Illicit drugs: transit point for Southwest Asian and Southeast Asian heroin and opium moving to Europe, Africa, and the US; transit stop for Nigerian couriers

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Ireland

Introduction

Ireland

Background: A failed 1916 Easter Monday Rebellion touched off several years of guerrilla warfare that in 1921 resulted in independence from the UK for the 26 southern counties; the six northern counties (Ulster) remained part of Great Britain. In 1948 Ireland withdrew from the British Commonwealth; it joined the European Community in 1973. Irish governments have sought the peaceful unification of Ireland and have cooperated with Britain against terrorist groups. A peace settlement for Northern Ireland, known as the Good Friday Agreement and approved in 1998, is currently being implemented.

Geography Ireland

Location: Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain

Geographic coordinates: 53 00 N, 8 00 W

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 70,280 sq km water: 1,390 sq km land: 68,890 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than West Virginia

Land boundaries: total: 360 km border countries: UK 360 km

Coastline: 1,448 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time

Terrain: mostly level to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Carrauntoohil 1,041 m

Natural resources: zinc, lead, natural gas, barite, copper, gypsum, limestone, dolomite, peat, silver

Land use: arable land: 20% permanent crops: 0% other: 80% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: water pollution, especially of lakes, from agricultural runoff

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution,
Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent
Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species,
Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note: strategic location on major air and sea routes between North America and northern Europe; over 40% of the population resides within 97 km of Dublin

People Ireland

Population: 3,883,159 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 21.3% (male 425,366; female 403,268) 15-64 years: 67.3% (male 1,307,469; female 1,305,038) 65 years and over: 11.4% (male 191,927; female 250,091) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.07% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 14.62 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 8.01 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 4.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 5.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 80.12 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.9 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 2,200 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Irishman(men), Irishwoman(women), Irish (collective plural) adjective: Irish

Ethnic groups: Celtic, English

Religions: Roman Catholic 91.6%, Church of Ireland 2.5%, other 5.9% (1998)

Languages: English is the language generally used, Irish (Gaelic) spoken mainly in areas located along the western seaboard

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% (1981 est.) male: NA% female: NA%

Government Ireland

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Ireland

Government type: republic

Capital: Dublin

Administrative divisions: 26 counties; Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork,
Donegal, Dublin, Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim,
Limerick, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon,
Sligo, Tipperary, Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow

Independence: 6 December 1921 (from UK by treaty)

National holiday: Saint Patrick's Day, 17 March

Constitution: 29 December 1937; adopted 1 July 1937 by plebiscite

Legal system: based on English common law, substantially modified by indigenous concepts; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Mary MCALEESE (since 11 November 1997) head of Prime Minister Bertie AHERN (since 26 June 1997) cabinet: prime minister and approval of the House of Representatives elections: held 31 October 1997 (next to be held NA November 2004); prime minister nominated by the House of Representatives and appointed by the president note: government coalition - Fianna Fail and the Progressive Democrats election results: Mary MCALEESE elected president; percent of vote - Mary MCALEESE 44.8%, Mary BANOTTI 29.6%

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Oireachtas consists of the Senate or Seanad Eireann (60 seats - 49 elected by the universities and from candidates put forward by five vocational panels, 11 are nominated by the prime minister; members serve five-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Dail Eireann (166 seats; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve five-year terms) election results: Fine Gael 16, Labor Party 4, Progressive Democrats 4, others 7; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Fianna Fail 80, Fine Gael 31, Labor Party 21, Progressive Democrats 8, Green Party 6, Sinn Fein 5, others 15 elections: Senate - last held NA August 1997 (next to be held NA August 2002); House of Representatives - last held 17 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2007)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister and cabinet)

Political parties and leaders: Fianna Fail [Bertie AHERN]; Fine Gael
[Michael NOONAN]; Green Party [Trevor SARGENT]; Labor Party [Ruairi
QUINN]; Progressive Democrats [Mary HARNEY]; Sinn Fein [Gerry ADAMS];
Socialist Party [Joe HIGGINS]; The Workers' Party [Tom FRENCH]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: Australia Group, BIS, CCC,
CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS
(observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UN Security Council (temporary),
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE,
UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNTAET, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Sean O'HUIGINN chancery: 2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, New York, and San Francisco FAX: [1] (202) 232-5993 telephone: [1] (202) 462-3939

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Richard J. EGAN embassy: 42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 mailing
address: use embassy street address telephone: [353] (1) 668-7122/668-8777
FAX: [353] (1) 668-9946

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and orange; similar to the flag of Cote d'Ivoire, which is shorter and has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side), white, and green; also similar to the flag of Italy, which is shorter and has colors of green (hoist side), white, and red

Economy Ireland

Economy - overview: Ireland is a small, modern, trade-dependent economy with growth averaging a robust 9% in 1995-2001. Agriculture, once the most important sector, is now dwarfed by industry, which accounts for 38% of GDP, about 80% of exports, and employs 28% of the labor force. Although exports remain the primary engine for Ireland's robust growth, the economy is also benefiting from a rise in consumer spending and recovery in both construction and business investment. Over the past decade, the Irish government has implemented a series of national economic programs designed to curb inflation, reduce government spending, increase labor force skills, and promote foreign investment. Ireland joined in launching the euro currency system in January 1999 along with 10 other EU nations. The economy felt the impact of the global economic slowdown in 2001, particularly in the high-tech export sector; the growth rate was cut by nearly half. Growth in 2002 is expected to fall in the 3%-5% range.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $104.7 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 5.6% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $27,300 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4% industry: 38% services: 58% (2000)

Population below poverty line: 10% (1997 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2% highest 10%: 27.3% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 35.9 (1987)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.9% (2001)

Labor force: 1.8 million (2001)

Labor force - by occupation: services 64%, industry 28%, agriculture 8% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: 4.3% (2001)

Budget: revenues: $34 billion expenditures: $27 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001)

Industries: food products, brewing, textiles, clothing; chemicals, pharmaceuticals, machinery, transportation equipment, glass and crystal; software

Industrial production growth rate: 6.5% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 22.285 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 94.86% hydro: 3.77% other: 1.37% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 20.823 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 71 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 169 million kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat; beef, dairy products

Exports: $75.9 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Exports - commodities: machinery and equipment, computers, chemicals, pharmaceuticals; live animals, animal products

Exports - partners: EU 63% (UK 20%, Germany 11%, France 8%, Netherlands 6%, Belgium 5%), US 20% (2000)

Imports: $49.5 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Imports - commodities: data processing equipment, other machinery and equipment, chemicals; petroleum and petroleum products, textiles, clothing

Imports - partners: EU 61% (UK 33%, Germany 6%, France 5%, Netherlands 4%), US 16%, Japan 4% (2000)

Debt - external: $11 billion (1998)

Economic aid - donor: ODA, $283 million (2001)

Currency: euro (EUR); Irish pound (IEP) note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code: EUR; IEP

Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); Irish pounds per US dollar - 0.7014 (1998), 0.6588 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Ireland

Telephones - main lines in use: 1.59 million (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 2 million (2001)

Telephone system: general assessment: modern digital system using cable and microwave radio relay domestic: microwave radio relay international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 9, FM 106, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 2.55 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 4 (many low-power repeaters) (2001)

Televisions: 1.82 million (2001)

Internet country code: .ie

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 22 (2000)

Internet users: 1.25 million (2001)

Transportation Ireland

Railways: total: 3,314 km broad gauge: 1,949 km 1.600-m gauge (38 km electrified; 485 km double-tracked) narrow gauge: 1,365 km 0.914-m gauge (operated by the Irish Peat Board to transport peat to power stations and briqueting plants) (2001)

Highways: total: 92,500 km paved: 87,043 km (including 115 km of expressways) unpaved: 5,457 km (1999 est.)

Waterways: 700 km (limited facilities for commercial traffic) (1998)

Pipelines: natural gas 7,592 km (transmission 1,158 km; distribution 6,434 km) (2000)

Ports and harbors: Arklow, Cork, Drogheda, Dublin, Foynes, Galway,
Limerick, New Ross, Waterford

Merchant marine: total: 26 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 110,741 GRT/127,342 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Germany 2 (2002 est.) ships by type: bulk 4, cargo 20, container 1, short-sea passenger 1

Airports: 41 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 17 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 7 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 22 (2001)

Military Ireland

Military branches: Army (including Naval Service and Air Corps),
National Police (Garda Siochana)

Military manpower - military age: 17 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,013,739 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 816,744 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 32,287 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $700 million (FY00/01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.9% (FY00/01)

Transnational Issues Ireland

Disputes - international: disputes with Iceland, Denmark, and the UK over the Faroe Islands continental shelf boundary outside 200 NM

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for and consumer of hashish from
North Africa to the UK and Netherlands and of European-produced synthetic
drugs; minor transshipment point for heroin and cocaine destined for
Western Europe

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Equatorial Guinea

Introduction

Equatorial Guinea

Background: Composed of a mainland portion and five inhabited islands, Equatorial Guinea, which gained independence in 1968 after 190 years of Spanish rule, has been ruled by President OBIANG NGUEM MBASOGO since he seized power in a coup in 1979. Although nominally a constitutional democracy since 1991, the 1996 presidential and 1999 legislative elections were widely seen as being flawed.

Geography Equatorial Guinea

Location: Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Cameroon and Gabon

Geographic coordinates: 2 00 N, 10 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 28,051 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 28,051 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries: total: 539 km border countries: Cameroon 189 km,
Gabon 350 km

Coastline: 296 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical; always hot, humid

Terrain: coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are volcanic

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Pico Basile 3,008 m

Natural resources: oil, petroleum, timber, small unexploited deposits of gold, manganese, uranium

Land use: arable land: 5% permanent crops: 3% other: 92% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: violent windstorms, flash floods

Environment - current issues: tap water is not potable; deforestation

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Law of the Sea, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none
of the selected agreements

Geography - note: insular and continental regions rather widely separated

People Equatorial Guinea

Population: 498,144 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 42.4% (male 106,061; female 105,071) 15-64 years: 53.8% (male 128,489; female 139,732) 65 years and over: 3.8% (male 8,385; female 10,406) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.45% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 37.33 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 12.83 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: NEGL migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 90.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 56.5 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 4.81 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.51% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 1,100 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 120 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Equatorial Guinean(s) or Equatoguinean(s) adjective:
Equatorial Guinean or Equatoguinean

Ethnic groups: Bioko (primarily Bubi, some Fernandinos), Rio Muni (primarily Fang), Europeans less than 1,000, mostly Spanish

Religions: nominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic, pagan practices

Languages: Spanish (official), French (official), pidgin English, Fang,
Bubi, Ibo

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 78.5% male: 89.6% female: 68.1% (1995 est.)

Government Equatorial Guinea

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Equatorial Guinea
conventional short form: Equatorial Guinea local short form: Guinea
Ecuatorial local long form: Republica de Guinea Ecuatorial former:
Spanish Guinea

Government type: republic

Capital: Malabo

Administrative divisions: 7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia);
Annobon, Bioko Norte, Bioko Sur, Centro Sur, Kie-Ntem, Litoral, Wele-Nzas

Independence: 12 October 1968 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Day, 12 October (1968)

Constitution: approved by national referendum 17 November 1991; amended
January 1995

Legal system: partly based on Spanish civil law and tribal custom

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal adult

Executive branch: chief of state: President Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO (since 3 August 1979 when he seized power in a military coup) elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held 25 February 1996 (next to be held NA February 2003); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president election results: President Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO reelected with 98% of the popular vote in elections marred by widespread fraud cabinet: Prime Minister Candido Muatetema RIVAS (since 26 February 2001); First Deputy Prime Minister Miguel OYONO NDONG (since NA January 1998); Deputy Prime Minister Demetrio Elo NDONG NZE FUMU (since NA January 1998)

Legislative branch: unicameral House of People's Representatives or Camara de Representantes del Pueblo (80 seats; members directly elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 7 March 1999 (next to be held NA March 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - PDGE 80%, UP 6%, CPDS 5%; seats by party - PDGE 75, UP 4 and CPDS 1 note: opposition parties have refused to take up their seats in the House to protest widespread irregularities in the 1999 legislative elections

Judicial branch: Supreme Tribunal

Political parties and leaders: Convergence Party for Social Democracy or CPDS [Placido MIKO Abogo]; Democratic Party for Equatorial Guinea or PDGE (ruling party) [Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO]; Party for Progress of Equatorial Guinea or PPGE [Severo MOTO]; Popular Action of Equatorial Guinea or APGE [Miguel Esono EMAN]; Popular Union or UP [Andres Moises Bda ADA]; Progressive Democratic Alliance or ADP [Victorino Bolekia BONAY]; Union of Independent Democrats of UDI [Daniel OYONO]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC,
CEEAC, CEMAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OAU,
OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Teodoro BIYOGO NSUE chancery: 2020 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 FAX: [1] (202) 528-5252 telephone: [1] (202) 518-5700

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
George McDade STAPLES; note - the US does not have an embassy in
Equatorial Guinea (embassy closed September 1995); the US ambassador to
Cameroon is accredited to Equatorial Guinea; the US State Department is
considering opening a Consulate Agency in Malabo

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side and the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms has six yellow six-pointed stars (representing the mainland and five offshore islands) above a gray shield bearing a silk-cotton tree and below which is a scroll with the motto UNIDAD, PAZ, JUSTICIA (Unity, Peace, Justice)

Economy Equatorial Guinea

Economy - overview: The discovery and exploitation of large oil reserves have contributed to dramatic economic growth in recent years. Forestry, farming, and fishing are also major components of GDP. Subsistence farming predominates. Although pre-independence Equatorial Guinea counted on cocoa production for hard currency earnings, the neglect of the rural economy under successive regimes has diminished potential for agriculture-led growth (the government has stated its intention to reinvest some oil revenue into agriculture). A number of aid programs sponsored by the World Bank and the IMF have been cut off since 1993 because of corruption and mismanagement. No longer eligible for concessional financing because of large oil revenues, the government has been unsuccessfully trying to agree on a "shadow" fiscal management program with the World Bank and IMF. Businesses, for the most part, are owned by government officials and their family members. Undeveloped natural resources include titanium, iron ore, manganese, uranium, and alluvial gold. Boosts in production and higher world oil prices stimulated growth in 2002, with oil accounting for 90% of increased exports.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.04 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 6% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,100 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 20% industry: 60% services: 20% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6% (2001 est.)

Labor force: NA

Unemployment rate: 30% (1998 est.)

Budget: revenues: $200 million expenditures: $158 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Industries: petroleum, fishing, sawmilling, natural gas

Industrial production growth rate: 7.4% (1994 est.)

Electricity - production: 22 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 90.91% hydro: 9.09% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 20.46 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: coffee, cocoa, rice, yams, cassava (tapioca), bananas, palm oil nuts; livestock; timber

Exports: $2.1 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: petroleum, timber, cocoa

Exports - partners: China 24%, Japan 7%, US 7%, South Korea 5% (1999)

Imports: $736 million (f.o.b., 2001)

Imports - commodities: petroleum sector equipment, manufactured goods and equipment

Imports - partners: US 60%, France 12%, Spain 8%, Italy 6% (1999)

Debt - external: $225 million (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $33.8 million (1995)

Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Currency code: XAF

Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 742.79 (January 2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997); note - from 1 January 1999, the XAF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XAF per euro

Fiscal year: 1 January - 31 December

Communications Equatorial Guinea

Telephones - main lines in use: 4,000 (1996)

Telephones - mobile cellular: NA

Telephone system: general assessment: poor system with adequate government services domestic: NA international: international communications from Bata and Malabo to African and European countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 5 (2002)

Radios: 180,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (2002)

Televisions: 4,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .gq

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: 600 (2000)

Transportation Equatorial Guinea

Railways: total: 0 km

Highways: total: 2,880 km paved: 0 km unpaved: 2,880 km (1996)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Bata, Luba, Malabo

Merchant marine: total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 14,413 GRT/16,251 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 3, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 3 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2001)

Military Equatorial Guinea

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Rapid Intervention Force,
National Police

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 112,664 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 57,194 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $27.5 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.5% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Equatorial Guinea

Disputes - international: tripartite maritime boundary and economic zone dispute with Cameroon and Nigeria is currently before the ICJ; maritime boundary dispute with Gabon because of disputed sovereignty over islands in Corisco Bay

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Estonia

Introduction

Estonia

Background: After centuries of Danish, Swedish, German, and Russian rule, Estonia attained independence in 1918. Forcibly incorporated into the USSR in 1940, it regained its freedom in 1991 with the collapse of the Soviet Union. Since the last Russian troops left in 1994, Estonia has been free to promote economic and political ties with Western Europe.

Geography Estonia

Location: Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland, between Latvia and Russia

Geographic coordinates: 59 00 N, 26 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area: includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea water: Area - comparative: slightly smaller than New Hampshire and Vermont combined

Land boundaries: total: 633 km border countries: Latvia 339 km, Russia 294 km

Coastline: 3,794 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: limits fixed in coordination with neighboring states territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: maritime, wet, moderate winters, cool summers

Terrain: marshy, lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m highest point: Suur
Munamagi 318 m

Natural resources: oil shale, peat, phosphorite, clay, limestone, sand, dolomite, arable land, sea mud

Land use: arable land: 27% permanent crops: 0% other: 73% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 40 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: sometimes flooding occurs in the spring

Environment - current issues: air polluted with sulfur dioxide from oil-shale burning power plants in northeast; however, the amount of pollutants emitted to the air have fallen steadily, the emissions of 2000 were 4.6 times smaller than in 1980; the amount of unpurified wastewater discharged to water bodies fell 20 times in 2000 compared to 1980; in connection with the start-up of new water purification plants, the pollution load of wastewater decreased; Estonia has more than 1,400 natural and manmade lakes, the smaller of which in agricultural areas need to be monitored; coastal seawater is polluted in certain locations

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution,
Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air
Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ship Pollution,
Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note: the mainland terrain is flat, boggy, and partly wooded; offshore lie more than 1,500 islands

People Estonia

Population: 1,415,681 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 16.4% (male 118,603; female 114,102) 15-64 years: 68.5% (male 466,882; female 502,343) 65 years and over: 15.1% (male 70,085; female 143,666) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.52% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 8.96 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 13.44 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.49 male(s)/female total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 12.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 76.31 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.24 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.04% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: less than 500 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Estonian(s) adjective: Estonian

Ethnic groups: Estonian 65.3%, Russian 28.1%, Ukrainian 2.5%, Belarusian 1.5%, Finn 1%, other 1.6% (1998)

Religions: Evangelical Lutheran, Russian Orthodox, Estonian Orthodox,
Baptist, Methodist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal,
Word of Life, Jewish

Languages: Estonian (official), Russian, Ukrainian, Finnish, other

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (1998 est.)

Government Estonia

Country name: Republic of Estonia conventional short form: local long form: Eesti Vabariik

Government type: parliamentary republic

Capital: Tallinn

Administrative divisions: 15 counties (maakonnad, singular - maakond):
Harjumaa (Tallinn), Hiiumaa (Kardla), Ida-Virumaa (Johvi), Jarvamaa
(Paide), Jogevamaa (Jogeva), Laanemaa (Haapsalu), Laane-Virumaa
(Rakvere), Parnumaa (Parnu), Polvamaa (Polva), Raplamaa (Rapla),
Saaremaa (Kuressaare), Tartumaa (Tartu), Valgamaa (Valga), Viljandimaa
(Viljandi), Vorumaa (Voru) note: counties have the administrative center
name following in parentheses

Independence: regained on 20 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day, 24 February (1918); note - 24 February 1918 was the date of independence from Soviet Russia, 20 August 1991 was the date of reindependence from the Soviet Union

Constitution: adopted 28 June 1992

Legal system: based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal for all Estonian citizens

Executive branch: chief of state: President Arnold RUUTEL (since 8 October 2001) head of government: Prime Minister Siim KALLAS (since 28 January 2002) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister, approved by Parliament election results: Arnold RUUTEL elected president on 21 September 2001 by a 367-member electoral assembly that convened following Parliament's failure in August to elect then-President MERI's successor; on the second ballot of voting, RUUTEL received 188 votes to Parliament Speaker Toomas SAVI's 155; the remaining 24 ballots were either left blank or invalid elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term; if he or she does not secure two-thirds of the votes after three rounds of balloting in the Parliament, then an electoral assembly (made up of Parliament plus members of local governments) elects the president, choosing between the two candidates with the largest percentage of votes; election last held 21 September 2001 (next to be held in the fall of 2006); prime minister nominated by the president and approved by Parliament

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Riigikogu (101 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Center Party 28, Union of Pro Patria (Fatherland League) 18, Reform Party 18, Moderates 17, Country People's Party (Agrarians) 7, Coalition Party 7, UPPE 6 elections: last held 7 March 1999 (next to be held NA March 2003)

Judicial branch: National Court (chairman appointed by Parliament for life)

Political parties and leaders: Coalition Party [Mart SIIMANN, chairman];
Estonian Center Party or K [Edgar SAVISAAR, chairman]; Estonian Christian
People's Party [Aldo VINKEL]; Estonian Democratic Party [Jean LAAS];
Estonian Independence Party [Vello LEITO]; Estonian People's Union
[Villu REILJAN]; note - includes Estonian Country People's Party and
two small parties; Estonian Reform Party [Siim KALLAS]; Estonian Social
Democratic Labor Party [Tiit TOOMSALU]; Estonian United People's Party or
UPPE [Viktor ANDREJEV]; Estonian Unity Party [Igor PISSAREV]; Moderates
[Andres TARAND]; New Estonia Party [Ulo NUGIS]; Pro Patria Union [Mart
LAAR, chairman]; Republican Party [Kristian-Olari LEPING]; Res Publica
[Rein TAAGEPERA]; Russian Baltic Party [Sergei IVANOV]; Russian Party
in Estonia [Nikolai MASPANOV] note: Country People's Party, formerly
under Estonian Rural People's Union, has probably dissolved

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, EAPC,
EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS,
IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent),
ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNTSO, UPU,
WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Sven JURGENSON FAX: [1] (202) 588-0108 [1] (202) 588-0101 chancery: Diplomatic representation from the US: Ambassador Joseph M. DeTHOMAS (designate) embassy: telephone: [372] 668-8100 FAX: [372] 668-8134

Flag description: pre-1940 flag restored by Supreme Soviet in May 1990 - three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), black, and white

Economy Estonia

Economy - overview: Estonia, as a new member of the World Trade Organization, is steadily moving toward a modern market economy with increasing ties to the West, including the pegging of its currency to the euro. A major goal is accession to the EU, possibly by 2004. The state of the economy is greatly influenced by developments in Finland and Sweden, two major trading partners.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $14.3 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4.7% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $10,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6% industry: 28% services: 66% (2000)

Population below poverty line: 25% of households (2000)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3% highest 10%: 29.8% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 37 (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.8% (2001)

Labor force: 608,600 (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: industry 20%, agriculture 11%, services 69% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: 12.4% (2001)

Budget: revenues: $1.89 billion expenditures: $1.89 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2002 est.)

Industries: engineering, electronics, wood and wood products, textile; services; transit, information technology, telecommunications

Industrial production growth rate: 5% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production: 7.056 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.77% hydro: 0.06% other: 0.17% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 5.362 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 1.2 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: potatoes, vegetables; livestock and dairy products; fish

Exports: $3.4 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Exports - commodities: machinery and equipment 24%, wood products 20%, textiles 17%, food products 9%, metals, chemical products (1999)

Exports - partners: Finland 27.6%, Sweden 11%, Russia 8%, Latvia 7%,
Germany 6%, US 2.0% (1999) (2001)

Imports: $4.1 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment 38.5%, chemical products 11.2%, textiles 9.5%, foodstuffs 8.6%, metals 8.1% (2000)

Imports - partners: Finland 27%, Russia 10%, Germany 10%, Sweden 8% (2001)

Debt - external: $0 (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $108 million (2000)

Currency: Estonian kroon (EEK)

Currency code: EEK

Exchange rates: krooni per US dollar - 17.518 (January 2002), 17.538 (2001), 16.969 (2000), 14.678 (1999), 14.075 (1998), 13.882 (1997); note - the kroon is tied to the euro at a fixed rate of 15.65 krooni per euro

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Estonia

Telephones - main lines in use: 501,691 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 711,000 (yearend 2001)

Telephone system: general assessment: foreign investment in the form of joint business ventures greatly improved telephone service; substantial fiber-optic cable systems carry telephone, TV, and radio traffic in the digital mode; internet services are available throughout most of the country - only about 11,000 subscriber requests were unfilled by September 2000 domestic: a wide range of high quality voice, data, and internet services is available throughout the country international: fiber-optic cables to Finland, Sweden, Latvia, and Russia provide worldwide packet-switched service; two international switches are located in Tallinn (2001)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 98, shortwave 0 (2001)

Radios: 1.01 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (2001)

Televisions: 605,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .ee

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 38 (2001)

Internet users: 540,000 (2001)

Transportation Estonia

Railways: total: 968 km common carrier lines only; does not include dedicated industrial lines broad gauge: 968 km 1.520-m gauge (132 km electrified) (2001)

Highways: total: 30,300 km paved: 29,200 km (including 75 km of expressways); note - these roads are said to be hard-surfaced, and include, in addition to conventionally paved roads, some that are surfaced with gravel or other coarse aggregate, making them trafficable in all weather unpaved: Waterways: 320 km (perennially navigable) (2002)

Pipelines: natural gas 2,000 km (2002)

Ports and harbors: Haapsalu, Kunda, Muuga, Paldiski, Parnu, Tallinn

Merchant marine: 37 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 245,958 GRT/193,042 DWT note: Liberia 1 (2002 est.) ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 13, container 5, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 9, short-sea passenger 6

Airports: 32 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 under 914 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 24 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 6 (2001)

Military Estonia

Military branches: Estonia Defense Forces (including Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force), Republic Security Forces (internal and border troops), Volunteer Defense League (Kaitseliit), Maritime Border Guard, Coast Guard note: Border Guards and Ministry of Internal Affairs become part of the Estonian Defense Forces in wartime; the Coast Guard is subordinate to the Ministry of Defense in peacetime and the Estonian Navy in wartime

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 359,902 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 282,716 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 11,164 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $155 million (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2% (2002 est.)

Transnational Issues Estonia

Disputes - international: Russia continues to reject signing and ratifying the joint December 1996 technical border agreement with Estonia

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for opiates and cannabis from Southwest Asia and the Caucasus via Russia, cocaine from Latin America to Western Europe and Scandinavia, and synthetic drugs from Western Europe to Scandinavia; increasing domestic drug abuse problem; possible precursor manufacturing and/or trafficking

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Eritrea

Introduction

Eritrea

Background: Eritrea was awarded to Ethiopia in 1952 as part of a federation. Ethiopia's annexation of Eritrea as a province 10 years later sparked a 30-year struggle for independence that ended in 1991 with Eritrean rebels defeating governmental forces; independence was overwhelmingly approved in a 1993 referendum. A two and a half year border war with Ethiopia that erupted in 1998 ended under UN auspices on 12 December 2000. Eritrea currently hosts a UN peacekeeping operation that will monitor the border region until an international commission determines and demarcates the boundary between the two countries.

Geography Eritrea

Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Djibouti and Sudan

Geographic coordinates: 15 00 N, 39 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 121,320 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 121,320 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries: total: 1,626 km border countries: Djibouti 109 km,
Ethiopia 912 km, Sudan 605 km

Coastline: 2,234 km total; mainland on Red Sea 1,151 km, islands in
Red Sea 1,083 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: hot, dry desert strip along Red Sea coast; cooler and wetter in the central highlands (up to 61 cm of rainfall annually); semiarid in western hills and lowlands; rainfall heaviest during June-September except in coastal desert

Terrain: dominated by extension of Ethiopian north-south trending highlands, descending on the east to a coastal desert plain, on the northwest to hilly terrain and on the southwest to flat-to-rolling plains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: near Kulul within the Denakil depression -75 m highest point: Soira 3,018 m

Natural resources: gold, potash, zinc, copper, salt, possibly oil and natural gas, fish

Land use: arable land: 4% permanent crops: 0% other: 96% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 220 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: frequent droughts; locust swarms

Environment - current issues: deforestation; desertification; soil erosion; overgrazing; loss of infrastructure from civil warfare

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: strategic geopolitical position along world's busiest shipping lanes; Eritrea retained the entire coastline of Ethiopia along the Red Sea upon de jure independence from Ethiopia on 24 May 1993

People Eritrea

Population: 4,465,651 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 42.9% (male 958,564; female 955,625) 15-64 years: 53.9% (male 1,192,454; female 1,213,313) 65 years and over: 3.2% (male 73,017; female 72,678) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.8% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 42.25 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 11.82 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 7.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: UNHCR began repatriating about 150,000 Eritrean refugees from Sudan in 2001 following the restoration of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2000 (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 73.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 59.13 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 5.8 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 2.87% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Eritrean(s) adjective: Eritrean

Ethnic groups: ethnic Tigrinya 50%, Tigre and Kunama 40%, Afar 4%, Saho
(Red Sea coast dwellers) 3%, other 3%

Religions: Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant

Languages: Afar, Amharic, Arabic, Tigre and Kunama, Tigrinya, other
Cushitic languages

Literacy: definition: NA total population: 25% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Eritrea

Country name: State of Eritrea conventional short form: in Ethiopia local short form: Ertra

Government type: transitional government note: following a successful referendum on independence for the Autonomous Region of Eritrea on 23-25 April 1993, a National Assembly, composed entirely of the People's Front for Democracy and Justice or PFDJ, was established as a transitional legislature; a Constitutional Commission was also established to draft a constitution; Afworki ISAIAS was elected president by the transitional legislature; the constitution, ratified in May 1997, did not enter into effect, pending parliamentary and presidential elections; parliamentary elections had been scheduled to take place in December 2001, but were postponed; currently the sole legal party is the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ), though a draft political parties law is under consideration

Capital: Asmara (formerly Asmera)

Administrative divisions: 6 regions (regions, singular - region);
Central, Anelba, Southern Red Sea, Northern Red Sea, Southern, Gash-Barka

Independence: 24 May 1993 (from Ethiopia)

National holiday: Independence Day, 24 May (1993)

Constitution: the transitional constitution, decreed on 19 May 1993, was replaced by a new constitution adopted on 23 May 1997, but not yet implemented

Legal system: primary basis is the Ethiopian legal code of 1957, with revisions; new civil, commercial, and penal codes have not yet been promulgated; also relies on customary and post-independence-enacted laws and, for civil cases involving Muslims, Sharia law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Afworki ISAIAS (since 8 June 1993); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government and is head of the State Council and National Assembly head of government: both the chief of state and head of government and is head of the State Council and National Assembly cabinet: State Council is the collective executive authority; members appointed by the president elections: (next election date uncertain as the National Assembly did not hold a presidential election in December 2001 as anticipated) election results: ISAIAS Afworki 95%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (150 seats; term limits not established) elections: in May 1997, following the adoption of the new constitution, 75 members of the PFDJ Central Committee (the old Central Committee of the EPLF), 60 members of the 527-member Constituent Assembly which had been established in 1997 to discuss and ratify the new constitution, and 15 representatives of Eritreans living abroad were formed into a Transitional National Assembly to serve as the country's legislative body until countrywide elections to a National Assembly were held; although only 75 of 150 members of the Transitional National Assembly were elected, the constitution stipulates that once past the transition stage, all members of the National Assembly will be elected by secret ballot of all eligible voters; National Assembly elections scheduled for December 2001 were postponed indefinately

Judicial branch: High court, regional, subregional, and village courts; also have military and special courts

Political parties and leaders: People's Front for Democracy and Justice or PFDJ, the only party recognized by the government [Afworki ISAIAS]; note - a National Assembly committee drafted a law on political parties in January 2001, but the full National Assembly had not yet debated or voted on it as of December 2001

Political pressure groups and leaders: Eritrean Islamic Jihad or EIJ;
Eritrean Liberation Front or ELF [ABDULLAH Muhammed]; Eritrean Liberation
Front-Revolutionary Council or ELF-RC [Ahmed NASSER]; Eritrean Liberation
Front-United Organization or ELF-UO [Mohammed Said NAWD]; Eritrean Public
Forum or EPF [ARADOM Iyob]

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, FAO,
IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (associate), IGAD, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador GIRMA Asmerom telephone: [1] (202) 319-1991 FAX: [1] (202) 319-1304 chancery: 1708 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Donald J. McCONNELL embassy: Franklin D. Roosevelt Street, Asmara mailing address: P. O. Box 211, Asmara telephone: [291] (1) 120004 FAX: [291] (1) 127584

Flag description: red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) dividing the flag into two right triangles; the upper triangle is green, the lower one is blue; a gold wreath encircling a gold olive branch is centered on the hoist side of the red triangle

Economy Eritrea

Economy - overview: Since independence from Ethiopia on 24 May 1993, Eritrea has faced the economic problems of a small, desperately poor country. Like the economies of many African nations, the economy is largely based on subsistence agriculture, with 80% of the population involved in farming and herding. The Ethiopian-Eritrea war in 1998-2000 severely hurt Eritrea's economy. GDP growth in 1999 fell to less than 1%, and GDP decreased by 8.2% in 2000. The May 2000 Ethiopian offensive into northern Eritrea caused some $600 million in property damage and loss, including losses of $225 million in livestock and 55,000 homes. The attack prevented planting of crops in Eritrea's most productive region, causing food production to drop by 62%. Even during the war, Eritrea developed its transportation infrastructure, asphalting new roads, improving its ports, and repairing war damaged roads and bridges. Eritrea's economic future remains mixed. The cessation of Ethiopian trade, which mainly used Eritrean ports before the war, leaves Eritrea with a large economic hole to fill. Eritrea's economic future depends upon its ability to master fundamental social problems like illiteracy, unemployment, and low skills, and to convert the diaspora's money and expertise into economic growth.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $3.2 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 7% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $740 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 17% industry: 29% services: 54% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 15% (2001 est.)

Labor force: NA

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 80%, industry and services 20%

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $206.4 million expenditures: $615.7 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Industries: food processing, beverages, clothing and textiles

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 210 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 195.3 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh NA kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh NA kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: sorghum, lentils, vegetables, corn, cotton, tobacco, coffee, sisal; livestock, goats; fish

Exports: $34.8 million (f.o.b., 2000)

Exports - commodities: livestock, sorghum, textiles, food, small manufactures

Exports - partners: Sudan 27.2%, Ethiopia 26.5%, Japan 13.2%, UAE 7.3%,
Italy 5.3% (1998)

Imports: $470.5 million (c.i.f., 2000)

Imports - commodities: machinery, petroleum products, food, manufactured goods

Imports - partners: Italy 17.4%, UAE 16.2%, Germany 5.7%, UK 4.5%,
Korea 4.4% (1998)

Debt - external: $281 million (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $77 million (1999)

Currency: nakfa (ERN)

Currency code: ERN

Exchange rates: nakfa (ERN) per US dollar - 9.5 (January 2000), 7.6
(January 1999), 7.2 (March 1998 est.)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Eritrea

Telephones - main lines in use: 30,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular: NA; note - mobile cellular service was introduced in May 2001

Telephone system: general assessment: inadequate domestic: very inadequate; most telephones are in Asmara; government is seeking international tenders to improve the system (2002) international: NA; note - international connections exist

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM NA, shortwave 2 (2000)

Radios: 345,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (2000)

Televisions: 1,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .er

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 5 (2001)

Internet users: 12,000 (2001)

Transportation Eritrea

Railways: total: 317 km narrow gauge: 317 km 0.950-m gauge note: links Ak'ordat and Asmara with the port of Massawa; nonoperational since 1978 except for about a 5 km stretch that was reopened in Massawa in 1994; rehabilitation of the remainder and of the rolling stock is under way (2001 est.)

Highways: total: 3,850 km paved: 810 km unpaved: 3,040 km (2000)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Assab (Aseb), Massawa (Mits'iwa)

Merchant marine: total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 19,100 GRT/23,399 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 2, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 21 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 17 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 2 (2001)

Military Eritrea

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $138.3 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 19.8% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Eritrea

Disputes - international: Eritrea and Ethiopia have expressed general approval of the April 2002 arbitration commission ruling re-delimiting the boundary, the focus of their 1998-2000 war; United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) will monitor activities within the 25-km wide temporary security zone in Eritrea until demarcation and de-mining are complete; Yemen has asserted traditional fishing rights to islands ceded to Eritrea in ICJ ruling

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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El Salvador

Introduction El Salvador

Background: El Salvador achieved independence from Spain in 1821 and from the Central American Federation in 1839. A 12-year civil war, which cost about 75,000 lives, was brought to a close in 1992 when the government and leftist rebels signed a treaty that provided for military and political reforms.

Geography El Salvador

Location: Middle America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between
Guatemala and Honduras

Geographic coordinates: 13 50 N, 88 55 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 21,040 sq km water: 320 sq km land: 20,720 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Land boundaries: total: 545 km border countries: Guatemala 203 km,
Honduras 342 km

Coastline: 307 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 200 NM

Climate: tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands

Terrain: mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point:
Cerro El Pital 2,730 m

Natural resources: hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land

Land use: arable land: 27% permanent crops: 12% other: 61% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 360 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes very destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely susceptible to hurricanes

Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; contamination of soils from disposal of toxic wastes

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection,
Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note: smallest Central American country and only one without a coastline on Caribbean Sea

People El Salvador

Population: 6,353,681 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 37.4% (male 1,211,156; female 1,162,317) 15-64 years: 57.5% (male 1,735,744; female 1,922,395) 65 years and over: 5.1% (male 144,864; female 177,205) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.83% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 28.3 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 6.1 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -3.88 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 27.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 74.11 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 3.29 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.6% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 25,000 (2000 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 1,300 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Salvadoran(s) adjective: Salvadoran

Ethnic groups: mestizo 90%, Amerindian 1%, white 9%

Religions: Roman Catholic 83% note: there is extensive activity by Protestant groups throughout the country; by the end of 1992, there were an estimated 1 million Protestant evangelicals in El Salvador

Languages: Spanish, Nahua (among some Amerindians)

Literacy: definition: age 10 and over can read and write total population: 71.5% male: 73.5% female: 69.8% (1995 est.)

Government El Salvador

Country name: Republic of El Salvador conventional short form:
El Salvador

Government type: republic

Capital: San Salvador

Administrative divisions: 14 departments (departamentos, singular -
departamento); Ahuachapan, Cabanas, Chalatenango, Cuscatlan, La Libertad,
La Paz, La Union, Morazan, San Miguel, San Salvador, Santa Ana, San
Vicente, Sonsonate, Usulutan

Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution: 23 December 1983

Legal system: based on civil and Roman law, with traces of common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Francisco FLORES Perez (since 1 June 1999); Vice President Carlos QUINTANILLA Schmidt (since 1 June 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Francisco FLORES Perez (since 1 June 1999); Vice President Carlos QUINTANILLA Schmidt (since 1 June 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 7 March 1999 (next to be held NA March 2004) election results: Francisco FLORES Perez elected president; percent of vote - Francisco FLORES (ARENA) 52%, Facundo GUARDADO (FMLN) 29%, Ruben ZAMORA (CD) 7.5%, other (no individual above 3%) 11.5%

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (84 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve three-year terms) elections: last held 12 March 2000 (next to be held NA March 2003) election results: percent of vote by party - ARENA 36.1%, FMLN 35.14%, PCN 8.76%, PDC 7.08%, CD 5.32%, PAN 3.75%, USC 1.47%, PLD 1.29%; seats by party - ARENA 28, FMLN 31, PCN 14, PDC 5, CD 3, PAN 1, independent 2

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are selected by the Legislative Assembly)

Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Rene
AGUILUZ]; Democratic Convergence or CD (includes PSD, MNR, MPSC) [Ruben
ZAMORA, secretary general]; Democratic Party or PD [Jorge MELENDEZ];
Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front or FMLN [Fabio CASTILLO];
Liberal Democratic Party or PLD [Kirio Waldo SALGADO, president];
National Action Party or PAN [Gustavo Rogelio SALINAS, secretary general];
National Conciliation Party or PCN [Ciro CRUZ Zepeda, president]; National
Republican Alliance or ARENA [Walter ARAUJO]; Social Christian Union or
USC (formed by the merger of Christian Social Renewal Party or PRSC and
Unity Movement or MU) [Abraham RODRIGUEZ, president]

Political pressure groups and leaders: labor organizations - Electrical
Industry Union of El Salvador or SIES; Federation of the Construction
Industry, Similar Transport and other activities, or FESINCONTRANS;
National Confederation of Salvadoran Workers or CNTS; National Union
of Salvadoran Workers or UNTS; Port Industry Union of El Salvador
or SIPES; Salvadoran Union of Ex-Petrolleros and Peasant Workers or
USEPOC; Salvadoran Workers Central or CTS; Workers Union of Electrical
Corporation or STCEL; business organizations - National Association of
Small Enterprise or ANEP; Salvadoran Assembly Industry Association or
ASIC; Salvadoran Industrial Association or ASI

International organization participation: BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77,
IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer),
MINURSO, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Rene
Antonio LEON Rodriguez consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Dallas,
Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Francisco telephone: [1]
(202) 265-9671 chancery: 2308 California Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Rose M. LIKINS embassy: Final Boulevard Santa Elenal, Antiguo Cuscatlan, La Libertad, San Salvador mailing address: Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL; similar to the flag of Nicaragua, which has a different coat of arms centered in the white band - it features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; also similar to the flag of Honduras, which has five blue stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band

Economy El Salvador

Economy - overview: El Salvador is a struggling Central American economy which has been suffering from a weak tax collection system, factory closings, the aftermaths of Hurricane Mitch of 1998 and the devastating earthquakes of early 2001, and weak world coffee prices. On the bright side, in recent years inflation has fallen to single digit levels, and total exports have grown substantially. The trade deficit has been offset by remittances (an estimated $1.6 billion in 2000) from Salvadorans living abroad and by external aid. As of 1 January 2001, the US dollar was made legal tender alongside the colon. Growth in 2002 will depend largely on the speed of recovery in the US.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $28.4 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 1.4% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $4,600 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 10% industry: 30% services: 60% (2000)

Population below poverty line: 48% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.4% highest 10%: 39.3% (2001)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 50.8 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.8% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 2.35 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 30%, industry 15%, services 55% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: 10% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $2.1 billion expenditures: $2.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Industries: food processing, beverages, petroleum, chemicals, fertilizer, textiles, furniture, light metals

Industrial production growth rate: 3% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 3.69 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 42.3% hydro: 35.5% other: 22.2% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 4.07 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 112 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 750 million kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: coffee, sugar, corn, rice, beans, oilseed, cotton, sorghum; shrimp; beef, dairy products

Exports: $2.9 billion (2001)

Exports - commodities: offshore assembly exports, coffee, sugar, shrimp, textiles, chemicals, electricity

Exports - partners: US 65%, Guatemala 11%, Honduras 8%, EU 5% (2000)

Imports: $5 billion (2001)

Imports - commodities: raw materials, consumer goods, capital goods, fuels, foodstuffs, petroleum, electricity

Imports - partners: US 50%, Guatemala 10%, EU 7%, Mexico 5%, (2000)

Debt - external: $4.9 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: total $252 million; $57 million from US (1999 est.)

Currency: Salvadoran colon (SVC); US dollar (USD)

Currency code: SVC; USD

Exchange rates: Salvadoran colones per US dollar - 8.750 (fixed since January 2001), 8.755 (fixed rate since 1993) note: since January 2001 the US dollar has also become legal tender; the exchange rate has been fixed at 8.75 colones per US dollar

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications El Salvador

Telephones - main lines in use: 380,000 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 40,163 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave System

Radio broadcast stations: AM 61 (plus 24 repeaters), FM 30, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 2.75 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 5 (1997)

Televisions: 600,000 (1990)

Internet country code: .sv

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 4 (2000)

Internet users: 40,000 (2000)

Transportation El Salvador

Railways: total: 562 km narrow gauge: 562 km 0.914-m gauge note: length of operational route is reduced to 283 km by disuse and lack of maintenance (2001 est.)

Highways: total: 10,029 km paved: 1,986 km (including 327 km of expressways) unpaved: 8,043 km (1997)

Waterways: Rio Lempa partially navigable

Ports and harbors: Acajutla, Puerto Cutuco, La Libertad, La Union,
Puerto El Triunfo

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: 83 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 79 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 62 (2001)

Heliports: 1 (2001)

Military El Salvador

Military branches: Army, Navy (FNES), Air Force

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,500,712 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 951,715 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 68,103 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $112 million (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.7% (FY99)

Transnational Issues El Salvador

Disputes - international: El Salvador claims tiny Conejo Island off Honduras in the Golfo de Fonseca; many of the "bolsones" (disputed areas) along the El Salvador-Honduras boundary remain undemarcated despite ICJ adjudication in 1992; with respect to the maritime boundary in the Golfo de Fonseca, the ICJ referred to the line determined by the 1900 Honduras-Nicaragua Mixed Boundary Commission and advised that some tripartite resolution among El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua likely would be required

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for cocaine; small amounts of marijuana produced for local consumption; domestic cocaine abuse on the rise

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Ethiopia

Introduction

Ethiopia

Background: Unique among African countries, the ancient Ethiopian monarchy maintained its freedom from colonial rule, one exception being the Italian occupation of 1936-41. In 1974 a military junta, the Derg, deposed Emperor Haile SELASSIE (who had ruled since 1930) and established a socialist state. Torn by bloody coups, uprisings, wide-scale drought, and massive refugee problems, the regime was finally toppled by a coalition of rebel forces, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), in 1991. A constitution was adopted in 1994 and Ethiopia's first multiparty elections were held in 1995. A two and a half year border war with Eritrea ended with a peace treaty on 12 December 2000.

Geography Ethiopia

Location: Eastern Africa, west of Somalia

Geographic coordinates: 8 00 N, 38 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 1,127,127 sq km water: 7,444 sq km land: 1,119,683 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries: total: 5,328 km border countries: Djibouti 349 km,
Eritrea 912 km, Kenya 861 km, Somalia 1,600 km, Sudan 1,606 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: tropical monsoon with wide topographic-induced variation

Terrain: high plateau with central mountain range divided by Great
Rift Valley

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Denakil Depression -125 m highest point: Ras Dejen 4,620 m

Natural resources: small reserves of gold, platinum, copper, potash, natural gas, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 10% permanent crops: 1% other: 89% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,900 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: geologically active Great Rift Valley susceptible to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions; frequent droughts

Environment - current issues: deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; water shortages in some areas from water-intensive farming and poor management

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone
Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification,
Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban

Geography - note: landlocked - entire coastline along the Red Sea was lost with the de jure independence of Eritrea on 24 May 1993; the Blue Nile, the chief headstream of the Nile, rises in T'ana Hayk (Lake Tana) in northwest Ethiopia

People Ethiopia

Population: 67,673,031 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 47.2% (male 16,098,191; female 15,879,065) 15-64 years: 854,023; female 1,034,829) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.64% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 44.31 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 18.04 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: repatriation of Ethiopians who fled to Sudan for refuge from war and famine in earlier years is expected to continue for several years; some Sudanese and Somali refugees, who fled to Ethiopia from the fighting or famine in their own countries, continue to return to their homes (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 98.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 45.09 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 6.94 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 10.63% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 3 million (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 280,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Ethiopian(s) adjective: Ethiopian

Ethnic groups: Oromo 40%, Amhara and Tigre 32%, Sidamo 9%, Shankella 6%,
Somali 6%, Afar 4%, Gurage 2%, other 1%

Religions: Muslim 45%-50%, Ethiopian Orthodox 35%-40%, animist 12%, other 3%-8%

Languages: Amharic, Tigrinya, Oromigna, Guaragigna, Somali, Arabic, other local languages, English (major foreign language taught in schools)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 35.5% male: 45.5% female: 25.3% (1995 est.)

Government Ethiopia

Country name: conventional long form: Federal Democratic Republic
of Ethiopia
 Ityop'iya former: Demokrasiyawi Ripeblik abbreviation: FDRE

Government type: federal republic

Capital: Addis Ababa

Administrative divisions: 9 ethnically-based states (kililoch, singular - kilil) and 2 self-governing administrations* (astedaderoch, singular - astedader); Adis Abeba* (Addis Ababa), Afar, Amara, Binshangul Gumuz, Dire Dawa*, Gambela Hizboch, Hareri Hizb, Oromiya, Sumale (Somali), Tigray, YeDebub Biheroch Bihereseboch na Hizboch (Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region)

Independence: oldest independent country in Africa and one of the oldest in the world - at least 2,000 years

National holiday: National Day (defeat of MENGISTU regime), 28 May (1991)

Constitution: ratified December 1994; effective 22 August 1995

Legal system: currently transitional mix of national and regional courts

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President GIRMA Woldegiorgis (since 8 October 2001) head Prime Minister MELES Zenawi (since NA August 1995) cabinet: ministers are selected by the prime minister and approved by the House of People's Representatives elections: president elected by the House of People's Representatives for a six-year term; election last held 8 October 2001 (next to be held NA October 2007); prime minister designated by the party in power following legislative elections election results: People's Representatives - 100%

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the House of Federation or upper chamber (108 seats; members are chosen by state assemblies to serve five-year terms) and the House of People's Representatives or lower chamber (548 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote from single-member districts to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 14 May 2000 (next to be held NA May 2005) note: irregularities and violence at a number of polling stations necessitated the rescheduling of voting in certain constituencies; voting postponed in Somali regional state because of severe drought election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - OPDO 177, ANDM 134, TPLF 38, WGGPDO 27, EPRDF 19, SPDO 18, GNDM 15, KSPDO 10, ANDP 8, GPRDF 7, SOPDM 7, BGPDUF 6, BMPDO 5, KAT 4, other regional political groupings 22, independents 8; note - 43 seats unconfirmed

Judicial branch: Federal Supreme Court (the president and vice president of the Federal Supreme Court are recommended by the prime minister and appointed by the House of People's Representatives; for other federal judges, the prime minister submits to the House of People's Representatives for appointment candidates selected by the Federal Judicial Administrative Council)

Political parties and leaders: Afar National Democratic Party or
ANDP [leader NA]; All-Amhara People's Organization or AAPO [HAILU
Shawel]; Amhara National Democratic Movement or ANDM [ADDISU Legesse];
Bench Madji People's Democratic Organization or BMPDO [leader NA];
Benishangul Gumuz People's Democratic Unity Front or BGPDUF [leader NA];
Ethiopian Democratic Party or EDP [ADMASSU Gebeyehu]; Ethiopian People's
Revolutionary Democratic Front or EPRDF [MELES Zenawi] (an alliance of
ANDM, OPDO, SEPDF, and TPLF); Gedeyo People's Revolutionary Democratic
Fund or GPRDF [leader NA]; Gurage Nationalities' Democratic Movement
orGNDM [leader NA]; Kafa Shaka People's Democratic Organization or KSPDO
[leader NA]; Kembata, Alabaa and Tembaro or KAT [leader NA]; Oromo
Liberation Front or OLF [DAOUD Ibsa Gudina]; Oromo National Congress
or ONC [MERERA Gudina]; Oromo People's Democratic Organization or OPDO
[JUNEDI Sado]; Sidamo People's Democratic Organization or SPDO [leader
NA]; South Ethiopia People's Democratic Front or SEPDF [KASSU Yilala];
South Omo People's Democratic Movement or SOPDM [leader NA]; Tigrayan
People's Liberation Front or TPLF [MELES Zenawi]; Walayta, Gamo, Gofa,
Dawro, and Konta People's Democratic Organization or WGGPDO [leader NA];
dozens of small parties

Political pressure groups and leaders: Council of Alternative Forces for Peace and Democracy in Ethiopia or CAFPDE [BEYANE Petros]; Southern Ethiopia People's Democratic Coalition or SEPDC [BEYANE Petros]

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, FAO,
G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
(observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador KASSAHUN Ayele chancery: 3506 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 FAX: [1] (202) 686-9551 telephone: [1] (202) 364-1200

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Tibor P. NAGY, Jr. embassy: Entoto Street, P. O. Box 1014, Addis Ababa telephone: Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and red with a yellow pentagram and single yellow rays emanating from the angles between the points on a light blue disk centered on the three bands; Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa, and the three main colors of her flag were so often adopted by other African countries upon independence that they became known as the pan-African colors

Economy Ethiopia

Economy - overview: Ethiopia's poverty-stricken economy is based on agriculture, which accounts for half of GDP, 85% of exports, and 80% of total employment. The agricultural sector suffers from frequent drought and poor cultivation practices, and as many as 4.6 million people need food assistance annually. Coffee is critical to the Ethiopian economy with exports of some $260 million in 2000. Other important exports include qat, live animals, hides, and gold. The war with Eritrea in 1999-2000 and recurrent drought have buffeted the economy, in particular coffee production. In November 2001 Ethiopia qualified for debt relief from the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. Under Ethiopia's land tenure system, the government owns all land and provides long-term leases to the tenants; the system continues to hamper growth in the industrial sector as entrepreneurs are unable to use land as collateral for loans. Despite this limitation, strong growth is expected to continue in the near term as good rainfall, the cessation of hostilities, and renewed foreign aid and debt relief push the economy forward.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $46 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 7.3% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $700 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 52.3% industry: 11.1% services: 36.6% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 64% (1996)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3% highest 10%: 33.7% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 40 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.8% (2001 est.)

Labor force: NA

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture and animal husbandry 80%, government and services 12%, industry and construction 8% (1985)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $1.8 billion expenditures: $1.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $600 million (2002 est.)

Industries: food processing, beverages, textiles, chemicals, metals processing, cement

Industrial production growth rate: 6.7% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 1.63 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 1.84% hydro: 98.16% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 1.516 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: cereals, pulses, coffee, oilseed, sugarcane, potatoes, qat; hides, cattle, sheep, goats

Exports: $442 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Exports - commodities: coffee, qat, gold, leather products, oilseeds

Exports - partners: Germany 18%, Japan 11%, Djibouti 11%, Saudi Arabia 8% (2000 est.)

Imports: $1.54 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: food and live animals, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, machinery, motor vehicles, cereals, textiles

Imports - partners: Saudi Arabia 25%, US 9%, Italy 7%, Russia 4% (2000 est.)

Debt - external: $5.3 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $308 million (FY00/01)

Currency: birr (ETB)

Currency code: ETB

Exchange rates: birr per US dollar (end of period) - 8.455 (December 2001), 8.3140 (December 2000), 8.3140 (2000), 8.1340 (1999), 7.5030 (1998), 6.8640 (1997) note: since 24 October 2001 exchange rates are determined on a daily basis via interbank transactions regulated by the Central Bank

Fiscal year: 8 July - 7 July

Communications Ethiopia

Telephones - main lines in use: 231,900 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 17,800 (2000)

Telephone system: general assessment: open wire and microwave radio relay system; adequate for government use domestic: open wire; microwave radio relay; radio communication in the HF, VHF, and UHF frequencies; two domestic satellites provide the national trunk service international: open wire to Sudan and Djibouti; microwave radio relay to Kenya and Djibouti; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 8, FM 0, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios: 15.2 million (2002)

Television broadcast stations: 1 plus 24 repeaters (2002)

Televisions: 682,000 (2002)

Internet country code: .et

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2002)

Internet users: 20,000 (2002)

Transportation Ethiopia

Railways: total: 681 km (Ethiopian segment of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railroad) narrow gauge: 681 km 1.000-m gauge note: in 1998, Djibouti and Ethiopia announced plans to revitalize the century-old railroad that links their capitals and since then Ethiopia has expended considerable effort to repair and maintain the lines; in 2001, Ethiopia and Sudan agreed to build a line from Ethiopia to Port Sudan (2000 est.)

Highways: total: 24,145 km paved: 3,290 km unpaved: 20,855 km (1998)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: none; Ethiopia is landlocked and was by agreement with Eritrea using the ports of Assab and Massawa; since the border dispute with Eritrea flared, Ethiopia has used the port of Djibouti for nearly all of its imports

Merchant marine: total: 9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 81,933 GRT/101,287 DWT ships by type: cargo 5, container 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 2 (2002 est.)

Airports: 86 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 14 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 72 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 33 under 914 m: 22 (2001)

Military Ethiopia

Military branches: Ethiopian National Defense Force (Ground Forces, Air Force, militia, police) note: Ethiopia is landlocked and has no navy; following the secession of Eritrea, Ethiopian naval facilities remained in Eritrean possession

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 14,925,883 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 7,790,977 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 703,625 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $800 million (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 12.6% (FY00)

Transnational Issues Ethiopia

Disputes - international: most of the southern half of the boundary with Somalia in the Ogaden region is a provisional administrative line; in the Ogaden, regional states have established a variety of conflicting relationships with the Somali Transitional National Government in Mogadishu, feuding factions in Puntland region, and the economically stabile break-away "Somaliland" region; Ethiopia agreeed in 2002 to demarcate its entire boundary with Sudan; Eritrea and Ethiopia have expressed general approval of the April 2002 arbitration commission ruling re-delimiting the boundary, the focus of their 1998-2000 war; United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) will monitor activities within the 25-km wide temporary security zone in Eritrea until demarcation and de-mining are complete

Illicit drugs: transit hub for heroin originating in Southwest and Southeast Asia and destined for Europe and North America as well as cocaine destined for markets in southern Africa; cultivates qat (khat) for local use and regional export, principally to Djibouti and Somalia (legal in all three countries)

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Europa Island

Introduction

Europa Island

Background: A French possession since 1897, the island is heavily wooded; it is the site of a small military garrison that staffs a weather station.

Geography Europa Island

Location: Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about one-half of the way from southern Madagascar to southern Mozambique

Geographic coordinates: 22 20 S, 40 22 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 28 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 28 sq km

Area - comparative: about 0.16 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 22.2 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical

Terrain: low and flat

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 24 m

Natural resources: NEGL

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (forests and woodlands) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: wildlife sanctuary

People Europa Island

Population: no indigenous inhabitants note: there is a small French military garrison (July 2002 est.)

Population growth rate: NA

Government Europa Island

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Europa Island local short form: Ile Europa local long form: none

Dependency status: possession of France; administered by a high commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion

Legal system: the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Flag description: the flag of France is used

Economy Europa Island

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Communications Europa Island

Communications - note: 1 meteorological station

Transportation Europa Island

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Airports: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)

Military Europa Island

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Europa Island

Disputes - international: claimed by Madagascar

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Czech Republic

Introduction Czech Republic

Background: After World War II, Czechoslovakia fell within the Soviet sphere of influence. In 1968, an invasion by Warsaw Pact troops ended the efforts of the country's leaders to liberalize party rule and create "socialism with a human face." Anti-Soviet demonstrations the following year ushered in a period of harsh repression. With the collapse of Soviet authority in 1989, Czechoslovakia regained its freedom through a peaceful "Velvet Revolution." On 1 January 1993, the country underwent a "velvet divorce" into its two national components, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Now a member of NATO, the Czech Republic has moved toward integration in world markets, a development that poses both opportunities and risks.

Geography Czech Republic

Location: Central Europe, southeast of Germany

Geographic coordinates: 49 45 N, 15 30 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 78,866 sq km water: 1,590 sq km land: 77,276 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries: total: 1,881 km border countries: Austria 362 km,
Germany 646 km, Poland 658 km, Slovakia 215 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

Terrain: Bohemia in the west consists of rolling plains, hills, and plateaus surrounded by low mountains; Moravia in the east consists of very hilly country

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Elbe River 115 m highest point:
Snezka 1,602 m

Natural resources: hard coal, soft coal, kaolin, clay, graphite, timber

Land use: arable land: 40% permanent crops: 3% other: 57% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 240 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: flooding

Environment - current issues: air and water pollution in areas of northwest Bohemia and in northern Moravia around Ostrava present health risks; acid rain damaging forests

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution,
Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air
Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent
Organic Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol

Geography - note: landlocked; strategically located astride some of oldest and most significant land routes in Europe; Moravian Gate is a traditional military corridor between the North European Plain and the Danube in central Europe

People Czech Republic

Population: 10,256,760 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 15.7% (male 828,273; female 786,617) 15-64 years: 70.3% (male 3,605,766; female 3,603,058) 65 years and over: 14% (male 551,852; female 881,194) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.07% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 9.08 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 10.76 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 5.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 78.65 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.18 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.04% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 2,200 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Czech(s) adjective: Czech

Ethnic groups: Czech 81.2%, Moravian 13.2%, Slovak 3.1%, Polish 0.6%,
German 0.5%, Silesian 0.4%, Roma 0.3%, Hungarian 0.2%, other 0.5% (1991)

Religions: atheist 39.8%, Roman Catholic 39.2%, Protestant 4.6%,
Orthodox 3%, other 13.4%

Languages: Czech

Literacy: definition: NA total population: 99.9% (1999 est.) male:
NA% female: NA%

Government Czech Republic

Country name: Czech Republic conventional short form: Ceska Republika

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Prague

Administrative divisions: 13 regions (kraje, singular - kraj) and
1 capital city* (hlavni mesto); Jihocesky Kraj, Jihomoravsky Kraj,
Karlovarsky Kraj, Kralovehradecky Kraj, Liberecky Kraj, Moravskoslezsky
Kraj, Olomoucky Kraj, Pardubicky Kraj, Plzensky Kraj, Praha*, Stredocesky
Kraj, Ustecky Kraj, Vysocina, Zlinsky Kraj

Independence: 1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech
Republic and Slovakia)

National holiday: Czech Founding Day, 28 October (1918)

Constitution: ratified 16 December 1992; effective 1 January 1993

Legal system: civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; legal code modified to bring it in line with Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) obligations and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal theory

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Vaclav HAVEL (since 2 February 1993) head of government: Prime Minister Milos ZEMAN (since 17 July 1998); Deputy Prime Ministers Vladimir SPIDLA (since 22 July 1998), Pavel RYCHETSKY (since 22 July 1998), Jan KAVAN (since 8 December 1999) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: held 20 January 1998 (next to be held NA January 2003); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Vaclav HAVEL reelected president; Vaclav HAVEL received 47 of 81 votes in the Senate and 99 out of 200 votes in the Chamber of Deputies (second round of voting)

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Senate or Senat (81 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber of Deputies or Poslanecka Snemovna (200 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 12 and 19 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2002); Chamber of Deputies - last held 19-20 June 1998 (next to be held by NA June 2002) election results: 22, CSSD 15, ODA 7, US 4, KSCM 3, independents 2; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - CSSD 32.3%, ODS 27.7%, KSCM 11%, KDU-CSL 9.0%, US 8.6%; seats by party - CSSD 74, ODS 63, KSCM 24, KDU-CSL 20, US 18, CSNS 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; chairman and deputy chairmen are appointed by the president for a 10-year term

Political parties and leaders: Christian and Democratic Union-Czechoslovak People's Party or KDU-CSL [Cyril SVOBODA, chairman]; Civic Democratic Alliance or ODA [Michael ZANTOVSKY, chairman]; Civic Democratic Party or ODS [Vaclav KLAUS, chairman]; Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia or KSCM [Miroslav GREBENICEK, chairman]; Communist Party of Czechoslovakia or KSC [Miroslav STEPAN, chairman]; Czech National Social Party of CSNS [Jan SULA, chairman]; Czech Social Democratic Party or CSSD [Milos ZEMAN, chairman]; Democratic Union or DEU [Ratibor MAJZLIK, chairman]; Freedom Union or US [Hana MARVANOVA, chairman]; Quad Coalition [Karel KUHNL, chairman] (includes KDU-CSL, US, ODA, DEU); Republicans of Miroslav SLADEK or RMS [Miroslav SLADEK, chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Czech-Moravian Confederation of
Trade Unions [Richard FALBR]

International organization participation: ACCT (observer), Australia
Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer),
OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE,
UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WEU (associate), WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: Ambassador Martin PALOUS consulate(s) general: 363-6315 chancery: 3900 Spring of Freedom Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Craig R. STAPLETON embassy: Trziste 15, use embassy street address telephone: Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side (identical to the flag of the former Czechoslovakia)

Economy Czech Republic

Economy - overview: Basically one of the most stable and prosperous of the post-Communist states, the Czech Republic has been recovering from recession since mid-1999. Growth in 2000-01 was led by exports to the EU, especially Germany, and foreign investment, while domestic demand is reviving. Uncomfortably high fiscal and current account deficits could be future problems. Unemployment is gradually declining as job creation continues in the rebounding economy; inflation is up to 4.7% but still moderate. The EU put the Czech Republic just behind Poland and Hungary in preparations for accession, which will give further impetus and direction to structural reform. Moves to complete banking, telecommunications, and energy privatization will add to foreign investment, while intensified restructuring among large enterprises and banks and improvements in the financial sector should strengthen output growth.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $147.9 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3.4% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $14,400 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5% industry: 41% services: 54% (2000)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.3% highest 10%: 22.4% (1996)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 26 (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.7% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 5.203 million (1999 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 5%, industry 40%, services 55% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: 8.5% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $16.7 billion expenditures: $18 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Industries: metallurgy, machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, glass, armaments

Industrial production growth rate: 7.2% (2001)

Electricity - production: 69.589 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 77.75% hydro: 2.5% other: 1.2% (2000) nuclear: 18.55%

Electricity - consumption: 54.701 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 18.74 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 8.725 billion kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: wheat, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, poultry

Exports: $32.7 billion (f.o.b., 2000)

Exports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment 44%, intermediate manufactures 25%, chemicals 7%, raw materials and fuel 7% (2000)

Exports - partners: Germany 40.4%, Slovakia 7.7%, Austria 6.0%, Poland 5.4%, UK 4.3% (2000)

Imports: $37.4 billion (f.o.b., 2000)

Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment 40%, intermediate manufactures 21%, raw materials and fuels 13%, chemicals 11% (2000)

Imports - partners: Germany 26.7%, Russia 6.4%, Slovakia 6.0%, Italy 5.2%, Austria 4.9% (2000)

Debt - external: $24.6 billion (2001)

Economic aid - recipient: $NA

Currency: Czech koruna (CZK)

Currency code: CZK

Exchange rates: koruny per US dollar - 36.325 (January 2002), 38.035 (2001), 38.598 (2000), 34.569 (1999), 32.281 (1998), 31.698 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Czech Republic

Telephones - main lines in use: 3.869 million (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 4.346 million (2000)

Telephone system: general assessment: privatization and modernization of the Czech telecommunication system got a late start but is advancing steadily; growth in the use of mobile cellular telephones is particularly vigorous domestic: 86% of exchanges now digital; existing copper subscriber systems now being enhanced with Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) equipment to accommodate Internet and other digital signals; trunk systems include fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay international: regions), 1 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 1 Globalstar

Radio broadcast stations: AM 31, FM 304, shortwave 17 (2000)

Radios: 3,159,134 (December 2000)

Television broadcast stations: 150 (plus 1,434 repeaters) (2000)

Televisions: 3,405,834 (December 2000)

Internet country code: .cz

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): more than 300 (2000)

Internet users: 1.1 million (2001)

Transportation Czech Republic

Railways: total: 9,444 km standard gauge: 9,350 km 1.435-m gauge (2,843 km electrified; 1,929 km double-track) narrow gauge: 94 km 0.760-m gauge (2000 est.)

Highways: total: 55,432 km paved: 55,432 km (including 499 km of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Waterways: 303 km note: (the Labe (Elbe) is the principal river) (2000)

Pipelines: natural gas 3,550 km (2000)

Ports and harbors: Decin, Prague, Usti nad Labem

Airports: 121 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 44 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 17 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 77 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 28 under 914 m: 48 (2001)

Heliports: 1 (2001)

Military Czech Republic

Military branches: Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, Territorial
Defense Force

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 2,637,128 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 2,012,779 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 69,393 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $1,190,200,000 (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.1% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Czech Republic

Disputes - international: Liechtenstein's royal family claims restitution for 1,600 sq km of land in the Czech Republic confiscated in 1918; individual Sudeten German claims for restitution of property confiscated in connection with their expulsion after World War II; Austria has minor dispute with Czech Republic over the Temelin nuclear power plant and post-World War II treatment of German-speaking minorities

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and minor transit point for Latin American cocaine to Western Europe; producer of synthetic drugs for local and regional markets

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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French Guiana

Introduction

French Guiana

Background: First settled by the French in 1604, French Guiana was the site of notorious penal settlements until 1951. The European Space Agency launches its communication satellites from Kourou.

Geography French Guiana

Location: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Brazil and Suriname

Geographic coordinates: 4 00 N, 53 00 W

Map references: South America

Area: total: 91,000 sq km water: 1,850 sq km land: 89,150 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Indiana

Land boundaries: total: 1,183 km border countries: Brazil 673 km,
Suriname 510 km

Coastline: 378 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain: low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Bellevue de l'Inini 851 m

Natural resources: bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered), cinnabar, kaolin, fish

Land use: arable land: NEGL permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (90% forest, 10% other) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: high frequency of heavy showers and severe thunderstorms; flooding

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: mostly an unsettled wilderness; the only non-independent portion of the South American continent

People French Guiana

Population: 182,333 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 30.2% (male 28,140; female 26,876) 15-64 years: 64.2% (male 63,183; female 53,902) 65 years and over: 5.6% (male 5,192; female 5,040) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.57% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 21.66 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 4.78 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 8.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.17 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female total population: 1.13 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 13.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 79.99 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 3.13 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: French Guianese (singular and plural) adjective:
French Guianese

Ethnic groups: black or mulatto 66%, white 12%, East Indian, Chinese,
Amerindian 12%, other 10%

Religions: Roman Catholic

Languages: French

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 83% male: 84% female: 82% (1982 est.)

Government French Guiana

Country name: Department of Guiana conventional short form: Dependency status: overseas department of France

Government type: NA

Capital: Cayenne

Administrative divisions: none (overseas department of France)

Independence: none (overseas department of France)

National holiday: Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system: French legal system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Henri MASSE (since NA July 1999) elections: appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; presidents of the General and Regional Councils are appointed by the members of those councils head of government: President of the General Council Joseph HO-TEN-YOU (since NA March 2001); President of the Regional Council Antoine KARAM (since 22 March 1992) cabinet: NA

Legislative branch: unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a unicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional (31 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) elections: General Council - last held NA March 2000 (next to be held NA 2006); Regional Council - last held 15 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: various left-wing parties 5, independents 7, other 2; Regional Council - percent of vote by party - PS 28.28%, various left parties 22.56%, RPR 15.91%, independents 8.6%, Walwari Committee 6%; seats by party - PS 11, various left parties 9, RPR 6, independents 3, Walwari Committee 2 note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 27 September 1998 (next to be held NA September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; 2 seats were elected to the French National Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA

Judicial branch: Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel (highest local court based in Martinique with jurisdiction over Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French Guiana)

Political parties and leaders: Guyanese Democratic Action or ADG [Andre
LECANTE]; Guyanese Socialist Party or PSG [Marie-Claude VERDAN]; Guyana
Democratic Forces or FDG [Georges OTHILY]; Popular National Guyanese Party
or PNPG [Jose DORCY]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [Roland HO-WEN-SZE];
Socialist Party or PS [Pierre RIBARDIERE]; Walwari Committee [Christine
TAUBIRA-DELANON]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: FZ, WCL, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas department of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas department of France)

Flag description: the flag of France is used

Economy French Guiana

Economy - overview: The economy is tied closely to the French economy through subsidies and imports. Besides the French space center at Kourou, fishing and forestry are the most important economic activities. Forest and woodland cover 90% of the country. The large reserves of tropical hardwoods, not fully exploited, support an expanding sawmill industry that provides sawn logs for export. Cultivation of crops is limited to the coastal area, where the population is largely concentrated; rice and manioc are the major crops. French Guiana is heavily dependent on imports of food and energy. Unemployment is a serious problem, particularly among younger workers.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $1 billion (1998 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: NA%

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $6,000 (1998 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.5% (1992)

Labor force: 58,800 (1997)

Labor force - by occupation: services, government, and commerce 60.6%, industry 21.2%, agriculture 18.2% (1980)

Unemployment rate: 21.4% (1998)

Budget: revenues: $225 million expenditures: $390 million, including capital expenditures of $105 million (1996)

Industries: construction, shrimp processing, forestry products, rum, gold mining

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 450 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 418.5 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: corn, rice, manioc (tapioca), sugar, cocoa, vegetables, bananas; cattle, pigs, poultry

Exports: $155 million (f.o.b., 1997)

Exports - commodities: shrimp, timber, gold, rum, rosewood essence, clothing

Exports - partners: France 62%, Switzerland 7%, US 2% (1997)

Imports: $625 million (c.i.f., 1997)

Imports - commodities: food (grains, processed meat), machinery and transport equipment, fuels and chemicals

Imports - partners: France 52%, US 14%, Trinidad and Tobago 6% (1997)

Debt - external: $1.2 billion (1988)

Economic aid - recipient: $NA

Currency: euro (EUR); French franc (FRF)

Currency code: EUR; FRF

Exchange rates: Euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications French Guiana

Telephones - main lines in use: 47,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: NA

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: fair open wire and microwave radio relay system international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 14 (including 6 repeaters), shortwave 6 (including 5 repeaters) (1998)

Radios: 104,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (plus eight low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 30,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .gf

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)

Internet users: 2,000 (2000)

Transportation French Guiana

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 1,817 km paved: 817 km unpaved: 1,000 km (1998)

Waterways: 3,300 km navigable by native craft note: 460 km navigable by small oceangoing vessels and coastal and river steamers

Ports and harbors: Cayenne, Degrad des Cannes, Saint-Laurent du Maroni

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: 11 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 5 (2001)

Military French Guiana

Military branches: no regular indigenous military forces; French Forces,
Gendarmerie

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 50,504 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 32,720 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues French Guiana

Disputes - international: Suriname claims area between Riviere Litani and Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa)

Illicit drugs: small amount of marijuana grown for local consumption; minor transshipment point to Europe

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Finland

Introduction

Finland

Background: Ruled by Sweden from the 12th to the 19th centuries and by Russia from 1809, Finland finally won its independence in 1917. During World War II, it was able to successfully defend its freedom and fend off invasions by the Soviet Union and Germany. In the subsequent half century, the Finns have made a remarkable transformation from a farm/forest economy to a diversified modern industrial economy; per capita income is now on par with Western Europe. As a member of the European Union, Finland was the only Nordic state to join the euro system at its initiation in January 1999.

Geography Finland

Location: Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, and Gulf of Finland, between Sweden and Russia

Geographic coordinates: 64 00 N, 26 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 337,030 sq km water: 31,560 sq km land: 305,470 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Montana

Land boundaries: total: 2,628 km border countries: Norway 729 km,
Sweden 586 km, Russia 1,313 km

Coastline: 1,126 km (excludes islands and coastal indentations)

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 12 NM; extends to continental shelf boundary with Sweden territorial sea: 12 NM (in the Gulf of Finland - 3 NM)

Climate: cold temperate; potentially subarctic, but comparatively mild because of moderating influence of the North Atlantic Current, Baltic Sea, and more than 60,000 lakes

Terrain: mostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with lakes and low hills

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m highest point: Halti 1,328 m

Natural resources: timber, copper, zinc, iron ore, silver

Land use: arable land: 7% permanent crops: 0% other: 93% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 640 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: air pollution from manufacturing and power plants contributing to acid rain; water pollution from industrial wastes, agricultural chemicals; habitat loss threatens wildlife populations

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air
Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur
94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental
Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent
Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note: long boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost national capital on European continent; population concentrated on small southwestern coastal plain

People Finland

Population: 5,183,545 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 17.9% (male 471,920; female 454,082) 15-64 years: 66.9% (male 1,752,493; female 1,717,544) 65 years and over: 15.2% (male 306,216; female 481,290) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.14% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 10.6 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 9.78 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 3.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 81.52 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.7 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.05% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 1,100 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Finn(s) adjective: Finnish

Ethnic groups: Finn 93%, Swede 6%, Sami 0.11%, Roma 0.12%, Tatar 0.02%

Religions: Evangelical Lutheran 89%, Russian Orthodox 1%, none 9%, other 1%

Languages: Finnish 93.4% (official), Swedish 5.9% (official), small Lapp- and Russian-speaking minorities

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% (1980 est.) male: NA% female: NA%

Government Finland

Country name: Republic of Finland conventional short form: Government type: republic

Capital: Helsinki

Administrative divisions: 6 provinces (laanit, singular - laani);
Aland, Etela-Suomen Laani, Ita-Suomen Laani, Lansi-Suomen Laani, Lappi,
Oulun Laani

Independence: 6 December 1917 (from Russia)

National holiday: Independence Day, 6 December (1917)

Constitution: 17 July 1919

Legal system: civil law system based on Swedish law; Supreme Court may request legislation interpreting or modifying laws; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Tarja HALONEN (since 1 March 2000) head of government: Prime Minister Paavo LIPPONEN (since 13 April 1995) and Deputy Prime Minister Ville ITALA (since 31 August 2001) cabinet: Council of State or Valtioneuvosto appointed by the president, responsible to Parliament elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 6 February 2000 (next to be held NA February 2006); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed from the majority party by the president after parliamentary elections note: Union and Democratic Alternative), SFP, and Green League election results: 51.6%, Esko AHO (Kesk) 48.4%

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Eduskunta (200 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional basis to serve four-year terms) election results: percent of vote by party - SDP 22.9%, Kesk 22.5%, Kok 21.0%, Leftist Alliance (Communist) 10.9%, SFP 5.1%, Green League 7.2%, SKL 4.2%; seats by party - SDP 51, Kesk 48, Kok 46, Leftist Alliance (Communist) 20, SFP 11, Green League 11, SKL 10, other 3 elections: last held 21 March 1999 (next to be held NA March 2003)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Korkein Oikeus (judges appointed by the president)

Political parties and leaders: Center Party or Kesk [Esko AHO]; Finnish
Christian Democratic Party or SKL [C. P. Bjarne KALLIS]; Green League
[Osmo SOININVAARA]; Leftist Alliance (Communist) composed of People's
Democratic League and Democratic Alternative [Suvi-Anne SIIMES]; National
Coalition (conservative) Party or Kok [Ville ITALA]; Social Democratic
Party or SDP [Paavo LIPPONEN]; Swedish People's Party or SFP [Jan-Erik
ENESTAM]; True Finns [Timo SOINI]

International organization participation: AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group,
BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G-
9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NC, NEA,
NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOGIP,
UNMOP, UNMOVIC, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: Ambassador Jukka Robert VALTASAARI consulate(s) general: 298-5800 chancery: 3301 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Bonnie McELVEEN-HUNTER embassy: Itainen Puistotie 14B, FIN-00140,
Helsinki mailing address: APO AE 09723 telephone: [358] (9) 171931 FAX:
[358] (9) 174681

Flag description: white with a blue cross extending to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

Economy Finland

Economy - overview: Finland has a highly industrialized, largely free-market economy, with per capita output roughly that of the UK, France, Germany, and Italy. Its key economic sector is manufacturing - principally the wood, metals, engineering, telecommunications, and electronics industries. Trade is important, with exports equaling almost one-third of GDP. Except for timber and several minerals, Finland depends on imports of raw materials, energy, and some components for manufactured goods. Because of the climate, agricultural development is limited to maintaining self-sufficiency in basic products. Forestry, an important export earner, provides a secondary occupation for the rural population. Rapidly increasing integration with Western Europe - Finland was one of the 11 countries joining the euro monetary system (EMU) on 1 January 1999 - will dominate the economic picture over the next several years. Growth in 2001 was held back by the global slowdown and will likely be anemic again in 2002.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $133.5 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 0.6% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $25,800 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3% industry: 28% services: 69% (2000)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.2% highest 10%: 21.6% (1991)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 25.6 (1991)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.6% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 2.6 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: public services 32%, industry 22%, commerce 14%, finance, insurance, and business services 10%, agriculture and forestry 8%, transport and communications 8%, construction 6%

Unemployment rate: 9.4% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $36.1 billion expenditures: $31 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Industries: metal products, electronics, shipbuilding, pulp and paper, copper refining, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, clothing

Industrial production growth rate: 5.1% (2001)

Electricity - production: 75.356 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 40.86% hydro: 19.22% other: 11.6% (2000) nuclear: 28.32%

Electricity - consumption: 81.961 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 326 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 12.206 billion kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: barley, wheat, sugar beets, potatoes; dairy cattle; fish

Exports: $40.1 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Exports - commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals; timber, paper, pulp

Exports - partners: Germany 12.5%, Sweden 9.3%, UK 9.1%, US 7.4%,
France 5.2%, Italy 4.4% (2000)

Imports: $31.2 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, transport equipment, iron and steel, machinery, textile yarn and fabrics, grains

Imports - partners: Germany 14.2%, Sweden 10.3%, Russia 9.4%, US 7.1%,
UK 6.4%, Japan 5.3% (2000)

Debt - external: $30 billion (December 1993)

Economic aid - donor: ODA, $379 million (1997)

Currency: markka (FIM); euro (EUR) note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code: FIM; EUR

Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); markkaa per US dollar - 5.3441 (1998), 5.1914 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Finland

Telephones - main lines in use: 2.861 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 2,162,574 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: modern system with excellent service domestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and an extensive cellular net provide domestic needs international: 1 submarine cable; satellite earth stations - access to Intelsat transmission service via a Swedish satellite earth station, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Finland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 186, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios: 7.7 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 130 (plus 385 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions: 3.2 million (1997)

Internet country code: .fi

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 23 (2000)

Internet users: 2.27 million (2000)

Transportation Finland

Railways: total: 5,865 km broad gauge: 5,865 km 1.524-m gauge (2,234 km electrified; 480 km double- or multiple-track) (2000 est.)

Highways: total: 77,831 km paved: 49,789 km (including 444 km of expressways) unpaved: 28,042 km (1999)

Waterways: 6,675 km note: includes Saimaa Canal; 3,700 km suitable for large ships

Pipelines: natural gas 580 km

Ports and harbors: Hamina, Helsinki, Kokkola, Kotka, Loviisa, Oulu,
Pori, Rauma, Turku, Uusikaupunki, Varkaus

Merchant marine: total: 98 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,172,404 GRT/1,144,139 DWT ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 26, chemical tanker 5, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 11, roll on/roll off 36, short-sea passenger 10 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Airports: 160 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 73 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 26 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 22 under 914 m: 12 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 87 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 82 (2001)

Military Finland

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Frontier Guard (including
Sea Guard)

Military manpower - military age: 17 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,240,762 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,024,379 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 33,883 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $1.8 billion (FY98/99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2% (FY98/99)

Transnational Issues Finland

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Fiji

Introduction

Fiji

Background: Fiji became independent in 1970, after nearly a century as a British colony. Democratic rule was interrupted by two military coups in 1987, caused by concern over a government perceived as dominated by the Indian community (descendants of contract laborers brought to the islands by the British in the 19th century). A 1990 constitution favored native Melanesian control of Fiji, but led to heavy Indian emigration; the population loss resulted in economic difficulties, but ensured that Melanesians became the majority. Amendments enacted in 1997 made the constitution more equitable. Free and peaceful elections in 1999 resulted in a government led by an Indo-Fijian, but a coup in May of 2000 ushered in a prolonged period of political turmoil. Parliamentary elections held in August 2001 provided Fiji with a democratically elected government and gave a mandate to the government of Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE.

Geography Fiji

Location: Oceania, island group in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates: 18 00 S, 175 00 E

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 18,270 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 18,270 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 1,129 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation; rectilinear shelf claim added

Climate: tropical marine; only slight seasonal temperature variation

Terrain: mostly mountains of volcanic origin

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point:
Tomanivi 1,324 m

Natural resources: timber, fish, gold, copper, offshore oil potential, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 11% permanent crops: 5% other: 84% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 30 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: cyclonic storms can occur from November to January

Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban,
Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94 signed,
but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: includes 332 islands of which approximately 110 are inhabited

People Fiji

Population: 856,346 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 32.5% (male 141,757; female 136,198) 15-64 years: 63.8% (male 273,658; female 273,100) 65 years and over: 3.7% (male 14,648; female 16,985) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.41% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 23.2 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 5.72 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -3.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 13.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 71.11 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.83 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.07% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 85 (2000 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Fijian(s) adjective: Fijian

Ethnic groups: Fijian 51% (predominantly Melanesian with a Polynesian admixture), Indian 44%, European, other Pacific Islanders, overseas Chinese, and other 5% (1998 est.)

Religions: Christian 52% (Methodist 37%, Roman Catholic 9%), Hindu 38%, Muslim 8%, other 2% note: Fijians are mainly Christian, Indians are Hindu, and there is a Muslim minority (1986)

Languages: English (official), Fijian, Hindustani

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.5% male: 90% female: 95% (1999 est.)

Government Fiji

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of the Fiji Islands conventional short form: Fiji

Government type: republic note: military coup leader Maj. Gen. Sitiveni
RABUKA formally declared Fiji a republic on 6 October 1987

Capital: Suva

Administrative divisions: 4 divisions and 1 dependency*; Central,
Eastern, Northern, Rotuma*, Western

Independence: 10 October 1970 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, second Monday of October (1970)

Constitution: promulgated on 25 July 1990 and amended on 25 July 1997 to allow nonethnic Fijians greater say in government and to make multiparty government mandatory; entered into force 28 July 1998; note - the May 1999 election was the first test of the amended constitution and introduced open voting - not racially prescribed - for the first time at the national level

Legal system: based on British system

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Ratu Josefa ILOILOVATU Uluivuda (since NA 2000); Vice President Jope SENILOLI (since NA 2000) head of government: Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE (since 10 September 2000); Deputy Prime Minister Ratu Epeli NAILATIKAU (since NA 2000) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the members of Parliament and is responsible to Parliament; note - there is also a Presidential Council that advises the president on matters of national importance and a Great Council of Chiefs which consists of the highest ranking members of the traditional chiefly system elections: president elected by the Great Council of Chiefs for a five-year term; prime minister appointed by the president election results: Ratu Josefa ILOILOVATU Uluivuda elected president by the Great Council of Chiefs; percent of vote - NA%

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (34 seats; 24 appointed by the Great Council of Chiefs, nine appointed by the president, and one appointed by the council of Rotuma) and the House of Representatives (71 seats; 23 reserved for ethnic Fijians, 19 reserved for ethnic Indians, three reserved for other ethnic groups, one reserved for the council of Rotuma constituency encompassing the whole of Fiji, and 25 open seats; members serve five-year terms) elections: House of Representatives - last held 25 August, 2 September, 19 September 2001 (next to be held NA September 2006) election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - FLP 34.8%, SDL 26%, NFP 10.1%, MV 9.9%, independents 2.7%, other 16.5%; seats by party - SDL 32, FLP 27, MV 6, NFP 1, independents 2, other 3

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president);
Court of Appeal; High Court; Magistrates' Courts

Political parties and leaders: Bai Kei Viti Party or BKV [Ratu Tevita
MOMOEDONU]; Christian Democrat Alliance or VLV [leader NA]; Conservative
Alliance Party/Matanitu Vanua or MV [Ratu Rakuita VAKALALABURE]; Dodonu
Ni Taukei Party or DNT [leader NA]; Fiji Labor Party or FLP [Mahendra
CHAUDRHRY]; Fijian Association Party of FAP [Adi Kuini SPEED]; Fijian
Political Party or SVT (primarily Fijian) [Felipe BOLE]; General Voters
Party or GHP [leader NA]; Girmit Heritage Party or GHP [leader NA];
Justice and Freedom Party or AIM [leader NA]; Lio 'On Famor Rotuma
Party or LFR [leader NA]; National Federation Party or NFP (primarily
Indian) [Attar SINGH]; Nationalist Vanua Tako Lavo Party or NVTLP
[Samisoni BOLATAGICI]; New Labor Unity Party or NLUP [Tupeni BABA];
Party of National Unity or PANU [leader NA]; Party of the Truth or POTT
[leader NA]; United Fiji Party/Sogosogo Duavata ni Lewenivanua or SDL
[Laisenia QARASE]; United General Party or UGP [Mick BEDDOES]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACP, AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP,
FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, OPCW, PCA, Sparteca,
SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMIK,
UNTAET, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: [1] (202) 337-1996 telephone:
Washington, DC 20007

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Ronald K. McMULLEN embassy: 31 Loftus Street, Suva mailing address: P. O. Box 218, Suva telephone: [679] 314466 FAX: [679] 300081

Flag description: light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Fijian shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield depicts a yellow lion above a white field quartered by the cross of Saint George featuring stalks of sugarcane, a palm tree, bananas, and a white dove

Economy Fiji

Economy - overview: Fiji, endowed with forest, mineral, and fish resources, is one of the most developed of the Pacific island economies, though still with a large subsistence sector. Sugar exports and a growing tourist industry - with 300,000 to 400,000 tourists annually - are the major sources of foreign exchange. Sugar processing makes up one-third of industrial activity. Long-term problems include low investment and uncertain property rights. The political turmoil in Fiji has had a severe impact with the economy shrinking by 2.8% in 2000 and growing by only 1% in 2001. The Fiji Visitor's Bureau expects visitor arrivals to reach pre-coup levels during 2002. The government's ability to manage its budget - which is expected to run a net deficit of 6% in 2002 - will depend upon a return of political stability and investor confidence.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $4.4 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 1% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $5,200 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 17% industry: 25% services: 58% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 25.5% (1990-91)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 137,000 (1999)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture, including subsistence agriculture 70% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate: 7.6% (1999)

Budget: revenues: $427.9 million expenditures: $531.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Industries: tourism, sugar, clothing, copra, gold, silver, lumber, small cottage industries

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 515 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 18.06% hydro: 81.94% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 478.95 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: sugarcane, coconuts, cassava (tapioca), rice, sweet potatoes, bananas; cattle, pigs, horses, goats; fish

Exports: $572 million (f.o.b., 2000)

Exports - commodities: sugar, garments, gold, timber, fish, molasses, coconut oil

Exports - partners: Australia 24.9%, US 20.8%, UK 14.4%, Japan 5.1%, other Pacific island countries 5.0%, NZ 3.6% (2000)

Imports: $833 million (c.i.f., 2000)

Imports - commodities: manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products, food, chemicals

Imports - partners: Australia 46.2%, NZ 13.1%, Singapore 6.6%, Japan 4.5%, Hong Kong 3.8%, US 3.2%, Taiwan 3.0% (2000)

Debt - external: $162.7 million (1999)

Economic aid - recipient: $40.3 million (1995)

Currency: Fijian dollar (FJD)

Currency code: FJD

Exchange rates: Fijian dollars per US dollar - 2.2934 (January 2002), 2.2766 (2001), 2.1286 (2000), 1.9696 (1999), 1.9868 (1998), 1.4437 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Fiji

Telephones - main lines in use: 80,901 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 5,200 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: modern local, interisland, and international (wire/radio integrated) public and special-purpose telephone, telegraph, and teleprinter facilities; regional radio communications center domestic: as well as between NZ and Australia; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 13, FM 40, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 541,476 (1999)

Television broadcast stations: NA

Televisions: 88,110 (1999)

Internet country code: .fj

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)

Internet users: 7,500 (2000)

Transportation Fiji

Railways: total: 597 km narrow gauge: 597 km 0.610-m gauge note: belongs to the government-owned Fiji Sugar Corporation (1995)

Highways: total: 3,440 km paved: 1,692 km unpaved: 1,748 km (1996)

Waterways: 203 km note: 122 km navigable by motorized craft and 200-metric-ton barges

Ports and harbors: Lambasa, Lautoka, Levuka, Malau, Savusavu, Suva, Vuda

Merchant marine: total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 11,870 GRT/14,787 DWT ships by type: chemical tanker 2, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1, specialized tanker 1, includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Australia 1, Singapore 4 (2002 est.)

Airports: 27 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 24 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 18 (2001)

Military Fiji

Military branches: Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF), includes ground forces, naval division

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 231,649 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 127,384 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 9,471 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $35 million (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.2% (FY00)

Transnational Issues Fiji

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Introduction

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Background: Although first sighted by an English navigator in 1592, the first landing (English) did not occur until almost a century later in 1690, and the first settlement (French) was not established until 1764. The colony was turned over to Spain two years later and the islands have since been the subject of a territorial dispute, first between Britain and Spain, then between Britain and Argentina. The UK asserted its claim to the islands by establishing a naval garrison there in 1833. Argentina invaded the islands on 2 April 1982. The British responded with an expeditionary force that landed seven weeks later and after fierce fighting forced Argentine surrender on 14 June 1982.

Geography Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Location: Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of southern Argentina

Geographic coordinates: 51 45 S, 59 00 W

Map references: South America

Area: total: 12,173 sq km note: includes the two main islands of East and West Falkland and about 200 small islands water: 0 sq km land: 12,173 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 1,288 km

Maritime claims: 200 NM territorial sea: Climate: cold marine; strong westerly winds, cloudy, humid; rain occurs on more than half of days in year; occasional snow all year, except in January and February, but does not accumulate

Terrain: rocky, hilly, mountainous with some boggy, undulating plains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Mount Usborne 705 m

Natural resources: fish, wildlife

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (99% permanent pastures, 1% other) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: strong winds persist throughout the year

Environment - current issues: overfishing by unlicensed vessels is a problem; reindeer were introduced to the islands in 2001 for commercial reasons; this is the only commercial reindeer herd in the world unaffected by the Chornobyl disaster

Geography - note: deeply indented coast provides good natural harbors; short growing season

People Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Population: 2,967 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA% 15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA%

Population growth rate: 2.44% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population

Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population

Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: NA years male: NA years female: NA years

Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Falkland Islander(s) adjective: Falkland Island

Ethnic groups: British

Religions: primarily Anglican, Roman Catholic, United Free Church,
Evangelist Church, Jehovah's Witnesses, Lutheran, Seventh-Day Adventist

Languages: English

Government Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by
Argentina

Government type: NA

Capital: Stanley

Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)

Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by
Argentina)

National holiday: Liberation Day, 14 June (1982)

Constitution: 3 October 1985; amended 1997 and 1998

Legal system: English common law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) elections: head of government: Governor Donald LAMONT (since NA May 1999); note - Howard PEARCE was elected governor on 24 January 2002, but will not take office until October 2002; Chief Executive A. M. GURR (since NA); Financial Secretary D. F. HOWATT (since NA) cabinet: Executive Council; three members elected by the Legislative Council, two ex officio members (chief executive and the financial secretary), and the governor

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council (10 seats - 2 ex officio, 8 elected by popular vote, members serve four-year terms); presided over by the governor elections: last held 22 November 2001 (next to be held NA November 2005) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 8; note - 71% voter turnout

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (chief justice is a nonresident); Magistrates Court (senior magistrate presides over civil and criminal divisions); Court of Summary Jurisdiction

Political parties and leaders: none; all independents

Political pressure groups and leaders: none

International organization participation: ICFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of the
UK; also claimed by Argentina)

Flag description: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Falkland Island coat of arms in a white disk centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms contains a white ram (sheep raising is the major economic activity) above the sailing ship Desire (whose crew discovered the islands) with a scroll at the bottom bearing the motto DESIRE THE RIGHT

Economy Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Economy - overview: The economy was formerly based on agriculture, mainly sheep farming, but today fishing contributes the bulk of economic activity. In 1987 the government began selling fishing licenses to foreign trawlers operating within the Falklands exclusive fishing zone. These license fees total more than $40 million per year, which goes to support the island's health, education, and welfare system. Squid accounts for 75% of the fish taken. Dairy farming supports domestic consumption; crops furnish winter fodder. Exports feature shipments of high-grade wool to the UK and the sale of postage stamps and coins. The islands are now self-financing except for defense. The British Geological Survey announced a 200-mile oil exploration zone around the islands in 1993, and early seismic surveys suggest substantial reserves capable of producing 500,000 barrels per day; to date no exploitable site has been identified. An agreement between Argentina and the UK in 1995 seeks to defuse licensing and sovereignty conflicts that would dampen foreign interest in exploiting potential oil reserves. Tourism is increasing rapidly, with about 30,000 visitors in 2001. The second largest source of income is interest paid on money the government has in the bank. The British military presence also provides a sizeable economic boost.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $52 million (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 1% (FY95/96 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $19,000 (FY95/96 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.6% (1998)

Labor force: 1,100 (est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 95% (mostly sheepherding and fishing)

Unemployment rate: full employment; labor shortage

Budget: revenues: $66.2 million expenditures: $67.9 million, including capital expenditures of $23.2 million (FY98/99 est.)

Industries: wool and fish processing; sale of stamps and coins; tourism

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 12 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (1999) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 11.2 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products: fodder and vegetable crops; sheep, dairy products

Exports: $7.6 million (1995)

Exports - commodities: wool, hides, meat

Exports - partners: UK, Japan, Chile, NZ

Imports: $24.7 million (1995)

Imports - commodities: fuel, food and drink, building materials, clothing

Imports - partners: UK, Japan, Chile, NZ

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid - recipient: none

Currency: Falkland pound (FKP)

Currency code: FKP

Exchange rates: Falkland pounds per US dollar - 0.6981 (January 2002), 0.6944 (2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998), 0.6106 (1997); note - the Falkland pound is at par with the British pound

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Communications Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Telephones - main lines in use: NA

Telephones - mobile cellular: NA

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: government-operated radiotelephone and private VHF/CB radiotelephone networks provide effective service to almost all points on both islands international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) with links through London to other countries

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 7, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 1,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 2 (operated by the British Forces Broadcasting Service) note: cable television is available in Stanley (2002)

Televisions: 1,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .fk

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)

Internet users: NA; however one-half of all households are reported to have internet access (2002)

Transportation Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 550 km paved: at least 50 km unpaved: NA (2002)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Stanley

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: 5 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 3 3 under 914 m: 3 (2001)

Military Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Military branches: British Forces Falkland Islands no regular indigenous military forces; (includes Army, Royal Air Force, and Royal Navy), Police Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Disputes - international: claimed by Argentina

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Micronesia, Federated States of

Introduction

Micronesia, Federated States of

Background: In 1979 the Federated States of Micronesia, a UN Trust Territory under US administration, adopted a constitution. In 1986 independence was attained under a Compact of Free Association with the US. Present concerns include large-scale unemployment, overfishing, and overdependence on US aid.

Geography Micronesia, Federated States of

Location: Oceania, island group in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Indonesia

Geographic coordinates: 6 55 N, 158 15 E

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 702 sq km note: includes Pohnpei (Ponape), Truk (Chuuk)
Islands, Yap Islands, and Kosrae water: 0 sq km land: 702 sq km

Area - comparative: four times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 6,112 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical; heavy year-round rainfall, especially in the eastern islands; located on southern edge of the typhoon belt with occasionally severe damage

Terrain: islands vary geologically from high mountainous islands to low, coral atolls; volcanic outcroppings on Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Truk

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point:
Dolohmwar (Totolom) 791 m

Natural resources: forests, marine products, deep-seabed minerals

Land use: arable land: 6% permanent crops: 46% other: 48% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: typhoons (June to December)

Environment - current issues: overfishing, climate change, pollution

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes,
Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none
of the selected agreements

Geography - note: four major island groups totaling 607 islands

People Micronesia, Federated States of

Population: 135,869 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA% 15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA%

Population growth rate: NA% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population

Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population

Sex ratio: NA

Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: NA years male: NA years female: NA years

Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Micronesian(s) adjective: Micronesian; Chuukese,
Kosrae(s), Pohnpeian(s), Trukese, Yapese

Ethnic groups: nine ethnic Micronesian and Polynesian groups

Religions: Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 47%

Languages: English (official and common language), Trukese, Pohnpeian,
Yapese, Kosrean, Ulithian, Woleaian, Nukuoro, Kapingamarangi

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 89% male: 91% female: 88% (1980 est.)

Government Micronesia, Federated States of

Country name: conventional long form: Federated States of Micronesia conventional short form: none abbreviation: FSM former: Ponape, Truk, and Yap Districts (Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands)

Government type: constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 3 November 1986 and is due for renegotiation

Capital: Palikir

Administrative divisions: 4 states; Chuuk (Truk), Kosrae, Pohnpei, Yap

Independence: 3 November 1986 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship)

National holiday: Constitution Day, 10 May (1979)

Constitution: 10 May 1979

Legal system: based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Leo A. FALCAM (since 21 July 1999); Vice President Redley KILLION (since 21 July 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: KILLION (since 21 July 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet elections: president and vice president elected by Congress from among the four senators-at-large for four-year terms; election last held NA May 1999 (next to be held NA May 2003); note - a proposed constitutional amendment would establish popular elections for president and vice president election results: KILLION elected vice president; percent of Congress vote - NA%

Legislative branch: unicameral Congress (14 seats; members elected by popular vote; four - one elected from each state - to serve four-year terms and 10 - elected from single-member districts delineated by population - to serve two-year terms) elections: elections for four-year term seats last held 2 March 1999 (next to be held NA March 2003); elections for two-year term seats last held 6 March 2001 (next to be held NA March 2003) election results: Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: no formal parties

International organization participation: ACP, AsDB, ESCAP, G-77, IBRD,
ICAO, IDA, IFC, IFRCS (associate), IMF, IOC, ITU, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC,
SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jesse Bibiano MAREHALAU telephone: [1] Honolulu and Tamuning (Guam) FAX: Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Larry DINGER embassy: address NA, Kolonia mailing address: P. O. Box 1286, Kolonia, Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia 96941 telephone: [691] 320-2187 FAX: [691] 320-2186

Flag description: light blue with four white five-pointed stars centered; the stars are arranged in a diamond pattern

Economy Micronesia, Federated States of

Economy - overview: Economic activity consists primarily of subsistence farming and fishing. The islands have few mineral deposits worth exploiting, except for high-grade phosphate. The potential for a tourist industry exists, but the remote location and a lack of adequate facilities hinder development. In 1996, the country experienced a 20% reduction in revenues from the Compact of Free Association - the agreement with the US in which Micronesia received $1.3 billion in financial and technical assistance over a 15-year period until 2001. Since these revenues accounted for 57% of consolidated government revenues, reduced Compact funding resulted in a severe depression. Economic activity recovered in 1999-2001. The country's medium-term economic outlook appears fragile due to likely further reductions in external grants made under the US Compact funding. Geographical isolation and a poorly developed infrastructure remain major impediments to long-term growth.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $269 million (2001 est.) note: GDP is supplemented by grant aid, averaging perhaps $100 million annually

GDP - real growth rate: 2% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 50% industry: 4% services: 46% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.5% (2001 est.)

Labor force: NA

Labor force - by occupation: two-thirds are government employees

Unemployment rate: 16% (1999 est.)

Budget: revenues: $161 million ($69 million less grants) expenditures: $160 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)

Industries: tourism, construction, fish processing, craft items from shell, wood, and pearls

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: NA kWh

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: NA% nuclear: NA% other:
NA% hydro: NA%

Electricity - consumption: NA kWh

Agriculture - products: black pepper, tropical fruits and vegetables, coconuts, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes; pigs, chickens

Exports: $22 million (f.o.b., FY99/00 est.)

Exports - commodities: fish, garments, bananas, black pepper

Exports - partners: Japan, US, Guam

Imports: $149 million (f.o.b., FY99/00 est.)

Imports - commodities: food, manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, beverages

Imports - partners: US, Australia, Japan

Debt - external: $66.5 million (FY99/00 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: under terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US pledged $1.3 billion in grant aid during the period 1986-2001

Currency: US dollar (USD)

Currency code: USD

Exchange rates: the US dollar is used

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

Communications Micronesia, Federated States of

Telephones - main lines in use: 11,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular: NA

Telephone system: general assessment: adequate system domestic: islands interconnected by shortwave radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes) international: satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2002)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 9,400 (1996)

Television broadcast stations: 2 (1997)

Televisions: 2,800 (1999)

Internet country code: .fm

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: 2,000 (2000)

Transportation Micronesia, Federated States of

Highways: total: 240 km paved: 42 km unpaved: 198 km (1996)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Colonia (Yap), Kolonia (Pohnpei), Lele, Moen

Merchant marine: none note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: United States 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 7 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)

Military Micronesia, Federated States of

Military - note: Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) is a sovereign, self-governing state in free association with the US; FSM is totally dependent on the US for its defense

Transnational Issues Micronesia, Federated States of

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Faroe Islands

Introduction Faroe Islands

Background: The population of the Faroe Islands is largely descended from Viking settlers who arrived in the 9th century. The islands have been connected politically to Denmark since the 14th century. A high degree of self-government was attained in 1948.

Geography Faroe Islands

Location: Northern Europe, island group between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from Iceland to Norway

Geographic coordinates: 62 00 N, 7 00 W

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 1,399 sq km water: 0 sq km (some lakes and streams) land: 1,399 sq km

Area - comparative: eight times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 1,117 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200 NM or agreed boundaries or
median line exclusive
 200 NM or agreed boundaries or median line territorial sea:
Climate: mild winters, cool summers; usually overcast; foggy, windy

Terrain: rugged, rocky, some low peaks; cliffs along most of coast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Slaettaratindur 882 m

Natural resources: fish, whales, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 2% permanent crops: 0% other: 98% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: archipelago of 17 inhabited islands and one uninhabited island, and a few uninhabited islets; strategically located along important sea lanes in northeastern Atlantic; precipitous terrain limits habitation to small coastal lowlands

People Faroe Islands

Population: 46,011 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 22.3% (male 5,149; female 5,110) 15-64 years: 64% (male 15,650; female 13,801) 65 years and over: 13.7% (male 2,818; female 3,483) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.74% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 13.74 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 8.69 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 2.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.13 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 6.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 82.21 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.27 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Faroese (singular and plural) adjective: Faroese

Ethnic groups: Scandinavian

Religions: Evangelical Lutheran

Languages: Faroese (derived from Old Norse), Danish

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% note: similar to Denmark proper

Government Faroe Islands

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Faroe Islands local short form: Foroyar local long form: none

Dependency status: part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1948

Government type: NA

Capital: Torshavn

Administrative divisions: none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 49 municipalities

Independence: none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

National holiday: Olaifest, 29 July

Constitution: 5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)

Legal system: Danish

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Birgit KLEIS, chief administrative officer (since 1 November 2001) election results: Anfinn KALLSBERG elected prime minister; percent of parliamentary vote - 52.8% note: coalition of People's Party, Republican Party, and Home Rule Party elections: following legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins the most seats is usually elected prime minister by the Faroese Parliament; election last held 30 April 1998 (next to be held no later than April 2002) head of government: Prime Minister Anfinn KALLSBERG (since 15 May 1998) cabinet: Landsstyri appointed by the prime minister

Legislative branch: unicameral Faroese Parliament or Logting (32 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional basis from the seven constituencies to serve four-year terms) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Union Party 8, Republican Party 8, Social Democrats 7, People's Party 7, Independence Party 1, Center Party 1 note: election of 2 seats to the Danish Parliament was last held on 20 November 2001 (next to be held no later than November 2005); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Party 1, Union Party 1 elections: Judicial branch: none

Political parties and leaders: Center Party [Tordur NICALSEN]; Home
Rule Party [Helena Dam a NEYSTABO]; Independence Party [leader NA];
People's Party [Oli BRECKMANN]; Republican Party [Finnabogi ISAKSON];
Social Democratic Party [Joannes EIDESGAARD]; Union Party [Edmund JOENSEN]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: NC, NIB

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Flag description: white with a red cross outlined in blue extending to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted toward the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

Economy Faroe Islands

Economy - overview: The Faroese economy has had a strong performance since 1994, mostly as a result of increasing fish landings and high and stable export prices. Unemployment is falling and there are signs of labor shortages in several sectors. The positive economic development has helped the Faroese Home Rule Government produce increasing budget surpluses which in turn help to reduce the large public debt, most of it owed to Denmark. However, the total dependence on fishing makes the Faroese economy extremely vulnerable, and the present fishing efforts appear in excess of what is a sustainable level of fishing in the long term. Oil finds close to the Faroese area give hope for deposits in the immediate Faroese area, which may eventually lay the basis for a more diversified economy and thus lessen dependence on Denmark and Danish economic assistance. Aided by a substantial annual subsidy (15% of GDP) from Denmark, the Faroese have a standard of living not far below the Danes and other Scandinavians.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $910 million (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 5% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $20,000 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 27% industry: 11% services: 62% (1999)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.1% (1999)

Labor force: 24,250 (October 2000)

Labor force - by occupation: fishing, fish processing, and manufacturing 33%, construction and private services 33%, public services 34%

Unemployment rate: 1% (October 2000)

Budget: revenues: $488 million expenditures: $484 million, including capital expenditures of $21 million (1999)

Industries: fishing, fish processing, shipbuilding, construction, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate: 8% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production: 165 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 60.61% hydro: 39.39% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 153.45 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: milk, potatoes, vegetables; sheep; salmon, other fish

Exports: $471 million (f.o.b., 1999)

Exports - commodities: fish and fish products 94%, stamps, ships (1999)

Exports - partners: Denmark 32%, UK 21%, France 9%, Germany 7%, Iceland 5%, US 5% (1996)

Imports: $469 million (c.i.f., 1999)

Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment 29%, consumer goods 36%, raw materials and semi-manufactures 32%, fuels, fish and salt (1999)

Imports - partners: Denmark 28%, Norway 26%, Germany 7%, UK 6% Sweden 5%, Iceland 4%, US (1999)

Debt - external: $64 million (1999)

Economic aid - recipient: $135 million (annual subsidy from Denmark) (1999)

Currency: Danish krone (DKK)

Currency code: DKK

Exchange rates: Danish kroner per US dollar - 8.418 (January 2002), 8.323 (2001), 8.083 (2000), 6.976 (1999), 6.701 (1998), 6.604 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Faroe Islands

Telephones - main lines in use: 24,851 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 10,761 (1999)

Telephone system: general assessment: good international communications; good domestic facilities domestic: digitalization was completed in 1998; both NMT (analog) and GSM (digital) mobile telephone systems are installed international: satellite earth stations - 1 Orion; 1 fiber-optic submarine cable to the Shetland Islands, linking the Faroe Islands with Denmark and Iceland; fiber-optic submarine cable connection to Canada-Europe cable

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 26,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (plus 43 low-power repeaters)
(September 1995)

Televisions: 15,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .fo

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)

Internet users: 3,000 (2000)

Transportation Faroe Islands

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 463 km paved: 454 km unpaved: 9 km (1999)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Torshavn, Klaksvik, Tvoroyri, Runavik, Fuglafjordhur

Merchant marine: total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 100,951 GRT/139,396 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Denmark 3, Norway 1, United Kingdom 1 (2002 est.) ships by type: cargo 2, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1, short-sea passenger 1

Airports: 1 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)

Military Faroe Islands

Military branches: no regular indigenous military forces; small Police
Force and Coast Guard are maintained

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Denmark

Transnational Issues Faroe Islands

Disputes - international: Faroese are considering proposals for full independence; Denmark dispute with Iceland over the Faroe Islands fisheries median line boundary of 200 NM; Denmark disputes with Iceland, the UK, and Ireland over the Faroe Islands continental shelf boundary outside 200 NM

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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French Polynesia

Introduction

French Polynesia

Background: The French annexed various Polynesian island groups during the 19th century. In September 1995, France stirred up widespread protests by resuming nuclear testing on the Mururoa atoll after a three-year moratorium. The tests were suspended in January 1996.

Geography French Polynesia

Location: Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from South America to Australia

Geographic coordinates: 15 00 S, 140 00 W

Map references: Oceania

Area: 507 sq km land: Area - comparative: slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 2,525 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical, but moderate

Terrain: mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point:
Mont Orohena 2,241 m

Natural resources: timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 2% permanent crops: 6% other: 92% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: occasional cyclonic storms in January

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: includes five archipelagoes; Makatea in French
Polynesia is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific
Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Nauru

People French Polynesia

Population: 257,847 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 29% (male 38,184; female 36,631) 15-64 years: 65.7% (male 88,250; female 81,165) 65 years and over: 5.3% (male 6,850; female 6,767) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.67% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 18.17 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 4.49 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 3.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 8.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 77.69 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.18 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: French Polynesian(s) adjective: French Polynesian

Ethnic groups: Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan
French 4%

Religions: Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 16%

Languages: French (official), Tahitian (official)

Literacy: definition: age 14 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98% (1977 est.)

Government French Polynesia

Country name: conventional long form: Territory of French Polynesia
conventional short form: French Polynesia local short form: Polynesie
Francaise local long form: Territoire de la Polynesie Francaise former:
French Colony of Oceania

Dependency status: overseas territory of France since 1946

Government type: NA

Capital: Papeete

Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 5 archipelagic divisions named Archipel des Marquises, Archipel des Tuamotu, Archipel des Tubuai, Iles du Vent, and Iles Sous-le-Vent note: Independence: none (overseas territory of France)

National holiday: Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system: based on French system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Michel MATHIEU (since 24 October 2001) head of government: President of the Territorial Government of French Polynesia Gaston FLOSSE (since 4 April 1991); President of the Territorial Assembly Lucette TAERO (since 17 May 2001) cabinet: Council of Ministers; president submits a list of members of the Territorial Assembly for approval by them to serve as ministers elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the Territorial Government and the president of the Territorial Assembly are elected by the members of the assembly

Legislative branch: unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (49 seats - changed from 41 seats for May 2001 election; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 6 May 2001 (next to be held NA May 2006) note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on NA September 1998 (next to be held NA September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; two seats were elected to the French National Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 29, Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia 12, The New Star 7, other 1

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Court of the First Instance or Tribunal de Premiere Instance; Court of Administrative Law or Tribunal Administratif

Political parties and leaders: Independent Front for the Liberation of
Polynesia (Tavini Huiraatira) [Oscar TEMARU]; New Fatherland Party (Ai'a
Api) [Emile VERNAUDON]; People's Rally for the Republic of Polynesia or
RPR (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE]; The New Star (Te Fetia Api)
[Boris LEONTIEFF]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ESCAP (associate), FZ, ICFTU,
SPC, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of
France)

Flag description: two narrow red horizontal bands encase a wide white band; centered on the white band is a disk with blue and white wave pattern on the lower half and gold and white ray pattern on the upper half; a stylized red, blue and white ship rides on the wave pattern; the French flag is used for official occasions

Economy French Polynesia

Economy - overview: Since 1962, when France stationed military personnel in the region, French Polynesia has changed from a subsistence economy to one in which a high proportion of the work force is either employed by the military or supports the tourist industry. With the halt of French nuclear testing in 1996, the military contribution to the economy fell sharply. Tourism accounts for about one-fourth of GDP and is a primary source of hard currency earnings. Other sources of income are pearl farming and deep-sea commercial fishing. The small manufacturing sector primarily processes agricultural products. The territory substantially benefits from development agreements with France aimed principally at creating new businesses and strengthening social services.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.3 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6% industry: 18% services: 76% (1997)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.5% (1994)

Labor force: 70,000 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 13%, industry 19%, services 68% (1997)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $1 billion expenditures: $900 million, including capital expenditures of $185 million (1996)

Industries: tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 408 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 53.92% hydro: 46.08% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 379.44 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits; poultry, beef, dairy products

Exports: $205 million (f.o.b., 1999)

Exports - commodities: cultured pearls 50%, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat (1997)

Exports - partners: Japan 62%, US 21% (1999)

Imports: $749 million (f.o.b., 1999)

Imports - commodities: fuels, foodstuffs, equipment

Imports - partners: France 53%, US 13%, Australia 10% (1999)

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid - recipient: $367 million (1997)

Currency: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)

Currency code: XPF

Exchange rates: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 135.04 (January 2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.44 (2000), 111.93 (1999), 107.25 (1998), 106.11 (1997); note - pegged at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications French Polynesia

Telephones - main lines in use: 52,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 5,427 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios: 128,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 7 (plus 17 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 40,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .pf

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)

Internet users: 5,000 (2000)

Transportation French Polynesia

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 792 km paved: 264 km unpaved: 528 km (2000)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Mataura, Papeete, Rikitea, Uturoa

Merchant marine: total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,240 GRT/7,765 DWT ships by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 45 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 33 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 21 under 914 m: 5 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 9 (2001)

Military French Polynesia

Military branches: no regular indigenous military forces; French Forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues French Polynesia

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Baker Island

Introduction Baker Island

Background: The US took possession of the island in 1857, and its guano deposits were mined by US and British companies during the second half of the 19th century. In 1935, a short-lived attempt at colonization was begun on this island - as well as on nearby Howland Island - but was disrupted by World War II and thereafter abandoned. Presently the island is a National Wildlife Refuge run by the US Department of the Interior; a day beacon is situated near the middle of the west coast.

Geography Baker Island

Location: Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and Australia

Geographic coordinates: 0 13 N, 176 31 W

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 1.4 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 1.4 sq km

Area - comparative: about 2.5 times the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 4.8 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun

Terrain: low, nearly level coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 8 m

Natural resources: guano (deposits worked until 1891), terrestrial and aquatic wildlife

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard

Environment - current issues: no natural fresh water resources

Geography - note: treeless, sparse, and scattered vegetation consisting of grasses, prostrate vines, and low growing shrubs; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife

People Baker Island

Population: uninhabited note: American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese air and naval attacks during World War II; occupied by US military during World War II, but abandoned after the war; public entry is by special-use permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service only and generally restricted to scientists and educators; a cemetery and remnants of structures from early settlement are located near the middle of the west coast; visited annually by US Fish and Wildlife Service (July 2002 est.)

Population growth rate: NA

Government Baker Island

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Baker Island

Dependency status: unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system

Legal system: the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description: the flag of the US is used

Economy Baker Island

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Transportation Baker Island

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one small boat landing area along the middle of the west coast

Airports: 1 abandoned World War II runway of 1,665 m, completely covered with vegetation and unusable

Transportation - note: there is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast

Military Baker Island

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US Coast Guard

Transnational Issues Baker Island

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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France

Introduction

France

Background: Although ultimately a victor in World Wars I and II, France suffered extensive losses in its empire, wealth, manpower, and rank as a dominant nation-state. Nevertheless, France today is one of the most modern countries in the world and is a leader among European nations. Since 1958, it has constructed a presidential democracy resistant to the instabilities experienced in earlier parliamentary democracies. In recent years, its reconciliation and cooperation with Germany have proved central to the economic integration of Europe, including the advent of the euro in January 1999. Presently, France is at the forefront of European states seeking to exploit the momentum of monetary union to advance the creation of a more unified and capable European defense and security apparatus.

Geography France

Location: Western Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay and English
Channel, between Belgium and Spain, southeast of the UK; bordering the
Mediterranean Sea, between Italy and Spain

Geographic coordinates: 46 00 N, 2 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 547,030 sq km land: 545,630 sq km note: includes only metropolitan France; excludes the overseas administrative divisions water: 1,400 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Colorado

Land boundaries: total: 2,889 km border countries: Andorra 56.6 km, Belgium 620 km, Germany 451 km, Italy 488 km, Luxembourg 73 km, Monaco 4.4 km, Spain 623 km, Switzerland 573 km

Coastline: 3,427 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM (does not apply to the Mediterranean)

Climate: generally cool winters and mild summers, but mild winters and hot summers along the Mediterranean; occasional strong, cold, dry, north-to-northwesterly wind known as mistral

Terrain: mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and west; remainder is mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south, Alps in east

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Rhone River delta -2 m highest point:
Mont Blanc 4,807 m

Natural resources: coal, iron ore, bauxite, zinc, potash, timber, fish

Land use: arable land: 33% permanent crops: 2% other: 65% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 20,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: flooding; avalanches; midwinter windstorms; drought; forest fires in south near the Mediterranean

Environment - current issues: some forest damage from acid rain (major forest damage occurred as a result of severe December 1999 windstorm); air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from urban wastes, agricultural runoff

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air
Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur
94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental
Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber
83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified:
Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note: largest West European nation

People France

Population: 59,765,983 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 18.5% (male 5,675,269; female 5,401,661) 15-64 years: 65.2% (male 19,503,556; female 19,479,646) 65 years and over: 16.3% (male 3,948,433; female 5,757,418) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.35% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 11.94 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 9.04 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 4.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 83.14 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.74 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.44% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 130,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 2,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women) adjective: French

Ethnic groups: Celtic and Latin with Teutonic, Slavic, North African,
Indochinese, Basque minorities

Religions: Roman Catholic 83%-88%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim 5%-10%, unaffiliated 4%

Languages: French 100%, rapidly declining regional dialects and languages
(Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (1980 est.)

Government France

Country name: conventional long form: French Republic conventional short form: France local long form: Republique Francaise local short form: France

Government type: republic

Capital: Paris

Administrative divisions: 22 regions (regions, singular - region); Alsace, Aquitaine, Auvergne, Basse-Normandie, Bourgogne, Bretagne, Centre, Champagne-Ardenne, Corse, Franche-Comte, Haute-Normandie, Ile-de-France, Languedoc-Roussillon, Limousin, Lorraine, Midi-Pyrenees, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Pays de la Loire, Picardie, Poitou-Charentes, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, Rhone-Alpes note: metropolitan France is divided into 22 regions (including the "territorial collectivity" of Corse or Corsica) and is subdivided into 96 departments; see separate entries for the overseas departments (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion) and the overseas territorial collectivities (Mayotte, Saint Pierre and Miquelon)

Dependent areas: Bassas da India, Clipperton Island, Europa Island,
French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, Glorioso Islands,
Juan de Nova Island, New Caledonia, Tromelin Island, Wallis and Futuna
note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica

Independence: 486 (unified by Clovis)

National holiday: Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution: 28 September 1958, amended concerning election of president in 1962, amended to comply with provisions of EC Maastricht Treaty in 1992, Amsterdam Treaty in 1996, Treaty of Nice in 2000; amended to tighten immigration laws 1993

Legal system: civil law system with indigenous concepts; review of administrative but not legislative acts

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995) head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Pierre RAFFARIN (since 7 May 2002) elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (changed from seven-year term in 2001); election last held 21 April and 5 May 2002 (next to be held, first round NA April 2007, second round NA May 2007); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly majority and appointed by the president election results: Jacques CHIRAC reelected president; percent of vote, second ballot - Jacques CHIRAC (RPR) 81.96%, Jean-Marie LE PEN (FN) 18.04% cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the suggestion of the prime minister

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat (321 seats - 296 for metropolitan France, 13 for overseas departments and territories, and 12 for French nationals abroad; members are indirectly elected by an electoral college to serve nine-year terms; elected by thirds every three years) and the National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (577 seats; members are elected by popular vote under a single-member majoritarian system to serve five-year terms) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPR 83, PS 68, UDC 37, DL 35, RDES 16, PCF 16, other 66; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PS 245, RPR 140, UDF 109, PCF 37, PRS 13, MEI 8, MDC 7, LDI-MPF 1, FN 1, various left 9, various right 7 elections: National Assembly - last held 25 May-1 June 1997 (next to be held, first round 9 June 2002; second round 16 June 2002)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Appeals or Cour de Cassation (judges are appointed by the president from nominations of the High Council of the Judiciary); Constitutional Council or Conseil Constitutionnel (three members appointed by the president, three appointed by the president of the National Assembly, and three appointed by the president of the Senate); Council of State or Conseil d'Etat

Political parties and leaders: Citizens Movement or MdC [Jean Pierre
CHEVENEMENT]; Communist, Republican, and Citizen or CRC (mainly PCF)
[leader NA]; Democratic and European Social Rally or RDES (mainly
RAD and PRG) [leader NA]; French Communist Party or PCF [Robert HUE];
Generation Ecology [Brice LALONDE]; Independent Ecological Movement
or MEI [Antoine WAECHTER]; Left Radical Party or PRG (previously
Radical Socialist Party or PRS and the Left Radical Movement or MRG)
[Jean-Michel BAYLET]; Liberal-Christian Right [Charles MILLON]; Liberal
Democracy or DL (originally Republican Party or PR) [Alain MADELIN];
Movement for France or MPF [Philippe DE VILLIERS]; Movement of Reformers
[Jean-Pierre SOISSON]; National Front or FN [Jean-Marie LE PEN]; National
Republican Movement [Bruno MEGRET]; Popular Party for French Democracy or
PPDF [Herve DE CHARETTE]; Radical Party or RP [Francois LOOS]; Rally for
France or RPF [Charles PASQUA]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [Michelle
ALLIOT-MARIE]; Republicans and Independents or RI (mainly DL) [leader
NA]; Socialist Party or PS [Francois HOLLANDE]; The Greens [Dominique
VOYNET]; Union for French Democracy or UDF (coalition of DL, CDS, UDF,
RP, and other parties) [Francois BAYROU]; Union for the Presidential
Majority or UMP [leader NA]; Union of the Center or UDC [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Communist-controlled labor union (Confederation Generale du Travail) or CGT, nearly 2.4 million members (claimed); independent labor union or Force Ouvriere, 1 million members (est.); independent white-collar union or Confederation Generale des Cadres, 340,000 members (claimed); National Council of French Employers (Conseil National du Patronat Francais) or CNPF or Patronat; Socialist-leaning labor union (Confederation Francaise Democratique du Travail) or CFDT, about 800,000 members (est.)

International organization participation: ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia
Group, BDEAC, BIS, CCC, CDB (non-regional), CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECA
(associate), ECE, ECLAC, EIB, EMU, ESA, ESCAP, EU, FAO, FZ, G- 5, G- 7,
G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
MINURSO, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer),
OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK,
UNMOVIC, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCL, WEU,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: Ambassador Francois V. BUJON
DE L'ESTANG chancery: consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago,
Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco
telephone: [1] (202) 944-6000

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Howard H. LEACH embassy: 2 Avenue Gabriel,
 PSC 116, B210 APO AE 09777 telephone: Marseille, Strasbourg

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), white, and red; known as the French Tricouleur (Tricolor); the design and/or colors are similar to a number of other flags, including those of Belgium, Chad, Ireland, Cote d'Ivoire, Luxembourg, and Netherlands; the official flag for all French dependent areas

Economy France

Economy - overview: France is in the midst of transition, from a well-to-do modern economy that featured extensive government ownership and intervention to one that relies more on market mechanisms. The Socialist-led government has partially or fully privatized many large companies, banks, and insurers, but still retains large stakes in several leading firms, including Air France, France Telecom, Renault, and Thales, and remains dominant in some sectors, particularly power, public transport, and defense industries. The telecommunications sector is gradually being opened to competition. France's leaders remain committed to a capitalism in which they maintain social equity by means of laws, tax policies, and social spending that reduce income disparity and the impact of free markets on public health and welfare. The current government has lowered income taxes and introduced measures to boost employment, but has done little to reform an overly expensive pension system, rigid labor market, and restrictive bureaucracy that discourage hiring and make the tax burden one of the highest in Europe. In addition to the tax burden, the reduction of the workweek to 35 hours, which is to be extended to small firms in 2002, has drawn criticism for lowering the competitiveness of French businesses. The current economic slowdown has thrown the government's goal of balancing the budget by 2004 off track.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.51 trillion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 2.1% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $25,400 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.3% industry: 25.7% services: 71% (2000)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 25.1% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 32.7 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.7% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 26.6 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: services 71%, industry 25%, agriculture 4% (1997)

Unemployment rate: 8.9% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $210 billion expenditures: $240 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Industries: machinery, chemicals, automobiles, metallurgy, aircraft, electronics; textiles, food processing; tourism

Industrial production growth rate: 1.3% (2001)

Electricity - production: 513.924 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 9.55% hydro: 12.98% other: 0.73% (2000) nuclear: 76.74%

Electricity - consumption: 408.514 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 73.172 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 3.737 billion kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: wheat, cereals, sugar beets, potatoes, wine grapes; beef, dairy products; fish

Exports: $293.3 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Exports - commodities: machinery and transportation equipment, aircraft, plastics, chemicals, pharmaceutical products, iron and steel, beverages

Exports - partners: EU 61% (Germany 14%, UK 10%, Spain 9%, Italy 9%,
Benelux 8%), US 9% (2000)

Imports: $292.6 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, vehicles, crude oil, aircraft, plastics, chemicals

Imports - partners: EU 63% (Germany 17%, Benelux 10%, Italy 9%, UK 8%),
US 7% (2000)

Debt - external: $106 billion (1998)

Economic aid - donor: ODA, $6.3 billion (1997)

Currency: euro (EUR); French franc (FRF) note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code: EUR; FRF

Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.65 (January 1999), 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications France

Telephones - main lines in use: 34.86 million (yearend 1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 11.078 million (yearend 1998)

Telephone system: general assessment: highly developed domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay; extensive introduction of fiber-optic cable; domestic satellite system international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (with total of 5 antennas - 2 for Indian Ocean and 3 for Atlantic Ocean), NA Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region); HF radiotelephone communications with more than 20 countries

Radio broadcast stations: AM 41, FM about 3,500 (this figure is an approximation and includes many repeaters), shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios: 55.3 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 584 (plus 9,676 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions: 34.8 million (1997)

Internet country code: .fr

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 62 (2000)

Internet users: 11.7 million (2001)

Transportation France

Railways: total: 31,939 km (operated by French National Railways (SNCF); 14,176 km of SNCF routes are electrified and 12,132 km are double- or 31,840 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: Highways: total: 892,900 km paved: 892,900 km (including 9,900 km of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (1999)

Waterways: 14,932 km (6,969 km heavily traveled)

Pipelines: crude oil 3,059 km; petroleum products 4,487 km; natural gas 24,746 km

Ports and harbors: Bordeaux, Boulogne, Cherbourg, Dijon, Dunkerque,
La Pallice, Le Havre, Lyon, Marseille, Mullhouse, Nantes, Paris, Rouen,
Saint Nazaire, Saint Malo, Strasbourg

Merchant marine: total: 49 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,263,691 GRT/1,769,932 DWT ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 4, chemical tanker 9, combination bulk 1, container 3, liquefied gas 3, passenger 3, petroleum tanker 15, roll on/roll off 4, short-sea passenger 4 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: French Polynesia 2, Greece 1, Japan 1, Norway 1, Sweden 9 (2002 est.)

Airports: 477 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 270 over 3,047 m: 14 2,438 to 3,047 m: 29 914 to 1,523 m: 75 under 914 m: 56 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 96

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 207 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 73 under 914 m: 131 (2001)

Heliports: 3 (2001)

Military France

Military branches: Army (includes marines), Navy (includes naval air),
Air Force (includes Air Defense), National Gendarmerie

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 14,534,480 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 12,092,938 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 390,064 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $46.5 billion (2000)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.57% (2002)

Transnational Issues France

Disputes - international: Madagascar claims Bassas da India, Europa
Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, and Tromelin Island;
Comoros claims Mayotte; Mauritius claims Tromelin Island; territorial
dispute between Suriname and French Guiana; territorial claim in
Antarctica (Adelie Land); Matthew and Hunter Islands, east of New
Caledonia, claimed by France and Vanuatu

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for and consumer of South American cocaine, Southwest Asian heroin, and European synthetics

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Introduction

French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Background: The Southern Lands consist of two archipelagos, Iles Crozet and Iles Kerguelen, and two volcanic islands, Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul. They contain no permanent inhabitants and are visited only by researchers studying the native fauna. The Antarctic portion consists of "Adelie Land," a thin slice of the Antarctic continent discovered and claimed by the French in 1840.

Geography French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Location: south of Africa, islands in the southern Indian Ocean, about equidistant between Africa, Antarctica, and Australia; note - French Southern and Antarctic Lands include Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul, Iles Crozet, and Iles Kerguelen in the southern Indian Ocean, along with the French-claimed sector of Antarctica, "Adelie Land"; the US does not recognize the French claim to "Adelie Land"

Geographic coordinates: 43 00 S, 67 00 E

Map references: Antarctic Region

Area: total: 7,781 sq km note: includes Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul,
Iles Crozet and Iles Kerguelen; excludes "Adelie Land" claim of about
500,000
 0 sq km land:
Area - comparative: slightly less than 1.3 times the size of Delaware

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 1,232 km

Maritime claims: 200 NM from Iles Kerguelen only territorial sea:
Climate: antarctic

Terrain: volcanic

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point:
Mont Ross on Iles Kerguelen 1,850 m

Natural resources: fish, crayfish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are extinct volcanoes

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: islands component is widely scattered across remote locations in the southern Indian Ocean

People French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Population: no indigenous inhabitants (July 2002 est.) note: in 1997, there were about 100 researchers whose numbers vary from winter (July) to summer (January)

Population growth rate: NA

Government French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Country name: conventional long form: Territory of the French Southern
and Antarctic Lands conventional short form: French Southern and Antarctic
Lands local long form: Territoire des Terres Australes et Antarctiques
Francaises local short form: Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaises

Dependency status: overseas territory of France since 1955; administered from Paris by Administrateur Superieur Francois GARDE (since 24 May 2000), assisted by Secretary General Jean-Yves HERMOSO (since NA)

Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 3 districts named Ile Crozet, Iles Kerguelen, and Iles Saint-Paul et Amsterdam; excludes "Adelie Land" claim in Antarctica that is not recognized by the US

Legal system: the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of
France)

Flag description: the flag of France is used

Economy French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Economy - overview: Economic activity is limited to servicing meteorological and geophysical research stations and French and other fishing fleets. The fish catches landed on Iles Kerguelen by foreign ships are exported to France and Reunion.

Communications French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Internet country code: .tf

Transportation French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Merchant marine: total: 71 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,815,472 GRT/4,806,161 DWT ships by type: bulk 5, cargo 5, chemical tanker 13, container 11, liquefied gas 7, petroleum tanker 19, roll on/roll off 11 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Airports: none (2001)

Military French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Disputes - international: "Adelie Land" claim in Antarctica is not recognized by the US

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Gambia, The

Introduction

Gambia, The

Background: The Gambia gained its independence from the UK in 1965; it formed a short-lived federation of Senegambia with Senegal between 1982 and 1989. In 1991 the two nations signed a friendship and cooperation treaty. A military coup in 1994 overthrew the president and banned political activity, but a new 1996 constitution and presidential elections, followed by parliamentary balloting in 1997, completed a nominal return to civilian rule. The country undertook another round of presidential and legislative elections in late 2001 and early 2002.

Geography Gambia, The

Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and Senegal

Geographic coordinates: 13 28 N, 16 34 W

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 11,300 sq km land: 10,000 sq km water: 1,300 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Delaware

Land boundaries: total: 740 km border countries: Senegal 740 km

Coastline: 80 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 18 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: not specified exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM

Climate: tropical; hot, rainy season (June to November); cooler, dry season (November to May)

Terrain: flood plain of the Gambia river flanked by some low hills

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 53 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 19% permanent crops: 1% other: 80% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: drought (rainfall has dropped by 30% in the last 30 years)

Environment - current issues: deforestation; desertification; water-borne diseases prevalent

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: almost an enclave of Senegal; smallest country on the continent of Africa

People Gambia, The

Population: 1,455,842 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 45.1% (male 329,530; female 326,627) 15-64 years: 52.3% (male 377,357; female 383,548) 65 years and over: 2.6% (male 20,237; female 18,543) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.09% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 41.25 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 12.63 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 2.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.09 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 76.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 56.01 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 5.61 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 1.95% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 13,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 1,400 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Gambian(s) adjective: Gambian

Ethnic groups: African 99% (Mandinka 42%, Fula 18%, Wolof 16%, Jola 10%,
Serahuli 9%, other 4%), non-African 1%

Religions: Muslim 90%, Christian 9%, indigenous beliefs 1%

Languages: English (official), Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, other indigenous vernaculars

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 47.5% male: 58.4% female: 37.1% (2001 est.)

Government Gambia, The

Country name: Republic of The Gambia conventional short form: Government type: republic under multiparty democratic rule

Capital: Banjul

Administrative divisions: 5 divisions and 1 city*; Banjul*, Central
River, Lower River, North Bank, Upper River, Western

Independence: 18 February 1965 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 18 February (1965)

Constitution: 24 April 1970; suspended July 1994; rewritten and approved by national referendum 8 August 1996; reestablished in January 1997

Legal system: based on a composite of English common law, Koranic law, and customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH (since 18 October 1996; note - from 1994 to 1996 was Chairman of the Junta); Vice President Isatou Njie SAIDY (since 20 March 1997); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH (since 18 October 1996; note - from 1994 to 1996 was Chairman of the Junta); Vice President Isatou Njie SAIDY (since 20 March 1997); note - the president is both the chief of state and head Cabinet appointed by the president elections: of terms is not restricted; election last held 18 October 2001 (next to be held NA October 2006) election results: Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH reelected president; percent of vote - Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH 52.9%, Ousainou DARBOE 32.7%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (53 seats; 48 elected by popular vote, five appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 17 January 2002 (next to be held NA January 2007) election results: Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction or APRC [Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH]; Gambian People's Party-Progressive People's Party-United Democratic Party or GPP-PPP-UDP Coalition [Ousainou DARBOE]; National Convention Party or NCP [Sheriff DIBBA]; National Reconciliation Party or NRP [Hamat N. K. BAH]; People's Democratic Organization for Independence and Socialism or PDOIS [Sidia JATTA] note: in August 2001, an independent electoral commission allowed the reregistration of the GPP, NCP, and PPP, three parties banned since 1996

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS,
FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John
P. BOJANG chancery: Suite 1000, 1155
 [1] (202) 785-1430 telephone:
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Jackson McDONALD embassy: Fajara, Kairaba
 P. M. B. No. 19, Banjul telephone:
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue with
white edges, and green

Economy Gambia, The

Economy - overview: The Gambia has no important mineral or other natural resources and has a limited agricultural base. About 75% of the population depends on crops and livestock for its livelihood. Small-scale manufacturing activity features the processing of peanuts, fish, and hides. Reexport trade normally constitutes a major segment of economic activity, but a 1999 government-imposed preshipment inspection plan, and instability of the Gambian dalasi (currency) have drawn some of the reexport trade away from Banjul. The government's 1998 seizure of the private peanut firm Alimenta eliminated the largest purchaser of Gambian groundnuts; the following two marketing seasons have seen substantially lower prices and sales. A decline in tourism in 2000 has also held back growth. Unemployment and underemployment rates are extremely high. Shortrun economic progress remains highly dependent on sustained bilateral and multilateral aid, on responsible government economic management as forwarded by IMF technical help and advice, and on expected growth in the construction sector. Record crops undergirded sturdy growth in 2001.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $2.5 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 5.7% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,770 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 21% industry: 12% services: 67% (1998 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 400,000

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 75%, industry, commerce, and services 19%, government 6%

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $90.5 million expenditures: $80.9 million, including capital expenditures of $4.1 million (2001 est.)

Industries: processing peanuts, fish, and hides; tourism; beverages; agricultural machinery assembly, woodworking, metalworking; clothing

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 75 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 69.75 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: peanuts, millet, sorghum, rice, corn, sesame, cassava (tapioca), palm kernels; cattle, sheep, goats; forest and fishery resources not fully exploited

Exports: $139.2 million (f.o.b., 2001)

Exports - commodities: peanuts and peanut products, fish, cotton lint, palm kernels

Exports - partners: Benelux 26%, Japan 15%, UK 14%, Brazil 7% (2000)

Imports: $200.3 million (f.o.b., 2001)

Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, manufactures, fuel, machinery and transport equipment

Imports - partners: China (including Hong Kong) 18%, UK 10%, Netherlands 8%, France 6%, Brazil 6% (2000)

Debt - external: $440 million (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $45.4 million (1995)

Currency: dalasi (GMD)

Currency code: GMD

Exchange rates: dalasi per US dollar - 15.000 (January 2001), 12.788 (2000), 11.395 (1999), 10.643 (1998), 10.200 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Gambia, The

Telephones - main lines in use: 31,900 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 5,624 (2000)

Telephone system: general assessment: adequate; a packet switched data network is available domestic: adequate network of microwave radio relay and open wire international: microwave radio relay links to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2001)

Radios: 196,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (government-owned) (1997)

Televisions: 5,000 (2000)

Internet country code: .gm

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2001)

Internet users: 5,000 (2001)

Transportation Gambia, The

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 2,700 km paved: 956 km unpaved: 1,744 km (1996)

Waterways: 400 km

Ports and harbors: Banjul

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: 1 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2001)

Military Gambia, The

Military branches: Gambian National Army (GNA) (includes marine unit),
National Police, Presidential Guard

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 327,677 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 165,249 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $1.2 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.3% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Gambia, The

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Gabon

Introduction

Gabon

Background: Ruled by autocratic presidents since independence from France in 1960, Gabon introduced a multiparty system and a new constitution in the early 1990s that allowed for a more transparent electoral process and for reforms of governmental institutions. A small population, abundant natural resources, and considerable foreign support have helped make Gabon one of the more prosperous black African countries.

Geography Gabon

Location: Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea

Geographic coordinates: 1 00 S, 11 45 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 267,667 sq km water: 10,000 sq km land: 257,667 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Colorado

Land boundaries: total: 2,551 km border countries: Cameroon 298 km,
Republic of the Congo 1,903 km, Equatorial Guinea 350 km

Coastline: 885 km

Maritime claims: 200 NM territorial sea: Climate: tropical; always hot, humid

Terrain: narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Mont Iboundji 1,575 m

Natural resources: petroleum, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 1% permanent crops: 1% other: 98% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 150 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: deforestation; poaching

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea,
Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: a small population and oil and mineral reserves have helped Gabon become one of Africa's wealthier countries; in general, these circumstances have allowed the country to maintain and conserve its pristine rain forest and rich biodiversity

People Gabon

Population: 1,233,353 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 33.3% (male 205,559; female 204,796) 15-64 years: 60.6% (male 376,103; female 371,422) 65 years and over: 6.1% (male 37,220; female 38,253) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.97% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 27.24 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 17.59 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 93.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 50.25 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 3.65 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 9% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 23,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 2,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Gabonese (singular and plural) adjective: Gabonese

Ethnic groups: Bantu tribes including four major tribal groupings (Fang, Bapounou, Nzebi, Obamba), other Africans and Europeans 154,000, including 10,700 French and 11,000 persons of dual nationality

Religions: Christian 55%-75%, animist, Muslim less than 1%

Languages: French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira,
Bandjabi

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 63.2% male: 73.7% female: 53.3% (1995 est.)

Government Gabon

Country name: Gabonese Republic conventional short form: Government type: republic; multiparty presidential regime (opposition parties legalized in 1990)

Capital: Libreville

Administrative divisions: 9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue,
Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie, Nyanga, Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo,
Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem

Independence: 17 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday: Founding of the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG), 12 March (1968)

Constitution: adopted 14 March 1991

Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President El Hadj Omar BONGO (since 2 December 1967) head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Francois NTOUTOUME-EMANE (since 23 January 1999) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held 6 December 1998 (next to be held NA 2005); prime minister appointed by the president election results: President El Hadj Omar BONGO reelected; percent of vote - El Hadj Omar BONGO 66.6%, Pierre MAMBOUNDOU 16.5%, Fr. Paul M'BA-ABESSOLE 13.4%

Legislative branch: bicameral legislature consists of the Senate (91 seats; members elected by members of municipal councils and departmental assemblies) and the National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (120 seats); members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve five-year terms elections: NA December 2006); Senate - last held 26 January and 9 February 1997 (next to be held in NA 2002) election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PDG 86, RNB-RPG 8, PGP 3, ADERE 3, CLR 2, PUP 1, PSD 1, independents 13, others 3; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PDG 53, RNB 20, PGP 4, ADERE 3, RDP 1, CLR 1, independents 9

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme consisting of three chambers - Judicial, Administrative, and Accounts; Constitutional Court; Courts of Appeal; Court of State Security; County Courts

Political parties and leaders: African Forum for Reconstruction or
FAR [Leon MBOU-YEMBI]; Circle of Liberal Reformers or CLR [General
Jean Boniface ASSELE]; Congress for Democracy and Justice or CDJ
[Jules Aristide Bourdes OGOULIGUENDE]; Democratic and Republican
Alliance or ADERE [Divungui-di-Ndinge DIDJOB]; Gabonese Democratic
Party or PDG, former sole party [Simplice Nguedet MANZELA, secretary
general]; Gabonese Party for Progress or PGP [Pierre-Louis AGONDJO-OKAWE,
president]; Gabonese People's Union or UPG [Pierre MAMBOUNDOU]; National
Rally of Woodcutters-Rally for Gabon or RNB-RPG (Bucherons) [Fr. Paul
M'BA-ABESSOLE]; People's Unity Party or PUP [Louis Gaston MAYILA]; Rally
for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Pierre EMBONI]; Social Democratic
Party or PSD [Pierre Claver MAGANGA-MOUSSAVOU]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC,
CEEAC, CEMAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA,
IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC,
OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: Ambassador Jules-Darius OGOUEBANDJA consulate(s): Suite 200, 2034 20th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires Thomas F. DAUGHTON embassy: Boulevard B. P. 4000, Libreville telephone: Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue

Economy Gabon

Economy - overview: Gabon enjoys a per capita income four times that of most nations of sub-Saharan Africa. This has supported a sharp decline in extreme poverty; yet because of high income inequality a large proportion of the population remains poor. Gabon depended on timber and manganese until oil was discovered offshore in the early 1970s. The oil sector now accounts for 50% of GDP. Gabon continues to face fluctuating prices for its oil, timber, and manganese exports. Despite the abundance of natural wealth, the economy is hobbled by poor fiscal management. In 1992, the fiscal deficit widened to 2.4% of GDP, and Gabon failed to settle arrears on its bilateral debt, leading to a cancellation of rescheduling agreements with official and private creditors. Devaluation of its Francophone currency by 50% on 12 January 1994 sparked a one-time inflationary surge, to 35%; the rate dropped to 6% in 1996. The IMF provided a one-year standby arrangement in 1994-95, a three-year Enhanced Financing Facility (EFF) at near commercial rates beginning in late 1995, and stand-by credit of $119 million in October 2000. Those agreements mandate progress in privatization and fiscal discipline. France provided additional financial support in January 1997 after Gabon had met IMF targets for mid-1996. In 1997, an IMF mission to Gabon criticized the government for overspending on off-budget items, overborrowing from the central bank, and slipping on its schedule for privatization and administrative reform. The rebound of oil prices in 1999-2000 helped growth, but drops in production hampered Gabon from fully realizing potential gains. In December 2000, Gabon signed a new agreement with the Paris Club to reschedule its official debt. A follow-up bilateral repayment agreement with the US was signed in December 2001.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $6.7 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 2.5% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $5,500 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 10% industry: 60% services: 30% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.5% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 600,000

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 60%, services and government 25%, industry and commerce 15%

Unemployment rate: 21% (1997 est.)

Budget: revenues: $1.8 billion expenditures: $1.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $310 million (2002 est.)

Industries: food and beverage; textile; lumbering and plywood; cement; petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, and gold mining; chemicals; ship repair

Industrial production growth rate: -6.4% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 850 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 29.41% hydro: 70.59% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 790.5 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a tropical softwood); fish

Exports: $2.5 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: crude oil 81%, timber, manganese, uranium (2000)

Exports - partners: US 51%, France 17%, China 8%, Netherlands Antilles 4% (2000)

Imports: $921 million (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, construction materials

Imports - partners: France 62%, Cote d'Ivoire 7%, US 5%, Belgium 3% (2000)

Debt - external: $3.6 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $331 million (1995)

Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Currency code: XAF

Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 742.79 (January 2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997); note - from 1 January 1999, the XAF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XAF per euro

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Gabon

Telephones - main lines in use: 39,000 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 120,000 (2000)

Telephone system: general assessment: adequate service by African standards and improving with the help of the growing mobile cell system domestic: adequate system of cable, microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, radiotelephone communication stations, and a domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 6, FM 7 (and 11 repeaters), shortwave 3 (2001)

Radios: 208,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (plus six repeaters) (2001)

Televisions: 63,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .ga

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 4 (2001)

Internet users: 15,000 (2001)

Transportation Gabon

Railways: total: 649 km standard gauge: 649 km 1.435-m gauge; single-track (2000 est.)

Highways: 629 km (including 30 km of expressways) unpaved: Waterways: 1,600 km (perennially navigable)

Pipelines: crude oil 270 km; petroleum products 14 km

Ports and harbors: Cap Lopez, Kango, Lambarene, Libreville, Mayumba,
Owendo, Port-Gentil

Airports: 59 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 10 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 49 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 24 (2001)

Military Gabon

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Presidential (Republican)
Guard (charged with protecting the president and other senior officials),
National Gendarmerie, National Police

Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 284,358 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 146,908 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 11,304 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $70.8 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Gabon

Disputes - international: maritime boundary dispute with Equatorial
Guinea because of disputed sovereignty over islands in Corisco Bay

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Georgia

Introduction

Georgia

Background: Georgia was absorbed into the Russian Empire in the 19th century. Independent for three years (1918-1921) following the Russian revolution, it was forcibly incorporated into the USSR until the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991. Ethnic separation in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, poor governance, and Russian military bases deny the government effective control over the entirety of the state's internationally recognized territory. Despite myriad problems, progress on market reforms and democratization support the country's goal of greater integration with Western political, economic and security institutions.

Geography Georgia

Location: Southwestern Asia, bordering the Black Sea, between Turkey and Russia

Geographic coordinates: 42 00 N, 43 30 E

Map references: Asia

Area: total: 69,700 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 69,700 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries: total: 1,461 km border countries: Armenia 164 km,
Azerbaijan 322 km, Russia 723 km, Turkey 252 km

Coastline: 310 km

Maritime claims: NA

Climate: warm and pleasant; Mediterranean-like on Black Sea coast

Terrain: largely mountainous with Great Caucasus Mountains in the north and Lesser Caucasus Mountains in the south; Kolkhet'is Dablobi (Kolkhida Lowland) opens to the Black Sea in the west; Mtkvari River Basin in the east; good soils in river valley flood plains, foothills of Kolkhida Lowland

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Black Sea 0 m highest point: Mt'a
Mqinvartsveri 5,047 m

Natural resources: forests, hydropower, manganese deposits, iron ore, copper, minor coal and oil deposits; coastal climate and soils allow for important tea and citrus growth

Land use: arable land: 11% permanent crops: 4% other: 85% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 4,700 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: earthquakes

Environment - current issues: air pollution, particularly in Rust'avi; heavy pollution of Mtkvari River and the Black Sea; inadequate supplies of potable water; soil pollution from toxic chemicals

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: strategically located east of the Black Sea; Georgia controls much of the Caucasus Mountains and the routes through them

People Georgia

Population: 4,960,951 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 19% (male 481,669; female 462,966) 15-64 years: 68.2% (male 1,631,351; female 1,752,230) 65 years and over: 12.8% (male 246,663; female 386,072) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.55% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 11.48 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 14.61 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -2.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 51.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 68.32 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.48 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: less than 0.01% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: less than 500 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Georgian(s) adjective: Georgian

Ethnic groups: Georgian 70.1%, Armenian 8.1%, Russian 6.3%, Azeri 5.7%,
Ossetian 3%, Abkhaz 1.8%, other 5%

Religions: Georgian Orthodox 65%, Muslim 11%, Russian Orthodox 10%,
Armenian Apostolic 8%, unknown 6%

Languages: Georgian 71% (official), Russian 9%, Armenian 7%, Azeri 6%, other 7% note: Abkhaz is the official language in Abkhazia

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 100% female: 98% (1989 est.)

Government Georgia

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Georgia local short form: Sak'art'velo former: Georgian Soviet Socialist
Republic local long form: none

Government type: republic

Capital: T'bilisi

Administrative divisions: 9 regions, (mkharebi, singular - mkhare), 9 cities* (k'alak'ebi, singular - k'alak'i), and 2 autonomous republics** (avtomnoy respubliki, singular - avtom respublika); Abkhazia or Ap'khazet'is Avtonomiuri Respublika** (Sokhumi), Ajaria or Acharis Avtonomiuri Respublika** (Bat'umi), Chiat'ura*, Gori*, Guria, Imereti, Kakheti, K'ut'aisi*, Kvemo Kartli, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, P'ot'i*, Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, Rust'avi*, Samegrelo and Zemo Svaneti, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Shida Kartli, T'bilisi*, Tqibuli*, Tsqaltubo*, Zugdidi* note: the administrative centers of the 2 autonomous republics are shown in parentheses

Independence: 9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day, 26 May (1918); note - 26 May 1918 is the date of independence from Soviet Russia, 9 April 1991 is the date of independence from the Soviet Union

Constitution: adopted 17 October 1995

Legal system: based on civil law system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Eduard Amvrosiyevich SHEVARDNADZE (previously elected chairman of the Government Council 10 March 1992; Council has since been disbanded; previously elected chairman of Parliament 11 October 1992; president since 26 November 1995); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: of the Government Council 10 March 1992; Council has since been disbanded; previously elected chairman of Parliament 11 October 1992; president since 26 November 1995); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers election results: Eduard SHEVARDNADZE reelected president; percent of vote - Eduard SHEVARDNADZE 80% elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 9 April 2000 (next to be held NA 2005)

Legislative branch: unicameral Supreme Council (commonly referred to as Parliament) or Umaghiesi Sabcho (235 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) election results: percent of vote by party - CUG 41.85%, AGUR 25.65%, IWSG 7.8%, all other parties received less than 7% each; seats by party - CUG 130, AGUR 58, IWSG 15, Abkhaz (government-in-exile) deputies 12, independents 17, other 3 elections: last held 31 October and 14 November 1999 (next to be held NA 2003)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges elected by the Supreme Council on the president's recommendation); Constitutional Court

Political parties and leaders: Citizen's Union of Georgia or CUG
[Zarab ZHVANIA]; Georgian People's Front [Nodar NATADZE]; Georgian
United Communist Party or UCPG [Panteleimon GIORGADZE]; Greens [Giorgi
GACHECHILADZE]; Industry Will Save Georgia or IWSG [Georgi TOPADZE];
Labor Party [Salva NATELASHVILI]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Irina
SARISHVILI-CHANTURIA]; New National Movement [Mikheil SAAKASHVILI]; New
Rightists [Levaii GACHECHILADZE]; Republican Party [David BERDZENISHVILI];
"Revival" Union Party or AGUR [Alsan ABASHIDZE]; Socialist Party or SPG
[Irakli MINDELI]; Traditionalists [Akaki ASATIANI]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Georgian independent deputies from
Abkhazia (Abkhaz faction in Georgian Parliament); separatist elements in
the breakaway region of Abkhazia; supporters of the late ousted President
Zviad GAMSAKHURDYA remain a source of opposition

International organization participation: BSEC, CCC, CE, CIS, EAPC,
EBRD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Levan
MIKELADZE chancery: Suite 300, 1615 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington,
DC 20009 FAX: [1] (202) 393-6060 telephone: [1] (202) 387-2390

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Richard MILES embassy: #25 Antoneli Street, use embassy street address telephone: Flag description: maroon field with small rectangle in upper hoist side corner; rectangle divided horizontally with black on top, white below

Economy Georgia

Economy - overview: Georgia's main economic activities include the cultivation of agricultural products such as citrus fruits, tea, hazelnuts, and grapes; mining of manganese and copper; and output of a small industrial sector producing alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, metals, machinery, and chemicals. The country imports the bulk of its energy needs, including natural gas and oil products. Its only sizable internal energy resource is hydropower. Despite the severe damage the economy has suffered due to civil strife, Georgia, with the help of the IMF and World Bank, has made substantial economic gains since 1995, achieving positive GDP growth and curtailing inflation. However, the Georgian government suffers from limited resources due to a chronic failure to collect tax revenues. Georgia also suffers from energy shortages; it privatized the T'bilisi distribution network in 1998, but collection rates are low, making the venture unprofitable. The country is pinning its hopes for long-term recovery on its role as a transit state for pipelines and trade. The start of construction on the Baku-T'bilisi-Ceyhan pipeline in summer 2002 will bring much-needed investment and job opportunities to the country.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $15.5 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 8.4% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,100 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 25% industry: 20% services: 55% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 54% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 27.9% (1996)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 37.1 (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.6% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 2.1 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: industry 20%, agriculture 40%, services 40% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: 17% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $499 million expenditures: $554 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Industries: steel, aircraft, machine tools, electrical appliances, mining (manganese), chemicals, wood products, wine

Industrial production growth rate: 3% (2000)

Electricity - production: 7.404 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 20.99% hydro: 79.01% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 7.886 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 200 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 1.2 billion kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: citrus, grapes, tea, vegetables, potatoes; livestock

Exports: $450 million (2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: scrap metal, machinery, chemicals; fuel reexports; citrus fruits, tea, wine, other agricultural products

Exports - partners: Turkey 22.3%, Russia 20.6%, Germany 10.4%, Azerbaijan 6.3%, Armenia 4%, US 2.2% (2000)

Imports: $723 million (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: fuels, machinery and parts, transport equipment, grain and other foods, pharmaceuticals

Imports - partners: EU 23.8%, Turkey 16%, Russia 12.8%, US 10.1%,
Germany 7.9% (2000)

Debt - external: $1.7 billion (2001)

Economic aid - recipient: $212.7 million (1995)

Currency: lari (GEL)

Currency code: GEL

Exchange rates: lari per US dollar - 2.1888 (January 2002), 2.0730 (2001), 1.9762 (2000), 2.0245 (1999), 1.3898 (1998), 1.2975 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Georgia

Telephones - main lines in use: 620,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 185,500 (2000)

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: local - T'bilisi and K'ut'aisi have cellular telephone networks; urban telephone density is about 20 per 100 people; rural telephone density is about 4 per 100 people; intercity facilities include a fiber-optic line between T'bilisi and K'ut'aisi; nationwide pager service is available international: Georgia and Russia are working on a fiber-optic line between P'ot'i and Sochi (Russia); present international service is available by microwave, landline, and satellite through the Moscow switch; international electronic mail and telex service are available

Radio broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 12, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios: 3.02 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 12 (plus repeaters) (1998)

Televisions: 2.57 million (1997)

Internet country code: .ge

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 6 (2000)

Internet users: 20,000 (2000)

Transportation Georgia

Railways: total: 1,583 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines broad gauge: 1,546 km 1.520-m gauge narrow gauge: 37 km 0.912-m gauge (2000 est.)

Highways: total: 33,900 km paved: 29,500 km (includes some all-weather gravel-surfaced roads) unpaved: 4,400 km (these roads are made of unstabilized earth and are difficult to negotiate in wet weather) (1990)

Waterways: none

Pipelines: crude oil 370 km; refined products 300 km; natural gas 440 km (1992)

Ports and harbors: Bat'umi, P'ot'i, Sokhumi

Merchant marine: total: 64 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 210,620 GRT/288,565 DWT ships by type: bulk 5, cargo 46, container 5, petroleum tanker 7, roll on/roll off 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Belize 1, Bulgaria 1, Cyprus 1, Ecuador 1, Egypt 4, Gibraltar 1, Greece 5, Jordan 1, Latvia 1, Liberia 1, Malta 1, Panama 9, Romania 8, Russia 4, Saint Kitts and Nevis 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3, Saudi Arabia 2, Syria 5, Turkey 2, Ukraine 7, United Arab Emirates 11, United Kingdom 1, United States 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 31 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 16 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 3 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 15 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 under 914 m: 6 (2001) 914 to 1,523 m: 4

Transportation - note: transportation network is in poor condition resulting from ethnic conflict, criminal activities, and fuel shortages; network lacks maintenance and repair

Military Georgia

Military branches: Ground Forces (includes National Guard), combined
Air and Air Defense Forces, Naval Forces, Republic Security and Police
Forces (internal and border troops)

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,300,259 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,027,407 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 41,561 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $23 million (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.59% (FY00)

Military - note: a CIS peacekeeping force of Russian troops is deployed in the Abkhazia region of Georgia together with a UN military observer group; a Russian peacekeeping battalion is deployed in South Ossetia

Transnational Issues Georgia

Disputes - international: Chechen and other insurgents transit Pankisi Gorge to infiltrate Akhmeti region; boundary with Russia has been largely delimited, but not demarcated; several small, strategic segments remain in dispute

Illicit drugs: limited cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for domestic consumption; used as transshipment point for opiates via Central Asia to Western Europe and Russia

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Ghana

Introduction

Ghana

Background: Formed from the merger of the British colony of the Gold Coast and the Togoland trust territory, Ghana in 1957 became the first country in colonial Africa to gain its independence. A long series of coups resulted in the suspension of the constitution in 1981 and the banning of political parties. A new constitution, restoring multiparty politics, was approved in 1992. Lt. Jerry RAWLINGS, head of state since 1981, won presidential elections in 1992 and 1996, but was constitutionally prevented from running for a third term in 2000. He was succeeded by John KUFUOR.

Geography Ghana

Location: Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote d'Ivoire and Togo

Geographic coordinates: 8 00 N, 2 00 W

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 239,460 sq km land: 230,940 sq km water: 8,520 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries: total: 2,094 km border countries: Burkina Faso 549 km,
Cote d'Ivoire 668 km, Togo 877 km

Coastline: 539 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate: tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast; hot and humid in southwest; hot and dry in north

Terrain: mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Mount Afadjato 880 m

Natural resources: gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish, rubber, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 16% permanent crops: 7% other: 77% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 110 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: dry, dusty, northeastern harmattan winds occur from
January to March; droughts

Environment - current issues: recurrent drought in north severely affects agricultural activities; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; poaching and habitat destruction threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:
Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note: Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake

People Ghana

Population: 20,244,154 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 40.4% (male 4,116,600; female 4,063,654) 15-64 years: 56.1% (male 5,625,397; female 5,723,786) 65 years and over: 3.5% (male 338,352; female 376,365) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.7% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 28.08 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 10.31 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 55.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 58.51 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 3.69 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 3.6% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 340,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 33,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Ghanaian(s) adjective: Ghanaian

Ethnic groups: black African 98.5% (major tribes - Akan 44%, Moshi-Dagomba 16%, Ewe 13%, Ga 8%, Gurma 3%, Yoruba 1%), European and other 1.5% (1998)

Religions: indigenous beliefs 21%, Muslim 16%, Christian 63%

Languages: English (official), African languages (including Akan,
Moshi-Dagomba, Ewe, and Ga)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write male: 75.9% female: 53.5% (1995 est.) total population: 64.5%

People - note: there are 9,500 Liberians, 2,000 Sierra Leoneans, and 1,000 Togolese refugees residing in Ghana (2002)

Government Ghana

Country name: Republic of Ghana conventional short form: Government type: constitutional democracy

Capital: Accra

Administrative divisions: 10 regions; Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Central,
Eastern, Greater Accra, Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western

Independence: 6 March 1957 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 6 March (1957)

Constitution: new constitution approved 28 April 1992

Legal system: based on English common law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President John Agyekum KUFUOR (since 7 January 2001); Vice President Alhaji Aliu MAHAMA (since 7 January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President John Agyekum KUFUOR (since 7 January 2001); Vice President Alhaji Aliu MAHAMA (since 7 January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Parliament elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 7 and 28 December 2000 (next to be held NA December 2004) election results: John Agyekum KUFUOR elected president in runoff election; percent of vote - John KUFUOR 56.4%, John Atta MILLS 43.6%

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (200 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 7 December 2000 (next to be held NA December 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NPP 100, NDC 92, PNC 3, CPP 1, independents 4

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: Convention People's Party or CPP [Nii
Noi DOWUONA, general secretary]; Every Ghanaian Living Everywhere or EGLE
[Owuraku AMOFA, chairman]; Great Consolidated Popular Party or GCPP [Dan
LARTY]; National Convention Party or NCP [Sarpong KUMA-KUMA]; National
Democratic Congress or NDC [Dr. Huudu YAHAYA, general secretary]; New
Patriotic Party or NPP [Samuel Arthur ODOI-SYKES]; People's Convention
Party or PCP [P. K. DONKOH-AYIFI, acting chairman]; People's Heritage
Party or PHP [Emmanuel Alexander ERSKINE]; People's National Convention
or PNC [Edward MAHAMA]; Reform Party [Kyeretwie OPUKU, general secretary]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA,
ECOWAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU,
MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OAU, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP,
UNMOT, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: Ambassador Alan J. KYEREMATEN consulate(s) general: 3512 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Nancy J. POWELL embassy: 6th and 10th Lanes, 798/1 Osu, Accra mailing address: P. O. Box 194, Accra telephone: [233] (21) 776601, 776602 FAX: [233] (21) 775747

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green with a large black five-pointed star centered in the yellow band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flag of Bolivia, which has a coat of arms centered in the yellow band

Economy Ghana

Economy - overview: Well endowed with natural resources, Ghana has roughly twice the per capita output of the poorer countries in West Africa. Even so, Ghana remains heavily dependent on international financial and technical assistance. Gold, timber, and cocoa production are major sources of foreign exchange. The domestic economy continues to revolve around subsistence agriculture, which accounts for 36% of GDP and employs 60% of the work force, mainly small landholders. Excessively expansionary monetary and fiscal policy prior to the 2000 elections led to accelerating inflation in early 2001. A depressed cocoa market and continued weak growth in non-traditional exports led to disappointing growth in 2001. Ghana opted for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) program in 2002.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $39.4 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,980 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 36% industry: 25% services: 39% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 31.4% (1992 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.4% highest 10%: 29.5% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 39.6 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 25% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 9 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 60%, industry 15%, services 25% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: 20% (1997 est.)

Budget: revenues: $1.603 billion expenditures: $1.975 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Industries: mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum smelting, food processing

Industrial production growth rate: 3.8% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production: 5.92 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 30.41% hydro: 69.59% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 5.484 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 422 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 400 million kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: cocoa, rice, coffee, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, corn, shea nuts, bananas; timber

Exports: $1.94 billion (f.o.b., 2000)

Exports - commodities: gold, cocoa, timber, tuna, bauxite, aluminum, manganese ore, diamonds

Exports - partners: Togo, UK, Italy, Netherlands, Germany, US, France (1998)

Imports: $2.83 billion (f.o.b., 2000)

Imports - commodities: capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs

Imports - partners: UK, Nigeria, US, Germany, Italy, Spain (1998)

Debt - external: $5.96 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $6.9 billion (1999)

Currency: cedi (GHC)

Currency code: GHC

Exchange rates: cedis per US dollar - 7,195 (January 2002), 7,170.76 (2001), 5,455.06 (2000), 2,669.30 (1999), 2,314.15 (1998), 2,050.17 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Ghana

Telephones - main lines in use: 240,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 150,000 (2001)

Telephone system: general assessment: poor to fair system; Internet accessible; many rural communities not yet connected; expansion of services is underway domestic: international: satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay link to Panaftel system connects Ghana to its neighbors

Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 49, shortwave 3 (2001)

Radios: 12.5 million (2001)

Television broadcast stations: 10 (2001)

Televisions: 1.9 million (2001)

Internet country code: .gh

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 12 (2000)

Internet users: 200,000 (2002)

Transportation Ghana

Railways: total: 953 km narrow gauge: 953 km 1.067-m gauge; undergoing major rehabilitation (2001 est.)

Highways: 9,346 km (including 30 km of expressways) unpaved: Waterways: 1,293 km note: Volta, Ankobra, and Tano Rivers provide 168 km of perennial navigation for launches and lighters; Lake Volta provides 1,125 km of arterial and feeder waterways

Pipelines: 0 km

Ports and harbors: Takoradi, Tema

Merchant marine: total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 16,450 GRT/22,097 DWT ships by type: petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 5 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Brazil 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Spain 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 12 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2001)

Military Ghana

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police Force

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 5,045,355 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 2,799,292 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 213,237 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $35.2 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.7% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Ghana

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; major transit hub for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and, to a lesser extent, South American cocaine destined for Europe and the US

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Gibraltar

Introduction

Gibraltar

Background: Strategically important, Gibraltar was ceded to Great Britain by Spain in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht; the British garrison was formally declared a colony in 1830. In a 1967 referendum, Gibraltarians ignored Spanish pressure and voted overwhelmingly to remain a British dependency. Spain and the UK are discussing the issue of Gibraltar and have set the goal of reaching an agreement by mid-2002.

Geography Gibraltar

Location: Southwestern Europe, bordering the Strait of Gibraltar, which links the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southern coast of Spain

Geographic coordinates: 36 8 N, 5 21 W

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 6.5 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 6.5 sq km

Area - comparative: about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 1.2 km border countries: Spain 1.2 km

Coastline: 12 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 NM

Climate: Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers

Terrain: a narrow coastal lowland borders the Rock of Gibraltar

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point:
Rock of Gibraltar 426 m

Natural resources: NEGL

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: limited natural freshwater resources: large concrete or natural rock water catchments collect rainwater (no longer used for drinking water) and adequate desalination plant

Geography - note: strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea

People Gibraltar

Population: 27,714 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 18.5% (male 2,633; female 2,509) 15-64 years: 66.3% (male 9,456; female 8,907) 65 years and over: 15.2% (male 1,803; female 2,406) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.23% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 11.19 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 8.88 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: NEGL migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 5.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 82.25 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.65 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Gibraltarian(s) adjective: Gibraltar

Ethnic groups: Spanish, Italian, English, Maltese, Portuguese

Religions: Roman Catholic 76.9%, Church of England 6.9%, Muslim 6.9%,
Jewish 2.3%, none or other 7% (1991)

Languages: English (used in schools and for official purposes), Spanish,
Italian, Portuguese, Russian

Literacy: definition: NA total population: above 80% male: NA% female:
NA%

Government Gibraltar

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Gibraltar

Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK

Government type: NA

Capital: Gibraltar

Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday: National Day, 10 September (1964); note - day of the national referendum to decide whether to remain with the UK or go with Spain

Constitution: 30 May 1969

Legal system: English law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal, plus other UK subjects who have been residents six months or more

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor and Commander-in-Chief David DURIE (since 5 April 2000); note - DURIE was appointed in February 2000 but took office in April 2000 elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; chief minister appointed by the governor head of government: Ministers appointed from among the 15 elected members of the House of Assembly by the governor in consultation with the chief minister

Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly (18 seats - 15 elected by popular vote, one appointed for the Speaker, and two ex officio members; members serve four-year terms) elections: last held 10 February 2000 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - GSD 58%, GSLP 41%; seats by party - GSD 8, GSLP 7

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders: Gibraltar Social Democrats or GSD [Peter
CARUANA]; Gibraltar Socialist Labor Party or GSLP [Joseph John BOSSANO]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Chamber of Commerce; Gibraltar
Representatives Organization; Women's Association

International organization participation: Interpol (subbureau)

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description: two horizontal bands of white (top, double width) and red with a three-towered red castle in the center of the white band; hanging from the castle gate is a gold key centered in the red band

Economy Gibraltar

Economy - overview: Gibraltar benefits from an extensive shipping trade, offshore banking, and its position as an international conference center. The British military presence has been sharply reduced and now contributes about 11% to the local economy. The financial sector accounts for 20% of GDP; tourism (almost 6 million visitors in 1998), shipping services fees, and duties on consumer goods also generate revenue. In recent years, Gibraltar has seen major structural change from a public to a private sector economy, but changes in government spending still have a major impact on the level of employment.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $500 million (1997 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: NA%

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $17,500 (1997 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.5% (1998)

Labor force: 14,800 (including non-Gibraltar laborers)

Labor force - by occupation: services 60%, industry 40%, agriculture
NEGL%

Unemployment rate: 13.5% (1996)

Budget: revenues: $307 million expenditures: $284 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY00/01 est.)

Industries: tourism, banking and finance, ship-building and repairing; tobacco, mineral water, beer

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 97 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 90.21 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: none

Exports: $81.1 million (f.o.b., 1997)

Exports - commodities: (principally reexports) petroleum 51%, manufactured goods 41%, other 8%

Exports - partners: UK, Morocco, Portugal, Netherlands, Spain, US,
Germany

Imports: $492 million (c.i.f., 1997)

Imports - commodities: fuels, manufactured goods, and foodstuffs

Imports - partners: UK, Spain, Japan, Netherlands

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid - recipient: $NA; note - if an agreement between Spain and the UK is reached, could receive 50 million euros from the EU

Currency: Gibraltar pound (GIP)

Currency code: GIP

Exchange rates: Gibraltar pounds per US dollar - 0.6981 (January 2002), 0.8977 (2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998), 0.6106 (1997); note - the Gibraltar pound is at par with the British pound

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Communications Gibraltar

Telephones - main lines in use: 19,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 1,620 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: adequate, automatic domestic system and adequate international facilities domestic: automatic exchange facilities international: radiotelephone; microwave radio relay; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 37,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (plus three low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 10,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .gi

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)

Internet users: NA

Transportation Gibraltar

Railways: total: NA km; 1.000-m gauge system in dockyard area only (no longer used) (2001 est.)

Highways: total: 46.25 km paved: 46.25 km unpaved: 0 km (2001)

Waterways: none

Pipelines: 0 km

Ports and harbors: Gibraltar

Merchant marine: total: 75 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 900,400 GRT/1,277,611 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Belgium 1, Cyprus 1, France 2, Germany 55, Greece 6, Ireland 1, Monaco 2, Norway 3, United Kingdom 13 (2002 est.) ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 35, chemical tanker 6, container 10, multi-functional large-load carrier 3, passenger 3, petroleum tanker 14, roll on/roll off 2

Airports: 1 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2001)

Military Gibraltar

Military branches: no regular indigenous military forces; British Army,
Royal Navy, Royal Air Force

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Gibraltar

Disputes - international: Spain and UK are discussing "total shared sovereignty" to resolve 300-year dispute over Gibraltar, but resolution is subject to a constitutional referendum by Gibraltarians, who have largely expressed opposition to any form of cession to Spain

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Grenada

Introduction

Grenada

Background: One of the smallest independent countries in the western hemisphere, Grenada was seized by a Marxist military council on 19 October 1983. Six days later the island was invaded by US forces and those of six other Caribbean nations, which quickly captured the ringleaders and their hundreds of Cuban advisers. Free elections were reinstituted the following year.

Geography Grenada

Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates: 12 07 N, 61 40 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 344 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 344 sq km

Area - comparative: twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 121 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical; tempered by northeast trade winds

Terrain: volcanic in origin with central mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point:
Mount Saint Catherine 840 m

Natural resources: timber, tropical fruit, deepwater harbors

Land use: arable land: 6% permanent crops: 26% other: 68% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: lies on edge of hurricane belt; hurricane season lasts from June to November

Environment - current issues: NA

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea,
Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the
selected agreements

Geography - note: the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada

People Grenada

Population: 89,211 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 35.9% (male 16,213; female 15,863) 15-64 years: 60.3% (male 28,460; female 25,307) 65 years and over: 3.8% (male 1,546; female 1,822) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.02% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 23.05 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 7.63 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -15.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.12 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 1.08 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 14.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 66.31 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.5 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Grenadian(s) adjective: Grenadian

Ethnic groups: black 82%, mixed black and European 13%, European and
East Indian 5% , and trace of Arawak/Carib Amerindian

Religions: Roman Catholic 53%, Anglican 13.8%, other Protestant 33.2%

Languages: English (official), French patois

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98% (1970 est.)

Government Grenada

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Grenada

Government type: constitutional monarchy with Westminster-style parliament

Capital: Saint George's

Administrative divisions: 6 parishes and 1 dependency*; Carriacou and
Petit Martinique*, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John,
Saint Mark, Saint Patrick

Independence: 7 February 1974 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 7 February (1974)

Constitution: 19 December 1973

Legal system: based on English common law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Daniel WILLIAMS (since 9 August 1996) head of government: appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; prime minister appointed by the governor general from among the members of the House of Assembly

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (a 13-member body, 10 appointed by the government and three by the leader of the opposition) and the House of Representatives (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held on 18 January 1999 (next to be held by NA October 2004) election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NNP 14, GULP 1

Judicial branch: West Indies Associate States Supreme Court (an associate judge resides in Grenada)

Political parties and leaders: Grenada United Labor Party or GULP
[Herbert PREUDHOMME]; National Democratic Congress or NDC [leader vacant];
New National Party or NNP [George McGUIRE]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC,
FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW
(signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: Ambassador Denis G. ANTOINE consulate(s) general: 1701 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: the ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Grenada; Charge d'Affairs Nadia TONGOUR embassy: Point Salines, Saint George's mailing address: P. O. Box 54, Saint George's, Grenada, West Indies telephone: [1] (473) 444-1173 through 1176 FAX: [1] (473) 444-4820

Flag description: a rectangle divided diagonally into yellow triangles (top and bottom) and green triangles (hoist side and outer side), with a red border around the flag; there are seven yellow, five-pointed stars with three centered in the top red border, three centered in the bottom red border, and one on a red disk superimposed at the center of the flag; there is also a symbolic nutmeg pod on the hoist-side triangle (Grenada is the world's second-largest producer of nutmeg, after Indonesia); the seven stars represent the seven administrative divisions

Economy Grenada

Economy - overview: Despite government steadying of annual economic growth in recent years through progress in fiscal reform and prudent macroeconomic management, a downturn in tourist arrivals in 2001 threatens government spending in 2002. Grenada relies on tourism as its main source of foreign exchange, although it also supports a small agriculture sector and a developing offshore financial industry. Short-term concerns include a rising fiscal deficit and the deterioration in the external account balance.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $424 million (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 6.5% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $4,750 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 7.7% industry: 23.9% services: 68.4% (2000)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.8% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 42,300 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation: services 62%, agriculture 24%, industry 14% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: 11.5% (1999)

Budget: revenues: $85.8 million expenditures: $102.1 million, including capital expenditures of $28 million (1997)

Industries: food and beverages, textiles, light assembly operations, tourism, construction

Industrial production growth rate: 0.7% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production: 110 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 102.3 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, mace, citrus, avocados, root crops, sugarcane, corn, vegetables

Exports: $78 million (2000 est.)

Exports - commodities: bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, fruit and vegetables, clothing, mace

Exports - partners: Caricom 32.3%, UK 20%, US 13%, Netherlands 8.8% (1991)

Imports: $270 million (2000 est.)

Imports - commodities: food, manufactured goods, machinery, chemicals, fuel (1989)

Imports - partners: US 31.2%, Caricom 23.6%, UK 13.8%, Japan 7.1% (1991)

Debt - external: $196 million (2000)

Economic aid - recipient: $8.3 million (1995)

Currency: East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code: XCD

Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Grenada

Telephones - main lines in use: 27,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 976 (1997)

Telephone system: automatic, islandwide telephone system domestic: radiotelephone links to Trinidad and Tobago and Saint Vincent; VHF and UHF radio links to Trinidad

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 57,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 2 (1997)

Televisions: 33,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .gd

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 14 (2000)

Internet users: 4,100 (2001)

Transportation Grenada

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 1,040 km paved: 638 km unpaved: 402 km (1996)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Grenville, Saint George's

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: 3 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2001)

Military Grenada

Military branches: Royal Grenada Police Force, Coast Guard

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Transnational Issues Grenada

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: small-scale cannabis cultivation; lesser transshipment point for marijuana and cocaine to US

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Guernsey

Introduction

Guernsey

Background: The island of Guernsey and the other Channel Islands represent the last remnants of the medieval Dukedom of Normandy, which held sway in both France and England. The islands were the only British soil occupied by German troops in World War II.

Geography Guernsey

Location: Western Europe, islands in the English Channel, northwest of France

Geographic coordinates: 49 28 N, 2 35 W

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 78 sq km note: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other smaller islands water: 0 sq km land: 78 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 50 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 12 NM territorial sea: 3 NM

Climate: temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of days are overcast

Terrain: mostly level with low hills in southwest

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Sark 114 m

Natural resources: cropland

Land use: arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% other: NA% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port

People Guernsey

Population: 64,587 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 16% (male 5,250; female 5,101) 15-64 years: 66.7% (male 21,356; female 21,728) 65 years and over: 17.3% (male 4,622; female 6,530) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.37% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 9.69 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 9.86 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 3.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 4.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 83.01 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.36 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Channel Islander(s) adjective: Channel Islander

Ethnic groups: UK and Norman-French descent

Religions: Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist,
Congregational, Methodist

Languages: English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Guernsey

Country name: Bailiwick of Guernsey conventional short form: Dependency status: British crown dependency

Government type: NA

Capital: St. Peter Port

Administrative divisions: none (British crown dependency); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 10 parishes including St. Peter Port, St. Sampson, Vale, Castel, St. Saviour, St. Pierre du Bois, Torteval, Forest, St. Martin, St. Andrew

Independence: none (British crown dependency)

National holiday: Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)

Constitution: unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Legal system: English law and local statute; justice is administered by the Royal Court

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) elections: monarch; bailiff appointed by the monarch head of government: Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief Lt. Gen. Sir John FOLEY (since NA 2000) and Bailiff De Vic G. CAREY (since NA) cabinet: Advisory and Finance Committee appointed by the Assembly of the States

Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly of the States; consists of the bailiff, 10 Douzaine (parish council) representatives, 45 people's deputies elected by popular vote, 2 representatives from Alderney, Her Majesty's Procureur (Attorney General), Her Majesty's Comptroller (Solicitor General) and Her Majesty's Greffier (Court Recorder and Registrar General); note - Alderney and Sark have their own parliaments elections: last held 12 April 2000 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - all independents

Judicial branch: Royal Court

Political parties and leaders: none; all independents

Political pressure groups and leaders: none

International organization participation: none

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (British crown dependency)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (British crown dependency)

Flag description: white with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England) extending to the edges of the flag and a yellow equal-armed cross of William the Conqueror superimposed on the Saint George cross

Economy Guernsey

Economy - overview: Financial services - banking, fund management, insurance, etc. - account for about 55% of total income in this tiny Channel Island economy. Tourism, manufacturing, and horticulture, mainly tomatoes and cut flowers, have been declining. Light tax and death duties make Guernsey a popular tax haven. The evolving economic integration of the EU nations is changing the rules of the game under which Guernsey operates.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.3 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 5.7% (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $20,000 (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3% industry: 10% services: 87% (2000)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.99% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 31,322 (2000)

Unemployment rate: 0.5% (1999 est.)

Budget: revenues: $381.3 million expenditures: $368.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Industries: tourism, banking

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: NA kWh

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: NA% hydro: NA% other:
NA% nuclear: NA%

Electricity - consumption: NA kWh

Electricity - exports: NA kWh

Electricity - imports: NA kWh

Agriculture - products: tomatoes, greenhouse flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant, fruit; Guernsey cattle

Exports: $NA

Exports - commodities: tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other vegetables

Exports - partners: UK (regarded as internal trade)

Imports: $NA

Imports - commodities: coal, gasoline, oil, machinery and equipment

Imports - partners: UK (regarded as internal trade)

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid - recipient: $NA

Currency: British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Guernsey pound

Currency code: GBP

Exchange rates: Guernsey pounds per US dollar - 0.6944 (January 2002), 0.6944 (2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998), 0.6106 (1997); note - the Guernsey pound is at par with the British pound

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Guernsey

Telephones - main lines in use: 44,000 (1996)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 12,000 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: 1 submarine cable

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)

Televisions: NA

Internet country code: .gg

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA

Internet users: NA

Transportation Guernsey

Railways: 5 km

Highways: total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: St. Peter Port, Saint Sampson

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: 2 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2001)

Military Guernsey

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Guernsey

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Greenland

Introduction

Greenland

Background: The world's largest non-continental island, about 84% ice-capped, Greenland was granted self-government in 1978 by the Danish parliament. The law went into effect the following year. Denmark continues to exercise control of Greenland's foreign affairs.

Geography Greenland

Location: Northern North America, island between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Canada

Geographic coordinates: 72 00 N, 40 00 W

Map references: Arctic Region

Area: total: 2,166,086 sq km land: 2,166,086 sq km (410,449 sq km ice-free, 1,755,637 sq km ice-covered) (est.)

Area - comparative: slightly more than three times the size of Texas

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 44,087 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200 NM or agreed boundaries or
median line exclusive
 200 NM or agreed boundaries or median line territorial sea:
Climate: arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters

Terrain: flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow, mountainous, barren, rocky coast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Gunnbjorn 3,700 m

Natural resources: zinc, lead, iron ore, coal, molybdenum, gold, platinum, uranium, fish, seals, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island

Environment - current issues: protection of the arctic environment; preservation of the Inuit traditional way of life, including whaling and seal hunting

Geography - note: dominates North Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe; sparse population confined to small settlements along coast, but close to one-quarter of the population lives in the capital, Nuuk; world's second largest ice cap

People Greenland

Population: 56,376 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 26.3% (male 7,561; female 7,284) 15-64 years: 68.1% (male 20,880; female 17,489) 65 years and over: 5.6% (male 1,442; female 1,720) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.03% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 16.27 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 7.61 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -8.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.19 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female total population: 1.13 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 17.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 72.32 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.43 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 100 (1999)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Greenlander(s) adjective: Greenlandic

Ethnic groups: Greenlander 88% (Inuit and Greenland-born whites),
Danish and others 12% (January 2000)

Religions: Evangelical Lutheran

Languages: Greenlandic (East Inuit), Danish, English

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% note: similar to Denmark proper

Government Greenland

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Greenland local short form: Kalaallit Nunaat local long form: none

Dependency status: part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1979

Government type: parliamentary democracy within a constitutional monarchy

Capital: Nuuk (Godthab)

Administrative divisions: 3 districts (landsdele); Avannaa (Nordgronland), Tunu (Ostgronland), Kitaa (Vestgronland) note: there are 18 municipalities in Greenland

Independence: none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1979) note: foreign affairs is the responsibility of Denmark, but Greenland actively participates in international agreements relating to Greenland

National holiday: June 21 (longest day)

Constitution: 5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)

Legal system: Danish

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Gunnar MARTENS (since NA 1995) note: Jonathan MOTZFELDT reelected prime minister; percent of parliamentary vote - 57.3% head of government: Prime Minister Jonathan MOTZFELDT (since 19 September 1997) cabinet: Home Rule Government is elected by the Parliament (Landstinget) on the basis of the strength of parties elections: the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by the monarch; prime minister is elected by Parliament (usually the leader of the majority party); election last held 16 February 1999 (next to be held NA February 2003)

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Landstinget (31 seats; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms) note: two representatives were elected to the Danish Parliament or Folketing on 20 November 2001 (next to be held no later than November 2005); percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Siumut 1, Inuit Ataqatigiit 1 election results: percent of vote by party - Siumut 35.2%, Inuit Ataqatigiit 22.1%, Atassut Party 25.2%, Candidate's League 12.3%, independent 5.2%; seats by party - Siumut 11, Atassut 8, Inuit Ataqatigiit 7, Candidate List 4, independent 1 elections: last held on 16 February 1999 (next to be held by NA February 2003)

Judicial branch: High Court or Landsret (appeals can be made to the Ostre Landsret or Eastern Division of the High Court or Supreme Court in Copenhagen)

Political parties and leaders: Akulliit Party [Bjarne KREUTZMANN];
Atassut Party (Solidarity, a conservative party favoring continuing
close relations with Denmark) [Daniel SKIFTE]; Inuit Ataqatigiit or IA
(Eskimo Brotherhood, a leftist party favoring complete independence from
Denmark rather than home rule) [Josef MOTZFELDT]; Issituup (Polar Party)
[Nicolai HEINRICH]; Kattusseqatigiit (Candidate List, an independent
right-of-center party with no official platform [leader NA]; Siumut
(Forward Party, a social democratic party advocating more distinct
Greenlandic identity and greater autonomy from Denmark) [Hans ENOKSEN]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: NC, NIB

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a large disk slightly to the hoist side of center - the top half of the disk is red, the bottom half is white

Economy Greenland

Economy - overview: The economy remains critically dependent on exports of fish and substantial support from the Danish Government, which supplies about half of government revenues. The public sector, including publicly owned enterprises and the municipalities, plays the dominant role in the economy. Despite several interesting hydrocarbon and minerals exploration activities, it will take several years before production can materialize. Tourism is the only sector offering any near-term potential, and even this is limited due to a short season and high costs.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.1 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: NA%

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $20,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.6% (1999 est.)

Labor force: 24,500 (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: 10% (2000 est.)

Budget: revenues: $646 million expenditures: $629 million, including capital expenditures of $85 million (1999)

Industries: fish processing (mainly shrimp and Greenland halibut), handicrafts, hides and skins, small shipyards, mining

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 250 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% note: Greenland is shifting its electricity production from fossil fuel to hydroelectric power production (2000) hydro: 0% other: 0% nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 232.5 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: forage crops, garden and greenhouse vegetables; sheep, reindeer; fish

Exports: $264 million (f.o.b., 2000)

Exports - commodities: fish and fish products 94% (prawns 63%)

Exports - partners: EU (mainly Denmark) 85%, Japan 8%, US 2% (1999)

Imports: $349 million (c.i.f., 2000)

Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, petroleum products

Imports - partners: EU (mostly Denmark), Norway, US, Canada

Debt - external: $25 million (1999)

Economic aid - recipient: $380 million subsidy from Denmark (1999)

Currency: Danish krone (DKK)

Currency code: DKK

Exchange rates: Danish kroner per US dollar - 8.418 (January 2002), 8.323 (2001), 8.083 (2000), 6.976 (1999), 6.701 (1998), 6.604 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Greenland

Telephones - main lines in use: 25,617 (yearend 1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 12,676 (yearend 1999)

Telephone system: general assessment: adequate domestic and international service provided by satellite, cables and microwave radio relay; totally digitalized microwave radio relay and satellite international: (all Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 30,000 (1998 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 1 publicly-owned station, some local low-power stations, and three AFRTS (US Air Force) stations (1997)

Televisions: 30,000 (1998 est.)

Internet country code: .gl

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: 17,800 (2001)

Transportation Greenland

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 150 km paved: 60 km unpaved: 90 km

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Aasiaat (Egedesminde), Ilulissat (Jakobshavn),
Kangerlussuaq, Nanortalik, Narsarsuaq, Nuuk (Godthab), Qaqortoq
(Julianehab), Sisimiut (Holsteinsborg), Tasiilaq (March 2001)

Merchant marine: total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,289 GRT/1,500 DWT ships by type: cargo 1, passenger 1, includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Denmark 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 15 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 9 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 5 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (2001)

Military Greenland

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Denmark

Transnational Issues Greenland

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Germany

Introduction

Germany

Background: As Europe's largest economy and most populous nation, Germany remains a key member of the continent's economic, political, and defense organizations. European power struggles immersed the country in two devastating World Wars in the first half of the 20th century and left the country occupied by the victorious Allied powers of the US, UK, France, and the Soviet Union in 1945. With the advent of the Cold War, two German states were formed in 1949: the western Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) and the eastern German Democratic Republic (GDR). The democratic FRG embedded itself in key Western economic and security organizations, the EC, which became the EU, and NATO, while the communist GDR was on the front line of the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact. The decline of the USSR and the end of the Cold War allowed for German unification in 1990. Since then Germany has expended considerable funds to bring eastern productivity and wages up to western standards. In January 2002, Germany and 11 other EU countries introduced a common European currency, the euro.

Geography Germany

Location: Central Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, between the Netherlands and Poland, south of Denmark

Geographic coordinates: 51 00 N, 9 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 357,021 sq km water: 7,798 sq km land: 349,223 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Montana

Land boundaries: total: 3,621 km border countries: Austria 784 km,
Belgium 167 km, Czech Republic 646 km, Denmark 68 km, France 451 km,
Luxembourg 138 km, Netherlands 577 km, Poland 456 km, Switzerland 334 km

Coastline: 2,389 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: temperate and marine; cool, cloudy, wet winters and summers; occasional warm foehn wind

Terrain: lowlands in north, uplands in center, Bavarian Alps in south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Freepsum Lake -2 m highest point:
Zugspitze 2,963 m

Natural resources: iron ore, coal, potash, timber, lignite, uranium, copper, natural gas, salt, nickel, arable land

Land use: arable land: 34% permanent crops: 1% other: 65% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 4,850 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: flooding

Environment - current issues: emissions from coal-burning utilities and industries contribute to air pollution; acid rain, resulting from sulfur dioxide emissions, is damaging forests; pollution in the Baltic Sea from raw sewage and industrial effluents from rivers in eastern Germany; hazardous waste disposal; government established a mechanism for ending the use of nuclear power over the next 15 years; government working to meet EU commitment to identify nature preservation areas in line with the EU's Flora, Fauna, and Habitat directive

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air
Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur
94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental
Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed,
but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note: strategic location on North European Plain and along the entrance to the Baltic Sea

People Germany

Population: 83,251,851 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 15.4% (male 6,568,699; female 6,227,148) 15-64 years: (male 5,546,140; female 8,607,361) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.26% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 8.99 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 10.36 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 3.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 4.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 81.09 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.39 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 37,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 600 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: German(s) adjective: German

Ethnic groups: German 91.5%, Turkish 2.4%, other 6.1% (made up largely of Serbo-Croatian, Italian, Russian, Greek, Polish, Spanish)

Religions: Protestant 34%, Roman Catholic 34%, Muslim 3.7%, unaffiliated or other 28.3%

Languages: German

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% (1977 est.) male: NA% female: NA%

Government Germany

Country name: conventional long form: Federal Republic of Germany conventional short form: Germany local short form: Deutschland former: German Empire, German Republic, German Reich local long form: Bundesrepublik Deutschland

Government type: federal republic

Capital: Berlin

Administrative divisions: 16 states (Laender, singular - Land);
Baden-Wuerttemberg, Bayern, Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg,
Hessen, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Niedersachsen, Nordrhein-Westfalen,
Rheinland-Pfalz, Saarland, Sachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein,
Thueringen

Independence: 18 January 1871 (German Empire unification); divided into four zones of occupation (UK, US, USSR, and later, France) in 1945 following World War II; Federal Republic of Germany (FRG or West Germany) proclaimed 23 May 1949 and included the former UK, US, and French zones; German Democratic Republic (GDR or East Germany) proclaimed 7 October 1949 and included the former USSR zone; unification of West Germany and East Germany took place 3 October 1990; all four powers formally relinquished rights 15 March 1991

National holiday: Unity Day, 3 October (1990)

Constitution: 23 May 1949, known as Basic Law; became constitution of the united German people 3 October 1990

Legal system: civil law system with indigenous concepts; judicial review of legislative acts in the Federal Constitutional Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: President Johannes RAU (since 1 July 1999) elections: all members of the Federal Assembly and an equal number of delegates elected by the state parliaments; election last held 23 May 1999 (next to be held 23 May 2004); chancellor elected by an absolute majority of the Federal Assembly for a four-year term; election last held 27 September 1998 (next to be held 22 September 2002) head of government: or Bundesminister (Federal Ministers) appointed by the president on the recommendation of the chancellor election results: Johannes RAU elected president; percent of Federal Convention vote - 57.6%; Gerhard SCHROEDER elected chancellor; percent of Federal Assembly - 52.7%

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Federal Assembly or Bundestag (656 seats usually, but 666 for the 1998 term; note - the number of seats will be reduced to 598 for 2002 elections; elected by popular vote under a system combining direct and proportional representation; a party must win 5% of the national vote or three direct mandates to gain representation; members serve four-year terms) and the Federal Council or Bundesrat (69 votes; state governments are directly represented by votes; each has 3 to 6 votes depending on population and are required to vote as a block) elections: Federal Assembly - last held 27 September 1998 (next to be held 22 September 2002); note - there are no elections for the Bundesrat; composition is determined by the composition of the state-level governments; the composition of the Bundesrat has the potential to change any time one of the 16 states holds an election election results: Federal Assembly - percent of vote by party - SPD 40.9%, Alliance '90/Greens 6.7%, CDU/CSU 35.1%, FDP 6.2%, PDS 5.1%; seats by party - SPD 294, Alliance '90/Greens 47, CDU/CSU 245, FDP 43, PDS 37; Federal Council - current composition - NA

Judicial branch: Federal Constitutional Court or Bundesverfassungsgericht (half the judges are elected by the Bundestag and half by the Bundesrat)

Political parties and leaders: Alliance '90/Greens [Claudia ROTH and Fritz KUHN]; Christian Democratic Union or CDU [Angela MERKEL]; Christian Social Union or CSU [Edmund STOIBER, chairman]; Free Democratic Party or FDP [Guido WESTERWELLE, chairman]; Party of Democratic Socialism or PDS [Gregor GYSI]; Social Democratic Party or SPD [Gerhard SCHROEDER, chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders: employers' organizations; expellee, refugee, trade unions, and veterans groups

International organization participation: AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group,
BDEAC, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CDB, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU,
FAO, G- 5, G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO,
ITU, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE,
PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOVIC,
UNOMIG, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: Ambassador Wolfgang Friedrich
ISHINGER consulate(s): Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York,
San Francisco FAX: [1] (202) 298-4249 telephone: [1] (202) 298-8140
chancery: 4645 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel R. COATS embassy: Neustaedtische Kirchstrasse 4-5, 10117 Berlin; note - a new embassy will be built near the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin mailing address: PSC 120, Box 1000, APO AE 09265 telephone: [49] (030) 8305-0 FAX: [49] (030) 238-6290 consulate(s) general: Duesseldorf, Frankfurt am Main, Hamburg, Leipzig, Munich

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and gold

Economy Germany

Economy - overview: Germany's affluent and technologically powerful economy turned in a relatively weak performance throughout much of the 1990s. The modernization and integration of the eastern German economy continues to be a costly long-term problem, with annual transfers from west to east amounting to roughly $70 billion. Germany's ageing population, combined with high unemployment, has pushed social security outlays to a level exceeding contributions from workers. Structural rigidities in the labor market - including strict regulations on laying off workers and the setting of wages on a national basis - have made unemployment a chronic problem. Business and income tax cuts introduced in 2001 did not spare Germany from the impact of the downturn in international trade, and domestic demand faltered as unemployment began to rise. The government expects growth to gain pace in the second half of 2002, but to fall short of 1% for the year again. Corporate restructuring and growing capital markets are setting the foundations that could allow Germany to meet the long-term challenges of European economic integration and globalization, particularly if labor market rigidities are addressed.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $2.174 trillion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 0.6% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $26,200 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 28% services: 71% (2000)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.6% highest 10%: 25.1% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 30 (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.4% (2001)

Labor force: 41.9 million (2001)

Labor force - by occupation: industry 33.4%, agriculture 2.8%, services 63.8% (1999)

Unemployment rate: 9.4% (2001)

Budget: revenues: $802 billion expenditures: $825 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Industries: among the world's largest and most technologically advanced producers of iron, steel, coal, cement, chemicals, machinery, vehicles, machine tools, electronics, food and beverages; shipbuilding; textiles

Industrial production growth rate: 0.2% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 537.328 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 63.08% hydro: 3.65% other: 3.27% (2000) nuclear: 30%

Electricity - consumption: 501.716 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 42.5 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 44.5 billion kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: potatoes, wheat, barley, sugar beets, fruit, cabbages; cattle, pigs, poultry

Exports: $560.7 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: machinery, vehicles, chemicals, metals and manufactures, foodstuffs, textiles

Exports - partners: EU 56% (France 11%, UK 8%, Italy 8%, Netherlands 6%,
Belgium/Luxembourg 5%), US 10%, Japan 2% (2000)

Imports: $472.9 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery, vehicles, chemicals, foodstuffs, textiles, metals

Imports - partners: EU 52% (France 10%, Netherlands 9%, Italy 7%, UK 7%,
Belgium/Luxembourg 5%), US 9%, Japan 5% (2000)

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid - donor: ODA, $5.6 billion (1998)

Currency: euro (EUR); deutsche mark (DEM) note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code: EUR; DEM

Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); deutsche marks per US dollar - 1.69 (January 1999), 1.7597 (1998), 1.7341 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Germany

Telephones - main lines in use: 50.9 million (March 2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 55.3 million (June 2001)

Telephone system: general assessment: Germany has one of the world's most technologically advanced telecommunications systems; as a result of intensive capital expenditures since reunification, the formerly backward system of the eastern part of the country, dating back to World War II, has been modernized and integrated with that of the western part domestic: exchanges connected by modern networks of fiber-optic cable, coaxial cable, microwave radio relay, and a domestic satellite system; cellular telephone service is widely available, expanding rapidly, and includes roaming service to many foreign countries international: Germany's international service is excellent worldwide, consisting of extensive land and undersea cable facilities as well as earth stations in the INMARSAT, INTELSAT, EUTELSAT, and INTERSPUTNIK satellite systems (2001)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 51, FM 787, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios: 77.8 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 373 (plus 8,042 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions: 51.4 million (1998)

Internet country code: .de

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 200 (2001)

Internet users: 28.64 million (2001)

Transportation Germany

Railways: total: 44,000 km (including at least 20,300 km electrified); most routes are double- or multiple-track note: since privatization in 1994, Deutsche Bahn AG (DBAG) no longer publishes details of the track it owns; in addition to the DBAG system there are 102 privately owned railway companies which own approximately 3,000 to 4,000 km of track (2001 est.)

Highways: total: 656,140 km paved: 650,891 km (including 11,400 km of expressways) unpaved: 5,249 km (all-weather) (1998 est.)

Waterways: 7,500 km note: major rivers include the Rhine and Elbe; Kiel Canal is an important connection between the Baltic Sea and North Sea (1999)

Pipelines: crude oil 2,240 km (2001)

Ports and harbors: Berlin, Bonn, Brake, Bremen, Bremerhaven, Cologne,
Dresden, Duisburg, Emden, Hamburg, Karlsruhe, Kiel, Luebeck, Magdeburg,
Mannheim, Rostock, Stuttgart

Merchant marine: total: 388 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,758,942 GRT/7,132,525 DWT ships by type: cargo 132, chemical tanker 10, container 219, liquefied gas 3, passenger 3, petroleum tanker 7, railcar carrier 2, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 4, short-sea passenger 7 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Chile 1, Finland 5, Iceland 1, Netherlands 3, Switzerland 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 625 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 325 over 3,047 m: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 55 914 to 1,523 m: 67 under 914 m: 127 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 65

Airports - with unpaved runways: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: Heliports: 59 (2001)

Military Germany

Military branches: Army, Navy (including naval air arm), Air Force,
Medical Corps, Joint Support Service

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 20,854,329 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 17,734,977 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 482,318 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $38.8 billion (2002)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.38% (2002)

Transnational Issues Germany

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: source of precursor chemicals for South American cocaine processors; transshipment point for and consumer of Southwest Asian heroin, Latin American cocaine, and European-produced synthetic drugs

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Glorioso Islands

Introduction

Glorioso Islands

Background: A French possession since 1892, the Glorioso Islands are composed of two lushly vegetated islands (Ile Glorieuse and Ile du Lys) and three rock islets. A military garrison operates a weather and radio station on Ile Glorieuse.

Geography Glorioso Islands

Location: Southern Africa, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, northwest of Madagascar

Geographic coordinates: 11 30 S, 47 20 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 5 sq km note: includes Ile Glorieuse, Ile du Lys, Verte
Rocks, Wreck Rock, and South Rock water: 0 sq km land: 5 sq km

Area - comparative: about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 35.2 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical

Terrain: low and flat

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 12 m

Natural resources: guano, coconuts

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (all lush vegetation and coconut palms) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: periodic cyclones

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: the islands and rocks are surrounded by an extensive reef system

People Glorioso Islands

Population: no indigenous inhabitants note: there is a small French military garrison (July 2002 est.)

Population growth rate: NA

Government Glorioso Islands

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Glorioso Islands local short form: Iles Glorieuses local long form: none

Dependency status: possession of France; administered by a high commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion

Legal system: the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (possession of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (possession of France)

Flag description: the flag of France is used

Economy Glorioso Islands

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Communications Glorioso Islands

Communications - note: 1 meteorological station

Transportation Glorioso Islands

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Airports: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)

Military Glorioso Islands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Glorioso Islands

Disputes - international: claimed by Madagascar

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Guadeloupe

Introduction

Guadeloupe

Background: Guadeloupe has been a French possession since 1635. The island of Saint Martin is shared with the Netherlands; its southern portion is named Sint Maarten and is part of the Netherlands Antilles and its northern portion is named Saint-Martin and is part of Guadeloupe

Geography Guadeloupe

Location: Caribbean, islands in the eastern Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates: 16 15 N, 61 35 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 1,780 sq km note: Guadeloupe is an archipelago of nine inhabited islands, including Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galante, La Desirade, Iles des Saintes (2), Saint-Barthelemy, Iles de la Petite Terre, and Saint-Martin (French part of the island of Saint Martin) water: 74 sq km land: 1,706 sq km

Area - comparative: 10 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 10.2 km border countries: Netherlands Antilles
(Sint Maarten) 10.2 km

Coastline: 306 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: subtropical tempered by trade winds; moderately high humidity

Terrain: Basse-Terre is volcanic in origin with interior mountains; Grande-Terre is low limestone formation; most of the seven other islands are volcanic in origin

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point:
Soufriere 1,484 m

Natural resources: cultivable land, beaches and climate that foster tourism

Land use: arable land: 11% permanent crops: 4% other: 85% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: hurricanes (June to October); Soufriere de Guadeloupe is an active volcano

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: a narrow channel, the Riviere Salee, divides Guadeloupe proper into two islands: the larger, western Basse-Terre and the smaller, eastern Grande-Terre

People Guadeloupe

Population: 435,739 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 24.9% (male 55,393; female 53,047) 15-64 years: 66.2% (male 142,945; female 145,757) 65 years and over: 8.9% (male 16,168; female 22,429) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.04% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 16.53 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 6.03 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 9.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 80.66 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.92 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Guadeloupian(s) adjective: Guadeloupe

Ethnic groups: black or mulatto 90%, white 5%, East Indian, Lebanese,
Chinese less than 5%

Religions: Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African 4%, Protestant 1%

Languages: French (official) 99%, Creole patois

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 90% male: 90% female: 90% (1982 est.)

Government Guadeloupe

Country name: Department of Guadeloupe conventional short form: la Guadeloupe

Dependency status: overseas department of France

Government type: NA

Capital: Basse-Terre

Administrative divisions: none (overseas department of France)

Independence: none (overseas department of France)

National holiday: Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system: French legal system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Jean-Francois CARENCO (since NA July 1999) election results: NA elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; the presidents of the General and Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils head of government: President of the General Council Jacques GILLOT (since 23 March 2001); President of the Regional Council Lucette MICHAUX-CHEVRY (since 22 March 1992) cabinet: NA

Legislative branch: unicameral General Council or Conseil General (42 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the unicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional (41 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) elections: General Council - last held 22 March 1998 (next to be held by NA 2004); Regional Council - last held 15 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2004) note: Guadeloupe elects two representatives to the French Senate; elections last held NA September 1995 (next to be held NA September 2004); percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPR 1, FGPS 1; Guadeloupe elects four representatives to the French National Assembly; elections last held 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2002); percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - diverse left parties 11, PS 8, RPR 8, PPDG 6, diverse right parties 5, PCG 3, UDF 1; Regional Council - percent of vote by party - RPR 48.03%, PS/PPDG/diverse left parties 24.49%, PCG 5.29%, diverse right parties 5.73%; seats by party - RPR 25, PS/PPDG/diverse left parties 12, PCG 2, diverse right parties 2

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel with jurisdiction over
Guadeloupe, French Guiana, and Martinique

Political parties and leaders: Communist Party of Guadeloupe or PCG
[Christian CELESTE]; FGPS [Dominique LARIFLA]; Progressive Democratic
Party or PPDG [Henri BANGOU]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [Aldo BLAISE];
Socialist Party or PS [Georges LOUISOR]; Union for French Democracy or
UDF [Marcel ESDRAS]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Christian Movement for the
Liberation of Guadeloupe or KLPG; General Federation of Guadeloupe
Workers or CGT-G; General Union of Guadeloupe Workers or UGTG; Movement
for Independent Guadeloupe or MPGI

International organization participation: FZ, WCL, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas department of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas department of France)

Flag description: the flag of France is used

Economy Guadeloupe

Economy - overview: The economy depends on agriculture, tourism, light industry, and services. It also depends on France for large subsidies and imports. Tourism is a key industry, with most tourists from the US; an increasingly large number of cruise ships visit the islands. The traditional sugarcane crop is slowly being replaced by other crops, such as bananas (which now supply about 50% of export earnings), eggplant, and flowers. Other vegetables and root crops are cultivated for local consumption, although Guadeloupe is still dependent on imported food, mainly from France. Light industry features sugar and rum production. Most manufactured goods and fuel are imported. Unemployment is especially high among the young. Hurricanes periodically devastate the economy.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $3.7 billion (1997 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: NA%

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $9,000 (1997 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 15% industry: 17% services: 68% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

Labor force: 125,900 (1997)

Labor force - by occupation: NA

Unemployment rate: 27.8% (1998)

Budget: revenues: $225 million expenditures: $390 million, including capital expenditures of $105 million (1996)

Industries: construction, cement, rum, sugar, tourism

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 1.39 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 1.293 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: bananas, sugarcane, tropical fruits and vegetables; cattle, pigs, goats

Exports: $140 million (f.o.b., 1997)

Exports - commodities: bananas, sugar, rum

Exports - partners: France 60%, Martinique 18%, US 4% (1997)

Imports: $1.7 billion (c.i.f., 1997)

Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, fuels, vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods, construction materials

Imports - partners: France 63%, Germany 4%, US 3%, Japan 2%, Netherlands
Antilles 2% (1997)

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid - recipient: $NA; note - substantial annual French subsidies

Currency: euro (EUR); French franc (FRF)

Currency code: EUR; FRF

Exchange rates: Euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Guadeloupe

Telephones - main lines in use: 171,000 (1996)

Telephones - mobile cellular: NA

Telephone system: general assessment: domestic facilities inadequate domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay to Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, and Martinique

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 17, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 113,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 5 (plus several low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 118,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .gp

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 3 (2000)

Internet users: 4,000 (2000)

Transportation Guadeloupe

Railways: total: NA km; privately owned, narrow-gauge plantation lines

Highways: total: 2,560 km paved: 965 km unpaved: 1,595 km (1996)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Basse-Terre, Gustavia (on Saint Barthelemy), Marigot,
Pointe-a-Pitre

Merchant marine: total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,240 GRT/109 DWT ships by type: passenger 1 note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: France 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 9 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 8 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 5 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2001)

Military Guadeloupe

Military branches: no regular indigenous military forces; French Forces,
Gendarmerie

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Guadeloupe

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Guam

Introduction

Guam

Background: Guam was ceded to the US by Spain in 1898. Captured by the Japanese in 1941, it was retaken by the US three years later. The military installation on the island is one of the most strategically important US bases in the Pacific.

Geography Guam

Location: Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines

Geographic coordinates: 13 28 N, 144 47 E

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 549 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 549 sq km

Area - comparative: three times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 125.5 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical marine; generally warm and humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season from January to June, rainy season from July to December; little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain: volcanic origin, surrounded by coral reefs; relatively flat coralline limestone plateau (source of most fresh water), with steep coastal cliffs and narrow coastal plains in north, low hills in center, mountains in south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point:
Mount Lamlam 406 m

Natural resources: fishing (largely undeveloped), tourism (especially from Japan)

Land use: arable land: 11% permanent crops: 11% other: 78% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare, but potentially very destructive typhoons (June - December)

Environment - current issues: extirpation of native bird population by the rapid proliferation of the brown tree snake, an exotic, invasive species

Geography - note: largest and southernmost island in the Mariana Islands archipelago; strategic location in western North Pacific Ocean

People Guam

Population: 160,796 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 35.1% (male 29,706; female 26,813) 15-64 years: 58.6% (male 49,457; female 44,697) 65 years and over: 6.3% (male 5,070; female 5,053) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.99% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 24.09 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 4.24 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.14 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.11 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 6.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 80.72 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 3.73 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Guamanian(s) adjective: Guamanian

Ethnic groups: Chamorro 37%, Filipino 26%, white 10%, Chinese, Japanese,
Korean, and other 27%

Religions: Roman Catholic 85%, other 15% (1999 est.)

Languages: English, Chamorro, Japanese

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (1990 est.)

Government Guam

Country name: Territory of Guam conventional short form: Dependency status: organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy relations between Guam and the US under the jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior

Government type: NA

Capital: Hagatna (Agana)

Administrative divisions: none (territory of the US)

Independence: none (territory of the US)

National holiday: Discovery Day, first Monday in March (1521)

Constitution: Organic Act of 1 August 1950

Legal system: modeled on US; US federal laws apply

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; US citizens, but do not vote in
US presidential elections

Executive branch: chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001) election results: Carl GUTIERREZ reelected governor; percent of vote - Carl GUTIERREZ (Democrat) 53.2%, Joseph ADA (Republican) 46.8% elections: US president and vice president elected on the same ticket for a four-year term; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 3 November 1998 (next to be held 5 November 2002) head of government: Governor Carl GUTIERREZ (since 8 November 1994) and Lieutenant Governor Madeleine BORDALLO (since 8 November 1994) cabinet: executive departments; heads appointed by the governor with the consent of the Guam legislature

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislature (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms) elections: last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held 5 November 2002) note: Guam elects one nonvoting delegate to the US House of Representatives; election last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held 5 November 2002); results - Robert UNDERWOOD was reelected as delegate; percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Democratic Party 1 election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Republican Party 8, Democratic Party 7

Judicial branch: Federal District Court (judge is appointed by the president); Territorial Superior Court (judges appointed for eight-year terms by the governor)

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party (party of Governor GUTIERREZ) [leader NA]; Republican Party (controls the legislature) [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ESCAP (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, SPC

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of the US)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of the US)

Flag description: territorial flag is dark blue with a narrow red border on all four sides; centered is a red-bordered, pointed, vertical ellipse containing a beach scene, outrigger canoe with sail, and a palm tree with the word GUAM superimposed in bold red letters; US flag is the national flag

Economy Guam

Economy - overview: The economy depends on US military spending, tourism, and the export of fish and handicrafts. Total US grants, wage payments, and procurement outlays amounted to $1 billion in 1998. Over the past 20 years, the tourist industry has grown rapidly, creating a construction boom for new hotels and the expansion of older ones. More than 1 million tourists visit Guam each year. The industry has recently suffered setbacks because of the continuing Japanese slowdown; the Japanese normally make up almost 90% of the tourists. Most food and industrial goods are imported. Guam faces the problem of building up the civilian economic sector to offset the impact of military downsizing.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $3.2 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: NA%

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $21,000 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: 15% (1993) services: NA%

Population below poverty line: 23% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0% (1999 est.)

Labor force: 60,000 (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: federal and territorial government 26%, private 74% (trade 24%, other services 40%, industry 10%) (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: 15% (2000 est.)

Budget: revenues: $420 million expenditures: $431 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Industries: US military, tourism, construction, transshipment services, concrete products, printing and publishing, food processing, textiles

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 825 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 767.25 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: fruits, copra, vegetables; eggs, pork, poultry, beef

Exports: $75.7 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Exports - commodities: mostly transshipments of refined petroleum products; construction materials, fish, food and beverage products

Exports - partners: US 25%

Imports: $203 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Imports - commodities: petroleum and petroleum products, food, manufactured goods

Imports - partners: US 23%, Japan 19%

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid - recipient: Guam receives large transfer payments from the US Federal Treasury ($143 million in 1997) into which Guamanians pay no income or excise taxes; under the provisions of a special law of Congress, the Guam Treasury, rather than the US Treasury, receives federal income taxes paid by military and civilian Federal employees stationed in Guam

Currency: US dollar (USD)

Currency code: USD

Exchange rates: the US dollar is used

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

Communications Guam

Telephones - main lines in use: 84,134 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 55,000 (1998)

Telephone system: general assessment: modern system, integrated with US facilities for direct dialing, including free use of 800 numbers domestic: modern digital system, including cellular mobile service and local access to the Internet international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); submarine cables to US and Japan (Guam is a trans-Pacific communications hub for MCI, Sprint, AT&T, IT&E, and GTE, linking the US and Asia)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 7, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 221,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 5 (1997)

Televisions: 106,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .gu

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 20 (2000)

Internet users: 5,000 (2000)

Transportation Guam

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 885 km paved: 675 km unpaved: 210 km note: there are also 685 km of roads classified non-public, including roads located on federal government installations

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Apra Harbor

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: 5 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2001)

Military Guam

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Guam

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Greece

Introduction

Greece

Background: Greece achieved its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1829. During the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, it gradually added neighboring islands and territories with Greek-speaking populations. Following the defeat of Communist rebels in 1949, Greece joined NATO in 1952. A military dictatorship, which in 1967 suspended many political liberties and forced the king to flee the country, lasted seven years. Democratic elections in 1974 and a referendum created a parliamentary republic and abolished the monarchy; Greece joined the European Community or EC in 1981 (which became the EU in 1992).

Geography Greece

Location: Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey

Geographic coordinates: 39 00 N, 22 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 131,940 sq km water: 1,140 sq km land: 130,800 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Alabama

Land boundaries: total: 1,228 km border countries: Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 246 km

Coastline: 13,676 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation territorial sea: 6 NM

Climate: temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers

Terrain: mostly mountains with ranges extending into the sea as peninsulas or chains of islands

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point:
Mount Olympus 2,917 m

Natural resources: bauxite, lignite, magnesite, petroleum, marble, hydropower potential

Land use: arable land: 22% permanent crops: 9% other: 69% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 14,220 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: severe earthquakes

Environment - current issues: air pollution; water pollution

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution,
Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:
Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile
Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note: strategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and southern approach to Turkish Straits; a peninsular country, possessing an archipelago of about 2,000 islands

People Greece

Population: 10,645,343 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 14.8% (male 814,605; female 765,613) 15-64 years: 67.1% (male 3,579,945; female 3,564,068) 65 years and over: 18.1% (male 851,087; female 1,070,025) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.2% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 9.82 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 9.79 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 1.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 6.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 81.48 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.34 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.16% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 8,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Greek(s) adjective: Greek

Ethnic groups: Greek 98%, other 2% note: the Greek Government states there are no ethnic divisions in Greece

Religions: Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7%

Languages: Greek 99% (official), English, French

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 98.5% female: 96% (1999)

Government Greece

Country name: conventional long form: Hellenic Republic conventional short form: Greece local short form: Ellas or Ellada former: Kingdom of Greece local long form: Elliniki Dhimokratia

Government type: parliamentary republic; monarchy rejected by referendum 8 December 1974

Capital: Athens

Administrative divisions: 51 prefectures (nomoi, singular - nomos)and
1 autonomous region*; Agion Oros* (Mt. Athos), Achaia, Aitolia kai
Akarmania, Argolis, Arkadia, Arta, Attiki, Chalkidiki, Chanion, Chios,
Dodekanisos, Drama, Evros, Evrytania, Evvoia, Florina, Fokidos, Fthiotis,
Grevena, Ileia, Imathia, Ioannina, Irakleion, Karditsa, Kastoria, Kavala,
Kefallinia, Kerkyra, Kilkis, Korinthia, Kozani, Kyklades, Lakonia,
Larisa, Lasithi, Lefkas, Lesvos, Magnisia, Messinia, Pella, Pieria,
Preveza, Rethynnis, Rodopi, Samos, Serrai, Thesprotia, Thessaloniki,
Trikala, Voiotia, Xanthi, Zakynthos

Independence: 1829 (from the Ottoman Empire)

National holiday: Independence Day, 25 March (1821)

Constitution: 11 June 1975; amended March 1986 and April 2001

Legal system: based on codified Roman law; judiciary divided into civil, criminal, and administrative courts

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch: chief of state: President Konstandinos (Kostis) STEPHANOPOULOS (since 10 March 1995) elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term; election last held 8 February 2000 (next to be held by NA February 2005); prime minister appointed by the president head of government: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister election results: Konstandinos STEPHANOPOULOS reelected president; percent of Parliament vote - 90%

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Vouli ton Ellinon (300 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: election results: percent of vote by party - PASOK 43.8%, ND 42.7%, KKE 5.5%, Coalition of the Left and Progress 3.2%; seats by party - PASOK 158, ND 125, KKE 11, Coalition of the Left and Progress 6; note - seats by party as of January 2002 - PASOK 156, ND 122, KKE 11, Coalition of the Left and Progress 6, independents 5

Judicial branch: Supreme Judicial Court; Special Supreme Tribunal; all judges appointed for life by the president after consultation with a judicial council

Political parties and leaders: Coalition of the Left and Progress
(Synaspismos) [Nikolaos KONSTANDOPOULOS]; Communist Party of Greece or
KKE [Aleka PAPARIGA]; New Democracy or ND (conservative) [Konstandinos
KARAMANLIS]; Panhellenic Socialist Movement or PASOK [Konstandinos
SIMITIS]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: Australia Group, BIS, BSEC,
CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, G- 6, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS
(observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UPU, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Alexandros PHILON; note - expected to be replaced by Yeorgios SAVVAIDHIS in 2002 consulate(s): Atlanta, Houston, and New Orleans consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco FAX: [1] (202) 939-5824 telephone: [1] (202) 939-5800 chancery: 2221 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Thomas J. MILLER embassy: 91 Vassilissis Sophias Boulevard, GR-10160
Athens mailing address: PSC 108, APO AE 09842-0108 telephone: [30]
(10) 721-2951 FAX: [30] (10) 645-6282 consulate(s) general: Thessaloniki

Flag description: nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white; there is a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white cross; the cross symbolizes Greek Orthodoxy, the established religion of the country

Economy Greece

Economy - overview: Greece has a mixed capitalist economy with the public sector accounting for about half of GDP. Tourism is a key industry, providing a large portion of GDP and foreign exchange earnings. Greece is a major beneficiary of EU aid, equal to about 3.3% of GDP. The economy has improved steadily over the last few years, as the government tightened policy in the run-up to Greece's entry into the EU's Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) on 1 January 2001. Major challenges remaining include the reduction of unemployment and further restructuring of the economy, including privatizing several state enterprises, undertaking social security reforms, overhauling the tax system, and minimizing bureaucratic inefficiencies. Economic growth is forecast at 3%-3.5% in 2002.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $189.7 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3.7% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $17,900 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 8.3% industry: 27.3% services: 64.4% (1998)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3% highest 10%: 25.3% (1993 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 32.7 (1993)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.4% (2001)

Labor force: 4.32 million (1999 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: industry 21%, agriculture 20%, services 59% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: 11% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $45 billion expenditures: $47.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)

Industries: tourism; food and tobacco processing, textiles; chemicals, metal products; mining, petroleum

Industrial production growth rate: 7% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production: 49.581 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 91.53% hydro: 6.6% other: 1.87% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 46.099 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 1.74 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 1.729 billion kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives, tomatoes, wine, tobacco, potatoes; beef, dairy products

Exports: $12.5 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Exports - commodities: food and beverages, manufactured goods, petroleum products, chemicals, textiles

Exports - partners: EU 44% (Germany 12%, Italy 9%, UK 6%), US 5% (2000)

Imports: $30.3 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Imports - commodities: machinery, transport equipment, fuels, chemicals

Imports - partners: EU 59% (Germany 13%, Italy 13%, France 7%,
Netherlands 6%, UK 5%), US 3% (2000)

Debt - external: $57 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $5.4 billion from EU (1997 est.)

Currency: euro (EUR); drachma (GRD) note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code: EUR; GRD

Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001); drachmae per US dollar - 380.21 (December 2000), 365.40 (2000), 305.65 (1999), 295.53 (1998), 273.06 (1997) note: in January 2001, the drachma became a participating currency within the Eurosystem, and the euro market rate became applicable to all transactions

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Greece

Telephones - main lines in use: 5.431 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 937,700 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: adequate, modern networks reach all areas; good mobile telephone and international service domestic: microwave radio relay trunk system; extensive open wire connections; submarine cable to offshore islands international: tropospheric scatter; 8 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 26, FM 88, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios: 5.02 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 36 (plus 1,341 low-power repeaters); also two stations in the US Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (1995)

Televisions: 2.54 million (1997)

Internet country code: .gr

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 27 (2000)

Internet users: 1.33 million (1999)

Transportation Greece

Railways: total: 2,571 km standard gauge: 1,565 km 1.435-m gauge (36 km electrified) narrow gauge: 961 km 1.000-m gauge; 22 km 0.750-m gauge (a rack-type railway for steep grades) dual gauge: 23 km combined 1.435-m and 1.000-m gauges (three rail system) (2001 est.)

Highways: total: 117,000 km paved: 107,406 km (including 470 km of expressways) unpaved: 9,594 km (1996)

Waterways: 80 km note: system consists of three coastal canals including the Corinth Canal (6 km) which crosses the Isthmus of Corinth connecting the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf and shortens the sea voyage from the Adriatic to Peiraiefs (Piraeus) by 325 km; there are also three unconnected rivers

Pipelines: crude oil 26 km; petroleum products 547 km

Ports and harbors: Alexandroupolis, Elefsis, Irakleion (Crete), Kavala,
Kerkyra, Chalkis, Igoumenitsa, Lavrion, Patrai, Peiraiefs (Piraeus),
Thessaloniki, Volos

Merchant marine: total: 802 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 27,998,523 GRT/49,458,125 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Ireland 1, Japan 1, Liberia 1, Norway 1, Panama 2, Russia 1, Saudi Arabia 1, United Kingdom 1 (2002 est.) ships by type: bulk 294, cargo 54, chemical tanker 25, combination bulk 7, combination ore/oil 5, container 45, liquefied gas 7, multi-functional large-load carrier 1, passenger 13, petroleum tanker 265, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 23, short-sea passenger 54, specialized tanker 4, vehicle carrier 2

Airports: 79 (note - new Athens airport at Spafa opened in March 2001) (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 65 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 15 914 to 1,523 m: 16 under 914 m: 9 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 10 (2001)

Heliports: 4 (2001)

Military Greece

Military branches: Hellenic Army, Hellenic Navy, Hellenic Air Force,
Police, National Guard

Military manpower - military age: 21 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 2,668,872 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 2,034,192 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 77,976 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $6.12 billion (FY99/00 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 4.91% (FY99/00 est.)

Transnational Issues Greece

Disputes - international: Greece and Turkey have resumed discussions to resolve their complex maritime, air, territorial, and boundary disputes in the Aegean Sea; Cyprus question with Turkey; dispute with The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia over its name

Illicit drugs: a gateway to Europe for traffickers smuggling cannabis and heroin from the Middle East and Southwest Asia to the West and precursor chemicals to the East; some South American cocaine transits or is consumed in Greece

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Guatemala

Introduction

Guatemala

Background: Guatemala was freed of Spanish colonial rule in 1821. During the second half of the 20th century, it experienced a variety of military and civilian governments as well as a 36-year guerrilla war. In 1996, the government signed a peace agreement formally ending the conflict, which had led to the death of more than 100,000 people and had created some 1 million refugees.

Geography Guatemala

Location: Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Honduras and Belize and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador and Mexico

Geographic coordinates: 15 30 N, 90 15 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 108,890 sq km water: 460 sq km land: 108,430 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Tennessee

Land boundaries: total: 1,687 km border countries: Belize 266 km,
El Salvador 203 km, Honduras 256 km, Mexico 962 km

Coastline: 400 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands

Terrain: mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling limestone plateau (Peten)

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point:
Volcan Tajumulco 4,211 m

Natural resources: petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 13% permanent crops: 5% other: 82% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,250 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and other tropical storms

Environment - current issues: deforestation in the Peten rainforest; soil erosion; water pollution

Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol

Geography - note: no natural harbors on west coast

People Guatemala

Population: 13,314,079 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 41.8% (male 2,841,486; female 2,725,343) 15-64 years: 54.5% (male 3,629,363; female 3,630,273) 65 years and over: 3.7% (male 227,369; female 260,245) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.57% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 34.17 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 6.67 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.79 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 44.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 69.66 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 4.51 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 1.38% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 73,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 3,600 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Guatemalan(s) adjective: Guatemalan

Ethnic groups: Mestizo (mixed Amerindian-Spanish or assimilated
Amerindian - in local Spanish called Ladino), approximately 55%,
Amerindian or predominantly Amerindian, approximately 43%, whites and
others 2%

Religions: Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Mayan beliefs

Languages: Spanish 60%, Amerindian languages 40% (more than 20 Amerindian languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi, Mam, Garifuna, and Xinca)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 63.6% male: 68.7% female: 58.5% (2000 est.)

Government Guatemala

Country name: Republic of Guatemala conventional short form: Guatemala

Government type: constitutional democratic republic

Capital: Guatemala

Administrative divisions: 22 departments (departamentos, singular -
departamento); Alta Verapaz, Baja Verapaz, Chimaltenango, Chiquimula, El
Progreso, Escuintla, Guatemala, Huehuetenango, Izabal, Jalapa, Jutiapa,
Peten, Quetzaltenango, Quiche, Retalhuleu, Sacatepequez, San Marcos,
Santa Rosa, Solola, Suchitepequez, Totonicapan, Zacapa

Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution: 31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986; note - suspended 25 May 1993 by former President SERRANO; reinstated 5 June 1993 following ouster of president; amended November 1993

Legal system: civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal (active duty members of the armed forces may not vote)

Executive branch: chief of state: President Alfonso Antonio PORTILLO Cabrera (since 14 January 2000); Vice President Juan Francisco REYES Lopez (since 14 January 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Alfonso Antonio PORTILLO Cabrera (since 14 January 2000); Vice President Juan Francisco REYES Lopez (since 14 January 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 7 November 1999; runoff held 26 December 1999 (next to be held NA November 2003) election results: Alfonso Antonio PORTILLO Cabrera elected president; percent of vote - Alfonso Antonio PORTILLO Cabrera (FRG) 68%, Oscar BERGER Perdomo (PAN) 32%

Legislative branch: unicameral Congress of the Republic or Congreso de la Republica (113 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 7 November 1999 (next to be held NA November 2003) note: for the 7 November 1999 election, the number of congressional seats increased to 113 from 80 election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - FRG 63, PAN 37, ANN 9, DCG 2, UD/LOV 1, PLP 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (thirteen members serve concurrent five-year terms and elect a president of the Court each year from among their number; the president of the Supreme Court of Justice also supervises trial judges around the country, who are named to five-year terms); Constitutional Court or Corte de Constitutcionalidad (five judges are elected for concurrent five-year terms by Congress, each serving one year as president of the Constitutional Court; one is elected by Congress, one elected by the Supreme Court of Justice, one appointed by the President, one elected by Superior Counsel of Universidad San Carlos de Guatemala, and one by Colegio de Abogados)

Political parties and leaders: Authentic Integral Development or DIA [Jorge Luis ORTEGA]; Democratic Union or UD [Jose Luis CHEA Urruela]; Green Party or LOV [Jose ASTURIAS Rudecke]; Guatemalan Christian Democracy or DCG [Vinicio CEREZO Arevalo]; Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity or URNG [Pablo MONSANTO, also known as Jorge SOTO]; Guatemalan Republican Front or FRG [Efrain RIOS Montt]; New Nation Alliance or ANN [leader NA], which includes the URNG; National Advancement Party or PAN [Leonel LOPEZ Rodas]; Progressive Liberator Party or PLP [Acisclo VALLADARES Molina]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Agrarian Owners Group or UNAGRO;
Alliance Against Impunity or AAI; Committee for Campesino Unity or CUC;
Coordinating Committee of Agricultural, Commercial, Industrial, and
Financial Associations or CACIF; Mutual Support Group or GAM

International organization participation: BCIE, CACM, CCC, ECLAC, FAO,
G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES,
LAIA (observer), NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ariel RIVERA Irias chancery: 2220 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Francisco FAX: [1] (202) 745-1908 telephone: [1] (202) 745-4952

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Prudence BUSHNELL embassy: 7-01 Avenida APO AA 34024 telephone: Flag description: three equal vertical bands of light blue (hoist side), white, and light blue with the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms includes a green and red quetzal (the national bird) and a scroll bearing the inscription LIBERTAD 15 DE SEPTIEMBRE DE 1821 (the original date of independence from Spain) all superimposed on a pair of crossed rifles and a pair of crossed swords and framed by a wreath

Economy Guatemala

Economy - overview: The agricultural sector accounts for about one-fourth of GDP, two-thirds of exports, and half of the labor force. Coffee, sugar, and bananas are the main products. Former President ARZU (1996-2000) worked to implement a program of economic liberalization and political modernization. The 1996 signing of the peace accords, which ended 36 years of civil war, removed a major obstacle to foreign investment. In 1998, Hurricane Mitch caused relatively little damage to Guatemala compared to its neighbors. Ongoing challenges include increasing government revenues, negotiating further assistance from international donors, and increasing the efficiency and openness of both government and private financial operations. Despite low international prices for Guatemala's main commodities, the economy grew by 3% in 2000 and 2.3% in 2001. Guatemala, along with Honduras and El Salvador, recently concluded a free trade agreement with Mexico and has moved to protect international property rights. However, the PORTILLO administration has undertaken a review of privatizations under the previous administration, thereby creating some uncertainty among investors.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $48.3 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 2.3% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,700 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 23% industry: 20% services: 57% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 60% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 46% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 55.8 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.6% (2001)

Labor force: 4.2 million (1999 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 50%, industry 15%, services 35% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: 7.5% (1999 est.)

Budget: revenues: $2.1 billion expenditures: $2.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Industries: sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals, petroleum, metals, rubber, tourism

Industrial production growth rate: 4.1% (1999)

Electricity - production: 5.929 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 50.35% hydro: 44.54% other: 5.11% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 4.797 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 840 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 123 million kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: sugarcane, corn, bananas, coffee, beans, cardamom; cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens

Exports: $2.9 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Exports - commodities: coffee, sugar, bananas, fruits and vegetables, cardamom, meat, apparel, petroleum, electricity

Exports - partners: US 57%, El Salvador 8.7%, Costa Rica 3.7%, Nicaragua 2.8%, Germany 2.6% (2000)

Imports: $4.9 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Imports - commodities: fuels, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, grain, fertilizers, electricity

Imports - partners: US 35.2%, Mexico 12.6%, South Korea 7.9%, El Salvador 6.4%, Venezuela 3.9% (2000)

Debt - external: $4.5 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $212 million (1995)

Currency: quetzal (GTQ), US dollar (USD), others allowed

Currency code: GTQ; USD

Exchange rates: quetzales per US dollar - 8.0165 (January 2002), 7.8586 (2001), 7.7632 (2000), 7.3856 (1999), 6.3947 (1998), 6.0653 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Guatemala

Telephones - main lines in use: 665,061 (June 2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 663,296 (September 2000)

Telephone system: general assessment: fairly modern network centered
in the city of Guatemala domestic: NA international: connected to
Central American Microwave System; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
(Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 130, FM 487, shortwave 15 (2000)

Radios: 835,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 26 (plus 27 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 1.323 million (1997)

Internet country code: .gt

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 5 (2000)

Internet users: 65,000 (2000)

Transportation Guatemala

Railways: 884 km 0.914-m gauge (single-track) note: Highways: total: 13,856 km paved: 4,370 km (including 140 km of expressways) unpaved: 9,486 km (1998)

Waterways: 990 km note: 260 km navigable year round; additional 730 km navigable during highwater season

Pipelines: crude oil 275 km

Ports and harbors: Champerico, Puerto Barrios, Puerto Quetzal, San Jose,
Santo Tomas de Castilla

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: 475 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: 2 914 to 1,523 m: Airports - with unpaved runways: 9 914 to 1,523 m: Military Guatemala

Military branches: Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 3,186,894 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 2,080,504 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 140,358 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $120 million (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.6% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Guatemala

Disputes - international: the "Line of Adjacency", established as an agreed limit in 2000 to check squatters settling in Belize, remains in place while OAS assists states to resolve Guatemalan territorial claims in Belize and Guatemalan maritime access to the Caribbean Sea

Illicit drugs: transit country for cocaine and heroin; minor producer of illicit opium poppy and cannabis for mostly domestic consumption; proximity to Mexico makes Guatemala a major staging area for drugs (cocaine and heroin shipments); money laundering is a serious problem; corruption is a major problem

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Guinea

Introduction

Guinea

Background: Independent from France since 1958, Guinea did not hold democratic elections until 1993 when Gen. Lansana CONTE (head of the military government) was elected president of the civilian government. He was reelected in 1998. Unrest in Sierra Leone has spilled over into Guinea, threatening stability and creating a humanitarian emergency.

Geography Guinea

Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone

Geographic coordinates: 11 00 N, 10 00 W

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 245,857 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 245,857 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries: total: 3,399 km border countries: Cote d'Ivoire 610 km, Guinea-Bissau 386 km, Liberia 563 km, Mali 858 km, Senegal 330 km, Sierra Leone 652 km

Coastline: 320 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds

Terrain: generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Mont Nimba 1,752 m

Natural resources: bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, uranium, hydropower, fish

Land use: arable land: 4% permanent crops: 2% other: 94% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 950 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season

Environment - current issues: deforestation; inadequate supplies of potable water; desertification; soil contamination and erosion; overfishing, overpopulation in forest region; poor mining practices have led to environmental damage

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,
Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Geography - note: the
Niger and its important tributary the Milo have their sources in the
Guinean highlands

People Guinea

Population: 7,775,065 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 42.8% (male 1,660,795; female 1,669,850) 15-64 years: 54.5% (male 2,067,991; female 2,165,625) 65 years and over: 2.7% (male 86,968; female 123,836) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.23% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 39.49 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 17.24 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: as a result of civil war in neighboring countries, Guinea is host to approximately 150,000 Liberian and Sierra Leonean refugees (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 127.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 48.82 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 5.32 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 1.54% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 55,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 5,600 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Guinean(s) adjective: Guinean

Ethnic groups: Peuhl 40%, Malinke 30%, Soussou 20%, smaller ethnic groups 10%

Religions: Muslim 85%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 7%

Languages: French (official), each ethnic group has its own language

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 35.9% male: 49.9% female: 21.9% (1995 est.)

Government Guinea

Country name: Republic of Guinea conventional short form: Republique de Guinee

Government type: republic

Capital: Conakry

Administrative divisions: 33 prefectures and 1 special zone (zone
special)*; Beyla, Boffa, Boke, Conakry*, Coyah, Dabola, Dalaba,
Dinguiraye, Dubreka, Faranah, Forecariah, Fria, Gaoual, Gueckedou,
Kankan, Kerouane, Kindia, Kissidougou, Koubia, Koundara, Kouroussa,
Labe, Lelouma, Lola, Macenta, Mali, Mamou, Mandiana, Nzerekore, Pita,
Siguiri, Telimele, Tougue, Yomou

Independence: 2 October 1958 (from France)

National holiday: Independence Day, 2 October (1958)

Constitution: 23 December 1990 (Loi Fundamentale)

Legal system: based on French civil law system, customary law, and decree; legal codes currently being revised; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Lansana CONTE (head of military government since 5 April 1984, elected president 19 December 1993) head of government: Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; candidate must receive a majority of the votes cast to be elected president; election last held 14 December 1998 (next to be held NA December 2003); the prime minister is appointed by the president election results: Lansana CONTE reelected president; percent of vote - Lansana CONTE (PUP) 56.1%, Mamadou Boye BA (UNR-PRP) 24.6%, Alpha CONDE (RPG) 16.6%,

Legislative branch: unicameral People's National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale Populaire (114 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 11 June 1995 (next election postponed indefinitely) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PUP 71, RPG 19, PRP 9, UNR 9, UPG 2, PDG-AST 1, UNP 1, PDG-RDA 1, other 1

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party of Guinea or PDG-AST
[Marcel CROS]; Democratic Party of Guinea-African Democratic Rally
or PDG-RDA [El Hadj Ismael Mohamed Gassim GUSHEIN]; National Union for
Progress or UNP [Paul Louis FABER]; Party for Renewal and Progress or PRP;
Party for Unity and Progress or PUP [Lansana CONTE] - the governing party;
People's Party of Guinea or PPG [Pascal TOLNO]; Rally for the Guinean
People or RPG [Alpha CONDE]; Union for Progress and Renewal or UPR; note -
Party for Renewal and Progress or PRP and Union for the New Republic or
UNR merged into UPR [Siradiou DIALLO]; Union for Progress of Guinea or UPG
[Jean-Marie DORE, secretary-general]; Union for the New Republic or UNR
[Mamadou Boye BA]; Union of Republican Forces or UFR [Sidya TOURE]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA,
ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MINURSO,
NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNAMSIL,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mohamed Aly THIAM FAX: [1] (202) 483-8688 telephone: [1] (202) 483-9420 chancery: 2112 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Barrie WALKLEY embassy: Rue Ka 038, Conakry mailing address: B. P. 603,
Conakry telephone: [224] 41 15 20, 41 15 21, 41 15 23 FAX: [224] 41 15 22

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of red (hoist side), yellow, and green; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy Guinea

Economy - overview: Guinea possesses major mineral, hydropower, and agricultural resources, yet remains an underdeveloped nation. The country possesses over 30% of the world's bauxite reserves and is the second largest bauxite producer. The mining sector accounted for about 75% of exports in 1999. Long-run improvements in government fiscal arrangements, literacy, and the legal framework are needed if the country is to move out of poverty. The government made encouraging progress in budget management in 1997-99, and reform progress was praised in the World Bank/IMF October 2000 assessment. However, escalating fighting along the Sierra Leonean and Liberian borders has caused major economic disruptions. In addition to direct defense costs, the violence has led to a sharp decline in investor confidence. Foreign mining companies have reduced expatriate staff, while panic buying has created food shortages and inflation in local markets. Multilateral aid - including Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) debt relief - and single digit inflation should permit 5% growth in 2002.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $15 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3.3% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,970 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 24% industry: 38% services: 38% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 40% (1994 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 32% (1994)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 40.3 (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 3 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 80%, industry and services 20% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $395.7 million expenditures: $472.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA million (2000 est.)

Industries: bauxite, gold, diamonds; alumina refining; light manufacturing and agricultural processing industries

Industrial production growth rate: 3.2% (1994)

Electricity - production: 770 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 46.1% hydro: 53.9% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 716.1 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: rice, coffee, pineapples, palm kernels, cassava (tapioca), bananas, sweet potatoes; cattle, sheep, goats; timber

Exports: $694.5 million (f.o.b., 2000)

Exports - commodities: bauxite, alumina, gold, diamonds, coffee, fish, agricultural products

Exports - partners: Belgium, US, Ireland, Russia

Imports: $555.2 million (f.o.b., 2000)

Imports - commodities: petroleum products, metals, machinery, transport equipment, textiles, grain and other foodstuffs

Imports - partners: France, US, Belgium, Cote d'Ivoire

Debt - external: $3.6 billion (1999 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $359.2 million (1998)

Currency: Guinean franc (GNF)

Currency code: GNF

Exchange rates: Guinean francs per US dollar - 1,974.4 (December 2001), 1,950.6 (2001), 1,746.9 (2000), 1,387.4 (1999), 1,236.8 (1998), 1,095.3 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Guinea

Telephones - main lines in use: 37,000 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 21,567 (1998)

Telephone system: general assessment: poor to fair system of open-wire lines, small radiotelephone communication stations, and new microwave radio relay system domestic: microwave radio relay and radiotelephone communication international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 4 (one station is inactive), FM 1 (plus 7 repeaters), shortwave 3 (2001)

Radios: 357,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (2001)

Televisions: 85,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .gn

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 4 (2001)

Internet users: 8,000 (2000)

Transportation Guinea

Railways: total: 1,086 km standard gauge: 279 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 807 km 1.000-m gauge (includes 662 km in common carrier service from Kankan to Conakry) (2000 est.)

Highways: total: 30,500 km paved: 5,033 km unpaved: 25,467 km (1996)

Waterways: 1,295 km (navigable by shallow-draft native craft)

Ports and harbors: Boke, Conakry, Kamsar

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: 15 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2001)

Military Guinea

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Republican Guard, Presidential
Guard, paramilitary National Gendarmerie, National Police Force (Surete
National)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,812,131 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 915,028 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $137.6 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.3% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Guinea

Disputes - international: major border incursions from Revolutionary United Front combatants from Sierra Leone, dissident Guinean forces, Liberian Army, and mercenaries between September 2000 and March 2001 killed over 1,500 Guinean civilians and military personnel; the borders remain mostly sealed

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Guyana

Introduction

Guyana

Background: Guyana achieved independence from the UK in 1966 and became a republic in 1970. In 1989 Guyana launched an Economic Recovery Program, which marked a dramatic reversal from a state-controlled, socialist economy towards a more open, free market system. Results through the first decade have proven encouraging.

Geography Guyana

Location: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Suriname and Venezuela

Geographic coordinates: 5 00 N, 59 00 W

Map references: South America

Area: total: 214,970 sq km water: 18,120 sq km land: 196,850 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Idaho

Land boundaries: total: 2,462 km border countries: Brazil 1,119 km,
Suriname 600 km, Venezuela 743 km

Coastline: 459 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200 NM or to the outer edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two rainy seasons (May to mid-August, mid-November to mid-January)

Terrain: mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Mount Roraima 2,835 m

Natural resources: bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish

Land use: arable land: 2% permanent crops: 0% other: 98% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,500 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: flash floods are a constant threat during rainy seasons

Environment - current issues: water pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrial chemicals; deforestation

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: the third-smallest country in South America after Suriname and Uruguay; substantial portions of its western and eastern territories are claimed by Venezuela and Suriname respectively

People Guyana

Population: 698,209 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 27.6% (male 98,198; female 94,397) 15-64 years: 67.4% (male 237,324; female 233,400) 65 years and over: 5% (male 15,510; female 19,380) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.23% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 17.89 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 9.33 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -6.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 38.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 65.34 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.09 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 3.01% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 15,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 900 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Guyanese (singular and plural) adjective: Guyanese

Ethnic groups: East Indian 50%, black 36%, Amerindian 7%, white, Chinese, and mixed 7%

Religions: Christian 50%, Hindu 35%, Muslim 10%, other 5%

Languages: English, Amerindian dialects, Creole, Hindi, Urdu

Literacy: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population:
Government Guyana

Country name: conventional long form: Co-operative Republic of Guyana conventional short form: Guyana former: British Guiana

Government type: republic within the Commonwealth

Capital: Georgetown

Administrative divisions: 10 regions; Barima-Waini, Cuyuni-Mazaruni,
Demerara-Mahaica, East Berbice-Corentyne, Essequibo Islands-West
Demerara, Mahaica-Berbice, Pomeroon-Supenaam, Potaro-Siparuni, Upper
Demerara-Berbice, Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo

Independence: 26 May 1966 (from UK)

National holiday: Republic Day, 23 February (1970)

Constitution: 6 October 1980

Legal system: based on English common law with certain admixtures of
Roman-Dutch law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Bharrat JAGDEO (since 11 August 1999); note - assumed presidency after resignation of President JAGAN head of government: Prime Minister Samuel HINDS (since NA December 1997) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president, responsible to the legislature elections: president elected by the majority party in the National Assembly following legislative elections, which must be held at least every five years; elections last held 19 March 2001 (next to be held by March 2006); prime minister appointed by the president election results: President Bharrat JAGDEO reelected; percent of legislative vote - NA%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (68 seats, 65 elected by popular vote, 1 elected Speaker of the National Assembly, and 2 nonvoting members appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms) elections: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PPP/C 34, PNC 27, GAP and WPA 2, ROAR 1, TUF 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Judicature; Judicial Court of Appeal;
High Court

Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Guyana or AFG (includes
Guyana Labor Party or GLP and Working People's Alliance or WPA) [Rupert
ROOPNARAINE]; Guyana Action Party or GAP [Paul HARDY]; Guyana Labor Party
or GLP [leader NA]; People's National Congress or PNC [Hugh Desmond
HOYTE]; People's Progressive Party/Civic or PPP/C [Bharrat JAGDEO];
Rise, Organize, and Rebuild or ROAR [Ravi DEV]; The United Force or TUF
[Manzoor NADIR]; Working People's Alliance or WPA [Rupert ROOPNARAINE]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Civil Liberties Action Committee or CLAC; Guyana Council of Indian Organizations or GCIO; Trades Union Congress or TUC note: the GCIO and the CLAC are small and active but not well organized

International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB,
ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS,
OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Ali Odeen ISHMAEL chancery: 2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: New York FAX: [1] (202) 232-1297 telephone: [1] (202) 265-6900

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ronald D. GODARD embassy: 100 Young and Duke Streets, Kingston, Georgetown mailing address: P. O. Box 10507, Georgetown telephone: [592] 225-4900 through 4909 and [592] 225-7961 through 7963 FAX: [592] 225-7316

Flag description: green, with a red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) superimposed on a long, yellow arrowhead; there is a narrow, black border between the red and yellow, and a narrow, white border between the yellow and the green

Economy Guyana

Economy - overview: The Guyanese economy has exhibited moderate economic growth since 1999, based on an expansion in the agricultural and mining sectors, a more favorable atmosphere for business initiatives, a more realistic exchange rate, fairly low inflation, and the continued support of international organizations. Chronic problems include a shortage of skilled labor and a deficient infrastructure. The government is juggling a sizable external debt against the urgent need for expanded public investment. Low prices for key mining and agricultural commodities combined with troubles in the bauxite and sugar industries threaten the government's already tenuous fiscal position and dim prospects for 2002.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $2.5 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 2.8% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,600 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 36.1% industry: 31.8% services: 32.1% (2000)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 418,000 (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Unemployment rate: 9.1% (2000) (understated)

Budget: revenues: $227 million expenditures: $235.2 million, including capital expenditures of $93.4 million (2000)

Industries: bauxite, sugar, rice milling, timber, textiles, gold mining

Industrial production growth rate: 7.1% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production: 505 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.01% hydro: 0.99% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 469.65 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: sugar, rice, wheat, vegetable oils; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; fish (shrimp)

Exports: $505 million (f.o.b., 2000)

Exports - commodities: sugar, gold, bauxite/alumina, rice, shrimp, molasses, rum, timber

Exports - partners: Canada 22%, US 22%, UK 18%, Netherlands Antilles 11% (1999)

Imports: $585 million (c.i.f., 2000)

Imports - commodities: manufactures, machinery, petroleum, food

Imports - partners: US 29%, Trinidad and Tobago 18%, Netherlands Antilles 16%, UK 7% (1999)

Debt - external: $1.1 billion (2000)

Economic aid - recipient: $84 million (1995), Heavily Indebted Poor
Country Initiative (HIPC) $253 million (1997)

Currency: Guyanese dollar (GYD)

Currency code: GYD

Exchange rates: Guyanese dollars per US dollar - 189.5 (December 2001), 187.3 (2001), 182.4 (2000), 178.0 (1999), 150.5 (1998), 142.4 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Guyana

Telephones - main lines in use: 70,000 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 6,100 (2000)

Telephone system: fair system for long-distance calling domestic: scatter to Trinidad; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios: 420,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (one public station; two private stations which relay US satellite services) (1997)

Televisions: 46,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .gy

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 3 (2000)

Internet users: 3,000 (2000)

Transportation Guyana

Railways: total: 187 km standard gauge: 139 km 1.435-m gauge note: all dedicated to ore transport (2001 est.) narrow gauge: 48 km 0.914-m gauge

Highways: total: 7,970 km paved: 590 km unpaved: 7,380 km (1996)

Waterways: 5,900 km (total length of navigable waterways) note: Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo rivers are navigable by oceangoing vessels for 150 km, 100 km, and 80 km, respectively

Ports and harbors: Bartica, Georgetown, Linden, New Amsterdam, Parika

Merchant marine: total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,929
GRT/4,507 DWT ships by type: cargo 2 (2002 est.)

Airports: 51 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 3 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 45 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 36 (2001)

Military Guyana

Military branches: Guyana Defense Force (including Ground Forces, Coast
Guard, and Air Corps), Guyana Police Force, Guyana People's Militia,
Guyana National Service

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 206,199 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 155,058 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Transnational Issues Guyana

Disputes - international: all of the area west of the Essequibo (river) claimed by Venezuela; Suriname claims area between New (Upper Courantyne) and Courantyne/Kutari [Koetari] rivers (all headwaters of the Courantyne); territorial sea boundary with Suriname is in dispute

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for narcotics from South America - primarily Venezuela - to Europe and the US; producer of cannabis

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Gaza Strip

Introduction Gaza Strip

Background: The Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements (the DOP), signed in Washington on 13 September 1993, provided for a transitional period not exceeding five years of Palestinian interim self-government in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Under the DOP, Israel agreed to transfer certain powers and responsibilities to the Palestinian Authority, which includes the Palestinian Legislative Council elected in January 1996, as part of the interim self-governing arrangements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. A transfer of powers and responsibilities for the Gaza Strip and Jericho took place pursuant to the Israel-PLO 4 May 1994 Cairo Agreement on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area and in additional areas of the West Bank pursuant to the Israel-PLO 28 September 1995 Interim Agreement, the Israel-PLO 15 January 1997 Protocol Concerning Redeployment in Hebron, the Israel-PLO 23 October 1998 Wye River Memorandum, and the 4 September 1999 Sharm el-Sheikh Agreement. The DOP provides that Israel will retain responsibility during the transitional period for external security and for internal security and public order of settlements and Israeli citizens. Direct negotiations to determine the permanent status of Gaza and West Bank had begun in September 1999 after a three-year hiatus, but have been derailed by a second intifadah that broke out in September 2000. The resulting widespread violence in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Israel's military response, and instability within the Palestinian Authority continue to undermine progress toward a permanent agreement.

Geography Gaza Strip

Location: Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Israel

Geographic coordinates: 31 25 N, 34 20 E

Map references: Middle East

Area: total: 360 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 360 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 62 km border countries: Egypt 11 km, Israel 51 km

Coastline: 40 km

Maritime claims: Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be determined through further negotiation

Climate: temperate, mild winters, dry and warm to hot summers

Terrain: flat to rolling, sand- and dune-covered coastal plain

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point:
Abu 'Awdah (Joz Abu 'Auda) 105 m

Natural resources: arable land, natural gas

Land use: arable land: 26% permanent crops: 40% other: 34% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 120 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: droughts

Environment - current issues: desertification; salination of fresh water; sewage treatment; water-borne disease; soil degradation; depletion and contamination of underground water resources

Geography - note: there are 25 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the Gaza Strip (August 2001 est.)

People Gaza Strip

Population: 1,225,911 (July 2002 est.) note: in addition, there are fewer than 7,000 Israeli settlers in the Gaza Strip (August 2001 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 49.7% (male 312,253; female 297,008) 15-64 years: 47.5% (male 296,488; female 286,393) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 14,407; female 19,362) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.95% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 41.85 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 4.12 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 1.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 24.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 72.52 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 6.29 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: NA adjective: NA

Ethnic groups: Palestinian Arab and other 99.4%, Jewish 0.6%

Religions: Muslim (predominantly Sunni) 98.7%, Christian 0.7%,
Jewish 0.6%

Languages: Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers and many
Palestinians), English (widely understood)

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Gaza Strip

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Gaza Strip local long form: none local short form: Qita Ghazzah

Economy Gaza Strip

Economy - overview: Economic output in the Gaza Strip - under the responsibility of the Palestinian Authority since the Cairo Agreement of May 1994 - declined by about one-third between 1992 and 1996. The downturn was largely the result of Israeli closure policies - the imposition of generalized border closures in response to security incidents in Israel - which disrupted previously established labor and commodity market relationships between Israel and the WBGS (West Bank and Gaza Strip). The most serious negative social effect of this downturn was the emergence of high unemployment; unemployment in the WBGS during the 1980s was generally under 5%; by 1995 it had risen to over 20%. Israel's use of comprehensive closures decreased during the next few years and, in 1998, Israel implemented new policies to reduce the impact of closures and other security procedures on the movement of Palestinian goods and labor. These changes fueled an almost three-year-long economic recovery in the West Bank and Gaza Strip; real GDP grew by 5% in 1998 and 6% in 1999. Recovery was upended in the last quarter of 2000 with the outbreak of Palestinian violence, triggering tight Israeli closures of Palestinian self-rule areas and a severe disruption of trade and labor movements. In 2001, and even more severely in early 2002, internal turmoil and Israeli military measures in Palestinian Authority areas resulted in the destruction of capital plant and administrative structure, widespread business closures, and a sharp drop in GDP. Another major loss has been the decline in income earned by Palestinian workers in Israel.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $750 million (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: -35% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $625 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 9% industry: 28% services: 63% (includes West Bank, 1999 est.)

Population below poverty line: 60% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1% (includes West Bank) (2001 est.)

Labor force: NA

Labor force - by occupation: services 66%, industry 21%, agriculture 13% (1996)

Unemployment rate: 26% (includes West Bank) (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $930 million note: expenditures: $1.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $15 million (includes West Bank) (2000 est.)

Industries: generally small family businesses that produce textiles, soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs; the Israelis have established some small-scale modern industries in an industrial center

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Israel

Electricity - consumption: NA kWh

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports: NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Israel

Agriculture - products: olives, citrus, vegetables; beef, dairy products

Exports: $603 million (includes West Bank) (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: citrus, flowers

Exports - partners: Israel, Egypt, West Bank

Imports: $1.9 billion (includes West Bank) (c.i.f., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: food, consumer goods, construction materials

Imports - partners: Israel, Egypt, West Bank

Debt - external: $108 million (includes West Bank) (1997 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $800 million disbursed (includes West Bank) (2001 est.)

Currency: new Israeli shekel (ILS)

Currency code: ILS

Exchange rates: new Israeli shekels per US dollar - 4.2757 (December 2001), 4.2057 (2001), 4.0773 (2000), 4.1397 (1999), 3.8001 (1998), 3.4494 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Gaza Strip

Telephones - main lines in use: 95,729 (total for Gaza Strip and West
Bank) (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: NA

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: rudimentary telephone services provided by an open wire system international: NA

Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: NA; note - most Palestinian households have radios (1999)

Television broadcast stations: 2 (operated by the Palestinian
Broadcasting Corporation) (1997)

Televisions: NA; note - most Palestinian households have televisions (1997)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 3 (1999)

Internet users: 60,000 (includes West Bank) (2001)

Transportation Gaza Strip

Railways: total: NA km; note - one line, abandoned and in disrepair, little trackage remains (2001 est.)

Highways: total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km note: small, poorly developed road network

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Gaza

Airports: 2 (2001) note: includes Gaza International Airport (GIA), inaugurated on 24 November 1998 as part of agreements stipulated in the September 1995 Oslo II Accord and the 23 October 1998 Wye River Memorandum; GIA has been largely closed since October 2000 by Israeli orders and its runway was destroyed by the Israeli Defense Forces in December 2001

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2001)

Military Gaza Strip

Military branches: in accordance with the peace agreement, the Palestinian Authority is not permitted conventional military forces; there are, however, a Public Security Force and a civil Police Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Transnational Issues Gaza Strip

Disputes - international: West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be determined through further negotiation

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Haiti

Introduction

Haiti

Background: One of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti has been plagued by political violence for most of its history. Over three decades of dictatorship followed by military rule ended in 1990 when Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE was elected president. Most of his term was usurped by a military takeover, but he was able to return to office in 1994 and oversee the installation of a close associate to the presidency in 1996. ARISTIDE won a second term as president in 2000, and took office early in 2001. However, a political crisis stemming from fraudulent legislative elections in 2000 has not yet been resolved.

Geography Haiti

Location: Caribbean, western one-third of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of the Dominican Republic

Geographic coordinates: 19 00 N, 72 25 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 27,750 sq km land: 27,560 sq km water: 190 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries: total: 360 km border countries: Dominican Republic 360 km

Coastline: 1,771 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: to depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate: tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds

Terrain: mostly rough and mountainous

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point:
Chaine de la Selle 2,680 m

Natural resources: bauxite, copper, calcium carbonate, gold, marble, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 20% permanent crops: 13% other: 67% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 750 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding and earthquakes; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: extensive deforestation (much of the remaining forested land is being cleared for agriculture and used as fuel); soil erosion; inadequate supplies of potable water

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Hazardous
Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban

Geography - note: shares island of Hispaniola with Dominican Republic (western one-third is Haiti, eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic)

People Haiti

Population: 7,063,722 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 39.5% (male 1,414,052; female 1,377,693) 15-64 years: 56.3% (male 1,924,867; female 2,049,952) 65 years and over: 4.2% (male 142,657; female 154,501) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.42% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 31.42 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 14.88 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -2.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 93.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 51.29 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 4.3 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 5.17% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 210,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 23,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Haitian(s) adjective: Haitian

Ethnic groups: black 95%, mulatto and white 5%

Religions: Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 16% (Baptist 10%, Pentecostal 4%, Adventist 1%, other 1%), none 1%, other 3% (1982) note: roughly half of the population also practices Voodoo

Languages: French (official), Creole (official)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 45% male: 48% female: 42.2% (1995 est.)

Government Haiti

Country name: Republic of Haiti conventional short form: Government type: elected government

Capital: Port-au-Prince

Administrative divisions: 9 departments (departements, singular - departement); Artibonite, Centre, Grand 'Anse, Nord, Nord-Est, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Est

Independence: 1 January 1804 (from France)

National holiday: Independence Day, 1 January (1804)

Constitution: approved March 1987; suspended June 1988, with most articles reinstated March 1989; in October 1991, government claimed to be observing the constitution; return to constitutional rule, October 1994

Legal system: based on Roman civil law system; accepts compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE (since 7 February 2001) head of government: Prime Minister Yvon NEPTUNE (since 4 March 2002); note - former Prime Minister CHERESTAL resigned in January 2002 cabinet: elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 26 November 2000 (next to be held NA 2005); prime minister appointed by the president, ratified by the National Assembly election results: Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE elected president; percent of vote - Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE 92%

Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale consists of the Senate (27 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber of Deputies (83 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: 9 July boycotted by the opposition; seven seats still disputed; election for remaining one-third held on 26 November 2000 (next to be held NA 2002); Chamber of Deputies - last held 21 May 2000, with runoffs on 30 July boycotted by the opposition; one vacant seat rerun 26 November 2000 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - FL 26, independent 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - FL 73, MOCHRENA 3, PLB 2, OPL 1, vacant 1, other minor parties and independents 3

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour de Cassation

Political parties and leaders: Alliance for the Liberation and
Advancement of Haiti or ALAH [Reynold GEORGES]; Assembly of Progressive
National Democrats or RDNP [Leslie MANIGAT]; Convergence (opposition
coalition composed of ESPACE, OPL, and MOCHRENA) [Gerard PIERRE-CHARLES,
Evans PAUL, Luc MESADIEU, Victor BENOIT]; Democratic Consultation Group
coalition or ESPACE [Evans PAUL, Victor Benoit] composed of the following
parties: National Congress of Democratic Movements or KONAKOM, National
Progressive Revolutionary Party or PANPRA, Generation 2004, and Haiti
Can; Haitian Christian Democratic Party or PDCH [Marie-France CLAUDE];
Haitian Democratic Party or PADEM [Clark PARENT]; Lavalas Family or FL
[Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE]; Mobilization for National Development or MDN
[Hubert DE RONCERAY]; Movement for National Reconstruction or MRN [Rene
THEODORE]; Movement for the Installation of Democracy in Haiti or MIDH
[Marc BAZIN]; Movement for the Organization of the Country or MOP [Gesner
COMEAU and Jean MOLIERE]; National Cooperative Action Movement or MKN
[Volrick Remy JOSEPH]; National Front for Change and Democracy or FNCD
[Evans PAUL and Turneb DELPE]; New Christian Movement for a New Haiti
or MOCHRENA [Luc MESADIEU]; Open the Gate or PLB [Renaud BERNARDIN];
Struggling People's Organization or OPL [Gerard PIERRE-CHARLES]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Autonomous Haitian Workers or
CATH; Confederation of Haitian Workers or CTH; Federation of Workers
Trade Unions or FOS; National Popular Assembly or APN; Papaye Peasants
Movement or MPP; Popular Organizations Gathering Power or PROP; Roman
Catholic Church

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, Caricom, CCC, ECLAC,
FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory),
PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Louis Harold JOSEPH consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York, and San Juan (Puerto Rico) FAX: [1] (202) 745-7215 telephone: [1] (202) 332-4090 chancery: 2311 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Brian Dean CURRAN embassy: 5 Harry S Truman Boulevard, Port-au-Prince mailing address: P. O. Box 1761, Port-au-Prince telephone: [509] 222-0354, 222-0269, 222-0200, 223-0327 FAX: [509] 23-1641

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a centered white rectangle bearing the coat of arms, which contains a palm tree flanked by flags and two cannons above a scroll bearing the motto L'UNION FAIT LA FORCE (Union Makes Strength)

Economy Haiti

Economy - overview: About 80% of the population lives in abject poverty. Nearly 70% of all Haitians depend on the agriculture sector, which consists mainly of small-scale subsistence farming and employs about two-thirds of the economically active work force. The country has experienced little job creation since the former President PREVAL took office in February 1996, although the informal economy is growing. Following legislative elections in May 2000, fraught with irregularities, international donors - including the US and EU - suspended almost all aid to Haiti. The economy shrank an estimated 1.2% in 2001, and the contraction will likely intensify in 2002 unless a political agreement with donors is reached and aid restored.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $12 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: -1.2% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 30% industry: 20% services: 50% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 80% (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 14% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 3.6 million (1995) note: shortage of skilled labor, unskilled labor abundant (2001)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 66%, services 25%, industry 9%

Unemployment rate: widespread unemployment and underemployment; more than two-thirds of the labor force do not have formal jobs (2001)

Budget: revenues: $273 million expenditures: $361 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY00/01 est.)

Industries: sugar refining, flour milling, textiles, cement, light assembly industries based on imported parts

Industrial production growth rate: 0.6% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production: 522 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 68.97% hydro: 31.03% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 485.46 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: coffee, mangoes, sugarcane, rice, corn, sorghum; wood

Exports: $326.6 million (f.o.b., 2001)

Exports - commodities: manufactures, coffee, oils, cocoa

Exports - partners: US 90%, EU 6% (2000)

Imports: $977.5 million (c.i.f., 2001)

Imports - commodities: food, manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, raw materials

Imports - partners: US 60%, EU 10.5%, Dominican Republic 3.7% (2000)

Debt - external: $1.2 billion (1999)

Economic aid - recipient: $730.6 million (1995)

Currency: gourde (HTG)

Currency code: HTG

Exchange rates: gourdes per US dollar - 26.674 (January 2002), 26.339 (2001), 22.524 (2000), 17.965 (1999), 16.505 (1998), 17.311 (1997)

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

Communications Haiti

Telephones - main lines in use: 60,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 0 (1995)

Telephone system: general assessment: domestic facilities barely adequate; international facilities slightly better domestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay trunk service international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 41, FM 26, shortwave 0 (1999)

Radios: 415,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 2 (plus a cable TV service) (1997)

Televisions: 38,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .ht

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 3 (2000)

Internet users: 6,000 (2000)

Transportation Haiti

Railways: 40 km 0.760-m gauge; single-track note: Highways: total: 4,160 km paved: 1,011 km unpaved: 3,149 km (1996)

Waterways: NEGL; less than 100 km navigable

Ports and harbors: Cap-Haitien, Gonaives, Jacmel, Jeremie, Les Cayes,
Miragoane, Port-au-Prince, Port-de-Paix, Saint-Marc

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: 12 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 6 (2001)

Military Haiti

Military branches: Haitian National Police (HNP) note: the regular Haitian Army, Navy, and Air Force have been demobilized but still exist on paper until or unless they are constitutionally abolished

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,691,585 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 919,275 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 87,049 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $50 million (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.3% (FY00)

Transnational Issues Haiti

Disputes - international: claims US-administered Navassa Island

Illicit drugs: major Caribbean transshipment point for cocaine en route to the US and Europe; vulnerable to money laundering and pervasive corruption

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Hong Kong

Introduction Hong Kong

Background: Occupied by the UK in 1841, Hong Kong was formally ceded by China the following year; various adjacent lands were added later in the 19th century. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and the UK on 19 December 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 1 July 1997. In this agreement, China has promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic system will not be imposed on Hong Kong and that Hong Kong will enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years.

Geography Hong Kong

Location: Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China

Geographic coordinates: 22 15 N, 114 10 E

Map references: Southeast Asia

Area: total: 1,092 sq km water: 50 sq km land: 1,042 sq km

Area - comparative: six times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 30 km border countries: China 30 km

Coastline: 733 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 NM

Climate: tropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy from spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall

Terrain: hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north

Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point:
Tai Mo Shan 958 m

Natural resources: outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar

Land use: arable land: 5% other: 94% (1998 est.) permanent crops: 1%

Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: occasional typhoons

Environment - current issues: air and water pollution from rapid urbanization

Environment - international agreements: party to: Marine Dumping (associate member), Ship Pollution (associate member)

Geography - note: more than 200 islands

People Hong Kong

Population: 7,303,334 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 17.5% (male 679,311; female 599,811) 15-64 years: 71.6% (male 2,587,509; female 2,641,418) 65 years and over: 10.9% (male 364,864; female 430,421) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.26% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 10.92 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 6.11 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 7.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.13 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 5.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 82.69 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.3 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.06% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 2,500 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Chinese adjective: Chinese

Ethnic groups: Chinese 95%, other 5%

Religions: eclectic mixture of local religions 90%, Christian 10%

Languages: Chinese (Cantonese), English; both are official

Literacy: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population:
Government Hong Kong

Country name: conventional long form: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region conventional short form: Hong Kong local short form: Xianggang local long form: Xianggang Tebie Xingzhengqu abbreviation: HK

Dependency status: special administrative region of China

Government type: NA

Administrative divisions: none (special administrative region of China)

Independence: none (special administrative region of China)

National holiday: National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China), 1 October (1949); note - 1 July 1997 is celebrated as Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day

Constitution: Basic Law approved in March 1990 by China's National
People's Congress is Hong Kong's "mini-constitution"

Legal system: based on English common law

Suffrage: direct election 18 years of age; universal for permanent residents living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past seven years; indirect election limited to about 100,000 members of functional constituencies and an 800-member election committee drawn from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central government bodies

Executive branch: chief of state: President of China JIANG Zemin (since 27 March 1993) head Chief Executive TUNG Chee-hwa (since 1 July 1997) cabinet: members; ex-officio members are: Chief Secretary Donald TSANG Yam-kuen (since 1 May 2001), Financial Secretary Antony LEUNG (since 1 May 2001), and Secretary of Justice Elsie LEUNG (since 1 July 1997) elections: NA

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council or LEGCO (60 seats; 30 indirectly elected by functional constituencies, 24 elected by popular vote, and 6 elected by an 800-member election committee; members serve four-year terms) elections: last held 10 September 2000 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Democratic Party 12, Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong 10, Liberal Party 7, Frontier Party 5, Hong Kong Progressive Alliance 4, New Century Forum 2, Hong Kong Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood 1, independents 19

Judicial branch: The Court of Final Appeal in the Hong Kong Special
Administrative Region

Political parties and leaders: Association for Democracy and People's
Livelihood [Frederick FUNG Kin-kee, chairman]; Citizens Party [Alex
CHAN Kai-chung]; Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong
[Jasper TSANG Yok-sing, chairman]; Democratic Party [Martin LEE Chu-ming,
chairman]; Frontier Party [Emily LAU Wai-hing, chairwoman]; Hong Kong
Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood [leader NA]; Hong Kong
Progressive Alliance [Ambrose LAU Hon-chuen]; Liberal Party [James TIEN
Pei-chun, chairman]; New Century Forum [NQ Ching-fai, chairman] note:
political blocs include: pro-democracy - Association for Democracy and
People's Livelihood, Citizens Party, Democratic Party, Frontier Party;
pro-Beijing - Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong,
Hong Kong Progressive Alliance, Liberal Party, New Century Forum

Political pressure groups and leaders: Chinese General Chamber of
Commerce (pro-China); Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong;
Confederation of Trade Unions (pro-democracy) [LAU Chin-shek, president;
LEE Cheuk-yan, general secretary]; Federation of Hong Kong Industries;
Federation of Trade Unions (pro-China) [LEE Chark-tim, president];
Hong Kong Alliance in Support of the Patriotic Democratic Movement
in China [Szeto WAH, chairman]; Hong Kong and Kowloon Trade Union
Council (pro-Taiwan); Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce; Hong Kong
Professional Teachers' Union [CHEUNG Man-kwong, president]; Liberal
Democratic Federation [HU Fa-kuang, chairman]

International organization participation: APEC, AsDB, BIS, CCC, ESCAP (associate), ICC, ICFTU, IHO, IMO (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ISO (correspondent), WCL, WMO, WToO (associate), WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (special administrative region of China)

Diplomatic representation from the US: Consul General Michael KLOSSON consulate(s) general: 96522-0002 telephone: [852] 2523-9011 FAX: [852] 2845-1598

Flag description: red with a stylized, white, five-petal bauhinia flower in the center

Economy Hong Kong

Economy - overview: Hong Kong has a bustling free market economy highly dependent on international trade. Natural resources are limited, and food and raw materials must be imported. Indeed, imports and exports, including reexports, each exceed GDP in dollar value. Even before Hong Kong reverted to Chinese administration on 1 July 1997 it had extensive trade and investment ties with China. Per capita GDP compares with the level in the four big economies of Western Europe. GDP growth averaged a strong 5% in 1989-97. The widespread Asian economic difficulties in 1998 hit this trade-dependent economy quite hard, with GDP down 5%. The economy, with growth of 10% in 2000, recovered rapidly from the Asian financial crisis. The recent global downturn has badly hurt Hong Kong's exports and GDP growth is estimated to be 0% in 2001. Private sector analysts project 2002 GDP growth to be 1.8%.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $180 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 0% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $25,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 0.1% industry: 14.3% services: 85.6% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): -1.6% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 3.44 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: wholesale and retail trade, restaurants, and hotels 31%, financing, insurance, and real estate 13%, community and social services 11%, manufacturing 7%, transport and communications 6%, construction 2%, other 30% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate: 5.2% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $22.9 billion expenditures: $24.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $465 million (FY00/01)

Industries: textiles, clothing, tourism, banking, shipping, electronics, plastics, toys, watches, clocks

Industrial production growth rate: -9% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 29.449 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 35,401.57 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 1.181 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 9.195 billion kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: fresh vegetables; poultry, fish, pork

Exports: $191 billion (including reexports; f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: clothing, textiles, footwear, electrical appliances, watches and clocks, toys, plastics, precious stones

Exports - partners: China 34%, US 23%, Japan 6%, Germany 4%, UK 4%,
Taiwan 3%, Singapore 2% (2000)

Imports: $203 billion (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, transport equipment, raw materials, semimanufactures, petroleum, plastics, machinery, electrical equipment; a large share is reexported

Imports - partners: China 43%, Japan 12%, Taiwan 8%, US 7%, South Korea 5%, Singapore 3% (2000)

Debt - external: $58.8 billion (2001 est.)

Currency: Hong Kong dollar (HKD)

Currency code: HKD

Exchange rates: Hong Kong dollars per US dollar - 7.798 (January 2002), 7.7994 (2001), 7.7918 (2000), 7.7589 (1999), 7.7462 (1998), 7.7425 (1997); note - the Hong Kong dollar is linked to the US dollar at a rate of about 7.8 Hong Kong dollars per US dollar

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Communications Hong Kong

Telephones - main lines in use: 3.839 million (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 3.7 million (December 1999)

Telephone system: general assessment: modern facilities provide excellent domestic and international services domestic: microwave radio relay links and extensive fiber-optic network international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); coaxial cable to Guangzhou, China; access to 5 international submarine cables providing connections to ASEAN member nations, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe

Radio broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 4.45 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 4 (plus two repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 1.84 million (1997)

Internet country code: .hk

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 17 (2000)

Internet users: 3.93 million (2001)

Transportation Hong Kong

Railways: total: 34 km standard gauge: 34 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified and double-tracked) note: connects to China railway system at Hong Kong-China border (2001)

Highways: total: 1,831 km paved: 1,831 km unpaved: 0 km (1997)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Hong Kong

Merchant marine: total: 433 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 13,539,257 GRT/22,682,757 DWT ships by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 264, cargo 38, chemical tanker 10, combination bulk 2, container 73, liquefied gas 8, multi-functional large-load carrier 1, petroleum tanker 32, refrigerated cargo 1, short-sea passenger 1, vehicle carrier 2 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Belgium 5, Belize 1, British Virgin Islands 1, China 115, Denmark 2, Germany 19, Greece 2, India 8, Japan 8, Liberia 1, Malaysia 7, Norway 1, Panama 2, Philippines 5, Singapore 7, South Korea 2, Taiwan 1, United Kingdom 27, Virgin Islands (UK) 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 3 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2001)

Heliports: 2 (2001)

Military Hong Kong

Military branches: no regular indigenous military forces; Hong Kong garrison of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) including elements of the PLA Ground Forces, PLA Navy, and PLA Air Force; these forces are under the direct leadership of the Central Military Commission in Beijing and under administrative control of the adjacent Guangzhou Military Region

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 2,028,208 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,523,378 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 47,139 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of China

Transnational Issues Hong Kong

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: strenuous law enforcement efforts, but faces serious challenges in controlling transit of heroin and methamphetamine to regional and world markets; money laundering center; rising indigenous use of synthetic drugs, especially among young people

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Introduction Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Background: These uninhabited, barren, sub-Antarctic islands were transferred from the UK to Australia in 1947. Populated by large numbers of seal and bird species, the islands have been designated a nature preserve.

Geography Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Location: Southern Africa, islands in the Indian Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Madagascar to Antarctica

Geographic coordinates: 53 06 S, 72 31 E

Map references: Antarctic Region

Area: total: 412 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 412 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly more than two times the size of Washington,
DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 101.9 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: antarctic

Terrain: Heard Island - 80% ice-covered, bleak and mountainous, dominated by a large massif (Big Ben) and an active volcano (Mawson Peak); McDonald Islands - small and rocky

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Southern Ocean 0 m highest point:
Big Ben 2,745 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: Mawson Peak, an active volcano, is on Heard Island

Environment - current issues: NA

People Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Population: uninhabited (July 2002 est.)

Population growth rate: NA

Government Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Country name: conventional long form: Territory of Heard Island and
McDonald Islands conventional short form: Heard Island and McDonald
Islands

Dependency status: territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Antarctic Division of the Department of the Environment and Heritage

Legal system: the laws of Australia, where applicable, apply

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of Australia)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of Australia)

Flag description: the flag of Australia is used

Economy Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Economy - overview: No indigenous economic activity, but the Australian
Government allows limited fishing around the islands.

Communications Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Internet country code: .hm

Transportation Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Military Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Australia; Australia conducts fisheries patrols

Transnational Issues Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Honduras

Introduction

Honduras

Background: Part of Spain's vast empire in the New World, Honduras became an independent nation in 1821. After two and one-half decades of mostly military rule, a freely elected civilian government came to power in 1982. During the 1980s, Honduras proved a haven for anti-Sandinista contras fighting the Marxist Nicaraguan Government and an ally to Salvadoran Government forces fighting against leftist guerrillas.

Geography Honduras

Location: Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Nicaragua and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador and Nicaragua

Geographic coordinates: 15 00 N, 86 30 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 112,090 sq km land: 111,890 sq km water: 200 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Tennessee

Land boundaries: total: 1,520 km border countries: Guatemala 256 km,
El Salvador 342 km, Nicaragua 922 km

Coastline: 820 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: natural extension of territory or to 200 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate: subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains

Terrain: mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point:
Cerro Las Minas 2,870 m

Natural resources: timber, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron ore, antimony, coal, fish, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 15% permanent crops: 3% other: 82% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 760 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes; extremely susceptible to damaging hurricanes and floods along the Caribbean coast

Environment - current issues: urban population expanding; deforestation results from logging and the clearing of land for agricultural purposes; further land degradation and soil erosion hastened by uncontrolled development and improper land use practices such as farming of marginal lands; mining activities polluting Lago de Yojoa (the country's largest source of fresh water) as well as several rivers and streams with heavy metals

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Geography - note: has only a short Pacific coast but a long Caribbean shoreline, including the virtually uninhabited eastern Mosquito Coast

People Honduras

Population: 6,560,608 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 41.8% (male 1,400,778; female 1,340,834) 15-64 years: 54.6% (male 1,774,619; female 1,806,568) 65 years and over: 3.6% (male 112,100; female 125,709) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.34% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 31.21 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 5.74 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -2.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 30.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 70.51 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 4.03 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 1.92% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 63,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 4,200 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Honduran(s) adjective: Honduran

Ethnic groups: mestizo (mixed Amerindian and European) 90%, Amerindian 7%, black 2%, white 1%

Religions: Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant minority

Languages: Spanish, Amerindian dialects

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 74% male: 74% female: 74.1% (1999)

Government Honduras

Country name: Republic of Honduras conventional short form: Government type: democratic constitutional republic

Capital: Tegucigalpa

Administrative divisions: 18 departments (departamentos, singular -
departamento); Atlantida, Choluteca, Colon, Comayagua, Copan, Cortes,
El Paraiso, Francisco Morazan, Gracias a Dios, Intibuca, Islas de la
Bahia, La Paz, Lempira, Ocotepeque, Olancho, Santa Barbara, Valle, Yoro

Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution: 11 January 1982, effective 20 January 1982; amended 1995

Legal system: rooted in Roman and Spanish civil law with increasing influence of English common law; recent judicial reforms include abandoning Napoleonic legal codes in favor of the oral adversarial system; accepts ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch: chief of state: President Ricardo (Joest) MADURO (since 27 January 2002); First Vice President Vicente WILLIAMS Agasse (since 27 January 2002); Second Vice President Armida Villela Maria DE LOPEZ Contreras (since 27 January 2002); Third Vice President Alberto DIAZ Lobo (since 27 January 2002); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Ricardo (Joest) MADURO (since 27 January 2002); First Vice President Vicente WILLIAMS Agasse (since 27 January 2002); Second Vice President Armida Villela Maria DE LOPEZ Contreras (since 27 January 2002); Third Vice President Alberto DIAZ Lobo (since 27 January 2002); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 25 November 2001 (next to be held NA November 2005) election results: Ricardo (Joest) MADURO (PN) elected president - 52.2%, Raphael PINEDA Ponce (PL) 44.3%, others 3.5%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (128 seats; members are elected proportionally to the number of votes their party's presidential candidate receives to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 25 November 2001 (next to be held NA November 2005) election results: PDC 4, PINU-SD 3

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges are elected for seven-year terms by the National Congress)

Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic Party or PDC
[Dr. Hernan CORRALES Padilla]; Democratic Unification Party or PUD
[leader NA]; Liberal Party or PL [Roberto MICHELETTI Bain]; National
Innovation and Unity Party-Social Democratic Party or PINU-SD [Olban
F. VALLADARES]; National Party of Honduras or PN [Raphael CALLEJAS]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Committee for the Defense of Human
Rights in Honduras or CODEH; Confederation of Honduran Workers or CTH;
Coordinating Committee of Popular Organizations or CCOP; General Workers
Confederation or CGT; Honduran Council of Private Enterprise or COHEP;
National Association of Honduran Campesinos or ANACH; National Union
of Campesinos or UNC; Popular Bloc or BP; United Federation of Honduran
Workers or FUTH

International organization participation: BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO,
G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer),
MINURSO, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: Ambassador Mario Miguel CANAHUATI honorary consulate(s): Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Phoenix, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Tampa FAX: [1] (202) 966-9751 telephone: [1] (202) 966-7702 chancery: Suite 4-M, 3007 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Frank ALMAGUER embassy: Avenida La Paz, Apartado Postal No. 3453, Tegucigalpa mailing address: American Embassy, [504] 238-5114, 236-9320 FAX: Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with five blue five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band; the stars represent the members of the former Federal Republic of Central America - Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua; similar to the flag of El Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Nicaragua, which features a triangle encircled by the word REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom, centered in the white band

Economy Honduras

Economy - overview: Honduras, one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere with an extraordinarily unequal distribution of income, is banking on expanded trade privileges under the Enhanced Caribbean Basin Initiative and on debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. While the country has met most of its macroeconomic targets, it failed to meet the IMF's goals to liberalize its energy and telecommunications sectors. Growth remains dependent on the status of the US economy, its major trading partner, on commodity prices, particularly coffee, and on containment of the recent rise in crime.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $17 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 2.1% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,600 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 18% industry: 32% services: 50% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 53% (1993 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.4% highest 10%: 44.3% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 59 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 9.7% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 2.3 million (1997 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 34%, industry 21%, services 45% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate: 28% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $607 million expenditures: $411.9 million, including capital expenditures of $106 million (1999 est.)

Industries: sugar, coffee, textiles, clothing, wood products

Industrial production growth rate: 4% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production: 3.573 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 36.89% hydro: 63.11% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 3.593 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 5 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 275 million kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: bananas, coffee, citrus; beef; timber; shrimp

Exports: $2 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: coffee, bananas, shrimp, lobster, meat; zinc, lumber

Exports - partners: US 39.9%, El Salvador 9.2%, Germany 7.9%, Belgium 5.8%, Guatemala 5.4% (2000)

Imports: $2.7 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, industrial raw materials, chemical products, fuels, foodstuffs

Imports - partners: US 46.1%, Guatemala 8.2%, El Salvador 6.6%, Mexico 4.7%, Japan 4.6% (2000)

Debt - external: $5.6 billion (2001)

Economic aid - recipient: $557.8 million (1999)

Currency: lempira (HNL)

Currency code: HNL

Exchange rates: lempiras per US dollar - 16.0256 (January 2002), 15.9197 (2001), 15.1407 (2000), 14.5039 (1999), 13.8076 (1998), 13.0942 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Honduras

Telephones - main lines in use: 234,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 14,427 (1997)

Telephone system: NA international: Central American Microwave System

Radio broadcast stations: AM 241, FM 53, shortwave 12 (1998)

Radios: 2.45 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 11 (plus 17 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 570,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .hn

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 8 (2000)

Internet users: 40,000 (2000)

Transportation Honduras

Railways: total: 595 km narrow gauge: 318 km 1.067-m gauge; 277 km 0.914-m gauge (2000)

Highways: total: 15,400 km paved: 3,126 km unpaved: 12,274 km (1999 est.)

Waterways: 465 km (navigable by small craft)

Ports and harbors: La Ceiba, Puerto Castilla, Puerto Cortes, San Lorenzo,
Tela, Puerto Lempira

Merchant marine: total: 284 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 749,243 GRT/846,942 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Argentina 1, Bahrain 1, Belize 1, British Virgin Islands 1, Bulgaria 1, China 8, Costa Rica 1, Cyprus 1, Egypt 6, El Salvador 1, Germany 1, Greece 18, Hong Kong 3, Indonesia 2, Italy 1, Japan 7, Lebanon 4, Liberia 4, Maldives 2, Marshall Islands 1, Mexico 1, Nigeria 1, Norway 1, Panama 14, Philippines 1, Romania 2, Russia 1, Saint Kitts and Nevis 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Singapore 24, South Korea 12, Spain 1, Syria 1, Taiwan 4, Tanzania 1, Trinidad and Tobago 1, Turkey 2, Turks and Caicos Islands 1, United Arab Emirates 6, United Kingdom 1, United States 5, Vanuatu 1, Vietnam 1, Virgin Islands (UK) 1 (2002 est.) ships by type: bulk 20, cargo 166, chemical tanker 5, container 6, livestock carrier 1, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 54, refrigerated cargo 12, roll on/roll off 8, short-sea passenger 4, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 1

Airports: 117 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: 2 914 to 1,523 m: Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 105 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 20 under 914 m: 83 (2001)

Military Honduras

Military branches: Army, Navy (including marines), Air Force

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,563,174 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 930,718 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 72,335 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $35 million (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.6% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Honduras

Disputes - international: Honduras claims Sapodilla Cays off the coast of Belize; El Salvador disputes tiny Conejo Island off Honduras in the Golfo de Fonseca; many of the "bolsones" (disputed areas) along the El Salvador-Honduras boundary remain undemarcated despite ICJ adjudication in 1992; with respect to the maritime boundary in the Golfo de Fonseca, the ICJ referred to the line determined by the 1900 Honduras-Nicaragua Mixed Boundary Commission and advised a tripartite resolution among El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua; Nicaragua filed a claim against Honduras in 1999 and against Colombia in 2001 at the ICJ over disputed maritime boundary involving 50,000 sq km in the Caribbean Sea, including the Archipelago de San Andres y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for drugs and narcotics; illicit producer of cannabis, cultivated on small plots and used principally for local consumption; corruption is a major problem; vulnerable to money laundering

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Howland Island

Introduction

Howland Island

Background: Discovered by the US early in the 19th century, the island was officially claimed by the US in 1857. Both US and British companies mined for guano until about 1890. Earhart Light is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast that was partially destroyed during World War II, but has since been rebuilt; it is named in memory of the famed aviatrix Amelia EARHART. The island is administered by the US Department of the Interior as a National Wildlife Refuge.

Geography Howland Island

Location: Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and Australia

Geographic coordinates: 0 48 N, 176 38 W

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 1.6 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 1.6 sq km

Area - comparative: about three times the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 6.4 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun

Terrain: low-lying, nearly level, sandy, coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef; depressed central area

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 3 m

Natural resources: guano (deposits worked until late 1800s), terrestrial and aquatic wildlife

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard

Environment - current issues: no natural fresh water resources

Geography - note: almost totally covered with grasses, prostrate vines, and low-growing shrubs; small area of trees in the center; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife

People Howland Island

Population: uninhabited note: American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese air and naval attacks during World War II; occupied by US military during World War II, but abandoned after the war; public entry is by special-use permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service only and generally restricted to scientists and educators; visited annually by US Fish and Wildlife Service (July 2002 est.)

Population growth rate: NA

Government Howland Island

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Howland Island

Dependency status: unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system

Legal system: the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description: the flag of the US is used

Economy Howland Island

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Transportation Howland Island

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one small boat landing area along the middle of the west coast

Airports: airstrip constructed in 1937 for scheduled refueling stop on the round-the-world flight of Amelia EARHART and Fred NOONAN - they left Lae, New Guinea, for Howland Island, but were never seen again; the airstrip is no longer serviceable

Transportation - note: Earhart Light is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast that was partially destroyed during World War II, but has since been rebuilt; named in memory of famed aviatrix Amelia EARHART

Military Howland Island

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US Coast Guard

Transnational Issues Howland Island

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Croatia

Introduction

Croatia

Background: In 1918, the Croats, Serbs, and Slovenes formed a kingdom known after 1929 as Yugoslavia. Following World War II, Yugoslavia became an independent communist state under the strong hand of Marshal TITO. Although Croatia declared its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, it took four years of sporadic, but often bitter, fighting before occupying Serb armies were mostly cleared from Croatian lands. Under UN supervision the last Serb-held enclave in eastern Slavonia was returned to Croatia in 1998.

Geography Croatia

Location: Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea, between
Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenia

Geographic coordinates: 45 10 N, 15 30 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 56,542 sq km water: 128 sq km land: 56,414 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than West Virginia

Land boundaries: total: 2,185 km border countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina 932 km, Hungary 329 km, Yugoslavia 254 km, Slovenia 670 km

Coastline: 5,835 km (mainland 1,777 km, islands 4,058 km)

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: Mediterranean and continental; continental climate predominant with hot summers and cold winters; mild winters, dry summers along coast

Terrain: geographically diverse; flat plains along Hungarian border, low mountains and highlands near Adriatic coastline and islands

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m highest point:
Dinara 1,830 m

Natural resources: oil, some coal, bauxite, low-grade iron ore, calcium, natural asphalt, silica, mica, clays, salt, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 24% permanent crops: 2% other: 74% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 30 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: destructive earthquakes

Environment - current issues: air pollution (from metallurgical plants) and resulting acid rain is damaging the forests; coastal pollution from industrial and domestic waste; landmine removal and reconstruction of infrastructure consequent to 1992-95 civil strife

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air
Pollution-Sulphur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note: controls most land routes from Western Europe to
Aegean Sea and Turkish Straits

People Croatia

Population: 4,390,751 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 18.3% (male 411,847; female 390,797) 15-64 years: 66.3% (male 1,461,305; female 1,448,973) 65 years and over: 15.4% (male 252,970; female 424,859) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.12% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 12.8 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 11.31 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 9.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 7.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 77.96 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.93 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.02% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 350 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Croat(s), Croatian(s) adjective: Croatian

Ethnic groups: Croat 78.1%, Serb 12.2%, Bosniak 0.9%, Hungarian 0.5%, Slovene 0.5%, Czech 0.4%, Albanian 0.3%, Montenegrin 0.3%, Roma 0.2%, others 6.6% (1991)

Religions: Roman Catholic 76.5%, Orthodox 11.1%, Muslim 1.2%, Protestant 0.4%, others and unknown 10.8% (1991)

Languages: Croatian 96%, other 4% (including Italian, Hungarian, Czech,
Slovak, and German)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 99% female: 95% (1991 est.)

Government Croatia

Country name: Republic of Croatia conventional short form: Government type: presidential/parliamentary democracy

Capital: Zagreb

Administrative divisions: 20 counties (zupanije, zupanija -
singular) and 1 city* (grad - singular); Bjelovarsko-Bilogorska
Zupanija, Brodsko-Posavska Zupanija, Dubrovacko-Neretvanska Zupanija,
Istarska Zupanija, Karlovacka Zupanija, Koprivnicko-Krizevacka Zupanija,
Krapinsko-Zagorska Zupanija, Licko-Senjska Zupanija, Medimurska Zupanija,
Osjecko-Baranjska Zupanija, Pozesko-Slavonska Zupanija, Primorsko-Goranska
Zupanija, Sibensko-Kninska Zupanija, Sisacko-Moslavacka Zupanija,
Splitsko-Dalmatinska Zupanija, Varazdinska Zupanija, Viroviticko-Podravska
Zupanija, Vukovarsko-Srijemska Zupanija, Zadarska Zupanija, Zagreb*,
Zagrebacka Zupanija

Independence: 25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

National holiday: Statehood Day, 25 June (1991)

Constitution: adopted on 22 December 1990

Legal system: based on civil law system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)

Executive branch: chief of state: President Stjepan (Stipe) MESIC (since 18 February 2000) head of government: Prime Minister Ivica RACAN (since 27 January 2000); Deputy Prime Ministers Goran GRANIC (since 27 January 2000), Zeljka ANTUNOVIC (since 27 January 2000), Slavko LINIC (since 27 January 2000) cabinet: Council of Ministers named by the prime minister and approved by the House of Representatives elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 7 February 2000 (next to be held NA 2005); prime minister nominated by the president in line with the balance of power in the Assembly note: government coalition - SDP, HSLS, HSS, LP, HNS; a fifth party, the Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS), withdrew in June 2001 election results: Stjepan MESIC elected president; percent of vote - Stjepan MESIC (HNS) 56%, Drazen BUDISA (HSLS) 44%

Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly or Sabor (151 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); note - House of Counties was abolished in March 2001 election results: Assembly (then referred to as the House of Representatives) - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - HDZ 46, SDP 44, HSLS 24, HSS 17, HSP/HKDU 5, IDS 4, HNS 2, independents 4, minority representatives 5 elections: Assembly - last held 2-3 January 2000 (next to be held in the fall of 2003)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; judges for both courts appointed for eight-year terms by the Judicial Council of the Republic, which is elected by the House of Representatives

Political parties and leaders: Alliance of Croatian Coast and Mountains Department or PGS [Luciano SUSANJ]; Croatian Christian Democratic Union or HKDU [Marko VESELICA]; Croatian Democratic Union or HDZ [Ivo SANADER]; Croatian Party of Rights or HSP [Dobroslav PARAGA]; Croatian Peasant Party or HSS [Zlatko TOMCIC]; Croatian People's Party or HNS [Vesna PUSIC]; Croatian Social Liberal Party or HSLS [Drazen BUDISA]; Croatian True Revival Party or HIP [Miroslav TUDJMAN]; Independent Democratic Serb Party or SDSS [Vojislav STANIMIROVIC]; Istrian Democratic Assembly or IDS [Ivan JAKOVCIC]; Liberal Party or LP [leader NA]; Social Democratic Party of Croatia or SDP [Ivica RACAN] note: the Social Democratic Party or SDP and the Croatian Social Liberal Party or HSLS formed a coalition as did the HSS, HNS, LP, and IDS, which together defeated the Croatian Democratic Union or HDZ in the 2000 lower house parliamentary election; the IDS subsequently left the governing coalition in June 2001 over its inability to win greater autonomy for Istria

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: BIS, CCC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD,
ECE, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (observer), OAS
(observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNMEE, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Ivan GRDESIC FAX: [1] (202) 588-8936 consulate(s) general: Chicago,
Los Angeles, New York telephone: [1] (202) 588-5899 chancery: 2343
Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Lawrence G. ROSSIN embassy: Andrije Hebranga 2, 10000 Zagreb mailing address: use street address telephone: [385] (1) 661-2200 FAX: [385] (1) 661-2373

Flag description: red, white, and blue horizontal bands with Croatian coat of arms (red and white checkered)

Economy Croatia

Economy - overview: Before the dissolution of Yugoslavia, the Republic of Croatia, after Slovenia, was the most prosperous and industrialized area, with a per capita output perhaps one-third above the Yugoslav average. The economy emerged from its mild recession in 2000 with tourism the main factor, but massive structural unemployment remains a key negative element. The government's failure to press the economic reforms needed to spur growth is largely the result of coalition politics and public resistance, particularly from the trade unions, to measures that would cut jobs, wages, or social benefits. As a result, the country is likely to experience only moderate growth without disciplined fiscal and structural reform.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $36.1 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $8,300 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 10% industry: 33% services: 57% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.7% highest 10%: 23.3% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 29 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 1.7 million (2001)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Unemployment rate: 23% (December 2001)

Budget: revenues: $8.6 billion expenditures: $9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Industries: chemicals and plastics, machine tools, fabricated metal, electronics, pig iron and rolled steel products, aluminum, paper, wood products, construction materials, textiles, shipbuilding, petroleum and petroleum refining, food and beverages; tourism

Industrial production growth rate: 6% (2001)

Electricity - production: 10.578 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 44.76% hydro: 55.22% other: 0.02% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 12.638 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 900 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 3.7 billion kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: wheat, corn, sugar beets, sunflower seed, barley, alfalfa, clover, olives, citrus, grapes, soybeans, potatoes; livestock, dairy products

Exports: $4.5 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Exports - commodities: transport equipment, textiles, chemicals, foodstuffs, fuels

Exports - partners: Italy 24%, Germany 15%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 12%,
Slovenia 9%, Austria 5.8% (2001 est.)

Imports: $8.4 billion (c.i.f., 2001)

Imports - commodities: machinery, transport and electrical equipment, chemicals, fuels and lubricants, foodstuffs

Imports - partners: Italy 17%, Germany 16.9%, Slovenia 7.9%, Russia 7.5%,
Austria 7% (2001 est.)

Debt - external: $11 billion (2001)

Economic aid - recipient: $NA

Currency: kuna (HRK)

Currency code: HRK

Exchange rates: kuna per US dollar - 8.452 (January 2002), 8.340 (2001), 8.277 (2000), 7.112 (1999), 6.362 (1998), 6.101 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Croatia

Telephones - main lines in use: 1,721,139 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 1.3 million (2001)

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: reconstruction plan calls for replacement of all analog circuits with digital and enlarging the network; a backup will be included in the plan for the main trunk international: digital international service is provided through the main switch in Zagreb; Croatia participates in the Trans-Asia-Europe (TEL) fiber-optic project which consists of two fiber-optic trunk connections with Slovenia and a fiber-optic trunk line from Rijeka to Split and Dubrovnik; Croatia is also investing in ADRIA 1, a joint fiber-optic project with Germany, Albania, and Greece (2000)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 16, FM 98, shortwave 5 (1999)

Radios: 1.51 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 36 (plus 321 repeaters) (September 1995)

Televisions: 1.22 million (1997)

Internet country code: .hr

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 9 (2000)

Internet users: 200,000 (2001)

Transportation Croatia

Railways: total: 2,726 km standard gauge: 2,726 km 1.435-m gauge (NA electrified) (2000)

Highways: total: 28,009 km paved: 23,695 km (including 330 km of expressways) unpaved: 4,314 km (2001)

Waterways: 785 km note: (perennially navigable; large sections of Sava blocked by downed bridges, silt, and debris)

Pipelines: crude oil 670 km; petroleum products 20 km; natural gas 310 km (1992)

Ports and harbors: Dubrovnik, Dugi Rat, Omisalj, Ploce, Pula, Rijeka,
Sibenik, Split, Vukovar (inland waterway port on Danube), Zadar

Merchant marine: total: 49 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 681,465 GRT/1,076,315 DWT note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Hong Kong 1 (2002 est.) ships by type: bulk 14, cargo 13, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk 5, container 1, multi-functional large-load carrier 3, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 4, short-sea passenger 3

Airports: 67 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 22 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 8 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 45 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 37 (2001)

Heliports: 1 (2001)

Military Croatia

Military branches: Ground Forces (Hrvatska Vojska, HV), Naval Forces,
Air and Air Defense Forces

Military manpower - military age: 19 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,086,578 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 860,497 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 30,037 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $520 million (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.39% (2002 est.)

Transnational Issues Croatia

Disputes - international: Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue discussions on the disputed boundary in the Una River near Kostajnica, Hrvatska Dubica, and Zeljava; Bosnia and Herzegovina also protests Croatian claim to the tip of the Klek Peninsula and several islands near Neum; Hungary opposes Croatian plan to build a hydropower dam on the boundary stream Drava; Slovenia and Croatia have not obtained parliamentary ratification of 2001 land and maritime boundary treaty which cedes villages on the Dragonja River and Sveta Gera (Trdinov Peak) to Croatia, and most of Pirin Bay to Slovenia, but restricts Slovenian access to the open sea; Croatia and Yugoslavia continue to discuss disputed Prevlaka Peninsula and control over the Gulf of Kotor despite imminent UN intention to withdraw observer mission (UNMOP); Croatia and Italy are still trying to resolve bilateral property and ethnic minority rights dating from World War II

Illicit drugs: transit point along the Balkan route for Southwest Asian heroin to Western Europe; has been used as a transit point for maritime shipments of South American cocaine bound for Western Europe

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Hungary

Introduction

Hungary

Background: Hungary was part of the polyglot Austro-Hungarian Empire, which collapsed during World War I. The country fell under communist rule following World War II. In 1956, a revolt and announced withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact were met with a massive military intervention by Moscow. In the more open GORBACHEV years, Hungary led the movement to dissolve the Warsaw Pact and steadily shifted toward multiparty democracy and a market-oriented economy. Following the collapse of the USSR in 1991, Hungary developed close political and economic ties to Western Europe. It joined NATO in 1999 and is a frontrunner in a future expansion of the EU.

Geography Hungary

Location: Central Europe, northwest of Romania

Geographic coordinates: 47 00 N, 20 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 93,030 sq km water: 690 sq km land: 92,340 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Indiana

Land boundaries: total: 2,171 km border countries: Austria 366 km,
Croatia 329 km, Romania 443 km, Yugoslavia 151 km, Slovakia 677 km,
Slovenia 102 km, Ukraine 103 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: temperate; cold, cloudy, humid winters; warm summers

Terrain: mostly flat to rolling plains; hills and low mountains on the
Slovakian border

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Tisza River 78 m highest point:
Kekes 1,014 m

Natural resources: bauxite, coal, natural gas, fertile soils, arable land

Land use: arable land: 52% other: 45% (1998 est.) permanent crops: 3%

Irrigated land: 2,100 sq km (1998 est.)

Environment - current issues: the approximation of Hungary's standards in waste management, energy efficiency, and air, soil, and water pollution with environmental requirements for EU accession will require large investments

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution,
Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air
Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:
Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea

Geography - note: landlocked; strategic location astride main land routes between Western Europe and Balkan Peninsula as well as between Ukraine and Mediterranean basin

People Hungary

Population: 10,075,034 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 16.4% (male 847,081; female 802,340) 15-64 years: 68.8% (male 3,406,701; female 3,528,087) 65 years and over: 14.8% (male 544,956; female 945,869) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.3% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 9.34 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 13.09 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.58 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 8.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 76.55 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.25 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.05% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 2,500 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Hungarian(s) adjective: Hungarian

Ethnic groups: Hungarian 89.9%, Roma 4%, German 2.6%, Serb 2%, Slovak 0.8%, Romanian 0.7%

Religions: Roman Catholic 67.5%, Calvinist 20%, Lutheran 5%, atheist and other 7.5%

Languages: Hungarian 98.2%, other 1.8%

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 98% (1980 est.)

Government Hungary

Country name: Republic of Hungary conventional short form: Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Budapest

Administrative divisions: 19 counties (megyek, singular - megye), 20
urban counties* (singular - megyei varos), and 1 capital city** (fovaros);
Bacs-Kiskun, Baranya, Bekes, Bekescsaba*, Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen,
Budapest**, Csongrad, Debrecen*, Dunaujvaros*, Eger*, Fejer,
Gyor*, Gyor-Moson-Sopron, Hajdu-Bihar, Heves, Hodmezovasarhely*,
Jasz-Nagykun-Szolnok, Kaposvar*, Kecskemet*, Komarom-Esztergom, Miskolc*,
Nagykanizsa*, Nograd, Nyiregyhaza*, Pecs*, Pest, Somogy, Sopron*,
Szabolcs-Szatmar-Bereg, Szeged*, Szekesfehervar*, Szolnok*, Szombathely*,
Tatabanya*, Tolna, Vas, Veszprem, Veszprem*, Zala, Zalaegerszeg*

Independence: 1001 (unification by King Stephen I)

National holiday: St. Stephen's Day, 20 August

Constitution: 18 August 1949, effective 20 August 1949, revised 19 April 1972; 18 October 1989 revision ensured legal rights for individuals and constitutional checks on the authority of the prime minister and also established the principle of parliamentary oversight; 1997 amendment streamlined the judicial system

Legal system: rule of law based on Western model

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: Ferenc MADL (since NA August 2000) head of government: of Ministers elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term; election last held 6 June 2000 (next to be held by June 2005); prime minister elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president note: to be elected, the president must win two-thirds of legislative vote in the first two rounds or a simple majority in the third round election results: Ferenc MADL elected president; percent of legislative vote - NA% (but by a simple majority in the third round of voting); Peter MEDGYESSY elected prime minister; percent of legislative vote - NA%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Orszaggyules (386 seats; members are elected by popular vote under a system of proportional and direct representation to serve four-year terms) election results: percent of vote by party (5% or more of the vote required for parliamentary representation in the first round) - FIDESZ/MDF 48.70%, MSZP 46.11%, SZDSZ 4.92%, other 0.27%; seats by party - FIDESZ/MDF 188, MSZP 178, SZDSZ 20 elections: Judicial branch: Constitutional Court (judges are elected by the National Assembly for nine-year terms)

Political parties and leaders: Alliance of Free Democrats or SZDSZ
[Gabor KUNCZE]; Christian Democratic People's Party or KDNP [Gyorgy GICZY,
president]; Hungarian Civic Party or FIDESZ [Zoltan POKORNI]; Hungarian
Democratic Forum or MDF [Ibolya DAVID]; Hungarian Democratic People's
Party or MDNP [Erzsebet PUSZTAI, chairman]; Hungarian Justice and Life
Party or MIEP [Istvan CSURKA, chairman]; Hungarian Socialist Party or MSZP
[Laszlo KOVACS, chairman]; Hungarian Workers' Party or MMP [Gyula THURMER,
chairman]; Independent Smallholders or FKGP [Jozsef TORGYAN, president]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ABEDA, Australia Group,
BIS, CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, G- 9,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA,
NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UNU, UPU, WCL,
WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Geza JESZENSZKY chancery: 3910 Shoemaker Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York FAX: [1] (202) 966-8135 telephone: [1] (202) 362-6730

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Nancy Goodman BRINKER embassy: Szabadsag ter 12, H-1054 Budapest mailing address: pouch: American Embassy Budapest, 5270 Budapest Place, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5270 telephone: [36] (1) 475-4336, 475-4156 FAX: [36] (1) 475-4520

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and green

Economy Hungary

Economy - overview: Hungary continues to demonstrate strong economic growth and to work toward accession to the European Union. The private sector accounts for over 80% of GDP. Foreign ownership of and investment in Hungarian firms is widespread, with cumulative foreign direct investment totaling more than $23 billion since 1989. Hungarian sovereign debt was upgraded in 2000 to the second-highest rating among all the Central European transition economies. Inflation and unemployment - both priority concerns in 2001 - have declined substantially. Economic reform measures such as health care reform, tax reform, and local government financing have not yet been addressed by the ORBAN government.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $120.9 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3.9% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $12,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6% industry: 34% services: 60% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 8.6% (1993 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.1% highest 10%: 20.5% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 25.3 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 9.2% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 4.2 million (1997)

Labor force - by occupation: services 65%, industry 27%, agriculture 8% (1996)

Unemployment rate: 6.5% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $13 billion expenditures: $14.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Industries: mining, metallurgy, construction materials, processed foods, textiles, chemicals (especially pharmaceuticals), motor vehicles

Industrial production growth rate: 4.7% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 33.436 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 58.83% hydro: 0.53% other: 0.35% (2000) nuclear: 40.29%

Electricity - consumption: 35.095 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 1.2 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 5.2 billion kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: wheat, corn, sunflower seed, potatoes, sugar beets; pigs, cattle, poultry, dairy products

Exports: $27.9 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Exports - commodities: machinery and equipment 59.5%, other manufactures 29.4%, food products 6.9%, raw materials 2.4%, fuels and electricity 1.8% (2000)

Exports - partners: Germany 37%, Austria 9%, Italy 6%, Netherlands 5% (2000)

Imports: $29.5 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment 51.1%, other manufactures 35.9%, fuels and electricity 8.1%, food products 2.8%, raw materials 2.1% (2000)

Imports - partners: Germany 25%, Russia 8%, Austria 7%, Italy 7% (2000)

Debt - external: $28.5 billion (2001)

Economic aid - recipient: $122.7 million (1995)

Currency: forint (HUF)

Currency code: HUF

Exchange rates: forints per US dollar - 275.920 (January 2002), 286.490 (2001), 282.179 (2000), 237.146 (1999), 214.402 (1998), 186.789 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Hungary

Telephones - main lines in use: 3.095 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 1.269 million (July 1999)

Telephone system: general assessment: the telephone system has been modernized and is capable of satisfying all requests for telecommunication service domestic: by fiber-optic cable and digital microwave radio relay; a program for fiber-optic subscriber connections was initiated in 1996; heavy use is made of mobile cellular telephones international: Hungary has fiber-optic cable connections with all neighboring countries; the international switch is in Budapest; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean regions), 1 Inmarsat, 1 very small aperture terminal (VSAT) system of ground terminals

Radio broadcast stations: AM 17, FM 57, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios: 7.01 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 35 (plus 161 low-power repeaters) (1995)

Televisions: 4.42 million (1997)

Internet country code: .hu

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 16 (2000)

Internet users: 1.2 million (2001)

Transportation Hungary

Railways: total: 7,869 km broad gauge: 36 km 1.524-m gauge narrow gauge: 219 km 0.760-m gauge standard gauge: 7,614 km 1.435-m gauge (2,423 km electrified; 1,236 km double-tracked) note: Hungary and Austria jointly manage the cross-border, standard-gauge railway connecting Gyor, Sopron, and Ebenfurt (Gysev railroad) which has a route length of about 101 km in Hungary and 65 km in Austria (2001)

Highways: total: 188,203 km paved: 81,680 km (including 448 km of expressways) unpaved: 106,523 km (1998 est.)

Waterways: 1,373 km (permanently navigable) (1997)

Pipelines: crude oil 1,204 km; natural gas 4,387 km (1991)

Ports and harbors: Budapest, Dunaujvaros

Airports: 43 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 16 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 27 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 under 914 m: 8 (2001) 914 to 1,523 m: 12

Heliports: 5 (2001)

Military Hungary

Military branches: Ground Forces, Air Forces

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 2,559,260 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 2,039,710 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 64,121 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $1.08 billion (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.75% (2002 est.)

Transnational Issues Hungary

Disputes - international: Slovakia requested additional ICJ judgment in 1998 and talks continue to set modalities to assure Hungarian compliance with 1997 ICJ decision to proceed with construction of Gabcikovo-Nagymaros Dam, abandoned by Hungary in 1989; Hungary opposes Croatian plan to build a hydropower dam on the boundary stream Drava

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and cannabis and for South American cocaine destined for Western Europe; limited producer of precursor chemicals, particularly for amphetamine and methamphetamine

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Iceland

Introduction

Iceland

Background: Settled by Norwegian and Celtic (Scottish and Irish) immigrants during the late 9th and 10th centuries A.D., Iceland boasts the world's oldest functioning legislative assembly, the Althing, established in 930. Independent for over 300 years, Iceland was subsequently ruled by Norway and Denmark. Fallout from the Askja volcano of 1875 devastated the Icelandic economy and caused widespread famine. Over the next quarter century, 20% of the island's population emigrated, mostly to Canada and the US. Limited home rule from Denmark was granted in 1874 and complete independence attained in 1944. Literacy, longevity, income, and social cohesion are first-rate by world standards.

Geography Iceland

Location: Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the
North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK

Geographic coordinates: 65 00 N, 18 00 W

Map references: Arctic Region

Area: total: 103,000 sq km water: 2,750 sq km land: 100,250 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Kentucky

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 4,988 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate: temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters; damp, cool summers

Terrain: mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast deeply indented by bays and fiords

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Hvannadalshnukur 2,119 m

Natural resources: fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite

Land use: arable land: NEGL permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (23% permanent pastures) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: earthquakes and volcanic activity

Environment - current issues: water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate wastewater treatment

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:
Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Environmental Modification,
Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note: strategic location between Greenland and Europe; westernmost European country; Reykjavik is the northernmost national capital in the world; more land covered by glaciers than in all of continental Europe

People Iceland

Population: 279,384 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 23% (male 33,189; female 31,155) 15-64 years: 65.1% (male 91,704; female 90,199) 65 years and over: 11.9% (male 14,828; female 18,309) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.52% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 14.37 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 6.93 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -2.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 3.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 82.07 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.99 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.14% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 200 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Icelander(s) adjective: Icelandic

Ethnic groups: homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norse and Celts

Religions: Evangelical Lutheran 93%, other Protestant and Roman Catholic, none (1997)

Languages: Icelandic

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.9% (1997 est.) male: NA% female: NA%

Government Iceland

Country name: Republic of Iceland conventional short form: Government type: constitutional republic

Capital: Reykjavik

Administrative divisions: 23 counties (syslar, singular - sysla)
and 14 independent towns* (kaupstadhir, singular - kaupstadhur);
Akranes*, Akureyri*, Arnessysla, Austur-Bardhastrandarsysla,
Austur-Hunavatnssysla, Austur-Skaftafellssysla, Borgarfjardharsysla,
Dalasysla, Eyjafjardharsysla, Gullbringusysla, Hafnarfjordhur*,
Husavik*, Isafjordhur*, Keflavik*, Kjosarsysla, Kopavogur*, Myrasysla,
Neskaupstadhur*, Nordhur-Isafjardharsysla, Nordhur-Mulasys-la,
Nordhur-Thingeyjarsysla, Olafsfjordhur*, Rangarvallasysla, Reykjavik*,
Saudharkrokur*, Seydhisfjordhur*, Siglufjordhur*, Skagafjardharsysla,
Snaefellsnes-og Hnappadalssysla, Strandasysla, Sudhur-Mulasysla,
Sudhur-Thingeyjarsysla, Vesttmannaeyjar*, Vestur-Bardhastrandarsysla,
Vestur-Hunavatnssysla, Vestur-Isafjardharsysla, Vestur-Skaftafellssysla
note: there may be four other counties

Independence: 17 June 1944 (from Denmark)

National holiday: Independence Day, 17 June (1944)

Constitution: 16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944

Legal system: civil law system based on Danish law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON (since 1 August 1996) head of government: Prime Minister David ODDSSON (since 30 April 1991) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister and approved by Parliament election results: Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON ran unopposed in 2000 and was reelected elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 29 June 1996 (next to be held NA June 2004); President GRIMSSON ran unopposed in June 2000 so there were no elections; prime minister appointed by the president

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Althing (63 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) election results: percent of vote by party - Independence Party 40.7%, The Alliance (PA, People's Party, Women's List) 26.8%, Progressive Party 18.4%, Left-Green Alliance 9.1%, Liberal Party 4.2%; seats by party - Independence Party 26, The Alliance 17, Progressive Party 12, Left-Green Alliance 6, Liberal Party 2 elections: Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Haestirettur (justices are appointed for life by the president)

Political parties and leaders: Independence Party (conservative) or IP
[David ODDSSON]; Left-Green Alliance [Steingrimur SIGFUSSON]; Liberal
Party [Sverrir HERMANNSSON]; People's Party (Social Democratic Party)
or SDP [Sighvatur BJORGVINSSON]; Progressive Party (liberal) or PP
[Halldor ASGRIMSSON]; The Alliance (includes People's Alliance or PA,
Social Democratic Party or SVP, People's Movement, Women's List) [Ossur
SKARPHEDINSSON]; Women's List or WL [Kristin ASTGEIRSDOTTIR]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: Australia Group, BIS, CBSS,
CCC, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IEA (observer), IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, ISO, ITU, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNU, UPU, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Jon-Baldvin HANNIBALSSON chancery: Suite 1200, 1156 15th Street NW,
Washington, DC 20005-1704 consulate(s) general: Diplomatic representation
from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Barbara J. GRIFFITHS embassy:
Laufasvegur 21, 101 Reykjavik mailing address: US Embassy, PSC 1003,
Box 40, FPO AE 09728-0340 telephone: [354] 5629100 FAX: [354] 5629123

Flag description: blue with a red cross outlined in white extending to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

Economy Iceland

Economy - overview: Iceland's Scandinavian-type economy is basically capitalistic, yet with an extensive welfare system, low unemployment, and remarkably even distribution of income. In the absence of other natural resources (except for abundant hydrothermal and geothermal power), the economy depends heavily on the fishing industry, providing 70% of export earnings and employing 12% of the work force. The economy remains sensitive to declining fish stocks as well as to drops in world prices for its main exports: fish and fish products, aluminum, and ferrosilicon. The center-right government plans to continue its policies of reducing the budget and current account deficits, limiting foreign borrowing, containing inflation, revising agricultural and fishing policies, diversifying the economy, and privatizing state-owned industries. The government remains opposed to EU membership, primarily because of Icelanders' concern about losing control over their fishing resources. Iceland's economy has been diversifying into manufacturing and service industries in the last decade, and new developments in software production, biotechnology, and financial services are taking place. The tourism sector is also expanding, with the recent trends in ecotourism and whale watching. Growth has been remarkably steady over the past five years at 4%-5%.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $6.85 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4.3% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $24,800 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 15% (includes fishing 13%) industry: 21% services: 64% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.5% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 159,000 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 5.1%, fishing and fish processing 11.8%, manufacturing 12.9%, construction 10.7%, other services 59.5% (1999)

Unemployment rate: 1% (April 2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $3.5 billion expenditures: $3.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $467 million (1999)

Industries: fish processing; aluminum smelting, ferrosilicon production, geothermal power; tourism

Industrial production growth rate: 1.5% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production: 7.549 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0.05% hydro: 83.3% other: 16.65% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 7.02 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: potatoes, turnips; cattle, sheep; fish

Exports: $2 billion (f.o.b., 2000)

Exports - commodities: fish and fish products 70%, animal products, aluminum, diatomite, ferrosilicon

Exports - partners: EU 64% (UK 20%, Germany 13%, France 5%, Denmark 5%),
US 15%, Japan 5% (1999)

Imports: $2.2 billion (f.o.b., 2000)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, petroleum products; foodstuffs, textiles

Imports - partners: EU 56% (Germany 12%, UK 9%, Denmark 8%, Sweden 6%),
US 11%, Norway 10% (1999)

Debt - external: $2.6 billion (1999)

Economic aid - donor: $NA

Currency: Icelandic krona (ISK)

Currency code: ISK

Exchange rates: Icelandic kronur per US dollar - 102.430 (January 2002), 97.425 (2001), 78.616 (2000), 72.335 (1999), 70.958 (1998), 70.904 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Iceland

Telephones - main lines in use: 168,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 65,746 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: adequate domestic service domestic: the trunk network consists of coaxial and fiber-optic cables and microwave radio relay links international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Iceland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM about 70 (including repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios: 260,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 14 (plus 156 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 98,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .is

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 7 (2000)

Internet users: 168,000 (2001)

Transportation Iceland

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 12,691 km paved: 3,262 km unpaved: 9,429 km (1999)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Akureyri, Hornafjordhur, Isafjordhur, Keflavik,
Raufarhofn, Reykjavik, Seydhisfjordhur, Straumsvik, Vesttmannaeyjar

Merchant marine: total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,816
GRT/2,500 DWT ships by type: chemical tanker 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 86 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 13 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 8 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 73 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 21 under 914 m: 49 (2001)

Military Iceland

Military branches: no regular armed forces; Police, Coast Guard

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 71,142 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 62,556 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $0

Military - note: defense is provided by the US-manned Icelandic Defense
Force (IDF) headquartered at Keflavik

Transnational Issues Iceland

Disputes - international: Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Denmark, Iceland, and the UK (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary agreement in the Rockall area); dispute with Denmark over the Faroe Islands' fisheries median line boundary within 200 NM; disputes with Denmark, the UK, and Ireland over the Faroe Islands continental shelf boundary outside 200 NM

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Indonesia

Introduction

Indonesia

Background: The world's largest archipelago, Indonesia achieved independence from the Netherlands in 1949. Current issues include: implementing IMF-mandated reforms of the banking sector, effecting a transition to a popularly-elected government after four decades of authoritarianism, addressing charges of cronyism and corruption, holding the military accountable for human rights violations, and resolving growing separatist pressures in Aceh and Irian Jaya. On 30 August 1999 a provincial referendum for independence was overwhelmingly approved by the people of Timor Timur. Concurrence followed by Indonesia's national legislature, and the name East Timor was provisionally adopted. On 20 May 2002, East Timor was internationally recognized as an independent state.

Geography Indonesia

Location: Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean

Geographic coordinates: 5 00 S, 120 00 E

Map references: Southeast Asia

Area: total: 1,919,440 sq km water: 93,000 sq km land: 1,826,440 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly less than three times the size of Texas

Land boundaries: total: 2,830 km border countries: East Timor 228 km,
Malaysia 1,782 km, Papua New Guinea 820 km

Coastline: 54,716 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines exclusive economic zone: Climate: tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands

Terrain: mostly coastal lowlands; larger islands have interior mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point:
Puncak Jaya 5,030 m

Natural resources: petroleum, tin, natural gas, nickel, timber, bauxite, copper, fertile soils, coal, gold, silver

Land use: arable land: 10% permanent crops: 7% other: 83% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 48,150 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: occasional floods, severe droughts, tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanoes, forest fires

Environment - current issues: deforestation; water pollution from industrial wastes, sewage; air pollution in urban areas; smoke and haze from forest fires

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note: archipelago of 17,000 islands (6,000 inhabited); straddles Equator; strategic location astride or along major sea lanes from Indian Ocean to Pacific Ocean

People Indonesia

Population: 231,328,092 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA

Population growth rate: 1.54% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 21.87 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 6.28 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: NA 65 years and over: Infant mortality rate: 39.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 71.13 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.54 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.05% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 52,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 3,100 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Indonesian(s) adjective: Indonesian

Ethnic groups: Javanese 45%, Sundanese 14%, Madurese 7.5%, coastal
Malays 7.5%, other 26%

Religions: Muslim 88%, Protestant 5%, Roman Catholic 3%, Hindu 2%,
Buddhist 1%, other 1% (1998)

Languages: Bahasa Indonesia (official, modified form of Malay), English,
Dutch, local dialects, the most widely spoken of which is Javanese

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 83.8% male: 89.6% female: 78% (1995 est.)

Government Indonesia

Country name: Republic of Indonesia conventional short form: Indies;
Dutch East Indies local short form: Indonesia

Government type: republic

Capital: Jakarta

Administrative divisions: 27 provinces (propinsi-propinsi, singular - propinsi), 2 special regions* (daerah-daerah istimewa, singular - daerah istimewa), and 1 special capital city district** (daerah khusus ibukota); Aceh*, Bali, Banten, Bengkulu, Gorontalo, Jakarta Raya**, Jambi, Jawa Barat, Jawa Tengah, Jawa Timur, Kalimantan Barat, Kalimantan Selatan, Kalimantan Tengah, Kalimantan Timur, Kepulauan Bangka Belitung, Lampung, Maluku, Maluku Utara, Nusa Tenggara Barat, Nusa Tenggara Timur, Papua, Riau, Sulawesi Selatan, Sulawesi Tengah, Sulawesi Tenggara, Sulawesi Utara, Sumatera Barat, Sumatera Selatan, Sumatera Utara, Yogyakarta*; note - with the implementation of decentralization on 1 January 2001, the 357 districts (regencies) have become the key administrative units responsible for providing most government services note: following the 30 August 1999 provincial referendum for independence which was overwhelmingly approved by the people of Timor Timur and the October 1999 concurrence of Indonesia's national legislature, the name East Timor was adopted as a provisional name for the political entity formerly known as Propinsi Timor Timur; East Timor gained its formal independence on 20 May 2002

Independence: 17 August 1945 (proclaimed independence; on 27 December 1949, Indonesia became legally independent from the Netherlands)

National holiday: Independence Day, 17 August (1945)

Constitution: August 1945, abrogated by Federal Constitution of 1949 and Provisional Constitution of 1950, restored 5 July 1959

Legal system: based on Roman-Dutch law, substantially modified by indigenous concepts and by new criminal procedures code; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 17 years of age; universal and married persons regardless of age

Executive branch: chief of state: President MEGAWATI Sukarnoputri (since 23 July 2001) and Vice President Hamzah HAZ (since 26 July 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: Hamzah HAZ (since 26 July 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president and vice president elected separately by the People's Consultative Assembly or MPR for five-year terms; selection of president last held 23 July 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); selection of vice president last held 26 July 2001 (next to be held NA 2006) note: MPR) includes the House of Representatives (Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat or DPR) plus 200 indirectly selected members; it meets every five years to elect the president and vice president and to approve broad outlines of national policy and also has yearly meetings to consider constitutional and legislative changes election results: MEGAWATI Sukarnoputri elected president, receiving 591 votes in favor (91 abstentions); Hamzah HAZ elected vice president, receiving 340 votes in favor (237 against)

Legislative branch: unicameral House of Representatives or Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat (DPR) (500 seats; 462 elected by popular vote, 38 are appointed military representatives; members serve five-year terms) election results: 10.7%, PAN 7.3%, PBB 1.8%, other 4.5%; seats by party - PDI-P 154, Golkar 120, PPP 58, PKB 51, PAN 35, PBB 14, other 30; note - subsequent to the election, there has been a change in the distribution of seats; the new distribution is: PDI-P 153, Golkar 120, PPP 58, PKB 51, PAN 35, PBB 13, other 32 elections: last held 7 June 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Mahkamah Agung (justices appointed by the president from a list of candidates approved by the legislature); note - the Supreme Court is preparing to assume administrative responsibility for the federal court system, previously run by the executive

Political parties and leaders: Crescent Moon and Star Party or PBB [Yusril Ihza MAHENDRA, chairman]; Federation of Functional Groups or Golkar [Akbar TANDJUNG, general chairman]; Indonesia Democracy Party-Struggle or PDI-P [MEGAWATI Sukarnoputri, chairperson]; National Awakening Party or PKB [Alwi SHIHAB, chairman]; National Mandate Party or PAN [Amien RAIS, chairman]; United Development Party or PPP (federation of former Islamic parties) [Hamzah HAZ, chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN,
CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM
(observer), ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador SOEMADI Brotodiningrat chancery: 2020 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 consulate(s) general: (202) 775-5365 telephone: [1] (202) 775-5200

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ralph L. BOYCE embassy: Jalan Medan Merdeka Selatan 3-5, Jakarta 10110 mailing address: Unit 8129, Box 1, APO AP 96520 telephone: [62] (21) 3435-9000 FAX: [62] (21) 385-7189 consulate(s) general: Surabaya

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; similar to the flag of Monaco, which is shorter; also similar to the flag of Poland, which is white (top) and red

Economy Indonesia

Economy - overview: Indonesia, a vast polyglot nation, faces severe economic development problems, stemming from secessionist movements and the low level of security in the regions, the lack of reliable legal recourse in contract disputes, corruption, weaknesses in the banking system, and strained relations with the IMF. Investor confidence will remain low and few new jobs will be created under these circumstances. In November 2001, Indonesia agreed with the IMF on a series of economic reforms in 2002, thus enabling further IMF disbursements. Keys to future growth remain internal reform, the build-up of the confidence of international donors and investors, and a strong comeback in the global economy.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $687 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3.3% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 17% industry: 41% services: 42% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 27% (1999)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4% highest 10%: 26.7% (1999)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 31.7 (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 11.5% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 99 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 45%, industry 16%, services 39% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: 8% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $26 billion expenditures: $30 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Industries: petroleum and natural gas; textiles, apparel, and footwear; mining, cement, chemical fertilizers, plywood; rubber; food; tourism

Industrial production growth rate: 3.5% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 92.575 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 81.02% hydro: 14.04% other: 4.94% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 86.095 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: rice, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, rubber, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, copra; poultry, beef, pork, eggs

Exports: $56.5 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: oil and gas, electrical appliances, plywood, textiles, rubber

Exports - partners: Japan 23.4%, US 13.8%, Singapore 10.7%, South Korea 7%, China 4.5%, Malaysia 3.2% (2000 est.)

Imports: $38.1 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment; chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs

Imports - partners: Japan 16.3%, Singapore 11.4%, US 10.2%, South Korea 6.3%, China 6.1%, Australia 5.1% (2000 est.)

Debt - external: $135 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $43 billion from IMF program and other official external financing (1997-2000)

Currency: Indonesian rupiah (IDR)

Currency code: IDR

Exchange rates: Indonesian rupiahs per US dollar - 10,377.3 (January 2002), 10,260.9 (2001), 8,421.8 (2000), 7,855.2 (1999), 10,013.6 (1998), 2,909.4 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year; note - previously was 1 April - 31 March, but starting with 2001, has been changed to calendar year

Communications Indonesia

Telephones - main lines in use: 5,588,310 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 1.07 million (1998)

Telephone system: general assessment: domestic service fair, international service good domestic: interisland microwave system and HF radio police net; domestic satellite communications system international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 678, FM 43, shortwave 82 (1998)

Radios: 31.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 41 (1999)

Televisions: 13.75 million (1997)

Internet country code: .id

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 24 (2000)

Internet users: 2 million (2001)

Transportation Indonesia

Railways: total: 6,458 km narrow gauge: 5,961 km 1.067-m gauge (101 km electrified; 101 km double-track); 497 km 0.750-m gauge (2001)

Highways: total: 342,700 km paved: 158,670 km unpaved: 184,030 km (1997)

Waterways: 21,579 km total note: Sumatra 5,471 km, Java and Madura 820 km, Kalimantan 10,460 km, Sulawesi (Celebes) 241 km, Irian Jaya 4,587 km

Pipelines: crude oil 2,505 km; petroleum products 456 km; natural gas 1,703 km (1989)

Ports and harbors: Cilacap, Cirebon, Jakarta, Kupang, Makassar,
Palembang, Semarang, Surabaya

Merchant marine: total: 668 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,969,281 GRT/4,043,526 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Greece 1, Hong Kong 2, India 1, Japan 2, Malaysia 1, Monaco 3, Panama 1, Philippines 1, Singapore 11, South Korea 1, Switzerland 1, UK 2, US 1 (2002 est.) ships by type: bulk 41, cargo 392, chemical tanker 12, container 32, liquefied gas 3, livestock carrier 1, passenger 8, passenger/cargo 14, petroleum tanker 126, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 15, short-sea passenger 8, specialized tanker 9, vehicle carrier 6

Airports: 490 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 156 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 48 under 914 m: 45 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 46

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 339 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 27 under 914 m: 309 (2001)

Heliports: 6 (2001)

Military Indonesia

Military branches: Army, Navy (including marines and naval air arm),
Air Force

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 65,013,184 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 37,942,329 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 2,263,706 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $1 billion (FY98/99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.3% (FY98/99)

Transnational Issues Indonesia

Disputes - international: Sipadan and Ligitan islands dispute with Malaysia remains with the ICJ for arbitration since 1998; East Timor-Indonesia Boundary Committee meets to survey and delimit land boundary; Indonesia seeks resolution of East Timor refugees in Indonesia; Australia-East Timor-Indonesia are working to resolve maritime boundary and sharing of seabed resources in "Timor Gap"

Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis largely for domestic use; possible growing role as transshipment point for Golden Triangle heroin

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Man, Isle of

Introduction Man, Isle of

Background: Part of the Norwegian Kingdom of the Hebrides until the 13th century when it was ceded to Scotland, the isle came under the British crown in 1765. Current concerns include reviving the almost extinct Manx Celtic language.

Geography Man, Isle of

Location: Western Europe, island in the Irish Sea, between Great Britain and Ireland

Geographic coordinates: 54 15 N, 4 30 W

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 572 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 572 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly more than three times the size of
Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 160 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 12 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: temperate; cool summers and mild winters; overcast about one-third of the time

Terrain: hills in north and south bisected by central valley

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Irish Sea 0 m highest point: Snaefell 621 m

Natural resources: none

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (permanent pastures, forests, mountain, and heathland) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: waste disposal (both household and industrial); transboundary air pollution

Geography - note: one small islet, the Calf of Man, lies to the southwest, and is a bird sanctuary

People Man, Isle of

Population: 73,873 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 17.5% (male 6,601; female 6,324) 15-64 years: 65.3% (male 24,206; female 24,010) 65 years and over: 17.2% (male 5,097; female 7,635) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.52% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 11.49 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 11.68 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 5.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 6.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 81.36 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.65 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Manxman (men), Manxwoman (women) adjective: Manx

Ethnic groups: Manx (Norse-Celtic descent), Briton

Religions: Anglican, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian,
Society of Friends

Languages: English, Manx Gaelic

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Man, Isle of

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Isle of Man

Dependency status: British crown dependency

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Douglas

Administrative divisions: there are 24 local authorities each with its own elections

Independence: none (British crown dependency)

National holiday: Tynwald Day, 5 July

Constitution: unwritten; note - The Isle of Man Constitution Act, 1961, does not embody the Manx Constitution

Legal system: English common law and Manx statute

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Lord of Mann Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Lieutenant Governor His Excellency Sir Timothy DAUNT (since 27 October 1995) election results: Richard CORKILL elected chief minister by the Tynwald elections: the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed by the monarch for a five-year term; the Chief Minister is elected by the Tynwald; election last held 6 December 2001 (next to be held NA December 2006) head of government: Chief Minister Richard CORKILL (since 6 December 2001) cabinet: Council of Ministers

Legislative branch: bicameral Tynwald consists of the Legislative Council (an 11-member body composed of the President of Tynwald, the Lord Bishop of Sodor and Man, a nonvoting attorney general, and 8 others named by the House of Keys) and the House of Keys (24 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: House of Keys - last held 22 November 2001 (next to be held NA November 2006) election results: House of Keys - percent of vote by party - Man Labor Party 17.3%, Alliance for Progressive Government 14.6%; seats by party - Man Labor Party 2, Alliance for Progressive Government 3, independents 19

Judicial branch: High Court of Justice (justices are appointed by the
Lord Chancellor of England on the nomination of the lieutenant governor)

Political parties and leaders: Man Labor Party [leader NA]; Alliance for Progressive Government [leader NA]; Man Nationalist Party [leader NA] note: most members sit as independents

Political pressure groups and leaders: none

International organization participation: none

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (British crown dependency)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (British crown dependency)

Flag description: red with the Three Legs of Man emblem (Trinacria), in the center; the three legs are joined at the thigh and bent at the knee; in order to have the toes pointing clockwise on both sides of the flag, a two-sided emblem is used

Economy Man, Isle of

Economy - overview: Offshore banking, manufacturing, and tourism are key sectors of the economy. The government's policy of offering incentives to high-technology companies and financial institutions to locate on the island has paid off in expanding employment opportunities in high-income industries. As a result, agriculture and fishing, once the mainstays of the economy, have declined in their shares of GDP. Trade is mostly with the UK. The Isle of Man enjoys free access to EU markets.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.4 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 13.5% (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $18,800 (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 13% services: 86% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.5% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 36,610 (1998)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture, forestry and fishing 3%, manufacturing 11%, construction 10%, transport and communication 8%, wholesale and retail distribution 11%, professional and scientific services 18%, public administration 6%, banking and finance 18%, tourism 2%, entertainment and catering 3%, miscellaneous services 10%

Unemployment rate: 0.7% (February 2002)

Budget: revenues: $485 million expenditures: $463 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY00/01 est.)

Industries: financial services, light manufacturing, tourism

Industrial production growth rate: 3.2% (FY96/97)

Agriculture - products: cereals, vegetables; cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry

Exports: $NA

Exports - commodities: tweeds, herring, processed shellfish, beef, lamb

Exports - partners: UK

Imports: $NA

Imports - commodities: timber, fertilizers, fish

Imports - partners: UK

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid - recipient: $NA

Currency: British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Manx pound

Currency code: GBP

Exchange rates: Manx pounds per US dollar - 0.6764 (January 2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998), 0.6106 (1997); the Manx pound is at par with the British pound

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Communications Man, Isle of

Telephones - main lines in use: 51,000 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular: NA

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: landline, telefax, mobile cellular telephone system international: fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay, satellite earth station, submarine cable

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 0 (receives broadcasts from the UK and satellite) (1999)

Televisions: 27,490 (1999)

Internet country code: .im

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA

Internet users: NA

Transportation Man, Isle of

Railways: total: 68.5 km (43.5 km electrified) (2001)

Highways: total: 800 km paved: 800 km unpaved: 0 km (1999)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Castletown, Douglas, Peel, Ramsey

Merchant marine: total: 212 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,540,100 GRT/9,130,508 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Denmark 45, France 1, Germany 48, Greece 6, Hong Kong 10, Iceland 1, Italy 8, Monaco 7, Netherlands 3, Norway 5, Sweden 4, Switzerland 2, United Kingdom 70, United States 1 (2002 est.) ships by type: bulk 29, cargo 34, chemical tanker 22, combination bulk 2, container 29, liquefied gas 24, petroleum tanker 46, roll on/roll off 20, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 5

Airports: 1 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2001)

Military Man, Isle of

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Man, Isle of

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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India

Introduction

India

Background: The Indus Valley civilization, one of the oldest in the world, goes back at least 5,000 years. Aryan tribes from the northwest invaded about 1500 B.C.; their merger with the earlier inhabitants created the classical Indian culture. Arab incursions starting in the 8th century and Turkish in 12th were followed by European traders beginning in the late 15th century. By the 19th century, Britain had assumed political control of virtually all Indian lands. Nonviolent resistance to British colonialism under Mohandas GANDHI and Jawaharlal NEHRU led to independence in 1947. The subcontinent was divided into the secular state of India and the smaller Muslim state of Pakistan. A third war between the two countries in 1971 resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. Fundamental concerns in India include the ongoing dispute with Pakistan over Kashmir, massive overpopulation, environmental degradation, extensive poverty, and ethnic and religious strife, all this despite impressive gains in economic investment and output.

Geography India

Location: Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and Pakistan

Geographic coordinates: 20 00 N, 77 00 E

Map references: Asia

Area: total: 3,287,590 sq km land: 2,973,190 sq km water: 314,400 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly more than one-third the size of the US

Land boundaries: total: 14,103 km border countries: Bangladesh 4,053 km, Bhutan 605 km, Burma 1,463 km, China 3,380 km, Nepal 1,690 km, Pakistan 2,912 km

Coastline: 7,000 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate: varies from tropical monsoon in south to temperate in north

Terrain: upland plain (Deccan Plateau) in south, flat to rolling plain along the Ganges, deserts in west, Himalayas in north

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point:
Kanchenjunga 8,598 m

Natural resources: coal (fourth-largest reserves in the world), iron ore, manganese, mica, bauxite, titanium ore, chromite, natural gas, diamonds, petroleum, limestone, arable land

Land use: arable land: 54% permanent crops: 3% other: 43% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 590,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: droughts; flash floods, as well as widespread and destructive flooding from monsoonal rains; severe thunderstorms; earthquakes

Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; desertification; air pollution from industrial effluents and vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage and runoff of agricultural pesticides; tap water is not potable throughout the country; huge and growing population is overstraining natural resources

Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental
Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear
Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of
the selected agreements

Geography - note: dominates South Asian subcontinent; near important
Indian Ocean trade routes

People India

Population: 1,045,845,226 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 32.7% (male 175,858,386; female 165,724,901) 15-64 years: (male 24,975,465; female 24,265,514) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.51% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 23.79 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 8.62 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 61.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 63.93 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.98 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.7% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 3.7 million (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 310,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Indian(s) adjective: Indian

Ethnic groups: Indo-Aryan 72%, Dravidian 25%, Mongoloid and other 3% (2000)

Religions: Hindu 81.3%, Muslim 12%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.9%, other groups including Buddhist, Jain, Parsi 2.5% (2000)

Languages: English enjoys associate status but is the most important language for national, political, and commercial communication; Hindu is the national language and primary tongue of 30% of the people; there are 14 other official languages: Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, Oriya, Punjabi, Assamese, Kashmiri, Sindhi, and Sanskrit; Hindustani is a popular variant of Hindi/Urdu spoken widely throughout northern India but is not an official language

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 52% male: 65.5% female: 37.7% (1995 est.)

Government India

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of India conventional short form: India

Government type: federal republic

Capital: New Delhi

Administrative divisions: 28 states and 7 union territories*; Andaman
and Nicobar Islands*, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar,
Chandigarh*, Chhattisgarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli*, Daman and Diu*,
Delhi*, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir,
Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshadweep*, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra,
Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Orissa, Pondicherry*, Punjab,
Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh,
West Bengal

Independence: 15 August 1947 (from UK)

National holiday: Republic Day, 26 January (1950)

Constitution: 26 January 1950

Legal system: based on English common law; limited judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Abdul KALAM (since 26 July 2002); Vice President (vacant) elections: president elected by an electoral college consisting of elected members of both houses of Parliament and the legislatures of the states for a five-year term; election last held NA July 2002 (next to be held NA July 2007); vice president elected by both houses of Parliament for a five-year term; election last held 16 August 1997 (next to be held NA August 2002); prime minister elected by parliamentary members of the majority party following legislative elections; election last held NA October 1999 (next to be held NA October 2004) head of government: Prime Minister Atal Bihari VAJPAYEE (since 19 March 1998) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister election results: Kocheril Raman NARAYANAN elected president; percent of electoral college vote - NA%; Krishnan KANT elected vice president; percent of Parliament vote - NA%; Atal Bihari VAJPAYEE elected prime minister; percent of vote - NA%

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Sansad consists of the Council of States or Rajya Sabha (a body consisting of not more than 250 members, up to 12 of which are appointed by the president, the remainder are chosen by the elected members of the state and territorial assemblies; members serve six-year terms) and the People's Assembly or Lok Sabha (545 seats; 543 elected by popular vote, 2 appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms) elections: People's Assembly - last held 5 September through 3 October 1999 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - BJP alliance 40.8%, Congress (I) alliance 33.8%, other 25.4%; seats by party - BJP alliance 304, Congress (I) alliance 134, other 107

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president and remain in office until they reach the age of 65)

Political parties and leaders: All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
or AIADMK [C. Jayalalitha JAYARAM]; All India Forward Bloc or AIFB,
[D. BISWAS (general secretary)]; Asom Gana Parishad [Brindaban GOSWAMI];
Bahujan Samaj Party or BSP [MAYAWATI]; Bharatiya Janata Party or BJP
[Jana KRISNAMURTHY]; Biju Janata Dal or BJD [Naveen PATNAIK]; Communist
Party of India or CPI [Ardhendu Bhushan BARDHAN]; Communist Party of
India/Marxist-Leninist or CPI/ML [Dipankar BHATTACHARYA]; Congress
(I) Party [Sonia GANDHI]; Dravida Munnetra Kazagham or DMK (a regional
party in Tamil Nadu) [M. KARUNANIDHI]; Indian National League [Suliaman
SAITH]; Janata Dal (Secular) [H. D. Deve GOWDA]; Janata Dal (United)
or JDU [Sharad YADAV]; Kerala Congress (Mani faction) [K. M. MANI];
Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam or MDMK [VAIKO]; Muslim League
[G. M. BANATWALA]; Nationalist Congress Party or NCP [Sharad PAWAR];
Rashtriya Janata Dal or RJD [Laloo Prasad YADAV]; Revolutionary Socialist
Party or RSP [Abani ROY]; Samajwadi Party or SP [Mulayam Singh YADAV];
Shiromani Akali Dal [G. S. TOHRA]; Shiv Sena [Bal THACKERAY]; Tamil
Maanila Congress [G. K. VASAN]; Telugu Desam Party or TDP [Chandrababu
NAIDU]; Trinamool Congress [Mamata BANERJEE]

Political pressure groups and leaders: numerous religious or militant/chauvinistic organizations, including Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal, and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh; various separatist groups seeking greater communal and/or regional autonomy, including the All Parties Hurriyat Conference

International organization participation: AfDB, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIS, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G- 6, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA (observer), IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOVIC, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Lalit
MANSINGH consulate(s) general: Chicago,
 [1] (202) 483-3972 telephone: DC 20008; note - Embassy located at 2536
 Massachusetts Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Robert D. BLACKWILL (nominated March 2001)
 Shantipath, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110021 mailing address: 419-0017
 consulate(s) general: Chennai (Madras), Kolkata (Calcutta),
Mumbai (Bombay)

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and green with a blue chakra (24-spoked wheel) centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Niger, which has a small orange disk centered in the white band

Economy India

Economy - overview: India's economy encompasses traditional village farming, modern agriculture, handicrafts, a wide range of modern industries, and a multitude of support services. About a quarter of the population is too poor to be able to afford an adequate diet. India's international payments position remained strong in 2001 with adequate foreign exchange reserves, and moderately depreciating nominal exchange rates. Growth in manufacturing output has slowed, and electricity shortages continue in many regions. India has large numbers of well-educated people skilled in English language; India is a major exporter of software services and software workers.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $2.5 trillion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 5% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,500 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 25% industry: 26% services: 49% (2001)

Population below poverty line: 25% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.5% highest 10%: 33.5% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 37.8 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.5% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 406 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 60%, services 23%, industry 17% (1999)

Unemployment rate: 4.4% (1999)

Budget: revenues: $48.3 billion expenditures: $78.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $13.5 billion (FY01/02 est.)

Industries: textiles, chemicals, food processing, steel, transportation equipment, cement, mining, petroleum, machinery, software

Industrial production growth rate: 4.3% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 547.12 billion kWh (FY 2000-01, utilities only) (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 83.4% hydro: 13.85% other: 0.18% (2000) nuclear: 2.57%

Electricity - consumption: 509.89 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 321 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 1.385 billion kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: rice, wheat, oilseed, cotton, jute, tea, sugarcane, potatoes; cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats, poultry; fish

Exports: $44.5 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Exports - commodities: textile goods, gems and jewelry, engineering goods, chemicals, leather manufactures

Exports - partners: US 22.8%, Hong Kong 5.8%, Japan 5.3%, UK 5.3%,
Germany 4.6% (2000)

Imports: $53.8 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Imports - commodities: crude oil, machinery, gems, fertilizer, chemicals

Imports - partners: Benelux 8.5%, US 8%, UK 6.2%, Japan 5.7%, Saudi
Arabia 4.6% (2000)

Debt - external: $100.3 billion (end-March 2001)

Economic aid - recipient: $2.9 billion (FY98/99)

Currency: Indian rupee (INR)

Currency code: INR

Exchange rates: Indian rupees per US dollar - 48.336 (January 2002), 47.186 (2001), 44.942 (2000), 43.055 (1999), 41.259 (1998), 36.313 (1997)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Communications India

Telephones - main lines in use: 27.7 million (October 2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 2.93 million (November 2000)

Telephone system: general assessment: mediocre service; local and long distance service provided throughout all regions of the country, with services primarily concentrated in the urban areas; major objective is to continue to expand and modernize long-distance network to keep pace with rapidly growing number of local subscriber lines; steady improvement is taking place with the recent admission of private and private-public investors, but, with telephone density at about two for each 100 persons and a waiting list of over 2 million, demand for main line telephone service will not be satisfied for a very long time domestic: local service is provided by microwave radio relay and coaxial cable, with open wire and obsolete electromechanical and manual switchboard systems still in use in rural areas; starting in the 1980s, a substantial amount of digital switch gear has been introduced for local and long-distance service; long-distance traffic is carried mostly by coaxial cable and low-capacity microwave radio relay; since 1985 significant trunk capacity has been added in the form of fiber-optic cable and a domestic satellite system with 254 earth stations; mobile cellular service is provided in four metropolitan cities international: satellite earth stations - 8 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region); nine gateway exchanges operating from Mumbai (Bombay), New Delhi, Kolkata (Calcutta), Chennai (Madras), Jalandhar, Kanpur, Gaidhinagar, Hyderabad, and Ernakulam; 4 submarine cables - LOCOM linking Chennai (Madras) to Penang; Indo-UAE-Gulf cable linking Mumbai (Bombay) to Al Fujayrah, UAE; India-SEA-ME-WE-3, SEA-ME-WE-2 with landing sites at Cochin and Mumbai (Bombay); Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) with landing site at Mumbai (Bombay) (2000)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 153, FM 91, shortwave 68 (1998)

Radios: 116 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 562 (of which 82 stations have 1 kW or greater power and 480 stations have less than 1 kW of power) (1997)

Televisions: 63 million (1997)

Internet country code: .in

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 43 (2000)

Internet users: 5 million (2001)

Transportation India

Railways: total: 63,693 km (13,771 km electrified) broad gauge: 45,103 km 1.676-m gauge narrow gauge: 15,178 km 1.000-m gauge; 3,105 km 0.762-m gauge; 307 km 0.610-m gauge (2001)

Highways: total: 3,319,644 km paved: 1,517,077 km unpaved: 1,802,567 km (1996)

Waterways: 16,180 km note: 3,631 km navigable by large vessels

Pipelines: crude oil 3,005 km; petroleum products 2,687 km; natural gas 1,700 km (1995)

Ports and harbors: Chennai (Madras), Cochin, Jawaharal Nehru, Kandla,
Kolkata (Calcutta), Mumbai (Bombay), Vishakhapatnam

Merchant marine: total: 319 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,325,284 GRT/10,581,459 DWT ships by type: bulk 115, cargo 80, chemical tanker 16, combination bulk 1, combination ore/oil 3, container 13, liquefied gas 9, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 74, short-sea passenger 2, specialized tanker 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: China 1, United Arab Emirates 10, United Kingdom 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 335 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 234 over 3,047 m: 14 2,438 to 3,047 m: 48 914 to 1,523 m: 75 under 914 m: 17 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 80

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 101 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 under 914 m: 52 (2001) 914 to 1,523 m: 41

Heliports: 18 (2001)

Military India

Military branches: Army, Navy (including naval air arm), Air Force,
Strategic Nuclear Command (SNC), Coast Guard, various security or
paramilitary forces (including Border Security Force, Assam Rifles,
Rashtriya Rifles, National Security Guards, Indo-Tibetan Border Police,
Special Frontier Force, Ladakh Scouts, Central Reserve Police Force,
Central Industrial Security Force, Railway Protection Force, Defense
Security Corps, and Indian Reserve Battalions)

Military manpower - military age: 17 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 285,729,565 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 167,599,380 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 10,879,384 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $12,079,700,000 (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.5% (FY01)

Transnational Issues India

Disputes - international: discussions with Bangladesh remain stalled to delimit a small section of river boundary, demarcate and fence off the entire boundary, exchange 162 minuscule enclaves, and allocate divided villages while skirmishes, illegal trafficking, and violence along the border continue; Bangladesh has protested India's attempts to fence off high traffic sections of the porous boundary; dispute with Bangladesh over New Moore/South Talpatty Island in the Bay of Bengal; much of the rugged, militarized boundary with China is in dispute but talks to resolve the least contested middle sector resumed in 2001; with Pakistan, armed stand-off over the status and sovereignty of Kashmir continues; dispute with Pakistan over terminus of Rann of Kutch prevents extension of a maritime boundary; water-sharing problems with Pakistan persist over the Indus River (Wular Barrage); Joint Border Committee formed with Nepal in 2001 is intended to resolve 53 disputed sections of boundary covering an area of 720 sq km

Illicit drugs: world's largest producer of licit opium for the pharmaceutical trade, but an undetermined quantity of opium is diverted to illicit international drug markets; transit country for illicit narcotics produced in neighboring countries; illicit producer of hashish and methaqualone

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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British Indian Ocean Territory

Introduction

British Indian Ocean Territory

Background: Established as a territory of the UK in 1965, a number of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) islands were transferred to the Seychelles when it attained independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. The largest and most southerly of the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a joint UK-US naval support facility. All of the remaining islands are uninhabited. Former agricultural workers, earlier residents in the islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius but also to the Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In 2000, a British High Court ruling invalidated the local immigration order which had excluded them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia.

Geography British Indian Ocean Territory

Location: Southern Asia, archipelago in the Indian Ocean, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia

Geographic coordinates: 6 00 S, 71 30 E

Map references: Political Map of the World

Area: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago water: Area - comparative: about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 698 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 3 NM

Climate: tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds

Terrain: flat and low (most areas do not exceed four meters in elevation)

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m

Natural resources: coconuts, fish, sugarcane

Land use: arable land: NEGL permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: archipelago of 2,300 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility

People British Indian Ocean Territory

Population: no indigenous inhabitants note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident in the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois, were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles around the time of the construction of UK-US military facilities; in 2001, there were approximately 1,500 UK and US military personnel and 2,000 civilian contractors living on the island of Diego Garcia (July 2002 est.)

Population growth rate: NA%

Government British Indian Ocean Territory

Country name: conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory conventional short form: none abbreviation: BIOT

Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London

Legal system: the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Commissioner John WHITE (since NA); Administrator Louise SAVILL (since NA); note - both reside in the UK elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and administrator appointed by the monarch cabinet: NA

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description: white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag

Economy British Indian Ocean Territory

Economy - overview: All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of Diego Garcia, where joint UK-US defense facilities are located. Construction projects and various services needed to support the military installations are done by military and contract employees from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are no industrial or agricultural activities on the islands. When the Ilois return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing.

Electricity - production: NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the
US military

Electricity - consumption: NA kWh

Communications British Indian Ocean Territory

Telephones - main lines in use: NA

Telephone system: general assessment: separate facilities for military and public needs are available domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including connection to the Internet international: international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)

Televisions: NA

Internet country code: .io

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Transportation British Indian Ocean Territory

Highways: total: NA km paved: short stretch of paved road of NA km between port and airfield on Diego Garcia unpaved: NA km

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Diego Garcia

Airports: 1 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2001)

Military British Indian Ocean Territory

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016

Transnational Issues British Indian Ocean Territory

Disputes - international: Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago and its former inhabitants, who reside chiefly in Mauritius, but in 2001 were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation since eviction in 1965; repatriation is complicated by the US military lease of Diego Garcia, the largest island in the chain

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Clipperton Island

Introduction

Clipperton Island

Background: This isolated island was named for John CLIPPERTON, a pirate who made it his hideout early in the 18th century. Annexed by France in 1855, it was seized by Mexico in 1897. Arbitration eventually awarded the island to France, which took possession in 1935.

Geography Clipperton Island

Location: Middle America, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, 1,120 km southwest of Mexico

Geographic coordinates: 10 17 N, 109 13 W

Map references: Political Map of the World

Area: total: 7 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 7 sq km

Area - comparative: about 12 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 11.1 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical; humid, average temperature 20-32 degrees C, rains
May-October

Terrain: coral atoll

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point:
Rocher Clipperton 29 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (all coral) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: reef about 8 km in circumference

People Clipperton Island

Population: uninhabited (July 2002 est.)

Population growth rate: NA

Government Clipperton Island

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Clipperton Island local short form: Ile Clipperton local long form: none former: sometimes called Ile de la Passion

Dependency status: possession of France; administered by France from
French Polynesia by a high commissioner of the Republic

Legal system: the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Flag description: the flag of France is used

Economy Clipperton Island

Economy - overview: Although 115 species of fish have been identified in the territorial waters of Clipperton Island, the only economic activity is tuna fishing.

Transportation Clipperton Island

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Military Clipperton Island

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Clipperton Island

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Iran

Introduction

Iran

Background: Known as Persia until 1935, Iran became an Islamic republic in 1979 after the ruling shah was forced into exile. Conservative clerical forces subsequently crushed westernizing liberal elements. Militant Iranian students seized the US Embassy in Tehran on 4 November 1979 and held it until 20 January 1981. During 1980-88, Iran fought a bloody, indecisive war with Iraq over disputed territory. Key current issues affecting the country include the pace of accepting outside modernizing influences and reconciliation between clerical control of the regime and popular government participation and widespread demands for reform.

Geography Iran

Location: Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan

Geographic coordinates: 32 00 N, 53 00 E

Map references: Middle East

Area: total: 1.648 million sq km land: 1.636 million sq km water: 12,000 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Alaska

Land boundaries: total: 5,440 km border countries: Afghanistan 936 km, Armenia 35 km, Azerbaijan-proper 432 km, Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave 179 km, Iraq 1,458 km, Pakistan 909 km, Turkey 499 km, Turkmenistan 992 km

Coastline: 2,440 km; note - Iran also borders the Caspian Sea (740 km)

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: natural prolongation exclusive economic zone: bilateral agreements or median lines in the Persian Gulf

Climate: mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast

Terrain: rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts, mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m highest point: kuh-e Damavand 5,671 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc, sulfur

Land use: arable land: 10% permanent crops: 1% other: 89% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 75,620 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes along western border and in the northeast

Environment - current issues: air pollution, especially in urban areas, from vehicle emissions, refinery operations, and industrial effluents; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; oil pollution in the Persian Gulf; wetland losses from drought; soil degradation (salination); inadequate supplies of potable water; water pollution from raw sewage and industrial waste; urbanization

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine
Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed,
but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine
Life Conservation

Geography - note: strategic location on the Persian Gulf and Strait of
Hormuz, which are vital maritime pathways for crude oil transport

People Iran

Population: 66,622,704 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 31.6% (male 10,753,218; female 10,273,015) 15-64 years: (male 1,633,016; female 1,483,606) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.77% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 17.54 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 5.39 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -4.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.1 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 28.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 71.69 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.01 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: less than 0.01% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Iranian(s) adjective: Iranian

Ethnic groups: Persian 51%, Azeri 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%,
Kurd 7%, Arab 3%, Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1%

Religions: Shi'a Muslim 89%, Sunni Muslim 10%, Zoroastrian, Jewish,
Christian, and Baha'i 1%

Languages: Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects 26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2%

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 72.1% male: 78.4% female: 65.8% (1994 est.)

Government Iran

Country name: Islamic Republic of Iran conventional short form: former: Persia

Government type: theocratic republic

Capital: Tehran

Administrative divisions: 28 provinces (ostanha, singular - ostan); Ardabil, Azarbayjan-e Gharbi, Azarbayjan-e Sharqi, Bushehr, Chahar Mahall va Bakhtiari, Esfahan, Fars, Gilan, Golestan, Hamadan, Hormozgan, Ilam, Kerman, Kermanshah, Khorasan, Khuzestan, Kohkiluyeh va Buyer Ahmad, Kordestan, Lorestan, Markazi, Mazandaran, Qazvin, Qom, Semnan, Sistan va Baluchestan, Tehran, Yazd, Zanjan

Independence: 1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed)

National holiday: Republic Day, 1 April (1979)

Constitution: 2-3 December 1979; revised 1989 to expand powers of the presidency and eliminate the prime ministership

Legal system: the Constitution codifies Islamic principles of government

Suffrage: 15 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI (since 4 June 1989) elections: leader of the Islamic Revolution appointed for life by the Assembly of Experts; president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 8 June 2001 (next to be held NA 2005) election results: (Ali) Mohammad KHATAMI-Ardakani reelected president; percent of vote - (Ali) Mohammad KHATAMI-Ardakani 77% cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president with legislative approval head of government: President (Ali) Mohammad KHATAMI-Ardakani (since 3 August 1997); First Vice President Dr. Mohammad Reza AREF-YAZDI (since 26 August 2001)

Legislative branch: unicameral Islamic Consultative Assembly or Majles-e-Shura-ye-Eslami (290 seats, note - changed from 270 seats with the 18 February 2000 election; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 18 February-NA April 2000 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats by party - reformers 170, conservatives 45, and independents 10, 65 seats up for runoff; note - election on 5 May 2000 (reformers 52, conservatives 10, independents 3)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: the following organizations appeared to have achieved considerable success at elections to the sixth Majlis in early 2000: Assembly of the Followers of the Imam's Line, Freethinkers' Front, Islamic Iran Participation Front, Moderation and Development Party, Servants of Construction Party, Society of Self-sacrificing Devotees

Political pressure groups and leaders: active student groups include
the pro-reform "Organization for Strengthening Unity" and "the Union of
Islamic Student Societies'; groups that generally support the Islamic
Republic include Ansar-e Hizballah, Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution,
Muslim Students Following the Line of the Imam, and the Islamic Coalition
Association; opposition groups include the Liberation Movement of
Iran and the Nation of Iran party; armed political groups that have
been almost completely repressed by the government include Mojahedin-e
Khalq Organization (MEK), People's Fedayeen, Democratic Party of Iranian
Kurdistan; the Society for the Defense of Freedom

International organization participation: CCC, CP, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, G-19,
G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US: none; note - Iran has an Interests
Section in the Pakistani Embassy; address: Iranian Interests Section,
Pakistani Embassy, 2209 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007;
telephone: [1] (202) 965-4990

Diplomatic representation from the US: none; note - protecting power in Iran is Switzerland

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red; the national emblem (a stylized representation of the word Allah in the shape of a tulip, a symbol of martyrdom) in red is centered in the white band; ALLAH AKBAR (God is Great) in white Arabic script is repeated 11 times along the bottom edge of the green band and 11 times along the top edge of the red band

Economy Iran

Economy - overview: Iran's economy is a mixture of central planning, state ownership of oil and other large enterprises, village agriculture, and small-scale private trading and service ventures. President KHATAMI has continued to follow the market reform plans of former President RAFSANJANI and has indicated that he will pursue diversification of Iran's oil-reliant economy although he has made little progress toward that goal. The strong oil market in 1996 helped ease financial pressures on Iran and allowed for Tehran's timely debt service payments. Iran's financial situation tightened in 1997 and deteriorated further in 1998 because of lower oil prices. The subsequent rise in oil prices in 1999-2000 afforded Iran fiscal breathing room but does not solve Iran's structural economic problems, including the encouragement of foreign investment.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $426 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 5% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $6,400 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 20% industry: 24% services: 56% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 53% (1996 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 13% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 18 million note: shortage of skilled labor (1998)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate: 14% (1999 est.)

Budget: revenues: $24 billion expenditures: $22 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Industries: petroleum, petrochemicals, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food processing (particularly sugar refining and vegetable oil production), metal fabricating, armaments

Industrial production growth rate: 5.5% (2001 nonoil est.)

Electricity - production: 120.33 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 94.24% hydro: 5.76% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 111.907 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: wheat, rice, other grains, sugar beets, fruits, nuts, cotton; dairy products, wool; caviar

Exports: $27.4 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: petroleum 85%, carpets, fruits and nuts, iron and steel, chemicals

Exports - partners: Japan 20.5%, Italy 7%, UAE 5.9%, France 4.7%,
China 4.1% (1999)

Imports: $17.2 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: industrial raw materials and intermediate goods, capital goods, foodstuffs and other consumer goods, technical services, military supplies

Imports - partners: Germany 11%, Italy 8.3%, China 6.1%, Japan 5.3%,
UAE 5% (1999)

Debt - external: $7.3 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $116.5 million (1995)

Currency: Iranian rial (IRR)

Currency code: IRR

Exchange rates: from 1997 to 2001, Iran had a multi-exchange-rate system; one of these rates, the official floating exchange rate, by which most essential goods were imported, averaged 1,750 rials per US dollar; in March 2002, the multi-exchange-rate system was converged into one rate at about 7,900 rials per US dollar

Fiscal year: 21 March - 20 March

Communications Iran

Telephones - main lines in use: 6.313 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 265,000 (August 1998)

Telephone system: general assessment: inadequate but currently being modernized and expanded with the goal of not only improving the efficiency and increasing the volume of the urban service but also bringing telephone service to several thousand villages, not presently connected domestic: the number of long-distance channels in the microwave radio relay trunk has grown substantially; many villages have been brought into the net; the number of main lines in the urban systems has approximately doubled; and thousands of mobile cellular subscribers are being served; moreover, the technical level of the system has been raised by the installation of thousands of digital switches international: HF radio and microwave radio relay to Turkey, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Syria, Kuwait, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan; submarine fiber-optic cable to UAE with access to Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG); Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line runs from Azerbaijan through the northern portion of Iran to Turkmenistan with expansion to Georgia and Azerbaijan; satellite earth stations - 9 Intelsat and 4 Inmarsat; Internet service available but limited to electronic mail to promote Iranian culture

Radio broadcast stations: AM 72, FM 5, shortwave 5 (1998)

Radios: 17 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 28 (plus 450 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 4.61 million (1997)

Internet country code: .ir

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 8 (2000)

Internet users: 250,000 (2001)

Transportation Iran

Railways: total: 6,130 km broad gauge: 94 km 1.676-m gauge standard gauge: 6,036 km 1.435-m gauge (187 km electrified) note: broad-gauge track is employed at the borders with Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan which have broad-gauge rail systems; 41 km of the standard-gauge, electrified track is in suburban service at Tehran (2001)

Highways: total: 140,200 km paved: 49,440 km (including 470 km of expressways) unpaved: 90,760 km (1998 est.)

Waterways: 904 km note: the Shatt al Arab is usually navigable by maritime traffic for about 130 km; channel has been dredged to 3 m and is in use

Pipelines: crude oil 5,900 km; petroleum products 3,900 km; natural gas 4,550 km

Ports and harbors: Abadan (largely destroyed in fighting during 1980-88
war), Ahvaz, Bandar 'Abbas, Bandar-e Anzali, Bushehr, Bandar-e Emam
Khomeyni, Bandar-e Lengeh, Bandar-e Mahshahr, Bandar-e Torkaman, Chabahar
(Bandar Beheshti), Jazireh-ye Khark, Jazireh-ye Lavan, Jazireh-ye Sirri,
Khorramshahr (limited operation since November 1992), Now Shahr

Merchant marine: total: 147 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,136,971 GRT/7,166,703 DWT ships by type: bulk 48, cargo 36, chemical tanker 4, container 10, liquefied gas 1, multi-functional large-load carrier 6, petroleum tanker 30, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 9, short-sea passenger 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 322 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 118 over 3,047 m: 40 2,438 to 3,047 m: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 7 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 24

Airports - with unpaved runways: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: Heliports: 11 (2001)

Military Iran

Military branches: Islamic Republic of Iran regular forces (includes
Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force and Air Defense Command), Iranian
Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) (includes Ground Forces, Air Force,
Navy, Qods [special operations], and Basij [Popular Mobilization Army]
forces), Law Enforcement Forces

Military manpower - military age: 21 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 18,868,571 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 11,192,731 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 823,041 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $9.7 billion (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.1% (FY00)

Transnational Issues Iran

Disputes - international: despite restored diplomatic relations in 1990, Iran lacks maritime boundary with Iraq and disputes land boundary, navigation channels, and other issues from eight-year war; UAE seeks United Arab League and other international support against Iran's occupation of Greater Tunb Island (called Tunb al Kubra in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Bozorg in Persian by Iran) and Lesser Tunb Island (called Tunb as Sughra in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Kuchek in Persian by Iran) and attempts to occupy completely a jointly administered island in the Persian Gulf (called Abu Musa in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Abu Musa in Persian by Iran); Iran insists on division of Caspian Sea into five equal sectors while Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan have generally agreed upon equidistant seabed boundaries; Iran threatens to conduct oil exploration in Azerbaijani-claimed waters, while interdicting Azerbaijani activities

Illicit drugs: despite substantial interdiction efforts, Iran remains a key transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin to Europe; domestic narcotics consumption remains a persistent problem and Iranian press reports estimate at least 1.8 million drug users in the country

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Israel

Introduction

Israel

Background: Following World War II, the British withdrew from their mandate of Palestine, and the UN partitioned the area into Arab and Jewish states, an arrangement rejected by the Arabs. Subsequently, the Israelis defeated the Arabs in a series of wars without ending the deep tensions between the two sides. The territories occupied by Israel since the 1967 war are not included in the Israel country profile, unless otherwise noted. On 25 April 1982, Israel withdrew from the Sinai pursuant to the 1979 Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty. Outstanding territorial and other disputes with Jordan were resolved in the 26 October 1994 Israel-Jordan Treaty of Peace. In keeping with the framework established at the Madrid Conference in October 1991, bilateral negotiations were conducted between Israel and Palestinian representatives (from the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip) and Syria, to achieve a permanent settlement; however, these efforts were derailed/postponed by the outbreak of Israeli-Palestinian violence in September 2000. On 25 May 2000, Israel withdrew unilaterally from southern Lebanon, which it had occupied since 1982.

Geography Israel

Location: Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Lebanon

Geographic coordinates: 31 30 N, 34 45 E

Map references: Middle East

Area: total: 20,770 sq km water: 440 sq km land: 20,330 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries: total: 1,017 km border countries: Egypt 266 km, Gaza
Strip 51 km, Jordan 238 km, Lebanon 79 km, Syria 76 km, West Bank 307 km

Coastline: 273 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: to depth of exploitation territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas

Terrain: Negev desert in the south; low coastal plain; central mountains;
Jordan Rift Valley

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m highest point: Har
Meron 1,208 m

Natural resources: timber, potash, copper ore, natural gas, phosphate rock, magnesium bromide, clays, sand

Land use: arable land: 17% permanent crops: 4% other: 79% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,990 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: sandstorms may occur during spring and summer; droughts; periodic earthquakes

Environment - current issues: limited arable land and natural fresh water resources pose serious constraints; desertification; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; groundwater pollution from industrial and domestic waste, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear
Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed,
but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note: there are 231 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the West Bank, 42 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, 25 in the Gaza Strip, and 29 in East Jerusalem (August 2001 est.); Sea of Galilee is an important freshwater source

People Israel

Population: 6,029,529 (July 2002 est.) note: includes about 182,000
Israeli settlers in the West Bank, about 20,000 in the Israeli-occupied
Golan Heights, fewer than 7,000 in the Gaza Strip, and about 176,000 in
East Jerusalem (August 2001 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 27.1% (male 837,491; female 798,695) 15-64 years: 63% (male 1,905,677; female 1,889,525) 65 years and over: 9.9% (male 257,066; female 341,075) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.48% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 18.91 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 6.21 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 2.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 7.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 81.01 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.54 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.08% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 2,400 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Israeli(s) adjective: Israeli

Ethnic groups: Jewish 80.1% (Europe/America-born 32.1%, Israel-born 20.8%, Africa-born 14.6%, Asia-born 12.6%), non-Jewish 19.9% (mostly Arab) (1996 est.)

Religions: Jewish 80.1%, Muslim 14.6% (mostly Sunni Muslim), Christian 2.1%, other 3.2% (1996 est.)

Languages: Hebrew (official), Arabic used officially for Arab minority,
English most commonly used foreign language

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 95% male: 97% female: 93% (1992 est.)

Government Israel

Country name: conventional long form: State of Israel conventional short form: Israel local short form: Yisra'el local long form: Medinat Yisra'el

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Jerusalem; note - Israel proclaimed Jerusalem as its capital in 1950, but the US, like nearly all other countries, maintains its Embassy in Tel Aviv

Administrative divisions: 6 districts (mehozot, singular - mehoz);
Central, Haifa, Jerusalem, Northern, Southern, Tel Aviv

Independence: 14 May 1948 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)

National holiday: Independence Day, 14 May (1948); note - Israel declared independence on 14 May 1948, but the Jewish calendar is lunar and the holiday may occur in April or May

Constitution: no formal constitution; some of the functions of a constitution are filled by the Declaration of Establishment (1948), the Basic Laws of the parliament (Knesset), and the Israeli citizenship law

Legal system: mixture of English common law, British Mandate regulations, and, in personal matters, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim legal systems; in December 1985, Israel informed the UN Secretariat that it would no longer accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: President Moshe KATSAV (since 31 July 2000) elections: 31 July 1999 (next to be held NA July 2003); prime minister elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 6 February 2001 (next to be held NA November 2003); note - in March 1992, the Knesset approved legislation, effective in 1996, which allowed for the direct election of the prime minister, but in 2001 the Knesset voted to restore the previous method under which the legislators will choose the next prime minister after the next legislative elections in 2003 head of Prime Minister Ariel SHARON (since 7 March 2001) cabinet: results: Moshe KATSAV elected president by the 120-member Knesset with a total of 60 votes, other candidate, Shimon PERES, received 57 votes (there were three abstentions); Ariel SHARON elected prime minister; percent of vote - Ariel SHARON 62.5%, Ehud BARAK 37.4%; note - after the next legislative elections scheduled for 2003, the prime minister will be elected by the Knesset

Legislative branch: unicameral Knesset or parliament (120 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 17 May 1999 (next to be held NA November 2003) election results: percent of vote by party - One Israel 20.2%, Likud Party 14.1%, Shas 13%, Meretz 7.6%, Yisra'el Ba'Aliya 5.1%, Shinui 5%, Center Party 5%, National Religious Party 4.2%, United Torah Judaism 3.7%, United Arab List 3.4%, National Union 3%, Hadash 2.6%, Yisra'el Beiteinu 2.6%, Balad 1.9%, One Nation 1.9%, Democratic Movement NA (party formed after election, members elected under Yisra'el Ba'Aliya list); seats by party - One Israel 24, Likud Party 19, Shas 17, MERETZ 10, Yisra'el Ba'Aliya 4, Shinui 6, Center Party 5, National Religious Party 5, United Torah Judaism 5, United Arab List 5, National Union 3, Hadash 3, Yisra'el Beiteinu 4, Democratic Movement 2 (party formed after election, members elected under Yisra'el Ba'Aliya list), Balad 2, One Nation 2

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (justices appointed for life by the president)

Political parties and leaders: Balad or National Democratic Alliance
[Azmi BISHARA]; Center Party [Dan MERIDOR]; Democratic Movement [Roman
BRONFMAN]; Gesher [David LEVI]; Hadash [Muhammad BARAKA]; Labor Party
[Binyamin BEN-ELIEZER]; Likud Party [Ariel SHARON]; Meretz [Yossi SARID];
National Religious Party [Yitzhak LEVY]; National Union [Benyamin ELON]
(includes Herut, Tekuma, and Moledet); One Israel [Ra'anan COHEN]; One
Nation [Amir PERETZ]; Shas [Eliyahu YISHAI]; Shinui [Tommy LAPID]; United
Arab List [Abd al-Malik DAHAMSHAH]; United Torah Judaism [Meir PORUSH];
Yisra'el Ba'Aliya [Natan SHARANSKY]; Yisra'el Beiteinu [Avigdor LIEBERMAN]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Israeli nationalists advocating
Jewish settlement on the West Bank and Gaza Strip; Peace Now supports
territorial concessions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip; Yesha (settler)
Council promotes settler interests and opposes territorial compromise;
B'Tselem monitors human rights abuses

International organization participation: BSEC (observer), CCC, CE
(observer), CERN (observer), EBRD, ECE, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (associate), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, OAS (observer), OPCW (signatory), OSCE (partner),
PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
David IVRY consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston,
Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, and San Francisco FAX: [1]
(202) 364-3607 telephone: [1] (202) 364-5500 chancery: 3514 International
Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel C. KURTZER embassy: 71 Hayarkon Street, Tel Aviv mailing address: PSC 98, Unit 7228, APO AE 09830 telephone: [972] (3) 519-7575 FAX: [972] (3) 517-3227 consulate(s) general: Jerusalem; note - an independent US mission, established in 1928, whose members are not accredited to a foreign government

Flag description: white with a blue hexagram (six-pointed linear star) known as the Magen David (Shield of David) centered between two equal horizontal blue bands near the top and bottom edges of the flag

Economy Israel

Economy - overview: Israel has a technologically advanced market economy with substantial government participation. It depends on imports of crude oil, grains, raw materials, and military equipment. Despite limited natural resources, Israel has intensively developed its agricultural and industrial sectors over the past 20 years. Israel is largely self-sufficient in food production except for grains. Cut diamonds, high-technology equipment, and agricultural products (fruits and vegetables) are the leading exports. Israel usually posts sizable current account deficits, which are covered by large transfer payments from abroad and by foreign loans. Roughly half of the government's external debt is owed to the US, which is its major source of economic and military aid. The influx of Jewish immigrants from the former USSR during the period 1989-99 coupled with the opening of new markets at the end of the Cold War, energized Israel's economy, which grew rapidly in the early 1990s. But growth began moderating in 1996 when the government imposed tighter fiscal and monetary policies and the immigration bonus petered out. Growth was a strong 6.4% in 2000. But the outbreak of Palestinian unrest in late September 2000 and the declines in the high-technology and tourist sectors led to a 0.6% drop in GDP in 2001.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $119 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: -0.6% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $20,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4% industry: 37% services: 59% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 26.9% (1992)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 35.5 (1992)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.1% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 2.4 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: public services 31.2%, manufacturing 20.2%, finance and business 13.1%, commerce 12.8%, construction 7.5%, personal and other services 6.4%, transport, storage, and communications 6.2%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 2.6% (1996)

Unemployment rate: 9% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $40 billion expenditures: $42.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Industries: high-technology projects (including aviation, communications, computer-aided design and manufactures, medical electronics), wood and paper products, potash and phosphates, food, beverages, and tobacco, caustic soda, cement, diamond cutting

Industrial production growth rate: -4.5% (2001)

Electricity - production: 38.876 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.89% hydro: 0.11% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 34.897 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 1.27 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 12 million kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: citrus, vegetables, cotton; beef, poultry, dairy products

Exports: $26.5 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: machinery and equipment, software, cut diamonds, agricultural products, chemicals, textiles and apparel

Exports - partners: US 37.4%, Benelux 6%, Germany 4.8%, Hong Kong 4.4%,
UK 4.3%, Netherlands 2.8% (2000)

Imports: $30.6 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: raw materials, military equipment, investment goods, rough diamonds, fuels, consumer goods

Imports - partners: US 17.8%, Benelux 10%, UK 7.6%, Germany 7.5%,
Switzerland 5.4%, Italy 4.8% (2000)

Debt - external: $42.8 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: NA

Currency: new Israeli shekel (ILS)

Currency code: ILS

Exchange rates: new Israeli shekels per US dollar - 4.2757 (December 2001), 4.2057 (2001), 4.0773 (2000), 4.1397 (1999), 3.8001 (1998), 3.4494 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Israel

Telephones - main lines in use: 2.8 million (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 2.5 million (1999)

Telephone system: general assessment: most highly developed system in the Middle East although not the largest domestic: good system of coaxial cable and microwave radio relay; all systems are digital international: 3 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 23, FM 15, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios: 3.07 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 17 (plus 36 low-power repeaters) (1995)

Televisions: 1.69 million (1997)

Internet country code: .il

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 21 (2000)

Internet users: 1.94 million (2001)

Transportation Israel

Railways: total: 647 km standard gauge: 647 km 1.435-m gauge (2001)

Highways: total: 15,965 km paved: 15,965 km (including 56 km of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (1998 est.)

Waterways: none

Pipelines: crude oil 708 km; petroleum products 290 km; natural gas 89 km

Ports and harbors: Ashdod, Ashqelon, Elat (Eilat), Hadera, Haifa,
Tel Aviv-Yafo

Merchant marine: total: 16 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 595,319 GRT/704,544 DWT ships by type: container 15, roll on/roll off 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 54 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 29 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 5 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 25 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 20 (2001)

Heliports: 3 (2001)

Military Israel

Military branches: Israel Defense Forces (IDF) (includes ground, naval, and air components with Air Defense Forces), Pioneer Fighting Youth (Nahal), Frontier Guard, Chen (women); note - historically there have been no separate Israeli military services

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,542,835 females age 15-49: 1,499,830 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,262,973 females age 15-49: 1,223,939 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 51,666 females: 49,207 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $8.866 bilion (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 8% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Israel

Disputes - international: West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be determined through further negotiation; Golan Heights is Israeli-occupied (Lebanon claims the Shab'a Farms area of Golan Heights)

Illicit drugs: increasingly concerned about cocaine and heroin abuse; drugs arrive in country from Lebanon and increasingly Jordan

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Italy

Introduction

Italy

Background: Italy became a nation-state in 1861 when the city-states of the peninsula, along with Sardinia and Sicily, were united under King Victor EMMANUEL. An era of parliamentary government came to a close in the early 1920s when Benito MUSSOLINI established a Fascist dictatorship. His disastrous alliance with Nazi Germany led to Italy's defeat in World War II. A democratic republic replaced the monarchy in 1946 and economic revival followed. Italy was a charter member of NATO and the European Economic Community (EEC). It has been at the forefront of European economic and political unification, joining the European Monetary Union in 1999. Persistent problems include illegal immigration, the ravages of organized crime, corruption, high unemployment, and the low incomes and technical standards of southern Italy compared with the prosperous north.

Geography Italy

Location: Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the central
Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia

Geographic coordinates: 42 50 N, 12 50 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 301,230 sq km note: includes Sardinia and Sicily water: 7,210 sq km land: 294,020 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Arizona

Land boundaries: total: 1,932.2 km border countries: Austria 430 km, France 488 km, Holy See (Vatican City) 3.2 km, San Marino 39 km, Slovenia 232 km, Switzerland 740 km

Coastline: 7,600 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: predominantly Mediterranean; Alpine in far north; hot, dry in south

Terrain: mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlands

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point:
Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco) de Courmayeur 4,748 m (a secondary peak of
Mont Blanc)

Natural resources: mercury, potash, marble, sulfur, natural gas and crude oil reserves, fish, coal, arable land

Land use: arable land: 28% permanent crops: 9% other: 63% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 26,980 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding; land subsidence in Venice

Environment - current issues: air pollution from industrial emissions such as sulfur dioxide; coastal and inland rivers polluted from industrial and agricultural effluents; acid rain damaging lakes; inadequate industrial waste treatment and disposal facilities

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air
Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur
94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental
Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed,
but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note: strategic location dominating central Mediterranean as well as southern sea and air approaches to Western Europe

People Italy

Population: 57,715,625 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 14.1% (male 4,198,569; female 3,954,159) 15-64 years: 67.3% (male 19,334,208; female 19,492,048) 65 years and over: 18.6% (male 4,436,073; female 6,300,568) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.05% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 8.93 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 10.13 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 1.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 5.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 82.63 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.19 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.35% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 95,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 1,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Italian(s) adjective: Italian

Ethnic groups: Italian (includes small clusters of German-, French-, and Slovene-Italians in the north and Albanian-Italians and Greek-Italians in the south)

Religions: predominately Roman Catholic with mature Protestant and
Jewish communities and a growing Muslim immigrant community

Languages: Italian (official), German (parts of Trentino-Alto Adige region are predominantly German speaking), French (small French-speaking minority in Valle d'Aosta region), Slovene (Slovene-speaking minority in the Trieste-Gorizia area)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% (1998) male: NA% female: NA%

Government Italy

Country name: conventional long form: Italian Republic conventional short form: Italy local long form: Repubblica Italiana former: Kingdom of Italy local short form: Italia

Government type: republic

Capital: Rome

Administrative divisions: 20 regions (regioni, singular - regione);
Abruzzi, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Emilia-Romagna, Friuli-Venezia
Giulia, Lazio, Liguria, Lombardia, Marche, Molise, Piemonte, Puglia,
Sardegna, Sicilia, Toscana, Trentino-Alto Adige, Umbria, Valle d'Aosta,
Veneto

Independence: 17 March 1861 (Kingdom of Italy proclaimed; Italy was not finally unified until 1870)

National holiday: Republic Day, 2 June (1946)

Constitution: 1 January 1948

Legal system: based on civil law system; appeals treated as new trials; judicial review under certain conditions in Constitutional Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal (except in senatorial elections, where minimum age is 25)

Executive branch: chief of state: President Carlo Azeglio CIAMPI (since 13 May 1999) elections: president elected by an electoral college consisting of both houses of Parliament and 58 regional representatives for a seven-year term; election last held 13 May 1999 (next to be held NA May 2006); prime minister appointed by the president and confirmed by Parliament head of government: Prime Minister (referred to in Italy as the president of the Council of Ministers) Silvio BERLUSCONI (since 10 June 2001) cabinet: the president election results: Carlo Azeglio CIAMPI elected president; percent of electoral college vote - 70% note: a five-party government coalition includes Forza Italia, National Alliance, Northern League, Democratic Christian Center, United Christian Democrats

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Parlamento consists of the Senate or Senato della Repubblica (315 seats elected by popular vote of which 232 are directly elected and 83 are elected by regional proportional representation; in addition, there are a small number of senators-for-life including former presidents of the republic; members serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camera dei Deputati (630 seats; 475 are directly elected, 155 by regional proportional representation; members serve five-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 13 May 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); Chamber of Deputies - last held 13 May 2001 (next to be held NA 2006) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - House of Liberties 177 (Forza Italia 82, National Alliance 46, CCD-CDU 29, Northern League 17, others 3), Olive Tree 128 (Democrats of the Left 62, Daisy Alliance 42, Sunflower Alliance 16, Italian Communist Party 3, independents 5), non-affiliated with either coalition 10, senators for life 9; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - House of Liberties 367 (Forza Italia 189, National Alliance 96, CCD-CDU 40, Northern League 30, others 12), Olive Tree 248 (Democrats of the Left 138, Daisy Alliance 76, Sunflower Alliance 18, Italian Communist Party 9, independents 7), non-affiliated with either coalition 15

Judicial branch: Constitutional Court or Corte Costituzionale (composed of 15 judges: one-third elected by the ordinary and administrative Supreme Courts)

Political parties and leaders: Center-Left Olive Tree Coalition [Francesco RUTELLI] - Democrats of the Left, Daisy Alliance (including Italian Popular Party, Italian Renewal, Union of Democrats for Europe, The Democrats), Sunflower Alliance (including Green Federation, Italian Democratic Socialists), Italian Communist Party; Center-Right Freedom House Coalition [Silvio BERLUSCONI] (formerly House of Liberties and Freedom Alliance) - Forza Italia, National Alliance, The Whiteflower Alliance (includes Christian Democratic Center, United Christian Democrats), Northern League; Christian Democratic Center or CCD [Marco FOLLINI]; Communist Party or PdCI [Oliviero DILIBERTO]; Democrats of the Left or DS [Piero FASSINO]; Forza Italia or FI [Silvio BERLUSCONI]; Green Federation [Alfonso Pecoraro SCANIO]; Italian Communist Party or PdCI [Oliviero DILIBERTO]; Italian Popular Party or PPI [Pierluigi CASTAGNETTI]; Italian Renewal or RI [Lamberto DINI]; Italian Social Democrats or SDI [Enrico BOSELLI]; Socialist Movement-Tricolor Flame or MS-Fiamma [Pino RAUTI]; National Alliance or AN [Gianfranco FINI]; Northern League or NL [Umberto BOSSI]; Southern Tyrols People's Party or SVP (German speakers) [Siegfried BRUGGER]; Sunflower Alliance (includes Green Federation, Italian Social Democrats); The Daisy Alliance (includes Italian Popular Party, Italian Renewal, Union of Democrats for Europe, The Democrats); The Democrats [Arturo PARISI]; The Radicals (formerly Pannella Reformers and Autonomous List) [Marco PANNELLA]; The Whiteflower Alliance (includes Christian Democratic Center, United Christian Democrats); Union of Democrats for Europe or UDEUR [Clemente MASTELLA]; United Christian Democrats or CDU [Rocco BUTTIGLIONE]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Italian manufacturers and merchants associations (Confindustria, Confcommercio); organized farm groups (Confcoltivatori, Confagricoltura); Roman Catholic Church; three major trade union confederations (Confederazione Generale Italiana del Lavoro or CGIL [Sergio COFFERATI] which is left wing, Confederazione Italiana dei Sindacati Lavoratori or CISL [Savino PEZZOTTA] which is Roman Catholic centrist, and Unione Italiana del Lavoro or UIL [Pietro LARIZZA] which is lay centrist)

International organization participation: AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group,
BIS, BSEC (observer), CCC, CDB, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC,
EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO,
NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU,
WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Ferdinando SALLEO consulate(s): Detroit consulate(s) general: Boston,
Chicago, Houston, Miami, New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and San
Francisco FAX: [1] (202) 518-2151 telephone: [1] (202) 612-4400 chancery:
3000 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Melvin SEMBLER embassy: Via Vittori Veneto 119/A, 00187-Rome mailing address: PSC 59, Box 100, APO AE 09624 telephone: [39] (06) 46741 FAX: [39] (06) 488-2672, 4674-2356 consulate(s) general: Florence, Milan, Naples

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red; similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and is green (hoist side), white, and orange; also similar to the flag of the Cote d'Ivoire, which has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side), white, and green note: inspired by the French flag brought to Italy by Napoleon in 1797

Economy Italy

Economy - overview: Italy has a diversified industrial economy with roughly the same total and per capita output as France and the UK. This capitalistic economy remains divided into a developed industrial north, dominated by private companies, and a less developed agricultural south, with 20% unemployment. Most raw materials needed by industry and more than 75% of energy requirements are imported. Over the past decade, Italy has pursued a tight fiscal policy in order to meet the requirements of the Economic and Monetary Unions and has benefited from lower interest and inflation rates. Italy's economic performance has lagged behind that of its EU partners, and the current government has enacted numerous short-term reforms aimed at improving competitiveness and long-term growth. Rome has moved slowly, however, on implementing needed structural reforms, such as lightening the high tax burden and overhauling Italy's rigid labor market and expensive pension system, because of the current economic slowdown and opposition from labor unions.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.402 trillion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 1.8% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $24,300 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.4% industry: 30% services: 67.6% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.1% highest 10%: 26.6% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 27.3 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.7% (2001)

Labor force: 23.6 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: services 63%, industry 32%, agriculture 5% (2001)

Unemployment rate: 10% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $504 billion expenditures: $517 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Industries: tourism, machinery, iron and steel, chemicals, food processing, textiles, motor vehicles, clothing, footwear, ceramics

Industrial production growth rate: -0.4% (2001)

Electricity - production: 257.408 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 80.01% hydro: 17.07% other: 2.92% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 283.737 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 484 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 44.831 billion kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: fruits, vegetables, grapes, potatoes, sugar beets, soybeans, grain, olives; beef, dairy products; fish

Exports: $243 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: engineering products, textiles and clothing, production machinery, motor vehicles, transport equipment, chemicals; food, beverages and tobacco; minerals and nonferrous metals

Exports - partners: EU 54.9% (Germany 15.1%, France 12.6%, UK 6.9%,
Spain 6.2%), US 10.4% (2000)

Imports: $226 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: engineering products, chemicals, transport equipment, energy products, minerals and nonferrous metals, textiles and clothing; food, beverages and tobacco

Imports - partners: EU 56.3% (Germany 17.5%, France 11.4%, Netherlands 5.9%, UK 5.4%), US 5.3% (2000)

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid - donor: ODA, $1 billion (2002 est.)

Currency: euro (EUR); Italian lira (ITL) note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code: EUR; ITL

Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); Italian lire per US dollar - 1,688.7 (January 1999), 1,736.2 (1998), 1,703.1 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Italy

Telephones - main lines in use: 25 million (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 20.5 million (1999)

Telephone system: general assessment: modern, well developed, fast; fully automated telephone, telex, and data services domestic: high-capacity cable and microwave radio relay trunks international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (with a total of 5 antennas - 3 for Atlantic Ocean and 2 for Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), and NA Eutelsat; 21 submarine cables

Radio broadcast stations: AM about 100, FM about 4,600, shortwave 9 (1998)

Radios: 50.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 358 (plus 4,728 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions: 30.3 million (1997)

Internet country code: .it

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 93 (Italy and Holy See) (2000)

Internet users: 19.25 million (2001)

Transportation Italy

Railways: total: 19,786 km standard gauge: 18,761 km 1.435-m gauge (11,251 km electrified) narrow gauge: 113 km 1.000-m gauge (113 km electrified); 912 km 0.950-m gauge (192 km electrified) (2001)

Highways: total: 668,669 km paved: 668,669 km (including 6,460 km of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (2001)

Waterways: 2,400 km note: serves various types of commercial traffic, although of limited overall value (2002)

Pipelines: crude oil 1,703 km; petroleum products 2,148 km; natural gas 19,400 km

Ports and harbors: Augusta (Sicily), Bagnoli, Bari, Brindisi, Gela,
Genoa, La Spezia, Livorno, Milazzo, Naples, Porto Foxi, Porto Torres
(Sardinia), Salerno, Savona, Taranto, Trieste, Venice (2001)

Merchant marine: total: 467 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 8,499,248 GRT/10,383,988 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Croatia 1, Denmark 4, France 1, Greece 3, Man, Isle of 1, Monaco 7, Netherlands 6, Norway 1, Panama 2, Spain 1, Switzerland 1, Taiwan 15, Turkey 1, United Kingdom 6, United States 12 (2002 est.) ships by type: bulk 45, cargo 41, chemical tanker 91, combination ore/oil 4, container 24, liquefied gas 37, multi-functional large-load carrier 1, passenger 15, petroleum tanker 80, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 70, short-sea passenger 27, specialized tanker 12, vehicle carrier 16

Airports: 135 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 97 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 33 914 to 1,523 m: 30 under 914 m: 12 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 17

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 38 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 18 (2001)

Heliports: 4 (2001)

Military Italy

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Carabinieri

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 14,184,307 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 12,157,753 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 304,369 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $20.2 billion (2002)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.64% (2002)

Transnational Issues Italy

Disputes - international: Croatia and Italy are still trying to resolve bilateral property and ethnic minority rights dating from World War II

Illicit drugs: important gateway for and consumer of Latin American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin entering the European market

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Cote d'Ivoire

Introduction Cote d'Ivoire

Background: Close ties to France since independence in 1960, the development of cocoa production for export, and foreign investment made Cote d'Ivoire one of the most prosperous of the tropical African states. Falling cocoa prices and political turmoil, however, sparked an economic downturn in 1999 and 2000. On 25 December 1999, a military coup - the first ever in Cote d'Ivoire's history - overthrew the government led by President Henri Konan BEDIE. Presidential and legislative elections held in October and December 2000 provoked violence due to the exclusion of opposition leader Alassane OUATTARA. In October 2000, Laurent GBAGBO replaced junta leader Robert GUEI as president, ending 10 months of military rule. In October 2001, President GBAGBO initiated a two-month-long National Reconciliation Forum, but its ability to conciliate Ivorians with one another remains unclear.

Geography Cote d'Ivoire

Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
Ghana and Liberia

Geographic coordinates: 8 00 N, 5 00 W

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 322,460 sq km water: 4,460 sq km land: 318,000 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than New Mexico

Land boundaries: total: 3,110 km border countries: Burkina Faso 584 km,
Ghana 668 km, Guinea 610 km, Liberia 716 km, Mali 532 km

Coastline: 515 km

Maritime claims: 200 NM territorial sea: Climate: tropical along coast, semiarid in far north; three seasons - warm and dry (November to March), hot and dry (March to May), hot and wet (June to October)

Terrain: mostly flat to undulating plains; mountains in northwest

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Gulf of Guinea 0 m highest point:
Mont Nimba 1,752 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, diamonds, manganese, iron ore, cobalt, bauxite, copper, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 9% permanent crops: 14% other: 77% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 730 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: coast has heavy surf and no natural harbors; during the rainy season torrential flooding is possible

Environment - current issues: deforestation (most of the country's forests - once the largest in West Africa - have been heavily logged); water pollution from sewage and industrial and agricultural effluents

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed,
but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: most of the inhabitants live along the sandy coastal region; apart from the capital area, the forested interior is sparsely populated

People Cote d'Ivoire

Population: 16,804,784 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 46% (male 3,874,651; female 3,847,080) 15-64 years: 51.8% (male 4,468,242; female 4,238,998) 65 years and over: 2.2% (male 185,306; female 190,507) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.45% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 39.99 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 16.74 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 1.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: after
Liberia's civil war started in 1990, more than 350,000 refugees fled to
Cote d'Ivoire; by the end of 1999 most Liberian refugees were assumed
to have returned (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 92.23 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 46.03 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 5.61 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 10.76% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 1 million (2000)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 72,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Ivorian(s) adjective: Ivorian

Ethnic groups: Akan 42.1%, Voltaiques or Gur 17.6%, Northern Mandes 16.5%, Krous 11%, Southern Mandes 10%, other 2.8% (includes 130,000 Lebanese and 20,000 French) (1998)

Religions: Christian 20-30%, Muslim 35-40%, indigenous 25-40% (2001) note: the majority of foreigners (migratory workers) are Muslim (70%) and Christian (20%)

Languages: French (official), 60 native dialects with Dioula the most widely spoken

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 48.5% male: 57% female: 40%

Government Cote d'Ivoire

Country name: Republic of Cote d'Ivoire conventional short form: long form: Republique de Cote d'Ivoire

Government type: republic; multiparty presidential regime established 1960

Capital: Yamoussoukro; note - although Yamoussoukro has been the official capital since 1983, Abidjan remains the administrative center; the US, like other countries, maintains its Embassy in Abidjan

Administrative divisions: 58 departments (departements, singular -
departement); Abengourou, Abidjan, Aboisso, Adiake, Adzope, Agboville,
Agnibilekrou, Alepe, Bocanda, Bangolo, Beoumi, Biankouma, Bondoukou,
Bongouanou, Bouafle, Bouake, Bouna, Boundiali, Dabakala, Dabou, Daloa,
Danane, Daoukro, Dimbokro, Divo, Duekoue, Ferkessedougou, Gagnoa,
Grand-Bassam, Grand-Lahou, Guiglo, Issia, Jacqueville, Katiola, Korhogo,
Lakota, Man, Mankono, Mbahiakro, Odienne, Oume, Sakassou, San-Pedro,
Sassandra, Seguela, Sinfra, Soubre, Tabou, Tanda, Tiebissou, Tingrela,
Tiassale, Touba, Toulepleu, Toumodi, Vavoua, Yamoussoukro, Zuenoula

Independence: 7 August (1960) (from France)

National holiday: Independence Day, 7 August (1960)

Constitution: 3 November 1960; has been amended numerous times, last time 27 July 1998

Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review in the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Laurent GBAGBO (since 26 October 2000); note - took power following a popular overthrow of the interim leader Gen. Robert GUEI who had claimed a dubious victory in presidential elections; Gen. GUEI himself had assumed power on 25 December 1999, following a military coup against the government of former President Henri Konan BEDIE head of government: Prime Minister and Minister of Planning and Development Affi N'GUESSAN (since 27 October 2000) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 26 October 2000 (next to be held NA 2005); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Laurent GBAGBO elected president; percent of vote - Laurent GBAGBO 59.4%, Robert GUEI 32.7%, Francis WODIE 5.7%, other 2.2%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (225 seats; members are elected in single- and multi-district elections by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: elections last held 10 December 2000 with by-elections on 14 January 2001 (next to be held NA 2005) note: a Senate is scheduled to be created in the next full election in 2005 election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - FPI 96, PDCI-RDA 94, RDR 5, PIT 4, other 2, independents 22, vacant 2

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme consists of four chambers:
Judicial Chamber for criminal cases, Audit Chamber for financial cases,
Constitutional Chamber for judicial review cases, and Administrative
Chamber for civil cases; there is no legal limit to the number of members

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party of Cote d'Ivoire-African
Democratic Rally or PDCI-RDA [Aime Henri Konan BEDIE]; Ivorian Popular
Front or FPI [Laurent GBAGBO]; Ivorian Worker's Party or PIT [Francis
WODIE]; Rally of the Republicans or RDR [Alassane OUATTARA]; Union for
Democracy and Peace or UDPCI [Gen. Robert GUEI]; over 20 smaller parties

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS,
Entente, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent),
ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WADB
(regional), WAEMU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Youssoufou BAMBA chancery: 3421 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington,
DC 20007 FAX: [1] (202) 462-9444 telephone: [1] (202) 797-0300

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Arlene RENDER embassy: 5 Rue Jesse Owens, Abidjan mailing address:
B. P. 1712, Abidjan 01 telephone: [225] 20 21 09 79 FAX: [225] 20 22 32 59

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of orange (hoist side), white, and green; similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and has the colors reversed - green (hoist side), white, and orange; also similar to the flag of Italy, which is green (hoist side), white, and red; design was based on the flag of France

Economy Cote d'Ivoire

Economy - overview: Cote d'Ivoire is among the world's largest producers and exporters of coffee, cocoa beans, and palm oil. Consequently, the economy is highly sensitive to fluctuations in international prices for these products and to weather conditions. Despite government attempts to diversify the economy, it is still largely dependent on agriculture and related activities, which engage roughly 68% of the population. After several years of lagging performance, the Ivorian economy began a comeback in 1994, due to the 50% devaluation of the CFA franc and improved prices for cocoa and coffee, growth in nontraditional primary exports such as pineapples and rubber, limited trade and banking liberalization, offshore oil and gas discoveries, and generous external financing and debt rescheduling by multilateral lenders and France. Moreover, government adherence to donor-mandated reforms led to a jump in growth to 5% annually during 1996-99. Growth was negative in 2000 and 2001 because of the difficulty of meeting the conditions of international donors, continued low prices of key exports, and post-coup instability. Political instability continues to impede growth.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $25.5 billion (2001)

GDP - real growth rate: -1% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,550 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 28% industry: 29% services: 43% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.1% highest 10%: 28.8% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 36.7 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.5% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 68% agricultural (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: 13% in urban areas (1998 est.)

Budget: revenues: $1.72 billion expenditures: $2.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $420 million (2001 est.)

Industries: foodstuffs, beverages; wood products, oil refining, truck and bus assembly, textiles, fertilizer, building materials, electricity

Industrial production growth rate: 15% (1998 est.)

Electricity - production: 4.08 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 75.37% hydro: 24.63% other: 0% (1999) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 2.57 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 1.2 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products: coffee, cocoa beans, bananas, palm kernels, corn, rice, manioc (tapioca), sweet potatoes, sugar, cotton, rubber; timber

Exports: $3.6 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: cocoa 33%, coffee, timber, petroleum, cotton, bananas, pineapples, palm oil, cotton, fish (1999)

Exports - partners: France 13%, US 8%, Netherlands 7%, Germany 7%,
Italy 6% (1999)

Imports: $2.4 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: food, consumer goods; capital goods, fuel, transport equipment, raw materials

Imports - partners: France 26%, Nigeria 10%, China 7%, Italy 5%,
Germany 4% (1999)

Debt - external: $13.3 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: ODA, $1 billion (1996 est.)

Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Currency code: XOF

Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 742.79 (January 2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997); note - from 1 January 1999, the XOF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF per euro

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Cote d'Ivoire

Telephones - main lines in use: 263,700 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 450,000 (2000)

Telephone system: general assessment: well developed by African standards but operating well below capacity domestic: open-wire lines and microwave radio relay; 90% digitalized international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); 2 coaxial submarine cables (June 1999)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios: 2.26 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 14 (1999)

Televisions: 1.09 million (2000)

Internet country code: .ci

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 5 (2001)

Internet users: 10,000 (2001)

Transportation Cote d'Ivoire

Railways: total: 660 km narrow gauge: 660 km 1.000-meter gauge; 25 km double-track note: an additional 600 km of this railroad extends into Burkina Faso, ending at Kaya, north of Ouagadougou (2000 est.)

Highways: total: 50,400 km paved: 4,889 km unpaved: 45,511 km (1996)

Waterways: 980 km (navigable rivers, canals, and numerous coastal lagoons)

Ports and harbors: Abidjan, Aboisso, Dabou, San-Pedro

Airports: 36 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 7 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 29 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 9 (2001)

Military Cote d'Ivoire

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary Gendarmerie,
Republican Guard (includes Presidential Guard)

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 3,963,166 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 2,071,011 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 188,411 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $127.7 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.3% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Cote d'Ivoire

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for local consumption; transshipment point for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin to Europe and occasionally to the US, and for Latin American cocaine destined for Europe and South Africa

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Iraq

Introduction

Iraq

Background: Formerly part of the Ottoman Empire, Iraq became an independent kingdom in 1932. A "republic" was proclaimed in 1958, but in actuality a series of military strongmen have ruled the country since then, the latest being SADDAM Husayn. Territorial disputes with Iran led to an inconclusive and costly eight-year war (1980-88). In August 1990 Iraq seized Kuwait, but was expelled by US-led, UN coalition forces during January-February 1991. The victors did not occupy Iraq, however, thus allowing the regime to stay in control. Following Kuwait's liberation, the UN Security Council (UNSC) required Iraq to scrap all weapons of mass destruction and long-range missiles and to allow UN verification inspections. UN trade sanctions remain in effect due to incomplete Iraqi compliance with relevant UNSC resolutions.

Geography Iraq

Location: Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and
Kuwait

Geographic coordinates: 33 00 N, 44 00 E

Map references: Middle East

Area: total: 437,072 sq km water: 4,910 sq km land: 432,162 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Idaho

Land boundaries: total: 3,650 km border countries: Iran 1,458 km, Jordan 181 km, Kuwait 240 km, Saudi Arabia 814 km, Syria 605 km, Turkey 352 km

Coastline: 58 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: not specified territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: mostly desert; mild to cool winters with dry, hot, cloudless summers; northern mountainous regions along Iranian and Turkish borders experience cold winters with occasionally heavy snows that melt in early spring, sometimes causing extensive flooding in central and southern Iraq

Terrain: mostly broad plains; reedy marshes along Iranian border in south with large flooded areas; mountains along borders with Iran and Turkey

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point:
Haji Ibrahim 3,600 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur

Land use: arable land: 12% permanent crops: 1% other: 87% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 35,250 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: dust storms, sandstorms, floods

Environment - current issues: government water control projects have drained most of the inhabited marsh areas east of An Nasiriyah by drying up or diverting the feeder streams and rivers; a once sizable population of Shi'a Muslims, who have inhabited these areas for thousands of years, has been displaced; furthermore, the destruction of the natural habitat poses serious threats to the area's wildlife populations; inadequate supplies of potable water; development of Tigris-Euphrates Rivers system contingent upon agreements with upstream riparian Turkey; air and water pollution; soil degradation (salination) and erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements: Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test
Ban signed, but not ratified: Geography - note: strategic location on
Shatt al Arab waterway and at the head of the Persian Gulf

People Iraq

Population: 24,001,816 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 41.1% (male 5,003,755; female 4,849,238) 15-64 years: 55.9% (male 6,794,265; female 6,624,662) 65 years and over: 3% (male 341,520; female 388,376) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.82% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 34.2 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 6.02 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 57.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 68.5 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 4.63 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: less than 0.01% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Iraqi(s) adjective: Iraqi

Ethnic groups: Arab 75%-80%, Kurdish 15%-20%, Turkoman, Assyrian or other 5%

Religions: Muslim 97% (Shi'a 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian or other 3%

Languages: Arabic, Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Assyrian,
Armenian

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 58% male: 70.7% female: 45% (1995 est.)

Government Iraq

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Iraq conventional short form: Iraq local short form: Al Iraq local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Iraqiyah

Government type: republic

Capital: Baghdad

Administrative divisions: 18 provinces (muhafazat, singular -
muhafazah); Al Anbar, Al Basrah, Al Muthanna, Al Qadisiyah, An Najaf,
Arbil, As Sulaymaniyah, At Ta'mim, Babil, Baghdad, Dahuk, Dhi Qar,
Diyala, Karbala', Maysan, Ninawa, Salah ad Din, Wasit

Independence: 3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under
British administration)

National holiday: Revolution Day, 17 July (1968)

Constitution: 22 September 1968, effective 16 July 1970 (provisional constitution); new constitution drafted in 1990 but not adopted

Legal system: based on Islamic law in special religious courts, civil law system elsewhere; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President SADDAM Husayn (since 16 July 1979); Vice Presidents Taha Muhyi al-Din MARUF (since 21 April 1974) and Taha Yasin RAMADAN (since 23 March 1991) elections: president and vice presidents elected by a two-thirds majority of the Revolutionary Command Council; election last held 17 October 1995 (next to be held NA 2002) election results: SADDAM Husayn reelected president; percent of vote - 99%; Taha Muhyi al-Din MARUF and Taha Yasin RAMADAN elected vice presidents; percent of vote - NA% cabinet: Council of Ministers; note - there is also a Revolutionary Command Council or RCC with eight members as of 2001 (Chairman SADDAM Husayn, Vice Chairman Izzat IBRAHIM al-Duri) which controls the ruling Ba'th Party; the RCC is the highest executive and legislative body and the most powerful political entity in the country; new RCC members must come from the Regional Command Leadership of the Ba'th Party head of government: Prime Minister SADDAM Husayn (since 29 May 1994); Deputy Prime Ministers Tariq Mikhail AZIZ (since NA 1979), Hikmat Mizban Ibrahim al-AZZAWI (since 30 July 1999), Ahmad Husayn al-KHUDAYIR (since NA July 2001), and Abd al-Tawab Mullah al-HUWAYSH (since NA July 2001)

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Watani (250 seats; 30 appointed by the president to represent the three northern provinces of Dahuk, Arbil, and As Sulaymaniyah; 220 elected by popular vote; members serve four-year terms) elections: last held 27 March 2000 (next to be held NA March 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA

Judicial branch: Court of Cassation

Political parties and leaders: Ba'th Party [SADDAM Husayn, central party leader]

Political pressure groups and leaders: any formal political activity must be sanctioned by the government; opposition to regime from Kurdish groups and southern Shi'a dissidents

International organization participation: ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF,
CAEU, CCC, EAPC, ESCWA, FAO, G-19, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA,
IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC,
OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US: none; note - Iraq has an Interest
Section in the Algerian Embassy headed by Akram AL DOURI; address:
Iraqi Interests Section, Algerian Embassy, 1801 P Street NW, Washington,
DC 20036; telephone: [1] (202) 483-7500; FAX: [1] (202) 462-5066

Diplomatic representation from the US: none; note - the US has an Interests Section in the Polish Embassy in Baghdad; address: P. O. Box 2051 Hay Babel, Baghdad; telephone: [964] (1) 718-9267; FAX: [964] (1) 718-9297

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with three green five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in the white band; the phrase ALLAHU AKBAR (God is Great) in green Arabic script - Allahu to the right of the middle star and Akbar to the left of the middle star - was added in January 1991 during the Persian Gulf crisis; similar to the flag of Syria which has two stars but no script and the flag of Yemen which has a plain white band; also similar to the flag of Egypt which has a symbolic eagle centered in the white band

Economy Iraq

Economy - overview: Iraq's economy is dominated by the oil sector, which has traditionally provided about 95% of foreign exchange earnings. In the 1980s financial problems caused by massive expenditures in the eight-year war with Iran and damage to oil export facilities by Iran led the government to implement austerity measures, borrow heavily, and later reschedule foreign debt payments; Iraq suffered economic losses from the war of at least $100 billion. After hostilities ended in 1988, oil exports gradually increased with the construction of new pipelines and restoration of damaged facilities. Iraq's seizure of Kuwait in August 1990, subsequent international economic sanctions, and damage from military action by an international coalition beginning in January 1991 drastically reduced economic activity. Although government policies supporting large military and internal security forces and allocating resources to key supporters of the regime have hurt the economy, implementation of the UN's oil-for-food program in December 1996 has helped improve conditions for the average Iraqi citizen. For the first six, six-month phases of the program, Iraq was allowed to export limited amounts of oil in exchange for food, medicine, and some infrastructure spare parts. In December 1999 the UN Security Council authorized Iraq to export under the program as much oil as required to meet humanitarian needs. Oil exports are now more than three-quarters prewar level. However, 28% of Iraq's export revenues under the program are deducted to meet UN Compensation Fund and UN administrative expenses. The drop in GDP in 2001 was largely the result of the global economic slowdown and lower oil prices. Per capita food imports have increased significantly, while medical supplies and health care services are steadily improving. Per capita output and living standards are still well below the prewar level, but any estimates have a wide range of error.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $59 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: -5.7% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,500 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6% industry: 13% services: 81% (1993 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 60% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 4.4 million (1989)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Industries: petroleum, chemicals, textiles, construction materials, food processing

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 27.3 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 98.17% hydro: 1.83% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 25.389 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, rice, vegetables, dates, cotton; cattle, sheep

Exports: $15.8 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: crude oil

Exports - partners: US 46.2%, Italy 12.2%, France 9.6%, Spain 8.6% (2000)

Imports: $11 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: food, medicine, manufactures

Imports - partners: France 22.5%, Australia 22%, China 5.8%, Russia 5.8% (2000)

Debt - external: $62.2 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $327.5 million (1995)

Currency: Iraqi dinar (IQD)

Currency code: IQD

Exchange rates: Iraqi dinars per US dollar - 0.3109 (fixed official
rate since 1982); black market rate - Iraqi dinars per US dollar - 2,000
(December 2001), 1,910 (December 1999), 1,815 (December 1998), 1,530
(December 1997), 910 (December 1996); note - subject to wide fluctuations

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Iraq

Telephones - main lines in use: 675,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: NA; service available in northern Iraq (2001)

Telephone system: general assessment: reconstitution of damaged telecommunication facilities began after the Gulf war; most damaged facilities have been rebuilt domestic: the network consists of coaxial cables and microwave radio relay links international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region), and 1 Arabsat (inoperative); coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Jordan, Kuwait, Syria, and Turkey; Kuwait line is probably nonoperational

Radio broadcast stations: AM 19 (5 are inactive), FM 51, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios: 4.85 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 13 (1997)

Televisions: 1.75 million (1997)

Internet country code: .iq

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: 12,500 (2001)

Transportation Iraq

Railways: total: 2,339 km standard gauge: 2,339 km 1.435-m gauge (2001)

Highways: total: 45,550 km paved: 38,400 km unpaved: 7,150 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: 1,015 km note: Shatt al Arab is usually navigable by maritime traffic for about 130 km; channel has been dredged to 3 m and is in use; Tigris and Euphrates Rivers have navigable sections for shallow-draft boats; Shatt al Basrah canal was navigable by shallow-draft craft before closing in 1991 because of the Gulf war

Pipelines: crude oil 4,350 km; petroleum products 725 km; natural gas 1,360 km

Ports and harbors: Umm Qasr, Khawr az Zubayr, and Al Basrah have limited functionality

Merchant marine: total: 25 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 186,709 GRT/278,575 DWT ships by type: cargo 14, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 8, roll on/roll off 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 108 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 73 over 3,047 m: 20 2,438 to 3,047 m: 34 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 7 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6

Airports - with unpaved runways: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: Heliports: 4 (2001)

Military Iraq

Military branches: Army, Republican Guard, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense
Force, Border Guard Force, Fedayeen Saddam

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 6,135,847 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 3,430,819 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 274,035 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $1.3 billion (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Transnational Issues Iraq

Disputes - international: despite restored diplomatic relations in 1990, lacks maritime boundary with Iran and disputes land boundary, navigation channels, and other issues from eight-year war; in November 1994, Iraq formally accepted the UN-demarcated border with Kuwait which had been spelled out in Security Council Resolutions 687 (1991), 773 (1993), and 883 (1993); this formally ends earlier claims to Kuwait and to Bubiyan and Warbah islands although the government continues periodic rhetorical challenges; dispute over water development plans by Turkey for the Tigris and Euphrates rivers

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Japan

Introduction

Japan

Background: While retaining its time-honored culture, Japan rapidly absorbed Western technology during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. After its devastating defeat in World War II, Japan recovered to become the second most powerful economy in the world and a staunch ally of the US. While the emperor retains his throne as a symbol of national unity, actual power rests in networks of powerful politicians, bureaucrats, and business executives. The economy experienced a major slowdown in the 1990s following three decades of unprecedented growth.

Geography Japan

Location: Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula

Geographic coordinates: 36 00 N, 138 00 E

Map references: Asia

Area: total: 377,835 sq km note: includes Bonin Islands
(Ogasawara-gunto), Daito-shoto, Minami-jima, Okino-tori-shima, Ryukyu
Islands (Nansei-shoto), and Volcano Islands (Kazan-retto) water: 3,091
sq km land: 374,744 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than California

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 29,751 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM; between 3
NM and 12 NM in the international straits - La Perouse or Soya, Tsugaru,
Osumi, and Eastern and Western Channels of the Korea or Tsushima Strait
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate: varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north

Terrain: mostly rugged and mountainous

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Hachiro-gata -4 m highest point:
Fujiyama 3,776 m

Natural resources: negligible mineral resources, fish

Land use: arable land: 12% permanent crops: 1% other: 87% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 26,790 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic occurrences (mostly tremors) every year; tsunamis; typhoons

Environment - current issues: air pollution from power plant emissions results in acid rain; acidification of lakes and reservoirs degrading water quality and threatening aquatic life; Japan is one of the largest consumers of fish and tropical timber, contributing to the depletion of these resources in Asia and elsewhere

Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental
Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but
not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note: strategic location in northeast Asia

People Japan

Population: 126,974,628 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 14.5% (male 9,465,282; female 8,999,888) 15-64 years: (male 9,664,112; female 13,231,914) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.15% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 10.03 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 8.53 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 3.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 84.25 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.42 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.02% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 10,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 150 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Japanese (singular and plural) adjective: Japanese

Ethnic groups: Japanese 99%, others 1% (Korean 51,126, Chinese 24,424,
Brazilian 18,223, Filipino 8,995, other 23,792) (2000)

Religions: observe both Shinto and Buddhist 84%, other 16% (including
Christian 0.7%)

Languages: Japanese

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% (1970 est.) male: NA% female: NA%

Government Japan

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Japan

Government type: constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary government

Capital: Tokyo

Administrative divisions: 47 prefectures; Aichi, Akita, Aomori, Chiba,
Ehime, Fukui, Fukuoka, Fukushima, Gifu, Gumma, Hiroshima, Hokkaido,
Hyogo, Ibaraki, Ishikawa, Iwate, Kagawa, Kagoshima, Kanagawa, Kochi,
Kumamoto, Kyoto, Mie, Miyagi, Miyazaki, Nagano, Nagasaki, Nara, Niigata,
Oita, Okayama, Okinawa, Osaka, Saga, Saitama, Shiga, Shimane, Shizuoka,
Tochigi, Tokushima, Tokyo, Tottori, Toyama, Wakayama, Yamagata, Yamaguchi,
Yamanashi

Independence: 660 BC (traditional founding by Emperor Jimmu)

National holiday: Birthday of Emperor AKIHITO, 23 December (1933)

Constitution: 3 May 1947

Legal system: modeled after European civil law system with
English-American influence; judicial review of legislative acts in the
Supreme Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Emperor AKIHITO (since 7 January 1989) note: following the resignation of Prime Minister Yoshiro MORI, Junichiro KOIZUMI was elected as the new president of the majority Liberal Democratic Party, and soon thereafter designated by the Diet to become the next prime minister elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the Diet designates the prime minister; the constitution requires that the prime minister must command a parliamentary majority, therefore, following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition in the House of Representatives usually becomes prime minister cabinet: Junichiro KOIZUMI (since 24 April 2001)

Legislative branch: bicameral Diet or Kokkai consists of the House of Councillors or Sangi-in (247 seats - formerly 252; one-half of the members elected every three years - 73 seats of which are elected from the 47 multi-seat prefectural districts and 48 of which are elected from a single nationwide list; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Shugi-in (480 seats - 180 of which are elected from 11 regional blocks on a proportional representation basis and 300 of which are elected from 300 single-seat districts; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) election results: House of Councillors - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - LDP 110, DPJ 59, Komeito 23, JCP 20, SDP 8, Liberal Party 8, Conservative Party 5, independents 14; note - the distribution of seats as of January 2002 is: 6, others 6; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - LDP 233, DPJ 127, Komeito 31, Liberal Party 22, JCP 20, SDP 19, other 28; note - the distribution of seats as of January 2002 is: other 13 elections: House of Councillors - last held 29 July 2001 (next to be held NA July 2004); House of Representatives - last held 25 June 2000 (next must be held by June 2004, but may occur sooner)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the monarch after designation by the cabinet; all other justices are appointed by the cabinet)

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party of Japan or DPJ [Yukio
HATOYAMA, leader, Naoto KAN, secretary general]; Japan Communist Party or
JCP [Tetsuzo FUWA, chairman, Tadayeshi ICHIDA, secretary general]; Komeito
[Takenori KANZAKI, president, Tetsuzo FUYUSHIBA, secretary general];
Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Junichiro KOIZUMI, president, Taku
YAMASAKI, secretary general]; Liberal Party [Ichiro OZAWA, president,
Hirohisa FUJII, secretary general]; New Conservative Party or NCP
[Takeshi NODA, president, Toshihiro NIKAI, secretary general]; Social
Democratic Party or SDP [Takako DOI, chairperson, Mizuho FUKUSHIMA,
secretary general]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: AfDB, APEC, ARF (dialogue
partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE
(observer), CERN (observer), CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, G- 5, G- 7, G- 8,
G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest),
NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMOVIC, UNRWA, UNU, UPU, WCL,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ryozo KATO FAX: [1] (202) 328-2187 Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands) consulate(s) general: Honolulu, Houston, Kansas City (Missouri), Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Portland (Oregon), San Francisco, and Seattle 2520 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Howard H. BAKER, Jr. embassy: 1-10-5 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-8420 mailing address: Unit 45004, Box 205, APO AP 96337-5004 telephone: [81] (03) 3224-5000 FAX: [81] (03) 3505-1862 Naha (Okinawa), Osaka-Kobe, Sapporo consulate(s): Flag description: white with a large red disk (representing the sun without rays) in the center

Economy Japan

Economy - overview: Government-industry cooperation, a strong work ethic, mastery of high technology, and a comparatively small defense allocation (1% of GDP) have helped Japan advance with extraordinary rapidity to the rank of second most technologically powerful economy in the world after the US and third largest economy in the world after the US and China. One notable characteristic of the economy is the working together of manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors in closely-knit groups called keiretsu. A second basic feature has been the guarantee of lifetime employment for a substantial portion of the urban labor force. Both features are now eroding. Industry, the most important sector of the economy, is heavily dependent on imported raw materials and fuels. The much smaller agricultural sector is highly subsidized and protected, with crop yields among the highest in the world. Usually self-sufficient in rice, Japan must import about 50% of its requirements of other grain and fodder crops. Japan maintains one of the world's largest fishing fleets and accounts for nearly 15% of the global catch. For three decades overall real economic growth had been spectacular: a 10% average in the 1960s, a 5% average in the 1970s, and a 4% average in the 1980s. Growth slowed markedly in the 1990s largely because of the aftereffects of overinvestment during the late 1980s and contractionary domestic policies intended to wring speculative excesses from the stock and real estate markets. Government efforts to revive economic growth have met with little success and were further hampered in 2000-01 by the slowing of the US and Asian economies. The crowding of habitable land area and the aging of the population are two major long-run problems. Robotics constitutes a key long-term economic strength, with Japan possessing 410,000 of the world's 720,000 "working robots".

GDP: purchasing power parity - $3.45 trillion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: -0.3% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $27,200 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2% industry: 36% services: 62% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.8% highest 10%: 21.7% (1993)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 24.9 (1993)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): -0.6% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 67.7 million (December 2000)

Labor force - by occupation: services 65%, industry 30%, agriculture 5%

Unemployment rate: 4.9% (2001)

Budget: revenues: $441 billion expenditures: $718 billion, including capital expenditures (public works only) of about $84 billion (FY01/02 est.)

Industries: among world's largest and technologically advanced producers of motor vehicles, electronic equipment, machine tools, steel and nonferrous metals, ships, chemicals; textiles, processed foods

Industrial production growth rate: -8.3% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 1.015 trillion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 60.69% hydro: 8.54% other: 1.82% (2000) nuclear: 28.95%

Electricity - consumption: 943.71 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: rice, sugar beets, vegetables, fruit; pork, poultry, dairy products, eggs; fish

Exports: $404.6 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: motor vehicles, semiconductors, office machinery, chemicals

Exports - partners: US 29.7%, Taiwan 7.5%, South Korea 6.4%, China 6.3%,
Hong Kong 5.7% (2000 est.)

Imports: $331.6 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: fuels, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, office machinery

Imports - partners: US 19%, China 14.5%, South Korea 5.4%, Taiwan 4.7%,
Indonesia 4.3%, Australia 3.9% (2000 est.)

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid - donor: ODA, $9.1 billion (1999)

Currency: yen (JPY)

Currency code: JPY

Exchange rates: yen per US dollar - 132.66 (January 2002), 121.53 (2001), 107.77 (2000), 113.91 (1999), 130.91 (1998), 120.99 (1997)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Communications Japan

Telephones - main lines in use: 60.381 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 63.88 million (2000)

Telephone system: general assessment: excellent domestic and international service domestic: high level of modern technology and excellent service of every kind international: satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region), and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Ocean regions); submarine cables to China, Philippines, Russia, and US (via Guam) (1999)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 215 plus 370 repeaters, FM 89 plus 485 repeaters, shortwave 21 (2001)

Radios: 120.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 211 plus 7,341 repeaters note: in addition, US Forces are served by 3 TV stations and 2 TV cable services (1999)

Televisions: 86.5 million (1997)

Internet country code: .jp

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 73 (2000)

Internet users: 47.08 million (2001)

Transportation Japan

Railways: total: 23,654 km (15,895 km electrified) standard gauge: 3,059 km 1.435-m gauge (entirely electrified) narrow gauge: 77 km 1.372-m gauge (entirely electrified); 20,491 km 1.067-m gauge (12,732 km electrified); 27 km 0.762-m gauge (entirely electrified) (2000)

Highways: total: 1,152,207 km paved: 863,003 km (including 6,114 km of expressways) unpaved: 289,204 km (1997 est.)

Waterways: 1,770 km approximately note: seagoing craft ply all coastal inland seas

Pipelines: crude oil 84 km; petroleum products 322 km; natural gas 1,800 km

Ports and harbors: Akita, Amagasaki, Chiba, Hachinohe, Hakodate,
Higashi-Harima, Himeji, Hiroshima, Kawasaki, Kinuura, Kobe, Kushiro,
Mizushima, Moji, Nagoya, Osaka, Sakai, Sakaide, Shimizu, Tokyo, Tomakomai

Merchant marine: total: 615 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 10,995,839 GRT/14,405,159 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of China 1, Panama 1, Singapore 1 (2002 est.) ships by type: ore/oil 3, container 19, liquefied gas 50, passenger 9, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 189, refrigerated cargo 13, roll on/roll off 48, short-sea passenger 6, vehicle carrier 54

Airports: 173 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 142 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 37 914 to 1,523 m: 30 under 914 m: 31 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 37

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 31 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 27 (2001)

Heliports: 16 (2001)

Military Japan

Military branches: Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (Army), Japan Maritime
Self-Defense Force (Navy), Japan Air Self-Defense Force (Air Force),
Japanese Coast Guard

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 29,644,498 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 25,637,387 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 765,817 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $40,774,300,000 (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Japan

Disputes - international: islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, and Shikotan, and the Habomai group occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945, now administered by Russia, claimed by Japan; Liancourt Rocks (Takeshima/Tokdo) disputed with South Korea; Senkaku Islands (Diaoyu Tai) claimed by China and Taiwan

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Jersey

Introduction

Jersey

Background: The island of Jersey and the other Channel Islands represent the last remnants of the medieval Dukedom of Normandy that held sway in both France and England. These islands were the only British soil occupied by German troops in World War II.

Geography Jersey

Location: Western Europe, island in the English Channel, northwest of France

Geographic coordinates: 49 15 N, 2 10 W

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 116 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 116 sq km

Area - comparative: about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 70 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 12 NM territorial sea: 3 NM

Climate: temperate; mild winters and cool summers

Terrain: gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 143 m

Natural resources: arable land

Land use: arable land: NEGL% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: largest and southernmost of Channel Islands; about 30% of population concentrated in Saint Helier

People Jersey

Population: 89,775 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 17.9% (male 8,287; female 7,729) 15-64 years: 67.3% (male 30,099; female 30,347) 65 years and over: 14.8% (male 5,729; female 7,584) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.44% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 10.86 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 9.22 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 2.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 5.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 81.4 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.57 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Channel Islander(s) adjective: Channel Islander

Ethnic groups: UK and Norman-French descent

Religions: Anglican, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Congregational New Church,
Methodist, Presbyterian

Languages: English (official), French (official), Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA male: NA female: NA

Government Jersey

Country name: Bailiwick of Jersey conventional short form: Dependency status: British crown dependency

Government type: NA

Capital: Saint Helier

Administrative divisions: none (British crown dependency)

Independence: none (British crown dependency)

National holiday: Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)

Constitution: unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Legal system: English law and local statute

Suffrage: NA years of age; universal adult

Executive branch: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) elections: by the monarch head of government: Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief Air Chief Marshall Sir John CHESHIRE (since 24 January 2001) and Bailiff Philip Martin BAILHACHE (since NA February 1995) cabinet: Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly of the States (55 voting members - 12 senators, 12 constables or heads of parishes, 29 deputies; all elected for six-year terms, half elected every third year; the bailiff and the deputy bailiff; and 3 non-voting members - the Dean of Jersey, the Attorney General, and the Solicitor General all appointed by the monarch elections: last held NA (next to be held NA) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 52

Judicial branch: Royal Court (judges elected by an electoral college and the bailiff)

Political parties and leaders: none; all independents

Political pressure groups and leaders: none

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (British crown dependency)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (British crown dependency)

Flag description: white with a diagonal red cross extending to the corners of the flag and in the upper quadrant, surmounted by a yellow crown, a red shield holding the three lions of England in yellow

Economy Jersey

Economy - overview: The economy is based largely on international financial services, agriculture, and tourism. Potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes, and especially flowers are important export crops, shipped mostly to the UK. The Jersey breed of dairy cattle is known worldwide and represents an important export income earner. Milk products go to the UK and other EU countries. In 1996 the finance sector accounted for about 60% of the island's output. Tourism, another mainstay of the economy, accounts for 24% of GDP. In recent years, the government has encouraged light industry to locate in Jersey, with the result that an electronics industry has developed alongside the traditional manufacturing of knitwear. All raw material and energy requirements are imported, as well as a large share of Jersey's food needs. Light taxes and death duties make the island a popular tax haven.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $2.2 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: NA%

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $24,800 (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5% industry: 2% services: 93% (1996)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.7% (1998)

Labor force: 57,050 (1996)

Unemployment rate: 0.7% (1998 est.)

Budget: revenues: $601 million expenditures: $588 million, including capital expenditures of $98 million (2000 est.)

Industries: tourism, banking and finance, dairy

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - imports: NA kWh note: electricity supplied by France

Agriculture - products: potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes; beef, dairy products

Exports: $NA

Exports - commodities: light industrial and electrical goods, foodstuffs, textiles

Exports - partners: UK

Imports: $NA

Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, foodstuffs, mineral fuels, chemicals

Imports - partners: UK

Debt - external: none

Economic aid - recipient: none

Currency: British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Jersey pound

Currency code: GBP

Exchange rates: Jersey pounds per US dollar - 0.6981 (January 2002), 0.6944 (2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998), 0.6106 (1997); the Jersey pound is at par with the British pound

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Communications Jersey

Telephones - main lines in use: 65,500 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 4,400 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: 3 submarine cables

Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)

Televisions: NA

Internet country code: .je

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA

Internet users: NA

Transportation Jersey

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 577 km (1995) paved: NA km unpaved: NA km

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Gorey, Saint Aubin, Saint Helier

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: 1 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2001)

Military Jersey

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Jersey

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Jamaica

Introduction

Jamaica

Background: Jamaica gained full independence within the British Commonwealth in 1962. Deteriorating economic conditions during the 1970s led to recurrent violence and a dropoff in tourism. Elections in 1980 saw the democratic socialists voted out of office. Subsequent governments have been open market oriented. Political violence marred elections during the 1990s.

Geography Jamaica

Location: Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba

Geographic coordinates: 18 15 N, 77 30 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 10,991 sq km land: 10,831 sq km water: 160 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 1,022 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines exclusive economic zone: the continental margin contiguous zone: 24 NM

Climate: tropical; hot, humid; temperate interior

Terrain: mostly mountains, with narrow, discontinuous coastal plain

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point:
Blue Mountain Peak 2,256 m

Natural resources: bauxite, gypsum, limestone

Land use: arable land: 16% permanent crops: 9% other: 75% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 250 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: hurricanes (especially July to November)

Environment - current issues: heavy rates of deforestation; coastal waters polluted by industrial waste, sewage, and oil spills; damage to coral reefs; air pollution in Kingston results from vehicle emissions

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation,
Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed,
but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: strategic location between Cayman Trench and Jamaica
Channel, the main sea lanes for the Panama Canal

People Jamaica

Population: 2,680,029 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 29.1% (male 399,249; female 380,864) 15-64 years: 64.1% (male 858,433; female 859,174) 65 years and over: 6.8% (male 81,321; female 100,988) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.56% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 17.74 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 5.45 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -6.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 13.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 77.73 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.05 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.71% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 9,900 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 650 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Jamaican(s) adjective: Jamaican

Ethnic groups: black 90.9%, East Indian 1.3%, white 0.2%, Chinese 0.2%, mixed 7.3%, other 0.1%

Religions: Protestant 61.3% (Church of God 21.2%, Baptist 8.8%, Anglican
5.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 9%, Pentecostal 7.6%, Methodist 2.7%, United
Church 2.7%, Brethren 1.1%, Jehovah's Witness 1.6%, Moravian 1.1%),
Roman Catholic 4%, other, including some spiritual cults 34.7%

Languages: English, patois English

Literacy: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population:
Government Jamaica

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Jamaica

Government type: constitutional parliamentary democracy

Capital: Kingston

Administrative divisions: 14 parishes; Clarendon, Hanover, Kingston,
Manchester, Portland, Saint Andrew, Saint Ann, Saint Catherine, Saint
Elizabeth, Saint James, Saint Mary, Saint Thomas, Trelawny, Westmoreland

Independence: 6 August 1962 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, first Monday in August (1962)

Constitution: 6 August 1962

Legal system: based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Howard Felix COOKE (since 1 August 1991) head of government: Prime Minister Percival James PATTERSON (since 30 March 1992) and Deputy Prime Minister Seymour MULLINGS (since NA 1993) cabinet: minister elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (a 21-member body appointed by the governor general on the recommendations of the prime minister and the leader of the opposition; ruling party is allocated 13 seats, and the opposition is allocated eight seats) and the House of Representatives (60 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 18 December 1997 (next to be held by March 2002) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PNP 50, JLP 10

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister); Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders: Jamaica Labor Party or JLP [Edward SEAGA];
National Democratic Movement or NDM [Bruce GOLDING]; People's National
Party or PNP [Percival James PATTERSON]

Political pressure groups and leaders: New Beginnings Movement or NBM;
Rastafarians (black religious/racial cultists, pan-Africanists)

International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB,
ECLAC, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU,
LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: Ambassador Seymour MULLINGS consulate(s) general: chancery: 1520 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Sue McCourt COBB embassy: Jamaica Mutual Life Center, 2 Oxford Road, 3rd floor, Kingston 5 mailing address: use [1] (876) 929-4850 through 4859 FAX: Flag description: diagonal yellow cross divides the flag into four triangles - green (top and bottom) and black (hoist side and outer side)

Economy Jamaica

Economy - overview: The economy, which depends heavily on tourism and bauxite, has been stagnant since 1995. After five years of recession, the economy grew 0.8% in 2000 and 1.1% in 2001, but the global economic slowdown, particularly in the United States after the 11 September terrorist attacks, has stunted the economic recovery. Serious problems include: high interest rates; increased foreign competition; a pressured, sometimes sliding, exchange rate; a widening merchandise trade deficit; and a growing internal debt, the result of government bailouts to various ailing sectors of the economy, particularly the financial sector. Depressed economic conditions have led to increased civil unrest, including a mounting crime rate. Jamaica's medium-term prospects will depend upon encouraging investment, maintaining a competitive exchange rate, selling off reacquired firms, and implementing proper fiscal and monetary policies.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $9.8 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 1.1% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,700 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 7% industry: 28% services: 65% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 34.2% (1992 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 28.9% (1996)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 36.4 (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.9% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 1.13 million (1998)

Labor force - by occupation: services 60%, agriculture 21%, industry 19% (1998)

Unemployment rate: 16% (2000 est.)

Budget: revenues: $2.23 billion expenditures: $2.56 billion, including capital expenditures of $232.5 million (FY99/00 est.)

Industries: tourism, bauxite, textiles, food processing, light manufactures, rum, cement, metal, paper, chemical products

Industrial production growth rate: -2% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production: 6.74 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 89.44% hydro: 3.22% other: 7.34% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 6.27 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: sugarcane, bananas, coffee, citrus, potatoes, vegetables; poultry, goats, milk

Exports: $1.6 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: alumina, bauxite; sugar, bananas, rum

Exports - partners: US 35.7%, EU (excluding UK) 15.9%, UK 13%, Canada 10.5% (1999)

Imports: $3.1 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, fuel, food, chemicals, fertilizers

Imports - partners: US 47.8%, Caricom countries 12.4%, Latin America 7.2%, EU (excluding UK) 4.7% (1999)

Debt - external: $5.2 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $102.7 million (1995)

Currency: Jamaican dollar (JMD)

Currency code: JMD

Exchange rates: Jamaican dollars per US dollar - 47.277 (December 2001), 45.996 (2001), 42.701 (2000), 39.044 (1999), 36.550 (1998), 35.404 (1997)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Communications Jamaica

Telephones - main lines in use: 353,000 (1996)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 54,640 (1996)

Telephone system: fully automatic domestic telephone network domestic: 3 coaxial submarine cables

Radio broadcast stations: AM 10, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 1.215 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 7 (1997)

Televisions: 460,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .jm

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 21 (2000)

Internet users: 60,000 (2000)

Transportation Jamaica

Railways: total: 272 km standard gauge: 272 km 1.435-m gauge; note - 207 km, belonging to the Jamaica Railway Corporation, were in common carrier service but are no longer operational; the remaining track is privately owned and used to transport bauxite (2000)

Highways: total: 19,000 km paved: 13,433 km unpaved: 5,567 km (1997)

Waterways: none

Pipelines: petroleum products 10 km

Ports and harbors: Alligator Pond, Discovery Bay, Kingston, Montego Bay,
Ocho Rios, Port Antonio, Rocky Point, Port Esquivel (Longswharf)

Merchant marine: total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 21,954
GRT/25,250 DWT ships by type: petroleum tanker 1, includes some
foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Latvia 2,
United States 2 (2002 est.)

Airports: 35 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: 1 914 to 1,523 m: Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 22 (2001)

Military Jamaica

Military branches: Jamaica Defense Force (including Ground Forces,
Coast Guard, and Air Wing), Jamaica Constabulary Force

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 747,043 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 523,550 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 27,729 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $30 million (FY95/96 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Transnational Issues Jamaica

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: major transshipment point for cocaine from South America to North America and Europe; illicit cultivation of cannabis; government has an active manual cannabis eradication program; corruption is a major concern

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Jan Mayen

Introduction Jan Mayen

Background: This desolate, mountainous island was named after a Dutch whaling captain who indisputably discovered it in 1614 (earlier claims are inconclusive). Visited only occasionally by seal hunters and trappers over the following centuries, the island came under Norwegian sovereignty in 1929. The long dormant Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg volcano resumed activity in 1970; it is the northernmost active volcano on earth.

Geography Jan Mayen

Location: Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the
Norwegian Sea, northeast of Iceland

Geographic coordinates: 71 00 N, 8 00 W

Map references: Arctic Region

Area: total: 373 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 373 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 124.1 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 10 NM continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation territorial sea: 4 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate: arctic maritime with frequent storms and persistent fog

Terrain: volcanic island, partly covered by glaciers

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m highest point:
Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg 2,277 m

Natural resources: none

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: dominated by the volcano Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg; volcanic activity resumed in 1970

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: barren volcanic island with some moss and grass

People Jan Mayen

Population: no indigenous inhabitants note: personnel operate the Long Range Navigation (Loran-C) base and the weather and coastal services radio station (July 2002 est.)

Population growth rate: NA

Government Jan Mayen

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Jan Mayen

Dependency status: territory of Norway; administered from Oslo through a governor (sysselmann) resident in Longyearbyen (Svalbard); however, authority has been delegated to a station commander of the Norwegian Defense Communication Service

Legal system: the laws of Norway, where applicable, apply

Flag description: the flag of Norway is used

Economy Jan Mayen

Economy - overview: Jan Mayen is a volcanic island with no exploitable natural resources. Economic activity is limited to providing services for employees of Norway's radio and meteorological stations located on the island.

Communications Jan Mayen

Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA note: there is one radio and meteorological station (1998)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 13 (Jan Mayen and Svalbard) (2000)

Transportation Jan Mayen

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Airports: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2001)

Military Jan Mayen

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Norway

Transnational Issues Jan Mayen

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Jordan

Introduction

Jordan

Background: For most of its history since independence from British administration in 1946, Jordan was ruled by King HUSSEIN (1953-1999). A pragmatic ruler, he successfully navigated competing pressures from the major powers (US, USSR, and UK), various Arab states, Israel, and a large internal Palestinian population, through several wars and coup attempts. In 1989 he resumed parliamentary elections and gradually permitted political liberalization; in 1994 a formal peace treaty was signed with Israel. King ABDALLAH II - the eldest son of King HUSSEIN and Princess MUNA - assumed the throne following his father's death in February 1999. Since then, he has consolidated his power and established his domestic priorities.

Geography Jordan

Location: Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates: 31 00 N, 36 00 E

Map references: Middle East

Area: total: 92,300 sq km water: 329 sq km land: 91,971 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Indiana

Land boundaries: total: 1,635 km border countries: Iraq 181 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia 744 km, Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km

Coastline: 26 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 NM

Climate: mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April)

Terrain: mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west; Great
Rift Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m highest point: Jabal
Ram 1,734 m

Natural resources: phosphates, potash, shale oil

Land use: arable land: 3% permanent crops: 1% other: 96% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 750 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: droughts; periodic earthquakes

Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test
Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of
the selected agreements

Geography - note: strategic location at the head of the Gulf of Aqaba and as the Arab country that shares the longest border with Israel and the occupied West Bank

People Jordan

Population: 5,307,470 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 36.6% (male 991,370; female 949,247) 15-64 years: 60% (male 1,698,568; female 1,485,261) 65 years and over: 3.4% (male 90,186; female 92,838) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.89% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 24.58 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 2.62 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 6.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.14 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 19.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 80.3 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 3.15 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.02% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Jordanian(s) adjective: Jordanian

Ethnic groups: Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1%

Religions: Sunni Muslim 92%, Christian 6% (majority Greek Orthodox, but some Greek and Roman Catholics, Syrian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, and Protestant denominations), other 2% (several small Shi'a Muslim and Druze populations) (2001 est.)

Languages: Arabic (official), English widely understood among upper and middle classes

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 86.6% male: 93.4% female: 79.4% (1995 est.)

Government Jordan

Country name: conventional long form: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan conventional short form: Jordan local short form: Al Urdun local long form: Al Mamlakah al Urduniyah al Hashimiyah former: Transjordan

Government type: constitutional monarchy

Capital: Amman

Administrative divisions: 12 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Ajlun, Al 'Aqabah, Al Balqa', Al Karak, Al Mafraq, 'Amman, At Tafilah, Az Zarqa', Irbid, Jarash, Ma'an, Madaba

Independence: 25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)

National holiday: Independence Day, 25 May (1946)

Constitution: 8 January 1952

Legal system: based on Islamic law and French codes; judicial review of legislative acts in a specially provided High Tribunal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: King ABDALLAH II (since 7 February 1999); Crown Prince HAMZAH (half brother of the monarch, born 29 March 1980) head of Prime Minister Ali Abul RAGHEB (since 19 June 2000) cabinet: elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch

Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-'Umma consists of the Senate, also called the House of Notables (Majlis al-Aayan), a 40-member body appointed by the monarch from designated categories of public figures; members serve four-year terms and the House of Representatives, also called the House of Deputies (Majlis al-Nuwaab), an 80-member body elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms elections: House of Representatives - last held 4 November 1997 (November 2001 election postponed, next to be held NA) note: the House of Representatives has been convened and dissolved by the monarch several times since 1974; in November 1989, the first parliamentary elections in 22 years were held election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - National Constitutional Party 2, Arab Land Party 1, independents 75, other 2

Judicial branch: Court of Cassation; Supreme Court (court of final appeal)

Political parties and leaders: Al-Umma (Nation) Party [Ahmad al-HANANDEH, secretary general]; Arab Land Party [Dr. Muhammad al-'ORAN, secretary general]; Jordanian Democratic Popular Unity Party [Sa'id DHIYAB, secretary general]; National Constitutional Party [Abdul Hadi MAJALI, secretary general]; Islamic Action Front [Abd al latif al-ARABIYAT, secretary general]; National Action (Haqq) Party [Muhammad al-ZUBI, secretary general]; (Arab) Socialist Ba'th Party [Taysif al-HIMSI, secretary general]; Jordanian People's Democratic (Hashd) Party [Salim al-NAHHAS, secretary general]; Pan-Arab (Democratic) Movement [Mahmud al-NUWAYHI, secretary general]; Constitutional Front [Mahdi al-TALL, secretary general]; Jordanian Progressive Party [Fawwaz al-ZUBI, secretary general]; Communist Party [Munir HAMARINAH, secretary general]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Jordanian Press Association [Sayf al-SHARIF, president]; Muslim Brotherhood [Abd-al-Majid DHUNAYBAT, secretary general]; Anti-Normalization Committee [Ali Abu SUKKAR, president vice chairman]; Jordanian Bar Association [Saleh ARMOUTI, president]

International organization participation: ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF,
CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTAET, UPU,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Marwan Jamil MUASHER chancery: 3504 International Drive NW, Washington,
DC 20008 FAX: [1] (202) 966-3110 telephone: [1] (202) 966-2664

Diplomatic representation from the US: Ambassador Edward William GNEHM, Jr. embassy: AE 09892-0200 telephone: [962] (6) 5920101 FAX: [962] (6) 5920121

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of black (top, the Abbassid Caliphate of Islam), white (the Ummayyad Caliphate of Islam), and green (the Fatimid Caliphate of Islam) with a red isosceles triangle (representing the Great Arab Revolt of 1916) based on the hoist side bearing a small white seven-pointed star symbolizing the seven verses of the opening Sura (Al-Fatiha) of the Holy Koran; the seven points on the star represent faith in One God, humanity, national spirit, humility, social justice, virtue, and aspirations

Economy Jordan

Economy - overview: Jordan is a small Arab country with inadequate supplies of water and other natural resources such as oil. Debt, poverty, and unemployment are fundamental problems, but King ABDALLAH since assuming the throne in 1999 has undertaken some broad economic reforms in a long-term effort to improve living standards. Amman in the past three years has signed on to an IMF agreement, practiced careful monetary policy, and made significant headway with privatization. The government also has liberalized the trade regime sufficiently to secure Jordan's membership in the WTrO, an association agreement with the EU, and a free trade accord with US. These measures have helped improve productivity and have put Jordan on the foreign investment map. Ongoing challenges include fiscal adjustment to reduce the budget deficit and broader investment incentives to promote job-creating ventures.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $21.6 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 2.8% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $4,200 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.7% industry: 26% services: 70.3% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 30% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.3% highest 10%: 29.8% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 36.4 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.5% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 1.26 million note: in addition, at least 300,000 workers are employed abroad (2001)

Labor force - by occupation: services 82.5%, industry 12.5%, agriculture 5% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate: 16% official rate; actual rate is 25%-30% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $2.9 billion expenditures: $3.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Industries: phosphate mining, petroleum refining, cement, potash, light manufacturing, tourism

Industrial production growth rate: 3.9% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 6.932 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.44% hydro: 0.56% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 7.092 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 5 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 650 million kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, citrus, tomatoes, melons, olives; sheep, goats, poultry

Exports: $2.2 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: phosphates, fertilizers, potash, agricultural products, manufactures, pharmaceuticals

Exports - partners: India, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, EU, US, Indonesia, UAE,
Lebanon, Kuwait, Syria, Ethiopia

Imports: $4.6 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: crude oil, machinery, transport equipment, food, live animals, manufactured goods

Imports - partners: Iraq, Germany, US, Saudi Arabia, Japan, UK, Italy,
Turkey, Malaysia, Syria, China

Debt - external: $7.9 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: ODA, $850 million (1996 est.)

Currency: Jordanian dinar (JOD)

Currency code: JOD

Exchange rates: Jordanian dinars per US dollar - 0.7090 (1996-present ) note: since May 1989, the Jordanian dinar has been pegged to a group of currencies

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Jordan

Telephones - main lines in use: 403,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 11,500 (1995)

Telephone system: general assessment: service has improved recently with the increased use of digital switching equipment, but better access to the telephone system is needed in the rural areas and easier access to pay telephones is needed by the urban public domestic: microwave radio relay transmission and coaxial and fiber-optic cable are employed on trunk lines; considerable use of mobile cellular systems; Internet service is available international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat, 1 Arabsat, and 29 land and maritime Inmarsat terminals; fiber-optic cable to Saudi Arabia and microwave radio relay link with Egypt and Syria; connection to international submarine cable FLAG (Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe); participant in MEDARABTEL; international links total about 4,000

Radio broadcast stations: AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1999)

Radios: 1.66 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 20 (plus 96 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions: 500,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .jo

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 5 (2000)

Internet users: 210,000 (2001)

Transportation Jordan

Railways: total: 677 km narrow gauge: 677 km 1.050-m gauge (2001)

Highways: total: 8,000 km paved: 8,000 km unpaved: 0 km (2000 est.)

Waterways: none

Pipelines: crude oil 209 km; note - may not be in use

Ports and harbors: Al 'Aqabah

Merchant marine: total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 41,206 GRT/53,401 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 3, container 1, roll on/roll off 2 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Airports: 18 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 15 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 under 914 m: 1 (2001) 914 to 1,523 m: 1

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2001)

Heliports: 1 (2001)

Military Jordan

Military branches: Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF) Royal Jordanian Land Force, Royal Naval Force, Royal Jordanian Air Force, and Special Operations Command or Socom); note - Public Security Directorate normally falls under Ministry of Interior but comes under JAF in wartime or crisis situations

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,517,751 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,073,991 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 57,131 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $757.5 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 8.6% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Jordan

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Johnston Atoll

Introduction

Johnston Atoll

Background: Both the US and the Kingdom of Hawaii annexed Johnston Atoll in 1858, but it was the US that mined the guano deposits until the late 1880s. The US Navy took over the atoll in 1934, and subsequently the US Air Force assumed control in 1948. The site was used for high altitude nuclear tests in the 1950s and 1960s, and until late in 2000 the atoll was maintained as a storage and disposal site for chemical weapons. Munitions destruction is now complete. Cleanup and closure of the facility is progressing, with completion anticipated in 2004.

Geography Johnston Atoll

Location: Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean 717 NM (1328 km) southwest of Honolulu, Hawaii, about one-third of the way from Hawaii to the Marshall Islands

Geographic coordinates: 16 45 N, 169 31 W

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 2.8 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 2.8 sq km

Area - comparative: about 4.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 34 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical, but generally dry; consistent northeast trade winds with little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain: mostly flat

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point:
Summit Peak 5 m

Natural resources: guano deposits worked until depletion about 1890, terrestrial and aquatic wildlife

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: no natural fresh water resources

Geography - note: strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean; Johnston Island and Sand Island are natural islands, which have been expanded by coral dredging; North Island (Akau) and East Island (Hikina) are manmade islands formed from coral dredging; egg-shaped reef is 34 km in circumference; closed to the public; former US nuclear weapons test site; site of Johnston Atoll Chemical Agent Disposal System (JACADS); some lowgrowing vegetation

People Johnston Atoll

Population: no indigenous inhabitants note: in previous years, there was an average of 1,100 US military and civilian contractor personnel present; as of 1 September 2001, population had decreased significantly when US Army Chemical Activity Pacific (USACAP) departed (July 2002 est.)

Population growth rate: NA%

Government Johnston Atoll

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Johnston Atoll

Dependency status: unincorporated territory of the US; administered
from Honolulu, HI, by Pacific Air Forces, Hickam AFB, and the Fish and
Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the
National Wildlife Refuge system

Legal system: the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description: the flag of the US is used

Economy Johnston Atoll

Economy - overview: Economic activity is limited to providing services to US military personnel and contractors located on the island. All food and manufactured goods must be imported.

Electricity - production: approximately 1million kWh weekly; note - there are six 25,000 kWh generators operated by the base operating support contractor (1999)

Electricity - consumption: NA kWh

Communications Johnston Atoll

Telephone system: general assessment: 13 outgoing and 10 incoming commercial lines; adequate telecommunications domestic: 60-channel submarine cable (broken in January 2002), 22 DSN circuits by satellite, Autodin with standard remote terminal, digital telephone switch, Military Affiliated Radio System (MARS station), UHF/VHF air-ground radio, a link to the Pacific Consolidated Telecommunications Network (PCTN) satellite international: NA

Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA

Television broadcast stations: commercial satellite television system, with 16 channels (1997)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA

Transportation Johnston Atoll

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Johnston Island

Airports: 1 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2001)

Military Johnston Atoll

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Johnston Atoll

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Juan de Nova Island

Introduction Juan de Nova Island

Background: Named after a famous 15th century Spanish navigator and explorer, the island has been a French possession since 1897. It has been exploited for its guano and phosphate. Presently a small military garrison oversees a meteorological station.

Geography Juan de Nova Island

Location: Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about one-third of the way between Madagascar and Mozambique

Geographic coordinates: 17 03 S, 42 45 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 4.4 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 4.4 sq km

Area - comparative: about seven times the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 24.1 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical

Terrain: low and flat

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 10 m

Natural resources: guano deposits and other fertilizers

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (90% forest) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: periodic cyclones

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: wildlife sanctuary

People Juan de Nova Island

Population: no indigenous inhabitants note: there is a small French military garrison (July 2002 est.)

Population growth rate: NA

Government Juan de Nova Island

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Juan de Nova Island local short form: Ile Juan de Nova local long form: none

Dependency status: possession of France; administered by a high commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion

Legal system: the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (possession of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (possession of France)

Flag description: the flag of France is used

Economy Juan de Nova Island

Economy - overview: Up to 12,000 tons of guano are mined per year.

Communications Juan de Nova Island

Communications - note: 1 meteorological station

Transportation Juan de Nova Island

Railways: total: NA km; short line going to a jetty

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Airports: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)

Military Juan de Nova Island

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Juan de Nova Island

Disputes - international: claimed by Madagascar

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Kenya

Introduction

Kenya

Background: Founding president and liberation struggle icon Jomo KENYATTA led Kenya from independence until his death in 1978, when current President Daniel Toroitich arap MOI took power in a constitutional succession. The country was a de facto one-party state from 1969 until 1982 when the ruling Kenya African National Union (KANU) made itself the sole legal party in Kenya. MOI acceded to internal and external pressure for political liberalization in late 1991. The ethnically fractured opposition failed to dislodge KANU from power in elections in 1992 and 1997, which were marred by violence and fraud, but are viewed as having generally reflected the will of the Kenyan people. The country faces a period of political uncertainty because MOI is constitutionally required to step down at the next election that has to be held by early 2003.

Geography Kenya

Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Somalia and Tanzania

Geographic coordinates: 1 00 N, 38 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 582,650 sq km water: 13,400 sq km land: 569,250 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Nevada

Land boundaries: total: 3,477 km border countries: Ethiopia 861 km,
Somalia 682 km, Sudan 232 km, Tanzania 769 km, Uganda 933 km

Coastline: 536 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: varies from tropical along coast to arid in interior

Terrain: low plains rise to central highlands bisected by Great Rift
Valley; fertile plateau in west

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point:
Mount Kenya 5,199 m

Natural resources: gold, limestone, soda ash, salt barites, rubies, fluorspar, garnets, wildlife, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 7% permanent crops: 1% other: 92% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 670 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: recurring drought; flooding during rainy seasons

Environment - current issues: water pollution from urban and industrial wastes; degradation of water quality from increased use of pesticides and fertilizers; water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; poaching

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: the Kenyan Highlands comprise one of the most successful agricultural production regions in Africa; glaciers are found on Mount Kenya, Africa's second highest peak; unique physiography supports abundant and varied wildlife of scientific and economic value

People Kenya

Population: 31,138,735 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 41.1% (male 6,462,430; female 6,327,457) 15-64 years: 56.1% (male 8,769,546; female 8,694,329) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 385,361; female 499,612) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.15% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 27.61 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 14.68 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: according to UNHCR, by the end of 2001 Kenya was host to 220,000 refugees from neighboring countries, including: Somalia 145,000 and Sudan 68,000 (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 67.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 47.85 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 3.34 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 13.5% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 2.2 million (2000 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 180,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Kenyan(s) adjective: Kenyan

Ethnic groups: Kikuyu 22%, Luhya 14%, Luo 13%, Kalenjin 12%, Kamba 11%, Kisii 6%, Meru 6%, other African 15%, non-African (Asian, European, and Arab) 1%

Religions: Protestant 45%, Roman Catholic 33%, indigenous beliefs 10%, Muslim 10%, other 2% note: a large majority of Kenyans are Christian, but estimates for the percentage of the population that adheres to Islam or indigenous beliefs vary widely

Languages: English (official), Kiswahili (official), numerous indigenous languages

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 78.1% male: 86.3% female: 70% (1995 est.)

Government Kenya

Country name: Republic of Kenya conventional short form: Government type: republic

Capital: Nairobi

Administrative divisions: 7 provinces and 1 area*; Central, Coast,
Eastern, Nairobi Area*, North Eastern, Nyanza, Rift Valley, Western

Independence: 12 December 1963 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 12 December (1963)

Constitution: 12 December 1963, amended as a republic 1964; reissued with amendments 1979, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1997, and 2001

Legal system: based on Kenyan statutory law, Kenyan and English common law, tribal law, and Islamic law; judicial review in High Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations; constitutional amendment of 1982 making Kenya a de jure one-party state repealed in 1991

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Daniel Toroitich arap MOI (since 14 October 1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Daniel Toroitich arap MOI (since 14 October 1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and Cabinet appointed by the president elections: Assembly for a five-year term; in addition to receiving the largest number of votes in absolute terms, the presidential candidate must also win 25% or more of the vote in at least five of Kenya's seven provinces and one area to avoid a runoff; election last held 29 December 1997 (next to be held by early 2003); vice president appointed by the president election results: President Daniel Toroitich arap MOI reelected; percent of vote - Daniel T. arap MOI (KANU) 40.6%, Mwai KIBAKI (DP) 31.5%, Raila ODINGA (NDP) 11.1%, Michael WAMALWA (FORD-K) 8.4%, Charity NGILU (SDP) 7.8%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (222 seats; 210 members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms, 12 so-called "nominated" members who are appointed by the president, but selected by the parties in proportion to their parliamentary vote totals) elections: last held 29 December 1997 (next to be held by early 2003) election results: FORD-K 17, FORD-People 3, DP 39, NDP 21, SDP 15, SAFINA 5, smaller parties 2; seats appointed by the president - KANU 6, FORD-K 1, DP 2, SDP 1, NDP 1, SAFINA 1

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal (chief justice is appointed by the president); High Court

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party of Kenya or DP [Mwai KIBAKI]; Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-Asili or FORD-A [Kenneth MATIBA, chairman]; Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-Kenya or FORD-K [Michael Kijana WAMALWA]; Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-People or FORD-People [Kimaniwa NYOIKE, chairman]; Kenya African National Union or KANU [President Daniel Toroitich arap MOI] - the governing party; National Development Party or NDP [Raila ODINGA]; SAFINA [Farah MAALIM, chairman]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [James ORENGO, chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders: human rights groups; labor unions; Muslim organizations; National Convention Executive Council or NCEC, a proreform coalition of political parties and nongovernment organizations [Kivutha KIBWANA]; Protestant National Council of Churches of Kenya or NCCK [Mutava MUSYIMI]; Roman Catholic and other Christian churches; Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims or SUPKEM [Shaykh Abdul Gafur al-BUSAIDY, chairman]

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, EADB, ECA,
FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM,
OAU, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH,
UNMIK, UNMOP, UNU, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: Ambassador Yusuf Abdulraham NZIBO consulate(s) general: [1] (202) 387-6101 chancery: Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Johnnie CARSON embassy: US Embassy, Mombasa Road, Nairobi mailing address: Box 21A, Unit 64100, APO AE 09831 telephone: [254] (2) 537-800 FAX: [254] (2) 537-810

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green; the red band is edged in white; a large warrior's shield covering crossed spears is superimposed at the center

Economy Kenya

Economy - overview: Kenya, the regional hub for trade and finance in East Africa, is hampered by corruption and reliance upon several primary goods whose prices continue to decline. Following strong economic growth in 1995 and 1996, Kenya's economy has stagnated, with GDP growth failing to keep up with the rate of population growth. In 1997, the IMF suspended Kenya's Enhanced Structural Adjustment Program due to the government's failure to maintain reforms and curb corruption. A severe drought from 1999 to 2000 compounded Kenya's problems, causing water and energy rationing and reducing agricultural output. As a result, GDP contracted by 0.3% in 2000. The IMF, which had resumed loans in 2000 to help Kenya through the drought, again halted lending in 2001 when the government failed to institute several anticorruption measures. Despite the return of strong rains in 2001, weak commodity prices, endemic corruption, and low investment limited Kenya's economic growth to 1%, and Kenya is unlikely to see growth above 2% in 2002. Substantial IMF and other foreign support is essential to prevent a further decline in real per capita output.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $31 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 1% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 24% industry: 13% services: 63% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 50% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2% highest 10%: 37.2% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 44.5 (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.3% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 10 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 75%-80%

Unemployment rate: 40% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $2.91 billion expenditures: $2.97 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Industries: small-scale consumer goods (plastic, furniture, batteries, textiles, soap, cigarettes, flour), agricultural products processing; oil refining, cement; tourism

Industrial production growth rate: -0.7% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 4.616 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 21.66% hydro: 70.4% other: 7.94% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 4.433 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 140 million kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: coffee, tea, corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruit, vegetables; dairy products, beef, pork, poultry, eggs

Exports: $1.8 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: tea, horticultural products, coffee, petroleum products, fish, cement

Exports - partners: UK 13.5%, Tanzania 12.5%, Uganda 12.0%, Germany 5.5% (2000)

Imports: $3.1 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum products, motor vehicles, iron and steel, resins and plastics

Imports - partners: UK 12%, UAE 9.8%, Japan 6.5%, India 4.4% (2000)

Debt - external: $8 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $457 million (1997)

Currency: Kenyan shilling (KES)

Currency code: KES

Exchange rates: Kenyan shillings per US dollar - 78.597 (January 2002), 78.563 (2001), 76.176 (2000), 70.326 (1999), 60.367 (1998), 58.732 (1997)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Communications Kenya

Telephones - main lines in use: 310,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 540,000 (2001)

Telephone system: general assessment: unreliable; little attempt to modernize except for service to business domestic: trunks are primarily microwave radio relay; business data commonly transferred by a very small aperture terminal (VSAT) system international: satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat

Radio broadcast stations: AM 24, FM 18, shortwave 6 (2001)

Radios: 3.07 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 8 (2002)

Televisions: 730,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .ke

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 65 (2001)

Internet users: 250,000 (2001)

Transportation Kenya

Railways: total: 2,778 km narrow gauge: 2,778 km 1.000-m gauge note: the line connecting Nairobi with the port of Mombasa is the most important in the country

Highways: total: 63,800 km paved: 8,932 km unpaved: 54,868 km (2001)

Waterways: NA note: part of the Lake Victoria system is within the boundaries of Kenya

Pipelines: petroleum products 483 km

Ports and harbors: Kisumu, Lamu, Mombasa

Merchant marine: total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,893 GRT/6,320 DWT ships by type: petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 231 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 20 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: 14 914 to 1,523 m: Military Kenya

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 7,938,865 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 4,915,090 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $179.2 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.8% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Kenya

Disputes - international: since colonial times, Kenya's administrative boundary has extended beyond its treaty boundary into Sudan creating the "Ilemi Triangle"; arms smuggling and Oromo rebel activities prompt strict border regime with Somalia

Illicit drugs: widespread harvesting of small plots of marijuana; transit country for South Asian heroin destined for Europe and North America; Indian methaqualone also transits on way to South Africa

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Kyrgyzstan

Introduction

Kyrgyzstan

Background: A Central Asian country of incredible natural beauty and proud nomadic traditions, Kyrgyzstan was annexed by Russia in 1864; it achieved independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Current concerns include: political freedoms, interethnic relations, and combating terrorism.

Geography Kyrgyzstan

Location: Central Asia, west of China

Geographic coordinates: 41 00 N, 75 00 E

Map references: Asia

Area: total: 198,500 sq km water: 7,200 sq km land: 191,300 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than South Dakota

Land boundaries: total: 3,878 km border countries: China 858 km,
Kazakhstan 1,051 km, Tajikistan 870 km, Uzbekistan 1,099 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: dry continental to polar in high Tien Shan; subtropical in southwest (Fergana Valley); temperate in northern foothill zone

Terrain: peaks of Tien Shan and associated valleys and basins encompass entire nation

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Kara-Daryya (Karadar'ya) 132 m highest point: Jengish Chokusu (Pik Pobedy) 7,439 m

Natural resources: abundant hydropower; significant deposits of gold and rare earth metals; locally exploitable coal, oil, and natural gas; other deposits of nepheline, mercury, bismuth, lead, and zinc

Land use: arable land: 7% permanent crops: 0% note: Kyrgyzstan has the world's largest natural growth walnut forest (1998 est.) other: 93%

Irrigated land: 10,740 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: water pollution; many people get their water directly from contaminated streams and wells; as a result, water-borne diseases are prevalent; increasing soil salinity from faulty irrigation practices

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Geography - note: landlocked; entirely mountainous, dominated by the Tien Shan range; many tall peaks, glaciers, and high-altitude lakes

People Kyrgyzstan

Population: 4,822,166 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 34.4% (male 838,224; female 821,230) 15-64 years: 59.4% (male 1,403,328; female 1,459,914) 65 years and over: 6.2% (male 113,861; female 185,609) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.45% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 26.11 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 9.1 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -2.51 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 75.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 67.98 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 3.16 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: less than 0.01% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: less than 100 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Kyrgyzstani(s) adjective: Kyrgyzstani

Ethnic groups: Kyrgyz 52.4%, Russian 18%, Uzbek 12.9%, Ukrainian 2.5%,
German 2.4%, other 11.8%

Religions: Muslim 75%, Russian Orthodox 20%, other 5%

Languages: Kyrgyz - official language, Russian - official language note: in December 2001, the Kyrgyzstani legislature made Russian an official language, equal in status to Kyrgyz

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 99% female: 96% (1989 est.)

Government Kyrgyzstan

Country name: Kyrgyz Republic conventional short form: Republic local long form: Kyrgyz Respublikasy

Government type: republic

Capital: Bishkek

Administrative divisions: 7 provinces (oblastlar, singular - oblasty) and 1 city* (shaar); Batken Oblasty, Bishkek Shaary*, Chuy Oblasty (Bishkek), Jalal-Abad Oblasty, Naryn Oblasty, Osh Oblasty, Talas Oblasty, Ysyk-Kol Oblasty (Karakol) note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)

Independence: 31 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day, 31 August (1991)

Constitution: adopted 5 May 1993; note - amendment proposed by President AKAYEV and passed in a national referendum on 10 February 1996 significantly expands the powers of the president at the expense of the legislature

Legal system: based on civil law system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Askar AKAYEV (since 28 October 1990) head of government: Prime Minister Nikolay TANAYEV (since 22 May 2002); note - Prime Minister Kurmanbek BAKIYEV resigned on 22 May 2002 when five demonstrators were killed in clashes with the police cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister election results: Askar AKAYEV reelected president; percent of vote - Askar AKAYEV 74%, Omurbek TEKEBAYEV 14%, other candidates 12%; note - election marred by serious irregularities elections: president reelected by popular vote for a five-year term; elections last held 29 October 2000 (next to be held November or December 2005); prime minister appointed by the president

Legislative branch: bicameral Supreme Council or Zhogorku Kenesh consists of the Assembly of People's Representatives (70 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Legislative Assembly (35 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) election results: Assembly of People's Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; percent of vote by party - NA; and Legislative Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; note - total seats by party in the Supreme Council were as follows: Union of Democratic Forces 12, Communists 6, My Country Party of Action 4, independents 73, other 10 note: the legislature became bicameral for the 5 February 1995 elections; the 2000 election results include both the Assembly of People's Representatives and the Legislative Assembly elections: March 2000 (next to be held NA February 2005); Legislative Assembly - last held 20 February and 12 March 2000 (next to be held NA February 2005)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed for 10-year terms by the Supreme Council on the recommendation of the president); Constitutional Court; Higher Court of Arbitration

Political parties and leaders: Agrarian Labor Party of Kyrgyzstan [Uson
S. SYDYKOV]; Agrarian Party of Kyrgyzstan [Arkin ALIYEV]; Ata-Meken or
Fatherland [Omurbek TEKEBAYEV]; Banner National Revival Party or ASABA
[Chaprashty BAZARBAY]; Democratic Movement of Kyrgyzstan or DDK [Jypar
JEKSHEYEV]; Democratic Women's Party of Kyrgyzstan [T. A. SHAILIYEVA];
Dignity Party [Feliks KULOV]; Erkin Kyrgyzstan Progressive and Democratic
Party [Tursunbay Bakir UULU]; Justice Party [Chingiz AYTMATOV]; Movement
for the People's Salvation [Jumgalbek AMAMBAYEV]; Mutual Help Movement
or Ashar [Jumagazy USUPOV]; My Country of Action [Almazbek ISMANKULOV];
National Unity Democratic Movement or DDNE [Yury RAZGULYAYEV]; Party of
Communists of Kyrgyzstan or KCP [Absamat M. MASALIYEV]; Party of the
Veterans of the War in Afghanistan [leader NA]; Peasant Party [leader NA];
People's Party [Melis ESHIMKANOV]; Republican Popular Party of Kyrgyzstan
[J. SHARSHENALIYEV]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [J. IBRAMOV]; Union
of Democratic Forces (composed of Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan
or PSD [J. IBRAMOV], Economic Revival Party, and Birimdik Party

Political pressure groups and leaders: Council of Free Trade Unions;
Kyrgyz Committee on Human Rights [Ramazan DYRYLDAYEV]; National Unity
Democratic Movement; Union of Entrepreneurs

International organization participation: AsDB, CCC, CIS, EAPC, EBRD,
ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM (observer), OIC,
OPCW (signatory), OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNMIK, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Bakyt ABDRISAYEV FAX: [1] (202) 338-5139 consulate(s): New York telephone: [1] (202) 338-5141 chancery: 1732 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John M. O'KEEFE embassy: 171 Prospect Mira, use embassy street address telephone: Flag description: red field with a yellow sun in the center having 40 rays representing the 40 Kyrgyz tribes; on the obverse side the rays run counterclockwise, on the reverse, clockwise; in the center of the sun is a red ring crossed by two sets of three lines, a stylized representation of the roof of the traditional Kyrgyz yurt

Economy Kyrgyzstan

Economy - overview: Kyrgyzstan is a small, poor, mountainous country with a predominantly agricultural economy. Cotton, wool, and meat are the main agricultural products and exports. Industrial exports include gold, mercury, uranium, and electricity. Kyrgyzstan has been one of the most progressive countries of the former Soviet Union in carrying out market reforms. With fits and starts, inflation has been lowered to an estimated 7% in 2001. Much of the government's stock in enterprises has been sold. Drops in production had been severe since the breakup of the Soviet Union in December 1991, but by mid-1995 production began to recover and exports began to increase. Growth was held down to 2.1% in 1998 largely because of the spillover from Russia's economic difficulties, but moved ahead to 3.6% in 1999, 5% in 2000, and 5% again in 2001. Despite these gains, poverty indicators are no better in 2001 than in 1996. On the positive side, the government and the international financial institutions have embarked on a comprehensive medium-term poverty reduction and economic growth strategy. In November 2001, with financing assurance from the Paris Club, the IMF Board approved a three-year, $93 million Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $13.5 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 5% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,800 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 38% industry: 27% services: 35% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 55% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.7% highest 10%: 31.7% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 40.5 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 2.7 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 55%, industry 15%, services 30% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: 7.2% (1999 est.)

Budget: revenues: $207.4 million expenditures: $238.7 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)

Industries: small machinery, textiles, food processing, cement, shoes, sawn logs, refrigerators, furniture, electric motors, gold, rare earth metals

Industrial production growth rate: 6% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production: 14.677 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 7.62% hydro: 92.38% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 9.818 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 4.153 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 321 million kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: tobacco, cotton, potatoes, vegetables, grapes, fruits and berries; sheep, goats, cattle, wool

Exports: $475 million (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: cotton, wool, meat, tobacco; gold, mercury, uranium, hydropower; machinery; shoes

Exports - partners: Germany 28.7%, Uzbekistan 17.7%, Russia 12.9%,
China 8.7%, Kazakhstan 6.6% (2000)

Imports: $420 million (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: oil and gas, machinery and equipment, foodstuffs

Imports - partners: Russia 23.9%, Uzbekistan 13.5%, Kazakhstan 10.3%,
US 9.7%, Turkey 4.8% (2000)

Debt - external: $1.6 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $50 million from the US (2001)

Currency: Kyrgyzstani som (KGS)

Currency code: KGS

Exchange rates: soms per US dollar - 47.972 (January 2002), 48.378 (2001), 47.704 (2000), 39.008 (1999), 20.838 (1998), 17.362 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Kyrgyzstan

Telephones - main lines in use: 351,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: NA

Telephone system: general assessment: poorly developed; about 100,000 unsatisfied applications for household telephones domestic: principally microwave radio relay; one cellular provider, probably limited to Bishkek region international: connections with other CIS countries by landline or microwave radio relay and with other countries by leased connections with Moscow international gateway switch and by satellite; satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik and 1 Intelsat; connected internationally by the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line

Radio broadcast stations: AM 12 (plus 10 repeater stations), FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios: 520,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: NA (repeater stations throughout the country relay programs from Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Turkey) (1997)

Televisions: 210,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .kg

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA

Internet users: 51,600 (2001)

Transportation Kyrgyzstan

Railways: total: 370 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines broad gauge: 370 km 1.520-m gauge (1990)

Highways: total: 30,300 km (including 140 km of expressways) paved: 22,600 km (includes some all-weather gravel-surfaced roads) unpaved: 7,700 km (these roads are made of unstabilized earth and are difficult to negotiate in wet weather) (1990)

Waterways: 600 km (1990)

Pipelines: natural gas 200 km

Ports and harbors: Balykchy (Ysyk-Kol or Rybach'ye)

Airports: 50 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: 5 914 to 1,523 m: Military Kyrgyzstan

Military branches: Army, Air and Air Defense, Security Forces, Border
Troops

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,234,457 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,001,274 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 50,590 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $19.2 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.4% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Kyrgyzstan

Disputes - international: territorial dispute with Tajikistan on southwestern boundary in Isfara Valley area; dispute over access to Sokh and other Uzbek enclaves in Kyrgyzstan mars progress on boundary delimitation; disputes over provision of water and hydroelectric power to Kazakhstan; periodic target of Islamic insurgents from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Afghanistan

Illicit drugs: limited illicit cultivator of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for CIS consumption; limited government eradication program; increasingly used as transshipment point for illicit drugs to Russia and Western Europe from Southwest Asia

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Korea, North

Introduction

Korea, North

Background: Following World War II, Korea was split with the northern half coming under Communist domination and the southern portion becoming Western oriented. KIM Chong-il has ruled North Korea since his father and the country's founder, president KIM Il-song, died in 1994. After decades of mismanagement, the North relies heavily on international food aid to feed its population, while continuing to expend resources to maintain an army of about 1 million. North Korea's long-range missile development and research into nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons and massive conventional armed forces are of major concern to the international community.

Geography Korea, North

Location: Eastern Asia, northern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan, between China and South Korea

Geographic coordinates: 40 00 N, 127 00 E

Map references: Asia

Area: total: 120,540 sq km water: 130 sq km land: 120,410 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Mississippi

Land boundaries: total: 1,673 km border countries: China 1,416 km,
South Korea 238 km, Russia 19 km

Coastline: 2,495 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM note: military boundary line 50 NM in the Sea of Japan and the exclusive economic zone limit in the Yellow Sea where all foreign vessels and aircraft without permission are banned

Climate: temperate with rainfall concentrated in summer

Terrain: mostly hills and mountains separated by deep, narrow valleys; coastal plains wide in west, discontinuous in east

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m highest point:
Paektu-san 2,744 m

Natural resources: coal, lead, tungsten, zinc, graphite, magnesite, iron ore, copper, gold, pyrites, salt, fluorspar, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 14% permanent crops: 3% other: 83% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 14,600 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding; occasional typhoons during the early fall

Environment - current issues: water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water; water-borne disease; deforestation; soil erosion and degradation

Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Modification,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified:
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea

Geography - note: strategic location bordering China, South Korea, and Russia; mountainous interior is isolated and sparsely populated

People Korea, North

Population: 22,224,195 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 25.4% (male 2,888,478; female 2,747,133) 15-64 years: 67.4% (male 7,380,183; female 7,612,275) 65 years and over: 7.2% (male 527,256; female 1,068,870) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.1% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 17.95 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 6.96 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.49 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 22.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 74.44 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.22 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Korean(s) adjective: Korean

Ethnic groups: racially homogeneous; there is a small Chinese community and a few ethnic Japanese

Religions: traditionally Buddhist and Confucianist, some Christian and syncretic Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way) note: autonomous religious activities now almost nonexistent; government-sponsored religious groups exist to provide illusion of religious freedom

Languages: Korean

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write Korean total population:
Government Korea, North

Country name: conventional long form: Democratic People's Republic of Korea conventional short form: North Korea local short form: none local long form: Choson-minjujuui-inmin-konghwaguk note: the North Koreans generally use the term "Choson" to refer to their country abbreviation: DPRK

Government type: authoritarian socialist; one-man dictatorship

Capital: P'yongyang

Administrative divisions: 9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 4
special cities* (si, singular and plural); Chagang-do (Chagang Province),
Hamgyong-bukto (North Hamgyong Province), Hamgyong-namdo (South Hamgyong
Province), Hwanghae-bukto (North Hwanghae Province), Hwanghae-namdo
(South Hwanghae Province), Kaesong-si* (Kaesong City), Kangwon-do (Kangwon
Province), Najin Sonbong-si*, Namp'o-si* (Namp'o City), P'yongan-bukto
(North P'yongan Province), P'yongan-namdo (South P'yongan Province),
P'yongyang-si* (P'yongyang City), Yanggang-do (Yanggang Province)

Independence: 15 August 1945 (from Japan)

National holiday: Founding of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
(DPRK), 9 September (1948)

Constitution: adopted 1948, completely revised 27 December 1972, revised again in April 1992 and September 1998

Legal system: based on German civil law system with Japanese influences and Communist legal theory; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 17 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: KIM Chong-il (since NA July 1994); note - in September 1998, KIM Chong-il was reelected Chairman of the National Defense Commission, a position accorded the nation's "highest administrative authority"; KIM Yong-nam was named President of the Supreme People's Assembly Presidium and given the responsibility of representing the state and receiving diplomatic credentials elections: premier elected by the Supreme People's Assembly; election last held NA September 1998 (next to be held NA) election results: HONG Song-nam elected premier; percent of Supreme People's Assembly vote - NA% cabinet: Cabinet (Naegak), members, except for the Minister of People's Armed Forces, are appointed by the Supreme People's Assembly head of government: Premier HONG Song-nam (since 5 September 1998); Vice Premiers CHO Ch'ang-tok (since NA), KWAK Pom-ki (since NA), Sin IL-nam (since NA April 2002)

Legislative branch: unicameral Supreme People's Assembly or Ch'oego Inmin Hoeui (687 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - the KWP approves a single list of candidates who are elected without opposition; minor parties hold a few seats

Judicial branch: Central Court (judges are elected by the Supreme
People's Assembly)

Political parties and leaders: Chondoist Chongu Party [YU Mi-yong, chairwoman]; Korean Social Democratic Party [KIM Yong-tae, chairman]; major party - Korean Workers' Party or KWP [KIM Chong-il, General Secretary]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ARF (dialogue partner), ESCAP,
FAO, G-77, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, IMO, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US: none; note - North Korea has a
Permanent Mission to the UN in New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (Swedish Embassy in
P'yongyang represents the US as consular protecting power)

Flag description: three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and blue; the red band is edged in white; on the hoist side of the red band is a white disk with a red five-pointed star

Economy Korea, North

Economy - overview: North Korea, one of the world's most centrally planned and isolated economies, faces desperate economic conditions. Industrial capital stock is nearly beyond repair as a result of years of underinvestment and spare parts shortages. Industrial and power output have declined in parallel. Despite a good harvest in 2001, the nation faces its eighth year of food shortages because of a lack of arable land; collective farming; weather-related problems, including major drought in 2000; and chronic shortages of fertilizer and fuel. Massive international food aid deliveries have allowed the regime to escape mass starvation since 1995-96, but the population remains vulnerable to prolonged malnutrition and deteriorating living conditions. Large-scale military spending eats up resources needed for investment and civilian consumption. In 2001, the regime placed emphasis on earning hard currency, developing information technology, addressing power shortages, and attracting foreign aid, but in no way at the expense of relinquishing central control over key national assets or undergoing widespread market-oriented reforms.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $21.8 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: -3% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 30% industry: 42% services: 28% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

Labor force: 9.6 million

Labor force - by occupation: agricultural 36%, nonagricultural 64%

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Industries: military products; machine building, electric power, chemicals; mining (coal, iron ore, magnesite, graphite, copper, zinc, lead, and precious metals), metallurgy; textiles, food processing; tourism

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 33.4 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 32.63% hydro: 67.37% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 31.062 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: rice, corn, potatoes, soybeans, pulses; cattle, pigs, pork, eggs

Exports: $708 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Exports - commodities: minerals, metallurgical products, manufactures (including armaments); agricultural and fishery products

Exports - partners: Japan 40%, South Korea 24%, Hong Kong 7%, China 6%,
France 4%, Germany 4% (2000)

Imports: $1.686 billion (c.i.f., 2000 est.)

Imports - commodities: petroleum, coking coal, machinery and equipment; consumer goods, grain

Imports - partners: China 38%, Japan 17%, South Korea 8%, Hong Kong 6%,
Germany 4.5% (2000)

Debt - external: $12 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $NA; note - nearly $300 million in food aid alone from US, South Korea, Japan, and EU in 2001 plus much additional aid from the UN and non-governmental organizations

Currency: North Korean won (KPW)

Currency code: KPW

Exchange rates: official: North Korean won per US dollar - 2.15
(December 2001), 2.15 (May 1994), 2.13 (May 1992), 2.14 (September
1991), 2.1 (January 1990); market: North Korean won per US dollar - 200
(December 2001)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Korea, North

Telephones - main lines in use: 1.1 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: NA

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Russian (Indian Ocean region); other international connections through Moscow and Beijing

Radio broadcast stations: AM 16, FM 14, shortwave 12 (1999)

Radios: 3.36 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 38 (1999)

Televisions: 1.2 million (1997)

Internet country code: .kp

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: NA

Transportation Korea, North

Railways: total: 5,000 km standard gauge: 4,095 km 1.435-m gauge (3,500 km electrified; 159 km double-tracked) narrow gauge: 665 km 0.762-m gauge dual gauge: 240 km 1.435-m and 1.600-m gauges (three rails provide two gauges) (1996)

Highways: total: 31,200 km paved: 1,997 km unpaved: 29,203 km (1996)

Waterways: 2,253 km note: mostly navigable by small craft only

Pipelines: crude oil 37 km; petroleum product 180 km

Ports and harbors: Ch'ongjin, Haeju, Hungnam (Hamhung), Kimch'aek,
Kosong, Najin, Namp'o, Sinuiju, Songnim, Sonbong (formerly Unggi),
Ungsang, Wonsan

Merchant marine: total: 122 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 738,886 GRT/1,037,506 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Denmark 1, Greece 2, Pakistan 1, Singapore 1 (2002 est.) ships by type: bulk 4, cargo 102, combination bulk 1, multi-functional large-load carrier 1, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 6, refrigerated cargo 3, short-sea passenger 2

Airports: 87 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 39 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 26 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: 24 914 to 1,523 m: Military Korea,
North

Military branches: Korean People's Army (includes Army, Navy, Air Force),
Civil Security Forces

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 6,032,376 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 3,619,535 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 179,136 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $5,124,100,000 (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 31.3% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Korea, North

Disputes - international: 33-km section of boundary with China in the Paektu-san (mountain) area is indefinite; Demarcation Line with South Korea

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Kingman Reef

Introduction

Kingman Reef

Background: The US annexed the reef in 1922. Its sheltered lagoon served as a way station for flying boats on Hawaii-to-American Samoa flights during the late 1930s. There is no flora on the reef, which is frequently awash, but it does support an abundant and diverse marine fauna. In 2001, the waters surrounding the reef were designated a National Wildlife Refuge.

Geography Kingman Reef

Location: Oceania, reef in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and American Samoa

Geographic coordinates: 6 24 N, 162 24 W

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 1 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 1 sq km

Area - comparative: about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 3 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical, but moderated by prevailing winds

Terrain: low and nearly level

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 1 m

Natural resources: terrestrial and aquatic wildlife

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: wet or awash most of the time, maximum elevation of about 1 meter makes Kingman Reef a maritime hazard

Environment - current issues: none

Geography - note: barren coral atoll with deep interior lagoon; closed to the public

People Kingman Reef

Population: uninhabited (July 2002 est.)

Population growth rate: NA

Government Kingman Reef

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Kingman Reef

Dependency status: unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC, by the US Fish and Wildlife Service of the Department of the Interior note: on 1 September 2000, the Department of the Interior accepted restoration of its administrative jurisdiction over Kingman Reef from the Department of the Navy; Executive Order 3223 signed 18 January 2001 established Kingman Reef National Wildlife Refuge to be administered by the Director, US Fish and Wildlife Service; this refuge is managed to protect the terrestrial and aquatic wildlife of Kingman Reef out to the 12-nautical-mile territorial sea limit

Legal system: the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description: the flag of the US is used

Economy Kingman Reef

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Transportation Kingman Reef

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Airports: lagoon was used as a halfway station between Hawaii and
American Samoa by Pan American Airways for flying boats in 1937 and 1938

Military Kingman Reef

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Kingman Reef

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Kiribati

Introduction

Kiribati

Background: The Gilbert Islands were granted self-rule by the UK in 1971
and complete independence in 1979 under the new name of Kiribati. The
US relinquished all claims to the sparsely inhabited Phoenix and Line
Island groups in a 1979 treaty of friendship with Kiribati.

Geography Kiribati

Location: Oceania, group of 33 coral atolls in the Pacific Ocean, straddling the equator; the capital Tarawa is about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia; note - on 1 January 1995, Kiribati proclaimed that all of its territory lies in the same time zone as its Gilbert Islands group (GMT +12) even though the Phoenix Islands and the Line Islands under its jurisdiction lie on the other side of the International Date Line

Geographic coordinates: 1 25 N, 173 00 E

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 811 sq km note: includes three island groups - Gilbert
Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands water: 0 sq km land: 811 sq km

Area - comparative: four times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 1,143 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical; marine, hot and humid, moderated by trade winds

Terrain: mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Banaba 81 m

Natural resources: phosphate (production discontinued in 1979)

Land use: arable land: 51% permanent crops: 0% other: 49% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March; occasional tornadoes; low level of some of the islands make them very sensitive to changes in sea level

Environment - current issues: heavy pollution in lagoon of south Tarawa atoll due to heavy migration mixed with traditional practices such as lagoon latrines and open-pit dumping; ground water at risk

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes,
Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none
of the selected agreements

Geography - note: 21 of the 33 islands are inhabited; Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Makatea in French Polynesia, and Nauru

People Kiribati

Population: 96,335 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 40.2% (male 19,588; female 19,092) 15-64 years: 56.6% (male 26,905; female 27,625) 65 years and over: 3.2% (male 1,339; female 1,786) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.28% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 31.58 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 8.76 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 52.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 63.62 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 4.32 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: I-Kiribati (singular and plural) adjective: I-Kiribati

Ethnic groups: predominantly Micronesian with some Polynesian

Religions: Roman Catholic 52%, Protestant (Congregational) 40%, some
Seventh-Day Adventist, Muslim, Baha'i, Latter-day Saints, and Church of
God (1999)

Languages: I-Kiribati, English (official)

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Kiribati

Country name: Republic of Kiribati conventional short form: Government type: republic

Capital: Tarawa

Administrative divisions: 3 units; Gilbert Islands, Line Islands,
Phoenix Islands; note - in addition, there are 6 districts (Banaba,
Central Gilberts, Line Islands, Northern Gilberts, Southern Gilberts,
Tarawa) and 21 island councils - one for each of the inhabited islands
(Abaiang, Abemama, Aranuka, Arorae, Banaba, Beru, Butaritari, Kanton,
Kiritimati, Kuria, Maiana, Makin, Marakei, Nikunau, Nonouti, Onotoa,
Tabiteuea, Tabuaeran, Tamana, Tarawa, Teraina)

Independence: 12 July 1979 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 12 July (1979)

Constitution: 12 July 1979

Legal system: NA

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Teburoro TITO (since 1 October 1994); Vice President Beniamina TIINGA (since NA December 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government elections: their members and then those candidates compete in a general election; president is elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 27 November 1998 (next to be held by November 2002); vice president appointed by the president election results: Teburoro TITO reelected president; percent of vote - Teburoro TITO 52.3%, Dr. Harry TONG 45.8%, Amberoti NIKORA 1.9%, Taberannang TIMEON 0% cabinet: 12-member Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of the House of Parliament head of government: President Teburoro TITO (since 1 October 1994); Vice President Beniamina TIINGA (since NA December 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

Legislative branch: unicameral House of Parliament or Maneaba Ni Maungatabu (42 seats; 39 elected by popular vote, one ex officio member - the attorney general, one appointed to represent Banaba, and one other; members serve four-year terms) elections: last held 23 September 1998 (next to be held by October 2002) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Maneaban Te Mauri Party 14, National Progressive Party 11, independents 14

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal; High Court; 26 Magistrates' courts; judges at all levels are appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders: Maneaban Te Mauri Party [Teburoro TITO]; National Progressive Party [Teatao TEANNAKI] note: there is no tradition of formally organized political parties in Kiribati; they more closely resemble factions or interest groups because they have no party headquarters, formal platforms, or party structures

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO,
IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, ITU, OPCW, Sparteca,
SPC, SPF, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US: Kiribati does not have an embassy in the US; there is an honorary consulate in Honolulu

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in
Kiribati; the ambassador to the Marshall Islands is accredited to Kiribati

Flag description: the upper half is red with a yellow frigate bird flying over a yellow rising sun, and the lower half is blue with three horizontal wavy white stripes to represent the ocean

Economy Kiribati

Economy - overview: A remote country of 33 scattered coral atolls, Kiribati has few national resources. Commercially viable phosphate deposits were exhausted at the time of independence from the UK in 1979. Copra and fish now represent the bulk of production and exports. The economy has fluctuated widely in recent years. Economic development is constrained by a shortage of skilled workers, weak infrastructure, and remoteness from international markets. Tourism provides more than one-fifth of GDP. The financial sector is at an early stage of development as is the expansion of private sector initiatives. Foreign financial aid, from UK, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and China, is a critical supplement to GDP, equal to 25%-50% of GDP in recent years. Remittances from workers abroad account for more than $5 million each year.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $79 million (2001 est.), supplemented by a nearly equal amount from external sources

GDP - real growth rate: 1.5% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $840 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 30% industry: 7% services: 63% (1998 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.5% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 7,870 economically active, not including subsistence farmers (1985 est.)

Unemployment rate: 2%; underemployment 70% (1992 est.)

Budget: revenues: $28.4 million expenditures: $37.2 million, including capital expenditures of $NA million (2000 est.)

Industries: fishing, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate: 0.7% (1991 est.)

Electricity - production: 7 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 6.51 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: copra, taro, breadfruit, sweet potatoes, vegetables; fish

Exports: $6 million (f.o.b., 1998)

Exports - commodities: copra 62%, coconuts, seaweed, fish

Exports - partners: Japan, Bangladesh, US, Australia, Brazil, Poland (2000)

Imports: $44 million (c.i.f., 1999)

Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, miscellaneous manufactured goods, fuel

Imports - partners: Australia, Japan, Fiji, Poland, US (2000)

Debt - external: $10 million (1999 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $15.5 million (1995), largely from UK and Japan

Currency: Australian dollar (AUD)

Currency code: AUD

Exchange rates: Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.9354 (January 2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997)

Fiscal year: NA

Communications Kiribati

Telephones - main lines in use: 3,800 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular: NA

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) note: Kiribati is being linked to the Pacific Ocean Cooperative Telecommunications Network, which should improve telephone service

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 note: the FM and shortwave stations may be inactive (2002)

Radios: 17,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (not reported to be active) (2002)

Televisions: 1,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .ki

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: 1,000 (2000)

Transportation Kiribati

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 670 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km note: 27 km are paved in South Tarawa (2001)

Waterways: 5 km (small network of canals in Line Islands)

Ports and harbors: Banaba, Betio, English Harbour, Kanton

Merchant marine: total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,291
GRT/1,295 DWT ships by type: passenger/cargo 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 21 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 17 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 4 (2001)

Military Kiribati

Military branches: no regular military forces; Police Force (carries out law enforcement functions and paramilitary duties; small police posts are on all islands)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Military - note: Kiribati does not have military forces; defense assistance is provided by Australia and NZ

Transnational Issues Kiribati

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Korea, South

Introduction

Korea, South

Background: After World War II, a republic was set up in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula while a Communist-style government was installed in the north. The Korean War (1950-53) had US and other UN forces intervene to defend South Korea from North Korean attacks supported by the Chinese. An armistice was signed in 1953 splitting the peninsula along a demilitarized zone at about the 38th parallel. Thereafter, South Korea achieved rapid economic growth, with per capita income far outstripping the level of North Korea. In 1997, the nation suffered a severe financial crisis from which it continues to make a solid recovery. South Korea has also maintained its commitment to democratize its political processes. In June 2000, a historic first south-north summit took place between the south's President KIM Dae-jung and the north's leader KIM Chong-il. In December 2000, President KIM Dae-jung won the Noble Peace Prize for his lifelong commitment to democracy and human rights in Asia. He is the first Korean to win a Nobel Prize.

Geography Korea, South

Location: Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea

Geographic coordinates: 37 00 N, 127 30 E

Map references: Asia

Area: total: 98,480 sq km land: 98,190 sq km water: 290 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Indiana

Land boundaries: total: 238 km border countries: North Korea 238 km

Coastline: 2,413 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM; between 3 NM and 12 NM in the Korea Strait continental shelf: not specified exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate: temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter

Terrain: mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west and south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m highest point:
Halla-san 1,950 m

Natural resources: coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead, hydropower potential

Land use: arable land: 17% permanent crops: 2% other: 81% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 11,590 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; low-level seismic activity common in southwest

Environment - current issues: air pollution in large cities; acid rain; water pollution from the discharge of sewage and industrial effluents; drift net fishing

Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental
Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but
not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note: strategic location on Korea Strait

People Korea, South

Population: 48.324 million (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 21.4% (male 5,488,808; female 4,875,379) 15-64 years: 71% (male 17,404,645; female 16,894,361) 65 years and over: 7.6% (male 1,434,873; female 2,225,934) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.85% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 14.55 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 6.02 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.11 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.13 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 7.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 78.95 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.72 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.01% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 3,800 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 180 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Korean(s) adjective: Korean

Ethnic groups: homogeneous (except for about 20,000 Chinese)

Religions: Christian 49%, Buddhist 47%, Confucianist 3%, Shamanist,
Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way), and other 1%

Languages: Korean, English widely taught in junior high and high school

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 99.3% female: 96.7% (1995 est.)

Government Korea, South

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Korea conventional short form: South Korea local short form: none note: the South Koreans generally use the term "Han'guk" to refer to their country local long form: Taehan-min'guk abbreviation: ROK

Government type: republic

Capital: Seoul

Administrative divisions: 9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and
7 metropolitan cities* (gwangyoksi, singular and plural); Cheju-do,
Cholla-bukto, Cholla-namdo, Ch'ungch'ong-bukto, Ch'ungch'ong-namdo,
Inch'on-gwangyoksi*, Kangwon-do, Kwangju-gwangyoksi*, Kyonggi-do,
Kyongsang-bukto, Kyongsang-namdo, Pusan-gwangyoksi*, Soul-t'ukpyolsi*,
Taegu-gwangyoksi*, Taejon-gwangyoksi*, Ulsan-gwangyoksi*

Independence: 15 August 1945 (from Japan)

National holiday: Liberation Day, 15 August (1945)

Constitution: 25 February 1988

Legal system: combines elements of continental European civil law systems, Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought

Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President KIM Dae-jung (since 25 February 1998) head of government: Prime Minister YI Han-tong (since 23 May 2000) cabinet: State Council appointed by the president on the prime minister's recommendation elections: president elected by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held 18 December 1997 (next to be held 19 December 2002); prime minister appointed by the president; deputy prime ministers appointed by the president on the prime minister's recommendation election results: KIM Dae-jung elected president; percent of vote - KIM Dae-jung (MDP) 40.3% (with ULD partnership), YI Hoe-chang (GNP) 38.7%, YI In-che (NPP) 19.2%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Kukhoe (273 seats total - 227 elected by direct, popular vote; members serve four-year terms); note - beginning in 2004, all members will be directly elected; possible redistricting before 2004 may affect the number of seats in the National Assembly elections: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - GNP 133, MDP 115, ULD 17, other 8; note - the distribution of seats as of January 2002 is: Judicial branch: Supreme Court (justices are appointed by the president with the consent of the National Assembly)

Political parties and leaders: Democratic People's Party or DPP [CHO Sun, chairman]; Grand National Party or GNP [YI Hoe-chang, president]; Millennium Democratic Party or MDP [leader NA]; United Liberal Democrats or ULD [KIM Chong-p'il, honorary chairman, KIM Chong-ho, acting president] note: on 20 January 2000, the National Congress for New Politics or NCNP was renamed the Millennium Democratic Party or MDP

Political pressure groups and leaders: Federation of Korean Industries;
Federation of Korean Trade Unions; Korean Confederation of Trade Unions;
Korean National Council of Churches; Korean Traders Association;
Korean Veterans' Association; National Council of Labor Unions;
National Democratic Alliance of Korea; National Federation of Farmers'
Associations; National Federation of Student Associations

International organization participation: AfDB, APEC, ARF (dialogue
partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CP,
EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
IEA (observer), IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD,
OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMOGIP,
UNOMIG, UNTAET, UNU, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador YANG
Song-chol chancery: 2450 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: Anchorage, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Honolulu,
Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle consulate(s):
Tamuning (Guam) FAX: [1] (202) 387-0205 telephone: [1] (202) 939-5600

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas C. HUBBARD embassy: 82 Sejong-ro, Chongro-ku, Seoul 110-710 mailing address: American Embassy, Unit 15550, APO AP 96205-0001 telephone: [82] (2) 397-4114 FAX: [82] (2) 738-8845

Flag description: white with a red (top) and blue yin-yang symbol in the center; there is a different black trigram from the ancient I Ching (Book of Changes) in each corner of the white field

Economy Korea, South

Economy - overview: As one of the Four Tigers of East Asia, South Korea has achieved an incredible record of growth. Three decades ago GDP per capita was comparable with levels in the poorer countries of Africa and Asia. Today its GDP per capita is seven times India's, 17 times North Korea's, and comparable to the lesser economies of the European Union. This success through the late 1980s was achieved by a system of close government/business ties, including directed credit, import restrictions, sponsorship of specific industries, and a strong labor effort. The government promoted the import of raw materials and technology at the expense of consumer goods and encouraged savings and investment over consumption. The Asian financial crisis of 1997-99 exposed certain longstanding weaknesses in South Korea's development model, including high debt/equity ratios, massive foreign borrowing, and an undisciplined financial sector. Growth plunged by 6.6% in 1998, then strongly recovered to plus 10% in 1999 and 9% in 2000. Growth fell back to 3.3% in 2001 because of the slowing global economy, falling exports, and the perception that much-needed corporate and financial reforms have stalled.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $865 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3.3% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $18,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5% industry: 44% services: 51% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 4% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 24.8% (1998 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 31.6 (1993)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.3% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 22 million (2001)

Labor force - by occupation: services 69%, industry 21.5%, agriculture 9.5% (2001)

Unemployment rate: 3.9% (2001)

Budget: revenues: $118.1 billion expenditures: $95.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $22.6 billion (2000)

Industries: electronics, automobile production, chemicals, shipbuilding, steel, textiles, clothing, footwear, food processing

Industrial production growth rate: 1.8% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 273.204 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 60.63% hydro: 1.45% other: 0.03% (2000) nuclear: 37.89%

Electricity - consumption: 254.08 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: rice, root crops, barley, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs, chickens, milk, eggs; fish

Exports: $168.3 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Exports - commodities: electronic products, machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, steel, ships; textiles, clothing, footwear; fish

Exports - partners: US 21.8%, Japan 11.9%, China 10.7%, Hong Kong 6.2%,
Taiwan 4.7% (2000)

Imports: $152.3 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Imports - commodities: machinery, electronics and electronic equipment, oil, steel, transport equipment, textiles, organic chemicals, grains

Imports - partners: Japan 19.8%, US 18.2%, China 8%, Saudi Arabia 6%,
Australia 3.7% (2000)

Debt - external: $120.5 billion (2001)

Economic aid - recipient: $NA

Currency: South Korean won (KRW)

Currency code: KRW

Exchange rates: South Korean won per US dollar - 1,317.01 (January 2002), 1,290.99 (2001), 1,130.96 (2000), 1,188.82 (1999), 1,401.44 (1998), 951.29 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Korea, South

Telephones - main lines in use: 24 million (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 28 million (September 2000)

Telephone system: general assessment: excellent domestic and international services domestic: NA international: fiber-optic submarine cable to China; the Russia-Korea-Japan submarine cable; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 104, FM 136, shortwave 5 (2001)

Radios: 47.5 million (2000)

Television broadcast stations: 121 (plus 850 repeater stations and the eight-channel American Forces Korea Network) (1999)

Televisions: 15.9 million (1997)

Internet country code: .kr

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 11 (2000)

Internet users: 22.23 million (2001)

Transportation Korea, South

Railways: total: 3,124 km standard gauge: 3,124 km 1.435-m gauge (661 km electrified) (2000)

Highways: total: 87,534 km paved: 65,388 km (including 1,996 km of expressways) unpaved: 22,146 km (1999)

Waterways: 1,609 km note: restricted to small native craft

Pipelines: petroleum products 455 km

Ports and harbors: Chinhae, Inch'on, Kunsan, Masan, Mokp'o, P'ohang,
Pusan, Tonghae-hang, Ulsan, Yosu

Merchant marine: total: 501 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,679,171 GRT/9,172,403 DWT ships by type: bulk 104, cargo 160, chemical tanker 47, combination bulk 6, container 52, liquefied gas 16, multi-functional large-load carrier 1, passenger 3, petroleum tanker 73, refrigerated cargo 25, roll on/roll off 5, short-sea passenger 1, specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 5, includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Australia 1, Bulgaria 1, China 1, Greece 1, Japan 1, Malaysia 1, Norway 1, Panama 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, United Kingdom 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 102 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 68 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 20 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 34 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 32 (2001)

Heliports: 203 (2001)

Military Korea, South

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, National Maritime
Police (Coast Guard)

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 14,194,960 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 8,990,488 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 394,397 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $12.8 billion (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.8% (FY00)

Transnational Issues Korea, South

Disputes - international: Demarcation Line with North Korea; Liancourt
Rocks (Takeshima/Tokdo) disputed with Japan

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Christmas Island

Introduction

Christmas Island

Background: Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the island was annexed and settlement was begun by the UK in 1888. Phosphate mining began in the 1890s. The UK transferred sovereignty to Australia in 1958. Almost two-thirds of the island has been declared a national park.

Geography Christmas Island

Location: Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of
Indonesia

Geographic coordinates: 10 30 S, 105 40 E

Map references: Southeast Asia

Area: total: 135 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 135 sq km

Area - comparative: about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 80 km

Maritime claims: 200 NM territorial sea: Climate: tropical; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds

Terrain: steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point:
Murray Hill 361 m

Natural resources: phosphate, beaches

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% note: mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national park (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean

People Christmas Island

Population: 474 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA% 15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA%

Population growth rate: -9% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population

Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population

Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Sex ratio: NA

Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: NA years female: NA years male: NA years

Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Christmas Islander(s) adjective: Christmas Island

Ethnic groups: Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10% note: no indigenous population (2001)

Religions: Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997)

Languages: English (official), Chinese, Malay

Literacy: NA

Government Christmas Island

Country name: conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island conventional short form: Christmas Island

Dependency status: territory of Australia; administered by the Australian
Department of Transport and Regional Services

Government type: NA

Capital: The Settlement

Administrative divisions: none (territory of Australia)

Independence: none (territory of Australia)

National holiday: NA

Constitution: NA

Legal system: under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian law

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general head of government: Administrator William Leonard TAYLOR (since 4 February 1999) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia

Legislative branch: unicameral Christmas Island Shire Council (9 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve one-year terms) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9 elections: last held NA December 2001 (next to be held NA December 2002)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court

Political parties and leaders: none

Political pressure groups and leaders: none

International organization participation: none

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of Australia)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of Australia)

Flag description: the flag of Australia is used; note - in early 1986, the Christmas Island Assembly held a design competition for an island flag, however, the winning design has never been formally adopted as the official flag of the territory

Economy Christmas Island

Economy - overview: Phosphate mining had been the only significant economic activity, but in December 1987 the Australian Government closed the mine. In 1991, the mine was reopened. With the support of the government, a $34 million casino opened in 1993. The casino closed in 1998. The Australian Government in 2001 agreed to support the creation of a commercial space-launching site on the island, slated to begin operation in 2003.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $NA

GDP - real growth rate: NA%

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $NA

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

Labor force: NA

Labor force - by occupation: tourism 400 people, mining 100 people (1995)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Industries: tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion)

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: NA kWh

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: NA% hydro: NA% other:
NA% nuclear: NA%

Electricity - consumption: NA kWh

Agriculture - products: NA

Exports: $NA

Exports - commodities: phosphate

Exports - partners: Australia, NZ

Imports: $NA

Imports - commodities: consumer goods

Imports - partners: principally Australia

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid - recipient: $NA

Currency: Australian dollar (AUD)

Currency code: AUD

Exchange rates: Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.9354 (January 2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Communications Christmas Island

Telephones - main lines in use: NA

Telephones - mobile cellular: NA

Telephone system: service provided by the Australian network domestic: earth stations - one Intelsat earth station provides telephone and telex service (2000)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 1,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: NA

Televisions: 600 (1997)

Internet country code: .cx

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)

Internet users: NA

Transportation Christmas Island

Railways: 24 km to serve phosphate mines

Highways: total: 140 km (not including 100 km that is maintained by private industry) paved: 30 km unpaved: 110 km (1999)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Flying Fish Cove

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: 1 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2001)

Military Christmas Island

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Australia

Transnational Issues Christmas Island

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Kuwait

Introduction

Kuwait

Background: Kuwait was attacked and overrun by Iraq on 2 August 1990. Following several weeks of aerial bombardment, a US-led UN coalition began a ground assault on 23 February 1991 that completely liberated Kuwait in four days. Kuwait has spent more than $5 billion to repair oil infrastructure damaged during 1990-91.

Geography Kuwait

Location: Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and
Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates: 29 30 N, 45 45 E

Map references: Middle East

Area: total: 17,820 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 17,820 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries: total: 462 km border countries: Iraq 240 km, Saudi
Arabia 222 km

Coastline: 499 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters

Terrain: flat to slightly undulating desert plain

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: unnamed location 306 m

Natural resources: petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 60 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April; they bring heavy rain which can damage roads and houses; sandstorms and dust storms occur throughout the year, but are most common between March and August

Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources; some of world's largest and most sophisticated desalination facilities provide much of the water; air and water pollution; desertification

Environment - international agreements: party to: Climate Change,
Desertification, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified:
Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Marine Dumping

Geography - note: strategic location at head of Persian Gulf

People Kuwait

Population: 2,111,561 note: includes 1,159,913 non-nationals (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 28.3% (male 304,200; female 292,900) 15-64 years: 69.2% (male 934,115; female 527,331) 65 years and over: 2.5% (male 34,106; female 18,909) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.33% note: this rate reflects a return to pre-Gulf crisis immigration of expatriates (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 21.84 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 2.46 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 13.88 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.77 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.8 male(s)/female total population: 1.52 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 10.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.46 years male: 75.56 years female: 77.39 years (2002 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.14 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.12% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Kuwaiti(s) adjective: Kuwaiti

Ethnic groups: Kuwaiti 45%, other Arab 35%, South Asian 9%, Iranian 4%, other 7%

Religions: Muslim 85% (Sunni 70%, Shi'a 30%), Christian, Hindu, Parsi, and other 15%

Languages: Arabic (official), English widely spoken

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 78.6% male: 82.2% female: 74.9% (1995 est.)

Government Kuwait

Country name: conventional long form: State of Kuwait conventional short form: Kuwait local short form: Al Kuwayt local long form: Dawlat al Kuwayt

Government type: nominal constitutional monarchy

Capital: Kuwait

Administrative divisions: 5 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al Farwaniyah, Al 'Asimah, Al Jahra', Hawalli

Independence: 19 June 1961 (from UK)

National holiday: National Day, 25 February (1950)

Constitution: approved and promulgated 11 November 1962

Legal system: civil law system with Islamic law significant in personal matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: adult males who have been naturalized for 30 years or more or have resided in Kuwait since before 1920 and their male descendants at age 21 note: only 10% of all citizens are eligible to vote; in 1996, naturalized citizens who do not meet the pre-1920 qualification but have been naturalized for 30 years were eligible to vote for the first time

Executive branch: chief of state: Amir JABIR al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah (since 31 December 1977) head of government: Prime Minister and Crown Prince SAAD al-Abdallah al-Salim Al Sabah (since 8 February 1978); First Deputy Prime Minister SABAH al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah (since 17 October 1992); Deputy Prime Ministers JABIR MUBARAK al-Hamud Al Sabah (since NA) and MUHAMMAD KHALID al-Hamed Al Sabah (since NA) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister and approved by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the monarch

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Umma (50 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 3 July 1999 (next to be held NA 2003) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 50; note - all cabinet ministers are also ex officio members of the National Assembly

Judicial branch: High Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders: none; formation of political parties is illegal

Political pressure groups and leaders: several political groups act as de facto parties: Bedouins, merchants, Sunni and Shi'a activists, and secular leftists and nationalists

International organization participation: ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF,
BDEAC, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM,
IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM,
OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UPU, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: Ambassador Sheikh Salem Abdullah
Al Jaber AL SABAH FAX: Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Richard H. JONES embassy: Bayan, near the Bayan palace, Kuwait City
mailing address: P. O. Box 77 Safat, 13001 Safat, Kuwait Unit 69000,
APO AE 09880-9000 telephone: [965] 539-5307, ext. 2240 FAX: [965] 538-0282

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a black trapezoid based on the hoist side

Economy Kuwait

Economy - overview: Kuwait is a small, rich, relatively open economy with proved crude oil reserves of 94 billion barrels - 10% of world reserves. Petroleum accounts for nearly half of GDP, 90% of export revenues, and 75% of government income. Kuwait's climate limits agricultural development. Consequently, with the exception of fish, it depends almost wholly on food imports. About 75% of potable water must be distilled or imported. Higher oil prices put the FY99/00 budget into a $2 billion surplus. The FY00/01 budget covers only nine months because of a change in the fiscal year. The budget for FY01/02 envisioned higher expenditures for salaries, construction, and other general categories. Kuwait continues its discussions with foreign oil companies to develop fields in the northern part of the country.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $30.9 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $15,100 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: industry: 60% services: 39.7% agriculture: 0.3% (2000)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.7% (2001)

Labor force: 1.3 million (1998 est.) note: 68% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (July 1998 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Unemployment rate: 1.8% (official 1996 est.)

Budget: revenues: $11.5 billion expenditures: $17.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY01/02)

Industries: petroleum, petrochemicals, desalination, food processing, construction materials

Industrial production growth rate: 1% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production: 31.2 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 29.016 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: practically no crops; fish

Exports: $16.2 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: oil and refined products, fertilizers

Exports - partners: Japan 23%, US 14%, South Korea 13%, Singapore 7%,
Netherlands 6%, Pakistan 6%, Indonesia 4%, UK 2% (2000)

Imports: $7.4 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: food, construction materials, vehicles and parts, clothing

Imports - partners: US 12%, Japan 8%, UK 8%, Germany 7%, China 5%,
France 4%, Australia 3%, Netherlands 2% (2000)

Debt - external: $6.9 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: NA

Currency: Kuwaiti dinar (KD)

Currency code: KWD

Exchange rates: Kuwaiti dinars per US dollar - 0.3075 (January 2002), 0.3066, (2001), 0.3067 (2000), 0.3044 (1999), 0.3047 (1998), 0.3033 (1997)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Communications Kuwait

Telephones - main lines in use: 412,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 210,000 (1997)

Telephone system: the quality of service is excellent domestic: trunk traffic is carried by microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, open wire, and fiber-optic cable; a cellular telephone system operates throughout Kuwait, and the country is well supplied with pay telephones international: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; linked to Bahrain, Qatar, UAE via the Fiber-Optic Gulf (FOG) cable; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean, 2 Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean), and 2 Arabsat

Radio broadcast stations: AM 6, FM 11, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios: 1.175 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 13 (plus several satellite channels) (1997)

Televisions: 875,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .kw

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 3 (2000)

Internet users: 165,000 (2001)

Transportation Kuwait

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 4,450 km paved: 3,590 km unpaved: 860 km (1999 est.)

Waterways: none

Pipelines: crude oil 877 km; petroleum products 40 km; natural gas 165 km

Ports and harbors: Ash Shu'aybah, Ash Shuwaykh, Kuwait, Mina' 'Abd Allah,
Mina' al Ahmadi, Mina' Su'ud

Merchant marine: total: 38 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,274,515 GRT/3,627,835 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 1, container 6, liquefied gas 6, livestock carrier 5, petroleum tanker 19 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Monaco 1, Saudi Arabia 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 7 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 4 under 914 m: 3 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

Heliports: 3 (2001)

Military Kuwait

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force (including Air Defense Force),
National Police Force, National Guard, Coast Guard

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 812,059 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 486,906 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 18,309 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $1,967,300,000 (FY01) note: Kuwait is changing its fiscal year; the above figure is for July-March 2001; future budget years will be April-March annually

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 5.5% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Kuwait

Disputes - international: in November 1994, Iraq formally accepted the UN-demarcated border with Kuwait which had been spelled out in Security Council Resolutions 687 (1991), 773 (1993), and 883 (1993); this formally ends earlier claims to Kuwait and to Bubiyan and Warbah islands, although the Iraqi Government continues periodic rhetorical challenges

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Kazakhstan

Introduction

Kazakhstan

Background: Native Kazakhs, a mix of Turkic and Mongol nomadic tribes who migrated into the region in the 13th century, were rarely united as a single nation. The area was conquered by Russia in the 18th century and Kazakhstan became a Soviet Republic in 1936. During the 1950s and 1960s agricultural "Virgin Lands" program, Soviet citizens were encouraged to help cultivate Kazakhstan's northern pastures. This influx of immigrants (mostly Russians, but also some other deported nationalities) skewed the ethnic mixture and enabled non-Kazakhs to outnumber natives. Independence has caused many of these newcomers to emigrate. Current issues include: the country's vast energy resources and exporting them to world markets; achieving a sustainable economic growth outside the oil, gas, and mining sectors; and strengthening relations with neighboring states and other foreign powers.

Geography Kazakhstan

Location: Central Asia, northwest of China

Geographic coordinates: 48 00 N, 68 00 E

Map references: Asia

Area: total: 2,717,300 sq km water: 47,500 sq km land: 2,669,800 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly less than four times the size of Texas

Land boundaries: total: 12,012 km border countries: China 1,533 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,051 km, Russia 6,846 km, Turkmenistan 379 km, Uzbekistan 2,203 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked); note - Kazakhstan borders the Aral Sea, now split into two bodies of water (1,070 km), and the Caspian Sea (1,894 km)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: continental, cold winters and hot summers, arid and semiarid

Terrain: extends from the Volga to the Altai Mountains and from the plains in western Siberia to oases and desert in Central Asia

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Vpadina Kaundy -132 m highest point:
Khan Tangiri Shyngy (Pik Khan-Tengri) 6,995 m

Natural resources: major deposits of petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, manganese, chrome ore, nickel, cobalt, copper, molybdenum, lead, zinc, bauxite, gold, uranium

Land use: arable land: 11% permanent crops: 0% other: 89% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 23,320 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: earthquakes in the south, mudslides around Almaty

Environment - current issues: radioactive or toxic chemical sites associated with its former defense industries and test ranges throughout the country pose health risks for humans and animals; industrial pollution is severe in some cities; because the two main rivers which flowed into the Aral Sea have been diverted for irrigation, it is drying up and leaving behind a harmful layer of chemical pesticides and natural salts; these substances are then picked up by the wind and blown into noxious dust storms; pollution in the Caspian Sea; soil pollution from overuse of agricultural chemicals and salination from poor infrastructure and wasteful irrigation practices

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note: landlocked; Russia leases approximately 6,000 sq km of territory enclosing the Baykonur Cosmodrome

People Kazakhstan

Population: 16,741,519 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 26% (male 2,212,985; female 2,141,392) 15-64 years: 66.5% (male 5,393,281; female 5,731,288) 65 years and over: 7.5% (male 434,879; female 827,694) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.1% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 17.83 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 10.69 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -6.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.53 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 58.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 69.01 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.12 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.04% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 3,500 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Kazakhstani(s) adjective: Kazakhstani

Ethnic groups: Kazakh (Qazaq) 53.4%, Russian 30%, Ukrainian 3.7%,
Uzbek 2.5%, German 2.4%, Uighur 1.4%, other 6.6% (1999 census)

Religions: Muslim 47%, Russian Orthodox 44%, Protestant 2%, other 7%

Languages: Kazakh (Qazaq, state language) 64.4%, Russian (official, used in everyday business, designated the "language of interethnic communication") 95% (2001 est.)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.4% male: 99.1% female: 97.7% (1999 est.)

Government Kazakhstan

Country name: Republic of Kazakhstan conventional short form: Socialist
Republic local short form: none

Government type: republic

Capital: Astana; note - the government moved from Almaty to Astana in
December 1998

Administrative divisions: 14 provinces (oblystar, singular - oblys) and 3 cities* (qala, singular - qalasy); Almaty Oblysy, Almaty Qalasy*, Aqmola Oblysy (Astana), Aqtobe Oblysy, Astana Qalasy*, Atyrau Oblysy, Batys Qazaqstan Oblysy (Oral), Bayqongyr Qalasy*, Mangghystau Oblysy (Aqtau), Ongtustik Qazaqstan Oblysy (Shymkent), Pavlodar Oblysy, Qaraghandy Oblysy, Qostanay Oblysy, Qyzylorda Oblysy, Shyghys Qazaqstan Oblysy (Oskemen), Soltustik Qazaqstan Oblysy (Petropavlovsk), Zhambyl Oblysy (Taraz) note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses); in 1995 the Governments of Kazakhstan and Russia entered into an agreement whereby Russia would lease for a period of 20 years an area of 6,000 sq km enclosing the Baykonur space launch facilities and the city of Bayqongyr (Baykonyr, formerly Leninsk)

Independence: 16 December 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

National holiday: Republic Day, 25 October (1990)

Constitution: adopted by national referendum 30 August 1995; first post-independence constitution was adopted 28 January 1993

Legal system: based on civil law system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV (chairman of the Supreme Soviet from 22 February 1990, elected president 1 December 1991) head of government: Prime Minister Imangali TASMAGAMBETOV (since 28 January 2002) Council of Ministers appointed by the president election results: A. NAZARBAYEV 81.7%, Serikbolsyn ABDILDIN 12.1%, Gani KASYMOV 4.7%, Engels GABBASSOV 1.5% note: President NAZARBAYEV expanded his presidential powers by decree: only he can initiate constitutional amendments, appoint and dismiss the government, dissolve Parliament, call referenda at his discretion, and appoint administrative heads of regions and cities elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held 10 January 1999, a year before it was previously scheduled (next to be held NA 2006); note - President NAZARBAYEV's previous term was extended to 2000 by a nationwide referendum held 30 April 1995; prime minister and first deputy prime minister appointed by the president

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (39 seats - previously 47 seats; 7 senators are appointed by the president; other members are popularly elected, two from each of the 14 oblasts, the capital of Astana, and the city of Almaty, to serve six-year terms) and the Majilis (77 seats; 10 out of the 77 Majilis members are elected from the winning party's lists; members are popularly elected to serve five-year terms) election results: note - the election results are for the old Senate structure; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; 16 seats up for election in 1999, candidates nominated by local councils; Majilis - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Otan 23, Civic Party 13, Communist Party 3, Agrarian Party 3, People's Cooperative Party 1, independents 34; note - most independent candidates are affiliated with parastatal enterprises and other pro-government institutions elections: Senate - (indirect) last held 17 September 1999 (next to be held NA December 2005); Majilis - last held 10 and 24 October and 26 December 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (44 members); Constitutional Council (7 members)

Political parties and leaders: Agrarian Party [Romin MADINOV]; Alash [Sabet-Kazy AKATAY]; AZAMAT "Citizen" Movement [Petr SVOIK, Murat AUEZOV, and Galym ABILSEITOV, cochairmen]; Civic Party [Azat PERUASHEV, first secretary]; Communist Party or KPK [Serikbolsyn ABDILDIN, first secretary]; Forum of Democratic Forces [a union of opposition parties, movements, and NGOs which includes Communists, RNPK, Orleu "Development" Movement, Pokoleniye "Generation" Pensioners' Movement, Labor Movement, Association of Independent Mass Media of Central Asia, and the Tabighat "Nature" Ecological Movement]; Labor and Worker's Movement [Madel ISMAILOV, chairman]; Orleu "Development" Movement [Seidakhmet KUTTYKADAM]; Otan "Fatherland" [Sergei TERESCHENKO, chairman]; Pensioners Movement or Pokoleniye [Irina SAVOSTINA, chairwoman]; People's Congress of Kazakhstan of NKK [Olzhas SULEIMENOV, chairman]; People's Cooperative Party of Kazakhstan [Umirzak SARSENOV]; Republican People's Party of Kazakhstan or RNPK [Akezhan KAZHEGELDIN]; Socialist Party [Petr SVOIK]; United Democratic Party (a new party not yet registered) [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Adil-Soz [Tamara KALEYEVA];
Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan [Galymzhan ZHAKIYANOV, Uraz ZHANDOSOV,
Nurzhan SUBKHANBERDIN, Mukhtar ABLYAZOV, Zhanat YERTLESOVA, Bulat ABILOV,
cofounders]; Kazakhstan International Bureau on Human Rights [Yevgeniy
ZHOVTIS, executive director]

International organization participation: AsDB, CCC, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (associate), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Kanat B. SAUDABAYEV chancery: 1401 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 consulate(s): New York FAX: [1] (202) 232-5845 telephone: [1] (202) 232-5488

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Larry C. NAPPER embassy: 99/97A Furmanova Street, Almaty, Republic of
Kazakhstan 480091 mailing address: American Embassy Almaty, Department
of State, Washington, DC 20521-7030 telephone: (3272) 63-38-83, 50-76-24

Flag description: sky blue background representing the endless sky and a gold sun with 32 rays soaring above a golden steppe eagle in the center; on the hoist side is a "national ornamentation" in gold

Economy Kazakhstan

Economy - overview: Kazakhstan, the largest of the former Soviet republics in territory, excluding Russia, possesses enormous fossil fuel reserves as well as plentiful supplies of other minerals and metals. It also is a large agricultural - livestock and grain - producer. Kazakhstan's industrial sector rests on the extraction and processing of these natural resources and also on a growing machine-building sector specializing in construction equipment, tractors, agricultural machinery, and some defense items. The breakup of the USSR in December 1991 and the collapse in demand for Kazakhstan's traditional heavy industry products resulted in a short-term contraction of the economy, with the steepest annual decline occurring in 1994. In 1995-97, the pace of the government program of economic reform and privatization quickened, resulting in a substantial shifting of assets into the private sector. Kazakhstan has enjoyed double-digit growth in 2000-01 thanks largely to its booming energy sector, but also to economic reform, good harvests, and foreign investment. The opening of the Caspian Consortium pipeline in 2001, from western Kazakhstan's Tengiz oilfield to the Black Sea, substantially raises export capacity. Astana has embarked upon an industrial policy designed to diversify the economy away from overdependence on the oil sector by developing light industry.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $98.1 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 12.2% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $5,900 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 10% industry: 30% services: 60% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 26% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 27.3% (2001)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 35.4 (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8.5% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 8.4 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation: industry 30%, agriculture 20%, services 50% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate: 10% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $4.2 billion expenditures: $5.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Industries: oil, coal, iron ore, manganese, chromite, lead, zinc, copper, titanium, bauxite, gold, silver, phosphates, sulfur, iron and steel, tractors and other agricultural machinery, electric motors, construction materials

Industrial production growth rate: 11.4% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 48.692 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 86.4% hydro: 13.6% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 48.336 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 50 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 3.102 billion kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: grain (mostly spring wheat), cotton; wool, livestock

Exports: $10.5 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: oil and oil products 52.8%, ferrous metals 12.9%, machinery, chemicals, grain, wool, meat, coal (2000)

Exports - partners: Russia 19.5%, China 7.3%, Germany 6.2% (2000)

Imports: $8.2 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and parts 29.5%, energy and fuels 11.3%, electrical equipment 8.8%, vehicles 8.7%, ferrous metals 6.4% (2000)

Imports - partners: Russia 48.7%, Germany 6.6%, US 5.5% (2000)

Debt - external: $11.6 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $610 million in US assistance programs, 1992-2000

Currency: tenge (KZT)

Currency code: KZT

Exchange rates: tenge per US dollar - 151.14 (January 2002), 146.74 (2001), 142.13 (2000), 119.52 (1999), 78.30 (1998), 75.44 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Kazakhstan

Telephones - main lines in use: 1.92 million (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 400,000 (2001)

Telephone system: service is poor; equipment antiquated domestic: are available in most of Kazakhstan international: international traffic with other former Soviet republics and China carried by landline and microwave radio relay; with other countries by satellite and by the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic cable; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat

Radio broadcast stations: AM 60, FM 17, shortwave 9 (1998)

Radios: 6.47 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 12 (plus nine repeaters) (1998)

Televisions: 3.88 million (1997)

Internet country code: .kz

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 10 (with their own international channels) (2001)

Internet users: 85,000 (2001)

Transportation Kazakhstan

Railways: total: 13,601 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines broad gauge: 13,601 km 1.520-m gauge (3,661 km electrified) (2001)

Highways: total: 189,000 km paved: 108,100 km (includes some all-weather gravel-surfaced roads) unpaved: 80,900 km (these roads are made of unstabilized earth and are difficult to negotiate in wet weather) (1990)

Waterways: 3,900 km note: on the Syr Darya (Syrdariya) and Ertis
(Irtysh) rivers

Pipelines: crude oil 2,850 km; refined products 1,500 km; natural gas 3,480 km (1992)

Ports and harbors: Aqtau (Shevchenko), Atyrau (Gur'yev), Oskemen
(Ust-Kamenogorsk), Pavlodar, Semey (Semipalatinsk)

Merchant marine: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,064 GRT/646
DWT note: United States 1 (2002 est.) ships by type: roll on/roll off 1

Airports: 449 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 28 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 14 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 under 914 m: 3 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: 18 1,524 to 2,437 m: Military
Kazakhstan

Military branches: Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Naval
Force, Border Service, Republican Guard

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 4,545,168 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 3,629,219 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 163,628 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $173 million (Ministry of Defense expenditures) (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1% (Ministry of Defense expenditures) (FY01)

Transnational Issues Kazakhstan

Disputes - international: Kazakhstan is working rapidly with China and Russia to delimit its large open borders to control population migration, illegal activities, and trade; signed bilateral agreement with Russia delimiting the Caspian Sea seabed, but littoral states are far from any multilateral agreement on dividing the waters and seabed regimes - Iran insists on division of Caspian Sea into five equal sectors while Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan have generally agreed upon equidistant seabed boundaries; border largely delimited with Uzbekistan, but unresolved dispute remains over sovereignty of two border villages, Bagys and Turkestan, and around the Arnasay dam; Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan wrestle with sharing limited water resources and the regional environmental degradation caused by the shrinking of the Aral Sea; disputes with Kyrgyzstan over providing water and hydropower to Kazakhstan

Illicit drugs: significant illicit cultivation of cannabis and limited cultivation of opium poppy and ephedra (for the drug ephedrone); limited government eradication program; cannabis consumed largely in the CIS; used as transshipment point for illicit drugs to Russia, North America, and Western Europe from Southwest Asia; developing heroin addiction problem

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Laos

Introduction

Laos

Background: In 1975, the Communist Pathet Lao took control of the government, ending a six-century-old monarchy. Initial closer ties to Vietnam and socialization were replaced with a gradual return to private enterprise, an easing of foreign investment laws, and the admission into ASEAN in 1997.

Geography Laos

Location: Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam

Geographic coordinates: 18 00 N, 105 00 E

Map references: Southeast Asia

Area: total: 236,800 sq km water: 6,000 sq km land: 230,800 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Utah

Land boundaries: total: 5,083 km border countries: Burma 235 km,
Cambodia 541 km, China 423 km, Thailand 1,754 km, Vietnam 2,130 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season
(December to April)

Terrain: mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mekong River 70 m highest point:
Phou Bia 2,817 m

Natural resources: timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones

Land use: arable land: 4% permanent crops: 0% other: 96% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,640 sq km note: rainy season irrigation - 2,169 sq km; dry season irrigation - 750 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: floods, droughts

Environment - current issues: unexploded ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; a majority of the population does not have access to potable water

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea,
Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: landlocked; most of the country is mountainous and thickly forested; the Mekong forms a large part of the western boundary with Thailand

People Laos

Population: 5,777,180 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 42.5% (male 1,233,659; female 1,219,872) 15-64 years: 54.2% (male 1,543,246; female 1,591,419) 65 years and over: 3.3% (male 86,375; female 102,609) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.47% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 37.39 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 12.71 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 90.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 55.87 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 5.03 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.05% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 1,400 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 130 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s) adjective: Lao or Laotian

Ethnic groups: Lao Loum (lowland) 68%, Lao Theung (upland) 22%, Lao Soung (highland) including the Hmong ("Meo") and the Yao (Mien) 9%, ethnic Vietnamese/Chinese 1%

Religions: Buddhist 60%, animist and other 40% (including various
Christian denominations 1.5%)

Languages: Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 57% male: 70% female: 44% (1999 est.)

Government Laos

Country name: conventional long form: Lao People's Democratic Republic conventional short form: Laos local short form: none local long form: Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao

Government type: Communist state

Capital: Vientiane

Administrative divisions: 16 provinces (khoueng, singular and plural), 1 municipality* (kampheng nakhon, singular and plural), and 1 special zone** (khetphiset, singular and plural); Attapu, Bokeo, Bolikhamxai, Champasak, Houaphan, Khammouan, Louangnamtha, Louangphabang, Oudomxai, Phongsali, Salavan, Savannakhet, Viangchan*, Viangchan, Xaignabouli, Xaisomboun**, Xekong, Xiangkhoang

Independence: 19 July 1949 (from France)

National holiday: Republic Day, 2 December (1975)

Constitution: promulgated 14 August 1991

Legal system: based on traditional customs, French legal norms and procedures, and Socialist practice

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Gen. KHAMTAI Siphandon (since 26 February 1998) and Vice President Lt. Gen. CHOUMMALI Saignason (since 27 March 2001) head of government: Prime Minister BOUNGNANG Volachit (since 27 March 2001); First Deputy Prime Minister Maj. Gen. ASANG Laoli (since NA May 2002), Deputy Prime Minister THONGLOUN Sisolit (since 27 March 2001), and Deputy Prime Minister SOMSAVAT Lengsavat (since 26 February 1998) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved by the National Assembly elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term; election last held 24 February 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); prime minister appointed by the president with the approval of the National Assembly for a five-year term election results: KHAMTAI Siphandon elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - NA%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (109 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; note - total number of seats increased from 99 to 109 for the 2002 election) elections: last held 24 February 2002 (next to be held NA 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - LPRP or LPRP-approved (independent, non-party members) 109

Judicial branch: People's Supreme Court (the president of the People's
Supreme Court is elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation
of the National Assembly Standing Committee; the vice president of the
People's Supreme Court and the judges are appointed by the National
Assembly Standing Committee)

Political parties and leaders: Lao People's Revolutionary Party or LPRP
[KHAMTAI Siphandon, party president]; other parties proscribed

Political pressure groups and leaders: noncommunist political groups proscribed; most opposition leaders fled the country in 1975

International organization participation: ACCT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP,
ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador VANG Rattanavong FAX: [1] (202) 332-4923 telephone: [1] (202) 332-6416 chancery: 2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Douglas A. HARTWICK embassy: 19 Rue Bartholonie, B. P. 114, Vientiane mailing address: American Embassy, [856] (21) 212581, 212582, 212585 FAX: Flag description: three horizontal bands of red (top), blue (double width), and red with a large white disk centered in the blue band

Economy Laos

Economy - overview: The government of Laos - one of the few remaining official Communist states - began decentralizing control and encouraging private enterprise in 1986. The results, starting from an extremely low base, were striking - growth averaged 7% in 1988-2001 except during the short-lived drop caused by the Asian financial crisis beginning in 1997. Despite this high growth rate, Laos remains a country with a primitive infrastructure; it has no railroads, a rudimentary road system, and limited external and internal telecommunications. Electricity is available in only a few urban areas. Subsistence agriculture accounts for half of GDP and provides 80% of total employment. The economy will continue to benefit from aid from the IMF and other international sources and from new foreign investment in food-processing and mining.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $9.2 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 5% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,630 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 53% industry: 22% services: 25% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 40% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 30.6% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 37 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 2.4 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 80% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate: 5.7% (1997 est.)

Budget: revenues: $211 million expenditures: $462 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY98/99 est.)

Industries: tin and gypsum mining, timber, electric power, agricultural processing, construction, garments, tourism

Industrial production growth rate: 7.5% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production: 1.02 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 1.96% hydro: 98.04% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 690.6 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 400 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 142 million kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, tobacco, cotton; tea, peanuts, rice; water buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry

Exports: $325 million (2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: wood products, garments, electricity, coffee, tin

Exports - partners: Thailand 20%, France 7.5%, Germany 5.9%, UK 4.1%,
Belgium 4% (2000)

Imports: $540 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel

Imports - partners: Thailand 52%, Singapore 3.9%, Japan 1.6%, Hong Kong 1.5%, China 0.8% (2000)

Debt - external: $2.53 billion (1999)

Economic aid - recipient: $345 million (1999 est.)

Currency: kip (LAK)

Currency code: LAK

Exchange rates: kips per US dollar - 9,467.00 (December 2001), 8,954.58 (2001), 7,887.64 (2000), 7,102.03 (1999), 3,298.33 (1998), 1,259.98 (1997)

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

Communications Laos

Telephones - main lines in use: 25,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 4,915 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: service to general public is poor but improving, with over 20,000 telephones currently in service and an additional 48,000 expected by 2001; the government relies on a radiotelephone network to communicate with remote areas domestic: radiotelephone communications international: satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios: 730,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 4 (1999)

Televisions: 52,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .la

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: 6,000 (2001)

Transportation Laos

Railways: 0 km (2001)

Highways: total: 14,000 km paved: 3,360 km unpaved: 10,640 km (1991)

Waterways: 4,587 km approximately note: primarily Mekong and tributaries; 2,897 additional km are intermittently navigable by craft drawing less than 0.5 m

Pipelines: petroleum products 136 km

Ports and harbors: none

Merchant marine: total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,370
GRT/3,110 DWT ships by type: cargo 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 51 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 9 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 42 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 26 (2001)

Military Laos

Military branches: Lao People's Army (LPA; including Riverine Force),
Air Force, National Police Department

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,365,027 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 734,945 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 64,437 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $55 million (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 4.2% (FY96/97)

Transnational Issues Laos

Disputes - international: demarcation of boundaries with Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam is nearing completion, but with Thailand, several areas including Mekong River islets, remain in dispute; ongoing disputes with Thailand and Vietnam over squatters

Illicit drugs: world's third-largest illicit opium producer (estimated cultivation in 2001 - 22,000 hectares, a 5% decrease over 2000; estimated potential production in 2001 - 200 metric tons, about the same as in 2000); potential heroin producer; transshipment point for heroin and methamphetamine produced in Burma; illicit producer of cannabis; growing methamphetamine abuse problem

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Lebanon

Introduction

Lebanon

Background: Lebanon has made progress toward rebuilding its political institutions since 1991 and the end of the devastating 16-year civil war. Under the Ta'if Accord - the blueprint for national reconciliation - the Lebanese have established a more equitable political system, particularly by giving Muslims a greater say in the political process while institutionalizing sectarian divisions in the government. Since the end of the war, the Lebanese have conducted several successful elections, most of the militias have been weakened or disbanded, and the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) have extended central government authority over about two-thirds of the country. Hizballah, the radical Shi'a party, retains its weapons. Syria maintains about 20,000 troops in Lebanon based mainly in Beirut, North Lebanon, and the Bekaa Valley. Syria's troop deployment was legitimized by the Arab League during Lebanon's civil war and in the Ta'if Accord. Damascus justifies its continued military presence in Lebanon by citing Beirut's requests and the failure of the Lebanese Government to implement all of the constitutional reforms in the Ta'if Accord. Israel's withdrawal from its security zone in southern Lebanon in May of 2000, however, has emboldened some Lebanese Christians and Druze to demand that Syria withdraw its forces as well.

Geography Lebanon

Location: Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel and Syria

Geographic coordinates: 33 50 N, 35 50 E

Map references: Middle East

Area: total: 10,400 sq km water: 170 sq km land: 10,230 sq km

Area - comparative: about 0.7 times the size of Connecticut

Land boundaries: total: 454 km border countries: Israel 79 km, Syria 375 km

Coastline: 225 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry summers;
Lebanon mountains experience heavy winter snows

Terrain: narrow coastal plain; El Beqaa (Bekaa Valley) separates Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon Mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point:
Qurnat as Sawda' 3,088 m

Natural resources: limestone, iron ore, salt, water-surplus state in a water-deficit region, arable land

Land use: arable land: 18% permanent crops: 12% other: 70% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,200 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: dust storms, sandstorms

Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; air pollution in Beirut from vehicular traffic and the burning of industrial wastes; pollution of coastal waters from raw sewage and oil spills

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping,
Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note: Nahr el Litani only major river in Near East not crossing an international boundary; rugged terrain historically helped isolate, protect, and develop numerous factional groups based on religion, clan, and ethnicity

People Lebanon

Population: 3,677,780 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 27.3% (male 511,902; female 491,804) 15-64 years: 65.9% (male 1,157,688; female 1,267,106) 65 years and over: 6.8% (male 113,341; female 135,939) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.36% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 19.96 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 6.35 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 27.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 74.32 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.02 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.09% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Lebanese (singular and plural) adjective: Lebanese

Ethnic groups: Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1%

Religions: Muslim 70% (including Shi'a, Sunni, Druze, Isma'ilite,
Alawite or Nusayri), Christian 30% (including Orthodox Christian,
Catholic, Protestant), Jewish NEGL%

Languages: Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 86.4% male: 90.8% female: 82.2% (1997 est.)

Government Lebanon

Country name: conventional long form: Lebanese Republic conventional short form: Lebanon local short form: Lubnan local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Lubnaniyah

Government type: republic

Capital: Beirut

Administrative divisions: 6 governorates (mohafazat, singular - mohafazah); Beyrouth, Beqaa, Liban-Nord, Liban-Sud, Mont-Liban, Nabatiye

Independence: 22 November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under
French administration)

National holiday: Independence Day, 22 November (1943)

Constitution: 23 May 1926, amended a number of times, most recently
Charter of Lebanese National Reconciliation (Ta'if Accord) of October 1989

Legal system: mixture of Ottoman law, canon law, Napoleonic code, and civil law; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 21 years of age; compulsory for all males; authorized for women at age 21 with elementary education

Executive branch: chief of state: President Emile LAHUD (since 24 November 1998) head of government: Prime Minister Rafiq HARIRI (since 23 October 2000); Deputy Prime Minister Issam FARES (since 23 October 2000) cabinet: and members of the National Assembly elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a six-year term; election last held 15 October 1998 (next to be held NA 2004); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president in consultation with the National Assembly; by custom, the president is a Maronite Christian, the prime minister is a Sunni Muslim, and the speaker of the legislature is a Shi'a Muslim election results: Emile LAHUD elected president; National Assembly vote - 118 votes in favor, 0 against, 10 abstentions

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Majlis Alnuwab (Arabic) or Assemblee Nationale (French) (128 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of sectarian proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 27 August and 3 September 2000 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - Muslim 57% (of which Sunni 25%, Sh'ite 25%, Druze 6%, Alawite less than 1%), Christian 43% (of which Maronite 23%); seats by party - Muslim 64 (of which Sunni 27, Sh'ite 27, Druze 8, Alawite 2), Christian 64 (of which Maronite 34)

Judicial branch: four Courts of Cassation (three courts for civil and commercial cases and one court for criminal cases); Constitutional Council (called for in Ta'if Accord - rules on constitutionality of laws); Supreme Council (hears charges against the president and prime minister as needed)

Political parties and leaders: political party activity is organized along largely sectarian lines; numerous political groupings exist, consisting of individual political figures and followers motivated by religious, clan, and economic considerations

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ABEDA, ACCT, AFESD, AL, AMF,
CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent),
ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNRWA, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: Ambassador Dr. Farid ABBOUD consulate(s) general: [1] (202) 939-6320 chancery: 2560 28th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Vincent Martin BATTLE (since 11 Sep. 2001) embassy: Awkar, Lebanon
mailing address: P. O. Box 70840, Awkar, Lebanon; PSC 815, Box 2, FPO
AE 09836-0002 telephone: 011-961-4-543-600/542-600 FAX: 011-961-4-544-136

Flag description: three horizontal bands of red (top), white (double width), and red with a green and brown cedar tree centered in the white band

Economy Lebanon

Economy - overview: The 1975-91 civil war seriously damaged Lebanon's economic infrastructure, cut national output by half, and all but ended Lebanon's position as a Middle Eastern entrepot and banking hub. Peace enabled the central government to restore control in Beirut, begin collecting taxes, and regain access to key port and government facilities. Economic recovery was helped by a financially sound banking system and resilient small- and medium-scale manufacturers. Family remittances, banking services, manufactured and farm exports, and international aid provided the main sources of foreign exchange. Lebanon's economy made impressive gains since the launch in 1993 of "Horizon 2000," the government's $20 billion reconstruction program. Real GDP grew 8% in 1994, 7% in 1995, 4% in 1996 and in 1997 but slowed to 2% in 1998, -1% in 1999, and -0.5% in 2000. Growth recovered slightly in 2001 to 1%. During the 1990s annual inflation fell to almost 0% from more than 100%. Lebanon has rebuilt much of its war-torn physical and financial infrastructure. The government nonetheless faces serious challenges in the economic arena. It has funded reconstruction by borrowing heavily - mostly from domestic banks. The re-installed HARIRI government has failed to rein in the ballooning national debt. Without large-scale international aid and rapid privatization of state-owned enterprises, markets may force a currency devaluation and debt default in 2002.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $18.8 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 1% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $5,200 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 12% industry: 21% services: 67% (2000)

Population below poverty line: 28% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.5% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 1.5 million (2001 est.) note: in addition, there are as many as 1 million foreign workers (1999 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: services NA%, industry NA%, agriculture NA%

Unemployment rate: 18% (1997 est.)

Budget: revenues: $4.6 billion expenditures: $8.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Industries: banking; food processing; jewelry; cement; textiles; mineral and chemical products; wood and furniture products; oil refining; metal fabricating

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 7.95 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 96.86% hydro: 3.14% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 8.643 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 1.25 billion kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: citrus, grapes, tomatoes, apples, vegetables, potatoes, olives, tobacco; sheep, goats

Exports: $700 million (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: foodstuffs and tobacco, textiles, chemicals, precious stones, metal and metal products, electrical equipment and products, jewelry, paper and paper products

Exports - partners: Saudi Arabia 11%, UAE 11%, Switzerland 7%, US 7%,
France 5%, Iraq 4%, Jordan 4%, Kuwait 4%, Syria 4% (2000)

Imports: $6.6 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, consumer goods, chemicals, textiles, metals, fuels, agricultural foods

Imports - partners: Italy 11%, France 8%, Germany 8%, US 7%, Switzerland 6%, China 5%, Syria 5%, UK 4% (2000)

Debt - external: $8.4 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $3.5 billion (pledges 1997-2001)

Currency: Lebanese pound (LBP)

Currency code: LBP

Exchange rates: Lebanese pounds per US dollar - 1,507.5 (January 2002), 1,507.5 (2001), 1,507.5 (2000), 1,507.8 (1999), 1,516.1 (1998), 1,539.5 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Lebanon

Telephones - main lines in use: 700,000 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 580,000 (1999)

Telephone system: general assessment: telecommunications system severely damaged by civil war; rebuilding well underway domestic: primarily microwave radio relay and cable international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean) (erratic operations); coaxial cable to Syria; microwave radio relay to Syria but inoperable beyond Syria to Jordan; 3 submarine coaxial cables

Radio broadcast stations: AM 20, FM 22, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios: 2.85 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 15 (plus 5 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions: 1.18 million (1997)

Internet country code: .lb

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 22 (2000)

Internet users: 300,000 (2001)

Transportation Lebanon

Railways: total: 399 km standard gauge: 317 km 1.435-m note: entire system is unusable because of damage in civil war (2001) narrow gauge: 82 km 1.050-m

Highways: total: 7,300 km paved: 6,350 km unpaved: 950 km (1999 est.)

Waterways: none

Pipelines: crude oil 72 km (none in operation)

Ports and harbors: Antilyas, Batroun, Beirut, Chekka, El Mina, Ez
Zahrani, Jbail, Jounie, Naqoura, Sidon, Tripoli, Tyre

Merchant marine: total: 67 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 320,770 GRT/468,293 DWT ships by type: bulk 8, cargo 38, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk 1, container 4, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 7, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 3, vehicle carrier 3 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: France 1, Greece 10, Netherlands 4, Panama 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2, Spain 1, Syria 2 (2002 est.)

Airports: 8 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2001)

Military Lebanon

Military branches: Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF; includes Army, Navy, and Air Force)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,003,174 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 618,129 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $343 million (FY99/00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 4.8% (FY99/00)

Transnational Issues Lebanon

Disputes - international: Syrian troops in northern, central, and eastern Lebanon since October 1976; Lebanese Government claims Shab'a Farms area of Israeli-occupied Golan Heights

Illicit drugs: Hashish production increased as farmers resumed cannabis cultivation for the first time since a Lebanese/Syrian eradication campaign practically eliminated the opium and cannabis crops in the early 1990s

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Latvia

Introduction

Latvia

Background: After a brief period of independence between the two World Wars, Latvia was annexed by the USSR in 1940. It reestablished its independence in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union. Although the last Russian troops left in 1994, the status of the Russian minority (some 30% of the population) remains of concern to Moscow. Latvia continues to revamp its economy for eventual integration into various Western European political and economic institutions.

Geography Latvia

Location: Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and Lithuania

Geographic coordinates: 57 00 N, 25 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 64,589 sq km water: 1,000 sq km land: 63,589 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than West Virginia

Land boundaries: total: 1,150 km border countries: Belarus 141 km,
Estonia 339 km, Lithuania 453 km, Russia 217 km

Coastline: 531 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: maritime; wet, moderate winters

Terrain: low plain

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m highest point:
Gaizinkalns 312 m

Natural resources: peat, limestone, dolomite, hydropower, wood, arable land, minimal; amber

Land use: arable land: 29% permanent crops: 0% other: 71% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 200 sq km note: land in Latvia is often too wet, and in need of drainage, not irrigation; approximately 16,000 sq km or 85% of agricultural land has been improved by drainage (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: Latvia's environment has benefited from a shift to service industries after the country regained independence; the main environmental priorities are improvement of drinking water quality and sewage system, household and hazardous waste management, and reduction of air pollution; in 2001, Latvia closed the EU accession negotiation chapter on environment committing to full enforcement of EU environmental directives by 2010

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:
Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note: most of the country is composed of fertile, low-lying plains, with some hills in the east

People Latvia

Population: 2,366,515 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 15.8% (male 191,116; female 182,692) 15-64 years: 68.6% (male 775,481; female 847,261) 65 years and over: 15.6% (male 120,304; female 249,661) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.77% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 8.27 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 14.74 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.48 male(s)/female total population: 0.85 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 14.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 75.17 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.18 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.12% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 1,792 (15 January 2002)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 36 (15 January 2002)

Nationality: noun: Latvian(s) adjective: Latvian

Ethnic groups: Latvian 57.7%, Russian 29.6%, Belarusian 4.1%, Ukrainian 2.7%, Polish 2.5%, Lithuanian 1.4%, other 2%

Religions: Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox

Languages: Latvian (official), Lithuanian, Russian, other

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.8% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Latvia

Country name: Republic of Latvia conventional short form: local long form: Latvijas Republika

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Riga

Administrative divisions: 26 counties (singular - rajons) and 7
municipalities*: Aizkraukles Rajons, Aluksnes Rajons, Balvu Rajons,
Bauskas Rajons, Cesu Rajons, Daugavpils*, Daugavpils Rajons, Dobeles
Rajons, Gulbenes Rajons, Jekabpils Rajons, Jelgava*, Jelgavas Rajons,
Jurmala*, Kraslavas Rajons, Kuldigas Rajons, Liepaja*, Liepajas Rajons,
Limbazu Rajons, Ludzas Rajons, Madonas Rajons, Ogres Rajons, Preilu
Rajons, Rezekne*, Rezeknes Rajons, Riga*, Rigas Rajons, Saldus Rajons,
Talsu Rajons, Tukuma Rajons, Valkas Rajons, Valmieras Rajons, Ventspils*,
Ventspils Rajons

Independence: 21 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day, 18 November (1918); note - 18 November 1918 is the date of independence from Soviet Russia, 21 August 1991 is the date of independence from the Soviet Union

Constitution: the 1991 Constitutional Law which supplements the 1922 constitution, provides for basic rights and freedoms

Legal system: based on civil law system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens

Executive branch: chief of state: President Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA (since 8 July 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Andris BERZINS (since 5 May 2000) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and appointed by the Parliament elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term; election last held 17 June 1999 (next to be held by June 2003); prime minister appointed by the president election results: of balloting, second round (after five rounds in first phase failed to produce a clear winner); percent of parliamentary vote - Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA 53%, Valdis BIRKAVS 20%, Ingrida UDRE 9%

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Saeima (100 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 3 October 1998 (next to be held NA October 2002) election results: percent of vote by party - People's Party 21%, LC 18%, TSP 14%, TB/LNNK 14%, Social Democrats 13%, New Party 7%; seats by party - People's Party 24, LC 21, TB/LNNK 17, TSP 16, Social Democrats 14, New Party 8

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by Parliament)

Political parties and leaders: Anticommunist Union or PA [P. MUCENIEKS];
Christian Democrat Union or LKDS [Talavs JUNDZIS]; Christian People's
Party or KTP [Uldis AUGSTKALNS]; Democratic Party "Saimnieks" or DPS
[Ziedonis CEVERS, chairman]; For Fatherland and Freedom or TB [Maris
GRINBLATS], merged with LNNK; For Human Rights in a United Latvia [Janis
JURKANS], a coalition of the People's Harmony Party or TSP, the Latvian
Socialist Party or LSP, and the Equal Rights Movement; Green Party or LZP
[Olegs BATAREVSKI]; Latvian Liberal Party or LLP [J. DANOSS]; Latvian
National Conservative Party or LNNK [Andrejs KRASTINS]; Latvian National
Democratic Party or LNDP [A. MALINS]; Latvian Social-Democratic Workers
Party (Social Democrats) or LSDWU [Juris BOJARS and Janis ADAMSONS];
Latvian Unity Party or LVP [Alberis KAULS]; Latvia's Way or LC [Andrei
PANTELEJEVS]; New Christian Party [Ainars SLESERS]; New Faction [Ingrida
UDRE]; New Party [leader NA]; New Times Party [Einars REPSE]; "Our Land"
or MZ [M. DAMBEKALNE]; Party of Russian Citizens or LKPP [V. SOROCHIN, V.
IVANOV]; People's Party [Andris SKELE]; Political Union of Economists
or TPA [Edvins KIDE]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, EAPC,
EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU,
NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WEU
(associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Aivis RONIS FAX: [1] (202) 726-6785 telephone: [1] (202) 726-8213, 8214 chancery: 4325 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Brian
E. CARLSON embassy: 7 Raina Boulevard, Riga LV-1510 mailing address:
American Embassy Riga, PSC 78, Box Riga, APO AE 09723 telephone: [371]
721-0005 FAX: [371] 782-0047

Flag description: three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width), and maroon

Economy Latvia

Economy - overview: Latvia's transitional economy recovered from the 1998 Russian financial crisis, largely due to the SKELE government's budget stringency and a gradual reorientation of exports toward EU countries, lessening Latvia's trade dependency on Russia. The majority of companies, banks, and real estate have been privatized. Latvia officially joined the World Trade Organization in February 1999 - the first Baltic state to join - and was invited at the Helsinki EU Summit in December 1999 to begin accession talks in early 2000. Preparing for EU membership over the next few years remains a top foreign policy goal. The high current account deficit remains a major concern.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $18.6 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 6.3% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $7,800 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5% industry: 24% services: 71% (2000)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 25.9% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 32 (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.5% (2001)

Labor force: 1.1 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 15%, industry 25%, services 60% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: 7.6% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $2.4 billion expenditures: $2.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2002 est.)

Industries: buses, vans, street and railroad cars, synthetic fibers, agricultural machinery, fertilizers, washing machines, radios, electronics, pharmaceuticals, processed foods, textiles; note - dependent on imports for energy and raw materials

Industrial production growth rate: 6.4% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 3.301 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 33.02% hydro: 66.98% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 5.16 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 500 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 2.59 billion kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: grain, sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish

Exports: $2.2 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Exports - commodities: wood and wood products, machinery and equipment, metals, textiles, foodstuffs

Exports - partners: Germany 17%, UK 16%, Sweden 10%, Lithuania 8% (2001 est.)

Imports: $3.3 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, vehicles

Imports - partners: Germany 17%, Russia 9%, Lithuania 8%, Finland 8%,
Sweden 7% (2001 est.)

Debt - external: $2.6 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $96.2 million (1995)

Currency: Latvian lat (LVL)

Currency code: LVL

Exchange rates: lati per US dollar - 0.6384 (January 2002), 0.628 (2001), 0.607 (2000), 0.585 (1999), 0.590 (1998), 0.581 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Latvia

Telephones - main lines in use: 734,693 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 401,263 (2000)

Telephone system: general assessment: inadequate, but is being modernized to provide an international capability independent of the Moscow international switch; more facilities are being installed for individual use domestic: expansion underway in intercity trunk line connections, rural exchanges, and mobile systems; still many unsatisfied subscriber applications international: earth station at Riga, enabling direct connections for most calls (1998)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 8, FM 56, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios: 1.76 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 44 (plus 31 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions: 1.22 million (1997)

Internet country code: .lv

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 41 (2001)

Internet users: 310,000 (2001)

Transportation Latvia

Railways: total: 2,412 km broad gauge: 2,379 km 1.520-m gauge (271 km electrified) narrow gauge: 33 km 0.750-m gauge (2001)

Highways: total: 59,178 km paved: 22,843 km unpaved: 36,335 km (1998 est.)

Waterways: 300 km (perennially navigable)

Pipelines: crude oil 750 km; refined products 780 km; natural gas 560 km (1992)

Ports and harbors: Liepaja, Riga, Ventspils

Merchant marine: total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 30,119 GRT/30,572 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Greece 3 (2002 est.) ships by type: cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 4

Airports: 25 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: 1 914 to 1,523 m: Airports - with unpaved runways: 2 914 to 1,523 m: Military Latvia

Military branches: Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces,
Border Guard, National Guard

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 591,592 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 464,843 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 19,114 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $87 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.2% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Latvia

Disputes - international: the Russian Duma refuses to ratify boundary delimitation treaty with Latvia; the Latvian Parliament has not ratified its 1998 maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, primarily due to concerns over oil exploration rights

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for opiates and cannabis from Central and Southwest Asia to Western Europe and Scandinavia and Latin American cocaine and some synthetics from Western Europe to CIS

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Lithuania

Introduction

Lithuania

Background: Independent between the two World Wars, Lithuania was annexed by the USSR in 1940. On 11 March 1990, Lithuania became the first of the Soviet republics to declare its independence, but this proclamation was not generally recognized until September of 1991 (following the abortive coup in Moscow). The last Russian troops withdrew in 1993. Lithuania subsequently has restructured its economy for eventual integration into Western European institutions.

Geography Lithuania

Location: Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Latvia and Russia

Geographic coordinates: 56 00 N, 24 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 65,200 sq km water: NA sq km land: NA sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than West Virginia

Land boundaries: total: 1,273 km border countries: Belarus 502 km,
Latvia 453 km, Poland 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad) 227 km

Coastline: 99 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: transitional, between maritime and continental; wet, moderate winters and summers

Terrain: lowland, many scattered small lakes, fertile soil

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m highest point:
Juozapines/Kalnas 292 m

Natural resources: peat, arable land

Land use: arable land: 45% permanent crops: 1% other: 54% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 90 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: contamination of soil and groundwater with petroleum products and chemicals at military bases

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent
Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note: fertile central plains are separated by hilly uplands that are ancient glacial deposits

People Lithuania

Population: 3,601,138 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 18.2% (male 333,966; female 319,992) 15-64 years: 68% (male 1,184,969; female 1,265,711) 65 years and over: 13.8% (male 167,789; female 328,711) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.25% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 10.22 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 12.87 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.51 male(s)/female total population: 0.88 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 14.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 75.6 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.4 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.02% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: less than 500 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Lithuanian(s) adjective: Lithuanian

Ethnic groups: Lithuanian 80.6%, Russian 8.7%, Polish 7%, Belarusian 1.6%, other 2.1%

Religions: Roman Catholic (primarily), Lutheran, Russian Orthodox,
Protestant, Evangelical Christian Baptist, Muslim, Jewish

Languages: Lithuanian (official), Polish, Russian

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 99% female: 98% (1989 est.)

Government Lithuania

Country name: Republic of Lithuania conventional short form: Republic local long form: Lietuvos Respublika

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Vilnius

Administrative divisions: 10 counties (apskritys, singular - apskritis);
Alytaus, Kauno, Klaipedos, Marijampoles, Panevezio, Siauliu, Taurages,
Telsiu, Utenos, Vilniaus

Independence: 11 March 1990 (independence declared from Soviet Union); 6 September 1991 (Soviet Union recognizes Lithuania's independence)

National holiday: Independence Day, 16 February (1918); note - 16 February 1918 is the date of independence from German, Austrian, Prussian, and Russian occupation, 11 March 1990 is the date of independence from the Soviet Union

Constitution: adopted 25 October 1992

Legal system: based on civil law system; legislative acts can be appealed to the constitutional court

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Valdas ADAMKUS (since 26 February 1998) head of government: Premier Algirdas Mykolas BRAZAUSKAS (since 3 July 2001) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the nomination of the premier elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 21 December 1997 and 4 January 1998 (next to be held in late 2002); premier appointed by the president on the approval of the Parliament election results: Valdas ADAMKUS elected president; percent of vote - Valdas ADAMKUS 50.4%, Arturas PAULAUSKAS 49.6%

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Seimas (141 seats, 71 members are directly elected by popular vote, 70 are elected by proportional representation; members serve four-year terms) elections: last held 8 October 2000 (next to be held NA October 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - Social Democratic Coalition 31.1%, New Union-Social Liberals 19.6%, Liberal Union 17.2%, TS 8.6%, remaining parties all less than 5%; seats by party - Social Democratic Coalition 52, Liberal Union 34, New Union-Social Liberals 29, TS 9, Farmer's Party 4, Center Union 2, Poles' Electoral Action 2, Modern Christian Democratic Union 1, independents 3, others 5

Judicial branch: Constitutional Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; judges for all courts appointed by the President

Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic Party or LKDP
[Kazys BOBELIS, chairman]; Electoral Action of Lithuanian Poles
[Valdemar TOMASZEVSKI, chairman]; Homeland Union/Conservative Party
or TS [Vytautas LANDSBERGIS, chairman]; Lithuanian Center Union or LCS
[Kestutis GLAVECKAS, chairman]; Lithuanian Farmer's Party or LUP [Ramunas
KARBAUSKIS, chairman]; Lithuanian Green Party [Rimantas BRAZIULIS];
Lithuanian Liberal Union [Eugenijus GENTVILAS, chairman]; Lithuanian
Liberal Youth [Neringa MOROZAITE]; Lithuanian National Democratic Party
[Vygintas GONTIS]; Lithuanian Social Democratic Coalition [Algirdas
BRAZAUSKAS, chairman] consists of the Lithuanian Democratic Labor
Party or LDDP, the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party or LSPD, and New
Democracy; Moderate Conservative Union [Gediminas VAGNORIUS]; Modern
Christian Democratic Union [Vytautas BOGUSIS, chairman]; New Democracy and
Farmer's Union [Kazimiera PRUNSKIENE, chairman]; New Union-Social Liberals
[Arturas PAULAUSKAS, chairman]; Young Lithuania [Arnoldas PLATELIS]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACCT (observer), BIS,
CBSS, CCC, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
(correspondent), ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK,
UPU, WCL, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: Ambassador Vygaudas USACKAS consulate(s) general: 234-5860 chancery: 2622 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
John F. TEFFT embassy: Akmenu 6, 2600 Vilnius mailing address: American
Embassy, Vilnius, PSC 78, Box V, APO AE 09723 telephone: [370] (2)
665-500 FAX: [370] (2) 665-510

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), green, and red

Economy Lithuania

Economy - overview: Lithuania, the Baltic state that has conducted the most trade with Russia, has been slowly rebounding from the 1998 Russian financial crisis. High unemployment, at 12.5% in 2001, and weak consumption have held back recovery. Trade has been increasingly oriented toward the West. Lithuania has gained membership in the World Trade Organization and has moved ahead with plans to join the EU. Privatization of the large, state-owned utilities, particularly in the energy sector, is underway.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $27.4 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4.8% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $7,600 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 9% industry: 32% services: 59% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.1% highest 10%: 25.6% (1996)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 34 (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.3% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 1.5 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: industry 30%, agriculture 20%, services 50% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate: 12.5% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $1.59 billion expenditures: $1.77 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Industries: metal-cutting machine tools, electric motors, television sets, refrigerators and freezers, petroleum refining, shipbuilding (small ships), furniture making, textiles, food processing, fertilizers, agricultural machinery, optical equipment, electronic components, computers, amber

Industrial production growth rate: 15% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 10.966 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 20.16% hydro: 3.06% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 76.78%

Electricity - consumption: 6.898 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 6.3 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 3 billion kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: grain, potatoes, sugar beets, flax, vegetables; beef, milk, eggs; fish

Exports: $4.8 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Exports - commodities: mineral products 21%, textiles and clothing 19%, machinery and equipment 11%, chemicals 8%, wood and wood products 6%, foodstuffs 4% (2000)

Exports - partners: Latvia 15%, Germany 14%, UK 8%, Russia 7%, Ukraine 5% (2000)

Imports: $5.7 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Imports - commodities: mineral products 23%, machinery and equipment 16%, chemicals 9%, textiles and clothing 9%, transport equipment 9% (2000)

Imports - partners: Russia 28%, Germany 15%, Poland 5%, France 4%, UK 4% (2000)

Debt - external: $3.6 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $228.5 million (1995)

Currency: litas (LTL)

Currency code: LTL

Exchange rates: litai per US dollar - 4.000 (fixed rate since 1 May 1994); note - litai is the plural of litas; effective 2 February 2002 the litas are pegged to the euro

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Lithuania

Telephones - main lines in use: 1.142 million (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 500,000 (2001)

Telephone system: general assessment: inadequate, but is being modernized to provide an improved international capability and better residential access domestic: completion; rural exchanges are being improved and expanded; mobile cellular systems are being installed; access to the Internet is available; still many unsatisfied telephone subscriber applications international: to Denmark, Sweden, and Norway by submarine cable for further transmission by satellite

Radio broadcast stations: AM 29, FM 142, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios: 1.9 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 27 note: Lithuania has approximately 27 broadcasting stations, but may have as many as 100 transmitters, including repeater stations (2001)

Televisions: 1.7 million (1997)

Internet country code: .lt

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 32 (2001)

Internet users: 341,000 (2001)

Transportation Lithuania

Railways: total: 1,998 km broad gauge: 1,807 km 1.524-m gauge (122 km electrified) narrow gauge: 169 km 0.750-m gauge (2001) standard gauge: 22 km 1.435-m gauge

Highways: total: 44,000 km paved: 35,500 km unpaved: 8,500 km (2001)

Waterways: 600 km (perennially navigable)

Pipelines: crude oil, 105 km; natural gas 760 km (1992)

Ports and harbors: Butinge, Kaunas, Klaipeda

Merchant marine: total: 47 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 279,743 GRT/304,156 DWT ships by type: cargo 25, combination bulk 8, petroleum tanker 2, railcar carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 6, roll on/roll off 2, short-sea passenger 3 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Denmark 13 (2002 est.)

Airports: 72 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 9 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 under 914 m: 3 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 63 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 55 (2001)

Military Lithuania

Military branches: Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Force,
National Volunteer Defense Forces (SKAT)

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 933,638 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 733,415 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 28,506 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $230.8 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.9% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Lithuania

Disputes - international: the Russian Duma has not ratified 1997 boundary treaty; the Latvian Parliament has not ratified its 1998 maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, primarily due to concerns over oil exploration rights

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for opiates and other illicit drugs from Southwest Asia, Latin America, and Western Europe to Western Europe and Scandinavia; limited production of methamphetamine and ecstasy

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Liberia

Introduction

Liberia

Background: Seven years of civil strife were brought to a close in 1996 when free and open presidential and legislative elections were held. President TAYLOR now holds strong executive power with no real political opposition. The years of fighting coupled with the flight of most businesses have disrupted formal economic activity. A still unsettled domestic security situation has slowed the process of rebuilding the social and economic structure of this war-torn country. In 2001, the UN imposed sanctions on Liberian diamonds along with an army embargo and a travel ban on government officials for Liberia's support of the rebel insurgency in Sierra Leone.

Geography Liberia

Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone

Geographic coordinates: 6 30 N, 9 30 W

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 111,370 sq km water: 15,050 sq km land: 96,320 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Tennessee

Land boundaries: total: 1,585 km border countries: Guinea 563 km,
Cote d'Ivoire 716 km, Sierra Leone 306 km

Coastline: 579 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 200 NM

Climate: tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to cold nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers

Terrain: mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling plateau and low mountains in northeast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Mount Wuteve 1,380 m

Natural resources: iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 2% permanent crops: 2% other: 96% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 30 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara
(December to March)

Environment - current issues: tropical rain forest deforestation; soil erosion; loss of biodiversity; pollution of coastal waters from oil residue and raw sewage

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change, Environmental Modification,
Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note: facing the Atlantic Ocean, the coastline is characterized by lagoons, mangrove swamps, and river-deposited sandbars; the inland grassy plateau supports limited agriculture

People Liberia

Population: 3,288,198 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 43.3% (male 714,563; female 709,582) 15-64 years: 53.2% (male 854,324; female 894,753) 65 years and over: 3.5% (male 57,925; female 57,051) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.91% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 45.95 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 16.05 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -10.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: by the end of 1999, all Liberian refugees who had fled the domestic strife were assumed to have returned (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 130.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 53.33 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 6.29 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 9% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 125,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 13,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality: noun: Liberian(s) adjective: Liberian

Ethnic groups: indigenous African tribes 95% (including Kpelle, Bassa,
Gio, Kru, Grebo, Mano, Krahn, Gola, Gbandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai, and Bella),
Americo-Liberians 2.5% (descendants of immigrants from the US who had
been slaves), Congo People 2.5% (descendants of immigrants from the
Caribbean who had been slaves)

Religions: indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%

Languages: English 20% (official), some 20 ethnic group languages, of which a few can be written and are used in correspondence

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 38.3% male: 53.9% female: 22.4% (1995 est.) note: these figures are increasing because of the improving school system

Government Liberia

Country name: Republic of Liberia conventional short form: Government type: republic

Capital: Monrovia

Administrative divisions: 15 counties; Bomi, Bong, Gparbolu, Grand
Bassa, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland,
Montserrado, Nimba, River Cess, River Gee, Sinoe

Independence: 26 July 1847

National holiday: Independence Day, 26 July (1847)

Constitution: 6 January 1986

Legal system: dual system of statutory law based on Anglo-American common law for the modern sector and customary law based on unwritten tribal practices for indigenous sector

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Charles Ghankay TAYLOR (since 2 August 1997); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Charles Ghankay TAYLOR (since 2 August 1997); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (renewable); election last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held NA July 2003) election results: Charles Ghankay TAYLOR elected president; percent of vote - Charles Ghankay TAYLOR (NPP) 75.3%, Ellen Johnson SIRLEAF (UP) 9.6%, Alhaji KROMAH (ALCOP) 4%, other 11.1%

Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (26 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve nine-year terms) and the House of Representatives (64 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held NA 2006); House of Representatives - last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held NA 2003) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NPP 21, UP 3, ALCOP 2; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NPP 49, UP 7, ALCOP 3, Alliance of Political Parties 2, UPP 2, LPP 1; note - the Alliance of Political Parties was a coalition of the LAP and the Liberia Unification Party or LUP

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: All Liberia Coalition Party or ALCOP
[David KORTIE]; Free Democratic Party or FDP [George BORWAH]; Liberian
Action Party or LAP [C. Gyude BRYANT]; Liberian National Union or LINU
[Victor MOMOH]; Liberian People's Party or LPP [Koffa NAGBE]; National
Democratic Party of Liberia or NDPL [Isaac D. DIKENAH]; National Patriotic
Party or NPP [Cyril ALLEN] - governing party; People's Progressive Party
or PPP [Weah A. WEAH]; Reformation Alliance Party or RAP [James THOMAS];
True Whig Party or TWP [Rudolph SHERMAN]; United People's Party or UPP
[Wesley JOHNSON]; Unity Party or UP [Charles Clarke]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS,
FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW (signatory), UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US: Ambassador William V. S. BULL consulate(s) general: Washington, DC 20011

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Bismarck MYRICK embassy: 111 United Nations Drive, P. O. Box 10-0098, Mamba Point, Monrovia mailing address: use [231] 226-370 through 226-380 FAX: Flag description: 11 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; there is a white five-pointed star on a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner; the design was based on the US flag

Economy Liberia

Economy - overview: A civil war in 1989-96 destroyed much of Liberia's economy, especially the infrastructure in and around Monrovia. Many businessmen fled the country, taking capital and expertise with them. Some returned; many will not return. Richly endowed with water, mineral resources, forests, and a climate favorable to agriculture, Liberia had been a producer and exporter of basic products, while local manufacturing, mainly foreign owned, had been small in scope. The democratically elected government, installed in August 1997, inherited massive international debts and currently relies on revenues from its maritime registry and timber industry to provide the bulk of its foreign exchange earnings. The restoration of the infrastructure and the raising of incomes in this ravaged economy depend on the implementation of sound macro- and micro-economic policies of the new government, including the encouragement of foreign investment. Recent growth has been from a low base, and continued growth will require major policy successes and containment of armed rebellion.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $3.6 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 5% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 60% industry: 10% services: 30% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 80%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8% (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 70%, industry 8%, services 22% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: 70%

Budget: revenues: $85.4 million expenditures: $90.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Industries: rubber processing, palm oil processing, timber, diamonds

Industrial production growth rate: NA

Electricity - production: 450 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 418.5 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: rubber, coffee, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, sugarcane, bananas; sheep, goats; timber

Exports: $55 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Exports - commodities: rubber, timber, iron, diamonds, cocoa, coffee

Exports - partners: Belgium 38.5%, Germany 17.6%, Italy 6.0%, US 5.8% (2000)

Imports: $170 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Imports - commodities: fuels, chemicals, machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods; rice and other foodstuffs

Imports - partners: France 29.1%, South Korea 20.6%, Japan 15.8%,
Singapore 8.4% (2000)

Debt - external: $2.1 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $94 million (1999)

Currency: Liberian dollar (LRD)

Currency code: LRD

Exchange rates: Liberian dollars per US dollar - 46.0400 (December 2001), 48.5833 (2001), 40.9525 (2000), 41.9025 (1999), 41.5075 (1998), 1.0000 (officially fixed rate 1940-97); market exchange rate: Liberian dollars per US dollar - 40 (December 1998), 50 (October 1995) note: until December 1997, rates were based on a fixed relationship with the US dollar; beginning in January 1998, rates are market determined

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Liberia

Telephones - main lines in use: 6,700 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 0 (1998)

Telephone system: general assessment: telephone and telegraph service
via microwave radio
 NA international:
Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 7, shortwave 2 (2001)

Radios: 790,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (plus four low-power repeaters) (2001)

Televisions: 70,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .lr

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2001)

Internet users: 500 (2000)

Transportation Liberia

Railways: total: 490 km (328 km single-track) standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge note: in 1989, Liberia had three rail systems owned and operated by foreign steel and financial interests in conjunction with the Liberian Government; one of these, the Lamco Railroad, closed in 1989 after iron ore production ceased; the other two were shut down by the civil war; large sections of the rail lines have been dismantled; approximately 60 km of railroad track was exported for scrap (2001) narrow gauge: Highways: total: 10,600 km paved: 657 km unpaved: 9,943 km note: there is major deterioration on all highways due to heavy rains and lack of maintenance (1996 est.)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Buchanan, Greenville, Harper, Monrovia

Merchant marine: total: 1,513 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 51,912,244 GRT/79,297,046 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Argentina 9, Australia 2, Austria 15, Belgium 9, Brazil 5, Canada 4, Cayman Islands 1, Chile 7, China 39, Croatia 11, Denmark 4, Ecuador 1, Estonia 1, Germany 437, Greece 154, Hong Kong 69, India 5, Indonesia 1, Israel 1, Italy 5, Japan 90, Latvia 20, Man, Isle of 5, Monaco 56, Netherlands 12, New Zealand 1, Nigeria 1, Norway 103, Pakistan 1, Portugal 5, Russia 66, Saudi Arabia 21, Singapore 20, Slovenia 1, South Africa 1, South Korea 10, Spain 2, Sweden 9, Switzerland 17, Taiwan 29, Turkey 3, Ukraine 4, United Arab Emirates 12, United Kingdom 39, United States 113, Uruguay 3, Vietnam 1 (2002 est.) ships by type: bulk 16, combination ore/oil 32, container 318, liquefied gas 99, multi-functional large-load carrier 4, passenger 23, petroleum tanker 302, refrigerated cargo 69, roll on/roll off 20, short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 13, vehicle carrier 42

Airports: 47 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 45 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 35 (2001)

Military Liberia

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 729,469 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 393,028 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $7.8 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.3% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Liberia

Disputes - international: rebels and refugees contribute to border instabilities with Sierra Leone

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southeast and Southwest Asian heroin and South American cocaine for the European and US markets

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Slovakia

Introduction

Slovakia

Background: In 1918 the Slovaks joined the closely related Czechs to form Czechoslovakia. Following the chaos of World War II, Czechoslovakia became a Communist nation within Soviet-ruled Eastern Europe. Soviet influence collapsed in 1989 and Czechoslovakia once more became free. The Slovaks and the Czechs agreed to separate peacefully on 1 January 1993. Historic, political, and geographic factors have caused Slovakia to experience more difficulty in developing a modern market economy than some of its Central European neighbors.

Geography Slovakia

Location: Central Europe, south of Poland

Geographic coordinates: 48 40 N, 19 30 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 48,845 sq km water: 45 sq km land: 48,800 sq km

Area - comparative: about twice the size of New Hampshire

Land boundaries: total: 1,524 km border countries: Austria 91 km,
Czech Republic 215 km, Hungary 677 km, Poland 444 km, Ukraine 97 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

Terrain: rugged mountains in the central and northern part and lowlands in the south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Bodrok River 94 m highest point:
Gerlachovsky Stit 2,655 m

Natural resources: brown coal and lignite; small amounts of iron ore, copper and manganese ore; salt; arable land

Land use: arable land: 31% permanent crops: 3% other: 66% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,740 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: air pollution from metallurgical plants presents human health risks; acid rain damaging forests

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air
Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur
94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear
Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed,
but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note: landlocked; most of the country is rugged and mountainous; the Tatra Mountains in the north are interspersed with many scenic lakes and valleys

People Slovakia

Population: 5,422,366 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 18.3% (male 508,256; female 484,739) 15-64 years: 70.1% (male 1,888,705; female 1,910,842) 65 years and over: 11.6% (male 237,770; female 392,054) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.14% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 10.09 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 9.22 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 8.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 78.41 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.25 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: less than 0.01% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 400 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Slovak(s) adjective: Slovak

Ethnic groups: Slovak 85.7%, Hungarian 10.6%, Roma 1.6% (the 1992 census
figures underreport the Gypsy/Romany community, which is about 500,000),
Czech, Moravian, Silesian 1.1%, Ruthenian and Ukrainian 0.6%, German 0.1%,
Polish 0.1%, other 0.2% (1996)

Religions: Roman Catholic 60.3%, atheist 9.7%, Protestant 8.4%, Orthodox 4.1%, other 17.5%

Languages: Slovak (official), Hungarian

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Slovakia

Country name: conventional long form: Slovak Republic conventional short form: Slovakia local short form: Slovensko local long form: Slovenska Republika

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Bratislava

Administrative divisions: 8 regions (kraje, singular - kraj);
Banskobystricky, Bratislavsky, Kosicky, Nitriansky, Presovsky,
Trenciansky, Trnavsky, Zilinsky

Independence: 1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech
Republic and Slovakia)

National holiday: Constitution Day, 1 September (1992)

Constitution: ratified 1 September 1992, fully effective 1 January 1993; changed in September 1998 to allow direct election of the president; amended February 2001 to allow Slovakia to apply for NATO and EU membership

Legal system: civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; legal code modified to comply with the obligations of Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal theory

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Rudolf SCHUSTER (since 15 June 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Mikulas DZURINDA (since 30 October 1998) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president elected by direct, popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 29 May 1999 (next to be held NA May/June 2004); following National Council elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president note: government coalition - SDK, SDL, SMK, SOP, KDH election results: Rudolf SCHUSTER elected president in the first direct, popular election; percent of vote - Rudolf SCHUSTER 57%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Council of the Slovak Republic or Narodna Rada Slovenskej Republiky (150 seats; members are elected on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms) election results: 9.1%, SOP 8%; seats by party - governing coalition 93 (SDK 42, SDL 23, SMK 15, SOP 13), opposition 57 (HZDS 43, SNS 14); note - seating as of January 2002 - governing coalition 90 (SDK 23, SDL 21, SOP 16, SMK 15, KDH 9, DS 6), opposition 51 (HZDS 43, SNS 8), PSNS 6, independents 3 elections: Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are elected by the National Council); Constitutional Court (judges appointed by president from group of nominees approved by the National Council)

Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic Movement or KDH [Pavol HRUSOVSKY]; Democratic Party or DS [Ludovit KANIK]; Direction (Smer) [Robert FICO]; Liberal Democratic Union or LDU [Jan BUDAJ]; Movement for a Democratic Slovakia-People's Party or HZDS-LS [Vladimir MECIAR]; Party of Civic Understanding or SOP [Pavol HAMZIK]; note - SSDS and SZS joined the SOP parliamentary caucus; Party of the Democratic Left or SDL [Pvel KONCOS]; Party of the Hungarian Coalition or SMK [Bela BUGAR]; Real Slovak National Party or PSNS [Jan SLOTA]; Slovak Democratic and Christian Union or SDKU [Mikulas DZURINDA]; note - this is DZURINDA's new party for the 2002 elections; he remains chairman of a rump and splintering SDK; Slovak Democratic Coalition or SDK (loose parliamentary club grouping, representing members of the smaller SSDS, SZS, and those committed to run under SDKU in 2002) [Mikulas DZURINDA]; Slovak National Party or SNS [Anna MALIKOVA]; Yes (ANO) [Paval RUSKO]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Association of Employers of
Slovakia; Association of Towns and Villages or ZMOS; Confederation of
Trade Unions or KOZ; Metal Workers Unions or KOVO and METALURG

International organization participation: Australia Group, BIS, BSEC
(observer), CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NSG, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA,
PFP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNTAET,
UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Martin BUTORA chancery: 3523 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 FAX: [1] (202) 237-6438 telephone: [1] (202) 237-1054

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ronald WEISER embassy: Hviezdoslavovo Namestie 4, 81102 Bratislava mailing address: P.O. Box 309, 814 99 Bratislava telephone: [421] (2) 5443-3338 FAX: [421] (2) 5443-0096

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red superimposed with the Slovak cross in a shield centered on the hoist side; the cross is white centered on a background of red and blue

Economy Slovakia

Economy - overview: Slovakia has mastered much of the difficult transition from a centrally planned economy to a modern market economy. The DZURINDA government made excellent progress in 2001 in macroeconomic stabilization and structural reform. Major privatizations are nearly complete, the banking sector is almost completely in foreign hands, and foreign investment has picked up. Slovakia's economy exceeded expectations in 2001, despite recession in key export markets. Revival of domestic demand, partly due to a rise in real wages, offset slowing export growth to help drive the economy to its strongest expansion since 1998. Solid domestic demand is expected to boost economic growth to 3.4% in 2002, and about 4% in 2003. Unemployment, rising to 19.8% at the end of 2001, remained the economy's Achilles' heel. The government faces other strong challenges in 2002, especially the maintenance of fiscal balance ahead of the September 2002 parliamentary election, cutting budget and current account deficits, and privatization of the Slovak energy and power monopolies.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $62 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $11,500 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4% industry: 32% services: 64% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 5.1% highest 10%: 18.2% (1992)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 26.3 (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.4% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 3 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation: industry 29.3%, agriculture 8.9%, construction 8%, transport and communication 8.2%, services 45.6% (1994)

Unemployment rate: 19.8% (yearend 2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $5.2 billion expenditures: $5.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999)

Industries: metal and metal products; food and beverages; electricity, gas, coke, oil, nuclear fuel; chemicals and manmade fibers; machinery; paper and printing; earthenware and ceramics; transport vehicles; textiles; electrical and optical apparatus; rubber products

Industrial production growth rate: 4% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 27.53 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 35.34% hydro: 17.11% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 47.55%

Electricity - consumption: 25.203 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 4.9 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 4.5 billion kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: grains, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, cattle, poultry; forest products

Exports: $12.5 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment 39.4%, intermediate manufactured goods 27.5%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 13%, chemicals 8% (1999)

Exports - partners: EU 59.0% (Germany 26.8%, Italy 9.2%, Austria 8.4%),
Czech Republic 17.4% (2000)

Imports: $14.4 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment 37.7%, intermediate manufactured goods 18%, fuels 13%, chemicals 11%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 9.5% (1999)

Imports - partners: EU 48.9% (Germany 25.1%, Italy 6.2%), Russia 17.0%,
Czech Republic 14.7% (2000)

Debt - external: $7.8 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $421.9 million (1995)

Currency: Slovak koruna (SKK)

Currency code: SKK

Exchange rates: koruny per US dollar - 47.792 (September 2001), 46.035 (2000), 41.363 (1999), 35.233 (1998), 33.616 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Slovakia

Telephones - main lines in use: 1,934,558 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 736,662 (April 1999)

Telephone system: general assessment: a modernization and privatization program is increasing accessibility to telephone service, reducing the waiting time for new subscribers, and generally improving service quality domestic: and is being enlarged with fiber-optic cable, especially in the larger cities; mobile cellular capability has been added international: three international exchanges (one in Bratislava and two in Banska Bystrica) are available; Slovakia is participating in several international telecommunications projects that will increase the availability of external services

Radio broadcast stations: AM 15, FM 78, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios: 3.12 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 38 (plus 864 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions: 2.62 million (1997)

Internet country code: .sk

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 6 (2000)

Internet users: 700,000 (2000)

Transportation Slovakia

Railways: total: 3,660 km broad gauge: 102 km 1.520-m gauge narrow gauge: 51 km (46 km 1,000-m gauge; 5 km 0.750-m gauge) (2001) standard gauge: 3,507 km 1.435-m gauge (1,505 km electrified; 1,011 km double-tracked)

Highways: total: 17,710 km paved: 17,533 km (including 288 km of expressways) unpaved: 177 km (1998 est.)

Waterways: 172 km (all on the Danube)

Pipelines: petroleum products NA km; natural gas 2,700 km

Ports and harbors: Bratislava, Komarno

Merchant marine: total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 15,191
GRT/19,489 DWT ships by type: cargo 3 (2002 est.)

Airports: 34 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 17 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 7 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 17 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 7 (2001)

Heliports: 1 (2001)

Military Slovakia

Military branches: Army (Ground Forces), Air and Air Defense Forces,
Home Guards (Territorial Defense Forces), Civil Defense Force, Railway
Armed Forces (subordinate to the Ministry of Transportation, Post,
and Telecommunications)

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,486,728 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,136,775 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 45,502 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $406 million (2002)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.89% (2002)

Transnational Issues Slovakia

Disputes - international: Slovakia requested additional ICJ judgment in 1998, and talks continue to set modalities to assure Hungarian compliance with 1997 ICJ decision to proceed with construction of Gabcikovo-Nagymaros Dam, abandoned by Hungary in 1989

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin bound for Western Europe; producer of synthetic drugs for regional market

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Palmyra Atoll

Introduction

Palmyra Atoll

Background: The Kingdom of Hawaii claimed the atoll in 1862, and the US included it among the Hawaiian Islands when it annexed the archipelago in 1898. The Hawaii Statehood Act of 1959 did not include Palmyra Atoll, which is now privately owned by the Nature Conservancy. This organization is managing the atoll as a nature preserve. The lagoons and surrounding waters within the 12 nautical mile US territorial seas were transferred to the US Fish and Wildlife Service and were designated a National Wildlife Refuge in January 2001.

Geography Palmyra Atoll

Location: Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and American Samoa

Geographic coordinates: 5 52 N, 162 06 W

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 11.9 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 11.9 sq km

Area - comparative: about 20 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 14.5 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: equatorial, hot, and very rainy

Terrain: very low

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 2 m

Natural resources: terrestrial and aquatic wildlife

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (forests and woodlands) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: about 50 islets covered with dense vegetation, coconut trees, and balsa-like trees up to 30 meters tall

People Palmyra Atoll

Population: no indigenous inhabitants; 4 to 20 Nature Conservancy staff,
US Fish and Wildlife staff (July 2002 est.)

Population growth rate: NA

Government Palmyra Atoll

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Palmyra Atoll

Dependency status: incorporated territory of the US; privately owned, but administered from Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior

Legal system: the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description: the flag of the US is used

Economy Palmyra Atoll

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Transportation Palmyra Atoll

Highways: much of the road and many causeways built during World War
II are unserviceable and overgrown (2001)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: West Lagoon

Airports: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2001)

Military Palmyra Atoll

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Palmyra Atoll

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Liechtenstein

Introduction

Liechtenstein

Background: The Principality of Liechtenstein was established within the Holy Roman Empire in 1719; it became a sovereign state in 1806. Until the end of World War I, it was closely tied to Austria, but the economic devastation caused by that conflict forced Liechtenstein to conclude a customs and monetary union with Switzerland. Since World War II (in which Liechtenstein remained neutral) the country's low taxes have spurred outstanding economic growth. However, shortcomings in banking regulatory oversight have resulted in concerns about the use of the financial institutions for money laundering.

Geography Liechtenstein

Location: Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland

Geographic coordinates: 47 10 N, 9 32 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 160 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 160 sq km

Area - comparative: about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 76 km border countries: Austria 35 km,
Switzerland 41 km

Coastline: 0 km (doubly landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: continental; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow or rain; cool to moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers

Terrain: mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western third

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Ruggeller Riet 430 m highest point:
Grauspitz 2,599 m

Natural resources: hydroelectric potential, arable land

Land use: arable land: 25% permanent crops: 0% other: 75% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: NA

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air
Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur
94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer
Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent
Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea

Geography - note: along with Uzbekistan, one of only two doubly landlocked countries in the world; variety of microclimatic variations based on elevation

People Liechtenstein

Population: 32,842 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 18.3% (male 3,003; female 3,001) 15-64 years: 70.5% (male 11,530; female 11,639) 65 years and over: 11.2% (male 1,494; female 2,175) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.94% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 11.24 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 6.76 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 4.93 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 4.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 82.74 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.5 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Liechtensteiner(s) adjective: Liechtenstein

Ethnic groups: Alemannic 87.5%, Italian, Turkish, and other 12.5%

Religions: Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 7.4%, unknown 7.7%, other 4.9% (1996)

Languages: German (official), Alemannic dialect

Literacy: definition: age 10 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (1981 est.)

Government Liechtenstein

Country name: conventional long form: Principality of Liechtenstein
conventional short
 Liechtenstein local long form:
Government type: hereditary constitutional monarchy

Capital: Vaduz

Administrative divisions: 11 communes (Gemeinden, singular - Gemeinde);
Balzers, Eschen, Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan, Schellenberg,
Triesen, Triesenberg, Vaduz

Independence: 23 January 1719 Imperial Principality of Liechtenstein established; 12 July 1806 established independence from the Holy Roman Empire

National holiday: Assumption Day, 15 August

Constitution: 5 October 1921

Legal system: local civil and penal codes; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Prince HANS ADAM II (since 13 November 1989, assumed executive powers 26 August 1984); Heir Apparent Prince ALOIS, son of the monarch (born 11 June 1968) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party in the Diet is usually appointed the head of government by the monarch and the leader of the largest minority party in the Diet is usually appointed the deputy head of government by the monarch cabinet: Cabinet elected by the Diet, confirmed by the monarch head of government: Head of Government Otmar HASLER (since 5 April 2001) and Deputy Head of Government Rita KIEBER-BECK (since 5 April 2001)

Legislative branch: unicameral Diet or Landtag (25 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote under proportional representation to serve four-year terms) election results: percent of vote by party - FBP 49.90%, VU 41.35%, FL 8.71%; seats by party - FBP 13, VU 11, FL 1 elections: last held 11 February 2001 (next to be held by NA 2005)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Superior Court or Obergericht

Political parties and leaders: Fatherland Union or VU [Heinz FROMMELT];
Progressive Citizens' Party or FBP [Johannes MATT]; The Free List or FL
[Dr. Pepo FRICK, Karin JENNY, Rene HASLER]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: CE, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, IAEA,
ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCL,
WHO (observer), WIPO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Claudia FRITSCHE chancery: 633 Third Avenue, 27th floor, New York,
NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 599-0220 FAX: [1] (212) 599-0064

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Liechtenstein, but the US Ambassador to Switzerland is also accredited to Liechtenstein

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a gold crown on the hoist side of the blue band

Economy Liechtenstein

Economy - overview: Despite its small size and limited natural resources, Liechtenstein has developed into a prosperous, highly industrialized, free-enterprise economy with a vital financial service sector and living standards on a par with the urban areas of its large European neighbors. Low business taxes - the maximum tax rate is 18% - and easy incorporation rules have induced 73,700 holding or so-called letter box companies to establish nominal offices in Liechtenstein, providing 30% of state revenues. The country participates in a customs union with Switzerland and uses the Swiss franc as its national currency. It imports more than 90% of its energy requirements. Liechtenstein has been a member of the European Economic Area (an organization serving as a bridge between European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and EU) since May 1995. The government is working to harmonize its economic policies with those of an integrated Europe.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $730 million (1998 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: NA%

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $23,000 (1998 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1% (2001)

Labor force: 22,891 of which 13,847 are foreigners; 8,231 commute from
Austria and Switzerland to work each day

Labor force - by occupation: industry, trade, and building 45%, services 53%, agriculture, fishing, forestry, and horticulture 2% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate: 1.8% (February 1999)

Budget: revenues: $424.2 million expenditures: $414.1 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)

Industries: electronics, metal manufacturing, textiles, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments, tourism

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: NA% other: NA% hydro:
NA% nuclear: NA%

Electricity - consumption: NA kWh

Electricity - exports: NA kWh

Electricity - imports: NA kWh

Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, corn, potatoes; livestock, dairy products

Exports: $2.47 billion (1996)

Exports - commodities: small specialty machinery, dental products, stamps, hardware, pottery

Exports - partners: EU and EFTA countries 60.57% (Switzerland 15.7%) (1995)

Imports: $917.3 million (1996)

Imports - commodities: machinery, metal goods, textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles

Imports - partners: EU countries, Switzerland (1996)

Debt - external: $0 (1996)

Economic aid - recipient: none

Currency: Swiss franc (CHF)

Currency code: CHF

Exchange rates: Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.6668 (January 2002), 1.6876 (2001), 1.6888 (2000), 1.5022 (1999), 1.4498 (1998), 1.4513 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Liechtenstein

Telephones - main lines in use: 20,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: NA

Telephone system: NA international: Radio broadcast stations: AM 0,
FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 21,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: NA (linked to Swiss networks) (1997)

Televisions: 12,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .li

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 44 (Liechtenstein and Switzerland) (2000)

Internet users: NA

Transportation Liechtenstein

Railways: 18.5 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified) note: (2001)

Highways: total: 250 km paved: 250 km unpaved: 0 km

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: none

Airports: none (2001)

Military Liechtenstein

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Switzerland

Transnational Issues Liechtenstein

Disputes - international: Liechtenstein's royal family claims restitution for 1,600 sq km of land in the Czech Republic confiscated in 1918

Illicit drugs: multilateral organizations engaged in issuing international guidelines for financial sector oversight found gaps in Liechtenstein's financial services controls that made it vulnerable to money laundering, but Liechtenstein has become less attractive as a haven for illicit funds, based on implementation in 2001 of new anti-money-laundering legislation and improved mutual legal assistance cooperation with other countries

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Lesotho

Introduction

Lesotho

Background: Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon independence from the UK in 1966. King MOSHOESHOE was exiled in 1990. Constitutional government was restored in 1993 after 23 years of military rule.

Geography Lesotho

Location: Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa

Geographic coordinates: 29 30 S, 28 30 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 30,355 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 30,355 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries: total: 909 km border countries: South Africa 909 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers

Terrain: mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng
Rivers 1,400 m highest point: Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m

Natural resources: water, agricultural and grazing land, some diamonds and other minerals

Land use: arable land: 11% permanent crops: 0% other: 89% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 10 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: population pressure forcing settlement in marginal areas results in overgrazing, severe soil erosion, and soil exhaustion; desertification; Highlands Water Project controls, stores, and redirects water to South Africa

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes,
Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified:
Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping

Geography - note: landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 meters above sea level

People Lesotho

Population: 2,207,954 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 39% (male 433,229; female 427,926) 15-64 years: 56.3% (male 600,476; female 642,538) 65 years and over: 4.7% (male 43,691; female 60,094) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.33% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 30.72 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 16.81 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 82.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 47.8 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 4.01 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 23.57% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 240,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 16,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural) adjective:
Basotho

Ethnic groups: Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%,

Religions: Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20%

Languages: Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 83% male: 72% female: 93% (1999 est.)

Government Lesotho

Country name: Kingdom of Lesotho conventional short form: Government type: parliamentary constitutional monarchy

Capital: Maseru

Administrative divisions: 10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe,
Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohales Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing,
Thaba-Tseka

Independence: 4 October 1966 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 4 October (1966)

Constitution: 2 April 1993

Legal system: based on English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial review of legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: King LETSIE III (since 7 February 1996); note - King LETSIE III formerly occupied the throne from November 1990 to February 1995, while his father was in exile head of government: Prime Minister Pakalitha MOSISILI (since 23 May 1998) cabinet: Cabinet elections: none; according to the constitution, the leader of the majority party in the Assembly automatically becomes prime minister; the monarch is hereditary, but, under the terms of the constitution which came into effect after the March 1993 election, the monarch is a "living symbol of national unity" with no executive or legislative powers; under traditional law the college of chiefs has the power to determine who is next in the line of succession, who shall serve as regent in the event that the successor is not of mature age, and may even depose the monarch

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (33 members - 22 principal chiefs and 11 other members appointed by the ruling party) and the Assembly (120 seats, 80 by direct popular vote and 40 by proportional vote; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms); note - number of seats in the Assembly rose from 80 to 120 in the May 2002 election elections: last held NA May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - LCD 54%, BNP 21%, LPC 7%, other 18%; seats by party - LCD 76, BNP 21, LPC 5, other 18

Judicial branch: High Court (chief justice appointed by the monarch);
Court of Appeal; Magistrate's Court; customary or traditional court

Political parties and leaders: Basotho Congress Party or BCP [Tseliso
MAKHAKHE]; Basotho National Party or BNP [Maj. Gen. Justine Metsing
LEKHANYA]; Lesotho Congress for Democracy or LCD [Phebe MOTEBANO,
chairwoman; Pakalitha MOSISILI, leader] - the governing party; Lesotho
People's Congress or LPC [Kelebone MAOPE]; United Democratic Party or UDP
[Charles MOFELI]; Marematlou Freedom Party or MFP and Setlamo Alliance
[Vincent MALEBO]; Progressive National Party or PNP [Chief Peete Nkoebe
PEETE]; Sefate Democratic Party or SDP [Bofihla NKUEBE]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO,
G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC,
ISO (subscriber), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Molelekeng Ernestina RAPOLAKI FAX: [1] [1] (202) 797-5533 through 5536 chancery: Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Robert G. LOFTIS embassy: 254 Kingsway, Maseru West (Consular Section) mailing address: P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100, Lesotho telephone: [266] 312666 FAX: [266] 310116

Flag description: divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; the upper half is white, bearing the brown silhouette of a large shield with crossed spear and club; the lower half is a diagonal blue band with a green triangle in the corner

Economy Lesotho

Economy - overview: Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Lesotho's primary natural resource is water. Its economy is based on subsistence agriculture, livestock, remittances from miners employed in South Africa, and a rapidly growing apparel-assembly sector. The number of mineworkers has declined steadily over the past several years. A small manufacturing base depends largely on farm products that support the milling, canning, leather, and jute industries. Agricultural products are exported primarily to South Africa. Proceeds from membership in a common customs union with South Africa form the majority of government revenue. Although drought has decreased agricultural activity over the past few years, completion of a major hydropower facility in January 1998 now permits the sale of water to South Africa, generating royalties for Lesotho. The pace of privatization has increased in recent years. In December 1999, the government embarked on a nine-month IMF staff-monitored program aimed at structural adjustment and stabilization of macroeconomic fundamentals. The government is in the process of applying for a three-year successor program with the IMF under its Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility. Lesotho has a marked inequality in income distribution and serious unemployment/underemployment problems that will not yield to short-run solutions.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $5.3 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 2.6% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,450 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 18% industry: 38% services: 44% (2001)

Population below poverty line: 49.2% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.9% highest 10%: 43.4% (1986-87)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 56 (1986-87)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.9% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 700,000 economically active

Labor force - by occupation: 86% of resident population engaged in subsistence agriculture; roughly 35% of the active male wage earners work in South Africa

Unemployment rate: 45% (2000 est.)

Budget: revenues: $76 million expenditures: $80 million, including capital expenditures of $15 million (FY99/00 est.)

Industries: food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts; construction; tourism

Industrial production growth rate: 15.5% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production: 0 kWh; note - electricity supplied by South
Africa (2000)

Electricity - consumption: 100 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 100 million kWh note: electricity supplied by
South Africa (2000)

Agriculture - products: corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock

Exports: $250 million (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals

Exports - partners: South African Customs Union 53.9%, North America 45.6% (1999)

Imports: $720 million (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products

Imports - partners: South African Customs Union 89.5%, Asia 7% (1999)

Debt - external: $715 million (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $123.7 million (1995)

Currency: loti (LSL); South African rand (ZAR)

Currency code: LSL; ZAR

Exchange rates: maloti per US dollar - 11.58786 (January 2002), 8.60918 (2001), 6.93983 (2000), 6.10948 (1999), 5.52828 (1998), 4.60796 (1997); note - the Lesotho loti is at par with the South African rand which is also legal tender; maloti is the plural form of loti

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Communications Lesotho

Telephones - main lines in use: 22,200 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 21,600 (2000)

Telephone system: general assessment: rudimentary system domestic: consists of a few landlines, a small microwave radio relay system, and a minor radiotelephone communication system international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios: NA (2002)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (2000)

Televisions: NA

Internet country code: .ls

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: 4,000 (2000)

Transportation Lesotho

Railways: total: 2.6 km; note - owned by, operated by, and included in the statistics of South Africa narrow gauge: 2.6 km 1.067-m gauge (1995)

Highways: total: 4,955 km paved: 887 km unpaved: 4,068 km (1996)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: none

Airports: 28 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 20 (2001)

Military Lesotho

Military branches: Lesotho Defense Force (LDF; including Army and Air
Wing), Royal Lesotho Mounted Police

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 526,332 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 283,203 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $34 million (1999)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Military - note: The Lesotho Government in 1999 began an open debate on the future structure, size, and role of the armed forces, especially considering the Lesotho Defense Force's (LDF) history of intervening in political affairs.

Transnational Issues Lesotho

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Luxembourg

Introduction

Luxembourg

Background: Founded in 963, Luxembourg became a grand duchy in 1815 and an independent state under the Netherlands. It lost more than half of its territory to Belgium in 1839, but gained a larger measure of autonomy. Full independence was attained in 1867. Overrun by Germany in both World Wars, it ended its neutrality in 1948 when it entered into the Benelux Customs Union and when it joined NATO the following year. In 1957, Luxembourg became one of the six founding countries of the European Economic Community (later the European Union) and in 1999 it joined the euro currency area.

Geography Luxembourg

Location: Western Europe, between France and Germany

Geographic coordinates: 49 45 N, 6 10 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 2,586 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 2,586 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Rhode Island

Land boundaries: total: 359 km border countries: Belgium 148 km, France 73 km, Germany 138 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: modified continental with mild winters, cool summers

Terrain: mostly gently rolling uplands with broad, shallow valleys; uplands to slightly mountainous in the north; steep slope down to Moselle flood plain in the southeast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Moselle River 133 m highest point:
Buurgplaatz 559 m

Natural resources: iron ore (no longer exploited), arable land

Land use: arable land: 25% permanent crops: 0% other: 75% (includes
Belgium) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 40 sq km (includes Belgium) (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: air and water pollution in urban areas, soil pollution of farmland

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution,
Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air
Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Environmental Modification

Geography - note: landlocked; the only Grand Duchy in the world, it is the smallest of the European Union member states

People Luxembourg

Population: 448,569 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 18.9% (male 43,634; female 41,164) 15-64 years: 67% (male 151,364; female 149,156) 65 years and over: 14.1% (male 25,486; female 37,765) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.25% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 12.06 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 8.83 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 9.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 4.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 80.97 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.7 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.16% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Luxembourger(s) adjective: Luxembourg

Ethnic groups: Celtic base (with French and German blend), Portuguese, Italian, Slavs (from Montenegro, Albania, and Kososvo) and European (guest and resident workers)

Religions: the greatest preponderance of the population is Roman Catholic with a very few Protestants, Jews, and Muslims note: 1979 legislation forbids the collection of religious statistics

Languages: Luxembourgish (national language), German (administrative language), French (administrative language)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (2000 est.)

Government Luxembourg

Country name: conventional long form: Grand Duchy of Luxembourg conventional short form: Luxembourg local short form: Luxembourg local long form: Grand Duche de Luxembourg

Government type: constitutional monarchy

Capital: Luxembourg

Administrative divisions: 3 districts; Diekirch, Grevenmacher, Luxembourg

Independence: 1839 (from the Netherlands)

National holiday: National Day (Birthday of Grand Duchess Charlotte) 23 June

Constitution: 17 October 1868, occasional revisions

Legal system: based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch: chief of state: Grand Duke HENRI (since 7 October 2000); Heir Apparent Prince GUILLAUME (son of the monarch, born 11 November 1981) head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Claude JUNCKER (since 1 January 1995) and Vice Prime Minister Lydie POLFER (since 7 August 1999) cabinet: the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and vice prime minister appointed by the monarch, following popular election to the Chamber of Deputies; they are responsible to the Chamber of Deputies note: government coalition - CSV and DP

Legislative branch: unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (60 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: also a Council of State that serves as an advisory body to the Chamber of Deputies; the Council of State has 21 members appointed by the Grand Duke on the advice of the prime minister election results: percent of vote by party - CSV 29.79%, DP 21.58%, LSAP 23.75%, ADR 10.36%, Green Party 9.09%, the Left 3.77%; seats by party - CSV 19, DP 15, LSAP 13, ADR 6, Green Party 5, the Left 2

Judicial branch: judicial courts and tribunals (3 Justices of the Peace, 2 district courts, and 1 Supreme Court of Appeals); administrative courts and tribunals (State Prosecutor's Office, administrative courts and tribunals, and the Constitutional Court); judges for all courts are appointed for life by the monarch

Political parties and leaders: Action Committee for Democracy and Justice or ADR [Robert MEHLEN]; Christian Social People's Party or CSV (known also as Christian Social Party or PCS) [Erna HENNICOT-SCHOEPGES]; Democratic Party or DP [Lydie POLFER]; Green Party [Abbes JACOBY and Felix BRAS]; Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party or LSAP [Jean ASSELBORN]; Marxist and Reformed Communist Party DEI LENK (the Left) [no formal leadership]; other minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders: ABBL (bankers' association); ALEBA (financial sector trade union); Centrale Paysanne (federation of agricultural producers); CEP (professional sector chamber); CGFP (trade union representing civil service); Chambre de Commerce (Chamber of Commerce); Chambre des Metiers (Chamber of Artisans); FEDIL (federation of industrialists); LCGP (center-right trade union); OGBL (center-left trade union)

International organization participation: ACCT, Australia Group,
Benelux, CCC, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NATO, NEA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Arlette
CONZEMIUS-PACCOURD chancery: 2200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington,
DC 20008 consulate(s) general: (202) 265-4171

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Gerald LOFTUS embassy: 22 Boulevard Emmanuel-Servais, L-2535 Luxembourg City mailing address: American Embassy Luxembourg, Unit 1410, APO AE 09126-1410 (official mail); American Embassy Luxembourg, PSC 9, Box 9500, APO AE 09123 (personal mail) telephone: [352] 46 01 23 FAX: [352] 46 14 01

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and light blue; similar to the flag of the Netherlands, which uses a darker blue and is shorter; design was based on the flag of France

Economy Luxembourg

Economy - overview: This stable, high-income economy features solid growth, low inflation, and low unemployment. The industrial sector, initially dominated by steel, has become increasingly diversified to include chemicals, rubber, and other products. Growth in the financial sector has more than compensated for the decline in steel. Services, especially banking, account for a substantial proportion of the economy. Agriculture is based on small family-owned farms. The economy depends on foreign and trans-border workers for 30% of its labor force. Although Luxembourg, like all EU members, has suffered from the global economic slump, the country has maintained a fairly robust growth rate. On 1 January 2002, Luxembourg - together with 11 of its EU partners - began to replace its circulating national currency with the euro.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $19.2 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $43,400 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 30% services: 69% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.4% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 262,300 (of whom 87,400 are foreign cross-border workers primarily from France, Belgium, and Germany) (2000)

Labor force - by occupation: services 90.1%, industry 8%, agriculture 1.9% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: 2.4% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $4.44 billion expenditures: $4.44 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Industries: banking, iron and steel, food processing, chemicals, metal products, engineering, tires, glass, aluminum

Industrial production growth rate: 1.9% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 467.7 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 57.52% hydro: 25.66% other: 16.82% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 6.158 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 735 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 6.458 billion kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: barley, oats, potatoes, wheat, fruits, wine grapes; livestock products

Exports: $7.85 billion (f.o.b., 2000)

Exports - commodities: machinery and equipment, steel products, chemicals, rubber products, glass

Exports - partners: EU 85% (Germany 24%, France 21%, Belgium 13%), US 4% (2000)

Imports: $10.25 billion (c.i.f., 2000)

Imports - commodities: minerals, metals, foodstuffs, quality consumer goods

Imports - partners: EU 88% (Belgium 37%, Germany 25%, France 13%), US 4% (2000)

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid - donor: ODA, $160 million (1999)

Currency: euro (EUR); Luxembourg franc (LUF) note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code: EUR; LUF

Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); Luxembourg francs per US dollar - 34.77 (January 1999), 36.299 (1998), 35.774 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Luxembourg

Telephones - main lines in use: 314,700 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 215,741 (2000)

Telephone system: general assessment: highly developed, completely automated and efficient system, mainly buried cables domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; buried cable international: 3 channels leased on TAT-6 coaxial submarine cable (Europe to North America)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)

Radios: 285,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 5 (1999)

Televisions: 285,000 (1998 est.)

Internet country code: .lu

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 8 (2000)

Internet users: 100,000 (2001)

Transportation Luxembourg

Railways: total: 274 km standard gauge: 274 km 1.435-m gauge (242 km electrified) (2001)

Highways: 5,166 km (including 118 km of expressways) unpaved: Waterways: 37 km (on the Moselle)

Pipelines: petroleum products 48 km

Ports and harbors: Mertert

Merchant marine: total: 60 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,487,752 GRT/2,123,579 DWT ships by type: bulk 2, chemical tanker 13, container 8, liquefied gas 19, passenger 4, petroleum tanker 8, roll on/roll off 6 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Belgium 21, Finland 3, France 8, Germany 10, Monaco 1, Netherlands 3, Norway 1, United Kingdom 9, United States 3 (2002 est.)

Airports: 2 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2001)

Heliports: 1 (2001)

Military Luxembourg

Military branches: Army, Grand Ducal Police

Military manpower - military age: 19 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 113,557 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 93,429 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 2,565 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $147.8 million (FY01/02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.8% (FY01/02)

Transnational Issues Luxembourg

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Libya

Introduction

Libya

Background: Since he took power in a 1969 military coup, Col. Muammar Abu Minyar al-QADHAFI has espoused his own political system - a combination of socialism and Islam - which he calls the Third International Theory. Viewing himself as a revolutionary leader, he used oil funds during the 1970s and 1980s to promote his ideology outside Libya, even supporting subversives and terrorists abroad to hasten the end of Marxism and capitalism. Libyan military adventures failed, e.g., the prolonged foray of Libyan troops into the Aozou Strip in northern Chad was finally repulsed in 1987. Libyan support for terrorism decreased after UN sanctions were imposed in 1992. Those sanctions were suspended in April 1999.

Geography Libya

Location: Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between
Egypt and Tunisia

Geographic coordinates: 25 00 N, 17 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 1,759,540 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 1,759,540 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Alaska

Land boundaries: total: 4,348 km border countries: Algeria 982 km,
Chad 1,055 km, Egypt 1,115 km, Niger 354 km, Sudan 383 km, Tunisia 459 km

Coastline: 1,770 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 NM note: Gulf of Sidra closing line - 32 degrees, 30 minutes north

Climate: Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior

Terrain: mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sabkhat Ghuzayyil -47 m highest point:
Bikku Bitti 2,267 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, gypsum

Land use: arable land: 1% permanent crops: 0% other: 99% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 4,700 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to four days in spring and fall; dust storms, sandstorms

Environment - current issues: desertification; very limited natural fresh water resources; the Great Manmade River Project, the largest water development scheme in the world, is being built to bring water from large aquifers under the Sahara to coastal cities

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Geography - note: more
than 90% of the country is desert or semidesert

People Libya

Population: 5,368,585 note: includes 662,669 non-nationals, of which an estimated 500,000 or more are Africans living in Libya (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 35% (male 958,243; female 917,940) 15-64 years: 61% (male 1,694,986; female 1,581,400) 65 years and over: 4% (male 105,500; female 110,516) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.41% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 27.59 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 3.5 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 27.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 78.11 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 3.57 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.05% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Libyan(s) adjective: Libyan

Ethnic groups: Berber and Arab 97%, Greeks, Maltese, Italians, Egyptians,
Pakistanis, Turks, Indians, Tunisians

Religions: Sunni Muslim 97%

Languages: Arabic, Italian, English, all are widely understood in the major cities

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 76.2% male: 87.9% female: 63% (1995 est.)

Government Libya

Country name: conventional long form: Great Socialist People's Libyan
Arab Jamahiriya
 none local long form:
Government type: Jamahiriya (a state of the masses) in theory, governed
by the populace through local councils; in fact, a military dictatorship

Capital: Tripoli

Administrative divisions: 25 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ajdabiya, Al 'Aziziyah, Al Fatih, Al Jabal al Akhdar, Al Jufrah, Al Khums, Al Kufrah, An Nuqat al Khams, Ash Shati', Awbari, Az Zawiyah, Banghazi, Darnah, Ghadamis, Gharyan, Misratah, Murzuq, Sabha, Sawfajjin, Surt, Tarabulus, Tarhunah, Tubruq, Yafran, Zlitan; note - the 25 municipalities may have been replaced by 13 regions

Independence: 24 December 1951 (from Italy)

National holiday: Revolution Day, 1 September (1969)

Constitution: 11 December 1969, amended 2 March 1977

Legal system: based on Italian civil law system and Islamic law; separate religious courts; no constitutional provision for judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch: chief of state: Revolutionary Leader Col. Muammar Abu Minyar al-QADHAFI (since 1 September 1969); note - holds no official title, but is de facto chief of state elections: national elections are indirect through a hierarchy of people's committees; head of government elected by the General People's Congress; election last held 2 March 2000 (next to be held NA) election results: Mubarak al-SHAMEKH elected premier; percent of General People's Congress vote - NA% cabinet: General People's Committee established by the General People's Congress head of government: (since 2 March 2000)

Legislative branch: unicameral General People's Congress (NA seats; members elected indirectly through a hierarchy of people's committees)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: none

Political pressure groups and leaders: various Arab nationalist movements with almost negligible memberships may be functioning clandestinely, as well as some Islamic elements

International organization participation: ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF,
AMU, CAEU, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OAU,
OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US: Libya does not have an embassy in the US

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US suspended all embassy activities in Tripoli on 2 May 1980

Flag description: plain green; green is the traditional color of Islam (the state religion)

Economy Libya

Economy - overview: The socialist-oriented economy depends primarily upon revenues from the oil sector, which contributes practically all export earnings and about one-quarter of GDP. These oil revenues and a small population give Libya one of the highest per capita GDPs in Africa, but little of this income flows down to the lower orders of society. Import restrictions and inefficient resource allocations have led to periodic shortages of basic goods and foodstuffs. The nonoil manufacturing and construction sectors, which account for about 20% of GDP, have expanded from processing mostly agricultural products to include the production of petrochemicals, iron, steel, and aluminum. Climatic conditions and poor soils severely limit agricultural output, and Libya imports about 75% of its food. Higher oil prices in 1999 and 2000 led to an increase in export revenues, which improved macroeconomic balances and helped to stimulate the economy. The suspension of UN sanctions in 1999 also boosted growth. Libya's January 2002 51% devaluation of the official exchange rate of the dinar is another fiscal plus, although it will also bring higher inflation.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $40 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $7,600 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 7% industry: 47% services: 46% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 13.6% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 1.5 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: services 54%, industry 29%, agriculture 17% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate: 30% (2000 est.)

Budget: revenues: $9.3 billion expenditures: $9.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Industries: petroleum, food processing, textiles, handicrafts, cement

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 19.4 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 18.042 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, olives, dates, citrus, vegetables, peanuts, soybeans; cattle

Exports: $13.1 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: crude oil, refined petroleum products

Exports - partners: Italy 42%, Germany 19%, Spain 13%, Turkey 6%,
France 4%, Switzerland 3%, Tunisia 2% (2000)

Imports: $8.7 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery, transport equipment, food, manufactured goods

Imports - partners: Italy 25%, Germany 10%, UK 8%, France 7%, Tunisia 7%, South Korea 4% (2000)

Debt - external: $4.7 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $7 million (1999 est.)

Currency: Libyan dinar (LYD)

Currency code: LYD

Exchange rates: Libyan dinars per US dollar - 0.6501 (December 2001), 0.6501 (2001), 0.5403 (2000), 0.5403 (1999), 0.3785 (1998), 0.3891 (1997); market rate for Libyan dinars per US dollar - 1.55 (January 2002) note: Libya devalued its official rate for foreign trade on 1 January 2002 to 21.30 dinars per US dollar; the previous official rate was 0.63 dinar per US dollar (Dec 2001)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Libya

Telephones - main lines in use: 380,000 (1996)

Telephones - mobile cellular: NA

Telephone system: general assessment: telecommunications system is being modernized; mobile cellular telephone system became operational in 1996 domestic: and a domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations international: submarine cables to France and Italy; microwave radio relay to Tunisia and Egypt; tropospheric scatter to Greece; participant in Medarabtel (1999)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 17, FM 4, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios: 1.35 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 12 (plus one low-power repeater) (1998)

Televisions: 730,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .ly

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: 20,000 (2001)

Transportation Libya

Railways: note: Libya has had no railroad in operation since 1965, all previous systems having been dismantled; current plans are to construct a 1.435-m standard-gauge line from the Tunisian frontier to Tripoli and Misratah, then inland to Sabha, center of a mineral-rich area, but there has been little progress; other plans made jointly with Egypt would establish a rail line from As Sallum, Egypt, to Tobruk with completion originally set for mid-1994; Libya signed contracts with two private companies - Bahne of Egypt and Jez Sistemas Ferroviarios of Spain - in 1998 for the supply of crossings and pointwork (2001)

Highways: total: 24,484 km paved: 6,798 km unpaved: 17,686 km note: data for the length of unpaved roads include the assumption that because they were listed as secondary roads, they are unpaved; some may be paved and some part of the primary roads may not be paved (1996)

Waterways: none

Pipelines: crude oil 4,383 km; petroleum products 443 km (includes liquefied petroleum gas or LPG 256 km); natural gas 1,947 km

Ports and harbors: Al Khums, Banghazi, Darnah, Marsa al Burayqah,
Misratah, Ra's Lanuf, Tobruk, Tripoli, Zuwarah

Merchant marine: total: 23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 209,000 GRT/278,277 DWT ships by type: cargo 9, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas 3, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 4, short-sea passenger 4 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Algeria 1, Kuwait 1, United Arab Emirates 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 136 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 58 over 3,047 m: 23 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 2 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 22

Airports - with unpaved runways: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: Heliports: 1 (2001)

Military Libya

Military branches: Armed Peoples on Duty (Army), Navy, Air and Air
Defense Command (includes Air Force)

Military manpower - military age: 17 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,503,647 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 890,783 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 61,694 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $1.3 billion (FY99/00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.9% (FY99/00)

Transnational Issues Libya

Disputes - international: Chadian rebels from Aozou region reside in Libya; Libya claims about 19,400 sq km in Niger as well as part of southeastern Algeria in currently dormant disputes

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Madagascar

Introduction

Madagascar

Background: Formerly an independent kingdom, Madagascar became a French colony in 1886, but regained its independence in 1960. During 1992-93, free presidential and National Assembly elections were held, ending 17 years of single-party rule. In 1997, in the second presidential race, Didier RATSIRAKA, the leader during the 1970s and 1980s, was returned to the presidency. The 2001 presidential election was contested between the followers of Didier RATSIRAKA and Marc RAVALOMANANA, nearly causing secession of half of the country. In April 2002 the High Constitutional Court announced RAVALOMANANA the winner.

Geography Madagascar

Location: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique

Geographic coordinates: 20 00 S, 47 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 587,040 sq km water: 5,500 sq km land: 581,540 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Arizona

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 4,828 km

Maritime claims: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: Climate: tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south

Terrain: narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point:
Maromokotro 2,876 m

Natural resources: graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 4% permanent crops: 1% other: 95% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 10,900 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: periodic cyclones

Environment - current issues: soil erosion results from deforestation and overgrazing; desertification; surface water contaminated with raw sewage and other organic wastes; several species of flora and fauna unique to the island are endangered

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection,
Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique Channel

People Madagascar

Population: 16,473,477 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 45% (male 3,713,700; female 3,696,478) 15-64 years: 51.8% (male 4,227,931; female 4,313,940) 65 years and over: 3.2% (male 241,699; female 279,729) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.03% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 42.41 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 12.15 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 81.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 58.11 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 5.77 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.15% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 11,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 870 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Malagasy (singular and plural) adjective: Malagasy

Ethnic groups: Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo), Cotiers (mixed African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry - Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French, Indian, Creole, Comoran

Religions: indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7%

Languages: French (official), Malagasy (official)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 80% male: 88% female: 73% (1990 est.)

Government Madagascar

Country name: Republic of Madagascar conventional short form: long form: Republique de Madagascar

Government type: republic

Capital: Antananarivo

Administrative divisions: 6 provinces (faritany); Antananarivo,
Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara

Independence: 26 June 1960 (from France)

National holiday: Independence Day, 26 June (1960)

Constitution: 19 August 1992 by national referendum

Legal system: based on French civil law system and traditional Malagasy law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Marc RAVALOMANANA (since 6 May 2002) head of government: Prime Minister Jacques SYLLA (27 May 2002) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 16 December 2001 (next to be held NA November 2006); prime minister appointed by the president from a list of candidates nominated by the National Assembly election results: percent of vote - Didier RATSIRAKA (AREMA) 40.89%, Marc RAVALOMANANA 46.21%; note - on 29 April 2002, the High Constitutional Court announced RAVALOMANANA the winner by just over 50% after a recount; RATSIRIKA's prime minister was put under house arrest on 27 May 2002, and SYLLA was appointed the new prime minister by President RAVALOMANANA

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (150 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); note - the legislature is scheduled to become a bicameral Parliament with the establishment of a Senate; two-thirds of the seats of this Senate will be filled by regional assemblies whose members will be elected by popular vote; the remaining one-third of the seats will be appointed by the president; the total number of seats will be determined by the National Assembly; all members will serve four-year terms elections: election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - AREMA 63, LEADER/Fanilo 16, AVI 14, RPSD 11, AFFA 6, MFM 3, AKFM/Fanavaozana 3, GRAD/Iloafo 1, Fihaonana 1, independents 32

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Constitutional
Court or Haute Cour Constitutionnelle

Political parties and leaders: Action, Truth, Development, and Harmony or AFFA [Professor Albert ZAFY]; Association for the Rebirth of Madagascar or AREMA [leader vacant]; Congress Party for Malagasy Independence or AKFM/Fanavaozana [leader NA]; Economic Liberalism and Democratic Action for National Recovery or LEADER/Fanilo [Herizo RAZAFIMAHALEO]; Fihaonana Rally or Fihaonana [Guy RAZANAMASY]; Group of Reflection and Action for the Development of Madagascar or GRAD/Iloafo; Judged by Your Work or AVI [Norbert RATSIRAHONANA]; Movement for the Progress of Madagascar or MFM [Manandafy RAKOTONIRINA]; Renewal of the Social Democratic Party or RPSD [Evariste MARSON]; Tranobe (Big House) [Ny Hasina ANDRIAMANJATO]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Federalist Movement; National
Council of Christian Churches or FFKM

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, FAO,
G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Zina
ANDRIANARIVELO-RAZAFY consulate(s) general: New York FAX: [1] (202)
265-3034 telephone: [1] (202) 265-5525, 5526 chancery: 2374 Massachusetts
Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Wanda L. NESBITT embassy: 14-16 Rue Rainitovo, Antsahavola, Antananarivo mailing address: B. P. 620, Antsahavola, Antananarivo telephone: [261] (20) 22-212-57 FAX: [261] (20) 22-345-39

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a vertical white band of the same width on hoist side

Economy Madagascar

Economy - overview: Madagascar faces problems of chronic malnutrition, underfunded health and education facilities, a roughly 3% annual population growth rate, and severe loss of forest cover, accompanied by erosion. Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is the mainstay of the economy, accounting for one-third of GDP and contributing more than 70% to export earnings. Industry features textile manufacturing and the processing of agricultural products. Growth in output in 1992-97 averaged less than the growth rate of the population. Growth has been held back by antigovernment strikes and demonstrations, a decline in world coffee prices, and the erratic commitment of the government to economic reform. The extent of government reforms, outside financial aid, and foreign investment will be key determinants of future growth.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $14 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 5% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $870 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 34% industry: 11% services: 55% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line: 70% (1994 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.2% highest 10%: 37.3% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 46 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 7 million (1999)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $553 million expenditures: $735 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)

Industries: meat processing, soap, breweries, tanneries, sugar, textiles, glassware, cement, automobile assembly plant, paper, petroleum, tourism

Industrial production growth rate: 3% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production: 820 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 36.59% hydro: 63.41% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 762.6 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), beans, bananas, peanuts; livestock products

Exports: $680 million (f.o.b., 2000)

Exports - commodities: coffee, vanilla, shellfish, sugar; cotton cloth, chromite, petroleum products

Exports - partners: France 41%, US 21%, Germany 7%, Japan 4%, UK 1% (2000)

Imports: $919 million (f.o.b., 2000)

Imports - commodities: intermediate manufactures, capital goods, petroleum, consumer goods, food

Imports - partners: France 38%, Hong Kong 10%, China 5%, Singapore 5%,
Japan 3%

Debt - external: $4.5 billion (2000)

Economic aid - recipient: $838 million (1997)

Currency: Malagasy franc (MGF)

Currency code: MGF

Exchange rates: Malagasy francs per US dollar - 6,531.4 (December 2001), 6,588.5 (2001), 6,767.5 (2000), 6,283.8 (1999), 5,441.4 (1998), 5,090.9 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Madagascar

Telephones - main lines in use: 55,000 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 63,100 (2000)

Telephone system: system is above average for the region domestic: scatter links connect regions international: submarine cable to Bahrain; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2 (plus a number of repeater stations),
FM 9, shortwave 6 (2001)

Radios: 3.05 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (plus 36 repeaters) (2001)

Televisions: 325,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .mg

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)

Internet users: 30,000 (2000)

Transportation Madagascar

Railways: total: 893 km narrow gauge: 893 km 1.000-m gauge (2001)

Highways: total: 49,837 km paved: 5,781 km unpaved: 44,056 km (1996)

Waterways: note: of local importance only

Ports and harbors: Antsiranana, Antsohimbondrona, Mahajanga, Toamasina,
Toliara

Merchant marine: total: 15 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 27,199 GRT/37,462 DWT ships by type: cargo 9, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 2 (2002 est.)

Airports: 130 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 29 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 20 under 914 m: 2 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 101 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 55 under 914 m: 44 (2001)

Military Madagascar

Military branches: People's Armed Forces (comprising Intervention
Force, Development Force, Aeronaval [Navy and Air] Force), Gendarmerie,
Presidential Security Regiment

Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 3,758,940 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 2,229,304 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 153,856 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $48.7 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.2% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Madagascar

Disputes - international: claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, and Tromelin Island (all administered by France)

Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild varieties) used mostly for domestic consumption; transshipment point for heroin

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Martinique

Introduction

Martinique

Background: Colonized by France in 1635, the island has subsequently remained a French possession except for three brief periods of foreign occupation.

Geography Martinique

Location: Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates: 14 40 N, 61 00 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 1,100 sq km water: 40 sq km land: 1,060 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly more than six times the size of Washington,
DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 350 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical; moderated by trade winds; rainy season (June to October); vulnerable to devastating cyclones (hurricanes) every eight years on average; average temperature 17.3 degrees C; humid

Terrain: mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point:
Montagne Pelee 1,397 m

Natural resources: coastal scenery and beaches, cultivable land

Land use: arable land: 10% permanent crops: 11% other: 79% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 30 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: hurricanes, flooding, and volcanic activity (an average of one major natural disaster every five years)

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: the island is dominated by Mount Pelee, which on 8 May 1902 erupted and completely destroyed the city of Saint Pierre, killing 30,000 inhabitants

People Martinique

Population: 422,277 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 23% (male 49,261; female 47,843) 15-64 years: 66.8% (male 140,616; female 141,460) 65 years and over: 10.2% (male 19,274; female 23,823) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.89% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 15.37 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 6.4 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 7.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 77.92 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.79 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Martiniquais (singular and plural) adjective:
Martiniquais

Ethnic groups: African and African-white-Indian mixture 90%, white 5%,
East Indian, Chinese less than 5%

Religions: Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African 5%

Languages: French, Creole patois

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93% male: 92% female: 93% (1982 est.)

Government Martinique

Country name: Department of Martinique conventional short form: la Martinique

Dependency status: overseas department of France

Government type: NA

Capital: Fort-de-France

Administrative divisions: none (overseas department of France)

Independence: none (overseas department of France)

National holiday: Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system: French legal system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995); Prefect Michel CADOT (since 21 June 2000) elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; the presidents of the General and Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils head of government: President of the General Council Claude LISE (since 22 March 1992); President of the Regional Council Alfred MARIE-JEANNE (since NA March 1998) cabinet: NA

Legislative branch: unicameral General Council or Conseil General (45 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a unicameral Regional Assembly or Conseil Regional (41 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) elections: General Council - last held NA March 2000 (next to be held NA 2006); Regional Assembly - last held on 15 March 1998 (next to be held by March 2004) election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - left-wing parties 29, right-wing parties 14, independents 2; note - the PPM won a plurality; Regional Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPR-UDF 14, MIM 13, PPM 7, left parties 4, PMS 3 note: Martinique elects 2 seats to the French Senate; elections last held NA September 2001 (next to be held September 2004); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PPM 2; Martinique also elects 4 seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held, first round - 9 June 2002, second round - 16 June 2002 (next to be held June 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel

Political parties and leaders: Martinique Independence Movement or MIM
[Alfred MARIE-JEANNE]; Martinique Progressive Party or PPM [Camille
DARSIERES]; note - may no longer be in existence; Martinique Socialist
Party or PMS [Ernest WAN-AJOUHU]; Movement of Democrats and Ecologists
for a Sovereign Martinique or Modemas [Garcin MALSA]; Rally for the
Republic or RPR [Michel CHARLONE]; Socialist Revolution Group or GRS
[Philippe PIERRE-CHARLES]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Jean MAREN]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Caribbean Revolutionary Alliance
or ARC; Central Union for Martinique Workers or CSTM [Marc PULVAR];
Frantz Fanon Circle; League of Workers and Peasants; Proletarian Action
Group or GAP

International organization participation: FZ, WCL, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas department of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas department of France)

Flag description: a light blue background is divided into four quadrants by a white cross; in the center of each rectangle is a white snake; the flag of France is used for official occasions

Economy Martinique

Economy - overview: The economy is based on sugarcane, bananas, tourism, and light industry. Agriculture accounts for about 6% of GDP and the small industrial sector for 11%. Sugar production has declined, with most of the sugarcane now used for the production of rum. Banana exports are increasing, going mostly to France. The bulk of meat, vegetable, and grain requirements must be imported, contributing to a chronic trade deficit that requires large annual transfers of aid from France. Tourism, which employs more than 11,000 people, has become more important than agricultural exports as a source of foreign exchange. The majority of the work force is employed in the service sector and in administration.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $4.39 billion (1997 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: NA%

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $11,000 (1997 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6% industry: 11% services: 83% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.9% (1990)

Labor force: 170,000 (1997)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 10%, industry 17%, services 73% (1997)

Unemployment rate: 27.2% (1998)

Budget: revenues: $900 million expenditures: $2.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $140 million (1996)

Industries: construction, rum, cement, oil refining, sugar, tourism

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 1.125 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 1.046 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: pineapples, avocados, bananas, flowers, vegetables, sugarcane

Exports: $250 million (f.o.b., 1997)

Exports - commodities: refined petroleum products, bananas, rum, pineapples

Exports - partners: France 45%, Guadeloupe 28% (1997)

Imports: $2 billion (c.i.f., 1997)

Imports - commodities: petroleum products, crude oil, foodstuffs, construction materials, vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods

Imports - partners: France 62%, Venezuela 6%, Germany 4%, Italy 4%, US 3% (1997)

Debt - external: $180 million (1994)

Economic aid - recipient: $NA; note - substantial annual aid from France

Currency: euro (EUR); French franc (FRF)

Currency code: EUR; FRF

Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Martinique

Telephones - main lines in use: 170,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 15,000 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: domestic facilities are adequate domestic: NA international: microwave radio relay to Guadeloupe, Dominica, and Saint Lucia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 14, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 82,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 11 (plus nine repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 66,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .mq

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)

Internet users: 5,000 (2000)

Transportation Martinique

Railways: 0 km (2002)

Highways: total: 2,105 km (2000) paved: NA km unpaved: NA km

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Fort-de-France, La Trinite

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: 2 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2001)

Military Martinique

Military branches: no regular indigenous military forces; French Forces
(Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Martinique

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for the US and Europe

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Macau

Introduction

Macau

Background: Colonized by the Portuguese in the 16th century, Macau was the first European settlement in the Far East. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and Portugal on 13 April 1987, Macau became the Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 20 December 1999. China has promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic system will not be practiced in Macau and that Macau will enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs.

Geography Macau

Location: Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China

Geographic coordinates: 22 10 N, 113 33 E

Map references: Southeast Asia

Area: total: 25.4 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 25.4 sq km

Area - comparative: about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 0.34 km border countries: China 0.34 km

Coastline: 41 km

Maritime claims: not specified

Climate: subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers

Terrain: generally flat

Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point:
Coloane Alto 172.4 m

Natural resources: NEGL

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% note: "green areas" represent 22.4% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: typhoons

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: essentially urban; one causeway and two bridges connect the two islands of Coloane and Taipa to the peninsula on mainland

People Macau

Population: 461,833 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 21.8% (male 52,262; female 48,439) 15-64 years: 70.9% (male 154,942; female 172,647) 65 years and over: 7.3% (male 13,616; female 19,927) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.75% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 12.19 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 3.78 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 9.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 4.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 84.73 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.31 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Chinese adjective: Chinese

Ethnic groups: Chinese 95%, Macanese (mixed Portuguese and Asian ancestry), Portuguese, other

Religions: Buddhist 50%, Roman Catholic 15%, none and other 35% (1997 est.)

Languages: Portuguese, Chinese (Cantonese)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 90% male: 93% female: 86% (1981 est.)

Government Macau

Country name: conventional long form: Macau Special Administrative
Region conventional short form: Macau local short form: Aomen (Chinese);
Macau (Portuguese) local long form: Aomen Tebie Xingzhengqu (Chinese);
Regiao Administrativa Especial de Macau (Portuguese)

Dependency status: special administrative region of China

Government type: NA

Administrative divisions: none (special administrative region of China)

Independence: none (special administrative region of China)

National holiday: National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China), 1 October (1949); note - 20 December 1999 is celebrated as Macau Special Administrative Region Establishment Day

Constitution: Basic Law, approved in March 1993 by China's National
People's Congress, is Macau's "mini-constitution"

Legal system: based on Portuguese civil law system

Suffrage: direct election 18 years of age, universal for permanent residents living in Macau for the past seven years; indirect election limited to organizations registered as "corporate voters" (257 are currently registered) and a 300-member Election Committee drawn from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central government bodies

Executive branch: chief of state: President of China JIANG Zemin (since 27 March 1993) elections: chief executive chosen by a 200-member selection committee for up to two five-year terms cabinet: Executive Council consists of all five government secretaries, three legislators, and two businessmen head of government: Chief Executive Edmund HO Hau-wah (since 20 December 1999)

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council or LEGCO (27 seats; 10 elected by popular vote, 10 by indirect vote, and 7 appointed by the chief executive; members serve four-year terms) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats by political bloc - Entertainment Industry 3, pro-democracy 2, pro-Beijing Labor Union 2, pro-Beijing Neighborhood Association 2, pro-business 1 elections: last held 23 September 2001 (next to be held NA 2005)

Judicial branch: The Court of Final Appeal in the Macau Special
Administrative Region

Political parties and leaders: there are no formal political parties, however, there are civic associations that, for purposes of legislative voting, join together to form political blocs

Political pressure groups and leaders: Catholic Church [Domingos LAM,
bishop]; Macau Society of Tourism and Entertainment or STDM [Stanley
HO, managing director]; Union for Democracy Development [Antonio NG
Kuok-cheong, leader]

International organization participation: CCC, ESCAP (associate), IHO, IMO (associate), Interpol (subbureau), ISO (correspondent), UNESCO (associate), WMO, WToO (associate), WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (special administrative region of China)

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US has no offices in Macau, and US interests are monitored by the US Consulate General in Hong Kong

Flag description: light green with a lotus flower above a stylized bridge and water in white, beneath an arc of five gold, five-pointed stars: one large in center of arc and four smaller

Economy Macau

Economy - overview: Macau's economy two years after reversion to China remains one of the most open in the world, according to the World Trade Organization. The government collects no duty on imports and sets no restrictions on exports beyond those required by international agreements. The territory's net exports of goods and services account for 35% of GDP, with tourism and apparel exports as the mainstays. The territory therefore has been hit hard by the 2001 downturn in its key US and EU export markets. Tourism remained strong, however, driven by a surge in visitors from mainland China. In response to the expected contraction of the economy in 2002, the government has announced a stimulative income tax cut and public works program that will push the budget into deficit. China already has extended support by easing restrictions on travel to Macau and is proposing a China-Hong Kong-Macau free trade area. China's economic weight is increasingly felt, with the mainland now holding more than 50% of assets in the financial, real estate, and construction sectors. Mainlanders, however, have been excluded from bidding on the gambling industry licenses that Macau is offering to break up the territory's four-decade-old gambling monopoly. Gambling taxes account for up to 60% of revenue, and the government with Beijing's backing intends to revitalize the industry.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $8 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 0.5% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $17,600 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 25% services: 74% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): -2% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 218,000 (2001)

Labor force - by occupation: restaurants and hotels 26%, manufacturing 20%, other services and agriculture 54% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: 6.5% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $1.15 billion expenditures: $1.03 billion, including capital expenditures of $166 million (2000 est.)

Industries: tourism, gambling, clothing, textiles, electronics, footwear, toys

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 1.4 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 1.476 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 1 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 175 million kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: rice, vegetables

Exports: $2.5 billion (f.o.b., 2000)

Exports - commodities: clothing, textiles, cement, electronics, cameras

Exports - partners: US 48%, EU 28%, China 10%, Hong Kong 7% (2000)

Imports: $2.3 billion (c.i.f., 2000)

Imports - commodities: clothing, textiles, yarn, minerals, electrical machinery, fuel, livestock

Imports - partners: China 41%, Hong Kong 15%, EU 10%, Taiwan 10%,
Japan 6% (2000)

Debt - external: $1.5 billion (1998)

Economic aid - recipient: $NA

Currency: pataca (MOP)

Currency code: MOP

Exchange rates: patacas per US dollar - 8.033 (January 2002), 8.034 (2001), 8.026 (2000), 7.992 (1999), 7.979 (1998), 7.975 (1997); note - linked to the Hong Kong dollar at the rate of 1.03 patacas per Hong Kong dollar

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Macau

Telephones - main lines in use: 176,902 (November 2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 158,251 (November 2001)

Telephone system: general assessment: fairly modern communication
facilities maintained
 NA international: communications carriers provided via Hong Kong and
 China; satellite
earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 160,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 0 (receives Hong Kong broadcasts) (1997)

Televisions: 49,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .mo

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: 60,000 (2001)

Transportation Macau

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 50 km paved: 50 km unpaved: 0 km (2001)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Macau

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: 1 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2001)

Military Macau

Military branches: no regular indigenous military forces; responsibility for defense reverted to China on 20 December 1999; there is a local police force

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 128,005 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 70,508 (2002 est.)

Military - note: responsibility for defense reverted to China on 20
December 1999

Transnational Issues Macau

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Moldova

Introduction

Moldova

Background: Formerly ruled by Romania, Moldova became part of the Soviet Union at the close of World War II. Although independent from the USSR since 1991, Russian forces have remained on Moldovan territory east of the Dniester River supporting the Slavic majority population, mostly Ukrainians and Russians, who have proclaimed a "Transnistria" republic. One of the poorest nations in Europe, Moldova became the first former Soviet state to elect a Communist as its president in 2001.

Geography Moldova

Location: Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania

Geographic coordinates: 47 00 N, 29 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 33,843 sq km water: 472 sq km land: 33,371 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Maryland

Land boundaries: total: 1,389 km border countries: Romania 450 km,
Ukraine 939 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: moderate winters, warm summers

Terrain: rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Dniester River 2 m highest point:
Dealul Balanesti 430 m

Natural resources: lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, arable land, limestone

Land use: arable land: 54% permanent crops: 12% other: 34% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 3,070 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: landslides (57 cases in 1998)

Environment - current issues: heavy use of agricultural chemicals, including banned pesticides such as DDT, has contaminated soil and groundwater; extensive soil erosion from poor farming methods

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not
ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note: landlocked; well endowed with various sedimentary rocks and minerals including sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone

People Moldova

Population: 4,434,547 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 21.7% (male 490,414; female 472,912) 15-64 years: 68.2% (male 1,451,962; female 1,572,561) 65 years and over: 10.1% (male 165,860; female 280,838) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.09% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 13.82 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 12.64 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 42.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 69.31 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.71 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 4,500 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Moldovan(s) adjective: Moldovan

Ethnic groups: Moldovan/Romanian 64.5%, Ukrainian 13.8%, Russian 13%, Jewish 1.5%, Bulgarian 2%, Gagauz and other 5.2% (1989 est.) note: internal disputes with ethnic Slavs in the Transnistrian region

Religions: Eastern Orthodox 98.5%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist (only about 1,000 members) (1991)

Languages: Moldovan (official, virtually the same as the Romanian language), Russian (official), Gagauz (a Turkish dialect)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96% male: 99% female: 94% (1989 est.)

Government Moldova

Country name: Republic of Moldova conventional short form: Moldova;
Moldavia local long form: Republica Moldova

Government type: republic

Capital: Chisinau

Administrative divisions: 9 counties (juletule, singular - juletul), 1 municipality* (municipiul), 1 autonomous territorial unit** (unitate teritoriala autonoma), and 1 territorial unit*** (unitate teritoriala); Balti, Cahul, Chisinau, Chisinau*, Edinet, Gagauzia**, Lapusna, Orhei, Soroca, Stinga Nistrului***, Tighina, Ungheni

Independence: 27 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day, 27 August (1991)

Constitution: new constitution adopted 28 July 1994; replaces old Soviet constitution of 1979

Legal system: based on civil law system; Constitutional Court reviews legality of legislative acts and governmental decisions of resolution; it is unclear if Moldova accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction but accepts many UN and Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) documents

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Vladimir VORONIN (since 4 April 2001) head of government: Prime Minister Vasile TARLEV (since 15 April 2001), First Deputy Prime Minister Vasile IOVV (since NA 2002), Deputy Prime Minister Stefan ODAGIU (since NA 2002) cabinet: selected by prime minister, subject to approval of Parliament elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term; election last held 4 April 2001 (next to be held NA 2005); note - presidential elections were scheduled for December 2000, but in July 2000, Parliament canceled direct, popular elections; Parliament's failure to chose a new president in December 2000 led to early parliamentary elections in February 2001; prime minister designated by the president, upon consultation with Parliament; note - within 15 days from designation, the prime minister-designate must request a vote of confidence from the Parliament regarding his/her work program and entire cabinet; prime minister designated 15 April 2001, cabinet received a vote of confidence 19 April 2001 election results: Vladimir VORONIN elected president; parliamentary votes - Vladimir VORONIN 71, Dumitru BRAGHIS 15, Valerian CHRISTEA 3; Vasile TARLEV designated prime minister; parliamentary votes of confidence - 75 of 101

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Parlamentul (101 seats; parties and electoral blocs, as well as independent candidates, elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 25 February 2001 (next to be held NA 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - PCM 50.1%, Braghis Alliance 13.4%, PPCD 8.2%, other parties 28.3%; seats by party - PCM 71, Braghis Alliance 19, PPCD 11

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Constitutional Court (the sole authority for constitutional judicature)

Political parties and leaders: Braghis Alliance [Dumitru BRAGHIS];
Communist Party or PCM [Vladimir VORONIN, first chairman]; Popular
Christian Democratic Party or PPCD [Iurie ROSCA]; Social Democratic
Union (composed of Braghis Alliance and the Democratic Party of Moldova)
[leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACCT, BIS, BSEC, CCC, CE,
CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent),
ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mihai MANOLI FAX: [1] (202) 667-1204 telephone: [1] (202) 667-1130 chancery: 2101 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Pamela Hyde SMITH embassy: 103 Mateevicie Street, Chisinau 2009 mailing address: use embassy street address; pouch address - American Embassy Chisinau, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-7080 telephone: [373] (2) 23-37-72 FAX: [373] (2) 23-30-44

Flag description: same color scheme as Romania - three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red; emblem in center of flag is of a Roman eagle of gold outlined in black with a red beak and talons carrying a yellow cross in its beak and a green olive branch in its right talons and a yellow scepter in its left talons; on its breast is a shield divided horizontally red over blue with a stylized ox head, star, rose, and crescent all in black-outlined yellow

Economy Moldova

Economy - overview: Moldova enjoys a favorable climate and good farmland but has no major mineral deposits. As a result, the economy depends heavily on agriculture, featuring fruits, vegetables, wine, and tobacco. Moldova must import all of its supplies of oil, coal, and natural gas, largely from Russia. Energy shortages contributed to sharp production declines after the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991. As part of an ambitious reform effort, Moldova introduced a convertible currency, freed all prices, stopped issuing preferential credits to state enterprises, backed steady land privatization, removed export controls, and freed interest rates. Yet these efforts could not offset the impact of political and economic difficulties, both internal and regional. In 1998, the economic troubles of Russia, by far Moldova's leading trade partner, were a major cause of the 8.6% drop in GDP. In 1999, GDP fell again, by 4.4%, the fifth drop in the past seven years; exports were down, and energy supplies continued to be erratic. Following the return to positive GDP growth in 2000 (1.9%), Moldova experienced strong 6.1% rise in GDP in 2001, driven by a marked improvement in industry and a 20% improvement in agriculture.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $11.3 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 6.1% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,550 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 28% industry: 21% services: 51% (2000)

Population below poverty line: 80% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.2% highest 10%: 30.7% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 40.6 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 9.6% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 1.7 million (1998)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 40%, industry 14%, services 46% (1998)

Unemployment rate: 1.9% (includes only officially registered unemployed; large numbers of underemployed workers; 25% of working age Moldovans are employed abroad) (November 2000)

Budget: revenues: $536 million expenditures: $594 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)

Industries: food processing, agricultural machinery, foundry equipment, refrigerators and freezers, washing machines, hosiery, sugar, vegetable oil, shoes, textiles

Industrial production growth rate: 14.2% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 3.317 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 90.44% hydro: 9.56% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 3.655 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 630 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 1.2 billion kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: vegetables, fruits, wine, grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, tobacco; beef, milk

Exports: $580 million (f.o.b., 2001)

Exports - commodities: foodstuffs 42%, textiles and footwear, machinery (2000)

Exports - partners: Russia 45%, Romania 8%, Germany 8%, Ukraine 8%,
Italy 8% (2000)

Imports: $865 million (f.o.b., 2001)

Imports - commodities: mineral products and fuel 32%, machinery and equipment, chemicals, textiles (2000)

Imports - partners: Romania 16%, Ukraine 14%, Russia 13%, Germany 11%,
Italy 6% (2000)

Debt - external: $700 million (2001)

Economic aid - recipient: $100.8 million (1995); note - $547 million from the IMF and World Bank (1992-99)

Currency: Moldovan leu (MDL)

Currency code: MDL

Exchange rates: lei per US dollar - 12.8579 (October 2001), 12.4342 (2000), 10.5158 (1999), 5.3707 (1998), 4.6236 (1997); note - lei is the plural form of leu

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Moldova

Telephones - main lines in use: 627,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 2,200 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: inadequate, outmoded, poor service outside Chisinau, some effort to modernize is under way domestic: new subscribers face long wait for service; mobile cellular telephone service being introduced international: service through Romania and Russia via landline; satellite earth stations - Intelsat, Eutelsat, and Intersputnik

Radio broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 50, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios: 3.22 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (plus 30 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions: 1.26 million (1997)

Internet country code: .md

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (1999)

Internet users: 15,000 (2000)

Transportation Moldova

Railways: total: 1,328 km broad gauge: 1,328 km 1.520-m gauge (2001)

Highways: total: 20,000 km paved: 13,900 km (includes some all-weather gravel-surfaced roads) unpaved: 6,100 km (these roads are made of unstabilized earth and are difficult to negotiate in wet weather) (1990)

Waterways: 424 km (1994)

Pipelines: natural gas 310 km (1992)

Ports and harbors: none

Airports: 30 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 7 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: 1 914 to 1,523 m: Military Moldova

Military branches: Ground Forces (includes Air and Air Defense Forces),
Republic Security Forces (includes paramilitary Internal Troops and
Border Troops)

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,172,714 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 929,316 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 42,268 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $6 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.4% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Moldova

Disputes - international: Moldovan difficulties with break-away
Transnistria region inhibit establishment of a joint customs regime with
Ukraine to curtail smuggling, arms transfers, and other illegal activities

Illicit drugs: limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly for CIS consumption; transshipment point for illicit drugs from Southwest Asia via Central Asia to Russia, Western Europe, and possibly the US

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Mayotte

Introduction

Mayotte

Background: Mayotte was ceded to France along with the other islands of the Comoros group in 1843. It was the only island in the archipelago that voted in 1974 to retain its link with France and forego independence.

Geography Mayotte

Location: Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about one-half of the way from northern Madagascar to northern Mozambique

Geographic coordinates: 12 50 S, 45 10 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 374 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 374 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 185.2 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical; marine; hot, humid, rainy season during northeastern monsoon (November to May); dry season is cooler (May to November)

Terrain: generally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanic peaks

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point:
Benara 660 m

Natural resources: NEGL

Land use: arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% other: NA% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: cyclones during rainy season

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: part of Comoro Archipelago; 18 islands

People Mayotte

Population: 170,879 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 46.6% (male 39,927; female 39,628) 15-64 years: 51.7% (male 48,237; female 40,210) 65 years and over: 1.7% (male 1,429; female 1,448) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 4.41% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 43.59 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 8.58 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 9.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.2 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.99 male(s)/female total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 67.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 62.37 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 6.15 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Mahorais (singular and plural) adjective: Mahoran

Ethnic groups: NA

Religions: Muslim 97%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic)

Languages: Mahorian (a Swahili dialect), French (official language) spoken by 35% of the population

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Mayotte

Country name: conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of
Mayotte conventional short form: Mayotte

Dependency status: territorial collectivity of France

Government type: NA

Capital: Mamoutzou

Administrative divisions: none (territorial collectivity of France)

Independence: none (territorial collectivity of France)

National holiday: Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system: French law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Philippe DE MESTER (since 18 September 2001) elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of the Interior; president of the General Council elected by the members of the General Council for a six-year term head of government: cabinet: NA

Legislative branch: unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms) elections: last held 7 October 2000 (next to be held NA 2003) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA note: Mayotte elects one member of the French Senate; elections last held 24 September 2001 (next to be held NA September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; Mayotte also elects one member to the French National Assembly; elections last held 25 May and 1 June 1997 (next to be held as a special election on NA May 2002); results - percent of vote by party - UDF/FD 51.7%, RPR 48.3%; seats by party - UDF/FD 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Front or FD [Youssouf MOUSSA];
Mahoran Popular Movement or MPM [Younoussa BAMANA]; Federation of Mahorans
or RPR [Moustoifa MOHAMED]; Movement for Department Status Mayotte or
MDM [Younoussa BEN ALI]; Socialist Party or PS (local branch of French
Parti Socialiste) [Ibrahim ABUBACAR]; Union for French Democracy or UDF
[Henri JEAN-BAPTISTE]; note - may no longer be in existence

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: FZ

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territorial collectivity of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territorial collectivity of France)

Flag description: the flag of France is used

Economy Mayotte

Economy - overview: Economic activity is based primarily on the agricultural sector, including fishing and livestock raising. Mayotte is not self-sufficient and must import a large portion of its food requirements, mainly from France. The economy and future development of the island are heavily dependent on French financial assistance, an important supplement to GDP. Mayotte's remote location is an obstacle to the development of tourism.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $85 million (1998 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: NA%

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $600 (1998 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

Labor force: NA

Unemployment rate: 45% (1997)

Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $73 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1991 est.)

Industries: newly created lobster and shrimp industry, construction

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: NA kWh

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: NA% hydro: NA% other:
NA% nuclear: NA%

Electricity - consumption: NA kWh

Agriculture - products: vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), coffee, copra

Exports: $3.44 million (f.o.b., 1997)

Exports - commodities: ylang-ylang (perfume essence), vanilla, copra, coconuts, coffee, cinnamon

Exports - partners: France 80%, Comoros 15%, Reunion

Imports: $141.3 million (f.o.b., 1997)

Imports - commodities: food, machinery and equipment, transportation equipment, metals, chemicals

Imports - partners: France 66%, Africa 14%, Southeast Asia 11% (1997)

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid - recipient: $107.7 million (1995); note - extensive French financial assistance

Currency: euro (EUR); French franc (FRF)

Currency code: EUR; FRF

Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Mayotte

Telephones - main lines in use: 9,314 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 0 (2000)

Telephone system: general assessment: small system administered by French Department of Posts and Telecommunications domestic: NA international: microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone communications to Comoros (2001)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2001)

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 3 (2001)

Televisions: 3,500 (1994)

Internet country code: .yt

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA

Internet users: NA

Transportation Mayotte

Railways: 0 km (2002)

Highways: total: 93 km paved: 72 km unpaved: 21 km

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Dzaoudzi

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: 1 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2001)

Military Mayotte

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France; small contingent of French forces stationed on the island

Transnational Issues Mayotte

Disputes - international: claimed by Comoros

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Mongolia

Introduction

Mongolia

Background: The Mongols entered history in the 13th century when under GENGHIS KHAN they conquered a huge Eurasian empire. After his death the empire was divided into several powerful Mongol states, but these broke apart in the 14th century. The Mongols eventually retired to their original steppe homelands and came under Chinese rule. Mongolia won its independence in 1921 with Soviet backing. A Communist regime was installed in 1924. During the early 1990s, the ex-Communist Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP) gradually yielded its monopoly on power to the Democratic Union Coalition (DUC), which defeated the MPRP in a national election in 1996. Over the next four years the DUC put forward a number of key reforms to modernize the economy and democratize the political system. However, the former Communists were a strong opposition that stalled additional restructuring and made implementation difficult. In 2000, the MPRP won an overwhelming victory in the legislature - with 72 of the 76 seats - and completely reshuffled the government. While it continues many of the reform policies, the MPRP is focusing on social welfare and public order priorities.

Geography Mongolia

Location: Northern Asia, between China and Russia

Geographic coordinates: 46 00 N, 105 00 E

Map references: Asia

Area: total: 1.565 million sq km water: 9,600 sq km land: 1,555,400 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Alaska

Land boundaries: total: 8,162 km border countries: China 4,677 km,
Russia 3,485 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: desert; continental (large daily and seasonal temperature ranges)

Terrain: vast semidesert and desert plains, grassy steppe, mountains in west and southwest; Gobi Desert in south-central

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Hoh Nuur 518 m highest point:
Nayramadlin Orgil (Huyten Orgil) 4,374 m

Natural resources: oil, coal, copper, molybdenum, tungsten, phosphates, tin, nickel, zinc, wolfram, fluorspar, gold, silver, iron, phosphate

Land use: arable land: 1% permanent crops: 0% other: 99% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 840 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: dust storms, grassland and forest fires, drought, and "zud", which is harsh winter conditions

Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources in some areas; policies of the former Communist regime promoting rapid urbanization and industrial growth have raised concerns about their negative effects on the environment; the burning of soft coal in power plants and the lack of enforcement of environmental laws have severely polluted the air in Ulaanbaatar; deforestation, overgrazing, the converting of virgin land to agricultural production have increased soil erosion from wind and rain; desertification and mining activities have also had a deleterious effect on the environment

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the
selected agreements

Geography - note: landlocked; strategic location between China and Russia

People Mongolia

Population: 2,694,432 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 32% (male 438,176; female 422,960) 15-64 years: 64.1% (male 864,033; female 865,172) 65 years and over: 3.9% (male 45,080; female 59,011) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.48% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 21.8 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 7.01 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 51.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 66.87 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.37 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: less than 0.01% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: less than 100 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Mongolian(s) adjective: Mongolian

Ethnic groups: Mongol (predominantly Khalkha) 85%, Turkic (of which Kazakh is the largest group) 7%, Tungusic 4.6%, other (including Chinese and Russian) 3.4% (1998)

Religions: Tibetan Buddhist Lamaism 96%, Muslim (primarily in the southwest), Shamanism, and Christian 4% (1998)

Languages: Khalkha Mongol 90%, Turkic, Russian (1999)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.8% male: 98% female: 97.5% (2000)

Government Mongolia

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Mongolia local short form: Mongol Uls former: Outer Mongolia local long form: none

Government type: parliamentary

Capital: Ulaanbaatar

Administrative divisions: 21 provinces (aymguud, singular - aymag)
and 1 municipality* (hot); Arhangay, Bayanhongor, Bayan-Olgiy, Bulgan,
Darhan Uul, Dornod, Dornogovi, Dundgovi, Dzavhan, Govi-Altay, Govi-Sumber,
Hentiy, Hovd, Hovsgol, Omnogovi, Orhon, Ovorhangay, Selenge, Suhbaatar,
Tov, Ulaanbaatar*, Uvs

Independence: 11 July 1921 (from China)

National holiday: Independence Day/Revolution Day, 11 July (1921)

Constitution: 12 February 1992

Legal system: blend of Russian, Chinese, Turkish, and Western systems of law that combines aspects of a parliamentary system with some aspects of a presidential system; constitution ambiguous on judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Natsagiyn BAGABANDI (since 20 June 1997) head of government: Prime Minister Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR (since 26 July 2000) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the State Great Hural in consultation with the president elections: president nominated by parties in the State Great Hural and elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 20 May 2001 (next to be held NA May 2005); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by the State Great Hural; election last held 2 July 2000 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: Natsagiyn BAGABANDI reelected president; percent of vote - Natsagiyn BAGABANDI (MPRP) 58.13%, Radnaasumbereliyn GONCHIGDORJ (DP) 36.58%, Luvsandamba DASHNYAM (CWP) 3.54%, other 1.75%; Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR elected prime minister by a vote in the State Great Hural of 68 to 3

Legislative branch: unicameral State Great Hural (76 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 2 July 2000 (next to be held NA July 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - MPRP 72, other 4

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (serves as appeals court for people's and provincial courts, but rarely overturns verdicts of lower courts; judges are nominated by the General Council of Courts for approval by the president)

Political parties and leaders: Citizens' Will Party or CWP (also called
Civil Will Party or Civil Courage Party) [Sanjaasurengyn OYUN]; Democratic
Party or DP [D. DORLIGJAN]; Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party or MPRP
[Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR]; Mongolian New Socialist Democratic Party or MNSDP
[B. ERDENEBAT]; Mongolian Republican Party or MRP [B. JARGALSAIHAN]
note: the MPRP is the ruling party

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB,
ASEAN (observer), CCC, CP (provisional), EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jalbuugiyn CHOINHOR chancery: 2833 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 consulate(s) general: New York FAX: [1] (202) 298-9227 telephone: [1] (202) 333-7117

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John DINGER embassy: inner northeast part of the Big Ring Road, just west of the Selbe Gol, Ulaanbaatar mailing address: United States Embassy in Mongolia, P. O. Box 1021, Ulaanbaatar [976] (11) 329095 FAX: Flag description: three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), blue, and red; centered on the hoist-side red band in yellow is the national emblem ("soyombo" - a columnar arrangement of abstract and geometric representation for fire, sun, moon, earth, water, and the yin-yang symbol)

Economy Mongolia

Economy - overview: Economic activity traditionally has been based on agriculture and breeding of livestock. Mongolia also has extensive mineral deposits: copper, coal, molybdenum, tin, tungsten, and gold account for a large part of industrial production. Soviet assistance, at its height one-third of GDP, disappeared almost overnight in 1990-91, at the time of the dismantlement of the USSR. Mongolia was driven into deep recession, prolonged by the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party's (MPRP) reluctance to undertake serious economic reform. The Democratic Coalition (DC) government has embraced free-market economics, easing price controls, liberalizing domestic and international trade, and attempting to restructure the banking system and the energy sector. Major domestic privatization programs were undertaken, as well as the fostering of foreign investment through international tender of the oil distribution company, a leading cashmere company, and banks. Reform was held back by the ex-Communist MPRP opposition and by the political instability brought about through four successive governments under the DC. Economic growth picked up in 1997-99 after stalling in 1996 due to a series of natural disasters and declines in world prices of copper and cashmere. In August and September 1999, the economy suffered from a temporary Russian ban on exports of oil and oil products, and Mongolia remains vulnerable in this sector. Mongolia joined the World Trade Organization (WTrO) in 1997. The international donor community pledged over $300 million per year at the last Consultative Group Meeting, held in Ulaanbaatar in June 1999. The MPRP government, elected in July 2000, is anxious to improve the investment climate; it must also deal with a heavy burden of external debt. Falling prices for Mongolia's mainly primary sector exports, widespread opposition to privatization, and adverse effects of weather on agriculture in early 2000 and 2001 restrained real GDP growth in 2000-01.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $4.7 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 2.4% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,770 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 32% industry: 30% services: 38% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 36% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 24.5% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 33.2 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 11.8% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 1.4 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation: primarily herding/agricultural

Unemployment rate: 20% (2000)

Budget: revenues: $262 million expenditures: $328 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Industries: construction materials, mining (coal, copper, molybdenum, fluorspar, and gold); oil; food and beverages, processing of animal products

Industrial production growth rate: 2.4% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production: 2.77 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 2.732 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 25 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 181 million kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, potatoes, forage crops; sheep, goats, cattle, camels, horses

Exports: $466.1 million (f.o.b., 2000)

Exports - commodities: copper, livestock, animal products, cashmere, wool, hides, fluorspar, other nonferrous metals

Exports - partners: China 59%, US 20%, Russia 10%, Japan 2% (2000)

Imports: $614.5 million (c.i.f., 2000)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, fuels, food products, industrial consumer goods, chemicals, building materials, sugar, tea

Imports - partners: Russia 34%, China 21%, Japan 12%, South Korea 9%,
US 4% (2000)

Debt - external: $760 million (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $208.7 million (1999 est.)

Currency: togrog/tugrik (MNT)

Currency code: MNT

Exchange rates: togrogs/tugriks per US dollar - 1,101.29 (December 2001), 1,097.70 (2001), 1,076.67 (2000), 1,072.37 (1999), 840.83 (1998), 789.99 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Mongolia

Telephones - main lines in use: 104,100 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 110,000 (2001)

Telephone system: general assessment: very low density: about 3.5 telephones for each thousand persons domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean Region)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 9, shortwave 4 (2001)

Radios: 155,900 (1999)

Television broadcast stations: 4 (plus 18 provincial repeaters and many low powered repeaters) (1999)

Televisions: 168,800 (1999)

Internet country code: .mn

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 5 (2001)

Internet users: 30,000 (2001)

Transportation Mongolia

Railways: 1,815 km broad gauge: 1,815 km 1.524-m gauge (2001)

Highways: total: 3,387 km paved: 1,563 km note: there are also 45,862 km of rural roads that consist of rough, unimproved, cross-country tracks (2000) unpaved: 1,824 km

Waterways: 400 km (1999)

Ports and harbors: none

Airports: 34 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 under 914 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 26 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 5 (2001)

Military Mongolia

Military branches: Mongolian Armed Forces (includes General Purpose
Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Civil Defense Troops); note - Border
Troops are under Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs in peacetime

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 772,619 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 501,493 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 30,230 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $24.3 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.5% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Mongolia

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Montserrat

Introduction

Montserrat

Background: Much of this island has been devastated and two-thirds of the population has fled abroad due to the eruption of the Soufriere Hills volcano that began on 18 July 1995.

Geography Montserrat

Location: Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto
Rico

Geographic coordinates: 16 45 N, 62 12 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 102 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 102 sq km

Area - comparative: about 0.6 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 40 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 3 NM

Climate: tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation

Terrain: volcanic islands, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point:
Chances Peak (in the Soufriere Hills volcanic complex) 914 m

Natural resources: NEGL

Land use: arable land: 20% permanent crops: 0% other: 80% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions
(Soufriere Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1996)

Environment - current issues: land erosion occurs on slopes that have been cleared for cultivation

Geography - note: the island is entirely volcanic in origin and contains seven active volcanoes

People Montserrat

Population: 8,437 note: an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 23.6% (male 1,001; female 986) 15-64 years: 65% (male 2,624; female 2,864) 65 years and over: 11.4% (male 508; female 454) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 8.43% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 17.54 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 7.47 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 74.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.12 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 7.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 80.4 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.81 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Montserratian(s) adjective: Montserratian

Ethnic groups: black, white

Religions: Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Seventh-Day
Adventist, other Christian denominations

Languages: English

Literacy: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population:
Government Montserrat

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Montserrat

Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK

Government type: NA

Capital: Plymouth (abandoned in 1997 due to volcanic activity; interim government buildings have been built at Brades Estate, in the Carr's Bay/Little Bay vicinity at the northwest end of Montserrat)

Administrative divisions: 3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges,
Saint Peter

Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday: Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)

Constitution: present constitution came into force 19 December 1989

Legal system: English common law and statutory law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Anthony LONGRIGG (since NA May 2001) elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party usually becomes chief minister head of government: Chief Minister John OSBORNE (since 5 April 2001) cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, the chief minister, three other ministers, the attorney general, and the finance secretary

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council (11 seats, 9 popularly elected; members serve five-year terms) note: expanded in 2001 from 7 to 9 elected members with attorney general and financial secretary sitting as ex-officio members elections: last held NA April 2001 (next to be held by November 2006) note: in 2001, the Elections Commission instituted a single constituency/voter-at-large system whereby all eligible voters cast ballots for all nine seats of the Legislative Council election results: Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint Lucia, one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the High Court)

Political parties and leaders: National Progressive Party or NPP [Reuben
T. MEADE]; New People's Liberation Movement or NPLM [John A. OSBORNE]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: Caricom, CDB, ECLAC (associate), ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, WCL

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description: blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Montserratian coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms features a woman standing beside a yellow harp with her arm around a black cross

Economy Montserrat

Economy - overview: Severe volcanic activity, which began in July 1995, has put a damper on this small, open economy. A catastrophic eruption in June 1997 closed the airports and seaports, causing further economic and social dislocation. Two-thirds of the 12,000 inhabitants fled the island. Some began to return in 1998, but lack of housing limited the number. The agriculture sector continued to be affected by the lack of suitable land for farming and the destruction of crops. Prospects for the economy depend largely on developments in relation to the volcano and on public sector construction activity. The UK has launched a three-year $122.8 million aid program to help reconstruct the economy. Half of the island is expected to remain uninhabitable for another decade.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $31 million (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: -1.5% (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,400 (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5.4% industry: 13.6% services: 81% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5% (1998)

Labor force: 4,521 (1992); note - lowered by flight of people from volcanic activity

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Unemployment rate: 6% (1998 est.)

Budget: revenues: $31.4 million expenditures: $31.6 million, including capital expenditures of $8.4 million (1997 est.)

Industries: tourism, rum, textiles, electronic appliances

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 5 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 4.65 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers; livestock products

Exports: $1.5 million (1998)

Exports - commodities: electronic components, plastic bags, apparel, hot peppers, live plants, cattle

Exports - partners: US, Antigua and Barbuda (1993)

Imports: $26 million (1998)

Imports - commodities: machinery and transportation equipment, foodstuffs, manufactured goods, fuels, lubricants, and related materials

Imports - partners: US, UK, Trinidad and Tobago, Japan, Canada (1993)

Debt - external: $8.9 million (1997)

Economic aid - recipient: Country Policy Plan (2001) is a three-year program for spending $122.8 million in British budgetary assistance

Currency: East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code: XCD

Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Communications Montserrat

Telephones - main lines in use: 4,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 70 (1994)

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: NA

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 7,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)

Televisions: 3,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .ms

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 17 (2000)

Internet users: NA

Transportation Montserrat

Highways: total: 269 km paved: 203 km unpaved: 66 km (1995)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Plymouth (abandoned), Little Bay (anchorages and ferry landing), Carr's Bay

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: none; the only airport was destroyed by volcanic activity; a helicopter service to Antigua is used (2001)

Military Montserrat

Military branches: no regular indigenous military forces; Police Force

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Montserrat

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Malawi

Introduction

Malawi

Background: Established in 1891, the British protectorate of Nyasaland became the independent nation of Malawi in 1964. After three decades of one-party rule, the country held multiparty elections in 1994 under a provisional constitution, which took full effect the following year. National multiparty elections were held again in 1999.

Geography Malawi

Location: Southern Africa, east of Zambia

Geographic coordinates: 13 30 S, 34 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 118,480 sq km water: 24,400 sq km land: 94,080 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries: total: 2,881 km border countries: Mozambique 1,569 km,
Tanzania 475 km, Zambia 837 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: sub-tropical; rainy season (November to May); dry season
(May to November)

Terrain: narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills, some mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: junction of the Shire River and international boundary with Mozambique 37 m highest point: Sapitwa (Mount Mlanje) 3,002 m

Natural resources: limestone, arable land, hydropower, unexploited deposits of uranium, coal, and bauxite

Land use: arable land: 20% permanent crops: 1% other: 79% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 280 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: deforestation; land degradation; water pollution from agricultural runoff, sewage, industrial wastes; siltation of spawning grounds endangers fish populations

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life
Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Geography - note: landlocked; Lake
Nyasa, some 580 km long, is the country's most prominent physical feature

People Malawi

Population: 10,701,824 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 44% (male 2,358,730; female 2,347,017) 15-64 years: 53.2% (male 2,810,478; female 2,884,601) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 120,761; female 180,237) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.39% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 37.13 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 23.2 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 119.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 37.15 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 5.04 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 15.96% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 800,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 70,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Malawian(s) adjective: Malawian

Ethnic groups: Chewa, Nyanja, Tumbuka, Yao, Lomwe, Sena, Tonga, Ngoni,
Ngonde, Asian, European

Religions: Protestant 55%, Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs 3%, other 2%

Languages: English (official), Chichewa (official), other languages important regionally

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 58% male: 72.8% female: 43.4% (1999 est.)

Government Malawi

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Malawi conventional short form: Malawi former: British Central African Protectorate, Nyasaland Protectorate, Nyasaland

Government type: multiparty democracy

Capital: Lilongwe

Administrative divisions: 27 districts; Balaka, Blantyre, Chikwawa,
Chiradzulu, Chitipa, Dedza, Dowa, Karonga, Kasungu, Likoma, Lilongwe,
Machinga (Kasupe), Mangochi, Mchinji, Mulanje, Mwanza, Mzimba, Ntcheu,
Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Nsanje, Ntchisi, Phalombe, Rumphi, Salima,
Thyolo, Zomba

Independence: 6 July 1964 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day (Republic Day), 6 July (1964)

Constitution: 18 May 1994

Legal system: based on English common law and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Appeal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Bakili MULUZI (since 21 May 1994); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Bakili MULUZI (since 21 May 1994); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 15 June 1999 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: Bakili MULUZI reelected president; percent of vote - Bakili MULUZI (UDF) 51.4%, Gwandaguluwe CHAKUAMBA (MCP-AFORD) 44.3%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (193 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 15 June 1999 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - UDF 48%, MCP 34%, AFORD 15%, others 3%; seats by party - UDF 96, MCP 61, AFORD 30, others 6

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Appeal; High Court (chief justice appointed by the president, puisne judges appointed on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission); magistrate's courts

Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Democracy or AFORD [Chakufwa CHIHANA, president]; Malawi Congress Party or MCP [Gwanda CHAKUAMBA, president, John TEMBO, vice president]; Malawi Democratic Party or MDP [Kampelo KALUA, president]; United Democratic Front or UDF [Bakili MULUZI] - governing party

Political pressure groups and leaders: National Democratic Alliance
[Brown MPINGANJIRA]

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO,
G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SADC,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Paul Tony Steven KANDIERO FAX: [1] (202) 265-0976 telephone: [1] (202) 797-1007 chancery: 2408 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Roger A. MEECE embassy: Area 40, Plot 24, Kenyatta Road mailing address:
P. O. Box 30016, Lilongwe 3, Malawi telephone: [265] 773 166 FAX: [265]
770 471

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green with a radiant, rising, red sun centered in the black band

Government - note: the executive exerts considerable influence over the legislature

Economy Malawi

Economy - overview: Landlocked Malawi ranks among the world's least developed countries. The economy is predominately agricultural, with about 90% of the population living in rural areas. Agriculture accounts for 40% of GDP and 88% of export revenues. The economy depends on substantial inflows of economic assistance from the IMF, the World Bank, and individual donor nations. In late 2000, Malawi was approved for relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) program. The government faces strong challenges, e.g., to fully develop a market economy, to improve educational facilities, to face up to environmental problems, and to deal with the rapidly growing problem of HIV/AIDS. The performance of the tobacco sector is key to short-term growth.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $7 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 1.7% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $660 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 40% industry: 19% services: 41% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 54% (FY90/91 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 28.6% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 4.5 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 86% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $490 million expenditures: $523 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY99/00 est.)

Industries: tobacco, tea, sugar, sawmill products, cement, consumer goods

Industrial production growth rate: 2.5% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 825 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 3.03% hydro: 96.97% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 767.25 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: tobacco, sugarcane, cotton, tea, corn, potatoes, cassava (tapioca), sorghum, pulses; cattle, goats, groundnuts, Macadamia nuts

Exports: $415.5 million (f.o.b., 2001)

Exports - commodities: tobacco, tea, sugar, cotton, coffee, peanuts, wood products, apparel

Exports - partners: South Africa 18%, Germany 13%, US 13%, UK 10%,
Japan 7%, Netherlands 3% (2000)

Imports: $463.6 million (f.o.b., 2001)

Imports - commodities: food, petroleum products, semimanufactures, consumer goods, transportation equipment

Imports - partners: South Africa 40%, UK 11%, Zimbabwe 7%, Japan 5%,
Germany 2%, US 1.8%, Zambia (2000)

Debt - external: $2.8 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $427 million (1999)

Currency: Malawian kwacha (MWK)

Currency code: MWK

Exchange rates: Malawian kwachas per US dollar - 67.3111 (December 2001), 72.1973 (2001), 59.5438 (2000), 44.0881 (1999), 31.0727 (1998), 16.4442 (1997)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Communications Malawi

Telephones - main lines in use: 38,000 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 49,000 (2000)

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: system employs open-wire lines, microwave radio relay links, and radiotelephone communications stations international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 9, FM 5 (plus 15 repeater stations), shortwave 2 (plus a third station held in standby status) (2001)

Radios: 2.6 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (2001)

Televisions: NA

Internet country code: .mw

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 7 (2001)

Internet users: 15,000 (2000)

Transportation Malawi

Railways: total: 797 km narrow gauge: 797 km 1.067-m gauge (2001)

Highways: total: 14,594 km paved: 2,773 km unpaved: 11,821 km (2001)

Waterways: 144 km note: on Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and Shire Riverall

Ports and harbors: Chipoka, Monkey Bay, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Chilumba

Airports: 44 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 6 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 38 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 23 (2001)

Military Malawi

Military branches: Army (including Air Wing and Naval Detachment),
Police (including paramilitary Mobile Force Unit)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 2,535,207 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,301,625 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $9.5 million (FY00/01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.76% (FY00/01)

Transnational Issues Malawi

Disputes - international: Malawi and Tanzania maintain a largely dormant dispute over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and current location of historical boundary in meandering Songwe River

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of

Introduction

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of

Background: International recognition of The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia's (F.Y.R.O.M.) independence from Yugoslavia in 1991 was delayed by Greece's objection to the new state's use of what it considered a Hellenic name and symbols. Greece finally lifted its trade blockade in 1995, and the two countries agreed to normalize relations, despite continued disagreement over F.Y.R.O.M.'s use of "Macedonia." F.Y.R.O.M.'s large Albanian minority, an ethnic Albanian armed insurgency in F.Y.R.O.M. in 2001, and the status of neighboring Kosovo continue to be sources of ethnic tension.

Geography Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of

Location: Southeastern Europe, north of Greece

Geographic coordinates: 41 50 N, 22 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 25,333 sq km water: 477 sq km land: 24,856 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Vermont

Land boundaries: total: 766 km border countries: Albania 151 km,
Bulgaria 148 km, Greece 246 km, Yugoslavia 221 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: warm, dry summers and autumns and relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall

Terrain: mountainous territory covered with deep basins and valleys; three large lakes, each divided by a frontier line; country bisected by the Vardar River

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Vardar River 50 m highest point:
Golem Korab (Maja e Korabit) 2,753 m

Natural resources: chromium, lead, zinc, manganese, tungsten, nickel, low-grade iron ore, asbestos, sulfur, timber, arable land

Land use: arable land: 24% permanent crops: 2% other: 74% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 550 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: high seismic risks

Environment - current issues: air pollution from metallurgical plants

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: landlocked; major transportation corridor from Western and Central Europe to Aegean Sea and Southern Europe to Western Europe

People Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of

Population: 2,054,800 note: a Framework Agreement ratified by Macedonia on 16 November 2001 calls for a new census in 2002 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 22.4% (male 239,638; female 221,446) 15-64 years: 67.2% (male 694,368; female 686,450) 65 years and over: 10.4% (male 94,214; female 118,684) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.41% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 13.35 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 7.74 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 12.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 76.68 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.77 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: less than 0.01% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: less than 100 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Macedonian(s) adjective: Macedonian

Ethnic groups: Macedonian 66.6%, Albanian 22.7%, Turkish 4%, Roma 2.2%,
Serb 2.1%, other 2.4% (1994)

Religions: Macedonian Orthodox 67%, Muslim 30%, other 3%

Languages: Macedonian 70%, Albanian 21%, Turkish 3%, Serbo-Croatian 3%, other 3%

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of

Country name: conventional long form: The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia conventional short form: none local long form: Republika Makedonija abbreviation: F.Y.R.O.M. local short form: Makedonija

Government type: emerging democracy

Capital: Skopje

Administrative divisions: 123 municipalities (opstini, singular -
opstina); Aracinovo, Bac, Belcista, Berovo, Bistrica, Bitola, Blatec,
Bogdanci, Bogomila, Bogovinje, Bosilovo, Brvenica, Cair (Skopje), Capari,
Caska, Cegrane, Centar (Skopje), Centar Zupa, Cesinovo, Cucer-Sandevo,
Debar, Delcevo, Delogozdi, Demir Hisar, Demir Kapija, Dobrusevo, Dolna
Banjica, Dolneni, Dorce Petrov (Skopje), Drugovo, Dzepciste, Gazi Baba
(Skopje), Gevgelija, Gostivar, Gradsko, Ilinden, Izvor, Jegunovce,
Kamenjane, Karbinci, Karpos (Skopje), Kavadarci, Kicevo, Kisela Voda
(Skopje), Klecevce, Kocani, Konce, Kondovo, Konopiste, Kosel, Kratovo,
Kriva Palanka, Krivogastani, Krusevo, Kuklis, Kukurecani, Kumanovo,
Labunista, Lipkovo, Lozovo, Lukovo, Makedonska Kamenica, Makedonski
Brod, Mavrovi Anovi, Meseista, Miravci, Mogila, Murtino, Negotino,
Negotino-Polosko, Novaci, Novo Selo, Oblesevo, Ohrid, Orasac, Orizari,
Oslomej, Pehcevo, Petrovec, Plasnica, Podares, Prilep, Probistip, Radovis,
Rankovce, Resen, Rosoman, Rostusa, Samokov, Saraj, Sipkovica, Sopiste,
Sopotnica, Srbinovo, Star Dojran, Staravina, Staro Nagoricane, Stip,
Struga, Strumica, Studenicani, Suto Orizari (Skopje), Sveti Nikole,
Tearce, Tetovo, Topolcani, Valandovo, Vasilevo, Velesta, Veles,
Vevcani, Vinica, Vitoliste, Vranestica, Vrapciste, Vratnica, Vrutok,
Zajas, Zelenikovo, Zeleno, Zitose, Zletovo, Zrnovci note: the seven
municipalities followed by Skopje in parentheses collectively constitute
"greater Skopje"

Independence: 17 September 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

National holiday: Uprising Day, 2 August (1903)

Constitution: adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991 note: the Macedonian Parliament approved November 2001 a series of new constitutional amendments, strengthening minority rights

Legal system: based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Boris TRAJKOVSKI (since 15 December 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Ljubco GEORGIEVSKI (since 30 November 1998) elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 14 November 1999 (next to be held NA October 2004); prime minister elected by the Assembly; election last held NA November 1998 (next to be held NA 2002) election results: Boris TRAJKOVSKI elected president on second-round ballot; percent of vote - Boris TRAJKOVSKI 52.4%, Tito PETKOVSKI 46.2% cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the majority vote of all the deputies in the Assembly; note - current cabinet formed by the government coalition parties VMRO-DPMNE, PDP, and DPA

Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly or Sobranje (120 seats - 85 members are elected by popular vote, 35 members come from lists of candidates submitted by parties based on the percentage that a party gains from the overall vote; all serve four-year terms) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - VMRO-DPMNE 43, SDSM 27, PDP 14, DA 13, DPA 11, VMRO-VMRO 6, LDP 4, SP 1, Roma Party 1 elections: last held 18 October and 1 November 1998 (next tentatively scheduled for June 2002)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court - Parliament appoints the judges;
Constitutional Court - Parliament appoints the judges; Republican Judicial
Council - Parliament appoints the judges

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Alternative or DA
[Vasil TUPURKOVSKI, president]; Democratic Party of Albanians or
DPA [Arben XHAFERI, president]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary
Organization-Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity or
VMRO-DPMNE [Ljubcho GEORGIEVSKI, president]; Internal Macedonian
Revolutionary Organization-True Macedonian Reform Option or VMRO-VMRO
[Boris STOJMANOV]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Risto GUSTERVO];
Liberal Party [leader NA]; National Democratic Party or MPDK [Kastriot
HAXHISEXHA]; Party for Democratic Prosperity or PDP [Imeri IMERI,
president]; Social-Democratic Alliance of Macedonia or SDSM (former
Communist Party) [Branko CRVENKOVSKI, president]; Socialist Party of
Macedonia or SP [Ljubisav IVANOV, president]; Union of Romanies of
Macedonia or SRM [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACCT, BIS, CCC, CE, CEI, EAPC,
EBRD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Nikola
DIMITROV chancery: Suite 302, 1101
 New York FAX:
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Larry BUTLER embassy: Bul. Ilinden bb, 91000 Skopje mailing address:
American Embassy Skopje, Department of State,
 [389] (02) 116-180 FAX:
Flag description: a rising yellow sun with eight rays extending to the
edges of the red field

Economy Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of

Economy - overview: At independence in November 1991, Macedonia was the least developed of the Yugoslav republics, producing a mere 5% of the total federal output of goods and services. The collapse of Yugoslavia ended transfer payments from the center and eliminated advantages from inclusion in a de facto free trade area. An absence of infrastructure, UN sanctions on Yugoslavia, one of its largest markets, and a Greek economic embargo over a dispute about the country's constitutional name and flag hindered economic growth until 1996. GDP subsequently rose each year through 2000. However, the leadership's commitment to economic reform, free trade, and regional integration was undermined by the ethnic Albanian insurgency of 2001. The economy shrank about 4% because of decreased trade, intermittent border closures, increased deficit spending on security needs, and investor uncertainty. The international community hopes to restart growth with a donors' conference in 2002.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $9 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: -4% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $4,400 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 10% industry: 32% services: 58% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 24% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.3% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 1.1 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Unemployment rate: 39% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $850 million expenditures: $950 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Industries: coal, metallic chromium, lead, zinc, ferronickel, textiles, wood products, tobacco, food processing, buses

Industrial production growth rate: -8% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 6.395 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 82.25% hydro: 17.75% other: 0% (1999) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 5.992 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports: 30 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports: 75 million kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products: rice, tobacco, wheat, corn, millet, cotton, sesame, mulberry leaves, citrus, vegetables; beef, pork, poultry, mutton

Exports: $1.2 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: food, beverages, tobacco; miscellaneous manufactures, iron and steel

Exports - partners: Yugoslavia 25%, Germany 19%, US 13%, Italy 7%,
Greece 6% (2000)

Imports: $1.5 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; food products

Imports - partners: Germany 12%, Ukraine 10%, Greece 10%, Russia 9%,
Yugoslavia 9% (2000)

Debt - external: $1.3 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $150 million (2001 est.)

Currency: Macedonian denar (MKD)

Currency code: MKD

Exchange rates: Macedonian denars per US dollar - 64.757 (January 2001), 65.904 (2000), 56.902 (1999), 54.462 (1998), 50.004 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of

Telephones - main lines in use: 408,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 12,362 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: NA

Radio broadcast stations: AM 29, FM 20, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 410,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 31 (plus 166 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions: 510,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .mk

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 6 (2000)

Internet users: 100,000 (2001)

Transportation Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of

Railways: total: 699 km standard gauge: 699 km 1.435-m gauge (233 km electrified) note: a 56-km extension of the Kumanovo-Beljakovce line to the Bulgarian border at Gyueshevo is under construction (2001)

Highways: 5,540 km (including 133 km of expressways) unpaved: Waterways: note: lake transport only, on the Greek and Albanian borders

Pipelines: 10 km

Ports and harbors: none

Airports: 17 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 under 914 m: 8 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 4 (2001)

Military Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of

Military branches: Army (ARM), Air and Air Defense Forces, Police Force

Military manpower - military age: 19 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 551,523 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 444,575 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 17,905 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $200 million (FY01/02 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 6% (FY01/02 est.)

Transnational Issues Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of

Disputes - international: dispute with Greece over country's name persists; 2001 FYROM-Yugoslavia boundary delimitation agreement, which adjusts former republic boundaries, was signed and ratified and awaits demarcation; ethnic Albanians in Kosovo dispute legitimacy of the agreement, which cedes small tracts of Kosovo lands to FYROM

Illicit drugs: major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and hashish; minor transit point for South American cocaine destined for Europe

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Mali

Introduction

Mali

Background: The Sudanese Republic and Senegal became independent of France in 1960 as the Mali Federation. When Senegal withdrew after only a few months, the Sudanese Republic was renamed Mali. Rule by dictatorship was brought to a close in 1991 with a transitional government, and in 1992 when Mali's first democratic presidential election was held. Since his reelection in 1997, President KONARE continued to push through political and economic reforms and to fight corruption. In 1999 he indicated he would not run for a third term, in keeping with the Malian constitution's two-term limit.

Geography Mali

Location: Western Africa, southwest of Algeria

Geographic coordinates: 17 00 N, 4 00 W

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 1.24 million sq km water: 20,000 sq km land: 1.22 million sq km

Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries: total: 7,243 km border countries: Algeria 1,376 km, Burkina Faso 1,000 km, Guinea 858 km, Cote d'Ivoire 532 km, Mauritania 2,237 km, Niger 821 km, Senegal 419 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: subtropical to arid; hot and dry February to June; rainy, humid, and mild June to November; cool and dry November to February

Terrain: mostly flat to rolling northern plains covered by sand; savanna in south, rugged hills in northeast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Senegal River 23 m highest point:
Hombori Tondo 1,155 m

Natural resources: gold, phosphates, kaolin, salt, limestone, uranium, hydropower note: not exploited

Land use: arable land: 4% permanent crops: 0% other: 96% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,380 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: hot, dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry seasons; recurring droughts; occasional Niger River flooding

Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of
the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban

Geography - note: landlocked; divided into three natural zones: the southern, cultivated Sudanese; the central, semiarid Sahelian; and the northern, arid Saharan

People Mali

Population: 11,340,480 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 47.2% (male 2,687,998; female 2,658,605) 15-64 years: 49.8% (male 2,698,789; female 2,950,276) 65 years and over: 3% (male 160,604; female 184,208) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.97% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 48.37 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 18.32 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 119.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 48.64 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 6.73 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 1.7% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 140,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 9,900 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Malian(s) adjective: Malian

Ethnic groups: Mande 50% (Bambara, Malinke, Soninke), Peul 17%, Voltaic 12%, Songhai 6%, Tuareg and Moor 10%, other 5%

Religions: Muslim 90%, indigenous beliefs 9%, Christian 1%

Languages: French (official), Bambara 80%, numerous African languages

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 38% male: 45% female: 31% (1998 est.)

Government Mali

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Mali conventional short form: Mali local short form: Mali former: French Sudan and Sudanese Republic local long form: Republique de Mali

Government type: republic

Capital: Bamako

Administrative divisions: 8 regions (regions, singular - region); Gao,
Kayes, Kidal, Koulikoro, Mopti, Segou, Sikasso, Tombouctou

Independence: 22 September 1960 (from France)

National holiday: Independence Day, 22 September (1960)

Constitution: adopted 12 January 1992

Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Court (which was formally established on 9 March 1994); has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Amadou Toumani TOURE (since 8 June 2002) head of government: Prime Minister Modibo KEITA (since 18 March 2002) Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister elections: election last held 12 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2007); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Amadou Toumani TOURE elected president; percent of vote - Amadou Toumani TOURE 64.4%, Soumaila CISSE 35.6%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (147 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 20 July and 3 August 1997 (next to be held NA July 2002); note - much of the opposition boycotted the election election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - ADEMA 95, RPM 35, PARENA 8, CDS 4, UDD 3, PDP 2

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Democracy or ADEMA [Diounconda Traore KEITA, party chairman]; Block of Alternative for the Renewal of Africa or BARA [Yoro DIAKITE]; Democratic and Social Convention or CDS [Mamadou Bakary SANGARE, chairman]; Movement for the Independence, Renaissance and Integration of Africa or MIRIA [Mohamed Lamine TRAORE, Mouhamedou DICKO]; National Congress for Democratic Initiative or CNID [Mountaga TALL, chairman]; Party for Democracy and Progress or PDP [Me Idrissa TRAORE]; Party for National Renewal or PARENA [Yoro DIAKITE, chairman; Tiebile DRAME, secretary general]; Rally for Democracy and Labor or RDT [Ali GNANGADO]; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Almamy SYLLA, chairman]; Rally for Mali or RPM [Ibrahim Bonbasor KEITA, chairman]; Sudanese Union/African Democratic Rally or US/RDA [Mamadou Bamou TOURE, secretary general]; Union of Democratic Forces for Progress or UFDP [Youssouf TOURE, secretary general]; Union for Democracy and Development or UDD [Moussa Balla COULIBALY]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Patriotic Movement of the Ghanda
Koye or MPGK; United Movement and Fronts of Azawad or MFUA

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA,
ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIPONUH, NAM,
OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB (regional),
WAEMU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Cheick Oumar DIARRAH FAX: [1] (202) 332-6603 telephone: [1] (202) 332-2249, 939-8950 chancery: 2130 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Michael E. RANNEBERGER embassy: Rue Rochester
 B. P. 34, Bamako telephone:
Flag description: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side),
yellow, and red; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy Mali

Economy - overview: Mali is among the poorest countries in the world, with 65% of its land area desert or semidesert. Economic activity is largely confined to the riverine area irrigated by the Niger. About 10% of the population is nomadic and some 70% of the labor force is engaged in farming and fishing. Industrial activity is concentrated on processing farm commodities. Mali is heavily dependent on foreign aid and vulnerable to fluctuations in world prices for cotton, its main export. In 1997, the government continued its successful implementation of an IMF-recommended structural adjustment program that is helping the economy grow, diversify, and attract foreign investment. Mali's adherence to economic reform and the 50% devaluation of the African franc in January 1994 have pushed up economic growth to a sturdy 5% average in 1996-2000. In 2001, GDP decreased by 1.2% mainly due to a 50% drop in cotton production in 2000-01.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $9.2 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: -1.2% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $840 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 45% industry: 17% services: 38% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 64% average; 30% of the total population living in urban areas; 76% of the total population living in rural areas) (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.8% highest 10%: 40.4% (1994)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 50.5 (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.5% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 3.93 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture and fishing 80% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate: 14.6% urban areas; 5.3% rural areas (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $764 million expenditures: $828 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2002 est.)

Industries: food processing; construction; phosphate and gold mining

Industrial production growth rate: NA

Electricity - production: 462 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 43.29% hydro: 56.71% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 429.66 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: cotton, millet, rice, corn, vegetables, peanuts; cattle, sheep, goats

Exports: $575 million (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: cotton 43%, gold 40%, livestock (2001 est.)

Exports - partners: Brazil 10.6%, South Korea 9.9%, Italy 7.3%, Canada 7% (2000)

Imports: $600 million (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, construction materials, petroleum, foodstuffs, textiles

Imports - partners: Cote d'Ivoire 21%, France 12.4%, Senegal 4%,
Germany 4%, Benelux (2000)

Debt - external: $3.3 billion (2000)

Economic aid - recipient: $596.4 million (2001)

Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Currency code: XOF

Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 742.79 (January 2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997); note - from 1 January 1999, the XOF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF per euro

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Mali

Telephones - main lines in use: 45,000 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 40,000 (2001)

Telephone system: general assessment: domestic system unreliable but improving; provides only minimal service domestic: network consists of microwave radio relay, open wire, and radiotelephone communications stations; expansion of microwave radio relay in progress international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 28, shortwave 1 note: the shortwave station in Bamako has seven frequencies and five transmitters and relays broadcasts for China Radio International (2001)

Radios: 570,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (plus repeaters) (2001)

Televisions: 45,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .ml

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 13 (2001)

Internet users: 10,000 (2000)

Transportation Mali

Railways: total: 729 km narrow gauge: 729 km 1.000-m gauge note: linked to Senegal's rail system through Kayes (2001)

Highways: total: 15,100 km paved: 1,827 km unpaved: 13,273 km (1996)

Waterways: 1,815 km

Ports and harbors: Koulikoro

Airports: 27 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 20 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 9 (2001)

Military Mali

Military branches: Army, Air Force, Gendarmerie, Republican Guard,
National Guard, National Police (Surete Nationale)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 2,369,578 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,358,646 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $50 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Mali

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

========================================================================

Monaco

Introduction

Monaco

Background: Economic development was spurred in the late 19th century with a railroad linkup to France and the opening of a casino. Since then, the principality's mild climate, splendid scenery, and gambling facilities have made Monaco world famous as a tourist and recreation center.

Geography Monaco

Location: Western Europe, bordering the Mediterranean Sea on the southern coast of France, near the border with Italy

Geographic coordinates: 43 44 N, 7 24 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 1.95 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 1.95 sq km

Area - comparative: about three times the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC

Land boundaries: total: 4.4 km border countries: France 4.4 km

Coastline: 4.1 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: Mediterranean with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers

Terrain: hilly, rugged, rocky

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point:
Mont Agel 140 m

Natural resources: none

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (urban area) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: NA

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air
Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands,
Whaling signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note: second smallest independent state in the world (after
Holy See); almost entirely urban

People Monaco

Population: 31,987 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 15.5% (male 2,545; female 2,418) 15-64 years: 62.1% (male 9,762; female 10,093) 65 years and over: 22.4% (male 2,922; female 4,247) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.45% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 9.6 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 12.91 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 7.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 5.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 83.25 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.76 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Monegasque(s) or Monacan(s) adjective: Monegasque or Monacan

Ethnic groups: French 47%, Monegasque 16%, Italian 16%, other 21%

Religions: Roman Catholic 90%

Languages: French (official), English, Italian, Monegasque

Literacy: definition: NA total population: 99% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Monaco

Country name: Principality of Monaco conventional short form: Government type: constitutional monarchy

Capital: Monaco

Administrative divisions: none; there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are four quarters (quartiers, singular - quartier); Fontvieille, La Condamine, Monaco-Ville, Monte-Carlo

Independence: 1419 (beginning of the rule by the House of Grimaldi)

National holiday: National Day (Prince of Monaco Holiday), 19 November

Constitution: 17 December 1962

Legal system: based on French law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Prince RAINIER III (since 9 May 1949); Heir Apparent Prince ALBERT Alexandre Louis Pierre, son of the monarch (born 14 March 1958) elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; minister of state appointed by the monarch from a list of three French national candidates presented by the French Government cabinet: Council of Government is under the authority of the monarch head of government: Minister of State Patrick LECLERCQ (since 5 January 2000)

Legislative branch: unicameral National Council or Conseil National (18 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) election results: last held 1 and 8 February 1998 (next to be held NA January 2003)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Tribunal Supreme (judges appointed by the monarch on the basis of nominations by the National Council)

Political parties and leaders: Campora List [Anne-Maria CAMPORA];
Medecin List [Jean-Louis MEDECIN]; National and Democratic Union or UND
[Jean-Louis CAMPORA]; National Union for the Future of Monaco or UNAM
[leader NA]; Rally for the Monegasque Family or RFM [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACCT, ECE, FAO, IAEA, ICAO,
ICC, ICRM, IFRCS, IHO, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US: Monaco does not have an embassy in the US consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Monaco; the US Consul General in Marseille (France) is accredited to Monaco

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; similar to the flag of Indonesia which is longer and the flag of Poland which is white (top) and red

Economy Monaco

Economy - overview: Monaco, situated on the French Mediterranean coast, is a popular resort, attracting tourists to its casino and pleasant climate. In 2001, a major new construction project will extend the pier used by cruise ships in the main harbor. The Principality has successfully sought to diversify into services and small, high-value-added, nonpolluting industries. The state has no income tax and low business taxes and thrives as a tax haven both for individuals who have established residence and for foreign companies that have set up businesses and offices. The state retains monopolies in a number of sectors, including tobacco, the telephone network, and the postal service. Living standards are high, roughly comparable to those in prosperous French metropolitan areas. Monaco does not publish national income figures; the estimates below are extremely rough.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $870 million (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: NA%

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $27,000 (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

Labor force: 30,540 (January 1994)

Unemployment rate: 3.1% (1998)

Budget: revenues: $518 million expenditures: $531 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995)

Industries: tourism, construction, small-scale industrial and consumer products

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - consumption: NA kWh

Electricity - imports: NA kWh note: electricity supplied by France (1999)

Agriculture - products: none

Exports: $NA; full customs integration with France, which collects and rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in EU market system through customs union with France

Imports: $NA; full customs integration with France, which collects and rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in EU market system through customs union with France

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid - recipient: $NA

Currency: euro (EUR); French franc (FRF)

Currency code: EUR; FRF

Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Monaco

Telephones - main lines in use: 31,027 (1995)

Telephones - mobile cellular: NA

Telephone system: general assessment: modern automatic telephone system domestic: NA international: no satellite earth stations; connected by cable into the French communications system

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM NA, shortwave 8 (1998)

Radios: 34,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 5 (1998)

Televisions: 25,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .mc

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)

Internet users: NA

Transportation Monaco

Railways: total: 1.7 km standard gauge: 1.7 km 1.435-m gauge (2002)

Highways: total: 50 km paved: 50 km unpaved: 0 km (2001)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Monaco

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: none; linked to airport in Nice, France, by helicopter service (2001)

Heliports: 1 (shuttle service between the international airport at Nice,
France, and Monaco's heliport at Fontvieille) (2001)

Military Monaco

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Monaco

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Morocco

Introduction

Morocco

Background: Morocco's long struggle for independence from France ended in 1956. The internationalized city of Tangier was turned over to the new country that same year. Morocco virtually annexed Western Sahara during the late 1970s, but final resolution on the status of the territory remains unresolved. Gradual political reforms in the 1990s resulted in the establishment of a bicameral legislature in 1997.

Geography Morocco

Location: Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and the
Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Western Sahara

Geographic coordinates: 32 00 N, 5 00 W

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 446,550 sq km land: 446,300 sq km water: 250 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than California

Land boundaries: total: 2,017.9 km border countries: Algeria 1,559 km,
Western Sahara 443 km, Spain (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Spain (Melilla) 9.6 km

Coastline: 1,835 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate: Mediterranean, becoming more extreme in the interior

Terrain: northern coast and interior are mountainous with large areas of bordering plateaus, intermontane valleys, and rich coastal plains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sebkha Tah -55 m highest point:
Jbel Toubkal 4,165 m

Natural resources: phosphates, iron ore, manganese, lead, zinc, fish, salt

Land use: arable land: 20% permanent crops: 2% other: 78% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 12,910 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: northern mountains geologically unstable and subject to earthquakes; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: land degradation/desertification (soil erosion resulting from farming of marginal areas, overgrazing, destruction of vegetation); water supplies contaminated by raw sewage; siltation of reservoirs; oil pollution of coastal waters

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Geography - note: strategic
location along Strait of Gibraltar

People Morocco

Population: 31,167,783 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 33.8% (male 5,364,948; female 5,166,666) 15-64 years: 61.5% (male 9,518,503; female 9,640,292) 65 years and over: 4.7% (male 661,054; female 816,320) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.68% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 23.69 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 5.86 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 46.49 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 72.08 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.97 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.03% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Moroccan(s) adjective: Moroccan

Ethnic groups: Arab-Berber 99.1%, other 0.7%, Jewish 0.2%

Religions: Muslim 98.7%, Christian 1.1%, Jewish 0.2%

Languages: Arabic (official), Berber dialects, French often the language of business, government, and diplomacy

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 43.7% male: 56.6% female: 31% (1995 est.)

Government Morocco

Country name: Kingdom of Morocco conventional short form: Maghribiyah

Government type: constitutional monarchy

Capital: Rabat

Administrative divisions: 37 provinces and 2 wilayas*; Agadir, Al Hoceima, Azilal, Beni Mellal, Ben Slimane, Boulemane, Casablanca*, Chaouen, El Jadida, El Kelaa des Sraghna, Er Rachidia, Essaouira, Fes, Figuig, Guelmim, Ifrane, Kenitra, Khemisset, Khenifra, Khouribga, Laayoune, Larache, Marrakech, Meknes, Nador, Ouarzazate, Oujda, Rabat-Sale*, Safi, Settat, Sidi Kacem, Tanger, Tan-Tan, Taounate, Taroudannt, Tata, Taza, Tetouan, Tiznit note: three additional provinces of Ad Dakhla (Oued Eddahab), Boujdour, and Es Smara as well as parts of Tan-Tan and Laayoune fall within Moroccan-claimed Western Sahara; decentralization/regionalization law passed by the legislature in March 1997 created many new provinces/regions; specific details and scope of the reorganization not yet available

Independence: 2 March 1956 (from France)

National holiday: Throne Day (accession of King MOHAMED VI to the throne), 30 July (1999)

Constitution: 10 March 1972, revised 4 September 1992, amended (to create bicameral legislature) September 1996

Legal system: based on Islamic law and French and Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of Supreme Court

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch: King MOHAMED VI (since 23 July 1999) head of government: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch following legislative elections

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or Chamber of Counselors (270 seats; members elected indirectly by local councils, professional organizations, and labor syndicates for nine-year terms; one-third of the members are renewed every three years) and a lower house or Chamber of Representatives (325 seats; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms) elections: Chamber of Counselors - last held 15 September 2000 (next to be held NA 2002); Chamber of Representatives - last held 14 November 1997 (next to be held NA November 2002) election results: Chamber of Counselors - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - USFP 57, UC 50, RNI 46, MP 40, MDS 32, IP 32, MNP 19, PND 10, MPCD 9, PPS 9, FFD 9, PSD 5, OADP 4, PA 2, PDI 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed on the recommendation of the Supreme Council of the Judiciary, presided over by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders: Action Party or PA [Muhammad EL IDRISSI]; Avant Garde Social Democratic Party or PADS [Abderrahman BENAMROU]; Citizen's Forces [Abderrahman LAJOUJI]; Constitutional Union or CU [Mohamed ABIED (interim)]; Democratic Forces Front or FFD [Thami EL KHYARI]; Democratic Socialist Party or PSD [Eissa OUARDIGHI]; Democratic Party for Independence or PDI [Abd al Wahid AL MAASH]; Democratic Union or UD [Bouazza IKKEN]; Istiqlal Party or IP [Abbas El FASSI]; Moroccan Liberal Party [Mohamed ZIANE]; National Democratic Party or PND [Abdallah KADIRI]; National Popular Movement or MNP [Mahjoubi AHERDANE]; National Rally of Independents or RNI [Ahmed OSMAN]; Organization of Democratic and Popular Action or OADP [Mohamed Ben Said AIT IDDER]; Party of Justice and Development or PJD (note - formerly the Popular Constitutional and Democratic Movement or MPCD) [Dr. Abdelkarim KHATIB]; Party of the National Unionist Congress [Abdelmajid BOUZOUBAA]; Party of Progress and Socialism or PPS [Ismail ALAOUI]; Party of Reform and Development [Abderrahman EL KOUHEN]; Popular Movement or MP [Mohamed LAENSER]; Social Democratic Movement or MDS [Mahmoud AARSHANE]; Socialist Union of Popular Forces or USFP [Abderrahman EL-YOUSSOUFI]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Democratic Confederation of
Labor or CDT [Noubir AMAOUI]; General Union of Moroccan Workers or UGTM
[Abderrazzak AFILAL]; Moroccan Employers Association or CGEM [leader
NA]; National Labor Union of Morocco or UNMT [Abdelslam MAATI]; Union
of Moroccan Workers or UMT [Mahjoub BENSEDDIK]

International organization participation: ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD,
AL, AMF, AMU, CCC, EBRD, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: Ambassador Abdullah MAAROUFI consulate(s) general: 7982 chancery: 1601 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Ms. Margaret TUTWILER (since 11 Jul.
 2 Avenue de Mohamed El Fassi, Rabat mailing address: (37) 76 56 61
 consulate(s) general: Casablanca

Flag description: red with a green pentacle (five-pointed, linear star) known as Solomon's seal in the center of the flag; green is the traditional color of Islam

Economy Morocco

Economy - overview: Morocco faces the problems typical of developing countries - restraining government spending, reducing constraints on private activity and foreign trade, and achieving sustainable economic growth. Following structural adjustment programs supported by the IMF, World Bank, and the Paris Club, the dirham is now fully convertible for current account transactions, and reforms of the financial sector have been implemented. Droughts depressed activity in the key agricultural sector and contributed to a stagnant economy in 1999 and 2000. During that time, however, Morocco reported large foreign exchange inflows from the sale of a mobile telephone license and partial privatization of the state-owned telecommunications company. Favorable rainfall in 2001 led to a growth of 5%. Formidable long-term challenges include: servicing the external debt; preparing the economy for freer trade with the EU; and improving education and attracting foreign investment to boost living standards and job prospects for Morocco's youth.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $112 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 5% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,700 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 15% industry: 33% services: 52% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 19% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 30.9% (1998-99)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 39.5 (1998-99)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 11 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 50%, services 35%, industry 15% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: 23% (1999 est.)

Budget: revenues: $13.8 billion expenditures: $14.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.1 billion (2001 est.)

Industries: phosphate rock mining and processing, food processing, leather goods, textiles, construction, tourism

Industrial production growth rate: 0.5% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production: 14.243 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 91.27% hydro: 8.73% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 14.346 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 1.1 billion kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: barley, wheat, citrus, wine, vegetables, olives; livestock

Exports: $8.2 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: phosphates and fertilizers, food and beverages, minerals

Exports - partners: France 26%, Spain 10%, UK 8%, Italy 6%, Germany 5%,
India 5%, US 5% (2000)

Imports: $12.4 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: semiprocessed goods, machinery and equipment, food and beverages, consumer goods, fuel

Imports - partners: France 25%, Spain 11%, Germany 6%, Italy 6%, UK 5%,
US 5% (2000)

Debt - external: $19 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $565.6 million (1995)

Currency: Moroccan dirham (MAD)

Currency code: MAD

Exchange rates: Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 11.584 (January 2002), 11.303 (2001), 10.626 (2000), 9.804 (1999), 9.604 (1998), 9.527 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Morocco

Telephones - main lines in use: 1.391 million (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 116,645 (1998)

Telephone system: general assessment: modern system with all important capabilities; however density is low with only 4.6 main lines available for each 100 persons domestic: good system composed of open-wire lines, cables, and microwave radio relay links; Internet available but expensive; principal switching centers are Casablanca and Rabat; national network nearly 100% digital using fiber-optic links; improved rural service employs microwave radio relay international: 7 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; microwave radio relay to Gibraltar, Spain, and Western Sahara; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Algeria; participant in Medarabtel; fiber-optic cable link from Agadir to Algeria and Tunisia (1998)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 27, FM 25, shortwave 6 (1998)

Radios: 6.64 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 35 (plus 66 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions: 3.1 million (1997)

Internet country code: .ma

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 8 (2000)

Internet users: 220,000 (2001)

Transportation Morocco

Railways: total: 1,907 km standard gauge: 1,907 km 1.435-m gauge (1,003 km electrified; 540 km double-tracked) (2001)

Highways: total: 57,847 km paved: 30,254 km (including 327 km of expressways) unpaved: 27,593 km (1998)

Waterways: none

Pipelines: crude oil 362 km; petroleum products 491 km (abandoned); natural gas 241 km

Ports and harbors: Agadir, El Jadida, Casablanca, El Jorf Lasfar,
Kenitra, Mohammedia, Nador, Rabat, Safi, Tangier; also Spanish-controlled
Ceuta and Melilla

Merchant marine: total: 41 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 227,364 GRT/277,306 DWT ships by type: cargo 10, chemical tanker 6, container 6, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 8, roll on/roll off 8, short-sea passenger 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Germany 1, Hong Kong 1, Netherlands 2, Norway 2 (2002 est.)

Airports: 67 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 26 over 3,047 m: 9 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 41 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 under 914 m: 11 (2001) 914 to 1,523 m: 19

Heliports: 1 (2001)

Military Morocco

Military branches: Royal Armed Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force),
Gendarmerie, Auxiliary Forces

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 8,393,772 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 5,289,283 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 348,380 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $1.4 billion (FY99/00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 4% (FY99/00)

Transnational Issues Morocco

Disputes - international: claims and administers Western Sahara, but sovereignty remains unresolved; UN-administered cease-fire has remained in effect since September 1991, but attempts to hold a referendum have failed and parties reject other proposals; Spain controls three small possessions off the coast of Morocco - the islands of Penon de Alhucemas, Penon de Velez de la Gomera, and Islas Chafarinas and two autonomous communities on the coast of Morrocco - Ceuta and Mellila; Morocco rejected Spain's unilateral designation of a median line from the Canary Islands in 2002 to explore undersea resources and to interdict illegal refugees from Africa

Illicit drugs: illicit producer of hashish; trafficking increasing for both domestic and international drug markets; shipments of hashish mostly directed to Western Europe; transit point for cocaine from South America destined for Western Europe

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Mauritius

Introduction

Mauritius

Background: Discovered by the Portuguese in 1505, Mauritius was subsequently held by the Dutch, French, and British before independence was attained in 1968. A stable democracy with regular free elections and a positive human rights record, the country has attracted considerable foreign investment and has earned one of Africa's highest per capita incomes. Recent poor weather and declining sugar prices have slowed economic growth leading to some protests over standards of living in the Creole community.

Geography Mauritius

Location: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar

Geographic coordinates: 20 17 S, 57 33 E

Map references: Political Map of the World

Area: total: 2,040 sq km note: includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos
Shoals (Saint Brandon), and Rodrigues water: 10 sq km land: 2,030 sq km

Area - comparative: almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 177 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate: tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter
(May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May)

Terrain: small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling central plateau

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point:
Mont Piton 828 m

Natural resources: arable land, fish

Land use: arable land: 49% permanent crops: 3% other: 48% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 200 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards

Environment - current issues: water pollution, degradation of coral reefs

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Geography - note: the main island, from which the country derives its name, is of volcanic origin and is almost entirely surrounded by coral reefs

People Mauritius

Population: 1,200,206 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 25.4% (male 153,810; female 150,464) 15-64 years: 68.3% (male 409,028; female 411,070) 65 years and over: 6.3% (male 30,170; female 45,664) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.86% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 16.34 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 6.81 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.92 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 16.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 75.58 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.08% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Mauritian(s) adjective: Mauritian

Ethnic groups: Indo-Mauritian 68%, Creole 27%, Sino-Mauritian 3%,
Franco-Mauritian 2%

Religions: Hindu 52%, Christian 28.3% (Roman Catholic 26%, Protestant 2.3%), Muslim 16.6%, other 3.1%

Languages: English (official), Creole, French (official), Hindi, Urdu,
Hakka, Bhojpuri

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 82.9% male: 87.1% female: 78.8% (1995 est.)

Government Mauritius

Country name: Republic of Mauritius conventional short form: Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Port Louis

Administrative divisions: 9 districts and 3 dependencies*; Agalega
Islands*, Black River, Cargados Carajos Shoals*, Flacq, Grand Port,
Moka, Pamplemousses, Plaines Wilhems, Port Louis, Riviere du Rempart,
Rodrigues*, Savanne

Independence: 12 March 1968 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 12 March (1968)

Constitution: 12 March 1968; amended 12 March 1992

Legal system: based on French civil law system with elements of English common law in certain areas

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Karl OFFMANN (since 25 February 2002) and Vice President Raouf BUNDHUN (since 25 February 2002) head of government: Prime Minister Paul BERENGER (since 17 September 2000) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president and vice president elected by the National Assembly for five-year terms; election last held 25 February 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president, responsible to the National Assembly election results: percent of vote by the National Assembly - NA%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (66 seats; 62 elected by popular vote, 4 appointed by the election commission from the losing political parties to give representation to various ethnic minorities; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held on 11 September 2000 (next to be held by September 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - MSM/MMM 52.3%, MLP/PMSD 36.9%, OPR 10.8%; seats by party - MSM/MMM 54, MLP/PMSD 6, OPR 2

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: Hizbullah [Cehl Mohamed FAKEEMEEAH];
Mauritian Labor Party or MLP [Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM]; Mauritian
Militant Movement or MMM [Paul BERENGER] - in coalition with MSM;
Mauritian Militant Renaissance or MMR [Dr. Paramhansa NABABSING];
Mauritian Social Democrat Party or PMSD [Charles Xavier-Luc DUVAL];
Militant Socialist Movement or MSM [Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH] - governing
party; Rodrigues Movement or OPR [Joseph (Nicholas) Von MALLY]

Political pressure groups and leaders: various labor unions

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA,
FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN,
UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Usha JEETAH FAX: [1] (202) 966-0983 telephone: [1] (202) 244-1491, 1492 chancery: Suite 441, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Bisa WILLIAMS embassy: 4th Floor, Rogers House, John Kennedy Street, Port Louis mailing address: international mail: P. O. Box 544, Port Louis; US mail: American Embassy, Port Louis, Department of State, Washington, DC [230] 208-2347, 208-2354, 208-9763 through 9767 FAX: Flag description: four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow, and green

Economy Mauritius

Economy - overview: Since independence in 1968, Mauritius has developed from a low-income, agriculturally based economy to a middle-income diversified economy with growing industrial, financial, and tourist sectors. For most of the period, annual growth has been in the order of 5% to 6%. This remarkable achievement has been reflected in more equitable income distribution, increased life expectancy, lowered infant mortality, and a much improved infrastructure. Sugarcane is grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area and accounts for 25% of export earnings. The government's development strategy centers on foreign investment. Mauritius has attracted more than 9,000 offshore entities, many aimed at commerce in India and South Africa, and investment in the banking sector alone has reached over $1 billion. Mauritius, with its strong textile sector and responsible fiscal management, was well-poised to take advantage of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).

GDP: purchasing power parity - $12.9 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 5.2% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $10,800 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6% industry: 33% services: 61% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line: 10% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 0.37 (1987 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.2% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 514,000 (1995)

Labor force - by occupation: construction and industry 36%, services 24%, agriculture and fishing 14%, trade, restaurants, hotels 16%, transportation and communication 7%, finance 3% (1995)

Unemployment rate: 8.6% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $1.1 billion expenditures: $1.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)

Industries: food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles, clothing; chemicals, metal products, transport equipment, nonelectrical machinery; tourism

Industrial production growth rate: 8% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production: 1.285 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 91.05% hydro: 8.95% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 1.195 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: sugarcane, tea, corn, potatoes, bananas, pulses; cattle, goats; fish

Exports: $1.6 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: clothing and textiles, sugar, cut flowers, molasses

Exports - partners: UK 25.8%, France 20.8%, US 16.0%, South Africa 10.9%,
Germany, Italy (2000 est.)

Imports: $2 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: manufactured goods, capital equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals (1996)

Imports - partners: South Africa 20.0%, France 19.0%, India 9.0%,
Hong Kong 5.2%, UK (2000 est.)

Debt - external: $2.3 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $42 million (1997)

Currency: Mauritian rupee (MUR)

Currency code: MUR

Exchange rates: Mauritian rupees per US dollar - 30.345 (January 2002), 29.129 (2001), 26.250 (2000), 25.186 (1999), 22.993 (1998), 21.057 (1997)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Communications Mauritius

Telephones - main lines in use: 245,000 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 60,482 (1998)

Telephone system: general assessment: small system with good service domestic: primarily microwave radio relay international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); new microwave link to Reunion; HF radiotelephone links to several countries

Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios: 420,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 2 (plus several repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 258,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .mu

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)

Internet users: 87,000 (2001)

Transportation Mauritius

Railways: 0 km (2002)

Highways: 1,786 km (including 36 km of expressways) unpaved: Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Port Louis

Merchant marine: total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 66,004 GRT/90,017 DWT ships by type: cargo 2, combination bulk 2, container 2, refrigerated cargo 2 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience:, Belgium 1, India 3, Norway 1, Switzerland 2 (2002 est.)

Airports: 5 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2001)

Military Mauritius

Military branches: National Police Force (includes the paramilitary
Special Mobile Force or SMF and National Coast Guard)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 340,050 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 171,239 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $9.1 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.2% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Mauritius

Disputes - international: Mauritius claims the Chagos Archipelago
(UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory), and its former
inhabitants, who reside chiefly in Mauritius, but were granted
UK citizenship and the right to repatriation in 2001; claims
French-administered Tromelin Island

Illicit drugs: minor consumer and transshipment point for heroin from
South Asia; small amounts of cannabis produced and consumed locally

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Midway Islands

Introduction

Midway Islands

Background: The US took formal possession of the islands in 1867. The laying of the trans-Pacific cable, which passed through the islands, brought the first residents in 1903. Between 1935 and 1947, Midway was used as a refueling stop for trans-Pacific flights. The US naval victory over a Japanese fleet off Midway in 1942 was one of the turning points of World War II. The islands continued to serve as a naval station until closed in 1993. Today the islands are a national wildlife refuge. From 1996 to 2001 the refuge was open to the public. It is now temporarily closed.

Geography Midway Islands

Location: Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-third of the way from Honolulu to Tokyo

Geographic coordinates: 28 13 N, 177 22 W

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 6.2 sq km note: includes Eastern Island, Sand Island, and Spit Island water: 0 sq km land: 6.2 sq km

Area - comparative: about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 15 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: subtropical, but moderated by prevailing easterly winds

Terrain: low, nearly level

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 13 m

Natural resources: wildlife, terrestrial and aquatic

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: a coral atoll managed as a national wildlife refuge and open to the public for wildlife-related recreation in the form of wildlife observation and photography, sport fishing, snorkeling, and scuba diving; the refuge is temporarily closed for reorganization at present (2002)

People Midway Islands

Population: no indigenous inhabitants; approximately 40 people make up the staff of US Fish and Wildlife Service and their services cooperator living at the atoll (April 2002 est.)

Population growth rate: NA

Government Midway Islands

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Midway Islands

Dependency status: unincorporated territory of the US; formerly administered from Washington, DC, by the US Navy, under Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Pacific Division; this facility has been operationally closed since 10 September 1993; on 31 October 1996, through a presidential executive order, the jurisdiction and control of the atoll was transferred to the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system

Legal system: the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description: the flag of the US is used

Economy Midway Islands

Economy - overview: The economy is based on providing support services for the national wildlife refuge activities located on the islands. All food and manufactured goods must be imported.

Transportation Midway Islands

Highways: total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km

Waterways: none

Pipelines: 7.8 km

Ports and harbors: Sand Island

Airports: 3 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)

Military Midway Islands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Midway Islands

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Mauritania

Introduction

Mauritania

Background: Independent from France in 1960, Mauritania annexed the southern third of the former Spanish Sahara (now Western Sahara) in 1976, but relinquished it after three years of raids by the Polisario guerrilla front seeking independence for the territory. Opposition parties were legalized and a new constitution approved in 1991. Two multiparty presidential elections since then were widely seen as flawed, but October 2001 legislative and municipal elections were generally free and open. Mauritania remains, in reality, a one-party state. The country continues to experience ethnic tensions between its black minority population and the dominant Maur (Arab-Berber) populace.

Geography Mauritania

Location: Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
Senegal and Western Sahara

Geographic coordinates: 20 00 N, 12 00 W

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 1,030,700 sq km land: 1,030,400 sq km water: 300 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than three times the size of
New Mexico

Land boundaries: total: 5,074 km border countries: Algeria 463 km,
Mali 2,237 km, Senegal 813 km, Western Sahara 1,561 km

Coastline: 754 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate: desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty

Terrain: mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central hills

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sebkha de Ndrhamcha -3 m highest point:
Kediet Ijill 910 m

Natural resources: iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil; fish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 490 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in March and April; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: overgrazing, deforestation, and soil erosion aggravated by drought are contributing to desertification; very limited natural fresh water resources away from the Senegal which is the only perennial river

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Geography - note: most of the population concentrated in the cities of Nouakchott and Nouadhibou and along the Senegal River in the southern part of the country

People Mauritania

Population: 2,828,858 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 46.1% (male 653,005; female 650,530) 15-64 years: 51.7% (male 720,473; female 741,094) 65 years and over: 2.2% (male 26,251; female 37,505) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.92% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 42.54 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 13.34 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 75.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 53.71 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 6.15 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 1.8% (2000 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 6,600 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 610 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Mauritanian(s) adjective: Mauritanian

Ethnic groups: mixed Maur/black 40%, Maur 30%, black 30%

Religions: Muslim 100%

Languages: Hassaniya Arabic (official), Pulaar, Soninke, Wolof (official), French

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 41.2% male: 51.5% female: 31.3% (2002 est.)

Government Mauritania

Country name: conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Mauritania
conventional
 Muritaniyah local long form:
Government type: republic

Capital: Nouakchott

Administrative divisions: 12 regions (regions, singular - region) and
1 capital district*; Adrar, Assaba, Brakna, Dakhlet Nouadhibou, Gorgol,
Guidimaka, Hodh Ech Chargui, Hodh El Gharbi, Inchiri, Nouakchott*,
Tagant, Tiris Zemmour, Trarza

Independence: 28 November 1960 (from France)

National holiday: Independence Day, 28 November (1960)

Constitution: 12 July 1991

Legal system: a combination of Shari'a (Islamic law) and French civil law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA (since 12 December 1984) head of government: Prime Minister Cheikh El Avia Ould Mohamed Council of Ministers elections: held 12 December 1997 (next to be held NA December 2003); prime minister appointed by the president election results: President Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA reelected with 90.9% of the vote

Legislative branch: bicameral legislature consists of the Senate or Majlis al-Shuyukh (56 seats, a part of the seats up for election every two years; members elected by municipal leaders to serve six-year terms) and the National Assembly or Majlis al-Watani (81 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 17 April 1998 (next to be held NA April 2002); National Assembly - last held 19 and 26 October 2001 (next to be held NA 2006) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PRDS 98%, others 2%; seats by party - PRDS 56; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - PRDS 79%, RDU 3.5%, UDP 3.5%, AC 5%, RDF 4%, UFP 3.5%, FP 1.5%; seats by party - PRDS 64, UDP 3, RDU 3, AC 4, RDF 3, UFP 3,and FP 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Court of Appeals; lower courts

Political parties and leaders: Action for Change or AC [Messoud Ould BOULKHEIR]; Alliance for Justice and Democracy or AJD [Kebe ABDOULAYE]; Democratic and Social Republican Party or PRDS (ruling party) [President Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA]; Mauritanian Party for Renewal and Concorde or PMRC [Molaye El Hassen Ould JIYID]; National Union for Democracy and Development or UNDD [Tidjane KOITA]; Party for Liberty, Equality and Justice or PLEJ [Daouda M'BAGNIGA]; Popular Front or FP [Ch'bih Ould CHEIKH MALAININE]; Popular Progress Alliance or APP [Mohamed El Hafed Ould ISMAEL]; Popular Social and Democratic Union or UPSD [Mohamed Mahmoud Ould MAH]; Progress Force Union or UFP [Mohamed Ould MAOULOUD]; Rally of Democratic Forces or RDF [Ahmed Ould DADDAH]; Rally for Democracy and Unity or RDU [Ahmed Ould SIDI BABA]; Union for Democracy and Progress or UDP [Naha Mint MOUKNASS] note: the Action for Change party was banned in January 2002; parties legalized by constitution ratified 12 July 1991, however, politics continue to be tribally based

Political pressure groups and leaders: Arab nationalists; Ba'athists;
General Confederation of Mauritanian Workers or CGTM [Abdallahi Ould
MOHAMED, secretary general]; Independent Confederation of Mauritanian
Workers or CLTM [Samory Ould BEYE]; Islamists; Mauritanian Workers Union
or UTM [Mohamed Ely Ould BRAHIM, secretary general]

International organization participation: ABEDA, ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD,
AL, AMF, AMU, CAEU, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mohamedou Ould MICHEL chancery: 2129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 FAX: [1] (202) 319-2623 telephone: [1] (202) 232-5700

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
John W. LIMBERT embassy: Rue Abdallaye, Nouakchott mailing address:
BP 222, Nouakchott telephone: [222] 525-2660, 525-2663 FAX: [222] 525-1592

Flag description: green with a yellow five-pointed star above a yellow, horizontal crescent; the closed side of the crescent is down; the crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam

Economy Mauritania

Economy - overview: Half the population still depends on agriculture and livestock for a livelihood, even though most of the nomads and many subsistence farmers were forced into the cities by recurrent droughts in the 1970s and 1980s. Mauritania has extensive deposits of iron ore, which account for half of total exports. The decline in world demand for this ore, however, has led to cutbacks in production. The nation's coastal waters are among the richest fishing areas in the world, but overexploitation by foreigners threatens this key source of revenue. The country's first deepwater port opened near Nouakchott in 1986. In the past, drought and economic mismanagement resulted in a buildup of foreign debt. In February, 2000, Mauritania qualified for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative and in December 2001 received strong support from donor and lending countries at a triennial Consultative Group review. Mauritania withdrew its membership in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in 2000 and subsequently increased commercial ties with Arab Maghreb Union members Morocco and Tunisia, most notably in telecommunications. In 2001, exploratory oil wells in tracts 80 km offshore indicated potential viable extraction at current world oil prices. However, the refinery in Nouadhibou historically has not exceeded 20% of its distillation capacity, and it handled no crude in the year 2000. A new Investment Code approved in December 2001 improved the opportunities for direct foreign investment.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $5 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,800 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 25% industry: 29% services: 46% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 50% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 30.2% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 37.3 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.4% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 786,000 (2001)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 50%, services 40%, industry 10% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate: 21% (1999 est.)

Budget: revenues: $421 million expenditures: $378 million, including capital expenditures of $154 million (2002 est.)

Industries: fish processing, mining of iron ore and gypsum

Industrial production growth rate: 2% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production: 154 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 84.42% hydro: 15.58% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 143.22 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: dates, millet, sorghum, rice, corn, dates; cattle, sheep

Exports: $359 million (f.o.b., 2000)

Exports - commodities: iron ore, fish and fish products, gold

Exports - partners: France 18%, Japan 16%, Italy 13%, Spain 10% (2000)

Imports: $335 million (f.o.b., 2000)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, petroleum products, capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods

Imports - partners: France 33%, US 10%, Spain 9%, Algeria 6%, Germany 6%, Benelux 5% (2000)

Debt - external: $1.6 billion (2000)

Economic aid - recipient: $220 million (2000)

Currency: ouguiya (MRO)

Currency code: MRO

Exchange rates: ouguiyas per US dollar - 254.350 (December 2001), 238.923 (2000), 209.514 (1999), 188.476 (1998), 151.853 (1997), 137.222 (1996)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Mauritania

Telephones - main lines in use: 26,500 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 35,000 (2001)

Telephone system: general assessment: limited system of cable and open-wire lines, minor microwave radio relay links, and radiotelephone communications stations (improvements being made) domestic: mostly cable and open-wire lines; a recently completed domestic satellite telecommunications system links Nouakchott with regional capitals international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 2 Arabsat

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 14, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios: 410,000 (2001)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (2002)

Televisions: 98,000 (2001)

Internet country code: .mr

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 5 (2001)

Internet users: 7,500 (2001)

Transportation Mauritania

Railways: 704 km standard gauge: 704 km 1.435-m gauge note: owned and operated by government mining company (2001)

Highways: total: 7,720 km paved: 830 km unpaved: 6,890 km (2000)

Waterways: note: ferry traffic on the Senegal River

Ports and harbors: Bogue, Kaedi, Nouadhibou, Nouakchott, Rosso

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: 26 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 9 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: 5 914 to 1,523 m: Military Mauritania

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National
Guard, National Police, Presidential Guard

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 644,294 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 312,276 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $37.1 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.7% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Mauritania

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Malta

Introduction

Malta

Background: Great Britain formally acquired possession of Malta in 1814. The island staunchly supported the UK through both World Wars and remained in the Commonwealth when it became independent in 1964. A decade later Malta became a republic. Over the last 15 years, the island has become a freight transshipment point, financial center, and tourist destination. It is an official candidate for EU membership.

Geography Malta

Location: Southern Europe, islands in the Mediterranean Sea, south of
Sicily (Italy)

Geographic coordinates: 35 50 N, 14 35 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 316 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 316 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 196.8 km (does not include 56.01 km for the island of Gozo)

Maritime claims: 12 NM exclusive fishing zone: Climate: Mediterranean with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers

Terrain: mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal cliffs

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point:
Ta'Dmejrek 253 m (near Dingli)

Natural resources: limestone, salt, arable land

Land use: arable land: 31% permanent crops: 3% other: 66% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: very limited natural fresh water resources; increasing reliance on desalination

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: the country comprises an archipelago, with only the three largest islands (Malta, Ghawdex or Gozo, and Kemmuna or Comino) being inhabited; numerous bays provide good harbors; Malta and Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil exploration

People Malta

Population: 397,499 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 19.7% (male 40,609; female 37,882) 15-64 years: 67.5% (male 135,047; female 133,207) 65 years and over: 12.8% (male 21,215; female 29,539) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.73% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 12.76 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 7.77 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 2.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 5.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 80.96 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.91 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.52% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Maltese (singular and plural) adjective: Maltese

Ethnic groups: Maltese (descendants of ancient Carthaginians and Phoenicians, with strong elements of Italian and other Mediterranean stock)

Religions: Roman Catholic 91%

Languages: Maltese (official), English (official)

Literacy: definition: age 10 and over can read and write total population: 88.76% male: 86.91% female: 89.55% (1995 census)

Government Malta

Country name: Republic of Malta conventional short form: Government type: republic

Capital: Valletta

Administrative divisions: none (administered directly from Valletta)

Independence: 21 September 1964 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 21 September (1964)

Constitution: 1964 constitution substantially amended on 13 December 1974

Legal system: based on English common law and Roman civil law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Guido DE MARCO (since 4 April 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Eddie FENECH ADAMI (since 6 September 1998); Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence GONZI (since 4 April 1999) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister elections: election last held NA April 1999 (next to be held by April 2004); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president for a five-year term; the deputy prime minister is appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister election results: Guido DE MARCO elected president; percent of House of Representatives vote - 54%

Legislative branch: unicameral House of Representatives (usually 65 seats; note - additional seats are given to the party with the largest popular vote to ensure a legislative majority; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve five-year terms) elections: results: percent of vote by party - PN 51.8%, MLP 46.9%, AD 1.2%; seats by party - PN 35, MLP 30

Judicial branch: Constitutional Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts are appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister

Political parties and leaders: Alternativa Demokratika/Alliance for
Social Justice or AD [Harry VASSALLO]; Malta Labor Party or MLP [Alfred
SANT]; Nationalist Party or PN [Edward FENECH ADAMI]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: C, CCC, CE, EBRD, ECE, EU
(applicant), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, OPCW, OSCE, PCA,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: New York FAX: Connecticut Avenue
NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Anthony H. GIOIA embassy: 3rd Floor, Development House, Saint Anne Street,
Floriana, Malta VLT 01 mailing address: P. O. Box 535, Valletta, Malta,
CMR 01 telephone: [356] 235960 through 235965 FAX: [356] 243229

Flag description: two equal vertical bands of white (hoist side) and red; in the upper hoist-side corner is a representation of the Saint George Cross, edged in red

Economy Malta

Economy - overview: Major resources are limestone, a favorable geographic location, and a productive labor force. Malta produces only about 20% of its food needs, has limited freshwater supplies, and has no domestic energy sources. The economy is dependent on foreign trade, manufacturing (especially electronics and textiles), and tourism. Malta is privatizing state-controlled firms and liberalizing markets in order to prepare for membership in the European Union and is expected to complete EU accession negotiations in 2002. The island is divided politically, however, over the question of joining the EU.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $5.95 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $15,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.8% industry: 25.5% services: 71.7% (1999)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.8% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 147,700 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation: industry 24%, services 71%, agriculture 5% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: 4.5% (2000)

Budget: revenues: $1.5 billion expenditures: $1.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000)

Industries: tourism; electronics, ship building and repair, construction; food and beverages, textiles, footwear, clothing, tobacco

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 1.75 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 1.628 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: potatoes, cauliflower, grapes, wheat, barley, tomatoes, citrus, cut flowers, green peppers; pork, milk, poultry, eggs

Exports: $2.5 billion (f.o.b., 2000)

Exports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactures

Exports - partners: US 27.3%, Germany 9.6%, France 8%, UK 7.3%, Italy 3.4% (2000)

Imports: $3.1 billion (f.o.b., 2000)

Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactured and semi-manufactured goods; food, drink, and tobacco

Imports - partners: France 19.2%, Italy 16.3%, US 10.7%, UK 8.1%,
Germany 8.1% (2000)

Debt - external: $130 million (1997)

Economic aid - recipient: $NA

Currency: Maltese lira (MTL)

Currency code: MTL

Exchange rates: Maltese liri per US dollar - 0.4542 (January 2002), 0.4499 (2001), 0.4376 (2000), 0.3994 (1999), 0.3885 (1998), 0.3857 (1997)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Communications Malta

Telephones - main lines in use: 187,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 17,691 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: automatic system satisfies normal requirements domestic: submarine cable and microwave radio relay between islands international: 2 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 18, shortwave 6 (1999)

Radios: 255,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 6 (2000)

Televisions: 280,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .mt

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)

Internet users: 40,000 (2000)

Transportation Malta

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 1,742 km paved: 1,677 km unpaved: 65 km (1997)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Marsaxlokk, Valletta

Merchant marine: total: 1,323 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 27,208,819 GRT/44,617,877 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Australia 4, Austria 6, Bangladesh 1, Belgium 3, Bulgaria 19, Canada 2, China 16, Croatia 14, Cuba 1, Cyprus 7, Denmark 3, Estonia 5, Finland 1, Germany 54, Greece 627, Hong Kong 12, Iceland 3, India 10, Iran 2, Israel 26, Italy 36, Japan 2, Latvia 24, Lebanon 6, Monaco 29, Netherlands 10, Nigeria 2, Norway 43, Poland 29, Portugal 2, Romania 15, Russia 85, Saudi Arabia 1, Slovenia 2, South Korea 5, Spain 1, Switzerland 54, Syria 4, Turkey 84, Ukraine 25, United Arab Emirates 3, United Kingdom 4, United States 10 (2002 est.) ships by type: bulk 440, cargo 334, chemical tanker 54, combination bulk 10, combination ore/oil 12, container 75, liquefied gas 4, livestock carrier 3, multi-functional large-load carrier 1, passenger 6, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 270, refrigerated cargo 39, roll on/roll off 45, short-sea passenger 9, specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 17

Airports: 1 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2001)

Military Malta

Military branches: Armed Forces (including land forces [with subordinate air squadron and maritime squadron] and the Revenue Security Corps), Maltese Police Force

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 99,107 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 78,909 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $60 million (2000 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.7% (2000)

Transnational Issues Malta

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: minor transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Western Europe

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Oman

Introduction

Oman

Background: In 1970, QABOOS bin Said Al Said ousted his father and has ruled as sultan ever since. His extensive modernization program has opened the country to the outside world and has preserved a long-standing political and military relationship with the UK. Oman's moderate, independent foreign policy has sought to maintain good relations with all Middle Eastern countries.

Geography Oman

Location: Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and
Persian Gulf, between Yemen and UAE

Geographic coordinates: 21 00 N, 57 00 E

Map references: Middle East

Area: total: 212,460 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 212,460 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Kansas

Land boundaries: total: 1,374 km border countries: Saudi Arabia 676 km,
UAE 410 km, Yemen 288 km

Coastline: 2,092 km

Maritime claims: 200 NM territorial sea: Climate: dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior; strong southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south

Terrain: central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m highest point: Jabal
Shams 2,980 m

Natural resources: petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium, gypsum, natural gas

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 620 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in interior; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: rising soil salinity; beach pollution from oil spills; very limited natural fresh water resources

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: strategic location on Musandam Peninsula adjacent to
Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil

People Oman

Population: 2,713,462 note: includes 527,078 non-nationals (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 41.9% (male 579,065; female 556,923) 15-64 years: 55.7% (male 914,494; female 597,948) 65 years and over: 2.4% (male 34,555; female 30,477) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.41% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 37.76 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 4.03 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.53 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.13 male(s)/female total population: 1.29 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 21.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 74.57 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 5.99 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.11% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Omani(s) adjective: Omani

Ethnic groups: Arab, Baluchi, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan,
Bangladeshi), African

Religions: Ibadhi Muslim 75%, Sunni Muslim, Shi'a Muslim, Hindu

Languages: Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Indian dialects

Literacy: definition: NA total population: approaching 80% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Oman

Country name: Sultanate of Oman conventional short form: form: Uman

Government type: monarchy

Capital: Muscat

Administrative divisions: 6 regions (mintaqat, singular - mintaqah) and 2 governorates* (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah) Ad Dakhiliyah, Al Batinah, Al Wusta, Ash Sharqiyah, Az Zahirah, Masqat, Musandam*, Zufar*; note - the US Embassy in Oman reports that Masqat is a governorate, but this has not been confirmed by the US Board on Geographic Names (BGN)

Independence: 1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese)

National holiday: Birthday of Sultan QABOOS, 18 November (1940)

Constitution: none; note - on 6 November 1996, Sultan QABOOS issued a royal decree promulgating a new basic law which, among other things, clarifies the royal succession, provides for a prime minister, bars ministers from holding interests in companies doing business with the government, establishes a bicameral legislature, and guarantees basic civil liberties for Omani citizens

Legal system: based on English common law and Islamic law; ultimate appeal to the monarch; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: in Oman's most recent elections in 2000, limited to approximately 175,000 Omanis chosen by the government to vote in elections for the Majlis ash-Shura

Executive branch: chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said Al Said (since 23 July 1970); note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said Al Said (since 23 July 1970); note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary

Legislative branch: bicameral Majlis Oman consists of an upper chamber or Majlis al-Dawla (48 seats; members appointed by the monarch; has advisory powers only) and a lower chamber or Majlis al-Shura (83 seats; members elected by limited suffrage for three-year term, however, the monarch makes final selections and can negate election results; body has some limited power to propose legislation, but otherwise has only advisory powers) elections: results: NA; note - two women were elected for the first time to the Majlis al-Shura, about 100,000 people voted

Judicial branch: Supreme Court note: the nascent civil court system, administered by region, has non-Islamic judges as well as traditional Islamic judges

Political parties and leaders: none

Political pressure groups and leaders: none

International organization participation: ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CCC,
ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mohamed Ali AL KHUSAIBY chancery: 2535 Belmont Road, NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 387-1980 through 1981, 1988 FAX: [1] (202) 745-4933

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires Robert W. DRY embassy: Jameat A'Duwal international: [968] 698989 FAX: [968] 699189

Flag description: three horizontal bands of white, red, and green of equal width with a broad, vertical, red band on the hoist side; the national emblem (a khanjar dagger in its sheath superimposed on two crossed swords in scabbards) in white is centered at the top of the vertical band

Economy Oman

Economy - overview: Oman's economic performance improved significantly in 2000 due largely to the upturn in oil prices. The government is moving ahead with privatization of its utilities, the development of a body of commercial law to facilitate foreign investment, and increased budgetary outlays. Oman continues to liberalize its markets and joined the World Trade Organization (WTrO) in November 2000. GDP growth improved in 2001 despite the global slowdown.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $21.5 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 7.4% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $8,200 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3% industry: 40% services: 57% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 920,000 (2002 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $9.2 billion expenditures: $6.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Industries: crude oil production and refining, natural gas production, construction, cement, copper

Industrial production growth rate: 4% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production: 8.1 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 7.533 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: dates, limes, bananas, alfalfa, vegetables; camels, cattle; fish

Exports: $10.9 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: petroleum, reexports, fish, metals, textiles

Exports - partners: Japan 21%, Thailand 18%, China 16%, South Korea 12%,
UAE 12%, US 3% (2001)

Imports: $5.4 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, livestock, lubricants

Imports - partners: UAE 23% (largely reexports), Japan 16%, UK 13%,
Italy 7%, Germany 5%, US 5% (2001)

Debt - external: $5.3 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $76.4 million (1995)

Currency: Omani rial (OMR)

Currency code: OMR

Exchange rates: Omani rials per US dollar - 0.3845 (fixed rate since 1986)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Oman

Telephones - main lines in use: 201,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 59,822 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: modern system consisting of open wire, microwave, and radiotelephone communication stations; limited coaxial cable domestic: satellite system with 8 earth stations international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat

Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)

Radios: 1.4 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 13 (plus 25 low-power repeaters) (1999)

Televisions: 1.6 million (1997)

Internet country code: .om

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: 90,000 (2001)

Transportation Oman

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 32,800 km paved: 9,840 km (including 550 km of expressways) unpaved: 22,960 km (1996)

Waterways: none

Pipelines: crude oil 1,300 km; natural gas 1,030 km

Ports and harbors: Matrah, Mina' al Fahl, Mina' Raysut

Merchant marine: total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 17,291
GRT/9,457 DWT ships by type: cargo 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1 note:
includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience:
Singapore 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 143 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 6 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: 36 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: Heliports: 1 (2001)

Military Oman

Military branches: Royal Omani Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force),
Royal Omani Police

Military manpower - military age: 14 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 780,292 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 434,026 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 26,470 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $2,424,400,000 (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 12.2% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Oman

Disputes - international: Oman signed a boundary treaty with the UAE in 1999, but the completed boundary is not expected until the end of 2002; undefined segments of the Oman-UAE boundary remain with Ra's al-Khaymah and Ash Shariqah (Sharjah) emirates, including the Musandam Peninsula, where an administrative boundary substitutes for an international boundary

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Maldives

Introduction

Maldives

Background: The Maldives were long a sultanate, first under Dutch and then under British protection. They became a republic in 1968, three years after independence. Tourism and fishing are being developed on the archipelago.

Geography Maldives

Location: Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India

Geographic coordinates: 3 15 N, 73 00 E

Map references: Asia

Area: total: 300 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 300 sq km

Area - comparative: about 1.7 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 644 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM contiguous zone: 24 NM

Climate: tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to
March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August)

Terrain: flat, with white sandy beaches

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Wilingili island in the Addu Atoll 2.4 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 3% permanent crops: 7% other: 90% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level rise

Environment - current issues: depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies; global warming and sea level rise; coral reef bleaching

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected
agreements

Geography - note: 1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls (200 inhabited islands, plus 80 islands with tourist resorts); archipelago with strategic location astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean

People Maldives

Population: 320,165 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 45.3% (male 74,493; female 70,394) 15-64 years: 51.7% (male 84,548; female 81,092) 65 years and over: 3% (male 4,944; female 4,694) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.95% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 37.41 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 7.86 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.05 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 61.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 64.2 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 5.38 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.05% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Maldivian(s) adjective: Maldivian

Ethnic groups: South Indians, Sinhalese, Arabs

Religions: Sunni Muslim

Languages: Maldivian Dhivehi (dialect of Sinhala, script derived from
Arabic), English spoken by most government officials

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93.2% male: 93.3% female: 93% (1995 est.)

Government Maldives

Country name: Republic of Maldives conventional short form: Raajjeyge
Jumhooriyyaa

Government type: republic

Capital: Male

Administrative divisions: 19 atolls (atholhu, singular and plural)
and 1 other first-order administrative division*; Alifu, Baa, Dhaalu,
Faafu, Gaafu Alifu, Gaafu Dhaalu, Gnaviyani, Haa Alifu, Haa Dhaalu, Kaafu,
Laamu, Lhaviyani, Maale*, Meemu, Noonu, Raa, Seenu, Shaviyani, Thaa, Vaavu

Independence: 26 July 1965 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 26 July (1965)

Constitution: adopted January 1998

Legal system: based on Islamic law with admixtures of English common law primarily in commercial matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11 November 1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government elections: president nominated by the Majlis and then that nomination must be ratified by a national referendum (at least a 51% approval margin is required); president elected for a five-year term; election last held 16 October 1998 (next to be held NA October 2003) election results: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM reelected; percent of popular vote - Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM 90.9% cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president; note - need not be members of Majlis head of government: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11 November 1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

Legislative branch: unicameral People's Council or Majlis (50 seats; 42 elected by popular vote, 8 appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 20 November 1999 (next to be held NA November 2004) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 42

Judicial branch: High Court

Political parties and leaders: although political parties are not banned, none exist

Political pressure groups and leaders: none

International organization participation: AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO,
G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM,
OIC, OPCW, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: Maldives does not have an embassy in the US, but does have a Permanent Mission to the UN in New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Maldives; the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka is accredited to Maldives and makes periodic visits there

Flag description: red with a large green rectangle in the center bearing a vertical white crescent; the closed side of the crescent is on the hoist side of the flag

Economy Maldives

Economy - overview: Tourism, Maldives largest industry, accounts for 20% of GDP and more than 60% of the Maldives' foreign exchange receipts. Over 90% of government tax revenue comes from import duties and tourism-related taxes. Almost 400,000 tourists visited the islands in 1998. Fishing is a second leading sector. The Maldivian Government began an economic reform program in 1989 initially by lifting import quotas and opening some exports to the private sector. Subsequently, it has liberalized regulations to allow more foreign investment. Agriculture and manufacturing continue to play a minor role in the economy, constrained by the limited availability of cultivable land and the shortage of domestic labor. Most staple foods must be imported. Industry, which consists mainly of garment production, boat building, and handicrafts, accounts for about 18% of GDP. Maldivian authorities worry about the impact of erosion and possible global warming on their low-lying country; 80% of the area is one meter or less above sea level.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.2 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 7% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,870 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 20% industry: 18% services: 62% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 67,000 (1995)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 22%, industry 18%, services 60% (1995)

Unemployment rate: NEGL%

Budget: revenues: $166 million (excluding foreign grants) expenditures: $192 million, including capital expenditures of $80 million (1999 est.)

Industries: fish processing, tourism, shipping, boat building, coconut processing, garments, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand mining

Industrial production growth rate: 4.4% (1996 est.)

Electricity - production: 110 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 102.3 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; fish

Exports: $88 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Exports - commodities: fish, clothing

Exports - partners: US, UK, Sri Lanka, Japan

Imports: $372 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Imports - commodities: consumer goods, intermediate and capital goods, petroleum products

Imports - partners: Singapore, India, Sri Lanka, Japan, Canada

Debt - external: $237 million (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $NA

Currency: rufiyaa (MVR)

Currency code: MVR

Exchange rates: rufiyaa per US dollar - 11.770 (fixed rate since 1995)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Maldives

Telephones - main lines in use: 21,000 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 1,290 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: minimal domestic and international facilities domestic: interatoll communication through microwave links; all inhabited islands are connected with telephone and fax service international: Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios: 35,000 (1999)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)

Televisions: 10,000 (1999)

Internet country code: .mv

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: 6,000 (2001)

Transportation Maldives

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km; note - Male has 9.6 km of coral highways within the city (1988 est.)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Gan, Male

Merchant marine: total: 14 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 51,532
GRT/71,298 DWT ships by type: cargo 13, short-sea passenger 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 5 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2001)

Military Maldives

Military branches: National Security Service

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 74,893 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 41,672 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $34.5 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 8.6% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Maldives

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Mexico

Introduction

Mexico

Background: The site of advanced Amerindian civilizations, Mexico came under Spanish rule for three centuries before achieving independence early in the 19th century. A devaluation of the peso in late 1994 threw Mexico into economic turmoil, triggering the worst recession in over half a century. The nation continues to make an impressive recovery. Ongoing economic and social concerns include low real wages, underemployment for a large segment of the population, inequitable income distribution, and few advancement opportunities for the largely Amerindian population in the impoverished southern states. Elections held in July 2000 marked the first time since the 1910 Mexican Revolution that the opposition defeated the party in government, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). Vicente FOX of the National Action Party (PAN) was sworn in on 1 December 2000 as the first chief executive elected in free and fair elections.

Geography Mexico

Location: Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, between Belize and the US and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and the US

Geographic coordinates: 23 00 N, 102 00 W

Map references: North America

Area: total: 1,972,550 sq km land: 1,923,040 sq km water: 49,510 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly less than three times the size of Texas

Land boundaries: total: 4,353 km border countries: Belize 250 km,
Guatemala 962 km, US 3,141 km

Coastline: 9,330 km

Maritime claims: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: Climate: varies from tropical to desert

Terrain: high, rugged mountains; low coastal plains; high plateaus; desert

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Laguna Salada -10 m highest point:
Volcan Pico de Orizaba 5,700 m

Natural resources: petroleum, silver, copper, gold, lead, zinc, natural gas, timber

Land use: arable land: 13% permanent crops: 1% other: 86% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 65,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: tsunamis along the Pacific coast, volcanoes and destructive earthquakes in the center and south, and hurricanes on the Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean coasts

Environment - current issues: scarcity of hazardous waste disposal facilities; rural to urban migration; natural fresh water resources scarce and polluted in north, inaccessible and poor quality in center and extreme southeast; raw sewage and industrial effluents polluting rivers in urban areas; deforestation; widespread erosion; desertification; deteriorating agricultural lands; serious air and water pollution in the national capital and urban centers along US-Mexico border; land subsidence in Valley of Mexico caused by groundwater depletion note: the government considers the lack of clean water and deforestation national security issues

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Geography - note: strategic
location on southern border of US

People Mexico

Population: 103,400,165 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 32.8% (male 17,310,230; female 16,630,935) 15-64 years: (male 2,069,826; female 2,589,629) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.47% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 22.36 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 4.99 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -2.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 24.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 75.21 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.57 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.29% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 150,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 4,700 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Mexican(s) adjective: Mexican

Ethnic groups: mestizo (Amerindian-Spanish) 60%, Amerindian or predominantly Amerindian 30%, white 9%, other 1%

Religions: nominally Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 6%, other 5%

Languages: Spanish, various Mayan, Nahuatl, and other regional indigenous languages

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 89.6% male: 91.8% female: 87.4% (1995 est.)

Government Mexico

Country name: United Mexican States conventional short form: Government type: federal republic

Capital: Mexico (Distrito Federal)

Administrative divisions: 31 states (estados, singular - estado) and 1
federal district* (distrito federal); Aguascalientes, Baja California,
Baja California Sur, Campeche, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila de Zaragoza,
Colima, Distrito Federal*, Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo,
Jalisco, Mexico, Michoacan de Ocampo, Morelos, Nayarit, Nuevo Leon,
Oaxaca, Puebla, Queretaro de Arteaga, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosi,
Sinaloa, Sonora, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Tlaxcala, Veracruz-Llave, Yucatan,
Zacatecas

Independence: 16 September 1810 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Day, 16 September (1810)

Constitution: 5 February 1917

Legal system: mixture of US constitutional theory and civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory (but not enforced)

Executive branch: chief of state: President Vicente FOX Quesada (since 1 December 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government election results: Vicente FOX Quesada elected president; percent of vote - Vicente FOX Quesada (PAN) 42.52%, Francisco LABASTIDA Ochoa (PRI) 36.1%, Cuauhtemoc CARDENAS Solorzano (PRD) 16.64%, other 4.74% elections: 2 July 2000 (next to be held NA July 2006) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; note - appointment of attorney general requires consent of the Senate head of government: President Vicente FOX Quesada (since 1 December 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress or Congreso de la Union consists of the Senate or Camara de Senadores (128 seats; 96 are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms, and 32 are allocated on the basis of each party's popular vote) and the Federal Chamber of Deputies or Camara Federal de Diputados (500 seats; 300 members are directly elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; remaining 200 members are allocated on the basis of each party's popular vote, also for three-year terms) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PRI 60, PAN 46, PRD 15, PVEM 5, PT 1, CD 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PRI 211, PAN 207, PRD 50, PVEM 16, PT 8, PSN 3, PAS 2, CD 1, independents 2 elections: Senate - last held 2 July 2000 for all of the seats (next to be held NA 2006); Chamber of Deputies - last held 2 July 2000 (next to be held NA 2003)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges are appointed by the president with consent of the Senate)

Political parties and leaders: Convergence for Democracy or CD [Dante
DELGADO Ranauro]; Institutional Revolutionary Party or PRI [Dulce Maria
SAURI Riancho]; Mexican Green Ecological Party or PVEM [Jorge Emilio
GONZALEZ Martinez]; National Action Party or PAN [Luis Felipe BRAVO
Mena]; Party of the Democratic Revolution or PRD [Amalia GARCIA Medina];
Party of the Nationalist Society or PSN [Gustavo RIOJAS Santana]; Social
Alliance Party or PAS [Guillermo CALDERON Dominguez]; Workers Party or PT
[Alberto ANAYA Gutierrez]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Confederation of Employers of the Mexican Republic or COPARMEX; Confederation of Industrial Chambers or CONCAMIN; Confederation of Mexican Workers or CTM; Confederation of National Chambers of Commerce or CONCANACO; Coordinator for Foreign Trade Business Organizations or COECE; Federation of Unions Providing Goods and Services or FESEBES; National Chamber of Transformation Industries or CANACINTRA; National Peasant Confederation or CNC; National Union of Workers or UNT; Regional Confederation of Mexican Workers or CROM; Revolutionary Confederation of Workers and Peasants or CROC; Roman Catholic Church

International organization participation: APEC, BCIE, BIS, Caricom
(observer), CCC, CDB, CE (observer), EBRD, ECLAC, FAO, G-3, G-6, G-15,
G-19, G-24, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA (observer),
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU,
LAES, LAIA, NAM (observer), NEA, OAS, OECD, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN,
UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR,
UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Juan
Jose BREMER Martino FAX: [1] (202) 728-1698 consulate(s): Albuquerque,
Brownsville (Texas), Calexico (California), Corpus Christi, Del
Rio (Texas), Detroit, Douglas (Arizona), Eagle Pass (Texas), Fresno
(California), McAllen (Texas), Midland (Texas), Omaha, Orlando, Oxnard
(California), Philadelphia, Portland (Oregon), Presidio (Texas), Raleigh,
St. Louis, Salt Lake City, San Bernardino, Santa Ana (California),
Seattle, Tucson consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago,
Dallas, Denver, El Paso, Houston, Laredo (Texas), Los Angeles, Miami, New
Orleans, New York, Nogales (Arizona), Phoenix, Sacramento, San Antonio,
San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, San Juan (Puerto Rico) chancery: 1911
Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006 telephone: [1] (202) 728-1600

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jeffery DAVIDOW embassy: Paseo de la Reforma 305, Colonia Cuauhtemoc, 06500 Mexico, Distrito Federal mailing address: [52] 55 5080-2005, 2834 consulate(s) general: Ciudad Juarez, Guadalajara, Monterrey, Tijuana consulate(s): Hermosillo, Matamoros, Merida, Nuevo Laredo, Nogales

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red; the coat of arms (an eagle perched on a cactus with a snake in its beak) is centered in the white band

Economy Mexico

Economy - overview: Mexico has a free market economy with a mixture of modern and outmoded industry and agriculture, increasingly dominated by the private sector. Recent administrations have expanded competition in seaports, railroads, telecommunications, electricity, natural gas distribution, and airports. Income distribution remains highly unequal. Trade with the US and Canada has tripled since the implementation of NAFTA in 1994. Following 6.9% growth in 2000, real GDP fell 0.3% in 2001, with the US slowdown the principal cause. Positive developments in 2001 included a drop in inflation to 6.5%, a sharp fall in interest rates, and a strong peso that appreciated 5% against the dollar. Mexico City implemented free trade agreements with Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and the European Free Trade Area in 2001, putting more than 90% of trade under free trade agreements. Foreign direct investment reached $25 billion in 2001, of which $12.5 billion came from the purchase of Mexico's second largest bank, Banamex, by Citigroup.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $920 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: -0.3% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $9,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5% industry: 26% services: 69% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 40% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 41.1% (2001)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 51.9 (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.5% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 39.8 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 20%, industry 24%, services 56% (1998)

Unemployment rate: urban - 3% plus considerable underemployment (2001)

Budget: revenues: $136 billion expenditures: $140 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Industries: food and beverages, tobacco, chemicals, iron and steel, petroleum, mining, textiles, clothing, motor vehicles, consumer durables, tourism

Industrial production growth rate: -3.4% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 194.367 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 75.91% hydro: 16.88% other: 3.19% (2000) nuclear: 4.02%

Electricity - consumption: 182.829 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 77 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 2.145 billion kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: corn, wheat, soybeans, rice, beans, cotton, coffee, fruit, tomatoes; beef, poultry, dairy products; wood products

Exports: $159 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Exports - commodities: manufactured goods, oil and oil products, silver, fruits, vegetables, coffee, cotton

Exports - partners: US 88.4%, Canada 2%, Germany 0.9%, Spain 0.8%, Netherlands Antilles 0.6%, Japan 0.4%, UK 0.4%, Venezuela 0.4%, (2001 est.)

Imports: $168 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Imports - commodities: metalworking machines, steel mill products, agricultural machinery, electrical equipment, car parts for assembly, repair parts for motor vehicles, aircraft, and aircraft parts

Imports - partners: US 68.4%, Japan 4.7%, Germany 3.6%, Canada 2.5%, China 2.2%, South Korea 2.1%, Taiwan 1.6%, Italy 1.3%, Brazil 1.1% (2001 est.)

Debt - external: $191 billion (2001)

Economic aid - recipient: $1.166 billion (1995)

Currency: Mexican peso (MXN)

Currency code: MXN

Exchange rates: Mexican pesos per US dollar - 9.1614 (January 2002), 9.3423 (2001), 9.4556 (2000), 9.5604 (1999), 9.1360 (1998), 7.9185 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Mexico

Telephones - main lines in use: 12.332 million (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 2.02 million (1998)

Telephone system: general assessment: low telephone density with about 12 main lines per 100 persons; privatized in December 1990; the opening to competition in January 1997 improved prospects for development domestic: adequate telephone service for business and government, but the population is poorly served; domestic satellite system with 120 earth stations; extensive microwave radio relay network; considerable use of fiber-optic cable, coaxial cable, and mobile cellular service international: satellite earth stations - 32 Intelsat, 2 Solidaridad (giving Mexico improved access to South America, Central America, and much of the US as well as enhancing domestic communications), numerous Inmarsat mobile earth stations; linked to Central American Microwave System of trunk connections; high capacity Columbus-2 fiber-optic submarine cable with access to the US, Virgin Islands, Canary Islands, Morocco, Spain, and Italy (1997)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 851, FM 598, shortwave 16 (2000)

Radios: 31 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 236 (plus repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 25.6 million (1997)

Internet country code: .mx

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 51 (2000)

Internet users: 3.42 million (2001)

Transportation Mexico

Railways: total: 18,000 km standard gauge: 18,000 km 1.435-m gauge (2001)

Highways: total: 323,977 km paved: 96,221 km (including 6,335 km of expressways) unpaved: 227,756 km (1997)

Waterways: 2,900 km note: navigable rivers and coastal canals

Pipelines: crude oil 28,200 km; petroleum products 10,150 km; natural gas 13,254 km; petrochemical 1,400 km

Ports and harbors: Acapulco, Altamira, Coatzacoalcos, Ensenada, Guaymas,
La Paz, Lazaro Cardenas, Manzanillo, Mazatlan, Progreso, Salina Cruz,
Tampico, Topolobampo, Tuxpan, Veracruz

Merchant marine: total: 44 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 656,594 GRT/987,822 DWT ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 1, chemical tanker 4, liquefied gas 3, petroleum tanker 27, roll on/roll off 3, short-sea passenger 3 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Canada 2, Denmark 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 1,852 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 235 over 3,047 m: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 28 914 to 1,523 m: 86 under 914 m: 25 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 85

Airports - with unpaved runways: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: Heliports: 2 (2001)

Military Mexico

Military branches: National Defense Secretariat (SEDENA) (including
Army and Air Force), Navy Secretariat (including Naval Air and Marines)

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age note: starting in 2000, females were allowed to volunteer for military service (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 27,229,581 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 19,761,440 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 1,077,536 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $4 billion (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Mexico

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: illicit cultivation of opium poppy (cultivation in 2001 - 4,400 hectares; potential heroin production - 7 metric tons) and cannabis cultivation in 2001 - 4,100 hectares; government eradication efforts have been key in keeping illicit crop levels low; major supplier of heroin and largest foreign supplier of marijuana and methamphetamine to the US market; continues as the primary transshipment country for US-bound cocaine from South America; major drug syndicates control majority of drug trafficking throughout the country; growing producer and distributor of ecstasy

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Malaysia

Introduction

Malaysia

Background: Malaysia was formed in 1963 through a merging of the former British colonies of Malaya and Singapore, including the East Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak on the northern coast of Borneo. The first several years of the country's history were marred by Indonesian efforts to control Malaysia, Philippine claims to Sabah, and Singapore's secession in 1965.

Geography Malaysia

Location: Southeastern Asia, peninsula and northern one-third of the island of Borneo, bordering Indonesia and the South China Sea, south of Vietnam

Geographic coordinates: 2 30 N, 112 30 E

Map references: Southeast Asia

Area: total: 329,750 sq km water: 1,200 sq km land: 328,550 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than New Mexico

Land boundaries: total: 2,669 km border countries: Brunei 381 km,
Indonesia 1,782 km, Thailand 506 km

Coastline: 4,675 km (Peninsular Malaysia 2,068 km, East Malaysia 2,607 km)

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation; specified boundary in the South China Sea exclusive economic zone: Climate: tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to February) monsoons

Terrain: coastal plains rising to hills and mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point:
Gunung Kinabalu 4,100 m

Natural resources: tin, petroleum, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas, bauxite

Land use: arable land: 5% permanent crops: 18% other: 77% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 3,650 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: flooding, landslides, forest fires

Environment - current issues: air pollution from industrial and vehicular emissions; water pollution from raw sewage; deforestation; smoke/haze from Indonesian forest fires

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed,
but not ratified: Geography - note: strategic location along Strait of
Malacca and southern South China Sea

People Malaysia

Population: 22,662,365 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 34.1% (male 3,974,532; female 3,753,407) 15-64 years: 61.6% (male 6,995,451; female 6,969,435) 65 years and over: 4.3% (male 424,776; female 544,764) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.91% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 24.22 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 5.16 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: does not reflect net flow of an unknown number of illegal immigrants from other countries in the region (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 19.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 74.21 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 3.18 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.42% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 49,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 1,900 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Malaysian(s) adjective: Malaysian

Ethnic groups: Malay and other indigenous 58%, Chinese 24%, Indian 8%, others 10% (2000)

Religions: Muslim, Buddhist, Daoist, Hindu, Christian, Sikh; note - in addition, Shamanism is practiced in East Malaysia

Languages: Bahasa Melayu (official), English, Chinese dialects
(Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu,
Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai; note - in addition, in East Malaysia several
indigenous languages are spoken, the largest of which are Iban and Kadazan

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 83.5% male: 89.1% female: 78.1% (1995 est.)

Government Malaysia

Country name: Malaysia former: Government type: constitutional monarchy note: Malaya (what is now Peninsular Malaysia) formed 31 August 1957; Federation of Malaysia (Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore) formed 9 July 1963 (Singapore left the federation on 9 August 1965); nominally headed by the paramount ruler and a bicameral Parliament consisting of a nonelected upper house and an elected lower house; Peninsular Malaysian states - hereditary rulers in all but Melaka, Penang, Sabah, and Sarawak, where governors are appointed by the Malaysian Government; powers of state governments are limited by the federal constitution; under terms of the federation, Sabah and Sarawak retain certain constitutional prerogatives (e.g., the right to maintain their own immigration controls); Sabah - holds 20 seats in House of Representatives, with foreign affairs, defense, internal security, and other powers delegated to federal government; Sarawak - holds 28 seats in House of Representatives, with foreign affairs, defense, internal security, and other powers delegated to federal government

Capital: Kuala Lumpur

Administrative divisions: 13 states (negeri-negeri, singular - negeri) and 2 federal territories* (wilayah-wilayah persekutuan, singular - wilayah persekutuan); Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Labuan*, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Pulau Pinang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, Terengganu, Wilayah Persekutuan* note: the city of Kuala Lumpur is located within the federal territory of Wilayah Persekutuan; the terms therefore are not interchangeable; there is a new federal territory named Putrajaya, but this change has not yet been approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (BGN)

Independence: 31 August 1957 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day/Malaysia Day, 31 August (1957)

Constitution: 31 August 1957, amended 16 September 1963

Legal system: based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court at request of supreme head of the federation; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Paramount Ruler Tuanku SYED SIRAJUDDIN ibni Almarhum Tuanku Syed Putra Jamalullail, the Raja of Perlis (since 12 December 2001); replaced Paramount Ruler Sultan TUNKU SALAHUDDIN Abdul Aziz Shah Ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Hissammuddin Alam Shah who died in office 21 November 2001 head of government: Prime Minister MAHATHIR bin Mohamad (since 16 July 1981); Deputy Prime Minister ABDULLAH bin Ahmad Badawi (since 8 January 1999) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the members of Parliament with consent of the paramount ruler election results: Tuanku SYED SIRAJUDDIN ibni Almarhum Tuanku Syed Putra Jamalullail elected paramount ruler following the death of TUNKU SALAHUDDIN Abdul Aziz Shah Ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Hisammuddin Alam Shah elections: paramount ruler elected by and from the hereditary rulers of nine of the states for five-year terms; election last held 12 December 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); prime minister designated from among the members of the House of Representatives; following legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins a plurality of seats in the House of Representatives becomes prime minister

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Parlimen consists of the Senate or Dewan Negara (69 seats; 43 appointed by the paramount ruler, 26 appointed by the state legislatures) and the House of Representatives or Dewan Rakyat (193 seats; members elected by popular vote weighted toward the rural Malay population to serve five-year terms) election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NF 56%, other 44%; seats by party - NF 148, PAS 27, DAP 10, NJP 5, PBS 3 elections: House of Representatives - last held 29 November 1999 (next must be held by 20 December 2004)

Judicial branch: Federal Court (judges appointed by the paramount ruler on the advice of the prime minister)

Political parties and leaders: Alternative Coalition or Barisan
Alternatif-BA (includes the following parties: Party Islam Se-Malaysia
or PAS [FADZIL Mohamad Noor], National Justice Party or NJP [WAN AZIZAH
Wan Ismail], and Malaysian People's Party or PRM [SYED HUSIN]); National
Front or NF (ruling coalition dominated by the United Malays National
Organization or UMNO [MAHATHIR bin Mohamad], includes the following
parties: Malaysian Indian Congress or MIC [S. Samy VELLU], Malaysian
Chinese Association or MCA [LING Liong Sik], Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia or
Gerakan [LIM Keng Yaik], Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu or PBB [Patinggi
Haji Abdul TAIB Mahmud], Parti Angkatan Keadilan Rakyat Bersatu or Akar
[PANDIKAR Amin Mulia], Parti Bangsa Dayak Sarawak or PBDS [Leo MOGGIE],
Parti Bersatu Sabah or PBS [Joseph PAIRIN Kitingan], Sabah United People's
Party or SUPP [Jeffrey KITINGAN], Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [CHONG
Kah Kiat], Sabah Progressive Party or SAPP [YONG Teck Lee], People's
Progressive Party or PPP [M. KAYVEAS], Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah or
PBRS [Joseph KURUP], Sarawak National Party or SNAP [Amar James WONG],
Parti Demokratik Sabah or PDS [leader NA], and United Pasok Momogun
Kadazan Organization or UPKO (state level only) [Bernard DOMPOK]);
Parti Bersekutu [HARRIS Salleh]; State Reform Party of Sarawak or STAR
[PATAU Rubis]; Democratic Action Party or DAP [LIM Kit Siang]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, C,
CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MINURSO,
MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE,
UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNTAET, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: Ambassador GHAZZALI bin Sheikh Abdul Khalid chancery: Los Angeles and New York FAX: [1] (202) 483-7661 telephone: [1] (202) 328-2700

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Marie T. HUHTALA embassy: 376 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur mailing address: P. O. Box No. 10035, 50700 Kuala Lumpur; American Embassy Kuala Lumpur, APO AP 96535-8152 telephone: Flag description: 14 equal horizontal stripes of red (top) alternating with white (bottom); there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a yellow crescent and a yellow fourteen-pointed star; the crescent and the star are traditional symbols of Islam; the design was based on the flag of the US

Economy Malaysia

Economy - overview: Malaysia, a middle income country, transformed itself from 1971 through the late 1990s from a producer of raw materials into an emerging multi-sector economy. Growth is almost exclusively driven by exports - particularly of electronics - and, as a result Malaysia was hard hit by the global economic downturn and the slump in the Information Technology (IT) sector in 2001. GDP in 2001 grew only 0.3% due to an estimated 11% contraction in exports, but a substantial fiscal stimulus package has mitigated the worst of the recession and the economy is expected to grow by 2% to 3% in 2002 as the world economy rebounds. Kuala Lumpur's healthy foreign exchange reserves and relatively small external debt make it unlikely that Malaysia will experience a crisis similar to the crisis of 1997, but the economy remains vulnerable to a more protracted downturn in the US and Japan, top export destinations and key sources of foreign investment.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $200 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 0.3% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $9,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 12% industry: 40% services: 48% (2001)

Population below poverty line: 8% (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.7% highest 10%: 38.4% (1997 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 49.2 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.5% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 9.9 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: local trade and tourism 28%, manufacturing 27%, agriculture, forestry, and fisheries 16%, services 10%, government 10%, construction 9% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: 3.7% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $20.3 billion expenditures: $27.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $9.4 billion (2001 est.)

Industries: Peninsular Malaysia - rubber and oil palm processing and manufacturing, light manufacturing industry, electronics, tin mining and smelting, logging and processing timber; Sabah - logging, petroleum production; Sarawak - agriculture processing, petroleum production and refining, logging

Industrial production growth rate: -4% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 63.069 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 87.96% hydro: 12.04% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 58.59 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 75 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 11 million kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: Peninsular Malaysia - rubber, palm oil, cocoa, rice; Sabah - subsistence crops, rubber, timber, coconuts, rice; Sarawak - rubber, pepper; timber

Exports: $94.4 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: electronic equipment, petroleum and liquefied natural gas, wood and wood products, palm oil, rubber, textiles, chemicals

Exports - partners: US 20%, Singapore 17%, Japan 14%, Hong Kong 4.5%,
Netherlands 4.5%, China 4%, Thailand 4% (2001 est.)

Imports: $76.9 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: electronics, machinery, petroleum products, plastics, vehicles, iron and steel and iron and steel products, chemicals

Imports - partners: Japan 20%, US 17%, Singapore 13%, Taiwan 5%, China 4%, Germany 4%, Thailand 4% (2001 est.)

Debt - external: $44.7 billion (2001 est.)

Currency: ringgit (MYR)

Currency code: MYR

Exchange rates: ringgits per US dollar - 3.8000 (January 2002), 3.8000 (2001), 3.8000 (2000), 3.8000 (1999), 3.9244 (1998), 2.8133 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Malaysia

Telephones - main lines in use: 4.6 million (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 5 million (2000)

Telephone system: general assessment: modern system; international service excellent domestic: good intercity service provided on Peninsular Malaysia mainly by microwave radio relay; adequate intercity microwave radio relay network between Sabah and Sarawak via Brunei; domestic satellite system with 2 earth stations international: submarine cables to India, Hong Kong, and Singapore; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) (2001)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 35, FM 391, shortwave 15 (2001)

Radios: 10.9 million (1999)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (plus 15 high-power repeaters) (2001)

Televisions: 10.8 million (1999)

Internet country code: .my

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 7 (2000)

Internet users: 4.1 million (2001)

Transportation Malaysia

Railways: total: 1,801 km narrow gauge: 1,801 km 1.000-m gauge (148 km electrified) (2001)

Highways: total: 64,672 km paved: 48,707 km (including 1,192 km of expressways) note: in addition to these national and main regional roads, Malaysia has thousands of kilometers of local roads that are maintained by local jurisdictions (1999) unpaved: 15,965 km

Waterways: 7,296 km note: Peninsular Malaysia 3,209 km, Sabah 1,569 km,
Sarawak 2,518 km

Pipelines: crude oil 1,307 km; natural gas 379 km

Ports and harbors: Bintulu, Kota Kinabalu, Kuantan, Kuching, Kudat,
Labuan, Lahad Datu, Lumut, Miri, Pasir Gudang, Penang, Port Dickson,
Port Kelang, Sandakan, Sibu, Tanjung Berhala, Tanjung Kidurong, Tawau

Merchant marine: total: 363 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,952,119 GRT/7,229,299 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Australia 1, China 1, Germany 2, Hong Kong 15, Indonesia 3, Japan 4, Monaco 1, Philippines 2, Singapore 78, South Korea 2, Vietnam 1 (2002 est.) ships by type: bulk 57, cargo 114, chemical tanker 35, container 62, liquefied gas 20, livestock carrier 1, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 60, roll on/roll off 5, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 6

Airports: 116 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 34 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 7 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 82 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 73 (2001)

Heliports: 1 (2001)

Military Malaysia

Military branches: Malaysian Army, Royal Malaysian Navy, Royal Malaysian
Air Force, Royal Malaysian Police Field Force, Marine Police, Sarawak
Border Scouts

Military manpower - military age: 21 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 5,933,296 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 3,592,997 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 196,042 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $1.69 billion (FY00 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.03% (FY00)

Transnational Issues Malaysia

Disputes - international: Malaysia involved in a complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; Malaysia and Singapore are considering taking the dispute over Pulau Batu Putih (Pedra Branca Island) to ICJ; Malaysia concerned over Singapore's land reclamation works on Johor, which affect the maritime boundary, shipping lanes, and water ecology in the Tebrau Reach; since 1998, ICJ has been considering Malaysia's longstanding Sipadan and Ligitan islands dispute with Indonesia; ICJ rejected the Philippines' application to intervene in this case in October 2001; Sultanate of Sulu granted the Philippine Government power of attorney to pursue his sovereignty claim over Malaysia's state of Sabah, over which the Philippines have not fully revoked their claim; a one km stretch of Malaysia-Thailand territory at the mouth of the Kolok river remains in dispute, despite overall success in boundary redemarcation

Illicit drugs: transit point for some illicit drugs; drug trafficking prosecuted vigorously and carries severe penalties

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Mozambique

Introduction

Mozambique

Background: Almost five centuries as a Portuguese colony came to a close with independence in 1975. Large-scale emigration by whites, economic dependence on South Africa, a severe drought, and a prolonged civil war hindered the country's development. The ruling party formally abandoned Marxism in 1989, and a new constitution the following year provided for multiparty elections and a free market economy. A UN-negotiated peace agreement with rebel forces ended the fighting in 1992.

Geography Mozambique

Location: Southern Africa, bordering the Mozambique Channel, between
South Africa and Tanzania

Geographic coordinates: 18 15 S, 35 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 801,590 sq km water: 17,500 sq km land: 784,090 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of California

Land boundaries: total: 4,571 km border countries: Malawi 1,569 km,
South Africa 491 km, Swaziland 105 km, Tanzania 756 km, Zambia 419 km,
Zimbabwe 1,231 km

Coastline: 2,470 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical to subtropical

Terrain: mostly coastal lowlands, uplands in center, high plateaus in northwest, mountains in west

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point:
Monte Binga 2,436 m

Natural resources: coal, titanium, natural gas, hydropower, tantalum, graphite

Land use: arable land: 4% permanent crops: 0% other: 96% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,070 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: severe droughts; devastating cyclones and floods occur in central and southern provinces

Environment - current issues: a long civil war and recurrent drought in the hinterlands have resulted in increased migration of the population to urban and coastal areas with adverse environmental consequences; desertification; pollution of surface and coastal waters; elephant poaching for ivory is a problem

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: the Zambezi flows through the north-central and most fertile part of the country

People Mozambique

Population: 19,607,519 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected; the 1997 Mozambican census reported a population of 16,099,246 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 42.5% (male 4,162,413; female 4,176,295) 15-64 years: 54.7% (male 5,313,511; female 5,407,052) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 227,761; female 320,487) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.13% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 36.41 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 25.13 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 138.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 34.65 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 4.71 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 12.6 to 16.4%, estimates vary (2001)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 1,546,643 (2001)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 114,111 (2001 est.)

Nationality: noun: Mozambican(s) adjective: Mozambican

Ethnic groups: indigenous tribal groups 99.66% (Shangaan, Chokwe,
Manyika, Sena, Makua, and others), Europeans 0.06%, Euro-Africans 0.2%,
Indians 0.08%

Religions: indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20%

Languages: Portuguese (official), indigenous dialects

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 42.3% male: 58.4% female: 27% (1998 est.)

Government Mozambique

Country name: Republic of Mozambique conventional short form: local long form: Republica de Mocambique

Government type: republic

Capital: Maputo

Administrative divisions: 10 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia), 1 city*; Cabo Delgado, Gaza, Inhambane, Manica, Maputo, Maputo City*, Nampula, Niassa, Sofala, Tete, Zambezia

Independence: 25 June 1975 (from Portugal)

National holiday: Independence Day, 25 June (1975)

Constitution: 30 November 1990

Legal system: based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO (since 6 November 1986); note - before being popularly elected, CHISSANO was elected president by Frelimo's Central Committee on 4 November 1986 (reelected by the Committee 30 July 1989) head of government: Prime Minister Pascoal MOCUMBI (since 17 December 1994) cabinet: Cabinet elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 3-5 December 1999 (next to be held NA 2004); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO reelected president; percent of vote - Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO 52.29%, Afonso DHLAKAMA 47.71%

Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da Republica (250 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote on a secret ballot to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 3-5 December 1999 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - Frelimo 48.54%, Renamo-UE 38.81%; seats by party - Frelimo 133, Renamo-UE 117 note: parties received the 5% required to win parliamentary seats; in September 2000, Renamo-UE member Raul DOMINGOS was expelled from the party, he continues to hold his parliamentary seat as an independent

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (the court of final appeal; some of its professional judges are appointed by the president and some are elected by the Assembly); other courts include an Administrative Court, customs courts, maritime courts, courts marshal, labor courts note: although the constitution provides for the creation of a separate Constitutional Court, one has never been established; in its absence the Supreme Court reviews constitutional cases

Political parties and leaders: Front for the Liberation of Mozambique
(Frente de Liberatacao de Mocambique) or Frelimo [Joaquim Alberto
CHISSANO, president]; Mozambique National Resistance-Electoral Union
(Resistencia Nacional Mocambicana-Uniao Eleitoral) or Renamo-UE [Afonso
DHLAKAMA, president]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Institute for Peace and Democracy
(Instituto para Paz e Democracia) or IPADE [Raul DOMINGOS, president];
Etica [Abdul CARIMO Issa, chairman]; Movement for Peace and Citizenship
(Movimento para Paz e Cidadania); Mozambican League of Human Rights
(Liga Mocambicana dos Direitos Humanos) or LDH [Alice MABOTE, president];
Human Rights and Development (Direitos Humanos e Desenvolvimento) or DHD
[Artemisia FRANCO, secretary general]

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO,
G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, MONUC,
NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNTAET,
UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Armando
RANGUENE FAX: [1] (202) 835-0245 telephone: [1] (202) 293-7146 chancery:
Suite 570, 1990 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20036

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Sharon P. WILKINSON embassy: Avenida Kenneth P. O. Box 783, Maputo telephone: Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), black, and yellow with a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; the black band is edged in white; centered in the triangle is a yellow five-pointed star bearing a crossed rifle and hoe in black superimposed on an open white book

Economy Mozambique

Economy - overview: At independence in 1975, Mozambique was one of the world's poorest countries. Socialist mismanagement and a brutal civil war from 1977-92 exacerbated the situation. In 1988, the government embarked on a series of dramatic macroeconomic reforms designed to stabilize the economy and reduce government participation. These steps combined with the political stability that has prevailed since the 1994 multi-party elections have led to dramatic improvements in the country's growth rate fueled by foreign and domestic investments and donor assistance. Inflation was brought to single digits during the same period, although it has returned to double digits in 2000 and 2001. Foreign exchange rates have remained relatively stable. Fiscal reforms, including the introduction of a value-added tax and reform of the customs service, have improved the government's revenue collection abilities. In spite of these gains, Mozambique remains dependent upon foreign assistance for much of its annual budget, and the majority of the population remains below the poverty line. Subsistence agriculture continues to employ the vast majority of the country's workforce. A substantial trade imbalance persists, although it has diminished with the opening of the MOZAL aluminum smelter, the country's largest foreign investment project. Additional investment projects in titanium extraction/processing and garment manufacturing should further close the import/export gap. Mozambique's once substantial foreign debt has been reduced through forgiveness and rescheduling under the IMF's Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) and Enhanced HIPC initiatives, and is now at a manageable level.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $17.5 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 9.2% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $900 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 33% industry: 25% services: 42% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 70% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 31.7% (1996-97)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 39.6 (1996-97)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 7.4 million (1997 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 81%, industry 6%, services 13% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate: 21% (1997 est.)

Budget: revenues: $393.1 million expenditures: $1.025 billion, including capital expenditures of $479.4 million (2001 est.)

Industries: food, beverages, chemicals (fertilizer, soap, paints), petroleum products, textiles, cement, glass, asbestos, tobacco

Industrial production growth rate: 3.4% (2000)

Electricity - production: 7.017 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 3.56% hydro: 96.44% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 925.81 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 5.7 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 100 million kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: cotton, cashew nuts, sugarcane, tea, cassava (tapioca), corn, coconuts, sisal, citrus and tropical fruits, potatoes, sunflowers; beef, poultry

Exports: $746 million (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: prawns 40%, cashews, cotton, sugar, citrus, timber; bulk electricity (2000)

Exports - partners: South Africa 12.7%, Zimbabwe 12.2%, Spain 10.6%,
Portugal 10.0% (2000)

Imports: $1.254 billion (c.i.f., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, mineral products, chemicals, metals, foodstuffs, textiles (2000)

Imports - partners: South Africa 33.5%, Portugal 4.8%, US 4.2%, Australia 3.8% (2000)

Debt - external: $1 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $632.8 million (2001)

Currency: metical (MZM)

Currency code: MZM

Exchange rates: meticais per US dollar - 23,314.2 (January 2002), 20,703.6 (2001), 15,447.1 (2000), 13,028.6 (1999), 12,110.2 (1998), 11,772.6 (1997) note: average of buying and selling exchange rates of all transactions of commercial banks and stock exchanges with the public; meticais is the plural form of metical

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Mozambique

Telephones - main lines in use: 90,000 (December 2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 100,000 (June 2001)

Telephone system: general assessment: fair system but not available generally (telephone density is only 3.5 telephones for each 1,000 persons) domestic: the system consists of open-wire lines and trunk connection by microwave radio relay and tropospheric scatter international: satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 13, FM 17, shortwave 11 (2001)

Radios: 730,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (2001)

Televisions: 67,600 (2000)

Internet country code: .mz

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 11 (2002)

Internet users: 22,500 (2000)

Transportation Mozambique

Railways: total: 3,131 km narrow gauge: 2,988 km 1.067-m gauge; 143 km 0.762-m gauge (2001)

Highways: total: 30,400 km paved: 5,685 km unpaved: 24,715 km (1996)

Waterways: 3,750 km (navigable routes)

Pipelines: crude oil 306 km; petroleum products 289 km note: not operating

Ports and harbors: Beira, Inhambane, Maputo, Nacala, Pemba, Quelimane

Merchant marine: total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,125 GRT/7,024 DWT ships by type: cargo 3 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Belgium 2 (2002 est.)

Airports: 166 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 22 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 5 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: 16 914 to 1,523 m: Military Mozambique

Military branches: Army, Naval Command, Air and Air Defense Forces,
Special Forces, Militia

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 4,711,318 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 2,720,583 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $35.1 million (2000 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1% (2000 est.)

Transnational Issues Mozambique

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: Southern African transit point for South Asian hashish, South Asian heroin, and South American cocaine probably destined for the European and South African markets; producer of cannabis (for local consumption) and methaqualone (for export to South Africa)

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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New Caledonia

Introduction New Caledonia

Background: Settled by both Britain and France during the first half of the 19th century, the island was made a French possession in 1853. It served as a penal colony for four decades after 1864. Agitation for independence during the 1980s and early 1990s seems to have dissipated.

Geography New Caledonia

Location: Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia

Geographic coordinates: 21 30 S, 165 30 E

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 19,060 sq km water: 485 sq km land: 18,575 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 2,254 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid

Terrain: coastal plains with interior mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point:
Mont Panie 1,628 m

Natural resources: nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper

Land use: arable land: 1% permanent crops: 0% other: 99% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 160 sq km (1991)

Natural hazards: cyclones, most frequent from November to March

Environment - current issues: erosion caused by mining exploitation and forest fires

Geography - note: consists of the main island of New Caledonia (one of the largest in the Pacific Ocean), the archipelago of Iles Loyaute, and numerous small, sparsely populated islands and atolls

People New Caledonia

Population: 207,858 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 30% (male 31,862; female 30,577) 15-64 years: 64.1% (male 67,043; female 66,102) 65 years and over: 5.9% (male 5,777; female 6,497) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.43% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 19.91 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 5.62 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 8.23 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 76.36 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.44 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: New Caledonian(s) adjective: New Caledonian

Ethnic groups: Melanesian 42.5%, European 37.1%, Wallisian 8.4%,
Polynesian 3.8%, Indonesian 3.6%, Vietnamese 1.6%, other 3%

Religions: Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10%

Languages: French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 91% male: 92% female: 90% (1976 est.)

Government New Caledonia

Country name: conventional long form: Territory of New Caledonia and
Dependencies
 New Caledonia local short form: et Dependances

Dependency status: overseas territory of France since 1956

Government type: NA

Capital: Noumea

Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 3 provinces named Iles Loyaute, Nord, and Sud

Independence: none (overseas territory of France); note - a referendum on independence was held in 1998 but did not pass; a new referendum is scheduled for 2014

National holiday: Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system: the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy to the islands; formerly under French law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President of France Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner Thierry LATASTE (since 19 July 1999) elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the government elected by the members of the Territorial Congress head of government: Consultative Committee

Legislative branch: unicameral Territorial Congress or Congres Territorial (54 seats; members are members of the three Provincial Assemblies or Assemblees Provinciales elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 9 May 1999 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPCR 24, FLNKS 12, UNI 6, FCCI 4, FN 4, Alliance pour la Caledonie 3, LKS 1 note: New Caledonia elects 1 seat to the French Senate; elections last held 24 September 2001 (next to be held NA September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; New Caledonia also elects 2 seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held 25 May-1 June 1997 (next to be held: first round - 9 June 2002; second round 16 June 2002); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPR 2

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; County Courts; Joint
Commerce Tribunal Court; Children's Court

Political parties and leaders: Alliance pour la Caledonie or APLC [Didier LE ROUX]; Federation des Comites de Coordination des Independantistes or FCCI [Raphael MAPOU]; Front National or FN [Guy GEORGE]; Front Uni de Liberation Kanak or FULK [Ernest UNE]; Kanak Socialist Front for National Liberation or FLNKS [Rock WAMYTAN] (includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM); Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA [Paul NEAOUTYINE and Elie POIGOUNE]; Rally for Caledonia in the Republic or RPCR [Jacques LAFLEUR]; Union Nationale pour l'Independance or UNI [Paul NEAOUTYINE]; note - may no longer exist, but Paul NEAOUTYINE has since become a president of Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA; Union Progressiste Melanesienne or UPM [Victor TUTUGORO]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ESCAP (associate), FZ, ICFTU,
SPC, WFTU, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of
France)

Flag description: the flag of France is used

Economy New Caledonia

Economy - overview: New Caledonia has about 25% of the world's known nickel resources. In recent years, the economy has suffered because of depressed international demand for nickel, the principal source of export earnings. Only a small amount of the land is suitable for cultivation, and food accounts for about 20% of imports. In addition to nickel, the substantial financial support from France and tourism are keys to the health of the economy. The situation in 1998 was clouded by the spillover of financial problems in East Asia and by lower prices for nickel. Nickel prices jumped in 1999-2000, and large additions were made to capacity. Strikes in the building industry in 2001, which lasted four months, adversely affected many other sectors of the economy. French Government interests in the New Caledonian nickel industry are being transferred to local ownership.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $3.1 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 2.1% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $15,000 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5% industry: 30% services: 65% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.3% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 79,395 (including 15,018 unemployed, 1996)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 7%, industry 23%, services 70% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: 19% (1996)

Budget: revenues: $861.3 million expenditures: $735.3 million, including capital expenditures of $52 million (1996 est.)

Industries: nickel mining and smelting

Industrial production growth rate: -0.6% (1996)

Electricity - production: 1.565 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 77.64% hydro: 22.36% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 1.455 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: vegetables; beef, deer, other livestock products

Exports: $400 million (f.o.b., 2000)

Exports - commodities: ferronickels, nickel ore, fish

Exports - partners: Japan 25.8%, France 18.8%, Taiwan 12%, Australia 8.2%, US 3.0% (1999)

Imports: $1 billion (f.o.b., 2000)

Imports - commodities: transport equipment, machinery and electrical equipment, fuels, minerals, wine, sugar, rice

Imports - partners: France 50.2%, Australia 15.1%, Singapore 5.9%,
New Zealand 5.2%, Japan 3.7% (1999)

Debt - external: $79 million (1998 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $880 million annual subsidy from France

Currency: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)

Currency code: XPF

Exchange rates: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 135.04 (January 2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.44 (2000), 111.93 (1999), 107.25 (1998), 106.11 (1997); note - linked at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications New Caledonia

Telephones - main lines in use: 47,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 13,040 (1998)

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 107,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 6 (plus 25 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 52,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .nc

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: 24,000 (2001)

Transportation New Caledonia

Railways: 0 km (2002)

Highways: total: 4,825 km paved: 2,287 km unpaved: 2,538 km (1999)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Mueo, Noumea, Thio

Merchant marine: total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,261 GRT/1,600 DWT ships by type: cargo 1 note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Malaysia 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 29 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 6 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 23 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 11 (2001)

Heliports: 6 (2001)

Military New Caledonia

Military branches: no regular indigenous military forces; French Armed
Forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie); Police Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $192.3 million (FY96)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 5.3% (FY96)

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues New Caledonia

Disputes - international: Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New
Caledonia claimed by France and Vanuatu

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Niue

Introduction

Niue

Background: Niue's remoteness, as well as cultural and linguistic differences between its Polynesian inhabitants and those of the rest of the Cook Islands, have caused it to be separately administered. The population of the island continues to drop (from a peak of 5,200 in 1966 to about 2,100 in 2002) with substantial emigration to New Zealand, 2,400 km to the southwest.

Geography Niue

Location: Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Tonga

Geographic coordinates: 19 02 S, 169 52 W

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 260 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 260 sq km

Area - comparative: 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 64 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical; modified by southeast trade winds

Terrain: steep limestone cliffs along coast, central plateau

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location near Mutalau settlement 68 m

Natural resources: fish, arable land

Land use: arable land: 19% permanent crops: 8% other: 73% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: typhoons

Environment - current issues: increasing attention to conservationist practices to counter loss of soil fertility from traditional slash and burn agriculture

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note: one of world's largest coral islands

People Niue

Population: 2,134 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA% 15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA%

Population growth rate: 0.5% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population

Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population

Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Sex ratio: NA

Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: NA years male: NA years female: NA years

Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Niuean(s) adjective: Niuean

Ethnic groups: Polynesian (with some 200 Europeans, Samoans, and Tongans)

Religions: Ekalesia Niue (Niuean Church - a Protestant church closely related to the London Missionary Society) 75%, Latter-Day Saints 10%, other 15% (mostly Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witnesses, Seventh-Day Adventist)

Languages: Niuean, a Polynesian language closely related to Tongan and
Samoan; English

Literacy: definition: NA total population: 95% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Niue

Country name: Niue former: Dependency status: self-governing in free association with New Zealand since 1974; Niue fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains responsibility for external affairs and defense; however, these responsibilities confer no rights of control and are only exercised at the request of the Government of Niue

Government type: self-governing parliamentary democracy

Capital: Alofi

Administrative divisions: none; note - there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 14 villages at the second order

Independence: on 19 October 1974, Niue became a self-governing parliamentary government in free association with New Zealand

National holiday: Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)

Constitution: 19 October 1974 (Niue Constitution Act)

Legal system: English common law note: Niue is self-governing, with the power to make its own laws

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); the UK and New Zealand are represented by New Zealand High Commissioner John BRYAN (since NA May 2000) election results: Sani LAKATANI elected premier; percent of Legislative Assembly vote - NA% elections: the monarch is hereditary; premier elected by the Legislative Assembly for a three-year term; election last held 19 March 1999 (next to be held NA March 2002) Premier Sani LAKATANI (since 1 April 1999) cabinet: Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly (20 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; six elected from a common roll and 14 are village representatives) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NPP 9, independents 11; note - all 20 seats were reelected elections: last held 21 March 2002 (next to be held in March 2005)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of New Zealand; High Court of Niue

Political parties and leaders: Niue People's Action Party or NPP
[Sani LAKATANI]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACP, ESCAP (associate), FAO,
Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand)

Flag description: yellow with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the flag of the UK bears five yellow five-pointed stars - a large one on a blue disk in the center and a smaller one on each arm of the bold red cross

Economy Niue

Economy - overview: The economy suffers from the typical Pacific island problems of geographic isolation, few resources, and a small population. Government expenditures regularly exceed revenues, and the shortfall is made up by critically needed grants from New Zealand that are used to pay wages to public employees. Niue has cut government expenditures by reducing the public service by almost half. The agricultural sector consists mainly of subsistence gardening, although some cash crops are grown for export. Industry consists primarily of small factories to process passion fruit, lime oil, honey, and coconut cream. The sale of postage stamps to foreign collectors is an important source of revenue. The island in recent years has suffered a serious loss of population because of migration of Niueans to New Zealand. Efforts to increase GDP include the promotion of tourism and a financial services industry, although Premier LAKATANI announced in February 2002 that Niue will shut down the offshore banking industry. Economic aid from New Zealand in 2002 will be about $2.6 million.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $7.6 million (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: -0.3% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,600 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: 55%

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1% (1995)

Labor force: NA

Labor force - by occupation: most work on family plantations; paid work exists only in government service, small industry, and the Niue Development Board

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Industries: tourism, handicrafts, food processing

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 3 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 2.79 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: coconuts, passion fruit, honey, limes, taro, yams, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes; pigs, poultry, beef cattle

Exports: $137,200 (1999)

Exports - commodities: canned coconut cream, copra, honey, vanilla, passion fruit products, pawpaws, root crops, limes, footballs, stamps, handicrafts

Exports - partners: NZ mainly, Fiji, Cook Islands, Australia

Imports: $2.38 million (1999)

Imports - commodities: food, live animals, manufactured goods, machinery, fuels, lubricants, chemicals, drugs

Imports - partners: NZ mainly, Fiji, Japan, Samoa, Australia, US

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid - recipient: $2.6 million from New Zealand (2002)

Currency: New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Currency code: NZD

Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 2.3535 (January 2002), 2.3776 (2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999), 1.8629 (1998), 1.5082 (1997)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Communications Niue

Telephones - main lines in use: 376 (1991)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 0 (1991)

Telephone system: domestic: single-line telephone system connects all villages on island international: NA

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 1,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)

Televisions: NA

Internet country code: .nu

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: NA

Transportation Niue

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 234 km paved: 86 km unpaved: 148 km (106 km of which is access and plantation road) (2001)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: 1 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2001)

Military Niue

Military branches: no regular indigenous military forces; Police Force

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of New Zealand

Transnational Issues Niue

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Norfolk Island

Introduction

Norfolk Island

Background: Two British attempts at establishing the island as a penal colony (1788-1814 and 1825-55) were ultimately abandoned. In 1856, the island was resettled by Pitcairn Islanders, descendants of the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian companions.

Geography Norfolk Island

Location: Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia

Geographic coordinates: 29 02 S, 167 57 E

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 34.6 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 34.6 sq km

Area - comparative: about 0.2 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 32 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: subtropical, mild, little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain: volcanic formation with mostly rolling plains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point:
Mount Bates 319 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: typhoons (especially May to July)

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: most of the 32-km coastline consists of almost inaccessible cliffs, but the land slopes down to the sea in one small southern area on Sydney Bay, where the capital of Kingston is situated

People Norfolk Island

Population: 1,866 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 20.2% 15-64 years: 63.9% 65 years and over: 15.9% (1996)

Population growth rate: -0.69% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population

Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population

Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Sex ratio: NA male(s)/female 15-64 years: NA male(s)/female

Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: NA years female: NA years male: NA years

Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Norfolk Islander(s) adjective: Norfolk Islander(s)

Ethnic groups: descendants of the Bounty mutineers, Australian, New
Zealander, Polynesians

Religions: Anglican 37.4%, Uniting Church in Australia 14.5%, Roman Catholic 11.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3.1%, none 12.2%, unknown 17.4%, other 3.9% (1996)

Languages: English (official), Norfolk a mixture of 18th century English and ancient Tahitian

Literacy: NA

Government Norfolk Island

Country name: conventional long form: Territory of Norfolk Island conventional short form: Norfolk Island

Dependency status: territory of Australia; Canberra administers Commonwealth responsibilities on Norfolk Island through the Department of Environment, Sport, and Territories

Government type: NA

Capital: Kingston

Administrative divisions: none (territory of Australia)

Independence: none (territory of Australia)

National holiday: Pitcairners Arrival Day, 8 June (1856)

Constitution: Norfolk Island Act of 1979

Legal system: based on the laws of Australia, local ordinances and acts; English common law applies in matters not covered by either Australian or Norfolk Island law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); the UK and Australia are represented by Administrator Anthony J. MESSNER (since 4 August 1997) election results: Geoffrey Robert GARDNER elected chief minister; percent of Legislative Assembly vote - NA% elections: the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia; chief minister elected by the Legislative Assembly for a term of not more than three years; election last held 29 November 2001 (next to be held by December 2004) head of government: Assembly President and Chief Minister Geoffrey Robert GARDNER (since 5 December 2001) cabinet: Executive Council is made up of four of the nine members of the Legislative Assembly; the council devises government policy and acts as an advisor to the administrator

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly (9 seats; members elected by electors who have nine equal votes each but only four votes can be given to any one candidate; members serve three-year terms) elections: last held 29 November 2001 (next to be held by December 2004) election results: Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Petty Sessions

Political parties and leaders: none

Political pressure groups and leaders: none

International organization participation: none

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of Australia)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of Australia)

Flag description: three vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green with a large green Norfolk Island pine tree centered in the slightly wider white band

Economy Norfolk Island

Economy - overview: Tourism, the primary economic activity, has steadily increased over the years and has brought a level of prosperity unusual among inhabitants of the Pacific islands. The agricultural sector has become self-sufficient in the production of beef, poultry, and eggs.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $NA

GDP - real growth rate: NA%

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $NA

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

Labor force: NA

Labor force - by occupation: tourism NA%, subsistence agriculture NA%

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $4.6 million expenditures: $4.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY92/93)

Industries: tourism

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: NA kWh

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: NA% hydro: NA% other:
NA% nuclear: NA%

Electricity - consumption: NA kWh

Agriculture - products: Norfolk Island pine seed, Kentia palm seed, cereals, vegetables, fruit; cattle, poultry

Exports: $1.5 million (f.o.b., FY91/92)

Exports - commodities: postage stamps, seeds of the Norfolk Island pine and Kentia palm, small quantities of avocados

Exports - partners: Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ,
Asia, Europe

Imports: $17.9 million (c.i.f., FY91/92)

Imports - commodities: NA

Imports - partners: Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ,
Asia, Europe

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid - recipient: $NA

Currency: Australian dollar (AUD)

Currency code: AUD

Exchange rates: Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.9354 (January 2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Communications Norfolk Island

Telephones - main lines in use: 1,087 (1983)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 0 (1983)

Telephone system: general assessment: adequate domestic: NA international: radiotelephone service with Sydney (Australia)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 2,500 (1996)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (local programming station plus two repeaters that bring in Australian programs by satellite) (1998)

Televisions: 1,200 (1996)

Internet country code: .nf

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)

Internet users: NA

Transportation Norfolk Island

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 80 km paved: 53 km unpaved: 27 km (2001)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: none; loading jetties at Kingston and Cascade

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: 1 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2001)

Military Norfolk Island

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Australia

Transnational Issues Norfolk Island

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Niger

Introduction

Niger

Background: Not until 1993, 35 years after independence from France, did Niger hold its first free and open elections. A 1995 peace accord ended a five-year Tuareg insurgency in the north. Coups in 1996 and 1999 were followed by the creation of a National Reconciliation Council that effected a transition to civilian rule by December 1999.

Geography Niger

Location: Western Africa, southeast of Algeria

Geographic coordinates: 16 00 N, 8 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 1.267 million sq km water: 300 sq km land: 1,266,700 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries: total: 5,697 km border countries: Algeria 956 km, Benin 266 km, Burkina Faso 628 km, Chad 1,175 km, Libya 354 km, Mali 821 km, Nigeria 1,497 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: desert; mostly hot, dry, dusty; tropical in extreme south

Terrain: predominately desert plains and sand dunes; flat to rolling plains in south; hills in north

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Niger River 200 m highest point:
Mont Bagzane 2,022 m

Natural resources: uranium, coal, iron ore, tin, phosphates, gold, petroleum

Land use: arable land: 4% permanent crops: 0% other: 96% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 660 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: recurring droughts

Environment - current issues: overgrazing; soil erosion; deforestation; desertification; wildlife populations (such as elephant, hippopotamus, giraffe, and lion) threatened because of poaching and habitat destruction

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea

Geography - note: landlocked; one of the hottest countries in the world: northern four-fifths is desert, southern one-fifth is savanna, suitable for livestock and limited agriculture

People Niger

Population: 10,639,744 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 47.9% (male 2,594,932; female 2,503,867) 15-64 years: 49.8% (male 2,594,307; female 2,706,164) 65 years and over: 2.3% (male 125,898; female 114,576) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.7% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 49.95 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 22.25 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.1 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 122.23 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 41.77 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 7 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 4% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 17,700 (2002est.)

Nationality: noun: Nigerien(s) adjective: Nigerien

Ethnic groups: Hausa 56%, Djerma 22%, Fula 8.5%, Tuareg 8%, Beri Beri (Kanouri) 4.3%, Arab, Toubou, and Gourmantche 1.2%, about 1,200 French expatriates

Religions: Muslim 80%, remainder indigenous beliefs and Christian

Languages: French (official), Hausa, Djerma

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 15.3% male: 21.2% female: 9.4% (2002)

Government Niger

Country name: Republic of Niger conventional short form: Government type: republic

Capital: Niamey

Administrative divisions: 7 departments (departements, singular - departement) and 1 capital district* (capitale district); Agadez, Diffa, Dosso, Maradi, Niamey*, Tahoua, Tillaberi, Zinder

Independence: 3 August 1958 (from France)

National holiday: Republic Day, 18 December (1958)

Constitution: the constitution of January 1993 was revised by national referendum on 12 May 1996 and again by referendum on 18 July 1999

Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Mamadou TANDJA (since 22 December 1999); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Mamadou TANDJA (since 22 December 1999); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government; Prime Minister Hama AMADOU (since 31 December 1999) was appointed by the president and shares some executive responsibilities with the president cabinet: 23-member Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; last held 24 November 1999 (next to be held NA 2004); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Mamadou TANDJA elected president; percent of vote - Mamadou TANDJA 59.9%, Mahamadou ISSOUFOU 40.1%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (83 seats, members elected by popular vote for five-year terms) elections: last held 24 November 1999 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - MNSD-Nassara 38, CDS-Rahama 17, PNDS-Tarayya 16, RDP-Jama'a 8, ANDPS-Zaman Lahiya 4

Judicial branch: State Court or Cour d'Etat; Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Rally of the People-Jama'a or RDP-Jama'a [Hamid ALGABID]; Democratic and Social Convention-Rahama or CDS-Rahama [Mahamane OUSMANE]; National Movement for a Developing Society-Nassara or MNSD-Nassara [Mamadou TANDJA, chairman]; Nigerien Alliance for Democracy and Social Progress-Zaman Lahiya or ANDPS-Zaman Lahiya [Moumouni Adamou DJERMAKOYE]; Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism-Tarayya or PNDS-Tarayya [Mahamadou ISSOUFOU]; Union of Democratic Patriots and Progressives-Chamoua or UPDP-Chamoua [Professor Andre' SALIFOU, chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA,
ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM,
OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UPU, WADB (regional),
WAEMU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph DIATTA FAX: [1] (202)483-3169 telephone: [1] (202) 483-4224 through 4227 chancery: 2204 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Barbro OWENS-KIRKPATRICK embassy: Rue B. P. 11201, Niamey telephone: Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and green with a small orange disk (representing the sun) centered in the white band; similar to the flag of India, which has a blue spoked wheel centered in the white band

Economy Niger

Economy - overview: Niger is a poor, landlocked Sub-Saharan nation, whose economy centers on subsistence agriculture, animal husbandry, reexport trade, and increasingly less on uranium, because of declining world demand. The 50% devaluation of the West African franc in January 1994 boosted exports of livestock, cowpeas, onions, and the products of Niger's small cotton industry. The government relies on bilateral and multilateral aid - which was suspended following the April 1999 coup d'etat - for operating expenses and public investment. In 2000-01, the World Bank approved a structural adjustment loan of $105 million to help support fiscal reforms. However, reforms could prove difficult given the government's bleak financial situation. The IMF approved a $73 million poverty reduction and growth facility for Niger in 2000 and announced $115 million in debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $8.4 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3.1% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $820 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 41% industry: 17% services: 42% (2000)

Population below poverty line: 63% (1993 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.8% highest 10%: 35.4% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 50.5 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.2% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 70,000 receive regular wages or salaries

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 90%, industry and commerce 6%, government 4%

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $320 million, including $134 million from foreign sources expenditures: $320 million, including capital expenditures of $178 million (2002 est.)

Industries: uranium mining, cement, brick, textiles, food processing, chemicals, slaughterhouses

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 220 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 404.6 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 200 million kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: cowpeas, cotton, peanuts, millet, sorghum, cassava (tapioca), rice; cattle, sheep, goats, camels, donkeys, horses, poultry

Exports: $246 million (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: uranium ore 65%, livestock products, cowpeas, onions (1998 est.)

Exports - partners: France 43.4%, Nigeria 35.0%, Spain 4.5%, US 3.9% (2000)

Imports: $331 million (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: consumer goods, primary materials, machinery, vehicles and parts, petroleum, cereals

Imports - partners: France 16.8%, Cote d'Ivoire 13.4%, US 9.6%, Nigeria 7.6% (2000)

Debt - external: $1.6 billion (1999 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $341 million (1997) note: the IMF approved a $73 million poverty reduction and growth facility for Niger in 2000 and announced $115 million in debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative

Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Currency code: XOF

Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 742.79 (January 2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997); note - from 1 January 1999, the XOF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF per euro

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Niger

Telephones - main lines in use: 20,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 6,700 (2002)

Telephone system: general assessment: small system of wire, radio telephone communications, and microwave radio relay links concentrated in the southwestern area of Niger domestic: wire, radiotelephone communications, and microwave radio relay; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations and 1 planned international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 6, shortwave 4 (2001)

Radios: 680,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (2002)

Televisions: 125,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .ne

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: 3,000 (2000)

Transportation Niger

Railways: 0 km (2002)

Highways: total: 10,100 km paved: 798 km unpaved: 9,302 km (1996)

Waterways: 300 km note: the Niger River is navigable from Niamey to
Gaya on the Benin frontier from mid-December through March

Ports and harbors: none

Airports: 26 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 9 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 under 914 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 17 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 2 (2001)

Military Niger

Military branches: Army, Air Force, Gendarmerie, National Intervention and Security Force

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 2,270,793 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,227,994 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 108,993 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $20.9 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.3% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Niger

Disputes - international: Niger and Benin have refered to the ICJ the dispute over l'Ete and 14 smaller islands in the Niger River, which has never been delimited; the Benin-Niger-Nigeria tripoint remains undemarcated; Lake Chad Basin Commission urges signatories Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria to ratify delimitation treaty over lake region, the site of continuing armed clashes; Libya claims about 19,400 sq km in northern Niger in a currently dormant dispute

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Vanuatu

Introduction

Vanuatu

Background: The British and French who settled the New Hebrides in the 19th century, agreed in 1906 to an Anglo-French Condominium, which administered the islands until independence in 1980.

Geography Vanuatu

Location: Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Australia

Geographic coordinates: 16 00 S, 167 00 E

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 12,200 sq km land: 12,200 sq km note: includes more than 80 islands water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Connecticut

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 2,528 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines exclusive economic zone: of the continental margin contiguous zone: 24 NM

Climate: tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds

Terrain: mostly mountains of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point:
Tabwemasana 1,877 m

Natural resources: manganese, hardwood forests, fish

Land use: arable land: 3% permanent crops: 7% other: 90% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanism causes minor earthquakes; tsunamis

Environment - current issues: a majority of the population does not have access to a potable and reliable supply of water; deforestation

Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Marine Living
Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94 signed,
but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: a Y-shaped chain of four main islands and 80 smaller islands; several of the islands have active volcanoes

People Vanuatu

Population: 196,178 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 35.6% (male 35,681; female 34,164) 15-64 years: 61.1% (male 61,384; female 58,473) 65 years and over: 3.3% (male 3,473; female 3,003) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.66% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 24.83 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 8.25 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.16 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 59.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 62.8 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 3.08 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Ni-Vanuatu (singular and plural) adjective: Ni-Vanuatu

Ethnic groups: indigenous Melanesian 98%, French, Vietnamese, Chinese, other Pacific Islanders

Religions: Presbyterian 36.7%, Anglican 15%, Roman Catholic 15%, indigenous beliefs 7.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6.2%, Church of Christ 3.8%, other 15.7% (including Jon Frum Cargo cult)

Languages: three official languages: English, French, pidgin (known as
Bislama or Bichelama), plus more than 100 local languages

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 53% male: 57% female: 48% (1979 est.)

Government Vanuatu

Country name: Republic of Vanuatu conventional short form: Government type: parliamentary republic

Capital: Port-Vila

Administrative divisions: 6 provinces; Malampa, Penama, Sanma, Shefa,
Tafea, Torba

Independence: 30 July 1980 (from France and UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 30 July (1980)

Constitution: 30 July 1980

Legal system: unified system being created from former dual French and
British systems

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Father John BANI (since 25 March 1999) elections: president elected for a four-year term by an electoral college consisting of Parliament and the presidents of the regional councils for a five-year term; election for president last held 25 March 1999 (next to be held NA 2004); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by Parliament from among its members; election for prime minister last held 2 May 2002 (next to be held NA 2003) note: the government of Prime Minister Barak SOPE was ousted in a no confidence vote on 14 April 2001 and Edward NATAPEI was elected the new prime minister by Parliament election results: - NA%; Edward NATAPEI reelected prime minister by Parliament cabinet: Parliament head of government: Prime Minister Edward NATAPEI (since 16 April 2001); Deputy Prime Minister Serge VOHOR (since 16 April 2001)

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (52 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 2 May 2002 (next to be held NA 2006) note: the National Council of Chiefs advises on matters of custom and land election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP 15, VP 14, VRP 3, MPP 2, other and independent 18; note - political party associations are fluid

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the president after consultation with the prime minister and the leader of the opposition, three other justices are appointed by the president on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission)

Political parties and leaders: Jon Frum Movement [Song KEASPAI];
Melanesian Progressive Party or MPP [Barak SOPE]; National United Party
or NUP [Dinh Van THAN]; Union of Moderate Parties or UMP [Serge VOHOR];
Vanuaaku Party (Our Land Party) or VP [Edward NATAPEI]; Vanuatu Republican
Party [Maxime Carlot KORMAN]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP,
FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU,
NAM, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIBH, UPU, WFTU,
WHO, WMO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: Vanuatu does not have an embassy in the US, it does, however, have a Permanent Mission to the UN

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Vanuatu; the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to Vanuatu

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a black isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) all separated by a black-edged yellow stripe in the shape of a horizontal Y (the two points of the Y face the hoist side and enclose the triangle); centered in the triangle is a boar's tusk encircling two crossed namele leaves, all in yellow

Economy Vanuatu

Economy - overview: The economy is based primarily on subsistence or small-scale agriculture which provides a living for 65% of the population. Fishing, offshore financial services, and tourism, with about 50,000 visitors in 1997, are other mainstays of the economy. Mineral deposits are negligible; the country has no known petroleum deposits. A small light industry sector caters to the local market. Tax revenues come mainly from import duties. Economic development is hindered by dependence on relatively few commodity exports, vulnerability to natural disasters, and long distances from main markets and between constituent islands. A severe earthquake in November 1999 followed by a tsunami, caused extensive damage to the northern island of Pentecote and left thousands homeless. Another powerful earthquake in January 2002 caused extensive damage in the capital, Port-Vila, and surrounding areas, and also was followed by a tsunami. GDP growth has risen less than 3% on average in the 1990s. In response to foreign concerns, the government has promised to tighten regulation of its offshore financial center.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $257 million (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 2.7% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,300 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 26% industry: 12% services: 62% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.5% (2000 est.)

Labor force: NA

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 65%, services 30%, industry 5% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $94.4 million expenditures: $99.8 million, including capital expenditures of $30.4 million (1996 est.)

Industries: food and fish freezing, wood processing, meat canning

Industrial production growth rate: 1% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production: 39 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 36.27 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: copra, coconuts, cocoa, coffee, taro, yams, coconuts, fruits, vegetables; fish, beef

Exports: $22.8 million (f.o.b., 2000)

Exports - commodities: copra, kava, beef, cocoa, timber, coffee

Exports - partners: Japan 32%, Belgium 17%, US 17%, Germany 8% (2000)

Imports: $87.5 million (f.o.b., 2000)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, fuels

Imports - partners: Australia 28%, Singapore 14%, New Zealand 8%,
Japan 4%, US 1% (2000)

Debt - external: $64.6 million (1999 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $45.8 million (1995)

Currency: vatu (VUV)

Currency code: VUV

Exchange rates: vatu per US dollar - 146.02 (December 2001), 145.31 (2001), 137.64 (2000), 129.08 (1999), 127.52 (1998), 115.87 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Vanuatu

Telephones - main lines in use: 5,500 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 310 (2000)

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 2, shortwave 1 (2002)

Radios: 67,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (2002)

Televisions: 2,300 (1999)

Internet country code: .vu

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: 3,000 (2000)

Transportation Vanuatu

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 1,070 km paved: 256 km unpaved: 814 km (1996)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Forari, Port-Vila, Santo (Espiritu Santo)

Merchant marine: total: 54 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,092,838 GRT/1,329,576 DWT ships by type: bulk 22, cargo 9, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk 3, container 2, liquefied gas 3, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 7, vehicle carrier 6 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Australia 3, Canada 2, China 1, Japan 25, Monaco 4, Netherlands 1, New Zealand 5, Panama 1, Poland 1, Switzerland 2, United Kingdom 4, US 2, Vietnam 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 31 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 29 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 17 (2001)

Military Vanuatu

Military branches: no regular military forces; Vanuatu Police Force
(VPF; including the paramilitary Mobile Force or VMF)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Transnational Issues Vanuatu

Disputes - international: Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New
Caledonia claimed by Vanuatu and France

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Nigeria

Introduction

Nigeria

Background: Following nearly 16 years of military rule, a new constitution was adopted in 1999, and a peaceful transition to civilian government was completed. The president faces the daunting task of rebuilding a petroleum-based economy, whose revenues have been squandered through corruption and mismanagement, and institutionalizing democracy. In addition, the OBASANJO administration must defuse longstanding ethnic and religious tensions, if it is to build a sound foundation for economic growth and political stability.

Geography Nigeria

Location: Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Benin and Cameroon

Geographic coordinates: 10 00 N, 8 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 923,768 sq km water: 13,000 sq km land: 910,768 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly more than twice the size of California

Land boundaries: total: 4,047 km border countries: Benin 773 km,
Cameroon 1,690 km, Chad 87 km, Niger 1,497 km

Coastline: 853 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: varies; equatorial in south, tropical in center, arid in north

Terrain: southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus; mountains in southeast, plains in north

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Chappal Waddi 2,419 m

Natural resources: natural gas, petroleum, tin, columbite, iron ore, coal, limestone, lead, zinc, arable land

Land use: arable land: 31% permanent crops: 3% other: 66% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 2,330 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: periodic droughts; flooding

Environment - current issues: soil degradation; rapid deforestation; urban air and water pollution; desertification; oil pollution - water, air, and soil; has suffered serious damage from oil spills; loss of arable land; rapid urbanization

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: the Niger enters the country in the northwest and flows southward through tropical rain forests and swamps to its delta in the Gulf of Guinea

People Nigeria

Population: 129,934,911 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 43.6% (male 28,503,211; female 28,156,976) 15-64 years: (male 1,832,682; female 1,844,121) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.54% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 39.22 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 14.1 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.99 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 72.49 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 50.6 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 5.49 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 5.06% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 2.7 million (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 250,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Nigerian(s) adjective: Nigerian

Ethnic groups: Nigeria, which is Africa's most populous country, is composed of more than 250 ethnic groups; the following are the most populous and politically influential: Hausa and Fulani 29%, Yoruba 21%, Igbo (Ibo) 18%, Ijaw 10%, Kanuri 4%, Ibibio 3.5%, Tiv 2.5%

Religions: Muslim 50%, Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs 10%

Languages: English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo), Fulani

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 57.1% male: 67.3% female: 47.3% (1995 est.)

Government Nigeria

Country name: conventional long form: Federal Republic of Nigeria conventional short form: Nigeria

Government type: republic transitioning from military to civilian rule

Capital: Abuja; note - on 12 December 1991 the capital was officially transferred from Lagos to Abuja; most federal government offices have now made the move to Abuja

Administrative divisions: 36 states and 1 territory*; Abia, Abuja Federal
Capital Territory*, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue,
Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa,
Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nassarawa, Niger,
Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara

Independence: 1 October 1960 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day (National Day), 1 October (1960)

Constitution: new constitution adopted May 1999

Legal system: based on English common law, Islamic Shariah law (only in some northern states), and traditional law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Olusegun OBASANJO (since 29 May 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Olusegun OBASANJO (since 29 May 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: for no more than two four-year terms; election last held 27 February 1999 (next to be held NA March 2003) election results: Olusegun OBASANJO elected president; percent of vote - Olusegun OBASANJO (PDP) 62.8%, Olu FALAE (APP-AD) 37.2%

Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly consists of Senate (109 seats, three from each state and one from the Federal Capital Territory; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and House of Representatives (360 seats, members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 20-24 February 1999 (next to be held NA March 2003); House of Representatives - last held 20-24 February 1999 (next to be held NA March 2003) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PDP 58%, APP 23%, AD 19%; seats by party - PDP 67, APP 23, AD 19; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PDP 58%, APP 30%, AD 12%; seats by party - PDP 221, APP 70, AD 69

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges appointed by the President); Federal Court of Appeal (judges are appointed by the federal government on the advice of the Advisory Judicial Committee)

Political parties and leaders: All People's Party or APP [leader
NA]; Alliance for Democracy or AD [Alhaji Adamu ABDULKADIR]; People's
Democratic Party or PDP [Audu OGBEH]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS,
FAO, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM,
OAU, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNMOVIC, UNU, UPU, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Jibril AMINU consulate(s) general: Atlanta and New York FAX: [1] (202)
775-1385 telephone: [1] (202) 986-8400 chancery: 1333 16th Street NW,
Washington, DC 20036

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Howard Franklin JETER embassy: 7 Mambilla Drive, Abuja mailing address:
P. O. Box 554, Lagos telephone: [234] (9) 523-0916/0906/5857/2235/2205
FAX: [234] (9) 523-0353

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green

Economy Nigeria

Economy - overview: The oil-rich Nigerian economy, long hobbled by political instability, corruption, and poor macroeconomic management, is undergoing substantial economic reform under the new civilian administration. Nigeria's former military rulers failed to diversify the economy away from overdependence on the capital-intensive oil sector, which provides 20% of GDP, 95% of foreign exchange earnings, and about 65% of budgetary revenues. The largely subsistence agricultural sector has failed to keep up with rapid population growth, and Nigeria, once a large net exporter of food, now must import food. Following the signing of an IMF stand-by agreement in August 2000, Nigeria received a debt-restructuring deal from the Paris Club and a $1 billion credit from the IMF, both contingent on economic reforms. The agreement was allowed to expire by the IMF in November 2001, however, and Nigeria appears unlikely to receive substantial multilateral assistance in 2002. Nonetheless, increases in foreign oil investment and oil production should push growth over 4% in 2002.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $105.9 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3.5% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $840 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 39% industry: 33% services: 28% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 45% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 40.8% (1996-97)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 50.6 (1996-97)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 14.9% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 66 million (1999 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 70%, industry 10%, services 20% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: 28% (1992 est.)

Budget: revenues: $3.4 billion expenditures: $3.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Industries: crude oil, coal, tin, columbite, palm oil, peanuts, cotton, rubber, wood, hides and skins, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food products, footwear, chemicals, fertilizer, printing, ceramics, steel

Industrial production growth rate: -0.3% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 15.9 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 64.15% hydro: 35.85% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 14.768 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 19 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: cocoa, peanuts, palm oil, corn, rice, sorghum, millet, cassava (tapioca), yams, rubber; cattle, sheep, goats, pigs; timber; fish

Exports: $20.3 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: petroleum and petroleum products 95%, cocoa, rubber

Exports - partners: US 46%, Spain 11%, India 6%, France 5%, Brazil (2000)

Imports: $13.7 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery, chemicals, transport equipment, manufactured goods, food and live animals

Imports - partners: UK 11%, US 9%, France 9%, Germany 7%, China (2000)

Debt - external: $32 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: ODA $250 million (1998)

Currency: naira (NGN)

Currency code: NGN

Exchange rates: nairas per US dollar - 115 (January 2002), 101.697 (2000), 92.338 (1999), 21.886 (1998), 21.886 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Nigeria

Telephones - main lines in use: 500,000 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 200,000 (2001)

Telephone system: general assessment: an inadequate system, further limited by poor maintenance; major expansion is required and a start has been made domestic: intercity traffic is carried by coaxial cable, microwave radio relay, a domestic communications satellite system with 19 earth stations, and a coastal submarine cable; mobile cellular facilities and the Internet are available international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); coaxial submarine cable SAFE (South African Far East)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 83, FM 36, shortwave 11 (2001)

Radios: 23.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (the government controls 2 broadcasting stations and 15 repeater stations) (2002)

Televisions: 6.9 million (1997)

Internet country code: .ng

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 11 (2000)

Internet users: 100,000 (1999)

Transportation Nigeria

Railways: 3,505 km 1.067-m gauge standard gauge: the right-of-way have seriously reduced the capacity and utility of the system; a project to restore Nigeria's railways is now underway (2001)

Highways: total: 193,200 km paved: 59,892 km (including 1,194 km of expressways) note: many of the roads reported as paved may be graveled; because of poor maintenance and years of heavy freight traffic - in part the result of the failure of the railroad system - much of the road system is barely usable (2001) unpaved: 133,308 km

Waterways: 8,575 km note: consisting of the Niger and Benue rivers and smaller rivers and creeks

Pipelines: crude oil 2,042 km; petroleum products 3,000 km; natural gas 500 km

Ports and harbors: Calabar, Lagos, Onne, Port Harcourt, Sapele, Warri

Merchant marine: total: 43 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 331,094 GRT/614,171 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Bulgaria 1, Greece 1, Norway 1, Pakistan 1, Togo 1, United States 1 (2002 est.) ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 7, chemical tanker 4, petroleum tanker 29, roll on/roll off 1, specialized tanker 1

Airports: 70 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 35 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 2 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 35 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 18 (2001)

Heliports: 1 (2001)

Military Nigeria

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Police Force

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 30,808,598 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 17,698,911 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 1,375,112 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $374.9 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Nigeria

Disputes - international: Nigeria disputes several villages with Benin along the Okpara River, and only 35 km of their common boundary are demarcated; the Benin-Niger-Nigeria tripoint remains undemarcated; Lake Chad Basin Commission urges signatories Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria to ratify delimitation treaty over lake region, the site of continuing armed clashes; oral arguments on the land and maritime boundary disputes between Cameroon and Nigeria were presented to the ICJ; disputes center around Bakasi Peninsula, where armed clashes continue, Bouram Island on Lake Chad, and the maritime boundary and economic zone dispute in the Gulf of Guinea, which also involves Equatorial Guinea; Nigeria requests and Chad rejects redemarcation of boundary, which lacks clear demarcation in sections and has caused several cross-border incidents

Illicit drugs: a transit point for heroin and cocaine intended for European, East Asian, and North American markets; safehaven for Nigerian narcotraffickers operating worldwide

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Netherlands

Introduction

Netherlands

Background: The Kingdom of the Netherlands was formed in 1815. In 1830 Belgium seceded and formed a separate kingdom. The Netherlands remained neutral in World War I but suffered a brutal invasion and occupation by Germany in World War II. A modern, industrialized nation, the Netherlands is also a large exporter of agricultural products. The country was a founding member of NATO and the EC, and participated in the introduction of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) in 1999.

Geography Netherlands

Location: Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany

Geographic coordinates: 52 30 N, 5 45 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 41,526 sq km water: 7,643 sq km land: 33,883 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

Land boundaries: total: 1,027 km border countries: Belgium 450 km,
Germany 577 km

Coastline: 451 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters

Terrain: mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders); some hills in southeast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Zuidplaspolder -7 m highest point:
Vaalserberg 322 m

Natural resources: natural gas, petroleum, arable land

Land use: arable land: 27% permanent crops: 1% other: 72% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 5,650 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: flooding

Environment - current issues: water pollution in the form of heavy metals, organic compounds, and nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates; air pollution from vehicles and refining activities; acid rain

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air
Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants,
Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile
Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine
Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear
Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note: located at mouths of three major European rivers
(Rhine, Maas or Meuse, and Schelde)

People Netherlands

Population: 16,067,754 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 18.3% (male 1,502,687; female 1,437,141) 15-64 years: 67.9% (male 5,548,188; female 5,362,412) 65 years and over: 13.8% (male 913,020; female 1,304,306) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.53% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 11.58 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 8.67 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 2.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 4.31 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 81.59 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.65 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.19% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 15,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 100 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Dutchman(men), Dutchwoman(women) adjective: Dutch

Ethnic groups: Dutch 83%, other 17% (of which 9% are non-western origin mainly Turks, Moroccans, Antilleans, Surinamese and Indonesians) (1999 est.)

Religions: Roman Catholic 31%, Protestant 21%, Muslim 4.4%, other 3.6%, unaffiliated 40% (1998)

Languages: Dutch

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% (2000 est.) male: NA% female: NA%

Government Netherlands

Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of the Netherlands conventional short form: Netherlands local long form: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden local short form: Nederland

Government type: constitutional monarchy

Capital: Amsterdam; The Hague is the seat of government

Administrative divisions: 12 provinces (provincien, singular - provincie); Drenthe, Flevoland, Friesland, Gelderland, Groningen, Limburg, Noord-Brabant, Noord-Holland, Overijssel, Utrecht, Zeeland, Zuid-Holland

Dependent areas: Aruba, Netherlands Antilles

Independence: 1579 (from Spain); note - the northern provinces of the Low Country concluded the Union of Utrecht, but it was 1648 before Spain finally recognized their independence

National holiday: Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA in 1909 and accession to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX in 1980), 30 April

Constitution: adopted 1814; amended many times, last time 17 February 1983

Legal system: civil law system incorporating French penal theory; constitution does not permit judicial review of acts of the States General; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen BEATRIX (since 30 April 1980); Heir Apparent WILLEM-ALEXANDER (born 27 April 1967), son of the monarch head of government: Prime Minister Wim KOK (since 22 August 1994) and Vice Prime Ministers Annemarie JORRITSMA (since 3 August 1998) and Els BORST-EILERS (since 3 August 1998); note - Wim KOK and his cabinet resigned 16 April 2002 after taking blame for the massacre of Bosnian Muslims at Srebrenica in 1995 while they were under the protection of Dutch UN peacekeepers, but were asked to stay as a caretaker government until a new administration was formed after elections on 15 May 2002 cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; following Second Chamber elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch; vice prime ministers appointed by the monarch note: there is also a Council of State composed of the monarch, heir apparent, and councilors that provides consultations to the prime minister on legislative and administrative policy

Legislative branch: bicameral States General or Staten Generaal consists of the First Chamber or Eerste Kamer (75 seats; members indirectly elected by the country's 12 provincial councils for four-year terms) and the Second Chamber or Tweede Kamer (150 seats; members directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: First Chamber - last held 25 May 1999 (next to be held 15 May 2003); Second Chamber - last held 15 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2006) election results: First Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CDA 20, VVD 19, PvdA 15, D66 4, other 17; Second Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Christian Democrats 43, List Pim Fortuyn 26, Labor Party 23, VVD 23, Green Party 11, Socialist Party 9, D66 7, Christian Union 4, others 4

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Hoge Raad (justices are nominated for life by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic Appeal or CDA [Jan
Peter BALKENENDE]; Christian Union Party [M. VAN DAALEN]; Democrats 66
or D66 [Thom DE GRAAF]; Green Party [Otto Ter HAAR]; Labor Party or PvdA
[Adrianus MELKERT]; List Pim Fortuyn [leader NA]; People's Party for
Freedom and Democracy (Liberal) or VVD [Hans F. DIJKSTAL]; Socialist Party
[Jan MARIJNISSEN]; a host of minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders: Federation of Netherlands Trade
Union Movement (comprising Socialist and Catholic trade unions) and a
Protestant trade union; Federation of Catholic and Protestant Employers
Associations; Interchurch Peace Council or IKV; large multinational firms;
the nondenominational Federation of Netherlands Enterprises

International organization participation: AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group,
Benelux, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, EMU, ESA,
ESCAP, EU, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNTSO, UNU, UPU,
WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joris
M. VOS consulate(s): Boston consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston,
Los Angeles, New York FAX: [1] (202) 362-3430 telephone: [1] (202)
244-5300 chancery: 4200 Linnean Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Clifford M. SOBEL embassy: Lange Voorhout 102, 2514 EJ, The Hague mailing address: PSC 71, Box 1000, APO AE 09715 telephone: [31] (70) 310-9209 FAX: [31] (70) 361-4688 consulate(s) general: Amsterdam

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue; similar to the flag of Luxembourg, which uses a lighter blue and is longer

Economy Netherlands

Economy - overview: The Netherlands is a prosperous and open economy depending heavily on foreign trade. The economy is noted for stable industrial relations, moderate inflation, a sizable current account surplus, and an important role as a European transportation hub. Industrial activity is predominantly in food processing, chemicals, petroleum refining, and electrical machinery. A highly mechanized agricultural sector employs no more than 4% of the labor force but provides large surpluses for the food-processing industry and for exports. The Netherlands, along with 11 of its EU partners, began circulating the euro currency on 1 January 2002. The country continues to be one of the leading European nations for attracting foreign direct investment. Economic growth slowed considerably in 2001, as part of the global economic slowdown, but for the four years before that, annual growth averaged nearly 4%, well above the EU average.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $413 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 1.1% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $25,800 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.3% industry: 26.3% services: 70.4% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 25.1% (1994)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 32.6 (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.5% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 7.2 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation: services 73%, industry 23%, agriculture 4% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate: 2.4% (2001)

Budget: revenues: $134 billion expenditures: $134 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Industries: agroindustries, metal and engineering products, electrical machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum, construction, microelectronics, fishing

Industrial production growth rate: 1.9% (2001)

Electricity - production: 87.953 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 90.27% hydro: 0.16% other: 5.33% (2000) nuclear: 4.24%

Electricity - consumption: 100.712 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 4.031 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 22.946 billion kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: grains, potatoes, sugar beets, fruits, vegetables; livestock

Exports: $214 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Exports - commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs

Exports - partners: EU 78% (Germany 26%, Benelux 12%, France 12%,
UK 11%, Italy 6%), Central and Eastern Europe, US (2000)

Imports: $195 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs, clothing

Imports - partners: EU 56% (Germany 18%, Benelux 10%, UK 9%, France 6%),
US 10% (2000)

Economic aid - donor: ODA, $3.5 billion (2000 est.)

Currency: euro (EUR); Netherlands guilder (NLG) note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code: EUR; NLG

Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); Netherlands guilders per US dollar - 1.9837 (1998), 1.9513 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Netherlands

Telephones - main lines in use: 9,132,400 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 4,081,891 (April 1999)

Telephone system: general assessment: highly developed and well maintained domestic: the existing system of multi-conductor cables is gradually being replaced by fiber-optic cables; the density of cellular telephone traffic is rapidly increasing and further modernization of the system is expected in 2001, with the introduction of the third generation of the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) international: 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions) (1996)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 58, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios: 15.3 million (1996)

Television broadcast stations: 21 (plus 26 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions: 8.1 million (1997)

Internet country code: .nl

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 52 (2000)

Internet users: 8.7 million (2001)

Transportation Netherlands

Railways: total: 2,808 km standard gauge: 2,808 km 1.435-m gauge (2,061 km electrified) (2001)

Highways: total: 116,500 km paved: 104,850 km (including 2,235 km of expressways) unpaved: 11,650 km (1999)

Waterways: 5,046 km (of which 3,745 km are canals) note: 47% of total route length is usable by craft of 1,000-metric-ton capacity or larger

Pipelines: crude oil 418 km; petroleum products 965 km; natural gas 10,230 km

Ports and harbors: Amsterdam, Delfzijl, Dordrecht, Eemshaven, Groningen,
Haarlem, Ijmuiden, Maastricht, Rotterdam, Terneuzen, Utrecht, Vlissingen

Merchant marine: total: 622 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,587,662 GRT/5,251,529 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Belgium 1, Canada 1, Denmark 5, Finland 5, Germany 55, Ireland 12, Norway 12, Sweden 17, United Kingdom 33, United States 12 (2002 est.) ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 380, chemical tanker 46, container 64, liquefied gas 16, livestock carrier 2, multi-functional large-load carrier 15, passenger 9, petroleum tanker 28, refrigerated cargo 34, roll on/roll off 18, short-sea passenger 2, specialized tanker 5

Airports: 28 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 20 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 6 (2001)

Heliports: 1 (2001)

Military Netherlands

Military branches: Royal Netherlands Army, Royal Netherlands Navy (including Naval Air Service and Marine Corps), Royal Netherlands Air Force, Royal Constabulary

Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age (note - age 17 for cadets and midshipmen) (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 4,077,917 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 3,546,030 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 96,082 note:
Netherlands has an all-volunteer, 74,100 force in 2001 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $6.5 billion (FY00/01 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.5% (FY00/01 est.)

Transnational Issues Netherlands

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: major European producer of illicit amphetamine and other synthetic drugs; important gateway for cocaine, heroin, and hashish entering Europe; major source of US-bound ecstasy

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Norway

Introduction

Norway

Background: Despite its neutrality, Norway was not able to avoid occupation by Germany in World War II. In 1949, neutrality was abandoned and Norway became a member of NATO. Discovery of oil and gas in adjacent waters in the late 1960s boosted Norway's economic fortunes. The current focus is on containing spending on the extensive welfare system and planning for the time when petroleum reserves are depleted. In referenda held in 1972 and 1994, Norway rejected joining the EU.

Geography Norway

Location: Northern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North Atlantic
Ocean, west of Sweden

Geographic coordinates: 62 00 N, 10 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 324,220 sq km land: 307,860 sq km water: 16,360 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than New Mexico

Land boundaries: total: 2,544 km border countries: Finland 729 km,
Sweden 1,619 km, Russia 196 km

Coastline: 21,925 km (includes mainland 3,419 km, large islands 2,413 km, long fjords, numerous small islands, and minor indentations 16,093 km)

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 10 NM territorial sea: 4 NM continental shelf: 200 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate: temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic Current; colder interior with increased precipitation and colder summers; rainy year-round on west coast

Terrain: glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken by fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply indented by fjords; arctic tundra in north

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m highest point:
Galdhopiggen 2,469 m

Natural resources: petroleum, copper, natural gas, pyrites, nickel, iron ore, zinc, lead, fish, timber, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 3% permanent crops: 0% other: 97% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,270 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: rockslides, avalanches

Environment - current issues: water pollution; acid rain damaging forests and adversely affecting lakes, threatening fish stocks; air pollution from vehicle emissions

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air
Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants,
Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile
Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine
Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note: about two-thirds mountains; some 50,000 islands off its much indented coastline; strategic location adjacent to sea lanes and air routes in North Atlantic; one of most rugged and longest coastlines in world

People Norway

Population: 4,525,116 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 20% (male 464,789; female 439,117) 15-64 years: 65% (male 1,491,720; female 1,451,450) 65 years and over: 15% (male 281,551; female 396,489) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.47% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 12.39 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 9.78 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 2.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 3.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 82.07 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.8 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 1,600 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 8 (1999)

Nationality: noun: Norwegian(s) adjective: Norwegian

Ethnic groups: Norwegian, Sami 20,000

Religions: Evangelical Lutheran 86% (state church), other Protestant and Roman Catholic 3%, other 1%, none and unknown 10% (1997)

Languages: Norwegian (official) note: small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Norway

Country name: Kingdom of Norway conventional short form: Government type: constitutional monarchy

Capital: Oslo

Administrative divisions: 19 provinces (fylker, singular - fylke);
Akershus, Aust-Agder, Buskerud, Finnmark, Hedmark, Hordaland, More og
Romsdal, Nordland, Nord-Trondelag, Oppland, Oslo, Ostfold, Rogaland,
Sogn og Fjordane, Sor-Trondelag, Telemark, Troms, Vest-Agder, Vestfold

Dependent areas: Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard

Independence: 7 June 1905 Norway declared the union with Sweden dissolved; 26 October 1905 Sweden agreed to the repeal of the union

National holiday: Constitution Day, 17 May (1814); note - on 14 January 1814 Denmark ceded Norway to Sweden; resisting Swedish domination, Norwegians adopted a new constitution four months later; on 14 August 1814 Norway was proclaimed independent but in union with Sweden; on 7 June 1905 Norway declared the union with Sweden dissolved

Constitution: 17 May 1814, modified in 1884

Legal system: mixture of customary law, civil law system, and common law traditions; Supreme Court renders advisory opinions to legislature when asked; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: King HARALD V (since 17 January 1991); Heir Apparent Crown Prince HAAKON MAGNUS, son of the monarch (born 20 July 1973) head of government: Prime Minister Kjell Magne BONDEVIK (since 19 October 2001) cabinet: State Council appointed by the monarch with the approval of Parliament elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following parliamentary elections, the leader of the largest party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch with the approval of the Parliament

Legislative branch: modified unicameral Parliament or Storting (165 seats; members are elected by popular vote by proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 10 September 2001 (next to be held NA September 2005) note: for certain purposes, the Parliament divides itself into two chambers and elects one-fourth of its membership to an upper house or Lagting election results: percent of vote by party - Labor Party 24.3%, Conservative Party 21.2%, Progress Party 14.6%, Socialist Left Party 12.5%, Christian People's Party 12.4%, Center Party 5.6%, Liberal Party 3.9%, Coastal Party 1.7%, other 3.8%; seats by party - Labor Party 43, Conservative Party 38, Progress Party 26, Socialist Left Party 23, Christian People's Party 22, Center Party 10, Liberal Party 2, Coastal Party 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Hoyesterett (justices appointed by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders: Center Party [Odd Roger ENOKSEN];
Christian People's Party [Valgerd Svarstad HAUGLAND]; Coastal Party
[Steinar BASTESEN]; Conservative Party [Jan PETERSEN]; Labor Party
[Thorbjorn JAGLAND]; Liberal Party [Lars SPONHEIM]; Progress Party
[Carl I. HAGEN]; Socialist Left Party [Kristin HALVORSEN]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group,
BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, FAO, IADB, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NATO, NC, NEA,
NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UN Security Council
(temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP,
UNTAET, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Knut VOLLEBAEK chancery: 2720 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Houston, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, and San Francisco FAX: [1] (202) 337-0870 telephone: [1] (202) 333-6000

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John D. ONG embassy: Drammensveien 18, PSC 69, Box 1000, APO AE 09707 telephone: Flag description: red with a blue cross outlined in white that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

Economy Norway

Economy - overview: The Norwegian economy is a prosperous bastion of welfare capitalism, featuring a combination of free market activity and government intervention. The government controls key areas, such as the vital petroleum sector (through large-scale state enterprises). The country is richly endowed with natural resources - petroleum, hydropower, fish, forests, and minerals - and is highly dependent on its oil production and international oil prices; in 1999, oil and gas accounted for 35% of exports. Only Saudi Arabia and Russia export more oil than Norway. Oslo opted to stay out of the EU during a referendum in November 1994. Growth picked up in 2000 to 2.7%, compared with the meager 0.8% of 1999, but fell back to 1.3% in 2001. The government moved ahead with privatization in 2000, even proposing the sale of up to one-third of the 100% state-owned oil company Statoil. With arguably the highest quality of life worldwide, Norwegians still worry about that time in the next two decades when the oil and gas begin to run out. Accordingly, Norway has been saving its oil-boosted budget surpluses in a Government Petroleum Fund, which is invested abroad and now is valued at more than $43 billion.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $138.7 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 1.3% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $30,800 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2% industry: 31% services: 67% (2000)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.1% highest 10%: 21.8% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 25.8 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.1% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 2.4 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: services 74%, industry 22%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 4% (1995)

Unemployment rate: 3.6% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $71.7 billion expenditures: $57.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Industries: petroleum and gas, food processing, shipbuilding, pulp and paper products, metals, chemicals, timber, mining, textiles, fishing

Industrial production growth rate: -1% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 141.162 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0.49% hydro: 99.31% other: 0.2% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 112.495 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 20.259 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 1.474 billion kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: barley, wheat, potatoes; pork, beef, veal, milk; fish

Exports: $58 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: petroleum and petroleum products, machinery and equipment, metals, chemicals, ships, fish

Exports - partners: EU 76.8% (Netherlands 11.4%, Germany 10.3%, France 10.0%, Sweden 8.4%), US 7.6% (2000)

Imports: $33.5 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals, foodstuffs

Imports - partners: EU 62.5% (Sweden 14.7%, Germany 11.9%, UK 8.1%,
Denmark 6.4%), US 8.2%, Japan 5.2% (2000)

Debt - external: $0 (Norway is a net external creditor)

Economic aid - donor: ODA, $1.4 billion (1998)

Currency: Norwegian krone (NOK)

Currency code: NOK

Exchange rates: Norwegian kroner per US dollar - 8.9684 (January 2002), 8.9917 (2001), 8.8018 (2000), 7.7992 (1999), 7.5451 (1998), 7.0734 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Norway

Telephones - main lines in use: 2.735 million (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 2,080,408 (1998)

Telephone system: general assessment: modern in all respects; one of the most advanced telecommunications networks in Europe domestic: Norway has a domestic satellite system; moreover, the prevalence of rural areas encourages the wide use of cellular mobile systems instead of fixed wire systems international: 2 buried coaxial cable systems; 4 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations - NA Eutelsat, NA Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Norway shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Sweden) (1999)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM at least 650, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios: 4.03 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 360 (plus 2,729 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions: 2.03 million (1997)

Internet country code: .no

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 13 (2000)

Internet users: 2.45 million (2001)

Transportation Norway

Railways: total: 4,006 km standard gauge: 4,006 km 1.435-m gauge (2,471 km electrified) (2001)

Highways: total: 91,180 km paved: 67,838 km (including 109 km of expressways) unpaved: 23,342 km (1999)

Waterways: 1,577 km (along west coast) note: navigable by 2.4 m maximum draft vessels

Pipelines: refined petroleum products 53 km

Ports and harbors: Bergen, Drammen, Floro, Hammerfest, Harstad,
Haugesund, Kristiansand, Larvik, Narvik, Oslo, Porsgrunn, Stavanger,
Tromso, Trondheim

Merchant marine: total: 746 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 20,691,266 GRT/32,126,513 DWT ships by type: bulk 84, cargo 130, chemical tanker 119, combination bulk 9, combination ore/oil 38, container 18, liquefied gas 91, passenger 6, petroleum tanker 143, refrigerated cargo 9, roll on/roll off 41, short-sea passenger 21, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 35 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Australia 1, Denmark 14, Germany 11, Greece 10, Hong Kong 7, Iceland 2, Japan 11, Lithuania 1, Monaco 42, Poland 1, Saudi Arabia 3, Singapore 10, Sweden 42, Switzerland 2, United Kingdom 4, United States 5 (2002 est.)

Airports: 102 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 67 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 13 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 26 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 35 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 29 (2001)

Military Norway

Military branches: Norwegian Army, Royal Norwegian Navy (including
Coast Artillery and Coast Guard), Royal Norwegian Air Force, Home Guard

Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,099,966 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 911,632 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 27,341 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $3.113 billion (FY98/99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.13% (2002)

Transnational Issues Norway

Disputes - international: Norway asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Queen Maud Land and its continental shelf); despite recent discussions, Russia and Norway continue to dispute their maritime limits in the Barents Sea and Russia's fishing rights beyond Svalbard's territorial limits within the Svalbard Treaty zone

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Nepal

Introduction

Nepal

Background: In 1951, the Nepalese monarch ended the century-old system of rule by hereditary premiers and instituted a cabinet system of government. Reforms in 1990 established a multiparty democracy within the framework of a constitutional monarchy. The refugee issue of some 100,000 Bhutanese in Nepal remains unresolved; 90% of these displaced persons are housed in seven United Nations Offices of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) camps.

Geography Nepal

Location: Southern Asia, between China and India

Geographic coordinates: 28 00 N, 84 00 E

Map references: Asia

Area: total: 140,800 sq km water: 4,000 sq km land: 136,800 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Arkansas

Land boundaries: total: 2,926 km border countries: China 1,236 km,
India 1,690 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: varies from cool summers and severe winters in north to subtropical summers and mild winters in south

Terrain: Terai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south, central hill region, rugged Himalayas in north

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Kanchan Kalan 70 m highest point:
Mount Everest 8,850 m (1999 est.)

Natural resources: quartz, water, timber, hydropower, scenic beauty, small deposits of lignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore

Land use: arable land: 20% permanent crops: 1% other: 79% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 11,350 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: severe thunderstorms, flooding, landslides, drought, and famine depending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the summer monsoons

Environment - current issues: deforestation (overuse of wood for fuel and lack of alternatives); contaminated water (with human and animal wastes, agricultural runoff, and industrial effluents); wildlife conservation; vehicular emissions

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of
the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83,
Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping,
Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note: landlocked; strategic location between China and India; contains eight of world's 10 highest peaks, including Mount Everest - the world's tallest - on the border with China

People Nepal

Population: 25,873,917 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 40% (male 5,346,422; female 5,007,416) 15-64 years: 56.4% (male 7,476,202; female 7,125,471) 65 years and over: 3.6% (male 453,263; female 465,143) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.29% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 32.94 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 10.03 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 72.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 58.2 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 4.48 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.29% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 34,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 2,500 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Nepalese (singular and plural) adjective: Nepalese

Ethnic groups: Brahman, Chetri, Newar, Gurung, Magar, Tamang, Rai,
Limbu, Sherpa, Tharu, and others (1995)

Religions: Hinduism 86.2%, Buddhism 7.8%, Islam 3.8%, other 2.2% note: only official Hindu state in the world (1995)

Languages: Nepali (official; spoken by 90% of the population), about a dozen other languages and about 30 major dialects; note - many in government and business also speak English (1995)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 27.5% male: 40.9% female: 14% (1995 est.)

Government Nepal

Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Nepal conventional short form: Nepal

Government type: parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy

Capital: Kathmandu

Administrative divisions: 14 zones (anchal, singular and plural);
Bagmati, Bheri, Dhawalagiri, Gandaki, Janakpur, Karnali, Kosi, Lumbini,
Mahakali, Mechi, Narayani, Rapti, Sagarmatha, Seti

Independence: 1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan Shah)

National holiday: Birthday of King GYANENDRA, 7 July (1946)

Constitution: 9 November 1990

Legal system: based on Hindu legal concepts and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: King GYANENDRA Bir Bikram Shah (succeeded to the throne 4 June 2001 following the death of his nephew, King DIPENDRA Bir Bikram Shah) head of government: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur DEUBA (since 22 July 2001) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch note: King BIRENDRA Bir Bikram Shah Dev died in a bloody shooting at the royal palace on 1 June 2001 that also claimed the lives of most of the royal family; King BIRENDRA's son, Crown Price DIPENDRA, is believed to have been responsible for the shootings before fatally wounding himself; immediately following the shootings and while still clinging to life, DIPENDRA was crowned king; he died three days later and was succeeded by his uncle

Legislative branch: note: Nepal's Parliament was dissolved on 22 May 2002 and elections are scheduled for 13 November 2002 : bicameral Parliament consists of the National Council (60 seats; 35 appointed by the House of Representatives, 10 by the king, and 15 elected by an electoral college; one-third of the members elected every two years to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives (205 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NC 37.3%, CPN/UML 31.6%, NDP 10.4%, NSP 3.2%, Rastriya Jana Morcha 1.4%, Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal 0.8%, NWPP 0.5%, others 14.8%; seats by party - NC 113, CPN/UML 69, NDP 11, NSP 5, Rastriya Jana Morcha 5, Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal 1, NWPP 1 elections: House of Representatives - last held 3 and 17 May 1999 (next to be held 13 November 2002)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Sarbochha Adalat (chief justice is appointed by the monarch on recommendation of the Constitutional Council; the other judges are appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the Judicial Council)

Political parties and leaders: Communist Party of Nepal/United
Marxist-Leninist or CPN/UML [Madhav Kumar NEPAL, general secretary];
National Democratic Party or NDP (also called Rastriya Prajantra
Party or RPP) [Surya Bahadur THAPA, chairman]; National People's Front
(Rastriya Jana Morcha) [Chitra Bahadur, chairman]; Nepal Sadbhavana
(Goodwill) Party or NSP [Bhadri Prasad MANDAL, acting party president];
Nepal Workers and Peasants Party or NWPP [Narayan Man BIJUKCHHE, party
chair]; Nepali Congress or NC [Girija Prasad KOIRALA, party president,
Sushil KOIRALA, general secretary]; Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal [Lila Mani
POKHAREL, general secretary]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Maoist guerrilla-based insurgency; numerous small, left-leaning student groups in the capital; several small, radical Nepalese antimonarchist groups

International organization participation: AsDB, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO,
G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, MONUC,
NAM, OPCW, SAARC, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNIFIL,
UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNTAET, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission:
Ambassador-designate Jai Pratap RANA chancery: 2131
 New York FAX:
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Michael E. MALINOWSKI (since December 2001) embassy: Panipokhari,
Kathmandu mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [977]
(1) 411179 FAX: [977] (1) 419963

Flag description: red with a blue border around the unique shape of two overlapping right triangles; the smaller, upper triangle bears a white stylized moon and the larger, lower triangle bears a white 12-pointed sun

Economy Nepal

Economy - overview: Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in the world with nearly half of its population living below the poverty line. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing a livelihood for over 80% of the population and accounting for 41% of GDP. Industrial activity mainly involves the processing of agricultural produce including jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain. Textile and carpet production, accounteing for about 80% of foreign exchange earnings in recent years, contracted significantly in 2001 due to the overall slowdown in the world economy and pressures by Maoist insurgents on factory owners and workers. Security concerns in the wake of Maoist activity, the June massacre of many members of the royal family, and the September 11 terrorist attacks in the US led to a decrease in tourism, another key source of foreign exchange. Agricultural production is growing by about 5% on average as compared with annual population growth of 2.3%. Since May 1991, the government has been moving forward with economic reforms, particularly those that encourage trade and foreign investment, e.g., by reducing business licenses and registration requirements to simplify investment procedures. The government has also been cutting expenditures by reducing subsidies, privatizing state industries, and laying off civil servants. More recently, however, political instability - five different governments over the past few years - has hampered Kathmandu's ability to forge consensus to implement key economic reforms. Nepal has considerable scope for accelerating economic growth by exploiting its potential in hydropower and tourism, areas of recent foreign investment interest. Prospects for foreign trade or investment in other sectors will remain poor, however, because of the small size of the economy, its technological backwardness, its remoteness, its landlocked geographic location, and its susceptibility to natural disaster. The international community's role of funding more than 60% of Nepal's development budget and more than 28% of total budgetary expenditures will likely continue as a major ingredient of growth.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $35.6 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 2.6% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 41% industry: 22% services: 37% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 42% (FY95/96 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 29.8% (1995-96)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 36.7 (1995-96)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.1% (FY00/01 est.)

Labor force: 10 million (1996 est.) note: severe lack of skilled labor

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 81%, services 16%, industry 3%

Unemployment rate: 47% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $665 million expenditures: $1.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY99/00 est.)

Industries: tourism, carpet, textile; small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed mills; cigarette; cement and brick production

Industrial production growth rate: 8.7% (FY99/00)

Electricity - production: 1.454 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 9.56% hydro: 90.44% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 1.431 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 95 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 174 million kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, root crops; milk, water buffalo meat

Exports: $757 million (f.o.b., FY00/01 est.), but does not include unrecorded border trade with India

Exports - commodities: carpets, clothing, leather goods, jute goods, grain

Exports - partners: India 48%, US 26%, Germany 11% (FY00/01)

Imports: $1.6 billion (f.o.b., FY00/01 est.)

Imports - commodities: gold, machinery and equipment, petroleum products, fertilizer

Imports - partners: India 39%, Singapore 10%, China/Hong Kong 9%,
(FY00/01)

Debt - external: $2.55 billion (FY00/01)

Economic aid - recipient: $424 million (FY00/01)

Currency: Nepalese rupee (NPR)

Currency code: NPR

Exchange rates: Nepalese rupees per US dollar - 76.675 (January 2002), 74.961 (2001), 71.094 (2000), 68.239 (1999), 65.976 (1998), 58.010 (1997)

Fiscal year: 16 July - 15 July

Communications Nepal

Telephones - main lines in use: 236,816 (January 2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: NA

Telephone system: general assessment: poor telephone and telegraph service; fair radiotelephone communication service and mobile cellular telephone network domestic: NA international: radiotelephone communications; microwave landline to India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (January 2000)

Radios: 840,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (plus 9 repeaters) (1998)

Televisions: 130,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .np

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 6 (2000)

Internet users: 50,000 (2001)

Transportation Nepal

Railways: total: 59 km narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge note: all in
Kosi close to Indian border (2001)

Highways: total: 13,223 km paved: 4,073 km unpaved: 9,150 km (April 1999)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: none

Airports: 45 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 8 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 6 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 37 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 29 (2001)

Military Nepal

Military branches: Royal Nepalese Army (includes Royal Nepalese Army
Air Service), Nepalese Police Force

Military manpower - military age: 17 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 6,484,343 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 3,369,454 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 292,589 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $51.5 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Nepal

Disputes - international: formed Joint Border committee with India in 2001 to resolve 53 disputed sections of boundary covering an area of 720 sq km; approximately 100,000 Bhutanese refugees living in Nepal, 90% of whom reside in seven UN Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees camps, place decades-long strains on Nepal

Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic and international drug markets; transit point for opiates from Southeast Asia to the West

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Nauru

Introduction

Nauru

Background: Nauru's phosphate deposits began to be mined early in the 20th century by a German-British consortium; the island was occupied by Australian forces in World War I. Nauru achieved independence in 1968 and joined the UN in 1999. Nauru is the world's smallest independent republic.

Geography Nauru

Location: Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, south of the
Marshall Islands

Geographic coordinates: 0 32 S, 166 55 E

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 21 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 21 sq km

Area - comparative: about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 30 km

Maritime claims: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: Climate: tropical; monsoonal; rainy season (November to February)

Terrain: sandy beach rises to fertile ring around raised coral reefs with phosphate plateau in center

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location along plateau rim 61 m

Natural resources: phosphates, fish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources, roof storage tanks collect rainwater, but mostly dependent on a single, aging desalination plant; intensive phosphate mining during the past 90 years - mainly by a UK, Australia, and NZ consortium - has left the central 90% of Nauru a wasteland and threatens limited remaining land resources

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes,
Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not
ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: Nauru is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Makatea in French Polynesia; only 53 km south of Equator

People Nauru

Population: 12,329 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 39.6% (male 2,515; female 2,366) 15-64 years: 58.7% (male 3,578; female 3,656) 65 years and over: 1.7% (male 108; female 106) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.96% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 26.6 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 7.06 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 10.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 65.26 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 3.5 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Nauruan(s) adjective: Nauruan

Ethnic groups: Nauruan 58%, other Pacific Islander 26%, Chinese 8%,
European 8%

Religions: Christian (two-thirds Protestant, one-third Roman Catholic)

Languages: Nauruan (official, a distinct Pacific Island language), English widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and commercial purposes

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Nauru

Country name: Republic of Nauru conventional short form: Government type: republic

Capital: no official capital; government offices in Yaren District

Administrative divisions: 14 districts; Aiwo, Anabar, Anetan, Anibare,
Baiti, Boe, Buada, Denigomodu, Ewa, Ijuw, Meneng, Nibok, Uaboe, Yaren

Independence: 31 January 1968 (from the Australia-, NZ-, and
UK-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday: Independence Day, 31 January (1968)

Constitution: 29 January 1968

Legal system: acts of the Nauru Parliament and British common law

Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch: chief of state: President Rene HARRIS (since 30 March 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government elections: held NA March 2001 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: Rene HARRIS elected president; percent of Parliamentary vote - NA% cabinet: head of government: President Rene HARRIS (since 30 March 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (18 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms) elections: last held 9 April 2000 (next to be held NA April 2003) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 18

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: loose multiparty system; Democratic Party
[Kennan ADEANG]; Nauru Party (informal) [Bernard DOWIYOGO]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO,
ICAO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO

Diplomatic representation in the US: Nauru does not have an embassy in the US, but does have a UN office at 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400 D, New York, New York 10017; telephone: Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Nauru; the US Ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Nauru

Flag description: blue with a narrow, horizontal, yellow stripe across the center and a large white 12-pointed star below the stripe on the hoist side; the star indicates the country's location in relation to the Equator (the yellow stripe) and the 12 points symbolize the 12 original tribes of Nauru

Economy Nauru

Economy - overview: Revenues of this tiny island have come from exports of phosphates, but reserves are expected to be exhausted within a few years. Phosphate production has declined since 1989, as demand has fallen in traditional markets and as the marginal cost of extracting the remaining phosphate increases, making it less internationally competitive. While phosphates have given Nauruans one of the highest per capita incomes in the Third World, few other resources exist with most necessities being imported, including fresh water from Australia. The rehabilitation of mined land and the replacement of income from phosphates are serious long-term problems. In anticipation of the exhaustion of Nauru's phosphate deposits, substantial amounts of phosphate income have been invested in trust funds to help cushion the transition and provide for Nauru's economic future. The government has been borrowing heavily from the trusts to finance fiscal deficits. To cut costs the government has called for a freeze on wages, a reduction of over-staffed public service departments, privatization of numerous government agencies, and closure of some overseas consulates. In recent years Nauru has encouraged the registration of offshore banks and corporations. Tens of billions of dollars have been channeled through their accounts. Few comprehensive statistics on the Nauru economy exist, with estimates of Nauru's per capita GDP varying widely.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $60 million (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: NA%

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): -3.6% (1993)

Labor force - by occupation: employed in mining phosphates, public administration, education, and transportation

Unemployment rate: 0%

Budget: revenues: $23.4 million expenditures: $64.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY95/96)

Industries: phosphate mining, offshore banking, coconut products

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 30 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 27.9 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: coconuts

Exports: $25.3 million (f.o.b., 1991)

Exports - commodities: phosphates

Exports - partners: NZ, Australia, South Korea, US (2000)

Imports: $21.1 million (c.i.f., 1991)

Imports - commodities: food, fuel, manufactures, building materials, machinery

Imports - partners: Australia, US, UK, Indonesia, India (2000)

Debt - external: $33.3 million

Economic aid - recipient: $2.25 million from Australia (FY96/97 est.)

Currency: Australian dollar (AUD)

Currency code: AUD

Exchange rates: Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.9354 (January 2002) 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Communications Nauru

Telephones - main lines in use: 2,000 (1996)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 450 (1994)

Telephone system: general assessment: adequate local and international radiotelephone communication provided via Australian facilities domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 7,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)

Televisions: 500 (1997)

Internet country code: .nr

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: NA

Transportation Nauru

Railways: total: 5 km note: gauge unknown; used to haul phosphates from the center of the island to processing facilities on the southwest coast (2001)

Highways: total: 30 km paved: 24 km unpaved: 6 km (1998 est.)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Nauru

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: 1 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2001)

Military Nauru

Military branches: no regular military forces; Nauru Police Force

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 3,103 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,710 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Military - note: Nauru maintains no defense forces; under an informal agreement, defense is the responsibility of Australia

Transnational Issues Nauru

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Suriname

Introduction

Suriname

Background: Independence from the Netherlands was granted in 1975. Five years later the civilian government was replaced by a military regime that soon declared a socialist republic. It continued to rule through a succession of nominally civilian administrations until 1987, when international pressure finally forced a democratic election. In 1989, the military overthrew the civilian government, but a democratically-elected government returned to power in 1991.

Geography Suriname

Location: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between French Guiana and Guyana

Geographic coordinates: 4 00 N, 56 00 W

Map references: South America

Area: total: 163,270 sq km land: 161,470 sq km water: 1,800 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Georgia

Land boundaries: total: 1,707 km border countries: Brazil 597 km,
French Guiana 510 km, Guyana 600 km

Coastline: 386 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical; moderated by trade winds

Terrain: mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps

Elevation extremes: unnamed location in the coastal plain -2 m highest point: Natural resources: timber, hydropower, fish, kaolin, shrimp, bauxite, gold, and small amounts of nickel, copper, platinum, iron ore

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% note: there are 95,000 hectares of arable land, 7,000 hectares of permanent crops, and 15,000 hectares of permanent pastures (1998 est.) other: 100%

Irrigated land: 490 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: deforestation as timber is cut for export; pollution of inland waterways by small-scale mining activities

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the
selected agreements

Geography - note: smallest independent country on South American continent; mostly tropical rain forest; great diversity of flora and fauna that, for the most part, is increasingly threatened by new development; relatively small population, mostly along the coast

People Suriname

Population: 436,494 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 31.1% (male 69,642; female 66,262) 15-64 years: 63.1% (male 140,745; female 134,494) 65 years and over: 5.8% (male 11,480; female 13,871) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.55% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 19.97 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 5.67 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -8.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 23.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 74.7 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.44 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 1.26% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 3,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 210 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Surinamer(s) adjective: Surinamese

Ethnic groups: Hindustani (also known locally as "East Indians"; their ancestors emigrated from northern India in the latter part of the 19th century) 37%, Creole (mixed white and black) 31%, Javanese 15%, "Maroons" (their African ancestors were brought to the country in the 17th and 18th centuries as slaves and escaped to the interior) 10%, Amerindian 2%, Chinese 2%, white 1%, other 2%

Religions: Hindu 27.4%, Muslim 19.6%, Roman Catholic 22.8%, Protestant 25.2% (predominantly Moravian), indigenous beliefs 5%

Languages: Dutch (official), English (widely spoken), Sranang Tongo
(Surinamese, sometimes called Taki-Taki, is native language of Creoles
and much of the younger population and is lingua franca among others),
Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Javanese

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93% male: 95% female: 91% (1995 est.)

Government Suriname

Country name: Republic of Suriname conventional short form: Guiana local long form: Republiek Suriname

Government type: constitutional democracy

Capital: Paramaribo

Administrative divisions: 10 districts (distrikten, singular - distrikt);
Brokopondo, Commewijne, Coronie, Marowijne, Nickerie, Para, Paramaribo,
Saramacca, Sipaliwini, Wanica

Independence: 25 November 1975 (from Netherlands)

National holiday: Independence Day, 25 November (1975)

Constitution: ratified 30 September 1987

Legal system: based on Dutch legal system incorporating French penal theory

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN (since 12 August 2000); Vice President Jules Rattankoemar AJODHIA (since 12 August 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN (since 12 August 2000); Vice President Jules Rattankoemar AJODHIA (since 12 August 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: of the National Assembly elections: president and vice president elected by the National Assembly or, if no presidential or vice presidential candidate receives a constitutional majority in the National Assembly after two votes, by the larger People's Assembly (869 representatives from the national, local, and regional councils), for five-year terms; election last held 6 May 2000 (next to be held NA May 2005) election results: Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN elected president by the National Assembly; percent of legislative vote - Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN 72.5%; Rashied DOEKHIE (NDP) 19.6%; total votes cast - Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN (New Front) 37 votes, Rashied DOEKHIE (NDP) 10 votes note: widespread demonstrations during the summer of 1999 led to the call for elections a year early

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Nationale Assemblee (51 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) election results: 3, DA '91 2, PVF 2, PALU 1 note: widespread demonstrations during the summer of 1999 led to the call for elections a year early elections: Judicial branch: Court of Justice (justices are nominated for life)

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Alternative '91 or DA '91 (a coalition of the Alternative Forum or AF and Party for Brotherhood and Unity in Politics or BEP, formed in January 1991) [S. RAMKHELAWAN]; Democratic National Platform 2000 or DNP 2000 (coalition of two parties, Democratic Party and Democrats of the 21st Century) [Jules WIJDENBOSCH]; Independent Progressive Democratic Alternative or OPDA [Joginder RAMKHILAWAN]; Millennium Combination or MC (a coalition of three parties, Democratic Alternative, Party for National Unity and Solidarity, and National Democratic Party) [leader NA]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Desire BOUTERSE]; Naya Kadam or NK [leader NA]; Party for Renewal and Democracy or BVD [Tjan GOBARDHAN]; Party of National Unity and Solidarity or KTPI [Willy SOEMITA]; Pertjaja Luhur [Paul SOMOHARDJO]; Progressive Workers' and Farm Laborers' Union or PALU [Ir Iwan KROLIS]; The New Front or NF (a coalition of four parties Suriname National Party or NPS, Progressive Reform Party or VHP, Suriname Labor Party or SPA, and Pertjaja Luhur) [Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN]; The Progressive Development Alliance (a combination of three parties, Renewed Progressive Party or HPP, Party of the Federation of Land Workers or PVF, and Suriname Progressive People's Party or PSV) [Harry KISOENSINGH]

Political pressure groups and leaders: General Liberation and Development
Party or ABOP [Ronnie BRUNSWIJK]; Mandela Bushnegro Liberation Movement
[Leendert ADAMS]; Tucayana Amazonica [Alex JUBITANA, Thomas SABAJO];
Union for Liberation and Democracy [Kofi AFONGPONG]

International organization participation: ACP, Caricom, ECLAC, FAO,
G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Henry Lothar ILLES FAX: [1] (202) 244-5878 [1] (202) 244-7488 chancery: Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel A. JOHNSON embassy: Dr. Sophie Redmondstraat 129, Paramaribo mailing address: Department of State, 3390 [597] 472900 FAX: Flag description: five horizontal bands of green (top, double width), white, red (quadruple width), white, and green (double width); there is a large, yellow, five-pointed star centered in the red band

Economy Suriname

Economy - overview: The economy is dominated by the bauxite industry, which accounts for more than 15% of GDP and 70% of export earnings. Suriname's economic prospects for the medium term will depend on renewed commitment to responsible monetary and fiscal policies and to the introduction of structural reforms to liberalize markets and promote competition. The government of Ronald VENETIAAN has begun an austerity program, raised taxes, and attempted to control spending. The Dutch Government has restarted the aid flow, which will allow Suriname to access international development financing.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.5 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: -5.5% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,500 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 13% industry: 22% services: 65% (1998 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 59% (2000)

Labor force: 100,000

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Unemployment rate: 20% (1997)

Budget: revenues: $393 million expenditures: $403 million, including capital expenditures of $34 million (1997 est.)

Industries: bauxite and gold mining, alumina production, oil, lumbering, food processing, fishing

Industrial production growth rate: 6.5% (1994 est.)

Electricity - production: 1.407 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 35.82% hydro: 64.18% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 1.309 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: paddy rice, bananas, palm kernels, coconuts, plantains, peanuts; beef, chickens; forest products; shrimp

Exports: $399 million (f.o.b., 2000)

Exports - commodities: alumina, crude oil, lumber, shrimp and fish, rice, bananas

Exports - partners: US 23%, Norway 19%, Netherlands 11%, France, Japan,
UK (1999)

Imports: $525 million (f.o.b., 1999)

Imports - commodities: capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs, cotton, consumer goods

Imports - partners: US 35%, Netherlands 15%, Trinidad and Tobago 12%,
Japan, UK, Brazil (1999)

Debt - external: $512 million (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: Netherlands provided $37 million for project and program assistance, European Development Fund $4 million, Belgium $2 million (1998)

Currency: Surinamese guilder (SRG)

Currency code: SRG

Exchange rates: Surinamese guilders per US dollar - 2,178.50 (2001), 2,178.50 (2000), 987.50 (1999), 401.00 (1998), 401.00 (1997); note - yearend rates note: unified and became market determined; during 1998, the exchange rate splintered into four distinct rates; in January 1999 the government floated the guilder, but subsequently fixed it when the black-market rate plunged; the government currently allows trading within a band of SRG 500 around the official rate

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Suriname

Telephones - main lines in use: 64,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 4,090 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: international facilities are good domestic: microwave radio relay network international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 13, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios: 300,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (plus seven repeaters) (2000)

Televisions: 63,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .sr

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)

Internet users: 11,700 (2001)

Transportation Suriname

Railways: 80 km 1.435-m gauge note: 1.000-m gauge

Highways: total: 4,530 km paved: 1,178 km unpaved: 3,352 km (1996)

Waterways: 1,200 km note: most important means of transport; oceangoing vessels with drafts ranging up to 7 m can navigate many of the principal waterways

Ports and harbors: Albina, Moengo, New Nickerie, Paramaribo, Paranam,
Wageningen

Merchant marine: total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,432 GRT/4,525 DWT ships by type: cargo 1, container 1, petroleum tanker 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 46 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 4 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 41 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 35 (2001)

Military Suriname

Military branches: National Army (including small Navy and Air Force elements), Civil Police

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 123,072 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 72,059 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.6% (FY97 est.)

Transnational Issues Suriname

Disputes - international: area disputed by French Guiana between Riviere Litani and Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa); area disputed by Guyana between New (Upper Courantyne) and Courantyne/Koetari [Kutari] rivers (all headwaters of the Courantyne); territorial sea boundary with Guyana is in dispute

Illicit drugs: growing transshipment point for South American drugs destined for Europe and Brazil; transshipment point for arms-for-drugs dealing

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Netherlands Antilles

Introduction

Netherlands Antilles

Background: Once the center of the Caribbean slave trade, the island of Curacao was hard hit by the abolition of slavery in 1863. Its prosperity (and that of neighboring Aruba) was restored in the early 20th century with the construction of oil refineries to service the newly discovered Venezuelan oil fields. The island of Saint Martin is shared with France; its northern portion is named Saint-Martin and is part of Guadeloupe, and its southern portion is named Sint Maarten and is part of the Netherlands Antilles.

Geography Netherlands Antilles

Location: Caribbean, two island groups in the Caribbean Sea - one includes Curacao and Bonaire north of Venezuela; the other is east of the Virgin Islands

Geographic coordinates: 12 15 N, 68 45 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 960 sq km note: includes Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint
Eustatius, and Sint Maarten (Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin)
water: Area - comparative: more than five times the size of Washington,
DC

Land boundaries: total: 10.2 km border countries: Guadeloupe (Saint
Martin) 10.2 km

Coastline: 364 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 12 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade winds

Terrain: generally hilly, volcanic interiors

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point:
Mount Scenery 862 m

Natural resources: phosphates (Curacao only), salt (Bonaire only)

Land use: arable land: 10% permanent crops: 0% other: 90% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: Curacao and Bonaire are south of Caribbean hurricane belt and are rarely threatened; Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius are subject to hurricanes from July to October

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: the five islands of the Netherlands Antilles are divided geographically into the Leeward Islands (northern) group (Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten) and the Windward Islands (southern) group (Bonaire and Curacao)

People Netherlands Antilles

Population: 214,258 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 25% (male 27,351; female 26,135) 15-64 years: 67.1% (male 68,431; female 75,312) 65 years and over: 7.9% (male 7,049; female 9,980) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.93% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 16.16 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 6.4 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 11.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 77.46 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.06 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Dutch Antillean(s) adjective: Dutch Antillean

Ethnic groups: mixed black 85%, Carib Amerindian, white, East Asian

Religions: Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Seventh-Day Adventist

Languages: Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect) predominates, English widely spoken, Spanish

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 98% female: 99% (1981 est.)

Government Netherlands Antilles

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Netherlands Antilles Curacao and Dependencies local short form: Dependency status: part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs granted in 1954; Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairs

Government type: parliamentary

Capital: Willemstad

Administrative divisions: none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) note: each island has its own government

Independence: none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

National holiday: Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA in 1909 and accession to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX in 1980), 30 April

Constitution: 29 December 1954, Statute of the Realm of the Netherlands, as amended

Legal system: based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980), represented by Governor General Jaime SALEH (since NA October 1989) head of government: Prime Minister Miguel POURIER (since 8 November 1999); Deputy Prime Minister Susanne CAMELIA-ROMER (since NA) cabinet: - PDB, DP-St. M, FOL, PLKP, PNP elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch for a six-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is usually elected prime minister by the Staten; election last held 18 January 2002 (next to be held by NA 2006) note: Miguel POURIER became prime minister following the resignation of Susanne CAMELIA-ROMER

Legislative branch: unicameral States or Staten (22 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) note: the government of Prime Minister Miguel POURIER is a coalition of several parties; current seats by party - PAR 4, PNP 3, FOL 2, MAN 2, UPB 2, DP-St. M 2, PDB 1, SEA 1, WIPM 1, other 4 elections: last held 18 January 2002 (next to be held NA 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - FOL 5, PAR 4, PNP 3, PLKP 2, DP-St.M 2, UPB 2, DP 1, MAN 1, PDB 1, WIPM 1

Judicial branch: Joint High Court of Justice (judges appointed by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders: Antillean Restructuring Party or PAR
[Miguel POURIER]; C 93 [Stanley BROWN]; Democratic Party of Bonaire or PDB
[Jopi ABRAHAM]; Democratic Party of Curacao or DP [Errol HERNANDEZ];
Democratic Party of Sint Eustatius or DP-St. E [Julian WOODLEY];
Democratic Party of Sint Maarten or DP-St. M [Sarah WESCOTT-WILLIAMS];
Foundation Energetic Management Anti-Narcotics or FAME [Eric LODEWIJKS];
Labor Party People's Crusade or PLKP [Errol COVA]; National People's
Party or PNP [Susanne F. C. CAMELIA-ROMER]; New Antilles Movement or MAN
[Kenneth GIJSBERTHA]; Patriotic Union of Bonaire or UPB [Ramon BOOI];
Patriotic Movement of Sint Maarten or SPA [Vance JAMES, Jr.]; People's
Party or PAPU [Richard Hodi]; Pro Curacao Party or PPK [Winston LOURENS];
Saba Democratic Labor Movement [Steve HASSELL]; Saba Unity Party [Carmen
SIMMONDS]; St. Eustatius Alliance or SEA [Kenneth VAN PUTTEN]; Serious
Alternative People's Party or Sapp [Julian ROLLOCKS]; Social Action Cause
or KAS [Benny DEMEI]; Windward Islands People's Movement or WIPM [Will
JOHNSTON]; Workers' Liberation Front or FOL [Anthony GODETT, Rignald LAK,
Editha WRIGHT] note: political parties are indigenous to each island

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: Caricom (observer), CCC,
ECLAC (associate), Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WCL, WMO,
WToO (associate)

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Consul General
Deborah A. BOLTON consulate(s)
 J. B. Gorsiraweg #1, Willemstad AN, Curacao mailing address: [599]
 (9) 4616489

Flag description: white, with a horizontal blue stripe in the center superimposed on a vertical red band, also centered; five white, five-pointed stars are arranged in an oval pattern in the center of the blue band; the five stars represent the five main islands of Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten

Economy Netherlands Antilles

Economy - overview: Tourism, petroleum refining, and offshore finance are the mainstays of this small economy, which is closely tied to the outside world. Although GDP has declined in each of the past five years, the islands enjoy a high per capita income and a well-developed infrastructure compared with other countries in the region. Almost all consumer and capital goods are imported, the US and Mexico being the major suppliers. Poor soils and inadequate water supplies hamper the development of agriculture.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $2.4 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: -3.5% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $11,400 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 15% services: 84% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.8% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 89,000

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 1%, industry 13%, services 86% (1994 est.)

Unemployment rate: 15% (1998 est.)

Budget: revenues: $710.8 million expenditures: $741.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)

Industries: tourism (Curacao, Sint Maarten, and Bonaire), petroleum refining (Curacao), petroleum transshipment facilities (Curacao and Bonaire), light manufacturing (Curacao)

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 1.175 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 1.093 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit

Exports: $276 million (f.o.b., 2000)

Exports - commodities: petroleum products

Exports - partners: US 35.9%, Guatemala 9.4%, Venezuela 8.7%, France 5.4%, Singapore 2.8% (2000)

Imports: $1.5 billion (f.o.b., 2000)

Imports - commodities: crude petroleum, food, manufactures

Imports - partners: US 25.8%, Mexico 20.7%, Gabon 6.6%, Italy 5.8%,
Netherlands 5.5% (2000)

Debt - external: $1.35 billion (1996)

Economic aid - recipient: IMF provided $61 million in 2000, and the
Netherlands continued its support with $40 million

Currency: Netherlands Antillean guilder (ANG)

Currency code: ANG

Exchange rates: Netherlands Antillean guilders per US dollar - 1.790 (fixed rate since 1989)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Netherlands Antilles

Telephones - main lines in use: 76,000 (1995)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 13,977 (1996)

Telephone system: general assessment: generally adequate facilities domestic: extensive interisland microwave radio relay links international: submarine cables - 2; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 9, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 217,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (there is also a cable service which supplies programs received from various US satellite networks and two Venezuelan channels) (1997)

Televisions: 69,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .an

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 6

Internet users: 2,000 (2000)

Transportation Netherlands Antilles

Railways: 0 km (2002)

Highways: total: 600 km paved: 300 km unpaved: 300 km (1992)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Kralendijk, Philipsburg, Willemstad

Merchant marine: total: 123 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,056,362 GRT/1,341,735 DWT ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 39, chemical tanker 2, combination ore/oil 4, container 24, liquefied gas 5, multi-functional large-load carrier 15, passenger 1, refrigerated cargo 24, roll on/roll off 7 note: includes foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Belgium 3, Denmark 2, Germany 43, Monaco 8, Netherlands 52, New Zealand 1, Norway 3, Peru 1, Spain 1, Sweden 3, United Kingdom 5 (2002 est.)

Airports: 5 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2001)

Military Netherlands Antilles

Military branches: no regular indigenous military forces; Royal
Netherlands Navy, Marine Corps, Royal Netherlands Air Force, National
Guard, Police Force

Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 54,752 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 30,642 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 1,610 (2002 est.)

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the
Netherlands

Transnational Issues Netherlands Antilles

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: money-laundering center; transshipment point for South
American drugs bound for the US and Europe

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Nicaragua

Introduction

Nicaragua

Background: Settled as a colony of Spain in the 1520s, Nicaragua gained its independence in 1821. Violent opposition to governmental manipulation and corruption spread to all classes by 1978 and resulted in a short-lived civil war that brought the Marxist Sandinista guerrillas to power in 1979. Nicaraguan aid to leftist rebels in El Salvador caused the US to sponsor anti-Sandinista contra guerrillas through much of the 1980s. Free elections in 1990, 1996, and again in 2001 saw the Sandinistas defeated. The country has slowly rebuilt its economy during the 1990s, but was hard hit by Hurricane Mitch in 1998.

Geography Nicaragua

Location: Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the
North Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras

Geographic coordinates: 13 00 N, 85 00 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 129,494 sq km water: 9,240 sq km land: 120,254 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than the state of New York

Land boundaries: total: 1,231 km border countries: Costa Rica 309 km,
Honduras 922 km

Coastline: 910 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: natural prolongation territorial sea: 200 NM

Climate: tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands

Terrain: extensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to central interior mountains; narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted by volcanoes

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point:
Mogoton 2,438 m

Natural resources: gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, timber, fish

Land use: arable land: 20% permanent crops: 2% other: 78% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 880 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: destructive earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides; extremely susceptible to hurricanes

Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:
Environmental Modification

Geography - note: largest country in Central America; contains the largest freshwater body in Central America, Lago de Nicaragua

People Nicaragua

Population: 5,023,818 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 38.3% (male 980,621; female 945,386) 15-64 years: 58.7% (male 1,464,468; female 1,483,082) 65 years and over: 3% (male 65,610; female 84,651) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.09% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 26.98 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 4.76 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 32.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 71.44 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 3.09 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (2000/01 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 4,800 (2000/01 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 360 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Nicaraguan(s) adjective: Nicaraguan

Ethnic groups: mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 69%, white 17%, black 9%, Amerindian 5%

Religions: Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant

Languages: Spanish (official) note: English and indigenous languages on Atlantic coast

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 68.2% (1999) male: 67.1% female: 70.5% (2000 est.)

Government Nicaragua

Country name: Republic of Nicaragua conventional short form: Nicaragua

Government type: republic

Capital: Managua

Administrative divisions: 15 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 2 autonomous regions* (regiones autonomistas, singular - region autonomista); Boaco, Carazo, Chinandega, Chontales, Esteli, Granada, Jinotega, Leon, Madriz, Managua, Masaya, Matagalpa, Nueva Segovia, Rio San Juan, Rivas, Atlantico Norte*, Atlantico Sur*

Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution: 9 January 1987, with reforms in 1995 and 2000

Legal system: civil law system; Supreme Court may review administrative acts

Suffrage: 16 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (since 10 January 2002); Vice President Jose RIZO Castellon (since 10 January 2002); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (since 10 January 2002); Vice President Jose RIZO Castellon (since 10 January 2002); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 4 November 2001 (next to be held by November 2006) election results: Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (PLC) elected president - 56.3%, Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (FSLN) 42.3%, Alberto SABORIO (PC) 1.4%; Jose RIZO Castellon elected vice president

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (93 seats; members are elected by proportional representation to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 4 November 2001 (next to be held by November 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - Liberal Alliance (ruling party - includes PLC, PALI, PLIUN, and PUCA) 46.03%, FSLN 36.55%, PCCN 3.73%, PCN 2.12%, MRS 1.33%; seats by party - Liberal Alliance 42, FSLN 36, PCCN 4, PCN 3, PRONAL 2, MRS 1, PRN 1, PC 1, PLI 1, AU 1, UNO-96 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (16 judges elected for five-year terms by the National Assembly)

Political parties and leaders: Conservative Party of Nicaragua or PCN
[Dr. Fernando AGUERO Rocha]; Independent Liberal Party or PLI [Virgilio
GODOY]; Liberal Alliance (ruling alliance including Liberal Constitutional
Party or PLC, New Liberal Party or PALI, Independent Liberal Party for
National Unity or PLIUN, and Central American Unionist Party or PUCA)
[leader NA]; National Conservative Party or PC [Pedro SOLARZANO, Noel
VIDAURRE]; National Project or PRONAL [Benjamin LANZAS]; Nicaraguan Party
of the Christian Path or PCCN [Guillermo OSORNO, Roberto RODRIGUEZ];
Nicaraguan Resistance Party or PRN [Salvador TALAVERA]; Sandinista
National Liberation Front or FSLN [Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra]; Sandinista
Renovation Movement or MRS [Sergio RAMIREZ]; Unity Alliance or AU
[Alejandro SERRANO]; Union Nacional Opositora 96 or UNO-96 [Alfredo
CESAR Aguirre]

Political pressure groups and leaders: National Workers Front or FNT is a Sandinista umbrella group of eight labor unions including - Farm Workers Association or ATC, Health Workers Federation or FETASALUD, Heroes and Martyrs Confederation of Professional Associations or CONAPRO, National Association of Educators of Nicaragua or ANDEN, National Union of Employees or UNE, National Union of Farmers and Ranchers or UNAG, Sandinista Workers Central or CST, and Union of Journalists of Nicaragua or UPN; Permanent Congress of Workers or CPT is an umbrella group of four non-Sandinista labor unions including - Autonomous Nicaraguan Workers Central or CTN-A, Confederation of Labor Unification or CUS, Independent General Confederation of Labor or CGT-I, and Labor Action and Unity Central or CAUS; Nicaraguan Workers' Central or CTN is an independent labor union; Superior Council of Private Enterprise or COSEP is a confederation of business groups

International organization participation: BCIE, CACM, CCC, ECLAC,
FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA
(observer), NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: Ambassador Carlos J. ULVERT consulate(s) general: telephone: [1] (202) 939-6570 chancery: 1627 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Oliver P. GARZA embassy: Apartado Postal 327, Kilometer 4.5 Carretera
Sur, Managua mailing address: APO AA 34021 telephone: [505] (2) 662298,
666010, 666012, 666013, 666015, 666018, 666026, 666027, 666032, 666033
FAX: [505] (2) 669074

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on the top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; similar to the flag of El Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Honduras, which has five blue stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band

Economy Nicaragua

Economy - overview: Nicaragua, one of the hemisphere's poorest countries, faces low per capita income, flagging socio-economic indicators, and huge external debt. Distribution of income is extremely unequal. While the country has made progress toward macroeconomic stabilization over the past few years, a banking crisis and scandal has shaken the economy. Managua will continue to be dependent on international aid and debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. Donors have made aid conditional on improving governability, the openness of government financial operation, poverty alleviation, and human rights. Nicaragua met the conditions for additional debt service relief in December 2000. Growth should move up in 2002 because of increased private investment and recovery in the global economy.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $12.3 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 2.5% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,500 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 33% industry: 23% services: 44% (2000)

Population below poverty line: 50% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.7% highest 10%: 48.8% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 60.3 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.4% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 1.7 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation: services 43%, agriculture 42%, industry 15% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: 23% plus considerable underemployment (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $726 million expenditures: $908 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Industries: food processing, chemicals, machinery and metal products, textiles, clothing, petroleum refining and distribution, beverages, footwear, wood

Industrial production growth rate: 4.4% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production: 2.233 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 81.68% hydro: 9.4% other: 8.92% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 2.176 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 1 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 100 million kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: coffee, bananas, sugarcane, cotton, rice, corn, tobacco, sesame, soya, beans; beef, veal, pork, poultry, dairy products

Exports: $609.5 million (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: coffee, shrimp and lobster, cotton, tobacco, beef, sugar, bananas; gold

Exports - partners: US 57.7%, Germany 5.3%, Canada 4.2%, Costa Rica 3.3%,
Honduras 3% (2000)

Imports: $1.6 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, raw materials, petroleum products, consumer goods

Imports - partners: US 23.9%, Costa Rica 11.4%, Venezuela 9.9%, Guatemala 7.9%, Mexico 5.9% (2000)

Debt - external: $6.1 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: NA

Currency: gold cordoba (NIO)

Currency code: NIO

Exchange rates: gold cordobas per US dollar - 13.88 (January 2002), 13.37 (2001), 12.69 (2000), 11.81 (1999), 10.58 (1998), 9.45 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Nicaragua

Telephones - main lines in use: 140,000 (1996)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 7,911 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: inadequate system being upgraded by foreign investment domestic: low-capacity microwave radio relay and wire system being expanded; connected to Central American Microwave System international: 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 63, FM 32, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios: 1.24 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 320,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .ni

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 3 (2000)

Internet users: 20,000 (2000)

Transportation Nicaragua

Railways: total: 6 km narrow gauge: 6 km 1.067-m gauge note: carries mostly passengers from Chichigalpa to Ingenio San Antonio (2001)

Highways: total: 16,382 km paved: 1,818 km unpaved: 14,564 km (1998)

Waterways: 2,220 km (including 2 large lakes)

Pipelines: crude oil 56 km

Ports and harbors: Bluefields, Corinto, El Bluff, Puerto Cabezas,
Puerto Sandino, Rama, San Juan del Sur

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: 182 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: 3 914 to 1,523 m: Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 171 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 25 under 914 m: 145 (2001)

Military Nicaragua

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,308,430 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 802,779 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 58,232 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $26 million (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.2% (FY98)

Transnational Issues Nicaragua

Disputes - international: territorial disputes with Colombia over the Archipelago de San Andres y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank; with respect to the maritime boundary question in the Golfo de Fonseca, the ICJ referred to the line determined by the 1900 Honduras-Nicaragua Mixed Boundary Commission and advised that some tripartite resolution among El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua likely would be required; legal dispute over navigational rights of San Juan River on border with Costa Rica

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for cocaine destined for the US and transshipment point for arms-for-drugs dealing

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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New Zealand

Introduction New Zealand

Background: The British colony of New Zealand became an independent dominion in 1907 and supported the UK militarily in both World Wars. New Zealand's full participation in number of defense alliances lapsed by the 1980s. In recent years the government has sought to address longstanding native Maori grievances.

Geography New Zealand

Location: Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of
Australia

Geographic coordinates: 41 00 S, 174 00 E

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 268,680 sq km note: includes Antipodes Islands, Auckland
Islands, Bounty Islands, Campbell Island, Chatham Islands, and Kermadec
Islands water: NA sq km land: NA sq km

Area - comparative: about the size of Colorado

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 15,134 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate: temperate with sharp regional contrasts

Terrain: predominately mountainous with some large coastal plains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point:
Mount Cook 3,764 m

Natural resources: natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber, hydropower, gold, limestone

Land use: arable land: 6% permanent crops: 6% other: 88% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 2,850 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: earthquakes are common, though usually not severe; volcanic activity

Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; native flora and fauna hard-hit by species introduced from outside

Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental
Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but
not ratified: Antarctic Seals, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine
Life Conservation

Geography - note: about 80% of the population lives in cities; Wellington is the southernmost national capital in the world

People New Zealand

Population: 3,908,037 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 22.2% (male 443,921; female 422,804) 15-64 years: 66.3% (male 1,299,973; female 1,290,097) 65 years and over: 11.5% (male 196,640; female 254,602) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.12% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 14.23 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 7.55 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 4.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 6.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 81.27 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.8 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.06% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 1,200 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: New Zealander(s) adjective: New Zealand

Ethnic groups: New Zealand European 74.5%, Maori 9.7%, other European 4.6%, Pacific Islander 3.8%, Asian and others 7.4%

Religions: Anglican 24%, Presbyterian 18%, Roman Catholic 15%, Methodist 5%, Baptist 2%, other Protestant 3%, unspecified or none 33% (1986)

Languages: English (official), Maori (official)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% (1980 est.) male: NA% female: NA%

Government New Zealand

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
New Zealand abbreviation: NZ

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Wellington

Administrative divisions: 93 counties, 9 districts*, and 3 town
districts**; Akaroa, Amuri, Ashburton, Bay of Islands, Bruce, Buller,
Chatham Islands, Cheviot, Clifton, Clutha, Cook, Dannevirke, Egmont,
Eketahuna, Ellesmere, Eltham, Eyre, Featherston, Franklin, Golden Bay,
Great Barrier Island, Grey, Hauraki Plains, Hawera*, Hawke's Bay,
Heathcote, Hikurangi**, Hobson, Hokianga, Horowhenua, Hurunui, Hutt,
Inangahua, Inglewood, Kaikoura, Kairanga, Kiwitea, Lake, Mackenzie,
Malvern, Manaia**, Manawatu, Mangonui, Maniototo, Marlborough, Masterton,
Matamata, Mount Herbert, Ohinemuri, Opotiki, Oroua, Otamatea, Otorohanga*,
Oxford, Pahiatua, Paparua, Patea, Piako, Pohangina, Raglan, Rangiora*,
Rangitikei, Rodney, Rotorua*, Runanga, Saint Kilda, Silverpeaks,
Southland, Stewart Island, Stratford, Strathallan, Taranaki, Taumarunui,
Taupo, Tauranga, Thames-Coromandel*, Tuapeka, Vincent, Waiapu, Waiheke,
Waihemo, Waikato, Waikohu, Waimairi, Waimarino, Waimate, Waimate West,
Waimea, Waipa, Waipawa*, Waipukurau*, Wairarapa South, Wairewa, Wairoa,
Waitaki, Waitomo*, Waitotara, Wallace, Wanganui, Waverley**, Westland,
Whakatane*, Whangarei, Whangaroa, Woodville note: there may be a
new administrative structure of 16 regions (Auckland, Bay of Plenty,
Canterbury, Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, Marlborough, Nelson, Northland, Otago,
Southland, Taranaki, Tasman, Waikato, Wanganui-Manawatu, Wellington,
West Coast) that are subdivided into 57 districts and 16 cities*
(Ashburton, Auckland*, Banks Peninsula, Buller, Carterton, Central
Hawke's Bay, Central Otago, Christchurch*, Clutha, Dunedin*, Far North,
Franklin, Gisborne, Gore, Grey, Hamilton*, Hastings, Hauraki, Horowhenua,
Hurunui, Hutt*, Invercargill*, Kaikoura, Kaipara, Kapiti Coast, Kawerau,
Mackenzie, Manawatu, Manukau*, Marlborough, Masterton, Matamata Piako,
Napier*, Nelson*, New Plymouth, North Shore*, Opotiki, Otorohanga,
Palmerston North*, Papakura*, Porirua*, Queenstown Lakes, Rangitikei,
Rodney, Rotorua, Ruapehu, Selwyn, Southland, South Taranaki, South
Waikato, South Wairarapa, Stratford, Tararua, Tasman, Taupo, Tauranga,
Thames Coromandel, Timaru, Upper Hutt*, Waikato, Waimakariri, Waimate,
Waipa, Wairoa, Waitakere*, Waitaki, Waitomo, Wanganui, Wellington*,
Western Bay of Plenty, Westland, Whakatane, Whangarei)

Dependent areas: Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau

Independence: 26 September 1907 (from UK)

National holiday: Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)

Constitution: consists of a series of legal documents, including certain acts of the UK and New Zealand Parliaments and The Constitution Act 1986 which is the principal formal charter

Legal system: based on English law, with special land legislation and land courts for Maoris; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Dame Silvia CARTWRIGHT (since 4 April 2001) head of government: Prime Minister Helen CLARK (since 10 December 1999) and Deputy Prime Minister James (Jim) ANDERTON (since 10 December 1999) cabinet: of the prime minister elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general for a three-year term; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general

Legislative branch: unicameral House of Representatives - commonly called Parliament (120 seats; members elected by popular vote in single-member constituencies to serve three-year terms) elections: last held 27 November 1999 (next must be called by November 2002) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NZLP 49, NP 39, Alliance 10, ACT New Zealand 9, Green Party 7, NZFP 5, UNZ 1 note: NZLP and Alliance formed the government coalition; the National Party is the opposition party

Judicial branch: High Court; Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders: ACT, New Zealand [Richard PREBBLE];
Alliance (a coalition of the New Labor Party, Democratic Party, New
Zealand Liberal Party, and Mana Motuhake) [James (Jim) ANDERTON]; Green
Party [Jeanette FITZSIMONS and Rod DONALD]; National Party or NP [William
(Bill) English]; New Zealand First Party or NZFP [Winston PETERS]; New
Zealand Labor Party or NZLP [Helen CLARK]; United New Zealand or UNZ
[Peter DUNNE]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ABEDA, ANZUS (US suspended security obligations to NZ on 11 August 1986), APEC, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, C, CCC, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NSG, OECD, OPCW, PCA, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMOP, UNTAET, UNTSO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
L. John WOOD chancery: 37 Observatory Circle
 [1] (202) 667-5227 consulate(s) general:
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Charles J. SWINDELLS embassy: 29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon,
Wellington mailing address: P. O. Box 1190, Wellington; PSC 467, Box 1,
FPO AP 96531-1001 telephone: [64] (4) 462-6000 FAX: [64] (4) 478-1701
consulate(s) general: Auckland

Flag description: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant with four red five-pointed stars edged in white centered in the outer half of the flag; the stars represent the Southern Cross constellation

Economy New Zealand

Economy - overview: Since 1984 the government has accomplished major economic restructuring, transforming New Zealand from an agrarian economy dependent on concessionary British market access to a more industrialized, free market economy that can compete globally. This dynamic growth has boosted real incomes (but left behind many at the bottom of the ladder), broadened and deepened the technological capabilities of the industrial sector, and contained inflationary pressures. While per capita incomes have been rising, however, they remain below the level of the four largest EU economies, and there is some government concern that New Zealand is not closing the gap. New Zealand is heavily dependent on trade - particularly in agricultural products - to drive growth, and it has been affected by the global economic slowdown and the slump in commodity prices. Thus far the New Zealand economy has been relatively resilient, achieving about 3% growth in 2001, but the New Zealand business cycle tends to lag the US cycle by about six months, so the worst of the downturn may not hit until mid-2002.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $75.4 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3.1% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $19,500 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 8% industry: 23% services: 69% (1999)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.3% highest 10%: 29.8% (1991 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.6% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 1.92 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: services 65%, industry 25%, agriculture 10% (1995)

Unemployment rate: 5.5% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $16.7 billion expenditures: $16.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY00/01)

Industries: food processing, wood and paper products, textiles, machinery, transportation equipment, banking and insurance, tourism, mining

Industrial production growth rate: 3% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 35.823 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 26.55% hydro: 66.45% other: 7% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 33.315 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, potatoes, pulses, fruits, vegetables; wool, beef, dairy products; fish

Exports: $14.2 billion (2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: dairy products, meat, wood and wood products, fish, machinery

Exports - partners: Australia 20.4%, US 14.5%, Japan 13.5%, UK 5.4%,
South Korea, China (2000)

Imports: $12.5 billion (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, vehicles and aircraft, petroleum, electronics, textiles, plastics

Imports - partners: Australia 22.5%, US 17.5%, Japan 11%, UK 4%, China,
Germany (2000)

Debt - external: $31.1 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - donor: ODA, $99.7 million (FY00/01)

Currency: New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Currency code: NZD

Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 2.3535 (January 2002), 2.3776 (2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999), 1.8632 (1998), 1.5083 (1997)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Communications New Zealand

Telephones - main lines in use: 1.92 million (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 2.2 million (2000)

Telephone system: general assessment: excellent domestic and international systems domestic: NA international: submarine cables to Australia and Fiji; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 124, FM 290, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios: 3.75 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 41 (plus 52 medium-power repeaters and over 650 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 1.926 million (1997)

Internet country code: .nz

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 36 (2000)

Internet users: 1.78 million (2001)

Transportation New Zealand

Railways: total: 3,908 km narrow gauge: 3,908 km 1.067-m gauge (506 km electrified) (2001)

Highways: total: 92,200 km paved: 53,568 km (including at least 144 km of expressways) unpaved: 38,632 km (1996)

Waterways: 1,609 km note: of little importance in satisfying total transportation requirements

Pipelines: petroleum products 160 km; natural gas 1,000 km; liquefied petroleum gas or LPG 150 km

Ports and harbors: Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Tauranga, Wellington

Merchant marine: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 68,427 GRT/106,627 DWT note: Australia 1 (2002 est.) ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 1, container 1, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 1

Airports: 106 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 44 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 28 under 914 m: 3 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 62 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 24 under 914 m: 37 (2001)

Heliports: 1 (2001)

Military New Zealand

Military branches: New Zealand Army, Royal New Zealand Navy, Royal New
Zealand Air Force

Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,010,316 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 850,185 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 26,480 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $515.6 million (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.2% (FY2001/02)

Transnational Issues New Zealand

Disputes - international: territorial claim in Antarctica (Ross
Dependency)

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Southern Ocean

Introduction

Southern Ocean

Background: A decision by the International Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 delimited a fifth world ocean - the Southern Ocean - from the southern portions of the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and Pacific Ocean. The Southern Ocean extends from the coast of Antarctica north to 60 degrees south latitude, which coincides with the Antarctic Treaty Limit. The Southern Ocean is now the fourth largest of the world's five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, and Indian Ocean, but larger than the Arctic Ocean).

Geography Southern Ocean

Location: body of water between 60 degrees south latitude and Antarctica

Geographic coordinates: 65 00 S, 0 00 E (nominally), but the Southern Ocean has the unique distinction of being a large circumpolar body of water totally encircling the continent of Antarctica; this ring of water lies between 60 degrees south latitude and the coast of Antarctica, and encompasses 360 degrees of longitude

Map references: Antarctic Region

Area: total: 20.327 million sq km note: includes Amundsen Sea, Bellingshausen Sea, part of the Drake Passage, Ross Sea, a small part of the Scotia Sea, Weddell Sea, and other tributary water bodies

Area - comparative: slightly more than twice the size of the US

Coastline: 17,968 km

Climate: sea temperatures vary from about 10 degrees Celsius to -2 degrees Celsius; cyclonic storms travel eastward around the continent and frequently are intense because of the temperature contrast between ice and open ocean; the ocean area from about latitude 40 south to the Antarctic Circle has the strongest average winds found anywhere on Earth; in winter the ocean freezes outward to 65 degrees south latitude in the Pacific sector and 55 degrees south latitude in the Atlantic sector, lowering surface temperatures well below 0 degrees Celsius; at some coastal points intense persistent drainage winds from the interior keep the shoreline ice-free throughout the winter

Terrain: the Southern Ocean is deep, 4,000 to 5,000 meters over most of its extent with only limited areas of shallow water; the Antarctic continental shelf is generally narrow and unusually deep - its edge lying at depths of 400 to 800 meters (the global mean is 133 meters); the Antarctic icepack grows from an average minimum of 2.6 million square kilometers in March to about 18.8 million square kilometers in September, better than a sixfold increase in area; the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (21,000 km in length) moves perpetually eastward; it is the world's largest ocean current, transporting 130 million cubic meters of water per second - 100 times the flow of all the world's rivers

Elevation extremes: lowest point: -7,235 m at the southern end of the
South Sandwich Trench highest point: sea level 0 m

Natural resources: probable large and possible giant oil and gas fields on the continental margin, manganese nodules, possible placer deposits, sand and gravel, fresh water as icebergs, squid, whales, and seals - none exploited; krill, fishes

Natural hazards: huge icebergs with drafts up to several hundred meters; smaller bergs and iceberg fragments; sea ice (generally 0.5 to 1 meter thick) with sometimes dynamic short-term variations and with large annual and interannual variations; deep continental shelf floored by glacial deposits varying widely over short distances; high winds and large waves much of the year; ship icing, especially May-October; most of region is remote from sources of search and rescue

Environment - current issues: increased solar ultraviolet radiation resulting from the Antarctic ozone hole in recent years, reducing marine primary productivity (phytoplankton) by as much as 15% and damaging the DNA of some fish; illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing in recent years, especially the landing of an estimated five to six times more Patagonian toothfish than the regulated fishery, which is likely to affect the sustainability of the stock; large amount of incidental mortality of seabirds resulting from long-line fishing for toothfish note: the now-protected fur seal population is making a strong comeback after severe overexploitation in the 18th and 19th centuries

Environment - international agreements: the Southern Ocean is subject to all international agreements regarding the world's oceans; in addition, it is subject to these agreements specific to the Antarctic region: International Whaling Commission (prohibits commercial whaling south of 40 degrees south [south of 60 degrees south between 50 degrees and 130 degrees west]); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (limits sealing); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (regulates fishing) note: many nations (including the US) prohibit mineral resource exploration and exploitation south of the fluctuating Polar Front (Antarctic Convergence) which is in the middle of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current and serves as the dividing line between the very cold polar surface waters to the south and the warmer waters to the north

Geography - note: the major chokepoint is the Drake Passage between South America and Antarctica; the Polar Front (Antarctic Convergence) is the best natural definition of the northern extent of the Southern Ocean; it is a distinct region at the middle of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current that separates the very cold polar surface waters to the south from the warmer waters to the north; the Front and the Current extend entirely around Antarctica, reaching south of 60 degrees south near New Zealand and near 48 degrees south in the far South Atlantic coinciding with the path of the maximum westerly winds

People Southern Ocean

Population growth rate: NA%

Economy Southern Ocean

Economy - overview: Fisheries in 2000-01 (1 July to 30 June) landed 112,934 metric tons, of which 87% was krill and 11% Patagonian toothfish. International agreements were adopted in late 1999 to reduce illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, which in the 2000-01 season landed, by one estimate, 8,376 metric tons of Patagonian and antarctic toothfish. In the 2000-01 antarctic summer 12,248 tourists, most of them seaborne, visited the Southern Ocean and Antarctica, compared to 14,762 the previous year.

Transportation Southern Ocean

Ports and harbors: McMurdo, Palmer, and offshore anchorages in Antarctica note: few ports or harbors exist on the southern side of the Southern Ocean; ice conditions limit use of most of them to short periods in midsummer; even then some cannot be entered without icebreaker escort; most antarctic ports are operated by government research stations and, except in an emergency, are not open to commercial or private vessels; vessels in any port south of 60 degrees south are subject to inspection by Antarctic Treaty observers (see Article 7)

Transportation - note: Drake Passage offers alternative to transit through the Panama Canal

Transnational Issues Southern Ocean

Disputes - international: Antarctic Treaty defers claims (see Antarctica entry), but Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway, and UK assert claims (some overlapping), including the continental shelf in the Southern Ocean; several states have expressed an interest in extending those continental shelf claims under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOS) to include undersea ridges; the US and most other states do not recognize the land or maritime claims of other states and have made no claims themselves (the US and Russia have reserved the right to do so); no formal claims have been made in the sector between 90 degrees west and 150 degrees west

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Paraguay

Introduction

Paraguay

Background: In the disastrous War of the Triple Alliance (1865-70), Paraguay lost two-thirds of all adult males and much of its territory. It stagnated economically for the next half century. In the Chaco War of 1932-35, large, economically important areas were won from Bolivia. The 35-year military dictatorship of Alfredo STROESSNER was overthrown in 1989, and, despite a marked increase in political infighting in recent years, relatively free and regular presidential elections have been held since then.

Geography Paraguay

Location: Central South America, northeast of Argentina

Geographic coordinates: 23 00 S, 58 00 W

Map references: South America

Area: total: 406,750 sq km water: 9,450 sq km land: 397,300 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than California

Land boundaries: total: 3,920 km border countries: Argentina 1,880 km,
Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,290 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: subtropical to temperate; substantial rainfall in the eastern portions, becoming semiarid in the far west

Terrain: grassy plains and wooded hills east of Rio Paraguay; Gran Chaco region west of Rio Paraguay mostly low, marshy plain near the river, and dry forest and thorny scrub elsewhere

Elevation extremes: junction of Rio Paraguay and Rio Parana 46 m highest point: Natural resources: hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone

Land use: arable land: 6% permanent crops: 0% other: 94% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 670 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: local flooding in southeast (early September to June); poorly drained plains may become boggy (early October to June)

Environment - current issues: deforestation; water pollution; inadequate means for waste disposal present health risks for many urban residents; loss of wetlands

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,
Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban

Geography - note: landlocked; lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and
Brazil; population concentrated in southern part of country

People Paraguay

Population: 5,884,491 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 38.7% (male 1,156,366; female 1,119,558) 15-64 years: 56.6% (male 1,671,721; female 1,658,683) 65 years and over: 4.7% (male 128,137; female 150,026) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.57% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 30.5 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 4.69 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 28.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 76.77 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 4.07 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.11% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 3,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 220 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Paraguayan(s) adjective: Paraguayan

Ethnic groups: mestizo (mixed Spanish and Amerindian) 95%

Religions: Roman Catholic 90%, Mennonite, and other Protestant

Languages: Spanish (official), Guarani (official)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.1% male: 93.5% female: 90.6% (1995 est.)

Government Paraguay

Country name: Republic of Paraguay conventional short form: Paraguay

Government type: constitutional republic

Capital: Asuncion

Administrative divisions: 17 departments (departamentos, singular -
departamento) and 1 capital city*; Alto Paraguay, Alto Parana, Amambay,
Asuncion*, Boqueron, Caaguazu, Caazapa, Canindeyu, Central, Concepcion,
Cordillera, Guaira, Itapua, Misiones, Neembucu, Paraguari, Presidente
Hayes, San Pedro

Independence: 14 May 1811 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Day, 14 May (1811)

Constitution: promulgated 20 June 1992

Legal system: based on Argentine codes, Roman law, and French codes; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court of Justice

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory up to age 75

Executive branch: chief of state: President Luis Angel GONZALEZ MACCHI (since 28 March 1999); Vice President Julio Cesar FRANCO (since NA August 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Luis Angel GONZALEZ MACCHI (since 28 March 1999); Vice President Julio Cesar FRANCO (since NA August 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 10 May 1998 (next to be held NA May 2003) note: President Luis Angel GONZALEZ MACCHI, formerly president of the Chamber of Senators, constitutionally succeeded President Raul CUBAS Grau, who resigned after being impeached soon after the assassination of Vice President Luis Maria ARGANA; the successor to ARGANA was decided in an election held in August 2000 election results: Raul CUBAS Grau elected president; percent of vote - 55.3%; resigned 28 March 1999

Legislative branch: bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (45 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (80 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Colorado Party 25, PLRA 13, PEN 7; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Colorado Party 45, PLRA 26, PEN 9 elections: Chamber of Senators - last held 10 May 1998 (next to be held NA May 2003); Chamber of Deputies - last held 10 May 1998 (next to be held NA May 2003)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges appointed on the proposal of the Counsel of Magistrates or Consejo de la Magistratura)

Political parties and leaders: Authentic Radical Liberal Party or PLRA
[Miguel Abdon SAGUIER]; Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Luis Miguel
ANDRADA Nogues]; Febrerista Revolutionary Party or PRF [Oscar ACUNA
TORRES]; National Encounter Party or PEN [Mario PAZ CASTAING]; National
Republican Association - Colorado Party [Nicanor DUARTE FRUTOS]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Ahorristas Estafados or AE;
National Workers Central or CNT; Paraguayan Workers Confederation or CPT;
Roman Catholic Church; Unitary Workers Central or CUT

International organization participation: CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur,
MONUC, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Leila Teresa RACHID COWLES chancery: 2400 Massachusetts Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: 234-4508 telephone: [1]
(202) 483-6960 through 6962

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador David N. GREENLEE embassy: 1776 Avenida Mariscal Lopez, Casilla Postal 402, Asuncion mailing address: Unit 4711, APO AA 34036-0001 telephone: [595] (21) 213-715 FAX: [595] (21) 213-728

Flag description: three equal, horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue with an emblem centered in the white band; unusual flag in that the emblem is different on each side; the obverse (hoist side at the left) bears the national coat of arms (a yellow five-pointed star within a green wreath capped by the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within two circles); the reverse (hoist side at the right) bears the seal of the treasury (a yellow lion below a red Cap of Liberty and the words Paz y Justicia (Peace and Justice) capped by the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within two circles)

Economy Paraguay

Economy - overview: Paraguay has a market economy marked by a large informal sector. The informal sector features both reexport of imported consumer goods to neighboring countries as well as the activities of thousands of microenterprises and urban street vendors. Because of the importance of the informal sector, accurate economic measures are difficult to obtain. A large percentage of the population derives their living from agricultural activity, often on a subsistence basis. The formal economy grew by an average of about 3% annually in 1995-97, but GDP declined slightly in 1998, 1999, and 2000. On a per capita basis, real income has stagnated at 1980 levels. Most observers attribute Paraguay's poor economic performance to political uncertainty, corruption, lack of progress on structural reform, substantial internal and external debt, and deficient infrastructure.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $26.2 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 0% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $4,600 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 29% industry: 26% services: 45% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 36% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.5% highest 10%: 43.8% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 57.7 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.2% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 2 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 45%

Unemployment rate: 17.8% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $1.3 billion expenditures: $2 billion, including capital expenditures of $700 million (1999 est.)

Industries: sugar, cement, textiles, beverages, wood products

Industrial production growth rate: 0% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production: 53.056 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0.04% hydro: 99.85% other: 0.11% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 1.95 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 47.392 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: cotton, sugarcane, soybeans, corn, wheat, tobacco, cassava (tapioca), fruits, vegetables; beef, pork, eggs, milk; timber

Exports: $2.2 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: electricity, soybeans, feed, cotton, meat, edible oils

Exports - partners: Brazil 39%, Uruguay 14%, Argentina 11% (2000)

Imports: $2.7 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: road vehicles, consumer goods, tobacco, petroleum products, electrical machinery

Imports - partners: Argentina 25.4%, Brazil 24.5%, Uruguay 3.8% (2000)

Debt - external: $2.9 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $NA

Currency: guarani (PYG)

Currency code: PYG

Exchange rates: guarani per US dollar - 4,783.0 (January 2002), 4,107.7 (2001), 3,486.4 (2000), 3,119.1 (1999), 2,726.5 (1998), 2,177.9 (1997); note - since early 1998, the exchange rate has operated as a managed float; prior to that, the exchange rate was determined freely in the market

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Paraguay

Telephones - main lines in use: 290,475 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 510,000 (2001)

Telephone system: general assessment: meager telephone service; principal switching center fair microwave radio relay network international: Radio broadcast stations: AM 46, FM 27, shortwave 6 (three inactive) (1998)

Radios: 925,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 4 (2001)

Televisions: 990,000 (2001)

Internet country code: .py

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 4 (2000)

Internet users: 20,000 (2000)

Transportation Paraguay

Railways: total: 971 km standard gauge: 441 km 1.435-m gauge note: there are 470 km of various gauges that are privately owned narrow gauge: 60 km 1.000-m gauge

Highways: total: 25,901 km paved: 3,067 km unpaved: 22,834 km (2001)

Waterways: 3,100 km

Ports and harbors: Asuncion, Villeta, San Antonio, Encarnacion

Merchant marine: total: 21 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 34,623 GRT/36,821 DWT ships by type: cargo 14, chemical tanker 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 3 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Argentina 2, Japan 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 899 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 11 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 888 1,524 to 2,437 m: 28 914 to 1,523 m: 332 under 914 m: 528 (2001)

Military Paraguay

Military branches: Army, Navy (includes Naval Air and Marines), Air Force

Military manpower - military age: 17 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,427,160 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,028,935 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 58,359 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $125 million (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.4% (FY98)

Transnational Issues Paraguay

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: major illicit producer of cannabis, most or all of which is consumed in South America; transshipment country for Andean cocaine headed for Brazil, other Southern Cone markets, Europe, and US

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Pitcairn Islands

Introduction

Pitcairn Islands

Background: Pitcairn Island was discovered in 1767 by the British and settled in 1790 by the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian companions. Pitcairn was the first Pacific island to become a British colony (in 1838) and today remains the last vestige of that empire in the South Pacific. Outmigration, primarily to New Zealand, has thinned the population from a peak of 233 in 1937 to less than 50 today.

Geography Pitcairn Islands

Location: Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about midway between Peru and New Zealand

Geographic coordinates: 25 04 S, 130 06 W

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 47 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 47 sq km

Area - comparative: about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 51 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 3 NM

Climate: tropical, hot, humid; modified by southeast trade winds; rainy season (November to March)

Terrain: rugged volcanic formation; rocky coastline with cliffs

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point:
Pawala Valley Ridge 347 m

Natural resources: miro trees (used for handicrafts), fish note: manganese, iron, copper, gold, silver, and zinc have been discovered offshore

Land use: arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% other: NA% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: typhoons (especially November to March)

Environment - current issues: deforestation (only a small portion of the original forest remains because of burning and clearing for settlement)

Geography - note: Britain's most isolated dependency; only the larger island of Pitcairn is inhabited but it has no port or natural harbor; supplies must be transported by rowed longboat from larger ships stationed offshore

People Pitcairn Islands

Population: 47 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA% 15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA%

Population growth rate: -1.32% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population

Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population

Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Sex ratio: NA

Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: NA years male: NA years female: NA years

Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Pitcairn Islander(s) adjective: Pitcairn Islander

Ethnic groups: descendants of the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian wives

Religions: Seventh-Day Adventist 100%

Languages: English (official), Pitcairnese (mixture of an 18th century
English dialect and a Tahitian dialect)

Literacy: NA

Government Pitcairn Islands

Country name: conventional long form: Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno Islands conventional short form: Pitcairn Islands

Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK

Government type: NA

Capital: Adamstown

Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday: Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)

Constitution: 1838; reformed 1904 with additional reforms in 1940; further refined by the Local Government Ordinance of 1964

Legal system: local island by-laws

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal with three years residency

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by UK High Commissioner to New Zealand and Governor (nonresident) of the Pitcairn Islands Martin WILLIAMS (since NA May 1998); Commissioner (nonresident) Leon SALT (since NA); serves as liaison between the governor and the Island Council election results: elected mayor; percent of vote - NA% elections: the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner and commissioner appointed by the monarch; island magistrate elected by popular vote for a three-year term; election last held NA December 1999 (next to be held NA December 2002) head of government: Mayor and Chairman of the Island Council Steve CHRISTIAN (since NA) cabinet: NA

Legislative branch: unicameral Island Council (10 seats - 6 elected by popular vote, 1 appointed by the 6 elected members, 2 appointed by the governor, and 1 seat for the Island Secretary; members serve one-year terms) elections: results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - all independents

Judicial branch: Island Court (island magistrate presides over the court and is elected every three years)

Political parties and leaders: none

Political pressure groups and leaders: none

International organization participation: SPC

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Pitcairn Islander coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms is yellow, green, and light blue with a shield featuring a yellow anchor

Economy Pitcairn Islands

Economy - overview: The inhabitants of this tiny economy exist on fishing, subsistence farming, handicrafts, and postage stamps. The fertile soil of the valleys produces a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, including citrus, sugarcane, watermelons, bananas, yams, and beans. Bartering is an important part of the economy. The major sources of revenue are the sale of postage stamps to collectors and the sale of handicrafts to passing ships.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $NA

GDP - real growth rate: NA%

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $NA

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

Labor force: 12 able-bodied men (1997)

Labor force - by occupation: no business community in the usual sense; some public works; subsistence farming and fishing

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $729,884 expenditures: $878,119, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY94/95 est.)

Industries: postage stamps, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: NA kWh; note - electric power is provided by a small diesel-powered generator

Electricity - consumption: NA kWh

Agriculture - products: wide variety of fruits and vegetables, goats, chickens

Exports: $NA

Exports - commodities: fruits, vegetables, curios, stamps

Exports - partners: NA

Imports: $NA

Imports - commodities: fuel oil, machinery, building materials, flour, sugar, other foodstuffs

Imports - partners: NA

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid - recipient: $NA

Currency: New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Currency code: NZD

Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 2.3535 (January 2002), 2.3776 (2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999), 1.8629 (1998), 1.5083 (1997)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Communications Pitcairn Islands

Telephones - main lines in use: 1 (there are 17 telephones on one party line) (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: only party line telephone service is available for this small, closely related community domestic: party line service only international: radiotelephone

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 0 (1997)

Televisions: NA

Internet country code: .pn

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA

Internet users: NA

Transportation Pitcairn Islands

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 6.4 km paved: 0 km unpaved: 6.4 km

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Adamstown (on Bounty Bay)

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: none (2001)

Military Pitcairn Islands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Pitcairn Islands

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Peru

Introduction

Peru

Background: Ancient Peru was the seat of several prominent Andean civilizations, most notably that of the Incas whose empire was captured by the Spanish conquistadores in 1533. Peruvian independence was declared in 1821, and remaining Spanish forces defeated in 1824. After a dozen years of military rule, Peru returned to democratic leadership in 1980, but experienced economic problems and the growth of a violent insurgency. President Alberto FUJIMORI's election in 1990 ushered in a decade that saw a dramatic turnaround in the economy and significant progress in curtailing guerrilla activity. Nevertheless, the president's increasing reliance on authoritarian measures and an economic slump in the late 1990s generated mounting dissatisfaction with his regime. FUJIMORI won reelection to a third term in the spring of 2000, but international pressure and corruption scandals led to his ouster by Congress in November of that year. A caretaker government oversaw new elections in the spring of 2001, which ushered in Alejandro TOLEDO as the new head of government.

Geography Peru

Location: Western South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between Chile and Ecuador

Geographic coordinates: 10 00 S, 76 00 W

Map references: South America

Area: total: 1,285,220 sq km water: 5,220 sq km land: 1.28 million sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Alaska

Land boundaries: total: 5,536 km border countries: Bolivia 900 km,
Brazil 1,560 km, Chile 160 km, Colombia 1,496 km (est.), Ecuador 1,420 km

Coastline: 2,414 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200 NM territorial sea: 200 NM

Climate: varies from tropical in east to dry desert in west; temperate to frigid in Andes

Terrain: western coastal plain (costa), high and rugged Andes in center (sierra), eastern lowland jungle of Amazon Basin (selva)

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point:
Nevado Huascaran 6,768 m

Natural resources: copper, silver, gold, petroleum, timber, fish, iron ore, coal, phosphate, potash, hydropower, natural gas

Land use: arable land: 3% permanent crops: 0% other: 97% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 11,950 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild volcanic activity

Environment - current issues: deforestation (some the result of illegal logging); overgrazing of the slopes of the costa and sierra leading to soil erosion; desertification; air pollution in Lima; pollution of rivers and coastal waters from municipal and mining wastes

Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental
Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note: shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake, with Bolivia; remote Lake McIntyre is the ultimate source of the Amazon River

People Peru

Population: 27,949,639 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 34% (male 4,820,892; female 4,671,205) 15-64 years: 61.1% (male 8,598,328; female 8,492,830) 65 years and over: 4.9% (male 627,601; female 738,783) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.66% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 23.36 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 5.74 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 38.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 73.12 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.89 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.35% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 48,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 4,100 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Peruvian(s) adjective: Peruvian

Ethnic groups: Amerindian 45%, mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 37%, white 15%, black, Japanese, Chinese, and other 3%

Religions: Roman Catholic 90%

Languages: Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 88.3% male: 94.5% female: 83% (1995 est.)

Government Peru

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Peru conventional short form: Peru local long form: Republica del Peru local short form: Peru

Government type: constitutional republic

Capital: Lima

Administrative divisions: 24 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1 constitutional province* (provincia constitucional); Amazonas, Ancash, Apurimac, Arequipa, Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Callao*, Cusco, Huancavelica, Huanuco, Ica, Junin, La Libertad, Lambayeque, Lima, Loreto, Madre de Dios, Moquegua, Pasco, Piura, Puno, San Martin, Tacna, Tumbes, Ucayali note: the 1979 constitution mandated the creation of regions (regiones, singular - region) to function eventually as autonomous economic and administrative entities; so far, 12 regions have been constituted from 23 of the 24 departments - Amazonas (from Loreto), Andres Avelino Caceres (from Huanuco, Pasco, Junin), Arequipa (from Arequipa), Chavin (from Ancash), Grau (from Tumbes, Piura), Inca (from Cusco, Madre de Dios, Apurimac), La Libertad (from La Libertad), Los Libertadores-Huari (from Ica, Ayacucho, Huancavelica), Mariategui (from Moquegua, Tacna, Puno), Nor Oriental del Maranon (from Lambayeque, Cajamarca, Amazonas), San Martin (from San Martin), Ucayali (from Ucayali); formation of another region has been delayed by the reluctance of the constitutional province of Callao to merge with the department of Lima; because of inadequate funding from the central government and organizational and political difficulties, the regions have yet to assume major responsibilities; the 1993 constitution retains the regions but limits their authority; the 1993 constitution also reaffirms the roles of departmental and municipal governments

Independence: 28 July 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Day, 28 July (1821)

Constitution: 31 December 1993

Legal system: based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique (since 28 July 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government; additionally two vice presidents are provided for by the constitution, First Vice President Raul DIEZ Canseco (since 28 July 2001) and Second Vice President David WAISMAN (since 28 July 2001) head of government: the president is both the chief of state and head of government; additionally two vice presidents are provided for by the constitution, First Vice President Raul DIEZ Canseco (since 28 July 2001) and Second Vice President David WAISMAN (since 28 July 2001) note: Prime Minister Roberto DANINO (since 28 July 2001) does not exercise executive power; this power is in the hands of the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; special presidential and congressional elections held 8 April 2001, with runoff election held 3 June 2001; next to be held 9 April 2006 election results: President Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique elected president in runoff election; percent of vote - Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique 53.1%, Alan GARCIA 46.9% cabinet: Legislative branch: unicameral Congress of the Republic of Peru or Congresso de la Republica del Peru (120 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) election results: percent of vote by party - Peru Posible 26.3%, APRA 19.7%, Unidad Nacional 13.8%, FIM 11.0%, others 29.2%; seats by party - Peru Posible 47, APRA 28, Unidad Nacional 17, FIM 11, others 17 elections: last held 8 April 2001 (next to be held 9 April 2006)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges are appointed by the National Council of the Judiciary)

Political parties and leaders: American Popular Revolutionary Alliance
or APRA [Alan GARCIA]; Independent Moralizing Front or FIM [Fernando
OLIVERA Vega]; National Unity (Unidad Nacional) or UN [Lourdes FLORES
Nano]; Peru Posible or PP [Luis SOLARI]; Popular Action or AP [Javier
DIAZ Orihuela]; Solucion Popular [Carlos BOLANA]; Somos Peru or SP
[Alberto ANDRADE]; Union for Peru or UPP [Roger GUERRA Garcia]

Political pressure groups and leaders: leftist guerrilla groups include
Shining Path [Abimael GUZMAN Reynoso (imprisoned), Gabriel MACARIO
(top leader at-large)]; Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement or MRTA
[Victor POLAY (imprisoned), Hugo AVALLENEDA Valdez (top leader at-large)]

International organization participation: ABEDA, APEC, CAN, CCC, ECLAC,
FAO, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
(correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA, MONUC, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA,
RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Allan
WAGNER chancery: 1700 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles,
Miami, New York, Paterson (New Jersey), San Francisco, Washington (DC)
FAX: [1] (202) 659-8124 telephone: [1] (202) 833-9860 through 9869

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
John R. HAMILTON embassy: Avenida La Encalada, Cuadra 17s/n, Surco, Lima
33 mailing address: P. O. Box 1995, Lima 1; American Embassy (Lima),
APO AA 34031-5000 telephone: [51] (1) 434-3000 FAX: [51] (1) 434-3037

Flag description: three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), white, and red with the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms features a shield bearing a vicuna, cinchona tree (the source of quinine), and a yellow cornucopia spilling out gold coins, all framed by a green wreath

Economy Peru

Economy - overview: Thanks to strong foreign investment and the cooperation between the government and the IMF and World Bank, growth was strong in 1994-97 and inflation was brought under control. In 1998, El Nino's impact on agriculture, the financial crisis in Asia, and instability in Brazilian markets undercut growth. And 1999 was another lean year for Peru, with the aftermath of El Nino and the Asian financial crisis working its way through the economy. Political instability resulting from the presidential election and FUJIMORI's subsequent departure from office limited growth in 2000. The downturn in the global economy further depressed growth in 2001. President TOLEDO, who assumed the presidency in July 2001, is working to reinvigorate the economy and reduce unemployment. Economic growth in 2002 is projected to be 3 to 3.5%.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $132 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: -0.3% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $4,800 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 10% industry: 35% services: 55% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 50% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 35.4% (1996)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 46.2 (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.5% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 7.5 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture, mining and quarrying, manufacturing, construction, transport, services

Unemployment rate: 9%; widespread underemployment (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $10.4 billion expenditures: $10.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2002 est.)

Industries: mining of metals, petroleum, fishing, textiles, clothing, food processing, cement, auto assembly, steel, shipbuilding, metal fabrication

Industrial production growth rate: 1.5% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 19.679 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 17.89% hydro: 81.38% other: 0.73% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 18.301 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: coffee, cotton, sugarcane, rice, wheat, potatoes, corn, plantains, coca; poultry, beef, dairy products, wool; fish

Exports: $7.3 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: fish and fish products, gold, copper, zinc, crude petroleum and byproducts, lead, coffee, sugar, cotton

Exports - partners: US 28%, UK 8%, Switzerland 8%, China 6%, Japan,
Chile, Brazil (2000)

Imports: $7.4 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum, iron and steel, chemicals, pharmaceuticals

Imports - partners: US 27%, Chile 8%, Spain 6%, Venezuela 4%, Colombia,
Brazil, Japan (2000)

Debt - external: $33.1 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $895.1 million (1995)

Currency: nuevo sol (PEN)

Currency code: PEN

Exchange rates: nuevo sol per US dollar - 3.4400 (November 2001), 3.509 (2001), 3.4900 (2000), 3.3833 (1999), 2.9300 (1998), 2.6642 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Peru

Telephones - main lines in use: 1.509 million (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 504,995 (1998)

Telephone system: general assessment: adequate for most requirements domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system and a domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); Pan American submarine cable

Radio broadcast stations: AM 472, FM 198, shortwave 189 (1999)

Radios: 6.65 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 13 (plus 112 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 3.06 million (1997)

Internet country code: .pe

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 10 (2000)

Internet users: 400,000 (2000)

Transportation Peru

Railways: 1,695 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: Highways: total: 72,900 km paved: 8,700 km unpaved: 64,200 km (1999 est.)

Waterways: 8,808 km note: 8,600 km of navigable tributaries of Amazon system and 208 km of Lago Titicaca

Pipelines: crude oil 800 km; natural gas and natural gas liquids 64 km

Ports and harbors: Callao, Chimbote, Ilo, Matarani, Paita, Puerto Maldonado, Salaverry, San Martin, Talara, Iquitos, Pucallpa, Yurimaguas note: Iquitos, Pucallpa, and Yurimaguas are all on the upper reaches of the Amazon and its tributaries

Merchant marine: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 29,470 GRT/45,451 DWT note: United States 1 (2002 est.) ships by type: cargo 4, petroleum tanker 1

Airports: 239 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 47 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 20 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 192 1,524 to 2,437 m: 25 914 to 1,523 m: 65 under 914 m: 102 (2001)

Military Peru

Military branches: Army (Ejercito Peruano), Navy (Marina de Guerra
del Peru; includes Naval Air, Marines, and Coast Guard), Air Force
(Fuerza Aerea del Peru; FAP), National Police (includes General Police,
Security Police, and Technical Police)

Military manpower - military age: 17 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 7,356,395 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 4,944,952 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 276,458 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $1 billion (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.8% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Peru

Disputes - international: dispute with Chile over the economic zone delimited by the maritime boundary; Colombian drug activities penetrate Peruvian border area

Illicit drugs: until 1996 the world's largest coca leaf producer; emerging opium producer; Peru reduced the area of coca under cultivation by 64% to 34,000 hectares between 1996 and the end of 2001; much of the cocaine base is shipped to neighboring Colombia for processing into cocaine, while finished cocaine is shipped out from Pacific ports to the international drug market; increasing amounts of base and finished cocaine, however, are being moved to Brazil and Bolivia for use in the Southern Cone or transshipped to Europe and Africa

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Paracel Islands

Introduction

Paracel Islands

Background: This archipelago is surrounded by productive fishing grounds and by potential oil and gas reserves. In 1932, French Indochina annexed the islands and set up a weather station on Pattle Island; maintenance was continued by its successor, Vietnam. China has occupied the Paracel Islands since 1974, when its troops seized a South Vietnamese garrison occupying the western islands. The islands are claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan.

Geography Paracel Islands

Location: Southeastern Asia, group of small islands and reefs in the South China Sea, about one-third of the way from central Vietnam to the northern Philippines

Geographic coordinates: 16 30 N, 112 00 E

Map references: Southeast Asia

Area: total: NA sq km water: 0 sq km land: NA sq km

Area - comparative: NA

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 518 km

Maritime claims: NA

Climate: tropical

Terrain: mostly low and flat

Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 m

Natural resources: none

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: typhoons

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: composed of 130 small coral islands and reefs divided into the northeast Amphitrite Group and the western Crescent Group

People Paracel Islands

Population: no indigenous inhabitants note: there are scattered Chinese garrisons (July 2002 est.)

Population growth rate: NA

Government Paracel Islands

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Paracel Islands

Economy Paracel Islands

Economy - overview: China announced plans in 1997 to open the islands for tourism.

Transportation Paracel Islands

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and
Duncan Island being expanded

Airports: 1 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2001)

Military Paracel Islands

Military - note: occupied by China

Transnational Issues Paracel Islands

Disputes - international: occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Spratly Islands

Introduction

Spratly Islands

Background: This archipelago - surrounded by rich fishing grounds and potentially by gas and oil deposits - is claimed in its entirety by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, while portions are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines. All five parties occupy certain islands or reefs.

Geography Spratly Islands

Location: Southeastern Asia, group of reefs and islands in the South China Sea, about two-thirds of the way from southern Vietnam to the southern Philippines

Geographic coordinates: 8 38 N, 111 55 E

Map references: Southeast Asia

Area: total: less than 5 sq km note: includes 100 or so islets, coral reefs, and sea mounts scattered over an area of nearly 410,000 sq km of the central South China Sea water: 0 sq km land: less than 5 sq km

Area - comparative: NA

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 926 km

Maritime claims: NA

Climate: tropical

Terrain: flat

Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Southwest Cay 4 m

Natural resources: fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: typhoons; serious maritime hazard because of numerous reefs and shoals

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the central South China Sea; includes numerous small islands, atolls, shoals, and coral reefs

People Spratly Islands

Population: no indigenous inhabitants note: there are scattered garrisons occupied by personnel of several claimant states (July 2002 est.)

Population growth rate: NA

Government Spratly Islands

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Spratly Islands

Economy Spratly Islands

Economy - overview: Economic activity is limited to commercial fishing. The proximity to nearby oil- and gas-producing sedimentary basins suggests the potential for oil and gas deposits, but the region is largely unexplored, and there are no reliable estimates of potential reserves; commercial exploitation has yet to be developed.

Transportation Spratly Islands

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Airports: 4 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2001)

Military Spratly Islands

Military - note: Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs, of which about 45 are claimed and occupied by China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam

Transnational Issues Spratly Islands

Disputes - international: all of the Spratly Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam; parts of them are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines; in 1984, Brunei established an exclusive fishing zone that encompasses Louisa Reef in the southern Spratly Islands, but has not publicly claimed the island; in 2000, China joined ASEAN discussions towards creating a South China Sea "code of conduct" - a non-legally binding confidence building measure

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Pakistan

Introduction

Pakistan

Background: The separation in 1947 of British India into the Muslim state of Pakistan (with two sections West and East) and largely Hindu India was never satisfactorily resolved. A third war between these countries in 1971 resulted in East Pakistan seceding and becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. A dispute over the state of Kashmir is ongoing. In response to Indian nuclear weapons testing, Pakistan conducted its own tests in 1998.

Geography Pakistan

Location: Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea, between India on the east and Iran and Afghanistan on the west and China in the north

Geographic coordinates: 30 00 N, 70 00 E

Map references: Asia

Area: total: 803,940 sq km land: 778,720 sq km water: 25,220 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of California

Land boundaries: total: 6,774 km border countries: Afghanistan 2,430 km,
China 523 km, India 2,912 km, Iran 909 km

Coastline: 1,046 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate: mostly hot, dry desert; temperate in northwest; arctic in north

Terrain: flat Indus plain in east; mountains in north and northwest;
Balochistan plateau in west

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: K2
(Mt. Godwin-Austen) 8,611 m

Natural resources: land, extensive natural gas reserves, limited petroleum, poor quality coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone

Land use: arable land: 28% permanent crops: 1% other: 71% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 180,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in north and west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and August)

Environment - current issues: water pollution from raw sewage, industrial wastes, and agricultural runoff; limited natural fresh water resources; a majority of the population does not have access to potable water; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:
Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban

Geography - note: controls Khyber Pass and Bolan Pass, traditional invasion routes between Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent

People Pakistan

Population: 147,663,429 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 39.9% (male 30,321,217; female 28,581,334) 15-64 years: 2,984,391; female 3,129,399) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.06% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 30.4 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 9.02 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.79 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 78.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 62.73 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 4.25 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 74,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 6,500 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Pakistani(s) adjective: Pakistani

Ethnic groups: Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashtun (Pathan), Baloch, Muhajir (immigrants from India at the time of partition and their descendants)

Religions: Muslim 97% (Sunni 77%, Shi'a 20%), Christian, Hindu, and other 3%

Languages: Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Siraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%, Pashtu 8%, Urdu (official) 8%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2%, Brahui 1%, English (official and lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries), Burushaski, and other 8%

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 42.7% male: 55.3% female: 29% (1998)

Government Pakistan

Country name: conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Pakistan conventional short form: Pakistan former: West Pakistan

Government type: federal republic

Capital: Islamabad

Administrative divisions: 4 provinces, 1 territory*, and 1 capital territory**; Balochistan, Federally Administered Tribal Areas*, Islamabad Capital Territory**, North-West Frontier Province, Punjab, Sindh note: the Pakistani-administered portion of the disputed Jammu and Kashmir region includes Azad Kashmir and the Northern Areas

Independence: 14 August 1947 (from UK)

National holiday: Republic Day, 23 March (1956)

Constitution: 10 April 1973, suspended 5 July 1977, restored with amendments 30 December 1985; suspended 15 October 1999

Legal system: based on English common law with provisions to accommodate Pakistan's status as an Islamic state; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal; separate electorates and reserved parliamentary seats for non-Muslims

Executive branch: note: following a military takeover on 12 October 1999, Chief of Army Staff and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, General Pervez MUSHARRAF, suspended Pakistan's constitution and assumed the additional title of Chief Executive; exercising the powers of the head of the government, he appointed an eight-member National Security Council to function as Pakistan's supreme governing body; on 12 May 2000, Pakistan's Supreme Court unanimously validated the October 1999 coup and granted MUSHARRAF executive and legislative authority for three years from the coup date; on 20 June 2001, MUSHARRAF named himself and was sworn in as president, replacing Mohammad Rafiq TARAR; in a referendum held on 30 April 2002, MUSHARRAF won an overwhelming majority of votes, extending his rule for five more years chief of state: President Pervez MUSHARRAF (since 20 June 2001) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the chief executive head of government: Chief Executive Pervez MUSHARRAF (since 12 May 2000) elections: prior to the military takeover, Pakistan had an elected president and prime minister; the president was elected by Parliament for a five-year term; election last held 31 December 1997 (next election to be held NA); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition was usually elected prime minister by the National Assembly; election last held 3 February 1997 (next to be held NA) election results: results are for the last elections for prime minister and president prior to the military takeover - Mohammad Nawaz SHARIF elected prime minister; percent of National Assembly vote - NA%; Rafiq TARAR elected president; percent of Parliament vote - NA%

Legislative branch: note - Gen. Pervez MUSHARRAF dissolved Parliament following the military takeover of 12 October 1999; bicameral Parliament or Majlis-e-Shoora consists of the Senate (87 seats; members indirectly elected by provincial assemblies to serve six-year terms; one-third of the members up for election every two years) and the National Assembly (217 seats - 10 represent non-Muslims; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 12 March 1997 (next to be held by October 2002); National Assembly - last held 3 February 1997 (next to be held by October 2002) election results: results are for the last elections prior to the military takeover; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PML/N 30, PPP 17, ANP 7, MQM/A 6, JWP 5, BNP 4, JUI/F 2, PML/J 2, BNM/H 1, PKMAP 1, TJP 1, independents 6, vacant 5; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PML/N 137, PPP 18, MQM/A 12, ANP 10, BNP 3, JWP 2, JUI/F 2, PPP/SB 1, NPP 1, independents 21, minorities 10; note - Gen. Pervez MUSHARRAF dismissed Parliament 15 October 1999

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (justices appointed by the president);
Federal Islamic or Shari'a Court

Political parties and leaders: note: Gen. Pervez MUSHARRAF dissolved Parliament following the military takeover of 12 October 1999, however, political parties have been allowed to operate within limits; Awami National Party or ANP [Wali KHAN]; Balochistan National Movement/Hayee Group or BNM/H [Dr. HAYEE Baluch]; Baluch National Party or BNP [Sardar Akhtar MENGAL]; Jamhoori Watan Party or JWP [Akbar Khan BUGTI]; Jamiat-al-Hadith or JAH [Sajid MIR]; Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, Fazlur Rehman faction or JUI/F [Fazlur REHMAN]; Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan, Niazi faction or JUP/NI [Abdul Sattar Khan NIAZI]; Millat Party [Farooq LEGHARI]; Milli Yakjheti Council or MYC is an umbrella organization which includes Jamaat-i-Islami or JI [Qazi Hussain AHMED], Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, Sami-ul-Haq faction or JUI/S [Sami ul-HAQ], Tehrik-I-Jafria Pakistan or TJP [Allama Sajid NAQVI], and Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan, Noorani faction or JUP/NO [Shah Ahmad NOORANI]; Mutahida Qaumi Movement, Altaf faction or MQM/A [Altaf HUSSAIN]; National People's Party or NPP [Ghulam Mustapha JATOI]; Pakhtun Khwa Milli Awami Party or PKMAP [Mahmood Khan ACHAKZAI]; Pakhtun Quami Party or PQP [Mohammed AFZAL Khan]; Pakistan Awami Tehrik or PAT [Tahir ul QADRI]; Pakistan Muslim League, Functional Group or PML/F [Pir PAGARO]; Pakistan Muslim League, Junejo faction or PML/J [Hamid Nasir CHATTHA]; Pakistan Muslim League, Nawaz Sharif faction or PML/N [Nawaz SHARIF]; Pakistan Muslim League, Quaid-l-Azam faction [Mian AZHAR]; Pakistan National Party or PNP [Hasil BIZENJO]; Pakistan People's Party or PPP [Benazir BHUTTO]; Pakistan People's Party/Shaheed Bhutto or PPP/SB [Ghinva BHUTTO]; Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf or PTI [Imran KHAN] note: Political pressure groups and leaders: military remains most important political force; ulema (clergy), landowners, industrialists, and small merchants also influential

International organization participation: AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner),
C (suspended), CCC, CP, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC,
OPCW, PCA, SAARC, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM,
UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNOMIG, UNTAET, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ashraf
Jehangir QAZI FAX: [1] (202) 387-0484 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles,
New York, and Sunnyvale (California)
 2315 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone:
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Wendy J. CHAMBERLIN (since Aug. 2001) embassy: Diplomatic Enclave,
Ramna 5, Islamabad mailing address: P. O. Box
 [92] (51) 2080-0000 FAX: Peshawar

Flag description: green with a vertical white band (symbolizing the role of religious minorities) on the hoist side; a large white crescent and star are centered in the green field; the crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam

Economy Pakistan

Economy - overview: Pakistan, an impoverished and underdeveloped country, suffers from internal political disputes, lack of foreign investment, and a costly confrontation with neighboring India. Pakistan's economic prospects, marred by poor human development indicators, low levels of foreign investment, and reliance on international creditors for hard currency inflows, were nonetheless on an upswing through most of 2001. The MUSHARRAF government made significant inroads in macroeconomic reform - it completed an IMF short-term loan program for the first time and improved its standing with international creditors by increasing revenue collection and restraining the fiscal deficit in the 2001/02 budget. While Pakistan has capitalized on its international standing after the 11 September terrorist attacks on the US by garnering substantial assistance from abroad - including $1.3 billion in IMF Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility aid and $12.5 billion in Paris Club debt rescheduling - long-term prospects remain uncertain. GDP growth will continue to hinge on crop performance; dependence on foreign oil leaves the import bill vulnerable to fluctuating oil prices; and foreign and domestic investors remain wary of committing to projects in Pakistan. Pakistani trade levels - already in decline due to the global economic downturn - worsened in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $299 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3.3% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,100 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 26% industry: 24% services: 50% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 35% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.1% highest 10%: 27.7% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 31.2 (1996-97)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 40.4 million note: extensive export of labor, mostly to the Middle East, and use of child labor (2000)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 44%, industry 17%, services 39% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: 6.3% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $8.9 billion expenditures: $11.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY00/01 est.)

Industries: textiles, food processing, beverages, construction materials, clothing, paper products, shrimp

Industrial production growth rate: 7% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 62.687 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 64.09% hydro: 35.31% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0.6%

Electricity - consumption: 58.299 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: cotton, wheat, rice, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; milk, beef, mutton, eggs

Exports: $8.8 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Exports - commodities: textiles (garments, cotton cloth, and yarn), rice, other agricultural products

Exports - partners: US 24.8%, UK 6.5%, UAE 6.2%, Hong Kong 5.9%,
Germany 5.6%, (2000)

Imports: $9.2 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Imports - commodities: machinery, petroleum, petroleum products, chemicals, transportation equipment, edible oils, grains, pulses, flour

Imports - partners: Kuwait 11.7%, UAE 10.7%, Saudi Arabia 10.5%, US 6%,
Japan 5.6% (2000)

Debt - external: $31.5 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $2 billion (FY99/00)

Currency: Pakistani rupee (PKR)

Currency code: PKR

Exchange rates: Pakistani rupees per US dollar - 60.719 (January 2002), 61.927 (2001), 53.648 (2000), 49.118 (1999), 44.943 (1998), 40.918 (1997)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Communications Pakistan

Telephones - main lines in use: 2.861 million (March 1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 158,000 (1998)

Telephone system: general assessment: the domestic system is mediocre, but improving; service is adequate for government and business use, in part because major businesses have established their own private systems; since 1988, the government has promoted investment in the national telecommunications system on a priority basis, significantly increasing network capacity; despite major improvements in trunk and urban systems, telecommunication services are still not readily available to the majority of the rural population domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable, cellular, and satellite networks international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); 3 operational international gateway exchanges (1 at Karachi and 2 at Islamabad); microwave radio relay to neighboring countries (1999)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 27, FM 1, shortwave 21 (1998)

Radios: 13.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 22 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 3.1 million (1997)

Internet country code: .pk

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 30 (2000)

Internet users: 1.2 million (2000)

Transportation Pakistan

Railways: total: 8,163 km broad gauge: 7,718 km 1.676-m gauge (293 km electrified) narrow gauge: 445 km 1.000-m gauge (2001)

Highways: total: 247,811 km paved: 141,252 km (including 339 km of expressways) unpaved: 106,559 km (1998)

Waterways: none

Pipelines: crude oil 250 km; petroleum products 885 km; natural gas 4,044 km (1987)

Ports and harbors: Karachi, Port Muhammad bin Qasim

Merchant marine: total: 17 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 241,832 GRT/367,093 DWT ships by type: cargo 13, container 3, petroleum tanker 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 120 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 85 over 3,047 m: 12 2,438 to 3,047 m: 22 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 3 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 31

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 35 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 18 (2001)

Heliports: 9 (2001)

Military Pakistan

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Civil Armed Forces, National
Guard

Military manpower - military age: 17 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 36,941,592 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 22,606,576 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 1,657,724 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $2,545,500,000 (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 4.6% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Pakistan

Disputes - international: armed stand-off with India over the status and sovereignty of Kashmir continues; dispute with India over the terminus of Rann of Kutch prevents extension of a maritime boundary; water-sharing problems with India persist over the Indus River (Wular Barrage); close ties with Pashtuns in Afghanistan make long border difficult to control

Illicit drugs: Poppy cultivation practically eliminated with only 213 hectares grown; potential heroin production 5 tons; key transit area for Southwest Asian heroin moving to Western markets; narcotics still move from Afghanistan, transiting Balochistan Province or Karachi for onward shipment

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Poland

Introduction

Poland

Background: Poland is an ancient nation that was conceived around the middle of the 10th century. It's golden age occurred in the 16th century. During the following century, the strengthening of the gentry and internal disorders weakened the nation, until an agreement in 1772 between Russia, Prussia, and Austria partitioned Poland. Poland regained its independence in 1918 only to be overrun by Germany and the Soviet Union in World War II. It became a Soviet satellite country following the war, but one that was comparatively tolerant and progressive. Labor turmoil in 1980 led to the formation of the independent trade union "Solidarity" that over time became a political force and by 1990 had swept parliamentary elections and the presidency. A "shock therapy" program during the early 1990s enabled the country to transform its economy into one of the most robust in Central Europe, boosting hopes for acceptance to the EU. Poland joined the NATO alliance in 1999.

Geography Poland

Location: Central Europe, east of Germany

Geographic coordinates: 52 00 N, 20 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 312,685 sq km water: 8,220 sq km land: 304,465 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than New Mexico

Land boundaries: total: 2,788 km border countries: Belarus 407 km, Czech
Republic 658 km, Germany 456 km, Lithuania 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad
Oblast) 206 km, Slovakia 444 km, Ukraine 526 km

Coastline: 491 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: defined by international treaties territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: temperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with frequent precipitation; mild summers with frequent showers and thundershowers

Terrain: mostly flat plain; mountains along southern border

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Raczki Elblaskie -2 m highest point:
Rysy 2,499 m

Natural resources: coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, arable land

Land use: arable land: 46% permanent crops: 1% other: 53% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: flooding

Environment - current issues: situation has improved since 1989 due to decline in heavy industry and increased environmental concern by postcommunist governments; air pollution nonetheless remains serious because of sulfur dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants, and the resulting acid rain has caused forest damage; water pollution from industrial and municipal sources is also a problem, as is disposal of hazardous wastes

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air
Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants,
Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note: historically, an area of conflict because of flat terrain and the lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain

People Poland

Population: 38,625,478 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 17.9% (male 3,535,701; female 3,361,515) 15-64 years: 69.5% (male 13,358,128; female 13,500,443) 65 years and over: 12.6% (male 1,860,274; female 3,009,417) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.02% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 10.29 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 9.97 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 9.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 78.05 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.37 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.07% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Pole(s) adjective: Polish

Ethnic groups: Polish 97.6%, German 1.3%, Ukrainian 0.6%, Belarusian 0.5% (1990 est.)

Religions: Roman Catholic 95% (about 75% practicing), Eastern Orthodox,
Protestant, and other 5%

Languages: Polish

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 98% (1978 est.)

Government Poland

Country name: Republic of Poland conventional short form: Government type: republic

Capital: Warsaw

Administrative divisions: 16 provinces (wojewodztwa, singular -
wojewodztwo); Dolnoslaskie, Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Lodzkie, Lubelskie,
Lubuskie, Malopolskie, Mazowieckie, Opolskie, Podkarpackie, Podlaskie,
Pomorskie, Slaskie, Swietokrzyskie, Warminsko-Mazurskie, Wielkopolskie,
Zachodniopomorskie

Independence: 11 November 1918 (independent republic proclaimed)

National holiday: Constitution Day, 3 May (1791)

Constitution: 16 October 1997; adopted by the National Assembly 2 April 1997; passed by national referendum 23 May 1997

Legal system: mixture of Continental (Napoleonic) civil law and holdover Communist legal theory; changes being gradually introduced as part of broader democratization process; limited judicial review of legislative acts although under the new constitution, the Constitutional Tribunal ruling will become final as of October 1999; court decisions can be appealed to the European Court of Justice in Strasbourg

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI (since 23 December 1995) elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 8 October 2000 (next to be held NA October 2005); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the Sejm head of government: Prime Minister Leszek MILLER (SLD) (since 19 October 2001), Deputy Prime Ministers Marek POL (since 19 October 2001), Jaroslaw KALINOWSKI (since 19 October 2001), Grzegorz KOLODKO (since 8 July 2002) cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the prime minister and the Sejm; the prime minister proposes, the president appoints, and the Sejm approves the Council of Ministers election results: Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI reelected president; percent of popular vote - Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI 53.9%, Andrzj OLECHOWSKI 17.3%, Marian KRZAKLEWSKI 15.6%, Lech WALESA 1%

Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly or Zgromadzenie Narodowe consists of the Sejm (460 seats; members are elected under a complex system of proportional representation to serve four-year terms) and the Senate or Senat (100 seats; members are elected by a majority vote on a provincial basis to serve four-year terms) elections: Sejm elections last held 23 September 2001 (next to be held by September 2005); Senate - last held 23 September 2001 (next to be held by September 2005) election results: Sejm - percent of vote by party - SLD-UP 41%, PO 12.7%, Samoobrona 10.2%, PiS 9.5%, PSL 9%, LPR 7.9%, AWSP 5.6% UW 3.1%, other 1%; seats by party - SLD-UP 216, PO 65, Samoobrona 53, PiS 44, PSL 42, LPR 38, German minorities 2; note - SLD-UP has split: SLD has 200 deputies and UP has 16; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - SLD-UP 75, AWSP (an electoral alliance of some 36 parties) 15, PSL 4, Samoobrona 2, LPR 2, independents 2 note: two seats are assigned to ethnic minority parties

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president on the recommendation of the National Council of the Judiciary for an indefinite period); Constitutional Tribunal (judges are chosen by the Sejm for nine-year terms)

Political parties and leaders: Citizens Platform or PO [Maciej
PLAZYNSKI]; Democratic Left Alliance or SLD (Social Democracy of
Poland) [Leszek MILLER]; Freedom Union or UW [Wladyslaw FRASYNIUK];
German Minority of Lower Silesia or MNSO [Henryk KROLL]; Law and
Justice or PiS [Lech KACZYNSKI]; League of Polish Families or LPR
[Marek KOTLINOWSKI]; Polish Accord or PP [Jan LOPUSZANSKI]; Polish
Peasant Party or PSL [Jaroslaw KALINOWSKI]; Samoobrona [Andrzej LEPPER];
Solidarity Electoral Action of the Right or AWSP [Marian KRZAKLEWSKI];
Social Movement-Solidarity Electoral Action or RS-AWS [Jerzy BUZEK];
Union of Labor or UP [Marek POL]

Political pressure groups and leaders: All Poland Trade Union Alliance or OPZZ (trade union); Roman Catholic Church; Solidarity (trade union)

International organization participation: ACCT (observer), Australia
Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS, CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU
(applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA (observer),
IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO,
MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA,
PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMEE,
UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WEU (associate), WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Przemyslaw GRUDZINSKI chancery: 2640 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 FAX: [1] (202) 328-6271 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York telephone: [1] (202) 234-3800 through 3802

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Christopher R. HILL embassy: Aleje Ujazdowskie 29/31 00-540, Warsaw
P1 mailing address: American Embassy Warsaw, US Department of State,
Washington, DC 20521-5010 (pouch) telephone: [48] (22) 628-30-41 FAX:
[48] (22) 628-82-98 consulate(s) general: Krakow

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; similar to the flags of Indonesia and Monaco which are red (top) and white

Economy Poland

Economy - overview: Poland has steadfastly pursued a policy of liberalizing the economy and today stands out as one of the most successful and open transition economies. GDP growth had been strong and steady in 1993-2000 but fell back in 2001 with slowdowns in domestic investment and consumption and the weakening in the global economy. The privatization of small and medium state-owned companies and a liberal law on establishing new firms have allowed for the rapid development of a vibrant private sector. In contrast, Poland's large agricultural sector remains handicapped by structural problems, surplus labor, inefficient small farms, and lack of investment. Restructuring and privatization of "sensitive sectors" (e.g., coal, steel, railroads, and energy) has begun. Structural reforms in health care, education, the pension system, and state administration have resulted in larger than expected fiscal pressures. Further progress in public finance depends mainly on privatization of Poland's remaining state sector. The government's determination to enter the EU as soon as possible affects most aspects of its economic policies. Improving Poland's outsized current account deficit and reining in inflation are priorities. Warsaw leads the region in foreign investment and needs a continued large inflow.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $339.6 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 1.5% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $8,800 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4% industry: 32% services: 64% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 18.4% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 24.7% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 32.7 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.3% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 17.6 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: industry 22.1%, agriculture 27.5%, services 50.4% (1999)

Unemployment rate: 16.7% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $49.6 billion expenditures: $52.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999)

Industries: machine building, iron and steel, coal mining, chemicals, shipbuilding, food processing, glass, beverages, textiles

Industrial production growth rate: 4.3% (1999)

Electricity - production: 135.161 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 98.1% hydro: 1.54% other: 0.36% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 119.327 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 9.663 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 3.29 billion kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: potatoes, fruits, vegetables, wheat; poultry, eggs, pork

Exports: $30.8 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Exports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment 30.2%, intermediate manufactured goods 25.5%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 20.9%, food and live animals 8.5% (1999)

Exports - partners: Germany 34.9%, Italy 6.3%, France 5.2%, Netherlands 5.1%, UK 4.5%, Czech Republic 3.8% (2000)

Imports: $41.7 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment 38.2%, intermediate manufactured goods 20.8%, chemicals 14.3%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 9.5% (1999)

Imports - partners: Germany 23.9%, Russia 9.4%, Italy 8.3%, France 6.4%,
UK 4.5%, US 4.4% (2000)

Debt - external: $57 billion (2000)

Economic aid - recipient: $NA

Currency: zloty (PLN)

Currency code: PLN

Exchange rates: zlotych per US dollar - 4.0144 (December 2001), 4.0939 (2001), 4.3461 (2000), 3.9671 (1999), 3.4754 (1998), 3.2793 (1997) note: zlotych is the plural form of zloty

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Poland

Telephones - main lines in use: 8.07 million (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 1.78 million (1998)

Telephone system: general assessment: underdeveloped and outmoded system; government aimed to have 10 million telephones in service by 2000; the process of partial privatization of the state-owned telephone monopoly has begun; in 1998 there were over 2 million applicants on the waiting list for telephone service domestic: cable, open wire, and microwave radio relay; 3 cellular networks; local exchanges 56.6% digital international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat, NA Eutelsat, 2 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions), and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 14, FM 777, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios: 20.2 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 179 (plus 256 repeaters) (September 1995)

Televisions: 13.05 million (1997)

Internet country code: .pl

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 19 (2000)

Internet users: 3.5 million (2001)

Transportation Poland

Railways: 646 km 1.524-m gauge standard gauge: narrow gauge: 1,135 km various gauges including 1.000-m, 0.785-m, 0.750-m, and 0.600-m (2001)

Highways: total: 381,046 km paved: 249,966 km (including 268 km of expressways) unpaved: 131,080 km (1998)

Waterways: 3,812 km (navigable rivers and canals) (1996)

Pipelines: crude oil and petroleum products 2,280 km; natural gas 17,000 km (1996)

Ports and harbors: Gdansk, Gdynia, Gliwice, Kolobrzeg, Szczecin,
Swinoujscie, Ustka, Warsaw, Wroclaw

Merchant marine: total: 19 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 382,518 GRT/641,657 DWT ships by type: bulk 14, cargo 3, chemical tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 122 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 83 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 29 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 3 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 42

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 39 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 under 914 m: 21 (2001) 914 to 1,523 m: 13

Heliports: 3 (2001)

Military Poland

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Force

Military manpower - military age: 19 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 10,415,598 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 8,120,098 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 344,781 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $3.5 billion (2002)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.71% (2002)

Transnational Issues Poland

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: major illicit producer of amphetamine for the international market; minor transshipment point for Asian and Latin American illicit drugs to Western Europe

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Panama

Introduction

Panama

Background: With US backing, Panama seceded from Colombia in 1903 and promptly signed a treaty with the US allowing for the construction of a canal and US sovereignty over a strip of land on either side of the structure (the Panama Canal Zone). The Panama Canal was built by the US Army Corps of Engineers between 1904 and 1914. On 7 September 1977, an agreement was signed for the complete transfer of the Canal from the US to Panama by the end of 1999. Certain portions of the Zone and increasing responsibility over the Canal were turned over in the intervening years. With US help, dictator Manuel NORIEGA was deposed in 1989. The entire Panama Canal, the area supporting the Canal, and remaining US military bases were turned over to Panama by or on 31 December 1999.

Geography Panama

Location: Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the
North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica

Geographic coordinates: 9 00 N, 80 00 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 78,200 sq km water: 2,210 sq km land: 75,990 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries: total: 555 km border countries: Colombia 225 km,
Costa Rica 330 km

Coastline: 2,490 km

Maritime claims: 200 NM territorial sea: Climate: tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season (May to January), short dry season (January to May)

Terrain: interior mostly steep, rugged mountains and dissected, upland plains; coastal areas largely plains and rolling hills

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point:
Volcan de Chiriqui 3,475 m

Natural resources: copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 7% permanent crops: 2% other: 91% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 320 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: occasional severe storms and forest fires in the
Darien area

Environment - current issues: water pollution from agricultural runoff threatens fishery resources; deforestation of tropical rain forest; land degradation and soil erosion threatens siltation of Panama Canal; air pollution in urban areas; mining threatens natural resources

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear
Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Marine
Life Conservation

Geography - note: strategic location on eastern end of isthmus forming land bridge connecting North and South America; controls Panama Canal that links North Atlantic Ocean via Caribbean Sea with North Pacific Ocean

People Panama

Population: 2,882,329 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 29.6% (male 433,494; female 418,120) 15-64 years: 64.3% (male 939,550; female 914,646) 65 years and over: 6.1% (male 84,130; female 92,389) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.26% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 18.6 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 4.96 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 19.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 78.74 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.22 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 1.54% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 24,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 1,200 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Panamanian(s) adjective: Panamanian

Ethnic groups: mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 70%, Amerindian and mixed (West Indian) 14%, white 10%, Amerindian 6%

Religions: Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15%

Languages: Spanish (official), English 14% note: many Panamanians bilingual

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 90.8% male: 91.4% female: 90.2% (1995 est.)

Government Panama

Country name: Republic of Panama conventional short form: Government type: constitutional democracy

Capital: Panama

Administrative divisions: 9 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 territory* (comarca); Bocas del Toro, Chiriqui, Cocle, Colon, Darien, Herrera, Los Santos, Panama, San Blas*, and Veraguas

Independence: 3 November 1903 (from Colombia; became independent from
Spain 28 November 1821)

National holiday: Independence Day, 3 November (1903)

Constitution: 11 October 1972; major reforms adopted 1978, 1983 and 1994

Legal system: based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Justice; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch: chief of state: President Mireya Elisa MOSCOSO Rodriguez (since 1 September 1999); First Vice President Arturo Ulises VALLARINO (since 1 September 1999); Second Vice President Dominador "Kaiser" Baldonero BAZAN Jimenez (since 1 September 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Mireya Elisa MOSCOSO Rodriguez (since 1 September 1999); First Vice President Arturo Ulises VALLARINO (since 1 September 1999); Second Vice President Dominador "Kaiser" Baldonero BAZAN Jimenez (since 1 September 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 2 May 1999 (next to be held NA May 2004) note: PS election results: Mireya Elisa MOSCOSO Rodriguez elected president; percent of vote - Mireya Elisa MOSCOSO Rodriguez (PA) 44%, Martin TORRIJOS (PRD) 37%

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (71 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) election results: PS 4, MOLIRENA 3, PLN 3, Democratic Change 2, PRC 1, MORENA 1 note: basis while districts located in more populous towns and cities elect multiple legislators by means of a proportion-based formula elections: Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (nine judges appointed for 10-year terms); five superior courts; three courts of appeal

Political parties and leaders: Arnulfista Party or PA [Mireya Elisa
MOSCOSO Rodriguez]; Civic Renewal Party or PRC [Serguei DE LA ROSA];
Democratic Change [Ricardo MARTINELLI]; Democratic Revolutionary Party
or PRD [Martin TORRIJOS]; National Liberal Party or PLN [Raul ARANGO
Gasteazopo]; National Renovation Movement or MORENA [Pedro VALLARINO Cox];
Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement or MOLIRENA [Ramon MORALES];
Popular Party or PP (formerly Christian Democratic Party or PDC) [Ruben
AROSEMENA]; Solidarity Party or PS [Samuel LEWIS Galindo]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Chamber of Commerce; National
Civic Crusade; National Council of Organized Workers or CONATO; National
Union of Construction and Similar Workers (SUNTRACS); National Council
of Private Enterprise or CONEP; Panamanian Association of Business
Executives or APEDE; Panamanian Industrialists Society or SIP; Workers
Confederation of the Republic of Panama or CTRP

International organization participation: CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer),
NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Guillermo "Billy" FORD FAX: [1] (202) 483-8416 consulate(s) general:
Atlanta, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San
Francisco, Tampa telephone: [1] (202) 483-1407 chancery: 2862 McGill
Terrace NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Frederick A. BECKER embassy: Avenida Balboa and Calle 37, Apartado Postal 6959, Panama City 5 mailing address: American Embassy Panama, Unit 0945, APO AA 34002 telephone: [507] 207-7000 FAX: [507] 227-1964

Flag description: divided into four, equal rectangles; the top quadrants are white (hoist side) with a blue five-pointed star in the center and plain red; the bottom quadrants are plain blue (hoist side) and white with a red five-pointed star in the center

Economy Panama

Economy - overview: Panama's economy is based primarily on a well-developed services sector that accounts for three-fourths of GDP. Services include the Panama Canal, banking, the Colon Free Zone, insurance, container ports, flagship registry, and tourism. A slump in Colon Free Zone and agricultural exports, the global slowdown, and the withdrawal of US military forces held back economic growth in 2000-01. The government plans public works programs, tax reforms, and new regional trade agreements in order to stimulate growth.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $16.9 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 1.4% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $5,900 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 7% industry: 17% services: 76% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 37% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.2% highest 10%: 35.7% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 48.5 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 1.1 million (2000 est.) note: shortage of skilled labor, but an oversupply of unskilled labor

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 20.8%, industry 18%, services 61.2% (1995 est.)

Unemployment rate: 13% (2000 est.)

Budget: revenues: $1.9 billion expenditures: $2 billion, including capital expenditures of $471 million (2000 est.)

Industries: construction, petroleum refining, brewing, cement and other construction materials, sugar milling

Industrial production growth rate: 2% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production: 4.894 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 29.49% hydro: 69.11% other: 1.4% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 4.651 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 20 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 120 million kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: bananas, rice, corn, coffee, sugarcane, vegetables; livestock; shrimp

Exports: $5.9 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: bananas, shrimp, sugar, coffee, clothing

Exports - partners: US 45.9%, Sweden 8.1%, Benelux 5.3%, Costa Rica 5.1% (2000 est.)

Imports: $6.7 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: capital goods, crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, chemicals

Imports - partners: US 33.1%, Ecuador 7.2%, Venezuela 6.6%, Japan 5.5% (2000 est.)

Debt - external: $7.6 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $197.1 million (1995)

Currency: balboa (PAB); US dollar (USD)

Currency code: PAB; USD

Exchange rates: balboas per US dollar - 1.000 (fixed rate)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Panama

Telephones - main lines in use: 396,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 17,000 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: domestic and international facilities well developed domestic: NA international: 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to the Central American Microwave System

Radio broadcast stations: AM 101, FM 134, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 815,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 38 (including repeaters) (1998)

Televisions: 510,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .pa

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 6 (2000)

Internet users: 45,000 (2000)

Transportation Panama

Railways: total: 355 km broad gauge: 76 km 1.524-m gauge narrow gauge: 279 km 0.914-m gauge (2001)

Highways: 4,079 km (including 30 km of expressways) unpaved: Waterways: 882 km note: 800 km navigable by shallow draft vessels; 82 km Panama Canal

Pipelines: crude oil 130 km (2001)

Ports and harbors: Balboa, Cristobal, Coco Solo, Manzanillo (part of
Colon area), Vacamonte

Merchant marine: total: 4,838 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 118,878,358 GRT/180,588,102 DWT ships by type: bulk 1,445, cargo 907, chemical tanker 337, combination bulk 73, combination ore/oil 18, container 560, liquefied gas 207, livestock carrier 5, multi-functional large-load carrier 12, passenger 38, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 542, railcar carrier 2, refrigerated cargo 283, roll on/roll off 104, short-sea passenger 38, specialized tanker 34, vehicle carrier 230 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Albania 2, Angola 1, Antigua and Barbuda 1, Argentina 11, Australia 13, Austria 2, Bahamas, The 5, Belgium 2, Belize 6, Brazil 6, British Virgin Islands 8, Cambodia 1, Canada 9, Chile 12, China 259, Colombia 14, Croatia 2, Cuba 20, Cyprus 3, Denmark 3, Dominican Republic 1, Ecuador 3, Egypt 16, Equatorial Guinea 1, France 9, Germany 72, Greece 523, Haiti 1, Honduras 3, Hong Kong 299, Iceland 1, India 18, Indonesia 48, Ireland 1, Israel 5, Italy 9, Japan 1642, Kenya 1, Kuwait 2, Latvia 8, Liberia 5, Lithuania 1, Malaysia 18, Malta 2, Marshall Islands 1, Mexico 8, Monaco 112, Netherlands 19, Netherlands Antilles 1, Nigeria 3, Norway 98, Paraguay 1, Peru 15, Philippines 49, Poland 5, Portugal 7, Puerto Rico 2, Romania 7, Russia 12, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 5, Saudi Arabia 4, Seychelles 1, Singapore 112, South Africa 3, South Korea 342, Spain 52, Sri Lanka 3, Sudan 1, Sweden 2, Switzerland 81, Taiwan 334, Thailand 14, Trinidad and Tobago 1, Tunisia 1, Turkey 4, Ukraine 1, United Arab Emirates 54, United Kingdom 73, United States 115, Venezuela 6, Virgin Islands (UK) 8 (2002 est.)

Airports: 107 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 42 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 21 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 65 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 53 (2001)

Military Panama

Military branches: an amendment to the Constitution abolished the armed forces, but there are security forces (Panamanian Public Forces or PPF includes the Panamanian National Police, National Maritime Service, and National Air Service)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 789,973 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 540,052 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $128 million (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.3% (FY99)

Military - note: on 10 February 1990, the government of then President ENDARA abolished Panama's military and reformed the security apparatus by creating the Panamanian Public Forces; in October 1994, Panama's Legislative Assembly approved a constitutional amendment prohibiting the creation of a standing military force, but allowing the temporary establishment of special police units to counter acts of "external aggression"

Transnational Issues Panama

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: major cocaine transshipment point and major drug money-laundering center; no recent signs of coca cultivation; monitoring of financial transactions is improving; official corruption remains a major problem

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Portugal

Introduction

Portugal

Background: Following its heyday as a world power during the 15th and 16th centuries, Portugal lost much of its wealth and status with the destruction of Lisbon in a 1755 earthquake, occupation during the Napoleonic Wars, and the independence in 1822 of Brazil as a colony. A 1910 revolution deposed the monarchy; for most of the next six decades repressive governments ran the country. In 1974, a left-wing military coup installed broad democratic reforms. The following year Portugal granted independence to all of its African colonies. Portugal entered the EC (now the EU)in 1985.

Geography Portugal

Location: Southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Spain

Geographic coordinates: 39 30 N, 8 00 W

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 92,391 sq km land: 91,951 sq km note: includes Azores and
Madeira Islands water: 440 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Indiana

Land boundaries: total: 1,214 km border countries: Spain 1,214 km

Coastline: 1,793 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate: maritime temperate; cool and rainy in north, warmer and drier in south

Terrain: mountainous north of the Tagus River, rolling plains in south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Ponta do Pico (Pico or Pico Alto) on Ilha do Pico in the Azores 2,351 m

Natural resources: fish, forests (cork), tungsten, iron ore, uranium ore, marble, arable land, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 22% permanent crops: 8% other: 70% (1999 est.)

Irrigated land: 6,320 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: Azores subject to severe earthquakes

Environment - current issues: soil erosion; air pollution caused by industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution, especially in coastal areas

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed,
but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air
Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Environmental Modification,
Nuclear Test Ban

Geography - note: Azores and Madeira Islands occupy strategic locations along western sea approaches to Strait of Gibraltar

People Portugal

Population: 10,084,245 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 16.9% (male 875,485; female 827,670) 15-64 years: 67.3% (male 3,324,215; female 3,463,301) 65 years and over: 15.8% (male 644,761; female 948,813) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.18% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 11.5 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 10.21 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 5.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 79.87 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.48 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.74% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 36,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 280 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Portuguese (singular and plural) adjective: Portuguese

Ethnic groups: homogeneous Mediterranean stock; citizens of black African descent who immigrated to mainland during decolonization number less than 100,000; since 1990 East Europeans have entered Portugal

Religions: Roman Catholic 94%, Protestant (1995)

Languages: Portuguese

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 87.4% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Portugal

Country name: Portuguese Republic conventional short form: Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Lisbon

Administrative divisions: 18 districts (distritos, singular - distrito) and 2 autonomous regions* (regioes autonomas, singular - regiao autonoma); Aveiro, Acores (Azores)*, Beja, Braga, Braganca, Castelo Branco, Coimbra, Evora, Faro, Guarda, Leiria, Lisboa, Madeira*, Portalegre, Porto, Santarem, Setubal, Viana do Castelo, Vila Real, Viseu

Independence: 1143 (independent republic proclaimed 5 October 1910)

National holiday: Portugal Day, 10 June (1580)

Constitution: 25 April 1976, revised 30 October 1982, 1 June 1989, 5 November 1992, and 3 September 1997

Legal system: civil law system; the Constitutional Tribunal reviews the constitutionality of legislation; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: President Jorge SAMPAIO (since 9 March 1996) note: the president head of government: Prime Minister Jose Manuel DURAO Barroso (since 6 April 2002) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: held 14 January 2001 (next to be held NA January 2006); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president election results: Jorge SAMPAIO reelected president; percent of vote - Jorge SAMPAIO (Socialist) 55.8%, Joaquim FERREIRA Do Amaral (Social Democrat) 34.5%, Antonio ABREU (Communist) 5.1%

Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da Republica (230 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: percent of vote by party - PSD 40.1%, PS 37.8%, PP 8.7%, PCP/PEV 6.9%, The Left Bloc 2.7%; seats by party - PSD 105, PS 96, PP 14, PCP/PEV 12, The Left Bloc 3

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal de Justica (judges appointed for life by the Conselho Superior da Magistratura)

Political parties and leaders: The Greens or PEV [no leader]; Popular
Party or PP [Paulo PORTAS]; Portuguese Communist Party/The Greens or
PCP/PEV [Carlos CARVALHAS]; Portuguese Socialist Party or PS [Eduardo
Ferro RODRIGUES]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Jose Manuel DURAO
Barroso]; United Democratic Coalition or CDU [leader NA]; The Left Bloc
[no leader]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: AfDB, Australia Group, BIS,
CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IADB,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MINURSO,
NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNTAET, UPU, WCL, WEU,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Joao Alberto Bacelar ROCHA PARIS consulate(s): Los Angeles, New Bedford
(Massachusetts), Providence (Rhode Island) consulate(s) general: Boston,
New York, Newark (New Jersey), and San Francisco FAX: [1] (202) 462-3726
telephone: [1] (202) 328-8610 chancery: 2125 Kalorama Road NW, Washington,
DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador-designate John N. PALMER embassy: Avenida das Forcas Armadas, 1600-081 Lisbon mailing address: PSC 83, APO AE 09726 [351] (21) 727-9109 consulate(s): Flag description: two vertical bands of green (hoist side, two-fifths) and red (three-fifths) with the Portuguese coat of arms centered on the dividing line

Economy Portugal

Economy - overview: Portugal has become a diversified and increasingly service-based economy since joining the European Community in 1986. Over the past decade, successive governments have privatized many state-controlled firms and liberalized key areas of the economy, including the financial and telecommunications sectors. The country qualified for the European Monetary Union (EMU) in 1998 and began circulating its new currency, the euro, on 1 January 2002 along with 11 other EU member economies. Economic growth has been above the EU average for much of the past decade, but GDP per capita stands at just 75% of that of the leading EU economies. The government has failed to reign in a widening deficit and to advance structural reforms needed to boost Portugal's economic competitiveness. A poor educational system, in particular, has been an obstacle to greater productivity and growth. Portugal has been increasingly overshadowed by lower-cost producers in Central Europe and Asia as a target for foreign direct investment.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $174.1 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 1.7% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $17,300 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.8% industry: 30.5% services: 65.7% (2000)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.1% highest 10%: 28.4% (1995 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 35.6 (1994-95)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.4% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 5.1 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation: services 60%, industry 30%, agriculture 10% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: 4.4% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $45 billion expenditures: $48 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Industries: textiles and footwear; wood pulp, paper, and cork; metalworking; oil refining; chemicals; fish canning; wine; tourism

Industrial production growth rate: 2.4% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 43.242 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 70.03% hydro: 25.91% other: 4.06% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 41.146 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 3.767 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 4.698 billion kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: grain, potatoes, olives, grapes; sheep, cattle, goats, poultry, beef, dairy products

Exports: $24.8 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Exports - commodities: clothing and footwear, machinery, chemicals, cork and paper products, hides

Exports - partners: EU 79% (Spain 19%, Germany 18%, France 13%, UK 11%,
Benelux 6%), US 6% (2000)

Imports: $37.8 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum, textiles, agricultural products

Imports - partners: EU 74% (Spain 25%, Germany 14%, France 11%, Italy 7%, UK 6%), US 3%, Japan 3% (2000)

Debt - external: $13.1 billion (1997 est.)

Economic aid - donor: ODA, $271 million (1995)

Currency: euro (EUR); Portuguese escudo (PTE) note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code: EUR; PTE

Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); Portuguese escudos per US dollar - 180.10 (1998), 175.31 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Portugal

Telephones - main lines in use: 5.3 million (yearend 1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 3,074,194 (1999)

Telephone system: general assessment: undergoing rapid development in recent years, Portugal's telephone system, by the end of 1998, achieved a state-of-the-art network with broadband, high-speed capabilities and a main line telephone density of 53% domestic: integrated network of coaxial cables, open wire, microwave radio relay, and domestic satellite earth stations international: 6 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), NA Eutelsat; tropospheric scatter to Azores; note - an earth station for Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region) is planned

Radio broadcast stations: AM 47, FM 172 (many are repeaters), shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios: 3.02 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 62 (plus 166 repeaters) note: includes
Azores and Madeira Islands (1995)

Televisions: 3.31 million (1997)

Internet country code: .pt

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 16 (2000)

Internet users: 2 million (2001)

Transportation Portugal

Railways: total: 2,850 km broad gauge: 2,576 km 1.668-m gauge (623 km electrified; 426 km double-tracked) narrow gauge: 274 km 1.000-m gauge (2001)

Highways: total: 68,732 km paved: 59,110 km (including 797 km of expressways) unpaved: 9,622 km (1999)

Waterways: 820 km note: relatively unimportant to national economy, used by shallow-draft craft limited to 300 metric-ton or less cargo capacity

Pipelines: crude oil 22 km; petroleum products 58 km; natural gas 700 km note: long have not yet been built

Ports and harbors: Aveiro, Funchal (Madeira Islands), Horta (Azores),
Leixoes, Lisbon, Porto, Ponta Delgada (Azores), Praia da Vitoria (Azores),
Setubal, Viana do Castelo

Merchant marine: total: 140 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,001,440 GRT/1,519,701 DWT ships by type: bulk 10, cargo 71, chemical tanker 17, container 10, liquefied gas 8, multi-functional large-load carrier 1, petroleum tanker 10, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 6, short-sea passenger 4, vehicle carrier 2 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Belgium 1, British Virgin Islands 1, Cyprus 1, Denmark 6, Germany 20, Greece 1, Iceland 1, Italy 16, Lebanon 1, Liberia 1, Monaco 2, Norway 5, Panama 5, Spain 22, Switzerland 8, United Kingdom 1, Virgin Islands (UK) 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 67 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 40 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 7 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 27 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 26 (2001)

Military Portugal

Military branches: Army, Navy (PON) (includes Marines), Air Force,
Republican Guard (includes Fiscal Guard)

Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 2,525,848 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 2,024,526 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 71,404 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $1.286 billion (FY99/00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.2% (FY99/00)

Transnational Issues Portugal

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: gateway country for Latin American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin entering the European market; transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Europe; consumer of Southwest Asian heroin

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Papua New Guinea

Introduction Papua New Guinea

Background: The eastern half of the island of New Guinea - second largest in the world - was divided between Germany (north) and the UK (south) in 1885. The latter area was transferred to Australia in 1902, which occupied the northern portion during World War I and continued to administer the combined areas until independence in 1975. A nine-year secessionist revolt on the island of Bougainville ended in 1997, after claiming some 20,000 lives.

Geography Papua New Guinea

Location: Southeastern Asia, group of islands including the eastern half of the island of New Guinea between the Coral Sea and the South Pacific Ocean, east of Indonesia

Geographic coordinates: 6 00 S, 147 00 E

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 462,840 sq km land: 452,860 sq km water: 9,980 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than California

Land boundaries: total: 820 km border countries: Indonesia 820 km

Coastline: 5,152 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM

Climate: tropical; northwest monsoon (December to March), southeast monsoon (May to October); slight seasonal temperature variation

Terrain: mostly mountains with coastal lowlands and rolling foothills

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point:
Mount Wilhelm 4,509 m

Natural resources: gold, copper, silver, natural gas, timber, oil, fisheries

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 1% other: 99% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: active volcanism; situated along the Pacific "Ring of Fire"; the country is subject to frequent and sometimes severe earthquakes; mud slides; tsunamis

Environment - current issues: rain forest subject to deforestation as a result of growing commercial demand for tropical timber; pollution from mining projects; severe drought

Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note: shares island of New Guinea with Indonesia; one of world's largest swamps along southwest coast

People Papua New Guinea

Population: 5,172,033 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 38.6% (male 1,013,936; female 980,841) 15-64 years: 57.7% (male 1,544,650; female 1,440,628) 65 years and over: 3.7% (male 90,661; female 101,317) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.39% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 31.61 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 7.75 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 56.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 66.03 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 4.21 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.22% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 5,400 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 450 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Papua New Guinean(s) adjective: Papua New Guinean

Ethnic groups: Melanesian, Papuan, Negrito, Micronesian, Polynesian

Religions: Roman Catholic 22%, Lutheran 16%,
Presbyterian/Methodist/London Missionary Society 8%, Anglican 5%,
Evangelical Alliance 4%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1%, other Protestant 10%,
indigenous beliefs 34%

Languages: English spoken by 1%-2%, pidgin English widespread, Motu spoken in Papua region note: 715 indigenous languages

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 64.5% male: 72% female: 57% (2000)

Government Papua New Guinea

Country name: conventional long form: Independent State of Papua New
Guinea conventional short form: Papua New Guinea abbreviation: PNG former:
Territory of Papua and New Guinea

Government type: constitutional monarchy with parliamentary democracy

Capital: Port Moresby

Administrative divisions: 20 provinces; Bougainville, Central, Chimbu,
Eastern Highlands, East New Britain, East Sepik, Enga, Gulf, Madang,
Manus, Milne Bay, Morobe, National Capital, New Ireland, Northern,
Sandaun, Southern Highlands, Western, Western Highlands, West New Britain

Independence: 16 September 1975 (from the Australian-administered
UN trusteeship)

National holiday: Independence Day, 16 September (1975)

Constitution: 16 September 1975

Legal system: based on English common law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Silas ATOPARE (since 13 November 1997) head of government: Prime Minister Sir Mekere MORAUTA (since 14 July 1999); Deputy Prime Minister Michael OGIO (since 3 November 2000) cabinet: National Executive Council appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the National Executive Council; prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general for up to five years on the basis of majority support in National Parliament

Legislative branch: unicameral National Parliament - sometimes referred to as the House of Assembly (109 seats, 89 elected from open electorates and 20 from provincial electorates; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 14-28 June 1997 (next to be held 15 June 2002) election results: percent of vote by party - PPP 15%, Pangu Pati 14%, NA 14%, PDM 8%, PNC 6%, PAP 5%, UP 3%, NP 1%, PUP 1%, independents 33%; seats by party - PPP 16, Pangu Pati 15, NA 15, PDM 9, PNC 7, PAP 5, UP 3, NP 1, PUP 1, independents 37; note - association with political parties is very fluid

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (the chief justice is appointed by the governor general on the proposal of the National Executive Council after consultation with the minister responsible for justice; other judges are appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission)

Political parties and leaders: Melanesian Alliance Party or MAP [leader
NA]; National Alliance or NA [George MANDA, party president]; National
Front Party [leader NA]; National Party or NP [Michael MEL]; Papua New
Guinea Revival Party [John PUNDARI]; Papua New Guinea United Party or
Pangu Pati [Chris HAIVETA]; People's Action Party or PAP [Ted DIRO];
People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Sir Mekere MORAUTA]; People's
Labor Party or PLP [Peter YAMA]; People's National Congress or PNC
[Bill SKATE]; People's Progress Party or PPP [Michael NALI]; People's
Unity Party or PUP [Alfred KAIABE]; United Party or UP [Rimbiuk PATO]
note: more than 40 political parties have registered to participate in
the June 2002 elections

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACP, APEC, ARF (dialogue
partner), AsDB, ASEAN (associate member), C, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD,
ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC,
SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Nagora
Y. BOGAN chancery: 1779 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 805, Washington,
DC 20036 FAX: [1] (202) 745-3679 telephone: [1] (202) 745-3680

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Susan S. JACOBS embassy: Douglas Street, P. O. Box 1492, Port Moresby telephone: Flag description: divided diagonally from upper hoist-side corner; the upper triangle is red with a soaring yellow bird of paradise centered; the lower triangle is black with five, white, five-pointed stars of the Southern Cross constellation centered

Economy Papua New Guinea

Economy - overview: Papua New Guinea is richly endowed with natural resources, but exploitation has been hampered by rugged terrain and the high cost of developing infrastructure. Agriculture provides a subsistence livelihood for 85% of the population. Mineral deposits, including oil, copper, and gold, account for 72% of export earnings. The economy has declined over the past two years and will probably continue to falter in 2002. Prime Minister Mekere MORAUTA has tried to restore integrity to state institutions, stabilize the kina, restore stability to the national budget, privatize public enterprises where appropriate, and ensure ongoing peace on Bougainville. The government has had considerable success in attracting international support, specifically gaining the support of the IMF and the World Bank in securing development assistance loans. Significant challenges remain for MORAUTA, however, including gaining further investor confidence, specifically for the proposed Papua New Guinea-Australia oil pipeline, continuing efforts to privatize government assets, and maintaining the support of members of Parliament.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $12.2 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: -2.5% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,400 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 30.4% industry: 36.8% services: 32.8% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 37%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.7% highest 10%: 40.5% (1996)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 50.9 (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10.3% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 2.3 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 85%, industry NA%, services NA%

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $894 million expenditures: $1.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $344 million (2000 est.)

Industries: copra crushing, palm oil processing, plywood production, wood chip production; mining of gold, silver, and copper; crude oil production; construction, tourism

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 1.65 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 54.55% hydro: 45.45% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 1.535 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: coffee, cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, tea, rubber, sweet potatoes, fruit, vegetables; poultry, pork

Exports: $1.8 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: oil, gold, copper ore, logs, palm oil, coffee, cocoa, crayfish, prawns

Exports - partners: Australia 30%, Japan 11%, China 6%, Germany 4%,
South Korea 4%, UK 3%, Philippines 1%, US 1% (2000)

Imports: $1.024 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, fuels, chemicals

Imports - partners: Australia 50%, Singapore 20%, Japan 4%, NZ 4%,
Indonesia 3%, Malaysia 3%, US 2% (2000)

Debt - external: $2.6 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $400 million (1999 est.)

Currency: kina (PGK)

Currency code: PGK

Exchange rates: kina per US dollar - 3.706 (January 2002), 3.374 (2001), 2.765 (2000), 2.539 (1999), 2.058 (1998), 1.434 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Papua New Guinea

Telephones - main lines in use: 61,152 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 3,053 (1996)

Telephone system: general assessment: services are adequate and being improved; facilities provide radiotelephone and telegraph, coastal radio, aeronautical radio, and international radio communication services domestic: mostly radiotelephone international: submarine cables to Australia and Guam; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); international radio communication service

Radio broadcast stations: AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 28 (1998)

Radios: 410,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (all in the Port Moresby area) note: additional stations at Mt. Hagen, Goroka, Lae, and Rabaul are planned (2002)

Televisions: 59,841 (1999)

Internet country code: .pg

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 3 (2000)

Internet users: 135,000 (2001)

Transportation Papua New Guinea

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 19,600 km paved: 686 km unpaved: 18,914 km (1996)

Waterways: 10,940 km

Ports and harbors: Kieta, Lae, Madang, Port Moresby, Rabaul

Merchant marine: total: 22 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 40,911
GRT/58,723 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here
as a flag of
 Singapore 2, United Kingdom 7 (2002 est.) ships by type: petroleum
 tanker 3, roll on/roll off 3

Airports: 490 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 21 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 under 914 m: 1 (2001) 914 to 1,523 m: 4

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 469 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 57 under 914 m: 402 (2001)

Heliports: 2 (2001)

Military Papua New Guinea

Military branches: Papua New Guinea Defense Force (includes Ground Force,
Maritime Operations Element, and Air Operations Element)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,338,003 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 740,085 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $42 million (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1% (FY98)

Transnational Issues Papua New Guinea

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Palau

Introduction

Palau

Background: After three decades as part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific under US administration, this westernmost cluster of the Caroline Islands opted for independence in 1978 rather than join the Federated States of Micronesia. A Compact of Free Association with the US was approved in 1986, but not ratified until 1993. It entered into force the following year when the islands gained independence.

Geography Palau

Location: Oceania, group of islands in the North Pacific Ocean, southeast of the Philippines

Geographic coordinates: 7 30 N, 134 30 E

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 458 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 458 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington,
DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 1,519 km

Maritime claims: 3 NM extended fishing zone: Climate: wet season May to November; hot and humid

Terrain: varying geologically from the high, mountainous main island of Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large barrier reefs

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point:
Mount Ngerchelchuus 242 m

Natural resources: forests, minerals (especially gold), marine products, deep-seabed minerals

Land use: arable land: 22% permanent crops: 0% other: 78% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: typhoons (June to December)

Environment - current issues: inadequate facilities for disposal of solid waste; threats to the marine ecosystem from sand and coral dredging, illegal fishing practices, and overfishing

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea,
Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected
agreements

Geography - note: westernmost archipelago in the Caroline chain, consists of six island groups totaling more than 300 islands; includes World War II battleground of Beliliou (Peleliu) and world-famous rock islands

People Palau

Population: 19,409 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 26.8% (male 2,678; female 2,522) 15-64 years: 68.6% (male 7,241; female 6,074) 65 years and over: 4.6% (male 426; female 468) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.61% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 19.32 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 7.11 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 3.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.19 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female total population: 1.14 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 16.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 72.5 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.47 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Palauan(s) adjective: Palauan

Ethnic groups: Palauan (Micronesian with Malayan and Melanesian admixtures) 70%, Asian (mainly Filipinos, followed by Chinese, Taiwanese, and Vietnamese) 28%, white 2% (2000 est.)

Religions: Christian (Roman Catholics 49%, Seventh-Day Adventists,
Jehovah's Witnesses, the Assembly of God, the Liebenzell Mission, and
Latter-Day Saints), Modekngei religion (one-third of the population
observes this religion which is indigenous to Palau)

Languages: English and Palauan official in all states except Sonsoral (Sonsorolese and English are official), Tobi (Tobi and English are official), and Angaur (Angaur, Japanese, and English are official)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92% male: 93% female: 90% (1980 est.)

Government Palau

Country name: Republic of Palau conventional short form: of the
Pacific Islands) local long form: Beluu er a Belau

Government type: constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 1 October 1994

Capital: Koror; note - a new capital is being built about 20 km northeast of Koror

Administrative divisions: 16 states; Aimeliik, Airai, Angaur, Hatobohei,
Kayangel, Koror, Melekeok, Ngaraard, Ngarchelong, Ngardmau, Ngatpang,
Ngchesar, Ngeremlengui, Ngiwal, Peleliu, Sonsoral

Independence: 1 October 1994 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship)

National holiday: Constitution Day, 9 July (1979)

Constitution: 1 January 1981

Legal system: based on Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. (since 19 January 2001) and Vice President Sandra PIERANTOZZI (since 19 January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. (since 19 January 2001) and Vice President Sandra PIERANTOZZI (since 19 January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet elections: president and vice president elected on separate tickets by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2004) election results: Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. 53%, Peter SUGIYAMA 46%; Sandra PIERANTOZZI elected vice president; percent of vote - Sandra PIERANTOZZI 52%, Alan SEID 45%

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Olbiil Era Kelulau (OEK) consists of the Senate (9 seats; members elected by popular vote on a population basis to serve four-year terms) and the House of Delegates (16 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2004); House of Delegates - last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2004) election results: Senate - percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9; House of Delegates - percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 16

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; National Court; Court of Common Pleas

Political parties and leaders: none

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACP, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD,
ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, WHO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Hersey KYOTA FAX: [1] (202) 452-6281 telephone: [1] (202) 452-6814 chancery: 1150 18th Street NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20036

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: the Ambassador to the Philippines is accredited to Palau; Charge d'Affaires Ronald A. HARMS embassy: address NA, Koror P. O. Box 6028, Republic of Palau 96940 telephone: Flag description: light blue with a large yellow disk (representing the moon) shifted slightly to the hoist side

Economy Palau

Economy - overview: The economy consists primarily of tourism, subsistence agriculture and fishing. The government is the major employer of the work force, relying heavily on financial assistance from the US. Business and tourist arrivals numbered 50,000 in FY00/01. The population enjoys a per capita income twice that of the Philippines and much of Micronesia. Long-run prospects for the key tourist sector have been greatly bolstered by the expansion of air travel in the Pacific, the rising prosperity of leading East Asian countries, and the willingness of foreigners to finance infrastructure development.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $174 million (2001 est.) note: GDP numbers reflect US spending

GDP - real growth rate: 1% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $9,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.4% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 8,300 (1999)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 20%, industry NA%, services NA% (1990)

Unemployment rate: 2.3% (2000 est.)

Budget: revenues: $57.7 million expenditures: $80.8 million, including capital expenditures of $17.1 million (FY98/99 est.)

Industries: tourism, craft items (from shell, wood, pearls), construction, garment making

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Agriculture - products: coconuts, copra, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes

Exports: $11 million (f.o.b., 1999)

Exports - commodities: shellfish, tuna, copra, garments

Exports - partners: US, Japan, Singapore

Imports: $126 million (f.o.b., 1999)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, fuels, metals; foodstuffs

Imports - partners: US

Debt - external: $0 (FY99/00)

Economic aid - recipient: $155.8 million (1995); note - the Compact of Free Association with the US, entered into after the end of the UN trusteeship on 1 October 1994, provides Palau with up to $700 million in US aid over 15 years in return for furnishing military facilities

Currency: US dollar (USD)

Currency code: USD

Exchange rates: the US dollar is used

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

Communications Palau

Telephones - main lines in use: 6,700 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 1,000 (2002)

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2002)

Radios: 12,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)

Televisions: 11,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .pw

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2002)

Transportation Palau

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 61 km paved: 36 km unpaved: 25 km

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Koror

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: 3 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2001)

Military Palau

Military branches: NA

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US; under a Compact of Free Association between Palau and the US, the US military is granted access to the islands for 50 years

Transnational Issues Palau

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Guinea-Bissau

Introduction

Guinea-Bissau

Background: In 1994, 20 years after independence from Portugal, the country's first multiparty legislative and presidential elections were held. An army uprising that triggered a bloody civil war in 1998, created hundreds of thousands of displaced persons. The president was ousted by a military junta in May 1999. An interim government turned over power in February 2000 when opposition leader Kumba YALA took office following two rounds of transparent presidential elections. Guinea-Bissau's transition back to democracy will be complicated by its crippled economy devastated in the civil war.

Geography Guinea-Bissau

Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
Guinea and Senegal

Geographic coordinates: 12 00 N, 15 00 W

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 36,120 sq km water: 8,120 sq km land: 28,000 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly less than three times the size of
Connecticut

Land boundaries: total: 724 km border countries: Guinea 386 km, Senegal 338 km

Coastline: 350 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical; generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds

Terrain: mostly low coastal plain rising to savanna in east

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location in the northeast corner of the country 300 m

Natural resources: fish, timber, phosphates, bauxite, unexploited deposits of petroleum

Land use: arable land: 11% permanent crops: 2% other: 87% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 170 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season; brush fires

Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; overfishing

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: this small country is swampy along its western coast and low-lying further inland

People Guinea-Bissau

Population: 1,345,479 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 41.9% (male 281,394; female 282,641) 15-64 years: 55.2% (male 353,755; female 388,968) 65 years and over: 2.9% (male 17,130; female 21,591) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.23% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 38.95 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 15.05 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 108.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 52.2 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 5.13 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 2.5% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 14,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 1,300 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Guinean (s) adjective: Guinean

Ethnic groups: African 99% (Balanta 30%, Fula 20%, Manjaca 14%, Mandinga 13%, Papel 7%), European and mulatto less than 1%

Religions: indigenous beliefs 50%, Muslim 45%, Christian 5%

Languages: Portuguese (official), Crioulo, African languages

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 34% male: 50% female: 18% (2000 est.)

Government Guinea-Bissau

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Guinea-Bissau
conventional short
 Guine-Bissau local long form:
Government type: republic, multiparty since mid-1991

Capital: Bissau

Administrative divisions: 9 regions (regioes, singular - regiao); Bafata, Biombo, Bissau, Bolama, Cacheu, Gabu, Oio, Quinara, Tombali; note - Bolama may have been renamed Bolama/Bijagos

Independence: 24 September 1973 (unilaterally declared by Guinea-Bissau); 10 September 1974 (recognized by Portugal)

National holiday: Independence Day, 24 September (1973)

Constitution: 16 May 1984, amended 4 May 1991, 4 December 1991, 26
February 1993, 9 June 1993, and 1996

Legal system: NA

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: President Kumba YALA (since 18 February 2000) elections: held 28 November 1999 and 16 January 2000 (next to be held NA 2004); prime minister appointed by the president after consultation with party leaders in the legislature election results: Kumba YALA elected president; percent of vote, second ballot - Kumba YALA (PRS) 72%, Malan Bacai SANHA (PAIGC) 28% cabinet: NA head of government: Prime Minister Alamara Intchia NHASSE (since 7 December 2001)

Legislative branch: unicameral National People's Assembly or Assembleia Nacional Popular (100 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve a maximum of four years) elections: last held 28 November 1999 (next to be held NA 2003) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PRS 37, RGB 27, PAIGC 25, 11 remaining seats went to 5 of the remaining 10 parties that fielded candidates

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal da Justica (consists of nine justices who are appointed by the president and serve at his pleasure; final court of appeals in criminal and civil cases); Regional Courts (one in each of nine regions; first court of appeals for Sectoral Court decisions; hear all felony cases and civil cases valued at over $1,000); 24 Sectoral Courts (judges are not necessarily trained lawyers; they hear civil cases under $1,000 and misdemeanor criminal cases)

Political parties and leaders: African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde or PAIGC [Francisco BENANTE]; Front for the Liberation and Independence of Guinea or FLING [Francois MENDY]; Guinea-Bissau Resistance-Ba Fata Movement or RGB-MB [Helder Vaz LOPES]; Guinean Civic Forum or FCG [Antonieta Rosa GOMES]; International League for Ecological Protection or LIPE [Alhaje Bubacar DJALO, president]; National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP [Abubacer BALDE, secretary general]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Victor MANDINGA]; Social Renovation Party or PRS [Kumba YALA]; Union for Change or UM [Jorge MANDINGA, president, Dr. Anne SAAD, secretary general]; United Social Democratic Party or PUSD [Victor Sau'de MARIA]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS,
FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW (signatory), UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
(vacant); Charge d'Affaires Henrique Adriano DA SILVA chancery: c/o
P. O. Box 33813, Washington, DC 20033-3813 telephone: [1] (301) 947-3958
FAX: [1] (391) 947-3958

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US Embassy suspended operations on 14 June 1998 in the midst of violent conflict between forces loyal to then President VIEIRA and military-led junta; for the time being, US embassy Dakar is responsible for covering Guinea-Bissau: [221] 823-4296

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and green with a vertical red band on the hoist side; there is a black five-pointed star centered in the red band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy Guinea-Bissau

Economy - overview: One of the 10 poorest countries in the world, Guinea-Bissau depends mainly on farming and fishing. Cashew crops have increased remarkably in recent years, and the country now ranks sixth in cashew production. Guinea-Bissau exports fish and seafood along with small amounts of peanuts, palm kernels, and timber. Rice is the major crop and staple food. However, intermittent fighting between Senegalese-backed government troops and a military junta destroyed much of the country's infrastructure and caused widespread damage to the economy in 1998; the civil war led to a 28% drop in GDP that year, with partial recovery in 1999-2001. Before the war, trade reform and price liberalization were the most successful part of the country's structural adjustment program under IMF sponsorship. The tightening of monetary policy and the development of the private sector had also begun to reinvigorate the economy. Because of high costs, the development of petroleum, phosphate, and other mineral resources is not a near-term prospect. However, unexploited offshore oil reserves could provide much-needed revenue in the long run. The inequality of income distribution is one of the most extreme in the world. The government and international donors continue to work out plans to forward economic development.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.2 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 7.2% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $900 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 54% industry: 15% services: 31% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.5% highest 10%: 42.4% (1991)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 480,000

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 82% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Industries: agricultural products processing, beer, soft drinks

Industrial production growth rate: 2.6% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production: 60 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 55.8 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: rice, corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), cashew nuts, peanuts, palm kernels, cotton; timber; fish

Exports: $80 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Exports - commodities: cashew nuts 70%, shrimp, peanuts, palm kernels, sawn lumber

Exports - partners: India 51.4%, Italy 2.7%, South Korea 2.0%, Belgium 2.0% (2000)

Imports: $55.2 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products

Imports - partners: Portugal 30%, Senegal 14.6%, Thailand 8.5%, China 5.7% (2000)

Debt - external: $931 million (1999 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $115.4 million (1995)

Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States; previously the Guinea-Bissau peso (GWP) was used

Currency code: XOF; GWP

Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 742.79 (January 2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997) note: as of 1 May 1997, Guinea-Bissau adopted the XOF franc as the national currency; since 1 January 1999, the XOF franc is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF francs per euro

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Guinea-Bissau

Telephones - main lines in use: 10,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular: NA

Telephone system: general assessment: small system domestic: combination of microwave radio relay, open-wire lines, radiotelephone, and cellular communications international: NA

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1 (transmitter out of service), FM 4, shortwave 0 (2002)

Radios: 49,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: NA (1997)

Televisions: NA

Internet country code: .gw

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2002)

Internet users: 1,500 (1999)

Transportation Guinea-Bissau

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 4,400 km paved: 453 km unpaved: 3,947 km (1996)

Waterways: several rivers are accessible to coastal shipping

Ports and harbors: Bissau, Buba, Cacheu, Farim

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: 28 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 25 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 20 (2001)

Military Guinea-Bissau

Military branches: People's Revolutionary Armed Force (FARP; includes
Army, Navy, and Air Force), paramilitary force

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 313,573 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 178,404 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $5.6 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.8% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Guinea-Bissau

Disputes - international: Senegalese separatists disrupt legal border trade with smuggling, cattle rustling, and other illegal activities

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Qatar

Introduction

Qatar

Background: Ruled by the Al Thani family since the mid-1800s, Qatar transformed itself from a poor British protectorate noted mainly for pearling into an independent state with significant oil and natural gas revenues. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Qatari economy was crippled by a continuous siphoning off of petroleum revenues by the amir who had ruled the country since 1972. He was overthrown by his son, the current Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, in a bloodless coup in 1995. In 2001, Qatar resolved its longstanding border disputes with both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Oil and natural gas revenues enable Qatar to have a per capita income not far below the leading industrial countries of Western Europe.

Geography Qatar

Location: Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi
Arabia

Geographic coordinates: 25 30 N, 51 15 E

Map references: Middle East

Area: total: 11,437 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 11,437 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries: total: 60 km border countries: Saudi Arabia 60 km

Coastline: 563 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM exclusive economic zone: as determined by bilateral agreements or the median line territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers

Terrain: mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and gravel

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point:
Qurayn Abu al Bawl 103 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, fish

Land use: arable land: 1% permanent crops: 0% other: 99% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 130 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: haze, dust storms, sandstorms common

Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources are increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone
Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note: strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major petroleum deposits

People Qatar

Population: 793,341 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 25.2% (male 102,110; female 98,053) 15-64 years: 72.1% (male 403,508; female 168,428) 65 years and over: 2.7% (male 15,299; female 5,943) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.02% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 15.78 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 4.34 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 18.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 2.4 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 2.57 male(s)/female total population: 1.91 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 20.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 75.48 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 3.1 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.09% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Qatari(s) adjective: Qatari

Ethnic groups: Arab 40%, Pakistani 18%, Indian 18%, Iranian 10%, other 14%

Religions: Muslim 95%

Languages: Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 79% male: 79% female: 80% (1995 est.)

Government Qatar

Country name: conventional long form: State of Qatar conventional short form: Qatar local short form: Qatar note: closest approximation of the native pronunciation falls between cutter and gutter, but not like guitar local long form: Dawlat Qatar

Government type: traditional monarchy

Capital: Doha

Administrative divisions: 9 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ad Dawhah, Al Ghuwayriyah, Al Jumayliyah, Al Khawr, Al Wakrah, Ar Rayyan, Jarayan al Batinah, Madinat ash Shamal, Umm Salal

Independence: 3 September 1971 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 3 September (1971)

Constitution: provisional constitution enacted 19 April 1972; in July 1999 Amir HAMAD issued a decree forming a committee to draft a permanent constitution

Legal system: discretionary system of law controlled by the amir, although civil codes are being implemented; Islamic law dominates family and personal matters

Suffrage: suffrage is limited to municipal elections

Executive branch: chief of state: Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani (since 27 June 1995 when, as crown prince, he ousted his father, Amir KHALIFA bin Hamad Al Thani, in a bloodless coup); Crown Prince JASSIM bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, third son of the monarch (selected crown prince by the monarch 22 October 1996); note - Amir HAMAD also holds the positions of minister of defense and commander-in-chief of the armed forces elections: none; the monarch is hereditary head of government: Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Khalifa Al Thani, brother of the monarch (since 30 October 1996); Deputy Prime Minister MUHAMMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, brother of the monarch (since 20 January 1998) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch note: in March 1999, Qatar held nationwide elections for a 29-member Central Municipal Council, which has consultative powers aimed at improving the provision of municipal services

Legislative branch: unicameral Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura (35 seats; members appointed) note: the constitution calls for elections for part of this consultative body, but no elections have been held since 1970, when there were partial elections to the body; Council members have had their terms extended every four years since

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders: none

Political pressure groups and leaders: none

International organization participation: ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CCC,
ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS,
IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent),
ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Badr Umar al-DAFA chancery: 4200 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 consulate(s) general: Houston FAX: [1] (202) 237-0061 telephone: [1] (202) 274-1600

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Maureen E. QUINN (since September 2001)
 Al-Luqtas District, 22 February Road, Doha mailing address: workweek
 is Saturday-Wednesday

Flag description: maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the hoist side

Economy Qatar

Economy - overview: Oil accounts for more than 30% of GDP, roughly 80% of export earnings, and 58% of government revenues. Proved oil reserves of 3.7 billion barrels should ensure continued output at current levels for 23 years. Oil has given Qatar a per capita GDP comparable to that of the leading West European industrial countries. Qatar's proved reserves of natural gas exceed 7 trillion cubic meters, more than 5% of the world total, third largest in the world. Production and export of natural gas are becoming increasingly important. Long-term goals feature the development of offshore natural gas reserves. In 2000, Qatar posted its highest ever trade surplus of $7 billion, due mainly to high oil prices and increased natural gas exports, and managed to maintain the surplus in 2001.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $16.3 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 5.6% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $21,200 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 49% services: 50% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2% (2001)

Labor force: 280,122 (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate: 2.7% (2001)

Budget: revenues: $5 billion expenditures: $4.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $900 million (FY01/02 est.)

Industries: crude oil production and refining, fertilizers, petrochemicals, steel reinforcing bars, cement

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 9.2 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 8.556 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: fruits, vegetables; poultry, dairy products, beef; fish

Exports: $11 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: petroleum products 80%, fertilizers, steel

Exports - partners: Japan 43%, Singapore 8%, South Korea 6%, US 4%,
UAE 2% (1999)

Imports: $3.5 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, food, chemicals

Imports - partners: UK 10%, Japan 8%, Germany 6%, Italy 6%, US 6% (1998)

Debt - external: $13.1 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $NA

Currency: Qatari rial (QAR)

Currency code: QAR

Exchange rates: Qatari rials per US dollar - 3.6400 (fixed rate)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Communications Qatar

Telephones - main lines in use: 142,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 43,476 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: modern system centered in Doha domestic: NA international: tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and UAE; submarine cable to Bahrain and UAE; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat

Radio broadcast stations: AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios: 256,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (plus three repeaters) (2001)

Televisions: 230,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .qa

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: 75,000 (2001)

Transportation Qatar

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 1,230 km paved: 1,107 km unpaved: 123 km (1996)

Waterways: none

Pipelines: crude oil 235 km; natural gas 400 km

Ports and harbors: Doha, Halul Island, Umm Sa'id (Musay'id)

Merchant marine: total: 25 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 679,081 GRT/1,051,088 DWT ships by type: cargo 10, combination ore/oil 2, container 7, petroleum tanker 6 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Kuwait 1, United Arab Emirates 3 (2002 est.)

Airports: 4 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 over 3,047 m: 2 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2001) 914 to 1,523 m: 1

Heliports: 1 (2001)

Military Qatar

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 316,885 note: includes non-nationals (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 166,214 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 6,797 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $723 million (FY00/01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 10% (FY00/01)

Transnational Issues Qatar

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Reunion

Introduction

Reunion

Background: The Portuguese discovered the uninhabited island in 1513. From the 17th to the 19th centuries, French immigration supplemented by influxes of Africans, Chinese, Malays, and Malabar Indians gave the island its ethnic mix. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 cost the island its importance as a stopover on the East Indies trade route.

Geography Reunion

Location: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar

Geographic coordinates: 21 06 S, 55 36 E

Map references: World

Area: total: 2,512 sq km water: 10 sq km land: 2,502 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Rhode Island

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 207 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical, but temperature moderates with elevation; cool and dry from May to November, hot and rainy from November to April

Terrain: mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point:
Piton des Neiges 3,069 m

Natural resources: fish, arable land, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 13% permanent crops: 2% other: 85% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 120 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: periodic, devastating cyclones (December to April);
Piton de la Fournaise on the southeastern coast is an active volcano

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: this mountainous, volcanic island has an active volcano, Piton de la Fournaise; there is a tropical cyclone center at Saint-Denis, which is the monitoring station for the whole of the Indian Ocean

People Reunion

Population: 743,981 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 31.7% (male 120,864; female 115,251) 15-64 years: 62.5% (male 228,864; female 235,991) 65 years and over: 5.8% (male 17,459; female 25,552) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.52% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 20.7 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 5.51 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 8.31 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 76.74 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.55 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Reunionese (singular and plural) adjective: Reunionese

Ethnic groups: French, African, Malagasy, Chinese, Pakistani, Indian

Religions: Roman Catholic 86%, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist (1995)

Languages: French (official), Creole widely used

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 79% male: 76% female: 80% (1982 est.)

Government Reunion

Country name: Department of Reunion conventional short form: Bourbon
Island

Dependency status: overseas department of France

Government type: NA

Capital: Saint-Denis

Administrative divisions: none (overseas department of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 4 arrondissements, 24 communes, and 47 cantons

Independence: none (overseas department of France)

National holiday: Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system: French law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Gonthier FRIEDERICI (since NA) elections: appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of the Interior; the presidents of the General and Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils head of government: President of the General Council Jean-Luc POUDROUX (since NA March 1998) and President of the Regional Council Paul VERGES (since NA March 1993) cabinet: NA

Legislative branch: unicameral General Council (49 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a unicameral Regional Council (45 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve six-year terms) elections: General Council - last held NA March 1998 (next to be held NA 2004); Regional Council - last held 15 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - various right-wing candidates 27, PCR 10, PS 10, other left-wing candidates 2; Regional Council - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PCR 7, UDF 8, PS 6, RPR 4, various right-wing candidates 15, various left-wing candidates 5 note: Reunion elects three representatives to the French Senate; elections last held NA 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; Reunion also elects five deputies to the French National Assembly; elections last held 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA

Judicial branch: Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel

Political parties and leaders: Communist Party of Reunion or PCR
[Paul VERGES]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [Andre Maurice PIHOUEE];
Socialist Party or PS [Jean-Claude FRUTEAU]; Union for French Democracy
or UDF [Gilbert GERARD]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: FZ, InOC, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas department of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas department of France)

Flag description: the flag of France is used

Economy Reunion

Economy - overview: The economy has traditionally been based on agriculture. Sugarcane has been the primary crop for more than a century, and in some years it accounts for 85% of exports. The government has been pushing the development of a tourist industry to relieve high unemployment, which amounts to more than 40% of the labor force. The gap in Reunion between the well-off and the poor is extraordinary and accounts for the persistent social tensions. The white and Indian communities are substantially better off than other segments of the population, often approaching European standards, whereas minority groups suffer the poverty and unemployment typical of the poorer nations of the African continent. The outbreak of severe rioting in February 1991 illustrates the seriousness of socioeconomic tensions. The economic well-being of Reunion depends heavily on continued financial assistance from France.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $3.4 billion (1998 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3.8% (1998 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $4,800 (1998 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

Labor force: 261,000 (1995)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 8%, industry 19%, services 73% (1990)

Unemployment rate: 42.8% (1998)

Budget: revenues: NA expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Industries: sugar, rum, cigarettes, handicraft items, flower oil extraction

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 1.09 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 55.05% hydro: 44.95% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 1.014 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: sugarcane, vanilla, tobacco, tropical fruits, vegetables, corn

Exports: $214 million (f.o.b., 1997)

Exports - commodities: sugar 63%, rum and molasses 4%, perfume essences 2%, lobster 3%, (1993)

Exports - partners: France 74%, Japan 6%, Comoros 4% (1994)

Imports: $2.5 billion (c.i.f., 1997)

Imports - commodities: manufactured goods, food, beverages, tobacco, machinery and transportation equipment, raw materials, and petroleum products

Imports - partners: France 64%, Bahrain 3%, Germany 3%, Italy 3% (1994)

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid - recipient: $NA; note - substantial annual subsidies from France

Currency: euro (EUR); French franc (FRF)

Currency code: EUR; FRF

Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Reunion

Telephones - main lines in use: 268,500 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 197,000 (September 2000)

Telephone system: general assessment: adequate system; principal center is Saint-Denis domestic: modern open wire and microwave radio relay network international: radiotelephone communication to Comoros, France, Madagascar; new microwave route to Mauritius; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 55, shortwave 0 (2001)

Radios: 173,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 35 (plus 18 low-power repeaters) (2001)

Televisions: 127,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .re

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: 10,000 (1999)

Transportation Reunion

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 2,724 km paved: 1,300 km (including 73 km of four-lane road) note: 370 km of road are maintained by national authorities, 754 km by departmental authorities and 1,600 km by local authorities (1994) unpaved: 1,424 km

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Le Port, Pointe des Galets

Merchant marine: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 28,264 GRT/44,885
DWT note: France 1 (2002 est.) ships by type: chemical tanker 1

Airports: 2 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)

Military Reunion

Military branches: no regular indigenous military forces; French forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force, and Gendarmerie)

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 194,485 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 99,251 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 6,243 (2002 est.)

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Reunion

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Marshall Islands

Introduction

Marshall Islands

Background: After almost four decades under US administration as the easternmost part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, the Marshall Islands attained independence in 1986 under a Compact of Free Association. Compensation claims continue as a result of US nuclear testing on some of the atolls between 1947 and 1962. The Marshall Islands have been home to the US Army Base Kwajalein (USAKA) since 1964.

Geography Marshall Islands

Location: Oceania, group of atolls and reefs in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia

Geographic coordinates: 9 00 N, 168 00 E

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 181.3 sq km note: includes the atolls of Bikini, Enewetak,
Kwajalein, Majuro, Rongelap, and Utirik water: 0 sq km land: 181.3 sq km

Area - comparative: about the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 370.4 km

Maritime claims: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: Climate: wet season from May to November; hot and humid; islands border typhoon belt

Terrain: low coral limestone and sand islands

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Likiep 10 m

Natural resources: coconut products, marine products, deep seabed minerals

Land use: arable land: 17% permanent crops: 0% other: 83% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km

Natural hazards: infrequent typhoons

Environment - current issues: inadequate supplies of potable water; pollution of Majuro lagoon from household waste and discharges from fishing vessels

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note: two archipelagic island chains of 30 atolls and 1,152 islands; Bikini and Enewetak are former US nuclear test sites; Kwajalein, the famous World War II battleground, is now used as a US missile test range

People Marshall Islands

Population: 73,630 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 49.1% (male 18,443; female 17,704) 15-64 years: 48.9% (male 18,347; female 17,628) 65 years and over: 2% (male 720; female 788) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.89% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 44.98 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 6.07 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 38.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 68.09 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 6.49 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Marshallese (singular and plural) adjective:
Marshallese

Ethnic groups: Micronesian

Religions: Christian (mostly Protestant)

Languages: English (widely spoken as a second language, both English and Marshallese are official languages), two major Marshallese dialects from the Malayo-Polynesian family, Japanese

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93.7% male: 93.6% female: 93.7% (1999)

Government Marshall Islands

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of the Marshall Islands conventional short form: Marshall Islands former: Marshall Islands District (Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands)

Government type: constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 21 October 1986

Capital: Majuro

Administrative divisions: 33 municipalities; Ailinginae, Ailinglaplap,
Ailuk, Arno, Aur, Bikar, Bikini, Bokak, Ebon, Enewetak, Erikub, Jabat,
Jaluit, Jemo, Kili, Kwajalein, Lae, Lib, Likiep, Majuro, Maloelap,
Mejit, Mili, Namorik, Namu, Rongelap, Rongrik, Toke, Ujae, Ujelang,
Utirik, Wotho, Wotje

Independence: 21 October 1986 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday: Constitution Day, 1 May (1979)

Constitution: 1 May 1979

Legal system: based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Kessai Hesa NOTE (since 3 January 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Kessai Hesa NOTE (since 3 January 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: elections: president elected by Parliament from among its own members for a four-year term; election last held 15 November 1999 (next to be held NA November 2003) election results: Kessai Hesa NOTE elected president; percent of Parliament vote - 100%

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Nitijela (33 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 15 November 1999 (next to be held NA November 2003) note: the Council of Chiefs is a 12-member body that advises on matters affecting customary law and practice election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; High Court

Political parties and leaders: traditionally there have been no formally organized political parties; what has existed more closely resembles factions or interest groups because they do not have party headquarters, formal platforms, or party structures; the following two "groupings" have competed in legislative balloting in recent years - Kabua Party [Imata KABUA] and United Democratic Party or UDP [Litokwa TOMEING]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACP, AsDB, ESCAP, FAO, G-77,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, IMF, IMO, Interpol, ITU, OPCW (signatory),
Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Banny DE BRUM chancery: 2433 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Honolulu FAX: [1] (202) 232-3236 telephone: [1] (202) 234-5414

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Michael J. SENKO embassy: Oceanside, Mejen Weto, Long Island, Majuro mailing address: P. O. Box 1379, Majuro, [692] 247-4011 FAX: Flag description: blue with two stripes radiating from the lower hoist-side corner - orange (top) and white; there is a white star with four large rays and 20 small rays on the hoist side above the two stripes

Economy Marshall Islands

Economy - overview: US Government assistance is the mainstay of this tiny island economy. Agricultural production is primarily subsistence and is concentrated on small farms; the most important commercial crops are coconuts and breadfruit. Small-scale industry is limited to handicrafts, tuna processing, and copra. The tourist industry, now a small source of foreign exchange employing less than 10% of the labor force, remains the best hope for future added income. The islands have few natural resources, and imports far exceed exports. Under the terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US provides roughly $39 million in annual aid. Negotiations have continued for an extended agreement. Government downsizing, drought, a drop in construction, the decline in tourism and foreign investment due to the Asian financial difficulties, and less income from the renewal of fishing vessel licenses have held GDP growth to an average of 1% over the past decade.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $115 million (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 1% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,600 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 14% industry: 16% services: 70% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.9% (1999 est.)

Labor force: 28,698

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 21.4%, industry 20.9%, services 57.7%

Unemployment rate: 30.9% (1999 est.)

Budget: revenues: $42 million expenditures: $40 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999)

Industries: copra, fish, tourism, craft items from shell, wood, and pearls

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 1% (solar)

Agriculture - products: coconuts, tomatoes, melons, taro, breadfruit, fruits; pigs, chickens

Exports: $9 million (f.o.b., 2000)

Exports - commodities: copra cake, coconut oil, handicrafts

Exports - partners: US, Japan, Australia

Imports: $54 million (f.o.b., 2000)

Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels, beverages and tobacco

Imports - partners: US, Japan, Australia, NZ, Singapore, Fiji, China,
Philippines

Debt - external: $86.5 million (FY99/00 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: approximately $39 million annually from the US

Currency: US dollar (USD)

Currency code: USD

Exchange rates: the US dollar is used

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

Communications Marshall Islands

Telephones - main lines in use: 4,186 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 489 (2001)

Telephone system: general assessment: digital switching equipment; modern services include telex, cellular, internet, international calling, caller ID, and leased data circuits domestic: Majuro Atoll and Ebeye and Kwajalein islands have regular, seven-digit, direct-dial telephones; other islands interconnected by shortwave radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes) international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); US Government satellite communications system on Kwajalein (2001)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 1, shortwave 0 note: additionally, the US Armed Forces Radio and Television Services (Central Pacific Network) operate one FM and one AM station on Kwajalein (2002)

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 2 (both are US military stations) (2002)

Televisions: NA

Internet country code: .mh

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2002)

Internet users: 537 (2001)

Transportation Marshall Islands

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: NA km paved: 64.5 km unpaved: NA km note: paved roads on major islands (Majuro, Kwajalein), otherwise stone-, coral-, or laterite-surfaced roads and tracks (2002)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Majuro

Merchant marine: total: 270 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 11,807,839 GRT/19,332,014 DWT note: the ship's register of the Marshall Islands is a flag of convenience register since essentially none of the vessels on it is owned domestically, includes the following foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: China 1, Cyprus 1, Denmark 9, Germany 70, Greece 54, Hong Kong 2, Japan 4, Monaco 8, Netherlands 8, Norway 10, Poland 16, Singapore 1, Turkey 6, United Kingdom 3, United States 87, Uruguay 1 (2002 est.) ships by type: bulk 82, cargo 14, chemical tanker 24, combination ore/oil 4, container 46, liquefied gas 8, multi-functional large-load carrier 1, petroleum tanker 88, vehicle carrier 3

Airports: 17 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 3 (2001)

Military Marshall Islands

Military branches: no regular military forces; Police Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Marshall Islands

Disputes - international: claims US territory of Wake Island

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Romania

Introduction

Romania

Background: Soviet occupation following World War II led to the formation of a Communist "peoples republic" in 1947 and the abdication of the king. The decades-long rule of dictator Nicolae CEAUSESCU and his Securitate police state became increasingly oppressive and draconian through the 1980s. CEAUSESCU was overthrown and executed in late 1989. Former communists dominated the government until 1996 when they were swept from power by a fractious coalition of center-right parties. Today the Communist Party, renamed the Party of Social Democracy, rules in cooperation with the ethnic Hungarian minority rights party. Much economic restructuring remains to be carried out before Romania can achieve its hope of joining the EU.

Geography Romania

Location: Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Ukraine

Geographic coordinates: 46 00 N, 25 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 237,500 sq km land: 230,340 sq km water: 7,160 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries: total: 2,508 km border countries: Bulgaria 608 km, Hungary 443 km, Moldova 450 km, Yugoslavia 476 km, Ukraine (north) 362 km, Ukraine (east) 169 km

Coastline: 225 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate: temperate; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow and fog; sunny summers with frequent showers and thunderstorms

Terrain: central Transylvanian Basin is separated from the Plain of
Moldavia on the east by the Carpathian Mountains and separated from the
Walachian Plain on the south by the Transylvanian Alps

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Black Sea 0 m highest point: Moldoveanu 2,544 m

Natural resources: petroleum (reserves declining), timber, natural gas, coal, iron ore, salt, arable land, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 41% permanent crops: 2% other: 57% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 28,800 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: earthquakes, most severe in south and southwest; geologic structure and climate promote landslides

Environment - current issues: soil erosion and degradation; water pollution; air pollution in south from industrial effluents; contamination of Danube delta wetlands

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol

Geography - note: controls most easily traversable land route between the Balkans, Moldova, and Ukraine

People Romania

Population: 22,317,730 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 17.4% (male 1,992,505; female 1,898,122) 15-64 years: (male 1,274,881; female 1,807,121) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.21% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 10.81 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 12.27 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 18.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 74.39 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.35 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.02% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 7,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 350 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Romanian(s) adjective: Romanian

Ethnic groups: Romanian 89.5%, Hungarian 7.1%, Roma 1.8%, German 0.5%,
Ukrainian 0.3%, other 0.8% (1992)

Religions: Romanian Orthodox 70%, Roman Catholic 6%, Protestant 6%, unaffiliated 18%

Languages: Romanian, Hungarian, German

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 98% female: 95% (1992 est.)

Government Romania

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Romania local short form: Romania local long form: none

Government type: republic

Capital: Bucharest

Administrative divisions: 41 counties (judete, singular - judet)
and 1 municipality* (municipiu); Alba, Arad, Arges, Bacau, Bihor,
Bistrita-Nasaud, Botosani, Braila, Brasov, Bucuresti*, Buzau, Calarasi,
Caras-Severin, Cluj, Constanta, Covasna, Dimbovita, Dolj, Galati, Gorj,
Giurgiu, Harghita, Hunedoara, Ialomita, Iasi, Ilfov, Maramures, Mehedinti,
Mures, Neamt, Olt, Prahova, Salaj, Satu Mare, Sibiu, Suceava, Teleorman,
Timis, Tulcea, Vaslui, Vilcea, Vrancea

Independence: 9 May 1877 (independence proclaimed from Turkey; independence recognized 13 July 1878 by the Treaty of Berlin; kingdom proclaimed 26 March 1881; republic proclaimed 30 December 1947)

National holiday: Unification Day (of Romania and Transylvania), 1 December (1918)

Constitution: 8 December 1991

Legal system: former mixture of civil law system and communist legal theory; is now based on the constitution of France's Fifth Republic

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: President Ion ILIESCU (since 20 December 2000) elections: held 26 November 2000, with runoff between the top two candidates held 10 December 2000 (next to be held NA November/December 2004); prime minister appointed by the president head of government: Prime Minister Adrian NASTASE (since 29 December 2000) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister election results: percent of vote - Ion ILIESCU 66.84%, Corneliu Vadim TUDOR 33.16%

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Senate or Senat (140 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Adunarea Deputatilor (345 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 26 November 2000 (next to be held in the fall of 2004); Chamber of Deputies - last held 26 November 2000 (next to be held in the fall of 2004) election results: PNL 7.5%, UDMR 6.9%; seats by party - PDSR 65, PRM 37, PD 13, PNL 13, UDMR 12; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - PDSR 36.6%, PRM 19.5%, PD 7.0%, PNL, 6.9%, UDMR 6.8%; seats by party - PDSR 155, PRM 84, PD 31, PNL 30, UDMR 27, ethnic minorities 18

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (judges are appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Superior Council of Magistrates)

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party or PD [Traian BASESCU];
Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania or UDMR [Bela MARKO]; National
Liberal Party or PNL [Valeriu STOICA]; Party of Social Democracy or PSD
[Adrian NASTASE]; note - used to be known as the Party of Social Democracy
in Romania or PDSR; Romania Mare Party (Greater Romanian Party) or PRM
[Corneliu Vadim TUDOR]

Political pressure groups and leaders: various human rights and professional associations

International organization participation: ACCT, Australia Group, BIS,
BSEC, CCC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, G- 9, G-77,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MONUC, NAM (guest),
NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WEU (associate partner), WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: Ambassador Sorin Dumitru DUCARU consulate(s) general: [1] (202) 332-4846, 4848, 4851 chancery: 1607 23rd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Michael GUEST embassy: Strada Tudor Arghezi 7-9, Bucharest mailing address: American Embassy Bucharest, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5260 (pouch) telephone: [40] (1) 210 40 42 FAX: [40] (1) 210 03 95 branch office(s): Cluj-Napoca

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red; the national coat of arms that used to be centered in the yellow band has been removed; now similar to the flag of Chad, also resembles the flags of Andorra and Moldova

Economy Romania

Economy - overview: Romania, one of the poorest countries of Central and Eastern Europe, began the transition from Communism in 1989 with a largely obsolete industrial base and a pattern of output unsuited to the country's needs. Over the past decade economic restructuring has lagged behind most other countries in the region. Consequently, living standards have continued to fall - real wages are down perhaps 40%. The country emerged in 2000 from a punishing three-year recession thanks to strong demand in EU export markets, and despite the global slowdown in 2001, strong domestic activity in construction, agriculture, and consumption led to 4.8% growth. A standby agreement with the IMF - covering the period October 2001 to March 2003 - provides a key opportunity for vigorous privatization, regulatory reform, deficit reduction, and the curbing of inflation. The government in the past has not been able to fully implement IMF agreements; its degree of success in this case will affect prospects for joining the EU.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $152.7 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4.8% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $6,800 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 15% industry: 30% services: 55% (2000)

Population below poverty line: 44.5% (2000)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.7% highest 10%: 22.7% (1994)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 30.5 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 34.5% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 9.9 million (1999 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 40%, industry 25%, services 35% (1998)

Unemployment rate: 9.1% (2001)

Budget: revenues: $11.7 billion expenditures: $12.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)

Industries: textiles and footwear, light machinery and auto assembly, mining, timber, construction materials, metallurgy, chemicals, food processing, petroleum refining

Industrial production growth rate: 6.5% (2001)

Electricity - production: 49.787 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 52.58% hydro: 36.92% other: 0.01% (2000) nuclear: 10.49%

Electricity - consumption: 45.677 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 1.4 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 775 million kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: wheat, corn, sugar beets, sunflower seed, potatoes, grapes; eggs, sheep

Exports: $11.5 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: textiles and footwear 26%, metals and metal products 15%, machinery and equipment 11%, minerals and fuels 6% (1999)

Exports - partners: Italy 22%, Germany 16%, France 7%, Turkey 6%, US (2000)

Imports: $14.4 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment 23%, fuels and minerals 12%, chemicals 9%, textile and products 19% (1999)

Imports - partners: Italy 19%, Germany 15%, Russia 9%, France 6% (2000)

Debt - external: $11.6 billion (2001 est.)

Currency: leu (ROL)

Currency code: ROL

Exchange rates: lei per US dollar - 35,052.0 (January 2002), 29,060.8 (2001), 21,708.7 (2000), 15,332.8 (1999), 8,875.6 (1998), 7,167.9 (1997); note - lei is the plural form of leu

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Romania

Telephones - main lines in use: 3.777 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 645,500 (1999)

Telephone system: general assessment: poor domestic service, but improving domestic: 90% of telephone network is automatic; trunk network is mostly microwave radio relay, with some fiber-optic cable; about one-third of exchange capacity is digital; roughly 3,300 villages have no service international: direct-dial exchanges operate in Bucharest; note - Romania is an active participant in several international telecommunication network projects (1999)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 40, FM 202, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios: 7.2 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 48 (plus 392 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions: 5.25 million (1997)

Internet country code: .ro

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 38 (2000)

Internet users: 800,000 (2001)

Transportation Romania

Railways: total: 11,385 km (3,888 km electrified) standard gauge: 10,898 km 427 km 0.760-m gauge (2001) broad gage: Highways: total: 153,359 km paved: 103,671 km (including 133 km of expressways) unpaved: 49,688 km (1998 est.)

Waterways: 1,724 km (1984)

Pipelines: crude oil 2,800 km; petroleum products 1,429 km; natural gas 6,400 km (1992)

Ports and harbors: Braila, Constanta, Galati, Mangalia, Sulina, Tulcea

Merchant marine: total: 70 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 561,470 GRT/754,836 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Greece 1, Italy 5 (2002 est.) ships by type: bulk 11, cargo 47, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 4, railcar carrier 2, roll on/roll off 4

Airports: 61 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 24 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 37 under 914 m: 23 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 12

Heliports: 2 (2001)

Military Romania

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces (AMR),
Paramilitary Forces, Civil Defense, Border Guards

Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 5,906,601 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 4,970,496 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 179,951 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $985 million (2002)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.47% (2002)

Transnational Issues Romania

Disputes - international: Romania and Ukraine have yet to resolve claims over Ukrainian-administered Zmiyinyy (Snake) Island and delimitation of Black Sea maritime boundary, despite 1997 bilateral treaty to find a solution in two years and numerous talks; because of a shift in the Danube course since the last correction of the boundary in 1920, a joint Bulgarian-Romanian team will recommend sovereignty changes to several islands and redefine the boundary

Illicit drugs: major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin transiting the Balkan route and small amounts of Latin American cocaine bound for Western Europe

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Philippines

Introduction

Philippines

Background: The Philippines were ceded by Spain to the US in 1898 following the Spanish-American War. They attained their independence in 1946 after Japanese occupation in World War II. The 21-year rule of Ferdinand MARCOS ended in 1986 when a widespread popular rebellion forced him into exile. In 1992, the US closed its last military bases on the islands. The Philippines has had two electoral presidential transitions since Marcos' removal by "people power." In January 2001, the Supreme Court declared Joseph ESTRADA unable to rule in view of mass resignations from his government and administered the oath of office to Vice President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO as his constitutional successor. The government continues to struggle with ongoing Muslim insurgencies in the south.

Geography Philippines

Location: Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea, east of Vietnam

Geographic coordinates: 13 00 N, 122 00 E

Map references: Southeast Asia

Area: total: 300,000 sq km water: 1,830 sq km land: 298,170 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Arizona

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 36,289 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: to depth of exploitation territorial sea: irregular polygon extending up to 100 NM from coastline as defined by 1898 treaty; since late 1970s has also claimed polygonal-shaped area in South China Sea up to 285 NM in breadth exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate: tropical marine; northeast monsoon (November to April); southwest monsoon (May to October)

Terrain: mostly mountains with narrow to extensive coastal lowlands

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Philippine Sea 0 m highest point:
Mount Apo 2,954 m

Natural resources: timber, petroleum, nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, salt, copper

Land use: arable land: 18% permanent crops: 15% other: 67% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 15,500 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: astride typhoon belt, usually affected by 15 and struck by five to six cyclonic storms per year; landslides; active volcanoes; destructive earthquakes; tsunamis

Environment - current issues: uncontrolled deforestation in watershed areas; soil erosion; air and water pollution in Manila; increasing pollution of coastal mangrove swamps which are important fish breeding grounds

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed,
but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note: favorably located in relation to many of Southeast
Asia's main water bodies: the South China Sea, Philippine Sea, Sulu Sea,
Celebes Sea, and Luzon Strait

People Philippines

Population: 84,525,639 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 36.6% (male 15,731,451; female 15,169,264) 15-64 years: (male 1,399,862; female 1,756,317) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.99% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 26.88 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 5.95 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 27.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 71.12 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 3.35 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.07% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 28,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 1,200 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Filipino(s) adjective: Philippine

Ethnic groups: Christian Malay 91.5%, Muslim Malay 4%, Chinese 1.5%, other 3%

Religions: Roman Catholic 83%, Protestant 9%, Muslim 5%, Buddhist and other 3%

Languages: two official languages - Filipino (based on Tagalog) and
English; eight major dialects - Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocan, Hiligaynon or
Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Pampango, and Pangasinense

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 94.6% male: 95% female: 94.3% (1995 est.)

Government Philippines

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of the Philippines conventional short form: Philippines local short form: Pilipinas local long form: Republika ng Pilipinas

Government type: republic

Capital: Manila

Administrative divisions: 73 provinces and 61 chartered cities*; Abra,
Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Aklan, Albay, Angeles*, Antique, Aurora,
Bacolod*, Bago*, Baguio*, Bais*, Basilan, Basilan City*, Bataan, Batanes,
Batangas, Batangas City*, Benguet, Bohol, Bukidnon, Bulacan, Butuan*,
Cabanatuan*, Cadiz*, Cagayan, Cagayan de Oro*, Calbayog*, Caloocan*,
Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Camiguin, Canlaon*, Capiz, Catanduanes,
Cavite, Cavite City*, Cebu, Cebu City*, Cotabato*, Dagupan*, Danao*,
Dapitan*, Davao City*, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental,
Dipolog*, Dumaguete*, Eastern Samar, General Santos*, Gingoog*, Ifugao,
Iligan*, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Iloilo, Iloilo City*, Iriga*,
Isabela, Kalinga-Apayao, La Carlota*, Laguna, Lanao del Norte, Lanao
del Sur, Laoag*, Lapu-Lapu*, La Union, Legaspi*, Leyte, Lipa*, Lucena*,
Maguindanao, Mandaue*, Manila*, Marawi*, Marinduque, Masbate, Mindoro
Occidental, Mindoro Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental,
Mountain, Naga*, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, North Cotabato,
Northern Samar, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Olongapo*, Ormoc*, Oroquieta*,
Ozamis*, Pagadian*, Palawan, Palayan*, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Pasay*,
Puerto Princesa*, Quezon, Quezon City*, Quirino, Rizal, Romblon, Roxas*,
Samar, San Carlos* (in Negros Occidental), San Carlos* (in Pangasinan),
San Jose*, San Pablo*, Silay*, Siquijor, Sorsogon, South Cotabato,
Southern Leyte, Sultan Kudarat, Sulu, Surigao*, Surigao del Norte,
Surigao del Sur, Tacloban*, Tagaytay*, Tagbilaran*, Tangub*, Tarlac,
Tawi-Tawi, Toledo*, Trece Martires*, Zambales, Zamboanga*, Zamboanga
del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur

Independence: 4 July 1946 (from US)

National holiday: Independence Day (from Spain), 12 June (1898); note - 12 June 1898 is the date of independence from Spain, 4 July 1946 is the date of independence from the US

Constitution: 2 February 1987, effective 11 February 1987

Legal system: based on Spanish and Anglo-American law; accepts compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO (since 20 January 2001) and Vice President Teofisto GUINGONA (since 20 January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO (since 20 January 2001) and Vice President Teofisto GUINGONA (since 20 January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Appointments elections: president and vice president elected on separate tickets by popular vote for six-year terms; election last held 11 May 1998 (next to be held 16 May 2004) election results: results of the last presidential election - Joseph Ejercito ESTRADA elected president; percent of vote - approximately 40%; Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO elected vice president; percent of vote - 55%; note - on 20 January 2001, Vice President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO was sworn in as the constitutional successor to President Joseph ESTRADA after the Supreme Court declared that ESTRADA was unable to rule in view of the mass resignations from his government; according to the Constitution, only in cases of death, permanent disability, removal from office, or resignation of the president, can the vice president serve for the unexpired term

Legislative branch: bicameral Congress or Kongreso consists of the Senate or Senado (24 seats - one-half elected every three years; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Kapulungan Ng Mga Kinatawan (214 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; note - additional members may be appointed by the president but the Constitution prohibits the House of Representatives from having more than 250 members) elections: Senate - last held 14 May 2001 (next to be held 16 May 2004); House of Representatives - elections last held 14 May 2001 (next to be held 16 May 2004) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Lakas 13, PDP-Laban/LDP 11; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Lakas 86, NPC 51, LDP 21, LP 20, independents 10, other 26

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (justices are appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Judicial and Bar Council and serve until 70 years of age)

Political parties and leaders: Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (New Society
Movement) [Imelda MARCOS]; Laban Ng Demokratikong Pilipino (Struggle of
Filipino Democrats) or LDP [Eduardo ANGARA]; Lakas [Jose DE VENECIA,
party president]; Liberal Party or LP [Florencio ABAD]; Nacionalista
Party [Jose OLIVEROS]; National People's Coalition or NPC [Eduardo
COJUANGCO]; PDP-Laban [Aquilino PIMENTEL]; People's Reform Party or PRP
[Miriam DEFENSOR-SANTIAGO]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CCC,
CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM,
OAS (observer), OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNTAET,
UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Albert DEL ROSARIO consulate(s): San Diego consulate(s) general: Chicago,
Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, San Jose (Northern Mariana
Islands), Tamuning (Guam) FAX: [1] (202) 328-7614 telephone: [1] (202)
333-6000 chancery: 1600 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Francis RICCIARDONE embassy: 1201 Roxas Boulevard, Ermita 1000 Manila mailing address: FPO 96515 telephone: [63] (2) 523-1001 FAX: [63] (2) 522-4361

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a white equilateral triangle based on the hoist side; in the center of the triangle is a yellow sun with eight primary rays (each containing three individual rays) and in each corner of the triangle is a small yellow five-pointed star

Economy Philippines

Economy - overview: In 1998 the Philippine economy - a mixture of agriculture, light industry, and supporting services - deteriorated as a result of spillover from the Asian financial crisis and poor weather conditions. Growth fell to 0.6% in 1998 from 5% in 1997, but recovered to about 3% in 1999 and 4% in 2000. The government has promised to continue its economic reforms to help the Philippines match the pace of development in the newly industrialized countries of East Asia. The strategy includes improving infrastructure, overhauling the tax system to bolster government revenues, furthering deregulation and privatization of the economy, and increasing trade integration with the region. Prospects for 2002 depend heavily on the economic performance of two major trading partners, the US and Japan.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $335 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 2.8% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $4,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 17% industry: 30% services: 53% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 40% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.5% highest 10%: 39.3% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 46.2 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 32 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 39.8%, government and social services 19.4%, services 17.7%, manufacturing 9.8%, construction 5.8%, other 7.5% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate: 10% (2001)

Budget: revenues: $10.9 billion expenditures: $13.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Industries: textiles, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, wood products, food processing, electronics assembly, petroleum refining, fishing

Industrial production growth rate: 4% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production: 40.667 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 57.57% hydro: 19.85% other: 22.58% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 37.82 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: rice, coconuts, corn, sugarcane, bananas, pineapples, mangoes; pork, eggs, beef; fish

Exports: $37 billion (f.o.b., 2000)

Exports - commodities: electronic equipment, machinery and transport equipment, garments, coconut products

Exports - partners: US 30%, Japan 15%, Netherlands 8%, Singapore 8%,
Taiwan 8%, Hong Kong 5% (2000)

Imports: $30 billion (f.o.b., 2000)

Imports - commodities: raw materials and intermediate goods, capital goods, consumer goods, fuels

Imports - partners: Japan 19%, US 16%, EU 9%, South Korea 8%, Singapore 6%, Taiwan 6% (2000)

Debt - external: $50 billion (2001)

Economic aid - recipient: ODA, $1.1 billion (1998)

Currency: Philippine peso (PHP)

Currency code: PHP

Exchange rates: Philippine pesos per US dollar - 51.201 (January 2002), 50.993 (2001), 44.192 (2000), 39.089 (1999), 40.893 (1998), 29.471 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Philippines

Telephones - main lines in use: 3.1 million (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 6.5 million (2000)

Telephone system: general assessment: good international radiotelephone and submarine cable services; domestic and interisland service adequate domestic: domestic satellite system with 11 earth stations international: 9 international gateways; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Pacific Ocean); submarine cables to Hong Kong, Guam, Singapore, Taiwan, and Japan

Radio broadcast stations: AM 366, FM 290, shortwave 5 note: each shortwave station operates on multiple frequencies in the language of the target audience (2002)

Radios: 11.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 75 (2000)

Televisions: 3.7 million (1997)

Internet country code: .ph

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 33 (2000)

Internet users: 2 million (2001)

Transportation Philippines

Railways: total: 897 km narrow gauge: 897 km 1.067-m gauge (405 km are not in operation) (2001)

Highways: total: 199,950 km paved: 39,590 km unpaved: 160,360 km (1998 est.)

Waterways: 3,219 km note: limited to vessels with a draft of less than 1.5 m

Pipelines: petroleum products 357 km

Ports and harbors: Batangas, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Guimaras
Island, Iligan, Iloilo, Jolo, Legaspi, Manila, Masao, Puerto Princesa,
San Fernando, Subic Bay, Zamboanga

Merchant marine: total: 416 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,179,029 GRT/7,670,688 DWT ships by type: bulk 134, cargo 112, chemical tanker 2, combination bulk 7, container 5, liquefied gas 9, livestock carrier 9, passenger 4, passenger/cargo 10, petroleum tanker 41, refrigerated cargo 20, roll on/roll off 14, short-sea passenger 29, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 18 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Australia 2, Canada 1, Germany 3, Greece 8, Hong Kong 13, Japan 47, Malaysia 19, Netherlands 14, Norway 8, Panama 3, Singapore 12, South Korea 1, Taiwan 2, United Kingdom 7 (2002 est.)

Airports: 275 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 77 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 30 under 914 m: 12 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 26

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 198 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 under 914 m: 119 (2001) 914 to 1,523 m: 74

Heliports: 2 (2001)

Military Philippines

Military branches: Army, Navy (including Coast Guard and Marine Corps),
Air Force, paramilitary units

Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 21,718,304 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 15,285,248 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 848,181 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $995 million (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.5% (FY98)

Transnational Issues Philippines

Disputes - international: Sultanate of Sulu granted Philippines
Government power of attorney to pursue his sovereignty claim over
Malaysia's Sabah State, to which the Philippines have not fully revoked
their claim; involved in a complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with
China, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei

Illicit drugs: exports locally produced marijuana and hashish to East Asia, the US, and other Western markets; serves as a transit point for heroin and crystal methamphetamine

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Puerto Rico

Introduction

Puerto Rico

Background: Populated for centuries by aboriginal peoples, the island was claimed by the Spanish Crown in 1493 following Columbus' second voyage to the Americas. In 1898, after 400 years of colonial rule that saw the indigenous population nearly exterminated and African slave labor introduced, Puerto Rico was ceded to the US as a result of the Spanish-American War. Puerto Ricans were granted US citizenship in 1917 and popularly elected governors have served since 1948. In 1952, a constitution was enacted providing for internal self-government. In plebiscites held in 1967, 1993, and 1998 voters chose to retain commonwealth status.

Geography Puerto Rico

Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North
Atlantic Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic

Geographic coordinates: 18 15 N, 66 30 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 9,104 sq km water: 145 sq km land: 8,959 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly less than three times the size of Rhode
Island

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 501 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical marine, mild; little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain: mostly mountains, with coastal plain belt in north; mountains precipitous to sea on west coast; sandy beaches along most coastal areas

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point:
Cerro de Punta 1,338 m

Natural resources: some copper and nickel; potential for onshore and offshore oil

Land use: arable land: 4% permanent crops: 5% other: 91% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 400 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: periodic droughts; hurricanes

Environment - current issues: erosion; occasional drought causing water shortages

Geography - note: important location along the Mona Passage - a key shipping lane to the Panama Canal; San Juan is one of the biggest and best natural harbors in the Caribbean; many small rivers and high central mountains ensure land is well watered; south coast relatively dry; fertile coastal plain belt in north

People Puerto Rico

Population: 3,957,988 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 23.5% (male 476,726; female 453,782) 15-64 years: 65.8% (male 1,249,850; female 1,353,438) 65 years and over: 10.7% (male 180,053; female 244,139) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.51% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 15.04 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 7.82 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -2.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 9.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 80.66 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.9 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 7,397 (1997)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Puerto Rican(s) (US citizens) adjective: Puerto Rican

Ethnic groups: white (mostly Spanish origin) 80.5%, black 8%, Amerindian 0.4%, Asian 0.2%, mixed and other 10.9%

Religions: Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant and other 15%

Languages: Spanish, English

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 89% male: 90% female: 88% (1980 est.)

Government Puerto Rico

Country name: conventional long form: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico conventional short form: Puerto Rico

Dependency status: commonwealth associated with the US

Government type: commonwealth

Capital: San Juan

Administrative divisions: none (commonwealth associated with the US);
there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the
US Government, but there are 78 municipalities (municipios, singular -
municipio) at the second order; Adjuntas, Aguada, Aguadilla, Aguas Buenas,
Aibonito, Anasco, Arecibo, Arroyo, Barceloneta, Barranquitas, Bayamon,
Cabo Rojo, Caguas, Camuy, Canovanas, Carolina, Catano, Cayey, Ceiba,
Ciales, Cidra, Coamo, Comerio, Corozal, Culebra, Dorado, Fajardo, Florida,
Guanica, Guayama, Guayanilla, Guaynabo, Gurabo, Hatillo, Hormigueros,
Humacao, Isabela, Jayuya, Juana Diaz, Juncos, Lajas, Lares, Las Marias,
Las Piedras, Loiza, Luquillo, Manati, Maricao, Maunabo, Mayaguez,
Moca, Morovis, Naguabo, Naranjito, Orocovis, Patillas, Penuelas, Ponce,
Quebradillas, Rincon, Rio Grande, Sabana Grande, Salinas, San German,
San Juan, San Lorenzo, San Sebastian, Santa Isabel, Toa Alta, Toa Baja,
Trujillo Alto, Utuado, Vega Alta, Vega Baja, Vieques, Villalba, Yabucoa,
Yauco

Independence: none (commonwealth associated with the US)

National holiday: US Independence Day, 4 July (1776)

Constitution: ratified 3 March 1952; approved by US Congress 3 July 1952; effective 25 July 1952

Legal system: based on Spanish civil code and adapted US state laws

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

Executive branch: chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001) election results: Sila M. CALDERON (PPD) elected governor; percent of vote - 48.6% note: residents of Puerto Rico do not vote for US president and vice president elections: US president and vice president elected on the same ticket for four-year terms; governor elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held 2 November 2004) head of government: Governor Sila M. CALDERON (since 2 January 2001) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor with the consent of the legislature

Legislative branch: bicameral Legislative Assembly consists of the Senate (28 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives (51 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PPD 19, PNP 8, PIP 1, other 1; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PPD 30, PNP 20, PIP 1 note: Puerto Rico elects, by popular vote, a resident commissioner to serve a four-year term as a nonvoting representative in the US House of Representatives; aside from not voting on the House floor, he enjoys all the rights of a member of Congress; elections last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held 2 November 2004); results - percent of vote by party - PPD 49.3%; seats by party - PPD 1; Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA elected resident commissioner elections: House of Representatives - last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held 2 November 2004)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Appellate Court; Court of First Instance composed of two sections: a Superior Court and a Municipal Court (justices for all these courts appointed by the governor with the consent of the Senate)

Political parties and leaders: National Democratic Party [Celeste
BENITEZ]; National Republican Party of Puerto Rico [Luis FERRE];
New Progressive Party or PNP (pro-US statehood) [Carlos PESQUERA];
Popular Democratic Party or PPD (pro-commonwealth) [Sila M. CALDERON];
Puerto Rican Independence Party or PIP (pro-independence) [Ruben BERRIOS
Martinez]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Armed Forces for National
Liberation or FALN; Armed Forces of Popular Resistance; Boricua Popular
Army (also known as the Macheteros); Volunteers of the Puerto Rican
Revolution

International organization participation: Caricom (observer), ECLAC (associate), FAO (associate), ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, WCL, WFTU, WHO (associate)

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (commonwealth associated with the US)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (commonwealth associated with the US)

Flag description: five equal horizontal bands of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bears a large, white, five-pointed star in the center; design initially influenced by the US flag, but similar to the Cuban flag, with the colors of the bands and triangle reversed

Economy Puerto Rico

Economy - overview: Puerto Rico has one of the most dynamic economies in the Caribbean region. A diverse industrial sector has surpassed agriculture as the primary locus of economic activity and income. Encouraged by duty-free access to the US and by tax incentives, US firms have invested heavily in Puerto Rico since the 1950s. US minimum wage laws apply. Sugar production has lost out to dairy production and other livestock products as the main source of income in the agricultural sector. Tourism has traditionally been an important source of income, with estimated arrivals of nearly 5 million tourists in 1999. Growth fell off in 2001, largely due to the slowdown in the US economy.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $43.9 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 2.2% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $11,200 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 45% services: 54% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.7% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 1.3 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 3%, industry 20%, services 77% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: 9.5% (2000)

Budget: revenues: $6.7 billion expenditures: $9.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY99/00)

Industries: pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food products; tourism

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 20.497 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.22% hydro: 0.78% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 19.062 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: sugarcane, coffee, pineapples, plantains, bananas; livestock products, chickens

Exports: $38.5 billion (f.o.b., 2000)

Exports - commodities: pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, canned tuna, rum, beverage concentrates, medical equipment

Exports - partners: US 88% (2000)

Imports: $27 billion (c.i.f., 2000)

Imports - commodities: chemicals, machinery and equipment, clothing, food, fish, petroleum products

Imports - partners: US 60% (2000)

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid - recipient: $NA

Currency: US dollar (USD)

Currency code: USD

Exchange rates: the US dollar is used

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Communications Puerto Rico

Telephones - main lines in use: 1.322 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 169,265 (1996)

Telephone system: general assessment: modern system, integrated with that of the US by high-capacity submarine cable and Intelsat with high-speed data capability domestic: digital telephone system; cellular telephone service international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat; submarine cable to US

Radio broadcast stations: AM 72, FM 17, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 2.7 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 18 (plus three stations of the US Armed
Forces Radio and Television Service) (1997)

Televisions: 1.021 million (1997)

Internet country code: .pr

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 76 (2000)

Internet users: 200,000 (2000)

Transportation Puerto Rico

Railways: total: 96 km narrow gauge: 96 km 1.000-m gauge, note: rural, narrow-gauge system for hauling sugarcane; no passenger service (2001)

Highways: total: 14,400 km paved: 14,400 km unpaved: 0 km (1996)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Guanica, Guayanilla, Guayama, Playa de Ponce, San Juan

Merchant marine: total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 19,046
GRT/22,582 DWT ships by type: container 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 30 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 19 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 5 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 9 (2001)

Military Puerto Rico

Military branches: no regular indigenous military forces; paramilitary
National Guard, Police Force

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Puerto Rico

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Russia

Introduction

Russia

Background: The defeat of the Russian Empire in World War I led to the seizure of power by the Communists and the formation of the USSR. The brutal rule of Josef STALIN (1924-53) strengthened Russian dominance of the Soviet Union at a cost of tens of millions of lives. The Soviet economy and society stagnated in the following decades until General Secretary Mikhail GORBACHEV (1985-91) introduced glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring) in an attempt to modernize Communism, but his initiatives inadvertently released forces that by December 1991 splintered the USSR into 15 independent republics. Since then, Russia has struggled in its efforts to build a democratic political system and market economy to replace the strict social, political, and economic controls of the Communist period. A determined guerrilla conflict still plagues Russia in Chechnya.

Geography Russia

Location: Northern Asia (that part west of the Urals is sometimes included with Europe), bordering the Arctic Ocean, between Europe and the North Pacific Ocean

Geographic coordinates: 60 00 N, 100 00 E

Map references: Asia

Area: total: 17,075,200 sq km water: 79,400 sq km land: 16,995,800 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly less than 1.8 times the size of the US

Land boundaries: total: 19,990 km border countries: Azerbaijan 284
km, Belarus 959 km, China (southeast) 3,605 km, China (south) 40 km,
Estonia 294 km, Finland 1,313 km, Georgia 723 km, Kazakhstan 6,846 km,
North Korea 19 km, Latvia 217 km, Lithuania (Kaliningrad Oblast) 227 km,
Mongolia 3,485 km, Norway 196 km, Poland (Kaliningrad Oblast) 206 km,
Ukraine 1,576 km

Coastline: 37,653 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: ranges from steppes in the south through humid continental in much of European Russia; subarctic in Siberia to tundra climate in the polar north; winters vary from cool along Black Sea coast to frigid in Siberia; summers vary from warm in the steppes to cool along Arctic coast

Terrain: broad plain with low hills west of Urals; vast coniferous forest and tundra in Siberia; uplands and mountains along southern border regions

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m highest point:
Gora El'brus 5,633 m

Natural resources: wide natural resource base including major deposits of oil, natural gas, coal, and many strategic minerals, timber note: formidable obstacles of climate, terrain, and distance hinder exploitation of natural resources

Land use: arable land: 8% permanent crops: 0% other: 92% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 46,630 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: permafrost over much of Siberia is a major impediment to development; volcanic activity in the Kuril Islands; volcanoes and earthquakes on the Kamchatka Peninsula

Environment - current issues: air pollution from heavy industry, emissions of coal-fired electric plants, and transportation in major cities; industrial, municipal, and agricultural pollution of inland waterways and seacoasts; deforestation; soil erosion; soil contamination from improper application of agricultural chemicals; scattered areas of sometimes intense radioactive contamination; groundwater contamination from toxic waste

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution,
Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law
of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not
ratified: Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note: largest country in the world in terms of area but unfavorably located in relation to major sea lanes of the world; despite its size, much of the country lacks proper soils and climates (either too cold or too dry) for agriculture; Mount Elbrus is Europe's tallest peak

People Russia

Population: 144,978,573 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 16.7% (male 12,334,659; female 11,840,058) 15-64 years: (male 6,150,775; female 12,919,811) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.33% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 9.71 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 13.91 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.48 male(s)/female total population: 0.88 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 19.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 72.97 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.3 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.18% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 130,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 850 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Russian(s) adjective: Russian

Ethnic groups: Russian 81.5%, Tatar 3.8%, Ukrainian 3%, Chuvash 1.2%,
Bashkir 0.9%, Belarusian 0.8%, Moldavian 0.7%, other 8.1%

Religions: Russian Orthodox, Muslim, other

Languages: Russian, other

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 100% female: 97% (1989 est.)

Government Russia

Country name: Russian Federation conventional short form: Russian
Soviet Federative Socialist Republic local short form: Rossiya

Government type: federation

Capital: Moscow

Administrative divisions: 49 oblasts (oblastey, singular - oblast), 21 republics* (respublik, singular - respublika), 10 autonomous okrugs**(avtonomnykh okrugov, singular - avtonomnyy okrug), 6 krays*** (krayev, singular - kray), 2 federal cities (singular - gorod)****, and 1 autonomous oblast*****(avtonomnaya oblast'); Adygeya (Maykop)*, Aginskiy Buryatskiy (Aginskoye)**, Altay (Gorno-Altaysk)*, Altayskiy (Barnaul)***, Amurskaya (Blagoveshchensk), Arkhangel'skaya, Astrakhanskaya, Bashkortostan (Ufa)*, Belgorodskaya, Bryanskaya, Buryatiya (Ulan-Ude)*, Chechnya (Groznyy)*, Chelyabinskaya, Chitinskaya, Chukotskiy (Anadyr')**, Chuvashiya (Cheboksary)*, Dagestan (Makhachkala)*, Evenkiyskiy (Tura)**, Ingushetiya (Nazran')*, Irkutskaya, Ivanovskaya, Kabardino-Balkariya (Nal'chik)*, Kaliningradskaya, Kalmykiya (Elista)*, Kaluzhskaya, Kamchatskaya (Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy), Karachayevo-Cherkesiya (Cherkessk)*, Kareliya (Petrozavodsk)*, Kemerovskaya, Khabarovskiy***, Khakasiya (Abakan)*, Khanty-Mansiyskiy (Khanty-Mansiysk)**, Kirovskaya, Komi (Syktyvkar)*, Koryakskiy (Palana)**, Kostromskaya, Krasnodarskiy***, Krasnoyarskiy***, Kurganskaya, Kurskaya, Leningradskaya, Lipetskaya, Magadanskaya, Mariy-El (Yoshkar-Ola)*, Mordoviya (Saransk)*, Moskovskaya, Moskva (Moscow)****, Murmanskaya, Nenetskiy (Nar'yan-Mar)**, Nizhegorodskaya, Novgorodskaya, Novosibirskaya, Omskaya, Orenburgskaya, Orlovskaya (Orel), Penzenskaya, Permskaya, Komi-Permyatskiy (Kudymkar)**, Primorskiy (Vladivostok)***, Pskovskaya, Rostovskaya, Ryazanskaya, Sakha (Yakutiya)*, Sakhalinskaya (Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk), Samarskaya, Sankt-Peterburg (Saint Petersburg)****, Saratovskaya, Severnaya Osetiya-Alaniya [North Ossetia] (Vladikavkaz)*, Smolenskaya, Stavropol'skiy***, Sverdlovskaya (Yekaterinburg), Tambovskaya, Tatarstan (Kazan')*, Taymyrskiy (Dudinka)**, Tomskaya, Tul'skaya, Tverskaya, Tyumenskaya, Tyva (Kyzyl)*, Udmurtiya (Izhevsk)*, Ul'yanovskaya, Ust'-Ordynskiy Buryatskiy (Ust'-Ordynskiy)**, Vladimirskaya, Volgogradskaya, Vologodskaya, Voronezhskaya, Yamalo-Nenetskiy (Salekhard)**, Yaroslavskaya, Yevreyskaya*****; note - when using a place name with an adjectival ending 'skaya' or 'skiy,' the word Oblast' or Avonomnyy Okrug or Kray should be added to the place name note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)

Independence: 24 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: Russia Day, 12 June (1990)

Constitution: adopted 12 December 1993

Legal system: based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN (acting president since 31 December 1999, president since 7 May 2000) head of government: Aleksey Leonidovich KUDRIN (since 18 May 2000), Aleksey Vasilyevich GORDEYEV (since 20 May 2000), Viktor Borisovich KHRISTENKO (since 31 May 1999), Valentina Ivanovna MATVIYENKO (since 22 September 1998) cabinet: and his deputies, ministers, and other agency heads; all are appointed by the president note: there is also a Presidential Administration (PA) that provides staff and policy support to the president, drafts presidential decrees, and coordinates policy among government agencies; a Security Council also reports directly to the president election results: Vladimirovich PUTIN 52.9%, Gennadiy Andreyevich ZYUGANOV 29.2%, Grigoriy Alekseyevich YAVLINSKIY 5.8% elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 26 March 2000 (next to be held NA 2004); note - no vice president; if the president dies in office, cannot exercise his powers because of ill health, is impeached, or resigns, the premier succeeds him; the premier serves as acting president until a new presidential election is held, which must be within three months; premier appointed by the president with the approval of the Duma

Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Assembly or Federalnoye Sobraniye consists of the Federation Council or Sovet Federatsii (178 seats; as of July 2000, members appointed by the top executive and legislative officials in each of the 89 federal administrative units - oblasts, krays, republics, autonomous okrugs and oblasts, and the federal cities of Moscow and Saint Petersburg; members serve four-year terms) and the State Duma or Gosudarstvennaya Duma (450 seats; 225 seats elected by proportional representation from party lists winning at least 5% of the vote, and 225 seats from single-member constituencies; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms) election results: State Duma - percent of vote received by parties clearing the 5% threshold entitling them to a proportional share of the 225 party list seats - KPRF 24.29%, Unity 23.32%, OVR 13.33%, Union of Right Forces 8.52%, LDPR 5.98%, Yabloko 5.93%; seats by party - KPRF 113, Unity 72, OVR 67, Union of Rightist Forces 29, LDPR 17, Yabloko 21, other 16, independents 106, repeat election required 8, vacant 1 elections: State Duma - last held 19 December 1999 (next to be held NA December 2003)

Judicial branch: Constitutional Court; Supreme Court; Superior Court of Arbitration; judges for all courts are appointed for life by the Federation Council on the recommendation of the president

Political parties and leaders: Agrarian Party [Mikhail Ivanovich LAPSHIN]; Communist Party of the Russian Federation or KPRF [Gennadiy Andreyevich ZYUGANOV]; Fatherland-All Russia or OVR [Yuriy Mikhaylovich LUZHKOV]; Liberal Democratic Party of Russia or LDPR [Vladimir Volfovich ZHIRINOVSKIY]; Union of Rightist Forces [Anatoliy Borisovich CHUBAYS, Yegor Timurovich GAYDAR, Irina Mutsuovna KHAKAMADA, Boris Yefimovich NEMTSOV]; Unity [Sergey Kuzhugetovich SHOYGU]; Yabloko Bloc [Grigoriy Alekseyevich YAVLINSKIY] note: some 150 political parties, blocs, and movements registered with the Justice Ministry as of the 19 December 1998 deadline to be eligible to participate in the 19 December 1999 Duma elections; of these, 36 political organizations actually qualified to run slates of candidates on the Duma party list ballot, 6 parties cleared the 5% threshold to win a proportional share of the 225 party seats in the Duma, 9 other organizations hold seats in the Duma: Bloc of Nikolayev and Academician Fedorov, Congress of Russian Communities, Movement in Support of the Army, Our Home Is Russia, Party of Pensioners, Power to the People, Russian All-People's Union, Russian Socialist Party, and Spiritual Heritage; primary political blocs include pro-market democrats - (Yabloko Bloc and Union of Right Forces), anti-market and/or ultranationalist (Communist Party of the Russian Federation and Liberal Democratic Party of Russia)

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: APEC, ARF (dialogue partner),
ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIS, BSEC, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN (observer), CIS,
EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ESCAP, G- 8, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU,
LAIA (observer), MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW,
OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UN Security Council, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOVIC, UNOMIG,
UNTAET, UNTSO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer), ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Yuriy
Viktorovich USHAKOV FAX: [1] (202) 298-5735 consulate(s) general: New
York, San Francisco, and Seattle telephone: [1] (202) 298-5700, 5701,
5704, 5708 chancery: 2650 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Alexander VERSHBOW embassy: Bolshoy Devyatinskiy Pereulok No. 8, 121099
Moscow mailing address: APO AE 09721 telephone: [7] (095) 728-5000 FAX:
[7] (095) 728-5203 consulate(s) general: Saint Petersburg, Vladivostok,
Yekaterinburg

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red

Economy Russia

Economy - overview: A decade after the implosion of the Soviet Union in December 1991, Russia is still struggling to establish a modern market economy and achieve strong economic growth. In contrast to its trading partners in Central Europe - which were able to overcome the initial production declines that accompanied the launch of market reforms within three to five years - Russia saw its economy contract for five years, as the executive and legislature dithered over the implementation of many of the basic foundations of a market economy. Russia achieved a slight recovery in 1997, but the government's stubborn budget deficits and the country's poor business climate made it vulnerable when the global financial crisis swept through in 1998. The crisis culminated in the August depreciation of the ruble, a debt default by the government, and a sharp deterioration in living standards for most of the population. The economy subsequently has rebounded, growing by an average of more than 6% annually in 1999-2001 on the back of higher oil prices and a weak ruble. This recovery, along with a renewed government effort in 2000 and 2001 to advance lagging structural reforms, have raised business and investor confidence over Russia's prospects in its second decade of transition. Yet serious problems persist. Russia remains heavily dependent on exports of commodities, particularly oil, natural gas, metals, and timber, which account for over 80% of exports, leaving the country vulnerable to swings in world prices. Russia's industrial base is increasingly dilapidated and must be replaced or modernized if the country is to achieve sustainable economic growth. Other problems include widespread corruption, lack of a strong legal system, capital flight, and brain drain.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.2 trillion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 5.2% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $8,300 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 7% industry: 37% services: 56% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 40% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.4% highest 10%: 33.5% (2001 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 39.9 (2000)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 21.9% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 71.3 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 10.8%, industry 27.8%, services 61.4% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate: 8.7% (2001 est.), plus considerable underemployment

Budget: revenues: $45 billion expenditures: $43 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Industries: complete range of mining and extractive industries producing coal, oil, gas, chemicals, and metals; all forms of machine building from rolling mills to high-performance aircraft and space vehicles; shipbuilding; road and rail transportation equipment; communications equipment; agricultural machinery, tractors, and construction equipment; electric power generating and transmitting equipment; medical and scientific instruments; consumer durables, textiles, foodstuffs, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate: 5.2% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 835.572 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 66.14% hydro: 18.89% other: 0.31% (2000) nuclear: 14.66%

Electricity - consumption: 767.082 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 18 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 8 billion kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, vegetables, fruits; beef, milk

Exports: $103.3 billion (2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: petroleum and petroleum products, natural gas, wood and wood products, metals, chemicals, and a wide variety of civilian and military manufactures

Exports - partners: Germany 9.0%, US 7.2%, Italy 7.0%, Belarus 5.4%,
China 5.1%, Ukraine 4.9%, Netherlands (2000)

Imports: $51.7 billion (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, consumer goods, medicines, meat, grain, sugar, semifinished metal products

Imports - partners: Germany 11.5%, Belarus 11.1%, Ukraine 10.8%, US 8.0%,
Kazakhstan 6.5%, Italy 3.6% (2000)

Debt - external: $157 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $8.523 billion (1995)

Currency: Russian ruble (RUR)

Currency code: RUR

Exchange rates: Russian rubles per US dollar - 30.4669 (January 2002), 29.1685 (2001), 28.1292 (2000), 24.6199 (1999), 9.7051 (1998), 5,785 (1997) note: 1998 rubles

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Russia

Telephones - main lines in use: 30 million (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 2.5 million (October 2000)

Telephone system: general assessment: the telephone system has undergone significant changes in the 1990s; there are more than 1,000 companies licensed to offer communication services; access to digital lines has improved, particularly in urban centers; Internet and e-mail services are improving; Russia has made progress toward building the telecommunications infrastructure necessary for a market economy; however, a large demand for main line service remains unsatisfied domestic: cross-country digital trunk lines run from Saint Petersburg to Khabarovsk, and from Moscow to Novorossiysk; the telephone systems in 60 regional capitals have modern digital infrastructures; cellular services, both analog and digital, are available in many areas; in rural areas, the telephone services are still outdated, inadequate, and low density international: Russia is connected internationally by three undersea fiber-optic cables; digital switches in several cities provide more than 50,000 lines for international calls; satellite earth stations provide access to Intelsat, Intersputnik, Eutelsat, Inmarsat, and Orbita systems

Radio broadcast stations: AM 420, FM 447, shortwave 56 (1998)

Radios: 61.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 7,306 (1998)

Televisions: 60.5 million (1997)

Internet country code: .ru

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 35 (2000)

Internet users: 9.2 million (2000)

Transportation Russia

Railways: total: 87,157 km broad gauge: 86,200 km 1.520-m gauge (40,300 km are electrified) narrow gauge: 957 km 1.067-m gauge (installed on Sakhalin Island) note: an additional 63,000 km of broad gauge routes serve specific industries and are not available for common carrier use (2002)

Highways: total: 952,000 km paved: 752,000 km (including about 336,000 km of conventionally paved roads, and about 416,000 km of roads with all-weather gravel surfaces) unpaved: 200,000 km (these roads are made of unstabilized earth and are difficult to negotiate in wet weather) (1998)

Waterways: 95,900 km (total routes in general use) note: routes with navigation guides serving the Russian River Fleet - 95,900 km; routes with night navigational aids - 60,400 km; man-made navigable routes - 16,900 km (Jan 1994)

Pipelines: crude oil 48,000 km; petroleum products 15,000 km; natural gas 140,000 km (June 1993 est.)

Ports and harbors: Aleksandrovsk-Sakhalinsky, Arkhangel'sk, Astrakhan',
De-Kastri, Indigirskiy, Kaliningrad, Kandalaksha, Kazan', Khabarovsk,
Kholmsk, Krasnoyarsk, Lazarev, Mago, Mezen', Moscow, Murmansk, Nakhodka,
Nevel'sk, Novorossiysk, Onega, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, Rostov,
Shakhtersk, Saint Petersburg, Sochi, Taganrog, Tuapse, Uglegorsk, Vanino,
Vladivostok, Volgograd, Vostochnyy, Vyborg

Merchant marine: total: 888 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,390,745 GRT/5,357,436 DWT ships by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 21, cargo 556, chemical tanker 7, combination bulk 21, combination ore/oil 6, container 29, multi-functional large-load carrier 1, passenger 41, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 153, refrigerated cargo 22, roll on/roll off 20, short-sea passenger 7 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Belize 1, Cambodia 1, Cyprus 9, Denmark 1, Estonia 4, Greece 3, Honduras 1, Latvia 4, Lithuania 3, Moldova 3, Netherlands 1, South Korea 1, Turkey 18, Turkmenistan 2, Ukraine 10, United Kingdom 5, United States 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 2,743 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: 178 1,524 to 2,437 m: Airports - with unpaved runways: 118 1,524 to 2,437 m: Military Russia

Military branches: Ground Forces, Navy, Air Forces, Space Forces,
Airborne Forces, Strategic Rocket Forces

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 38,906,796 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 30,392,946 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 1,242,778 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Transnational Issues Russia

Disputes - international: 2001 Treaty of Good Neighborliness, Friendship, and Cooperation commits Russia and China to seek peaceable unanimity over disputed alluvial islands at the confluence of the Amur and Ussuri rivers and a small island on the Argun; Russia hastens to delimit and demarcate boundary with Kazakhstan to limit illegal border activities; in 2002, Russia is the first state to submit data to the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf to extend its continental shelf by claiming two undersea ridges in the Arctic; Russia signed bilateral agreements with Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan delimiting the Caspian seabed, but littoral states are far from multilateral agreement on dividing the waters and seabed regimes - Iran insists on division of Caspian Sea into five equal sectors while Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan have generally agreed upon equidistant seabed boundaries; despite recent discussions, Russia and Norway dispute their maritime limits in the Barents Sea and Russia's fishing rights beyond Svalbard's territorial limits within the Svalbard Treaty zone; Russia continues to reject signing and ratifying the joint December 1996 technical border agreement with Estonia; the Russian Duma refuses to ratify boundary treaties signed with Latvia and Lithuania; Russia and Ukraine have successfully delimited land boundary in 2001, but disagree on delimitation of maritime boundary in the Sea of Azov and Black Sea; boundary with Georgia has been largely delimited, but not demarcated; several small, strategic segments remain in dispute; islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, and Shikotan, and the Habomai group occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945, now administered by Russia, claimed by Japan

Illicit drugs: limited cultivation of illicit cannabis and opium poppy and producer of amphetamine, mostly for domestic consumption; government has active eradication program; increasingly used as transshipment point for Southwest and Southeast Asian opiates and cannabis and Latin American cocaine to Western Europe, possibly to the US, and growing domestic market; major source of heroin precursor chemicals; corruption and organized crime are major concerns; heroin an increasing threat in domestic drug market

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Rwanda

Introduction

Rwanda

Background: In 1959, three years before independence from Belgium, the majority ethnic group, the Hutus, overthrew the ruling Tutsi king. Over the next several years thousands of Tutsis were killed, and some 150,000 driven into exile in neighboring countries. The children of these exiles later formed a rebel group, the Rwandan Patriotic Front and began a civil war in 1990. The war, along with several political and economic upheavals, exacerbated ethnic tensions culminating in April 1994 in the genocide of roughly 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus. The Tutsi rebels defeated the Hutu regime and ended the killing in July 1994, but approximately 2 million Hutu refugees - many fearing Tutsi retribution - fled to neighboring Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zaire. Since then most of the refugees have returned to Rwanda. Despite substantial international assistance and political reforms - including Rwanda's first local elections in March 1999 - the country continues to struggle to boost investment and agricultural output and to foster reconciliation. A series of massive population displacements, a nagging Hutu extremist insurgency, and Rwandan involvement in two wars over the past four years in the neighboring DROC continue to hinder Rwanda's efforts.

Geography Rwanda

Location: Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Geographic coordinates: 2 00 S, 30 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 26,338 sq km water: 1,390 sq km land: 24,948 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries: total: 893 km border countries: Burundi 290 km,
Democratic Republic of the Congo 217 km, Tanzania 217 km, Uganda 169 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: temperate; two rainy seasons (February to April, November to
January); mild in mountains with frost and snow possible

Terrain: mostly grassy uplands and hills; relief is mountainous with altitude declining from west to east

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Rusizi River 950 m highest point:
Volcan Karisimbi 4,519 m

Natural resources: gold, cassiterite (tin ore), wolframite (tungsten ore), methane, hydropower, arable land

Land use: arable land: 32% permanent crops: 10% other: 58% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 40 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: periodic droughts; the volcanic Virunga mountains are in the northwest along the border with Democratic Republic of the Congo

Environment - current issues: deforestation results from uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel; overgrazing; soil exhaustion; soil erosion; widespread poaching

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note: landlocked; most of the country is savanna grassland with the population predominantly rural

People Rwanda

Population: 7,398,074 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 41.7% (male 1,550,141; female 1,539,375) 15-64 years: 55.4% (male 2,039,573; female 2,057,059) 65 years and over: 2.9% (male 84,030; female 127,896) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.16% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 33.28 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 21.39 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 117.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 39.2 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 4.72 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 11.21% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 400,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 40,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Rwandan(s) adjective: Rwandan

Ethnic groups: Hutu 84%, Tutsi 15%, Twa (Pygmoid) 1%

Religions: Roman Catholic 56.5%, Protestant 26%, Adventist 11.1%,
Muslim 4.6%, indigenous beliefs 0.1%, none 1.7% (2001)

Languages: Kinyarwanda (official) universal Bantu vernacular, French (official), English (official), Kiswahili (Swahili) used in commercial centers

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 48% male: 52% female: 45% (1995 est.)

Government Rwanda

Country name: Rwandese Republic conventional short form: y'u Rwanda

Government type: republic; presidential, multiparty system

Capital: Kigali

Administrative divisions: 12 prefectures (in French - prefectures, singular - prefecture; in Kinyarwanda - plural - NA, singular - prefegitura); Butare, Byumba, Cyangugu, Gikongoro, Gisenyi, Gitarama, Kibungo, Kibuye, Kigali Rurale, Kigali-ville, Umutara, Ruhengeri

Independence: 1 July 1962 (from Belgium-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday: Independence Day, 1 July (1962)

Constitution: on 5 May 1995, the Transitional National Assembly adopted as Fundamental Law the constitution of 18 June 1991, provisions of the 1993 Arusha peace accord, the July 1994 Declaration by the Rwanda Patriotic Front, and the November 1994 multiparty protocol of understanding

Legal system: based on German and Belgian civil law systems and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal adult

Executive branch: chief of state: President Maj. Gen. Paul KAGAME (FPR) (since 22 April 2000) head of government: Prime Minister Bernard MAKUZA (since 8 March Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: special election for new president by deputies of the National Assembly and governmental ministers held 17 April 2000 (next national election to be held NA 2003); prime minister is appointed by the president election results: Paul KAGAME (FPR) elected president in a special parliamentary/ministerial ballot receiving 81 of a possible 86 votes

Legislative branch: unicameral Transitional National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale de Transition (a power-sharing body with 70 seats established on 12 December 1994 following a multiparty protocol of understanding; members were named by their parties, number of seats per party predetermined by the Arusha peace accord) note: four additional seats, two for women and two for youth, added in 2001 election results: seats by party under the Arusha peace accord - FPR 13, MDR 13, PSD 13, PL 13, PDC 6, RPA 6, PSR 2, PDI 2, UDPR 2; note - the distribution of seats was predetermined, four additional seats (two for women and two for youth) added in 2001 elections: the last national legislative elections were held 16 December 1988 for the National Development Council (the legislature prior to the advent of the Transitional National Assembly); no elections have been held for the Transitional National Assembly as the distribution of seats was predetermined by the Arusha peace accord

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; communal courts; appeals courts

Political parties and leaders: Centrist Democratic Party or PDC
[Jean-Nipomuscene NAYINZIRA]; Democratic Socialist Party or PSD [leader
NA]; Democratic Popular Union of Rwanda or UDPR [leader NA]; Democratic
Republican Movement or MDR [Celestin KABANDA]; Islamic Democratic Party or
PDI [Andre BUMAYA]; Liberal Party or PL [Pie MUGABO]; Party for Democratic
Renewal (officially banned) [Pasteur BIZIMURGI and Charilg NTAKIROTINKA];
Rwanda Patriotic Army or RPA [Maj. Gen. Paul KAGAME, commander]; Rwanda
Patriotic Front or FPR [Maj. Gen. Paul KAGAME]; Rwandan Socialist Party
or PSR [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders: IBUKA - association of genocide survivors

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEEAC,
CEPGL, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM,
OAU, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Richard SEZIBERA chancery: 1714 New Hampshire Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20009 FAX: [1] (202) 232-4544 telephone: [1] (202) 232-2882

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Margaret K. McMILLION since 13 December #337 Boulevard de la Revolution, Kigali mailing address: Flag description: three horizontal bands of sky blue (top, double width), yellow, and green, with a golden sun with 24 rays near the fly end of the blue band

Economy Rwanda

Economy - overview: Rwanda is a rural country with about 90% of the population engaged in (mainly subsistence) agriculture. It is the most densely populated country in Africa; landlocked with few natural resources and minimal industry. Primary exports are coffee and tea. The 1994 genocide decimated Rwanda's fragile economic base, severely impoverished the population, particularly women, and eroded the country's ability to attract private and external investment. However, Rwanda has made significant progress in stabilizing and rehabilitating its economy. GDP has rebounded, and inflation has been curbed. Rwanda received approval for debt relief from the IMF in late 2000 and continued to make progress on inflation, privatization, and GDP growth in 2001. However, export earnings were hindered by low global coffee prices, depriving the country of much needed hard currency. President KAGAME is encouraging investors to take advantage of export opportunities in Rwanda based on its membership in the COMESA free trade area and its access to the US and the EU markets through preferential trade agreements.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $7.2 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 5% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 46% industry: 20% services: 34% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 70% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.2% highest 10%: 24.2% (1983-85)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 28.9 (1983-85)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 3.6 million

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 90%

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $199.3 million expenditures: $445 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Industries: cement, agricultural products, small-scale beverages, soap, furniture, shoes, plastic goods, textiles, cigarettes

Industrial production growth rate: 7% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 113 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 2.65% hydro: 97.35% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 174.09 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 1 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 70 million kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: coffee, tea, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums), bananas, beans, sorghum, potatoes; livestock

Exports: $61 million (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: coffee, tea, hides, tin ore

Exports - partners: EU 56.9%, Pakistan 12.3%, US 9.2%, China 4.4%
Malaysia 4.4% (2000 est.)

Imports: $248 million (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, steel, petroleum products, cement and construction material

Imports - partners: Kenya 29.4%, EU 28%, US 10%, India 4.4%, Tanzania 2.2% (2000 est.)

Debt - external: $1.3 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $372.9 million (1999)

Currency: Rwandan franc (RWF)

Currency code: RWF

Exchange rates: Rwandan francs per US dollar - 456.81 (January 2002), 442.99 (2001), 389.70 (2000), 333.94 (1999) 312.31 (1998), 301.53 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Rwanda

Telephones - main lines in use: 11,000 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 11,000 (1999) note: Rwanda has mobile cellular service between Kigali and several prefecture capitals (2002)

Telephone system: general assessment: telephone system primarily serves business and government domestic: the capital, Kigali, is connected to the centers of the prefectures by microwave radio relay and, recently, by cellular telephone service; much of the network depends on wire and HF radiotelephone international: international connections employ microwave radio relay to neighboring countries and satellite communications to more distant countries; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) in Kigali (includes telex and telefax service)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 3 (two main FM programs are broadcast through a system of repeaters and the third FM program is a 24 hour BBC program), shortwave 1 (2002)

Radios: 601,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: NA

Televisions: NA; probably less than 1,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .rw

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: 5,000 (2001)

Transportation Rwanda

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 12,000 km paved: 1,000 km unpaved: 11,000 km (1997 est.)

Waterways: note: Lac Kivu navigable by shallow-draft barges and native craft

Ports and harbors: Cyangugu, Gisenyi, Kibuye

Airports: 8 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 3 (2001)

Military Rwanda

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,858,443 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 946,990 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $58 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.1% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Rwanda

Disputes - international: Tutsi, Hutu and other ethnic groups, political rebels, and various government forces continue fighting in Great Lakes region, transcending the boundaries of Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Saudi Arabia

Introduction Saudi Arabia

Background: In 1902 Abd al-Aziz Ibn SAUD captured Riyadh and set out on a 30-year campaign to unify the Arabian Peninsula. In the 1930s, the discovery of oil transformed the country. Following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990, Saudi Arabia accepted the Kuwaiti royal family and 400,000 refugees while allowing Western and Arab troops to deploy on its soil for the liberation of Kuwait the following year. A burgeoning population, aquifer depletion, and an economy largely dependent on petroleum output and prices are all major governmental concerns.

Geography Saudi Arabia

Location: Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, north of Yemen

Geographic coordinates: 25 00 N, 45 00 E

Map references: Middle East

Area: total: 1,960,582 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 1,960,582 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly more than one-fifth the size of the US

Land boundaries: total: 4,431 km border countries: Iraq 814 km,
Jordan 744 km, Kuwait 222 km, Oman 676 km, Qatar 60 km, UAE 457 km,
Yemen 1,458 km

Coastline: 2,640 km

Maritime claims: not specified territorial sea: Climate: harsh, dry desert with great temperature extremes

Terrain: mostly uninhabited, sandy desert

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point:
Jabal Sawda' 3,133 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper

Land use: arable land: 2% permanent crops: 0% other: 98% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 16,200 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: frequent sand and dust storms

Environment - current issues: desertification; depletion of underground water resources; the lack of perennial rivers or permanent water bodies has prompted the development of extensive seawater desalination facilities; coastal pollution from oil spills

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: extensive coastlines on Persian Gulf and Red Sea provide great leverage on shipping (especially crude oil) through Persian Gulf and Suez Canal

People Saudi Arabia

Population: 23,513,330 note: includes 5,360,526 non-nationals (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 42.4% (male 5,086,541; female 4,883,942) 15-64 years: 54.8% (male 7,493,304; female 5,396,985) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 362,780; female 289,778) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.27% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 37.25 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 5.86 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 1.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.39 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.25 male(s)/female total population: 1.22 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 49.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 70.2 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 6.21 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.01% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Saudi(s) adjective: Saudi or Saudi Arabian

Ethnic groups: Arab 90%, Afro-Asian 10%

Religions: Muslim 100%

Languages: Arabic

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 78% male: 84.2% female: 69.5% (2002 est.)

Government Saudi Arabia

Country name: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia conventional short form: short form: Al Arabiyah as Suudiyah

Government type: monarchy

Capital: Riyadh

Administrative divisions: 13 provinces (mintaqat, singular - mintaqah);
Al Bahah, Al Hudud ash Shamaliyah, Al Jawf, Al Madinah, Al Qasim, Ar
Riyad, Ash Sharqiyah (Eastern Province), 'Asir, Ha'il, Jizan, Makkah,
Najran, Tabuk

Independence: 23 September 1932 (Unification of the Kingdom)

National holiday: Unification of the Kingdom, 23 September (1932)

Constitution: governed according to Shari'a (Islamic law); the Basic Law that articulates the government's rights and responsibilities was introduced in 1993

Legal system: based on Islamic law, several secular codes have been introduced; commercial disputes handled by special committees; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: none

Executive branch: chief of state: King and Prime Minister FAHD bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 13 June 1982); Crown Prince and First Deputy Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (half-brother to the monarch, heir to the throne since 13 June 1982, regent from 1 January to 22 February 1996); note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government elections: none; the monarch is hereditary head of government: King and Prime Minister FAHD bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 13 June 1982); Crown Prince and First Deputy Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (half-brother to the monarch, heir to the throne since 13 June 1982, regent from 1 January to 22 February 1996); note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers is appointed by the monarch and includes many royal family members

Legislative branch: a consultative council (90 members and a chairman appointed by the monarch for four-year terms)

Judicial branch: Supreme Council of Justice

Political parties and leaders: none allowed

Political pressure groups and leaders: none

International organization participation: ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF,
BIS, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-19, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM,
IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM,
OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador BANDAR bin Sultan bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud chancery: 601 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037 consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, and New York telephone: [1] (202) 342-3800

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Robert W. JORDAN (since 3 October 2001)
 Collector Road M, Diplomatic Quarter, Riyadh mailing address: [966]
 (1) 488-3800 FAX:
Flag description: green with large white Arabic script (that may be
translated as There is no God but God; Muhammad is the Messenger of
God) above a white horizontal saber (the tip points to the hoist side);
green is the traditional color of Islam

Economy Saudi Arabia

Economy - overview: This is an oil-based economy with strong government controls over major economic activities. Saudi Arabia has the largest reserves of petroleum in the world (26% of the proved reserves), ranks as the largest exporter of petroleum, and plays a leading role in OPEC. The petroleum sector accounts for roughly 75% of budget revenues, 45% of GDP, and 90% of export earnings. About 25% of GDP comes from the private sector. Roughly 4 million foreign workers play an important role in the Saudi economy, for example, in the oil and service sectors. Riyadh expects to have a budget deficit in 2002, in part because of increased spending for education and other social programs. The government in 1999 announced plans to begin privatizing the electricity companies, which follows the ongoing privatization of the telecommunications company. The government is expected to continue calling for private sector growth to lessen the kingdom's dependence on oil and increase employment opportunities for the swelling Saudi population. Shortages of water and rapid population growth will constrain government efforts to increase self-sufficiency in agricultural products.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $241 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 1.6% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $10,600 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 7% industry: 48% services: 45% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.7% (2001)

Labor force: 7 million note: 35% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (July 1998 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 12%, industry 25%, services 63% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $42 billion expenditures: $54 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2002 est.)

Industries: crude oil production, petroleum refining, basic petrochemicals, cement, construction, fertilizer, plastics

Industrial production growth rate: 1% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production: 123.5 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 114.855 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, tomatoes, melons, dates, citrus; mutton, chickens, eggs, milk

Exports: $66.9 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Exports - commodities: petroleum and petroleum products 90%

Exports - partners: US 17.4%, Japan 17.3%, South Korea 11.7%, Singapore 5.3%, India (2000)

Imports: $29.7 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, motor vehicles, textiles

Imports - partners: US 21.1%, Japan 9.4%, Germany 7.4%, UK 7.3% (2000)

Debt - external: $23.8 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - donor: pledged $100 million in 1993 to fund reconstruction of Lebanon; since 1993, Saudi Arabia has committed $208 million for assistance to the Palestinians; pledged $240 million to development in Afghanistan

Currency: Saudi riyal (SAR)

Currency code: SAR

Exchange rates: Saudi riyals per US dollar - 3.7450 (fixed rate since
June 1986)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Saudi Arabia

Telephones - main lines in use: 3.1 million (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 1 million note: in 1998, the government contracted for the installation of 575,000 additional Group Speciale Mobile (GSM) cellular telephone lines over 15 months to raise the total number of subscribers to more than one million; Riyadh planned to further expand the GSM system in 1999 by adding an additional one million lines (1998)

Telephone system: general assessment: modern system domestic: extensive microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and fiber-optic cable systems international: Sudan; coaxial cable to Kuwait and Jordan; submarine cable to Djibouti, Egypt and Bahrain; satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (3 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean), 1 Arabsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 43, FM 31, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios: 6.25 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 117 (1997)

Televisions: 5.1 million (1997)

Internet country code: .sa

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 42 (2001)

Internet users: 570,000 (2001)

Transportation Saudi Arabia

Railways: total: 1,392 km standard gauge: 1,392 km 1.435-m gauge (724 km are double-tracked) (2001)

Highways: total: 146,524 km paved: 44,104 km unpaved: 102,420 km (1997 est.)

Waterways: none

Pipelines: crude oil 6,400 km; petroleum products 150 km; natural gas 2,200 km (includes natural gas liquids 1,600 km)

Ports and harbors: Ad Dammam, Al Jubayl, Duba, Jiddah, Jizan, Rabigh, Ra's al Khafji, Mishab, Ras Tanura, Yanbu' al Bahr, Madinat Yanbu' al Sinaiyah

Merchant marine: total: 71 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,071,315 GRT/1,412,125 DWT ships by type: cargo 11, chemical tanker 10, container 4, livestock carrier 3, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 20, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 11, short-sea passenger 8 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Egypt 3, Finland 1, Greece 3, Kuwait 1, Sudan 1, United Arab Emirates 1, United Kingdom 3 (2002 est.)

Airports: 209 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: 12 11 914 to 1,523 m: Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 138 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 79 under 914 m: 15 (2001) 914 to 1,523 m: 39

Heliports: 5 (2001)

Military Saudi Arabia

Military branches: Land Force (Army), Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force,
National Guard, Ministry of Interior Forces (paramilitary)

Military manpower - military age: 17 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 6,007,635 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 3,359,849 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 233,402 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $18.3 billion (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 13% (FY00)

Transnational Issues Saudi Arabia

Disputes - international: demarcation of delimited boundary with Yemen involves nomadic tribal affiliations; because details of 1974 and 1977 treaties have not been made public, the exact location of the Saudi Arabia-UAE boundary is unknown and status is considered de facto

Illicit drugs: death penalty for traffickers; increasing consumption of heroin and cocaine

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Introduction Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Background: First settled by the French in the early 17th century, the islands represent the sole remaining vestige of France's once vast North American possessions.

Geography Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Location: Northern North America, islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, south of Newfoundland (Canada)

Geographic coordinates: 46 50 N, 56 20 W

Map references: North America

Area: total: 242 sq km note: includes eight small islands in the Saint
Pierre and the Miquelon groups water: 0 sq km land: 242 sq km

Area - comparative: 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 120 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: cold and wet, with much mist and fog; spring and autumn are windy

Terrain: mostly barren rock

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Morne de la Grande Montagne 240 m

Natural resources: fish, deepwater ports

Land use: arable land: 13% permanent crops: 0% other: 87% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: persistent fog throughout the year can be a maritime hazard

Environment - current issues: recent test drilling for oil in waters around Saint Pierre and Miquelon may bring future development that would impact the environment

Geography - note: vegetation scanty

People Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Population: 6,954 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 25.4% (male 904; female 864) 15-64 years: 64.4% (male 2,288; female 2,193) 65 years and over: 10.2% (male 303; female 402) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.35% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 14.96 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 6.61 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -4.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 8.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 80.32 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.1 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women) adjective: French

Ethnic groups: Basques and Bretons (French fishermen)

Religions: Roman Catholic 99%

Languages: French

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (1982 est.)

Government Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Country name: conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Saint Pierre and Miquelon conventional short form: Saint Pierre and Miquelon local short form: Saint-Pierre et Miquelon local long form: Departement de Saint-Pierre et Miquelon

Dependency status: self-governing territorial collectivity of France

Government type: NA

Capital: Saint-Pierre

Administrative divisions: none (territorial collectivity of France); note - there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are two communes - Saint Pierre, Miquelon at the second order

Independence: none (territorial collectivity of France; has been under
French control since 1763)

National holiday: Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system: French law with special adaptations for local conditions, such as housing and taxation

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Jean-Francois TALLON (since NA) elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held, first round - 21 April 2002, second round - 5 May 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the General Council is elected by the members of the council head of government: President of the General Council Marc PLANTAGENEST (since NA) cabinet: NA

Legislative branch: unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats - 15 from Saint Pierre and 4 from Miquelon; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) elections: elections last held 19 and 26 Marach 2000 (next to be held NA April 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PS 12, PRG 2, UDF-RPR 5 note: Saint Pierre and Miquelon elect 1 seat to the French Senate; elections last held NA September 1995 (next to be held NA September 2004); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPR 1; Saint Pierre and Miquelon also elects 1 seat to the French National Assembly; elections last held, first round - 9 June 2002, second round - 16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UDF 1

Judicial branch: Superior Tribunal of Appeals or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel

Political parties and leaders: PRG [leader NA]; Rassemblement pour la Republique or RPR [leader NA]; Socialist Party or PS [leader NA]; Union pour la Democratie Francaise or UDF [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: FZ, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territorial collectivity of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territorial collectivity of France)

Flag description: a yellow sailing ship facing the hoist side rides on a dark blue background with a black wave line under the ship; on the hoist side, a vertical band is divided into three parts: the top part is red with a green diagonal cross extending to the corners overlaid by a white cross dividing the square into four sections; the middle part has a white background with an ermine pattern; the third part has a red background with two stylized yellow lions outlined in black, one on top of the other; the flag of France is used for official occasions

Economy Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Economy - overview: The inhabitants have traditionally earned their livelihood by fishing and by servicing fishing fleets operating off the coast of Newfoundland. The economy has been declining, however, because of disputes with Canada over fishing quotas and a steady decline in the number of ships stopping at Saint Pierre. In 1992, an arbitration panel awarded the islands an exclusive economic zone of 12,348 sq km to settle a longstanding territorial dispute with Canada, although it represents only 25% of what France had sought. The islands are heavily subsidized by France to the great betterment of living standards. The government hopes an expansion of tourism will boost economic prospects. Recent test drilling for oil may pave the way for development of the energy sector.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $74 million (1996 est.); supplemented by annual payments from France of about $60 million

GDP - real growth rate: NA%

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $11,000 (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.1% (1991-96 average)

Labor force: 3,000 (1997)

Labor force - by occupation: fishing 18%, industry (mainly fish-processing) 41%, services 41% (1996 est.)

Unemployment rate: 9.8% (1997)

Budget: revenues: $70 million expenditures: $60 million, including capital expenditures of $24 million (1996 est.)

Industries: fish processing and supply base for fishing fleets; tourism

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 41 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 38.13 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: vegetables; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish

Exports: $12 million (f.o.b., 1999)

Exports - commodities: fish and fish products, soybeans, animal feed, mollusks and crustaceans, fox and mink pelts

Exports - partners: US 43%, Egypt 14%, Japan 11%, Colombia 8% (1999)

Imports: $55 million (f.o.b., 1999)

Imports - commodities: meat, clothing, fuel, electrical equipment, machinery, building materials

Imports - partners: France 44%, Canada 40% (1999)

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid - recipient: approximately $60 million in annual grants from France

Currency: euro (EUR); French franc (FRF)

Currency code: EUR; FRF

Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 1.06594 (January 2001), 1.08540 (2000), 0.93863 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Telephones - main lines in use: 4,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 0 (1994)

Telephone system: general assessment: adequate domestic: NA international: radiotelephone communication with most countries in the world; 1 earth station in French domestic satellite system

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 4,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 0 (there are, however, two repeaters which rebroadcast programs from France, Canada, and the US) (1997)

Televisions: 4,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .pm

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: NA

Transportation Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 114 km paved: 69 km unpaved: 45 km (1994 est.)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Saint Pierre

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: 2 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)

Military Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Saint Kitts and Nevis

Introduction Saint Kitts and Nevis

Background: First settled by the British in 1623, the islands became an associated state with full internal autonomy in 1967. The island of Anguilla rebelled and was allowed to secede in 1971. Saint Kitts and Nevis achieved independence in 1983. In 1998, a vote in Nevis on a referendum to separate from Saint Kitts fell short of the two-thirds majority needed.

Geography Saint Kitts and Nevis

Location: Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, about one-third of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates: 17 20 N, 62 45 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 261 sq km (Saint Kitts 168 sq km; Nevis 93 sq km) water: 0 sq km land: 261 sq km

Area - comparative: 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 135 km

Maritime claims: 200 NM territorial sea: Climate: tropical tempered by constant sea breezes; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)

Terrain: volcanic with mountainous interiors

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point:
Mount Liamuiga 1,156 m

Natural resources: arable land

Land use: arable land: 17% permanent crops: 3% other: 80% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: hurricanes (July to October)

Environment - current issues: NA

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed,
but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: with coastlines in the shape of a baseball bat and ball, the two volcanic islands are separated by a three-km-wide channel called The Narrows; on the southern tip of long, baseball bat-shaped Saint Kitts lies the Great Salt Pond; Nevis Peak sits in the center of its almost circular namesake island and its ball shape complements that of its sister island

People Saint Kitts and Nevis

Population: 38,736 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 29.4% (male 5,827; female 5,571) 15-64 years: 61.9% (male 11,980; female 12,005) 65 years and over: 8.7% (male 1,383; female 1,970) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.01% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 18.61 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 9.04 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -9.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 15.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 74.26 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.39 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Kittitian(s), Nevisian(s) adjective: Kittitian,
Nevisian

Ethnic groups: predominantly black some British, Portuguese, and Lebanese

Religions: Anglican, other Protestant, Roman Catholic

Languages: English

Literacy: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population:
Government Saint Kitts and Nevis

Country name: conventional long form: Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis conventional short form: Saint Kitts and Nevis former: Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis

Government type: constitutional monarchy with Westminster-style parliament

Capital: Basseterre

Administrative divisions: 14 parishes; Christ Church Nichola Town,
Saint Anne Sandy Point, Saint George Basseterre, Saint George Gingerland,
Saint James Windward, Saint John Capesterre, Saint John Figtree, Saint
Mary Cayon, Saint Paul Capesterre, Saint Paul Charlestown, Saint Peter
Basseterre, Saint Thomas Lowland, Saint Thomas Middle Island, Trinity
Palmetto Point

Independence: 19 September 1983 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 19 September (1983)

Constitution: 19 September 1983

Legal system: based on English common law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Cuthbert Montraville SEBASTIAN (since 1 January 1996) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general in consultation with the prime minister head of government: Minister Sam CONDOR (since 6 July 1995)

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (14 seats, 3 appointed and 11 popularly elected from single-member constituencies; members serve five-year terms) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - SKNLP 8, CCM 2, NRP 1 elections: last held 6 March 2000 (next to be held by July 2005)

Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on Saint Lucia; one judge of the Supreme Court resides in Saint Kitts and Nevis)

Political parties and leaders: Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Vance
AMORY]; Nevis Reformation Party or NRP [Joseph PARRY]; People's Action
Movement or PAM [Lindsey GRANT]; Saint Kitts and Nevis Labor Party or
SKNLP [Dr. Denzil DOUGLAS]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC,
FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: Ambassador Dr. Izben Cordinal
WILLIAMS chancery: 686-2636 FAX: [1] (202) 686-5740

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Saint Kitts and Nevis; the US Ambassador in Barbados is accredited to Saint Kitts and Nevis

Flag description: divided diagonally from the lower hoist side by a broad black band bearing two white, five-pointed stars; the black band is edged in yellow; the upper triangle is green, the lower triangle is red

Economy Saint Kitts and Nevis

Economy - overview: Sugar was the traditional mainstay of the St. Kitts economy until the 1970s. Although the crop still dominates the agricultural sector, activities such as tourism, export-oriented manufacturing, and offshore banking have assumed larger roles in the economy. As tourism revenues are now the chief source of the islands' foreign exchange, a decline in stopover tourist arrivals following the September 11 terrorist attacks has eroded government finances. The government revised estimates of 2001 growth down to 1% and faces dim recovery prospects in 2002, given the depressed state of the tourism industry, low sugar prices, and a growing budget deficit.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $339 million (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 1% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $8,700 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.5% industry: 25.8% services: 70.7% (2001)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.7% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 18,172 (June 1995)

Labor force - by occupation: NA

Unemployment rate: 4.5% (1997)

Budget: revenues: $85.7 million expenditures: $95.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Industries: sugar processing, tourism, cotton, salt, copra, clothing, footwear, beverages

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 95 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 88.35 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: sugarcane, rice, yams, vegetables, bananas; fish

Exports: $51.7 million (2000 est.)

Exports - commodities: machinery, food, electronics, beverages, tobacco

Exports - partners: US 68.5%, UK 22.3%, Caricom countries 5.5% (1995 est.)

Imports: $141.3 million (2000 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery, manufactures, food, fuels

Imports - partners: US 42.4%, Caricom countries 17.2%, UK 11.3% (1995 est.)

Debt - external: $140 million (2000)

Economic aid - recipient: $5.5 million (1995)

Currency: East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code: XCD

Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Saint Kitts and Nevis

Telephones - main lines in use: 17,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 205 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: good interisland and international connections domestic: interisland links to Antigua and Barbuda and Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles) are handled by VHF/UHF/SHF radiotelephone international: international calls are carried by radiotelephone to Antigua and Barbuda and switched there to submarine cable or to Intelsat; or carried to Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles) by radiotelephone and switched to Intelsat

Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 28,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (plus three repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 10,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .kn

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 16 (2000)

Internet users: 2,000 (2000)

Transportation Saint Kitts and Nevis

Railways: total: 58 km narrow gauge: 58 km 0.762-m gauge on Saint Kitts to serve sugarcane plantations (2002)

Highways: total: 320 km paved: 136 km unpaved: 184 km (2000)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Basseterre, Charlestown

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: 2 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)

Military Saint Kitts and Nevis

Military branches: Saint Kitts and Nevis Defense Force (including Coast
Guard), Royal Saint Kitts and Nevis Police Force (including Special
Service Unit)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Transnational Issues Saint Kitts and Nevis

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Seychelles

Introduction

Seychelles

Background: A lengthy struggle between France and Great Britain for the islands ended in 1814, when they were ceded to the latter. Independence came in 1976. Socialist rule was brought to a close with a new constitution and free elections in 1993.

Geography Seychelles

Location: Eastern Africa, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar

Geographic coordinates: 4 35 S, 55 40 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 455 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 455 sq km

Area - comparative: 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 491 km

Maritime claims: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: Climate: tropical marine; humid; cooler season during southeast monsoon (late May to September); warmer season during northwest monsoon (March to May)

Terrain: Mahe Group is granitic, narrow coastal strip, rocky, hilly; others are coral, flat, elevated reefs

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point:
Morne Seychellois 905 m

Natural resources: fish, copra, cinnamon trees

Land use: arable land: 2% permanent crops: 13% other: 85% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; short droughts possible

Environment - current issues: water supply depends on catchments to collect rainwater

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: Geography - note: 40 granitic and about 50 coralline islands

People Seychelles

Population: 80,098 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 27.8% (male 11,238; female 11,002) 15-64 years: 66% (male 25,763; female 27,086) 65 years and over: 6.2% (male 1,667; female 3,342) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.47% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 17.27 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 6.57 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -5.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.5 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 16.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 76.63 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.81 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Seychellois (singular and plural) adjective:
Seychellois

Ethnic groups: mixed French, African, Indian, Chinese, and Arab

Religions: Roman Catholic 86.6%, Anglican 6.8%, other Christian 2.5%, other 4.1%

Languages: English (official), French (official), Creole

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 58% male: 56% female: 60% (1971 est.)

Government Seychelles

Country name: Republic of Seychelles conventional short form: Government type: republic

Capital: Victoria

Administrative divisions: 23 administrative districts; Anse aux Pins,
Anse Boileau, Anse Etoile, Anse Louis, Anse Royale, Baie Lazare, Baie
Sainte Anne, Beau Vallon, Bel Air, Bel Ombre, Cascade, Glacis, Grand'
Anse (on Mahe), Grand' Anse (on Praslin), La Digue, La Riviere Anglaise,
Mont Buxton, Mont Fleuri, Plaisance, Pointe La Rue, Port Glaud, Saint
Louis, Takamaka

Independence: 29 June 1976 (from UK)

National holiday: Constitution Day (National Day), 18 June (1993)

Constitution: 18 June 1993

Legal system: based on English common law, French civil law, and customary law

Suffrage: 17 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President France Albert RENE (since 5 June 1977); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 31 August-2 September 2001 (next to be held NA 2006) election results: France Albert RENE reelected president; percent of vote - France Albert RENE (SPPF) 54.19%, Wavel RAMKALAWAN (UO) 44.95%, Philippe BOULLE 0.86%; note - the first time that presidential elections have been held separately from legislative elections cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president head of government: President France Albert RENE (since 5 June 1977); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (34 seats - 25 elected by popular vote, 9 allocated on a proportional basis to parties winning at least 10 % of the vote; members serve five-year terms) elections: percent of vote by party - SPPF 61.7%, UO 26.1%, DP 12.1%; seats by party - SPPF 30, UO 3, DP 1 note: the 9 awarded seats are apportioned according to the percentage that each party won of the total vote

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; judges for both courts are appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party or DP [James MANCHAM];
Seychelles National Party or SNP (formerly the United Opposition or
UO) [Wavel RAMKALAWAN]; Seychelles People's Progressive Front or SPPF
[France Albert RENE] - the governing party

Political pressure groups and leaders: Roman Catholic Church; trade unions

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA,
FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
InOC, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SADC,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Claude Sylvestre MOREL chancery: 800 Second [1] (212) 972-1786 telephone: Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Seychelles; the ambassador to Mauritius is accredited to the Seychelles

Flag description: five oblique bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, red, white, and green (bottom) radiating from the bottom of the hoist side

Economy Seychelles

Economy - overview: Since independence in 1976, per capita output in this Indian Ocean archipelago has expanded to roughly seven times the old near-subsistence level. Growth has been led by the tourist sector, which employs about 30% of the labor force and provides more than 70% of hard currency earnings, and by tuna fishing. In recent years the government has encouraged foreign investment in order to upgrade hotels and other services. At the same time, the government has moved to reduce the dependence on tourism by promoting the development of farming, fishing, and small-scale manufacturing. The vulnerability of the tourist sector was illustrated by the sharp drop in 1991-92 due largely to the Gulf war and once again following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks on the US. Other issues facing the government are the curbing of the budget deficit, including the containment of social welfare costs, and further privatization of public enterprises. Growth slowed in 1998-2001, due to sluggish tourist and tuna sectors. Also, tight controls on exchange rates and the scarcity of foreign exchange have impaired short-term economic prospects. The black market value of the Seychelles rupee is half the official exchange rate; without a devaluation of the currency the tourist sector should remain sluggish as vacationers seek cheaper destinations such as Comoros, Mauritius, and Madagascar.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $605 million (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 1.5% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $7,600 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.1% industry: 26.3% services: 70.6% (1999)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.1% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 30,900 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation: industry 19%, services 71%, agriculture 10% (1989)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $249 million expenditures: $262 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)

Industries: fishing; tourism; processing of coconuts and vanilla, coir (coconut fiber) rope, boat building, printing, furniture; beverages

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 160 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 148.8 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava (tapioca), bananas; broiler chickens; tuna fish

Exports: $182.6 million (f.o.b., 2001)

Exports - commodities: canned tuna, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum products (reexports)

Exports - partners: UK 48.1%, Italy 23.1%, France 14.8%, Netherlands 2.7% (1999)

Imports: $360.2 million (f.o.b., 2001)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals

Imports - partners: Italy 13.3%, South Africa 10.7%, France 9.9%,
UK 8.0%, Singapore 7.7% (1999)

Debt - external: $240 million (1999 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $16.4 million (1995)

Currency: Seychelles rupee (SCR)

Currency code: SCR

Exchange rates: Seychelles rupees per US dollar - 5.7458 (January 2002), 5.8575 (2001), 5.7138 (2000), 5.3426 (1999), 5.2622 (1998), 5.0263 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Seychelles

Telephones - main lines in use: 19,635 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 16,316 (1999)

Telephone system: general assessment: effective system domestic: radiotelephone communications between islands in the archipelago international: direct radiotelephone communications with adjacent island countries and African coastal countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios: 42,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 2 (plus 9 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 11,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .sc

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: 6,000 (2001)

Transportation Seychelles

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 280 km paved: 176 km unpaved: 104 km (1997)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Victoria

Merchant marine: total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 7,086 GRT/10,192 DWT ships by type: cargo 2 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: South Africa 2 (2002 est.)

Airports: 14 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 4 (2001)

Military Seychelles

Military branches: Army, Coast Guard (includes Air Wing), Presidential
Protection Unit (includes Presidential Guard), Police Force (includes
Police Mobile Unit, a special weapons and tactics unit capable of
assisting the Army in maintaining internal stability)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 23,210 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 11,554 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $11 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.8% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Seychelles

Disputes - international: claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered
British Indian Ocean Territory)

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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South Africa

Introduction South Africa

Background: After the British seized the Cape of Good Hope area in 1806, many of the Dutch settlers (the Boers) trekked north to found their own republics. The discovery of diamonds (1867) and gold (1886) spurred wealth and immigration and intensified the subjugation of the native inhabitants. The Boers resisted British encroachments, but were defeated in the Boer War (1899-1902). The resulting Union of South Africa operated under a policy of apartheid - the separate development of the races. The 1990s brought an end to apartheid politically and ushered in black majority rule.

Geography South Africa

Location: Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa

Geographic coordinates: 29 00 S, 24 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 1,219,912 sq km land: 1,219,912 sq km note: includes Prince
Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince Edward Island) water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries: total: 4,862 km border countries: Botswana 1,840 km,
Lesotho 909 km, Mozambique 491 km, Namibia 967 km, Swaziland 430 km,
Zimbabwe 225 km

Coastline: 2,798 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate: mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights

Terrain: vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Njesuthi 3,408 m

Natural resources: gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas

Land use: arable land: 12% permanent crops: 1% other: 87% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 13,500 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: prolonged droughts

Environment - current issues: lack of important arterial rivers or lakes requires extensive water conservation and control measures; growth in water usage outpacing supply; pollution of rivers from agricultural runoff and urban discharge; air pollution resulting in acid rain; soil erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental
Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the
selected agreements

Geography - note: South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost completely surrounds Swaziland

People South Africa

Population: 43,647,658 note: South Africa took a census October 1996 that showed a population of 40,583,611 (after an official adjustment for a 6.8% underenumeration based on a postenumeration survey); estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 31.6% (male 6,943,761; female 6,849,745) 15-64 years: 63.4% (male 13,377,011; female 14,300,850) 65 years and over: 5% (male 816,222; female 1,360,069) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.02% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 20.63 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 18.86 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 61.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 45.68 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.38 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 19.94% (2000 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 5.2 million (2000 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 300,000 (2000 est.)

Nationality: noun: South African(s) adjective: South African

Ethnic groups: black 75.2%, white 13.6%, Colored 8.6%, Indian 2.6%

Religions: Christian 68% (includes most whites and Coloreds, about 60% of blacks and about 40% of Indians), Muslim 2%, Hindu 1.5% (60% of Indians), indigenous beliefs and animist 28.5%

Languages: 11 official languages, including Afrikaans, English, Ndebele,
Pedi, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 85% male: 86% female: 85% (2000 est.)

Government South Africa

Country name: Republic of South Africa conventional short form:
Government type: republic

Capital: Pretoria; note - Cape Town is the legislative center and
Bloemfontein the judicial center

Administrative divisions: 9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, North-West, Northern Cape, Northern Province (may have become Limpopo), Western Cape

Independence: 31 May 1910 (from UK)

National holiday: Freedom Day, 27 April (1994)

Constitution: 10 December 1996; this new constitution was certified by the Constitutional Court on 4 December 1996, was signed by then President MANDELA on 10 December 1996, and entered into effect on 3 February 1997; it is being implemented in phases

Legal system: based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Thabo MBEKI (since 16 June 1999); Executive Deputy President Jacob ZUMA (since 17 June 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term; election last held 2 June 1999 (next scheduled for sometime between May and July 2004) head of government: President Thabo MBEKI (since 16 June 1999); Executive Deputy President Jacob ZUMA (since 17 June 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: president; percent of National Assembly vote - 100% (by acclamation) note: ANC-IFP is the governing coalition

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consisting of the National Assembly (400 seats; members are elected by popular vote under a system of proportional representation to serve five-year terms) and the National Council of Provinces (90 seats, 10 members elected by each of the nine provincial legislatures for five-year terms; has special powers to protect regional interests, including the safeguarding of cultural and linguistic traditions among ethnic minorities); note - following the implementation of the new constitution on 3 February 1997 the former Senate was disbanded and replaced by the National Council of Provinces with essentially no change in membership and party affiliations, although the new institution's responsibilities have been changed somewhat by the new constitution elections: National Assembly and National Council of Provinces - last held 2 June 1999 (next to be held by 2 August 2004) election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - ANC 66.4%, DP 9.6%, IFP 8.6%, NP 6.9%, UDM 3.4%, ACDP 1.4%, FF 0.8%, other 2.9%; seats by party - ANC 266, DP 38, IFP 34, NP 28, UDM 14, ACDP 6, FF 3, other 11; National Council of Provinces - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - ANC 61, NP 17, FF 4, IFP 5, DP 3

Judicial branch: Constitutional Court; Supreme Court of Appeals; High
Courts; Magistrate Courts

Political parties and leaders: African Christian Democratic Party or ACDP [Kenneth MESHOE, president]; African National Congress or ANC [Thabo MBEKI, president]; Democratic Alliance (formed from the merger of the Democratic Party or DP and the New National Party or NP; note - NP split from DP in 2001) [Anthony LEON]; Freedom Front or FF [Dr. Pieter MULDER, president]; Inkatha Freedom Party or IFP [Mangosuthu BUTHELEZI, president]; New National Party or NP [Marthinus VAN SCHALKWYK]; Pan-Africanist Congress or PAC [Stanley MOGOBA, president]; United Democratic Movement or UDM [Bantu HOLOMISA]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Congress of South African Trade
Unions or COSATU [Zwelinzima VAVI, general secretary]; South African
Communist Party or SACP [Blade NZIMANDE, general secretary]; South African
National Civics Organization or SANCO [Mlungisi HLONGWANE, national
president]; note - COSATU and SACP are in a formal alliance with the ANC

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, BIS, C, CCC,
ECA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC,
NAM, NSG, OAU, OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNITAR, UNMEE, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: Ambassador Makate Sheila SISULU consulate(s) general: [1] (202) 232-4400 chancery: 3051 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Cameron H. HUME embassy: 877 Pretorius
 P. O. Box 9536, Pretoria 0001 telephone: Town, Durban, Johannesburg

Flag description: two equal width horizontal bands of red (top) and blue separated by a central green band which splits into a horizontal Y, the arms of which end at the corners of the hoist side; the Y embraces a black isosceles triangle from which the arms are separated by narrow yellow bands; the red and blue bands are separated from the green band and its arms by narrow white stripes note: prior to 26 April 1994, the flag was actually four flags in one - three miniature flags reproduced in the center of the white band of the former flag of the Netherlands, which had three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and blue; the miniature flags were a vertically hanging flag of the old Orange Free State with a horizontal flag of the UK adjoining on the hoist side and a horizontal flag of the old Transvaal Republic adjoining on the other side

Economy South Africa

Economy - overview: South Africa is a middle-income, developing country with an abundant supply of resources, well-developed financial, legal, communications, energy, and transport sectors, a stock exchange that ranks among the 10 largest in the world, and a modern infrastructure supporting an efficient distribution of goods to major urban centers throughout the region. However, growth has not been strong enough to cut into high unemployment, and daunting economic problems remain from the apartheid era, especially the problems of poverty and lack of economic empowerment among the disadvantaged groups. Other problems are crime, corruption, and HIV/AIDS. At the start of 2000, President MBEKI vowed to promote economic growth and foreign investment, and to reduce poverty by relaxing restrictive labor laws, stepping up the pace of privatization, and cutting unneeded governmental spending. The economy slowed in 2001, largely the result of the slowing of the international economy.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $412 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 2.6% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $9,400 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3% industry: 31% services: 66% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 50% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.1% highest 10%: 45.9% (1994)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 59.3 (1993-94)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.8% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 17 million economically active (2000)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: 37% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $22.6 billion expenditures: $24.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA billion (FY02/03)

Industries: mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold, chromium), automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textile, iron and steel, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs

Industrial production growth rate: 7% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 194.383 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 92.62% hydro: 0.69% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 6.69%

Electricity - consumption: 181.521 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 4.549 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 5.294 billion kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; beef, poultry, mutton, wool, dairy products

Exports: $32.3 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: gold, diamonds, platinum, other metals and minerals, machinery and equipment

Exports - partners: EU 33%, US 20%, Japan 6%, Mozambique 2.5% (2001 est.)

Imports: $28.1 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery, foodstuffs and equipment, chemicals, petroleum products, scientific instruments

Imports - partners: EU 41%, US 11.4%, Saudi Arabia 7.3%, Japan 7% (2001 est.)

Debt - external: $25.5 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $539 million (1999)

Currency: rand (ZAR)

Currency code: ZAR

Exchange rates: rand per US dollar - 11.58786 (January 2002), 8.60918 (2001), 6.93983 (2000), 6.10948 (1999), 5.52828 (1998), 4.60796 (1997)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Communications South Africa

Telephones - main lines in use: more than 5 million (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 7.06 million (2001)

Telephone system: general assessment: the system is the best developed and most modern in Africa domestic: consists of carrier-equipped open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay links, fiber-optic cable, radiotelephone communication stations, and wireless local loops; key centers are Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth, and Pretoria international: 2 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 14, FM 347 (plus 243 repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios: 17 million (2001)

Television broadcast stations: 556 (plus 144 network repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 6 million (2000)

Internet country code: .za

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 150 (2001)

Internet users: 2.4 million (2001)

Transportation South Africa

Railways: total: 20,384 km narrow gauge: 20,070 km 1.067-m gauge (9,090 km electrified); 314 km 0.610-m gauge note: in addition, South Africa has an electrified 1.065-m gauge commuter rail system, with a total length of 1,254 km, which serves Johannesburg-Pretoria, Cape Town, Durban, East London, and Port Elizabeth (2001)

Highways: total: 358,596 km paved: 59,753 km (including 1,927 km of expressways) unpaved: 298,843 km (1996)

Waterways: NA

Pipelines: crude oil 931 km; petroleum products 1,748 km; natural gas 322 km

Ports and harbors: Cape Town, Durban, East London, Mossel Bay, Port
Elizabeth, Richards Bay, Saldanha

Merchant marine: total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 271,650
GRT/268,604 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here
as a flag
 Denmark 3, Netherlands 1 (2002 est.) ships by type:
Airports: 740 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 144 over 3,047 m: 9 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 47 914 to 1,523 m: 72 under 914 m: 11 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 596 1,524 to 2,437 m: 34 914 to 1,523 m: 304 under 914 m: 258 (2001)

Military South Africa

Military branches: South African National Defense Force (including Army,
Navy, Air Force, and Medical Services), South African Police Service

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 11,557,242 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 7,031,337 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 466,399 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $1.79 billion (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.6% (FY01)

Military - note: the National Defense Force continues to integrate former military, black homelands forces, and ex-opposition forces

Transnational Issues South Africa

Disputes - international: Swaziland continues to press South Africa into ceding ethnic Swazi lands in Kangwane region of KwaZulu-Natal province, that were long ago part of the Swazi Kingdom

Illicit drugs: transshipment center for heroin, hashish, marijuana, and possibly cocaine; cocaine consumption on the rise; world's largest market for illicit methaqualone, usually imported illegally from India through various east African countries; illicit cultivation of marijuana

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Senegal

Introduction

Senegal

Background: Independent from France in 1960, Senegal joined with The Gambia to form the nominal confederation of Senegambia in 1982. However, the envisaged integration of the two countries was never carried out, and the union was dissolved in 1989. Despite peace talks, a southern separatist group sporadically has clashed with government forces since 1982. Senegal has a long history of participating in international peacekeeping.

Geography Senegal

Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania

Geographic coordinates: 14 00 N, 14 00 W

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 196,190 sq km land: 192,000 sq km water: 4,190 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than South Dakota

Land boundaries: total: 2,640 km border countries: The Gambia 740 km,
Guinea 330 km, Guinea-Bissau 338 km, Mali 419 km, Mauritania 813 km

Coastline: 531 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate: tropical; hot, humid; rainy season (May to November) has strong southeast winds; dry season (December to April) dominated by hot, dry, harmattan wind

Terrain: generally low, rolling, plains rising to foothills in southeast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed feature near Nepen Diakha 581 m

Natural resources: fish, phosphates, iron ore

Land use: arable land: 12% permanent crops: 0% other: 88% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 710 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: lowlands seasonally flooded; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: wildlife populations threatened by poaching; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; overfishing

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation,
Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands,
Whaling signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping

Geography - note: westernmost country on the African continent; The
Gambia is almost an enclave of Senegal

People Senegal

Population: 10,589,571 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 43.5% (male 2,321,789; female 2,290,105) 15-64 years: 53.4% (male 2,710,178; female 2,943,554) 65 years and over: 3.1% (male 159,445; female 164,500) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.91% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 36.99 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 8.14 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 55.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 64.61 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 5.03 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 1.4% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 95,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 10,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality: noun: Senegalese (singular and plural) adjective: Senegalese

Ethnic groups: Wolof 43.3%, Pular 23.8%, Serer 14.7%, Jola 3.7%,
Mandinka 3%, Soninke 1.1%, European and Lebanese 1%, other 9.4%

Religions: Muslim 94%, indigenous beliefs 1%, Christian 5% (mostly
Roman Catholic)

Languages: French (official), Wolof, Pulaar, Jola, Mandinka

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 39.1% male: 51.1% female: 28.9% (2001 est.)

Government Senegal

Country name: Republic of Senegal conventional short form: Government type: republic under multiparty democratic rule

Capital: Dakar

Administrative divisions: 10 regions (regions, singular - region); Dakar,
Diourbel, Fatick, Kaolack, Kolda, Louga, Saint-Louis, Tambacounda, Thies,
Ziguinchor note: there may be another region called Matam

Independence: 4 April 1960 (from France); complete independence was achieved upon dissolution of federation with Mali on 20 August 1960

National holiday: Independence Day, 4 April (1960)

Constitution: a new constitution was adopted 7 January 2001

Legal system: based on French civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Court; the Council of State audits the government's accounting office; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Abdoulaye WADE (since 1 April 2000) head of Prime Minister Madior BOYE (since 3 March 2001) cabinet: with the president election results: Abdoulaye WADE elected president; percent of vote in the second round of voting - Abdoulaye WADE (PDS) 58.49%, Abdou DIOUF (PS) 41.51% elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term under new constitution; election last held 27 February and 19 March 2000 (next to be held 27 February 2005); prime minister appointed by the president

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (120 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - SOPI Coalition 89, AFP 11, PS 10, other 10 note: the former National Assembly, dissolved in the spring of 2001, had 140 seats

Judicial branch: Constitutional Court; Council of State; Court of Final Appeals or Cour de Cassation; Court of Appeals; note-the judicial system was reformed in 1992

Political parties and leaders: African Party for Democracy and Socialism
or And Jef (also known as PADS/AJ) [Landing SAVANE, secretary general];
African Party of Independence [Majhemout DIOP]; Alliance of Forces of
Progress or AFP [Moustapha NIASSE]; Democratic and Patriotic Convention or
CDP (also known as Garab-Gi) [Dr. Iba Der THIAM]; Democratic League-Labor
Party Movement or LD-MPT [Dr. Abdoulaye BATHILY]; Front for Socialism and
Democracy or FSD [Cheikh Abdoulaye DIEYE]; Gainde Centrist Bloc or BGC
[Jean-Paul DIAS]; Independence and Labor Party or PIT [Amath DANSOKHO];
National Democratic Rally or RND [Madier DIOUF]; Senegalese Democratic
Party or PDS [Abdoulaye WADE]; Socialist Party or PS [Ousmane Tanor
DIENG]; SOPI Coalition (a coalition led by the PDS) [Abdoulaye WADE];
Union for Democratic Renewal or URD [Djibo Leyti KA]; other small parties

Political pressure groups and leaders: labor; Muslim brotherhoods; students; teachers

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA,
ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MIPONUH,
MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM,
UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOVIC, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Mamadou Mansour SECK FAX: [1] (202) 332-6315
 [1] (202) 234-0540 chancery:
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Harriet L. ELAM-THOMAS embassy: Avenue Jean XXIII at the corner of Rue
Kleber, Dakar mailing address: B. P. 49, Dakar telephone: [221] 823-4296,
823-7384 FAX: [221] 822-2991

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and red with a small green five-pointed star centered in the yellow band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy Senegal

Economy - overview: In January 1994, Senegal undertook a bold and ambitious economic reform program with the support of the international donor community. This reform began with a 50% devaluation of Senegal's currency, the CFA franc, which is linked at a fixed rate to the French franc. Government price controls and subsidies have been steadily dismantled. After seeing its economy contract by 2.1% in 1993, Senegal made an important turnaround, thanks to the reform program, with real growth in GDP averaging 5% annually during 1995-2001. Annual inflation had been pushed down to less than 1%, but rose to an estimated 3.3% in 2001. Investment rose steadily from 13.8% of GDP in 1993 to 16.5% in 1997. As a member of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), Senegal is working toward greater regional integration with a unified external tariff. Senegal also realized full Internet connectivity in 1996, creating a miniboom in information technology-based services. Private activity now accounts for 82% of GDP. On the negative side, Senegal faces deep-seated urban problems of chronic unemployment, trade union militancy, juvenile delinquency, and drug addiction.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $16.2 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 5.7% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,580 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 18.5% industry: 20.7% services: 60.8% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 54% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.4% highest 10%: 42.8% (1991)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 41.3 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.3% (2001 est.)

Labor force: NA

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 70%

Unemployment rate: 48% (urban youth 40%) (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $1.373 billion expenditures: $1.373 billion, including capital expenditures of $357 million (2002 est.)

Industries: agricultural and fish processing, phosphate mining, fertilizer production, petroleum refining, construction materials

Industrial production growth rate: 5.2% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production: 1.32 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 1.228 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: peanuts, millet, corn, sorghum, rice, cotton, tomatoes, green vegetables; cattle, poultry, pigs; fish

Exports: $1 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Exports - commodities: fish, groundnuts (peanuts), petroleum products, phosphates, cotton

Exports - partners: France 19%, Italy 12%, Spain 6%, Cote d'Ivoire 2% (2000)

Imports: $1.3 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Imports - commodities: foods and beverages, consumer goods, capital goods, petroleum products

Imports - partners: France 27%, Nigeria 19%, Germany 4%, US 4%, Italy 3% (2000)

Debt - external: $3.1 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $362.6 million (2002 est.)

Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Currency code: XOF

Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 742.79 (January 2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997); note - from 1 January 1999, the XOF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF per euro

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Senegal

Telephones - main lines in use: 234,916 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 373,965 (2001)

Telephone system: general assessment: good system domestic: above-average urban system; microwave radio relay, coaxial cable and fiber-optic cable in trunk system international: 4 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 10, FM 14, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 1.24 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)

Televisions: 361,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .sn

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 15 (2002)

Internet users: 40,000 (2001)

Transportation Senegal

Railways: total: 906 km narrow gauge: 906 km 1.000-meter gauge (70 km double-tracked) (2001)

Highways: total: 14,576 km paved: 4,271 km unpaved: 10,305 km (1996)

Waterways: 897 km note: 785 km on the Senegal river, and 112 km on the
Saloum river

Ports and harbors: Dakar, Kaolack, Matam, Podor, Richard Toll,
Saint-Louis, Ziguinchor

Airports: 20 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 9 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2001)

Military Senegal

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National
Police (Surete Nationale)

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 2,406,337 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,257,423 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 114,189 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $68.6 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.4% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Senegal

Disputes - international: Senegalese separatists disrupt legal border trade with smuggling, cattle rustling, and other illegal activities in Guinea-Bissau

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin moving to Europe and North America; illicit cultivator of cannabis

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Saint Helena

Introduction Saint Helena

Background: Uninhabited when first discovered by the Portuguese in 1502, Saint Helena was garrisoned by the British during the 17th century. It acquired fame as the place of Napoleon BONAPARTE's exile, from 1815 until his death in 1821, but its importance as a port of call declined after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. Ascension Island is the site of a US Air Force auxiliary airfield; Gough Island has a meteorological station.

Geography Saint Helena

Location: islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about midway between
South America and Africa

Geographic coordinates: 15 56 S, 5 42 W

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 410 sq km note: includes St. Helena Island, Ascension,
and the island group of Tristan da Cunha, which consists of Tristan da
Cunha Island, Gough Island, Inaccessible Island, and the three Nightingale
Islands water: 0 sq km land: 410 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 60 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: Saint Helena - tropical; marine; mild, tempered by trade winds; Tristan da Cunha - temperate; marine, mild, tempered by trade winds (tends to be cooler than Saint Helena)

Terrain: Saint Helena - rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plains note: Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha 2,060 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 13% permanent crops: 0% other: 87% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: harbors at least 40 species of plants unknown anywhere else in the world; Ascension is a breeding ground for sea turtles and sooty terns

People Saint Helena

Population: 7,317 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 18.8% (male 698; female 678) 15-64 years: 71.9% (male 2,727; female 2,531) 65 years and over: 9.3% (male 296; female 387) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.7% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 13.26 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 6.29 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 21.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 80.23 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.53 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Saint Helenian(s) adjective: Saint Helenian

Ethnic groups: African descent 50%, white 25%, Chinese 25%

Religions: Anglican (majority), Baptist, Seventh-Day Adventist,
Roman Catholic

Languages: English

Literacy: definition: age 20 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 97% female: 98% (1987 est.)

Government Saint Helena

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Saint Helena

Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK

Government type: NA

Capital: Jamestown

Administrative divisions: 1 administrative area and 2 dependencies*;
Ascension*, Saint Helena, Tristan da Cunha*

Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday: Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)

Constitution: 1 January 1989

Legal system: NA

Suffrage: NA years of age

Executive branch: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) elections: of government: Governor and Commander in Chief David HOLLAMBY (since NA June 1999) cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, two ex officio officers, and six elected members of the Legislative Council

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council (16 seats, including the speaker, 3 ex officio and 12 elected members; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 27 June 2001 (next to be held NA June 2005) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 15

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court; Small Debts Court;
Juvenile Court

Political parties and leaders: none

Political pressure groups and leaders: none

International organization participation: ICFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Saint Helenian shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield features a rocky coastline and three-masted sailing ship

Economy Saint Helena

Economy - overview: The economy depends largely on financial assistance from the UK, which amounted to about $5 million in 1997 or almost one-half of annual budgetary revenues. The local population earns income from fishing, the raising of livestock, and sales of handicrafts. Because there are few jobs, 25% of the work force has left to seek employment on Ascension Island, on the Falklands, and in the UK.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $18 million (1998 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: NA%

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,500 (1998 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.2% (1997 est.)

Labor force: 3,500 (1998 est.) note: 1,200 work offshore

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture and fishing 6%, industry (mainly construction) 48%, services 46% (1987 est.)

Unemployment rate: 14% (1998 est.)

Budget: revenues: $11.2 million expenditures: $11 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY92)

Industries: construction, crafts (furniture, lacework, fancy woodwork), fishing

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 5 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 4.65 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: corn, potatoes, vegetables; timber; fish, crawfish (on Tristan da Cunha)

Exports: $704,000 (f.o.b., 1995)

Exports - commodities: fish (frozen, canned, and salt-dried skipjack, tuna), coffee, handicrafts

Exports - partners: South Africa, UK

Imports: $14.434 million (c.i.f., 1995)

Imports - commodities: food, beverages, tobacco, fuel oils, animal feed, building materials, motor vehicles and parts, machinery and parts

Imports - partners: UK, South Africa

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid - recipient: $12.6 million (1995); note - $5.3 million from UK (1997)

Currency: Saint Helenian pound (SHP)

Currency code: SHP

Exchange rates: Saint Helenian pounds per US dollar - 0.6981 (January 2002), 0.6944 (2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998), 0.6047 (1997); note - the Saint Helenian pound is at par with the British pound

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Communications Saint Helena

Telephones - main lines in use: 2,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 0 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: can communicate worldwide domestic:
automatic network international: HF radiotelephone from Saint Helena to
Ascension which is a major coaxial submarine cable relay point between
South Africa, Portugal, and UK ; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat
(Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 3,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 0 (1997)

Televisions: 2,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .sh

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: NA

Communications - note: Gough Island has a meteorological station

Transportation Saint Helena

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 158 km (Saint Helena 118 km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da
Cunha 0 km) paved: 138 km (Saint Helena 98km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan
da Cunha 0 km) unpaved: 20 km (Saint Helena 20 km, Ascension 0 km,
Tristan da Cunha 0 km)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Georgetown (on Ascension), Jamestown

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: 1 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2001)

Military Saint Helena

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Saint Helena

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Slovenia

Introduction

Slovenia

Background: The Slovene lands were part of the Holy Roman Empire and Austria until 1918 when the Slovenes joined the Serbs and Croats in forming a new nation, renamed Yugoslavia in 1929. After World War II, Slovenia became a republic of the renewed Yugoslavia, which though Communist, distanced itself from Moscow's rule. Dissatisfied with the exercise of power of the majority Serbs, the Slovenes succeeded in establishing their independence in 1991. Historical ties to Western Europe, a strong economy, and a stable democracy make Slovenia a leading candidate for future membership in the EU and NATO.

Geography Slovenia

Location: Central Europe, eastern Alps bordering the Adriatic Sea, between Austria and Croatia

Geographic coordinates: 46 07 N, 14 49 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 20,273 sq km water: 122 sq km land: 20,151 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries: total: 1,334 km border countries: Austria 330 km,
Croatia 670 km, Italy 232 km, Hungary 102 km

Coastline: 46.6 km

Maritime claims: NA

Climate: Mediterranean climate on the coast, continental climate with mild to hot summers and cold winters in the plateaus and valleys to the east

Terrain: a short coastal strip on the Adriatic, an alpine mountain region adjacent to Italy and Austria, mixed mountain and valleys with numerous rivers to the east

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m highest point:
Triglav 2,864 m

Natural resources: lignite coal, lead, zinc, mercury, uranium, silver, hydropower, forests

Land use: arable land: 11% permanent crops: 3% other: 86% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: flooding and earthquakes

Environment - current issues: Sava River polluted with domestic and industrial waste; pollution of coastal waters with heavy metals and toxic chemicals; forest damage near Koper from air pollution (originating at metallurgical and chemical plants) and resulting acid rain

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air
Pollution-Sulphur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note: despite its small size, this eastern Alpine country controls some of Europe's major transit routes

People Slovenia

Population: 1,932,917 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 15.7% (male 155,989; female 147,707) 15-64 years: 69.8% (male 684,354; female 663,884) 65 years and over: 14.5% (male 103,790; female 177,193) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.14% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 9.27 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 10.07 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 2.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 4.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 79.37 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.28 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.02% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 200 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Slovene(s) adjective: Slovenian

Ethnic groups: Slovene 88%, Croat 3%, Serb 2%, Bosniak 1%, Yugoslav 0.6%,
Hungarian 0.4%, other 5% (1991)

Religions: Roman Catholic (Uniate 2%) 70.8%, Lutheran 1%, Muslim 1%, atheist 4.3%, other 22.9%

Languages: Slovenian 91%, Serbo-Croatian 6%, other 3%

Literacy: definition: NA total population: 99% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Slovenia

Country name: Republic of Slovenia conventional short form: Government type: parliamentary democratic republic

Capital: Ljubljana

Administrative divisions: 136 municipalities (obcine, singular - obcina)
and 11 urban municipalities* (mestne obcine , singular - mestna obcina )
Ajdovscina, Beltinci, Bled, Bohinj, Borovnica, Bovec, Brda, Brezice,
Brezovica, Cankova-Tisina, Celje*, Cerklje na Gorenjskem, Cerknica,
Cerkno, Crensovci, Crna na Koroskem, Crnomelj, Destrnik-Trnovska Vas,
Divaca, Dobrepolje, Dobrova-Horjul-Polhov Gradec, Dol pri Ljubljani,
Domzale, Dornava, Dravograd, Duplek, Gorenja Vas-Poljane, Gorisnica,
Gornja Radgona, Gornji Grad, Gornji Petrovci, Grosuplje, Hodos Salovci,
Hrastnik, Hrpelje-Kozina, Idrija, Ig, Ilirska Bistrica, Ivancna Gorica,
Izola, Jesenice, Jursinci, Kamnik, Kanal, Kidricevo, Kobarid, Kobilje,
Kocevje, Komen, Koper*, Kozje, Kranj*, Kranjska Gora, Krsko, Kungota,
Kuzma, Lasko, Lenart, Lendava, Litija, Ljubljana*, Ljubno, Ljutomer,
Logatec, Loska Dolina, Loski Potok, Luce, Lukovica, Majsperk, Maribor*,
Medvode, Menges, Metlika, Mezica, Miren-Kostanjevica, Mislinja,
Moravce, Moravske Toplice, Mozirje, Murska Sobota*, Muta, Naklo,
Nazarje, Nova Gorica*, Novo Mesto*, Odranci, Ormoz, Osilnica, Pesnica,
Piran, Pivka, Podcetrtek, Podvelka-Ribnica, Postojna, Preddvor, Ptuj*,
Puconci, Race-Fram, Radece, Radenci, Radlje ob Dravi, Radovljica,
Ravne-Prevalje, Ribnica, Rogasevci, Rogaska Slatina, Rogatec, Ruse,
Semic, Sencur, Sentilj, Sentjernej, Sentjur pri Celju, Sevnica, Sezana,
Skocjan, Skofja Loka, Skofljica, Slovenj Gradec*, Slovenska Bistrica,
Slovenske Konjice, Smarje pri Jelsah, Smartno ob Paki, Sostanj, Starse,
Store, Sveti Jurij, Tolmin, Trbovlje, Trebnje, Trzic, Turnisce, Velenje*,
Velike Lasce, Videm, Vipava, Vitanje, Vodice, Vojnik, Vrhnika, Vuzenica,
Zagorje ob Savi, Zalec, Zavrc, Zelezniki, Ziri, Zrece note: there may
be 45 more municipalities

Independence: 25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

National holiday: Independence Day/Statehood Day, 25 June (1991)

Constitution: adopted 23 December 1991, effective 23 December 1991

Legal system: based on civil law system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)

Executive branch: chief of state: President Milan KUCAN (since 22 April 1990) head of government: Prime Minister Janez DRNOVSEK (since 15 October 2000) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and elected by the National Assembly election results: Milan KUCAN elected president; percent of vote - Milan KUCAN 56.3%, Janez PODOBNIK 18%; Janez DRNOVSEK elected prime minister; percent of National Assembly vote - NA% elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 24 November 1997 (next to be held in the fall of 2002); following National Assembly elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually nominated to become prime minister by the president and elected by the National Assembly; election last held 15 October 2000 (next to be held NA October 2004)

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Drzavni Zbor (90 seats, 40 are directly elected and 50 are selected on a proportional basis; note - the numbers of directly elected and proportionally elected seats varies with each election; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) election results: percent of vote by party - LDS 36%, SDS 16%, ZLSD 12%, SLS/SKD 10%, NSi 9%, SMS 4%, SNS 4%, DeSUS 5%, other 4%; seats by party - LDS 34, SDS 14, ZLDS 11, SLS/SKD 9, NSi 8, SMS 4, SNS 4, DeSUS 4, other 2 note: the National Council or Drzavni Svet is an advisory body with limited legislative powers; it may propose laws and ask to review any National Assembly decisions; in the election of November 1997, 40 members were elected to represent local, professional, and socioeconomic interests (next election to be held in the fall of 2002) elections: National Assembly - last held 15 October 2000 (next to be held NA October 2004)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are elected by the National
Assembly on the recommendation of the Judicial Council); Constitutional
Court (judges elected for nine-year terms by the National Assembly and
nominated by the president)

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party of Retired (Persons)
of Slovenia or DeSUS [Janko KUSAR]; Liberal Democratic or LDS [Janez
DRNOVSEK, chairman]; New Slovenia or NSi [Andrej BAJUK, chairman];
Slovene National Party or SNS [Zmago JELINCIC, chairman]; Slovene People's
Party or SLS (Slovenian People's Party or SLS and Slovenian Christian
Democrats or SKD merged in April 2000) [Franc ZAGOZEN, chairman];
Slovene Youth Party or SMS [Peter LEVIC]; Social Democratic Party of
Slovenia or SDS [Janez JANSA, chairman]; United List of Social Democrats
(former Communists and allies) or ZLSD [Borut PAHOR, chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ABEDA, ACCT (observer), BIS,
CCC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO,
ITU, NAM (guest), NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNMIK, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Davorin KRACUN FAX: [1] (202) 667-4563 consulate(s) general: New York
and Cleveland telephone: [1] (202) 667-5363 chancery: 1525 New Hampshire
Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Johnny YOUNG embassy: Presernova 31, SI-1000 Ljubljana mailing address:
P. O. Box 254, Presernova 31, 1000 Ljubljana; American Embassy Ljubljana,
Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-7140 telephone: [386] (1)
200-5500 FAX: [386] (1) 200-5555

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red, with the Slovenian seal (a shield with the image of Triglav, Slovenia's highest peak, in white against a blue background at the center; beneath it are two wavy blue lines depicting seas and rivers, and above it are three six-pointed stars arranged in an inverted triangle which are taken from the coat of arms of the Counts of Celje, the great Slovene dynastic house of the late 14th and early 15th centuries); the seal is located in the upper hoist side of the flag centered in the white and blue bands

Economy Slovenia

Economy - overview: Although Slovenia enjoys a GDP per capita substantially higher than that of the other transitioning economies of Central Europe, it needs to speed up the privatization process and the dismantling of restrictions on foreign investment. About 45% of the economy remains in state hands, and the level of foreign direct investment inflows as a percent of GDP is the lowest in the region. Despite the global slowdown in 2001, the economy turned in an excellent record on exports, which grew 5%. Inflation dropped slightly but at 8.4% remains a matter of concern.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $31 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $16,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4% industry: 35% services: 61% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.9% highest 10%: 23% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 28.4 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8.4% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 857,400

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Unemployment rate: 11.5% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $8.11 billion expenditures: $8.32 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)

Industries: ferrous metallurgy and rolling mill products, aluminum reduction and rolled products, lead and zinc smelting, electronics (including military electronics), trucks, electric power equipment, wood products, textiles, chemicals, machine tools

Industrial production growth rate: 3.3% (2001)

Electricity - production: 12.816 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 34.93% hydro: 29.42% other: 0.23% (2000) nuclear: 35.42%

Electricity - consumption: 10.619 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 2 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 700 million kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: potatoes, hops, wheat, sugar beets, corn, grapes; cattle, sheep, poultry

Exports: $9.2 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Exports - commodities: manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food

Exports - partners: Germany 27.2%, Italy 13.6%, Croatia 7.9%, Austria 7.5%, France 7.1% (2000)

Imports: $9.9 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, chemicals, fuels and lubricants, food

Imports - partners: Germany 19.0%, Italy 17.4%, France 10.3%, Austria 8.2%, Croatia 4.4%, Hungary, Russia (2000)

Debt - external: $6.6 billion (2001)

Economic aid - recipient: ODA, $5 million (1993)

Currency: tolar (SIT)

Currency code: SIT

Exchange rates: tolars per US dollar - 251.40 (January 2002), 242.75 (2001), 222.66 (2000), 181.77 (1999), 166.13 (1998), 159.69 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Slovenia

Telephones - main lines in use: 722,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 1 million (2000)

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: 100% digital (2000) international: NA

Radio broadcast stations: AM 17, FM 160, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 805,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 48 (2001)

Televisions: 710,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .si

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 11 (2000)

Internet users: 600,000 (2001)

Transportation Slovenia

Railways: total: 1,201 km standard gauge: 1,201 km 1.435-m gauge (489 km electrified) (2001)

Highways: total: 19,586 km paved: 17,745 km (including 249 km of expressways) unpaved: 1,841 km (1998 est.)

Waterways: NA

Pipelines: crude oil 290 km; natural gas 305 km

Ports and harbors: Izola, Koper, Piran

Airports: 14 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 6 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 4 (2001)

Military Slovenia

Military branches: Slovenian Army (includes Air and Naval Forces)

Military manpower - military age: 19 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 521,881 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 414,878 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 14,513 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $370 million (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.7% (FY00)

Transnational Issues Slovenia

Disputes - international: Slovenia and Croatia have not obtained parliamentary ratification of 2001 land and marine boundary treaty, which cedes villages on the Dragonja River and Sveta Gera (Trdinov Peak) to Croatia, and most of Pirin Bay to Slovenia but restricts Slovenian access to the open sea; Austria has minor dispute with Slovenia over nuclear power plants and post-World War II treatment of German-speaking minorities

Illicit drugs: minor transit point for cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin bound for Western Europe, and for precursor chemicals

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Sierra Leone

Introduction

Sierra Leone

Background: Since 1991, civil war between the government and the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and the displacement of more than 2 million people (well over one-third of the population) many of whom are now refugees in neighboring countries. After several setbacks, the end to the eleven-year conflict in Sierra Leone may finally be near at hand. With the support of the UN peacekeeping force and contributions from the World Bank and international community, demobilization and disarmament of the RUF and Civil Defense Forces (CDF) combatants has been completed. Reestablishment of government authority throughout the country is slowly proceeding and national elections took place in May 2002.

Geography Sierra Leone

Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
Guinea and Liberia

Geographic coordinates: 8 30 N, 11 30 W

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 71,740 sq km water: 120 sq km land: 71,620 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries: total: 958 km border countries: Guinea 652 km, Liberia 306 km

Coastline: 402 km

Maritime claims: 24 NM exclusive economic zone: Climate: tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to December); winter dry season (December to April)

Terrain: coastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country, upland plateau, mountains in east

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Loma Mansa (Bintimani) 1,948 m

Natural resources: diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold, chromite

Land use: arable land: 7% permanent crops: 1% other: 92% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 290 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara
(December to February); sandstorms, dust storms

Environment - current issues: rapid population growth pressuring the environment; overharvesting of timber, expansion of cattle grazing, and slash-and-burn agriculture have resulted in deforestation and soil exhaustion; civil war depleting natural resources; overfishing

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Geography - note: rainfall along the coast can reach 495 cm (195 inches) a year, making it one of the wettest places along coastal, western Africa

People Sierra Leone

Population: 5,614,743 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 44.7% (male 1,230,530; female 1,280,084) 15-64 years: 52.1% (male 1,397,070; female 1,528,986) 65 years and over: 3.2% (male 87,256; female 90,817) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.21% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 44.58 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 18.83 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 6.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: by the end of 1999 refugees from Sierra Leone are assumed to be returning (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 144.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 49.01 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 5.94 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 2.99% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 68,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 8,200 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Sierra Leonean(s) adjective: Sierra Leonean

Ethnic groups: 20 native African tribes 90% (Temne 30%, Mende 30%, other 30%), Creole (Krio) 10% (descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area in the late-18th century), refugees from Liberia's recent civil war, small numbers of Europeans, Lebanese, Pakistanis, and Indians

Religions: Muslim 60%, indigenous beliefs 30%, Christian 10%

Languages: English (official, regular use limited to literate minority), Mende (principal vernacular in the south), Temne (principal vernacular in the north), Krio (English-based Creole, spoken by the descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area, a lingua franca and a first language for 10% of the population but understood by 95%)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write English, Mende, Temne, or Arabic total population: 31.4% male: 45.4% female: 18.2% (1995 est.)

Government Sierra Leone

Country name: Republic of Sierra Leone conventional short form:
Government type: constitutional democracy

Capital: Freetown

Administrative divisions: 3 provinces and 1 area*; Eastern, Northern,
Southern, Western*

Independence: 27 April 1961 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 27 April (1961)

Constitution: 1 October 1991; subsequently amended several times

Legal system: based on English law and customary laws indigenous to local tribes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (since 29 March 1996, reinstated 10 March 1998); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (since 29 March 1996, reinstated 10 March 1998); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Ministers of State appointed by the president with the approval of the House of Representatives; the cabinet is responsible to the president elections: 14 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2007); note - president's tenure of office is limited to two five-year terms election results: Ahmad Tejan KABBAH reelected president; percent of vote - Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (SLPP) 70.6%, Ernest KOROMA 22.4%

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (124 seats - 112 elected by popular vote, 12 filled by paramount chiefs elected in separate elections; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 14 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - SLPP 70.06%, APC 22.35%, PLP 3%, others 4.59%; seats by party - SLPP 83, APC 27, PLP 2

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Appeals Court; High Court

Political parties and leaders: All People's Congress or APC [Alhaji Sat KOROMA, interim chairman]; Citizens United for Peace and Progress or CUPP [Alfred Musa CONTEH, interim chairman]; Coalition for Progress Party or CPP [Jeridine WILLIAM-SARHO, interim leader]; Democratic Center Party or DCP [Adu Aiah KOROMA]; Democratic Labor Party or DLP [George E. L. PALMER]; Democratic Party or DP [Henry BALO, acting chairman]; National Alliance Democratic Party or NADP [Mohamed Yahya SILLAH, chairman]; National Democratic Alliance or NDA [Amadu M. B. JALLOH]; National People's Party or NPP [Andrew TURAY]; National Republican Party or NRP [Stephen Sahr MAMBU]; National Unity Movement or NUM [Sam LEIGH, interim chairman]; National Unity Party or NUP [John BENJAMINE, interim leader]; Peace and Liberation Party or PLP [Darlington MORRISON, interim chairman]; People's Democratic Alliance or PDA [Cpl. (Ret.) Abdul Rahman KAMARA, interim chairman]; People's Democratic Party or PDP [Osman KAMARA]; People's National Convention or PNC [Edward John KARGBO]; People's Progressive Party or PPP [Abass Chernok BUNDU, chairman]; Revolutionary United Front Party or RUFP [Foday Saybana SANKOH, chairman]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Andrew Victor LUNGAY]; Sierra Leone People's Party or SLPP [Ahmad Tejan KABBAH, chairman]; United National People's Party or UNPP [John KAREFA-SMART in exile, Raymond KAMARA, acting leader]; Young People's Party or YPP [Cornelius DEVEAUS, interim chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Trade Unions and Student Unions

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS,
FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW (signatory),
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John Ernest LEIGH FAX: [1] (202) 483-1793 telephone: [1] (202) 939-9261 through 9263 chancery: 1701 19th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Peter
Russell CHAVEAS embassy: Corner of Walpole and Siaka Stevens Streets,
Freetown mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [232]
(22) 226481 through 226485 FAX: [232] (22) 225471

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of light green (top), white, and light blue

Economy Sierra Leone

Economy - overview: Sierra Leone is an extremely poor African nation with tremendous inequality in income distribution. It does have substantial mineral, agricultural, and fishery resources. However, the economic and social infrastructure is not well developed, and serious social disorders continue to hamper economic development, following a 10-year civil war. About two-thirds of the working-age population engages in subsistence agriculture. Manufacturing consists mainly of the processing of raw materials and of light manufacturing for the domestic market. There are plans to reopen bauxite and rutile mines shut down during the conflict. The major source of hard currency consists of the mining of diamonds. The fate of the economy depends upon the maintenance of domestic peace and the continued receipt of substantial aid from abroad.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $2.7 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $500 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 43% industry: 27% services: 30% (2000)

Population below poverty line: 68% (1989 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.5% highest 10%: 43.6% (1989)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 62.9 (1989)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 15% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 1.369 million (1981 est.) note: only about 65,000 wage earners (1985)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $96 million expenditures: $351 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Industries: mining (diamonds); small-scale manufacturing (beverages, textiles, cigarettes, footwear); petroleum refining

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 245 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 227.85 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: rice, coffee, cocoa, palm kernels, palm oil, peanuts; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish

Exports: $65 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Exports - commodities: diamonds, rutile, cocoa, coffee, fish

Exports - partners: NZ 33.7%, Belgium 32.6%, US 7.4%, France 5.1% (2000)

Imports: $145 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels and lubricants, chemicals

Imports - partners: Czech Republic 26.7%, UK 26.6%, US 5.1%, Netherlands 4.6% (2000)

Debt - external: $1.3 billion (2000)

Economic aid - recipient: $103 million (2001 est.)

Currency: leone (SLL)

Currency code: SLL

Exchange rates: leones per US dollar - 2,212.47 (January 2002), 1,985.89 (2001), 2,092.13 (2000), 1,804.20 (1999), 1,563.62 (1998), 981.48 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Sierra Leone

Telephones - main lines in use: 25,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 30,000 (2001)

Telephone system: marginal telephone and telegraph service domestic:
military activities, is now operating from Freetown to Bo and Kenema
(April 2001) international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
(Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 9, shortwave 1 (1999)

Radios: 1.12 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 2 (1999)

Televisions: 53,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .sl

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: 20,000 (2001)

Transportation Sierra Leone

Railways: total: 84 km narrow gauge: 84 km 1.067-m gauge note: Sierra Leone has no common carrier railroads; the existing railroad is private and used on a limited basis while the mine at Marampa is closed (2001)

Highways: total: 11,700 km paved: 936 km unpaved: 10,764 km (2002)

Waterways: 800 km (of which 600 km navigable year round)

Ports and harbors: Bonthe, Freetown, Pepel

Airports: 10 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 9 under 914 m: 2 (2001) 914 to 1,523 m: 7

Heliports: 2 (2001)

Military Sierra Leone

Military branches: Army (RSLAF)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,203,682 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 583,946 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $10.3 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.5% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Sierra Leone

Disputes - international: ongoing conflict in Sierra Leone has engendered refugee movements into neighboring Guinea and Liberia

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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San Marino

Introduction San Marino

Background: The third smallest state in Europe (after the Holy See and Monaco) also claims to be the world's oldest republic. According to tradition, it was founded by a Christian stonemason named Marinus in 301 A.D. San Marino's foreign policy is aligned with that of Italy. Social and political trends in the republic also track closely with those of its larger neighbor.

Geography San Marino

Location: Southern Europe, an enclave in central Italy

Geographic coordinates: 43 46 N, 12 25 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 61.2 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 61.2 sq km

Area - comparative: about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 39 km border countries: Italy 39 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: Mediterranean; mild to cool winters; warm, sunny summers

Terrain: rugged mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Torrente Ausa 55 m highest point:
Monte Titano 755 m

Natural resources: building stone

Land use: arable land: 17% permanent crops: 0% other: 83% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: NA

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Nuclear Test Ban signed, but not ratified:
Air Pollution

Geography - note: landlocked; smallest independent state in Europe after the Holy See and Monaco; dominated by the Apennines

People San Marino

Population: 27,730 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 16.1% (male 2,300; female 2,161) 15-64 years: 67.5% (male 9,102; female 9,625) 65 years and over: 16.4% (male 1,956; female 2,586) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.41% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 10.64 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 7.79 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 11.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 6.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 85.18 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.3 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Sammarinese (singular and plural) adjective:
Sammarinese

Ethnic groups: Sammarinese, Italian

Religions: Roman Catholic

Languages: Italian

Literacy: definition: age 10 and over can read and write total population: 96% male: 97% female: 95% (1976 est.)

Government San Marino

Country name: Republic of San Marino conventional short form: San
Marino

Government type: independent republic

Capital: San Marino

Administrative divisions: 9 municipalities (castelli, singular - castello); Acquaviva, Borgo Maggiore, Chiesanuova, Domagnano, Faetano, Fiorentino, Monte Giardino, San Marino, Serravalle

Independence: 3 September 301

National holiday: Founding of the Republic, 3 September (301)

Constitution: 8 October 1600; electoral law of 1926 serves some of the functions of a constitution

Legal system: based on civil law system with Italian law influences; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: cochiefs of state Captain Regent Antonio Lazzaro VOLPINARI and Captain Regent Giovanni Francesco UGOLINI (for the period 1 April-31 October 2002) elections: cochiefs of state (captains regent) elected by the Great and General Council for a six-month term; election last held 1 April 2002 (next to be held NA September 2002); secretary of state for foreign and political affairs elected by the Great and General Council for a five-year term; election last held 10 June 2001 (next to be held NA June 2006) note: the popularly elected parliament (Grand and General Council) selects two of its members to serve as the Captains Regent (cochiefs of state) for a six-month period; they preside over meetings of the Grand and General Council and its cabinet (Congress of State) which has ten other members, all selected by the Grand and General Council; assisting the captains regent are ten secretaries of state; the secretary of state for Foreign Affairs has assumed some of the prerogatives of a prime minister election results: Antonio Lazzaro VOLPINARI and Giovanni Francesco UGOLINI reelected captains regent; percent of legislative vote - NA%; Gabriele GATTI reelected secretary of state for foreign and political affairs; percent of legislative vote - NA% cabinet: Congress of State elected by the Great and General Council for a five-year term head of government: Secretary of State for Foreign and Political Affairs Gabriele GATTI (since 26 July 1986)

Legislative branch: unicameral Grand and General Council or Consiglio Grande e Generale (60 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 10 June 2001 (next to be held by June 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - PDCS 41.4%, PSS 24.2%, PD 20.8%, APDS 8.2%, RC 3.4%, AN 1.9%; seats by party - PDCS 25, PSS 15, PD 12, APDS 5, RC 2, AN 1

Judicial branch: Council of Twelve or Consiglio dei XII

Political parties and leaders: Communist Refoundation or RC [Ivan FOSHI];
Ideas in Movement or IM [Alessandro ROSSI]; National Alliance or AN
[leader NA]; Party of Democrats or PD [Claudio FELICI]; San Marino
Christian Democratic Party or PDCS [Romeo RIORRI]; San Marino Popular
Alliance of Democrats or APDS [Roberto GIORGETTI]; San Marino Socialist
Party or PSS [Augusto CASALI]; Socialists for Reform or SR [Renzo GIARDI]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: CE, ECE, FAO, IBRD, ICAO,
ICFTU, ICRM, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, OPCW, OSCE, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US: San Marino does not have an embassy in the US honorary consulate(s) general: Washington, DC, and New York honorary consulate(s): Detroit

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in San Marino; the US Consul General in Florence (Italy) is accredited to San Marino

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and light blue with the national coat of arms superimposed in the center; the coat of arms has a shield (featuring three towers on three peaks) flanked by a wreath, below a crown and above a scroll bearing the word LIBERTAS (Liberty)

Economy San Marino

Economy - overview: The tourist sector contributes over 50% of GDP. In 2000 more than 3 million tourists visited San Marino. The key industries are banking, wearing apparel, electronics, and ceramics. Main agricultural products are wine and cheeses. The per capita level of output and standard of living are comparable to those of the most prosperous regions of Italy, which supplies much of its food.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $940 million (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 7.5% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $34,600 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.3% (2001)

Labor force: 18,500 (1999)

Labor force - by occupation: services 57%, industry 42%, agriculture 1% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: 2.6% (2001)

Budget: revenues: $400 million expenditures: $400 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Industries: tourism, banking, textiles, electronics, ceramics, cement, wine

Industrial production growth rate: 6% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production: 0 kWh

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: NA% other: NA% nuclear:
NA% hydro: NA%

Electricity - consumption: 184.5 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh note: electric power supplied by Italy (1999)

Electricity - imports: 184.5 kWh note: electricity supplied by Italy (2000)

Agriculture - products: wheat, grapes, corn, olives; cattle, pigs, horses, beef, cheese, hides

Exports: trade data are included with the statistics for Italy

Exports - commodities: building stone, lime, wood, chestnuts, wheat, wine, baked goods, hides, ceramics

Imports: trade data are included with the statistics for Italy

Imports - commodities: wide variety of consumer manufactures, food

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid - recipient: $NA

Currency: euro (EUR); Italian lira (ITL)

Currency code: EUR; ITL

Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.08540 (2000), 0.93863 (1999); Italian lire per US dollar - 1,736.2 (1998), 1,703.1 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications San Marino

Telephones - main lines in use: 18,000 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 3,010 (1998)

Telephone system: general assessment: adequate connections domestic: automatic telephone system completely integrated into Italian system international: connected to Italian international network

Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 16,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (San Marino residents also receive broadcasts from Italy) (1997)

Televisions: 9,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .sm

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)

Internet users: NA

Transportation San Marino

Railways: 0 km; note - there is a 1.5-km cable railway connecting the city of San Marino to Borgo Maggiore

Highways: total: 220 km paved: 220 km unpaved: 0 km (2001)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: none

Airports: none (2001)

Military San Marino

Military branches: Voluntary Military Force (Corpi Militari Voluntar), Gendarmerie; note - the Voluntary Military Force performs ceremonial duties and limited police assistance

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $700,000 (FY00/01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Transnational Issues San Marino

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Singapore

Introduction

Singapore

Background: Founded as a British trading colony in 1819, Singapore joined Malaysia in 1963, but withdrew two years later and became independent. It subsequently became one of the world's most prosperous countries, with strong international trading links (its port is one of the world's busiest) and with per capita GDP equal to that of the leading nations of Western Europe.

Geography Singapore

Location: Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia

Geographic coordinates: 1 22 N, 103 48 E

Map references: Southeast Asia

Area: total: 692.7 sq km water: 10 sq km land: 682.7 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly more than 3.5 times the size of Washington,
DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 193 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: within and beyond territorial sea, as defined in treaties and practice territorial sea: 3 NM

Climate: tropical; hot, humid, rainy; two distinct monsoon seasons - Northeastern monsoon from December to March and Southwestern monsoon from June to September; inter-monsoon - frequent afternoon and early evening thunderstorms

Terrain: lowland; gently undulating central plateau contains water catchment area and nature preserve

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Singapore Strait 0 m highest point:
Bukit Timah 166 m

Natural resources: fish, deepwater ports

Land use: arable land: 2% permanent crops: 0% other: 98% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: industrial pollution; limited natural fresh water resources; limited land availability presents waste disposal problems; seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes

People Singapore

Population: 4,452,732 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 17.6% (male 404,212; female 378,660) 15-64 years: 75.3% (male 1,630,696; female 1,724,532) 65 years and over: 7.1% (male 137,512; female 177,120) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.46% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 12.78 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 4.28 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 26.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 3.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 83.47 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.23 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.19% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 4,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 210 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Singaporean(s) adjective: Singapore

Ethnic groups: Chinese 76.7%, Malay 14%, Indian 7.9%, other 1.4%

Religions: Buddhist (Chinese), Muslim (Malays), Christian, Hindu, Sikh,
Taoist, Confucianist

Languages: Chinese (official), Malay (official and national), Tamil (official), English (official)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93.5% male: 97% female: 89.8% (1999)

Government Singapore

Country name: Republic of Singapore conventional short form: Government type: parliamentary republic

Capital: Singapore

Administrative divisions: none

Independence: 9 August 1965 (from Malaysia)

National holiday: Independence Day, 9 August (1965)

Constitution: 3 June 1959, amended 1965 (based on preindependence State of Singapore Constitution)

Legal system: based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch: chief of state: President Sellapan Rama (S. R.) NATHAN (since 1 September 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Chok Tong GOH (since 28 November 1990) and Deputy Prime Ministers Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Hsien Loong LEE (since 28 November 1990) and Keng Yam Tony TAN (since 1 August 1995) cabinet: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 28 August 1999 (next to be held by August 2005); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president; deputy prime ministers appointed by the president election results: Sellapan Rama (S. R.) NATHAN elected president unopposed

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (84 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - in addition, there are up to nine nominated members; the losing opposition candidate who came closet to winning a seat may be appointed as a "nonconstituency" member elections: last held 3 November 2001 (next to be held 25 June 2007) election results: other 24.7%; seats by party - PAP 82, WP 1, SDA 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the president with the advice of the prime minister, other judges are appointed by the president with the advice of the chief justice); Court of Appeals

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Progressive Party or DPP
[leader NA]; People's Action Party or PAP [Chok Tong GOH, secretary
general] - the governing party; Singapore Democratic Alliance or SDA
[CHIAM See Tong] (includes Singapore People's Party or SPP [CHIAM See
Tong], Singapore Democratic Party or SDP [CHEE Soon Juan], National
Solidarity Party [leader NA], Singapore Justice Party [leader NA], and
Singapore Malay National Organization [leader NA]); Workers' Party or WP
[J. B. JEYARETNAM]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN,
BIS, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN,
UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNTAET, UPU,
WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Heng
Chee CHAN consulate(s): New York consulate(s) general: San Francisco
FAX: [1] (202) 537-0876 telephone: [1] (202) 537-3100 chancery: 3501
International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Franklin L. LAVIN embassy: 27 Napier Road, Singapore 258508 mailing address: PSC Box 470, FPO AP 96534-0001 telephone: [65] 476-9100 FAX: [65] 476-9340

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; near the hoist side of the red band, there is a vertical, white crescent (closed portion is toward the hoist side) partially enclosing five white five-pointed stars arranged in a circle

Economy Singapore

Economy - overview: Singapore, a highly developed and successful free-market economy, enjoys a remarkably open and corruption-free environment, stable prices, and one of the highest per capita GDPs in the world. The economy depends heavily on exports, particularly in electronics and manufacturing, and was hard hit in 2001 by the global recession and the slump in the technology sector. In 2001, GDP contracted by 2.2%. The economy is expected to recover in 2002 in response to improvements in the US economy, and GDP growth for 2002 is projected to be 3% to 4%. In the longer term the government hopes to establish a new growth path that will be less vulnerable to the external business cycle than the current export-led model, but is unlikely to abandon efforts to establish Singapore as Southeast Asia's financial and high-tech hub.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $106.3 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: -2.2% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $24,700 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NEGL% industry: 33% services: 67% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.5% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 2.19 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation: financial, business, and other services 35%, manufacturing 21%, construction 13%, transportation and communication 9%, other 22%

Unemployment rate: 4.7% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $27.9 billion expenditures: $19.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.4 billion (FY00/01 est.)

Industries: electronics, chemicals, financial services, oil drilling equipment, petroleum refining, rubber processing and rubber products, processed food and beverages, ship repair, entrepot trade, biotechnology

Industrial production growth rate: -17.5% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 27.9 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 25.947 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: rubber, copra, fruit, orchids, vegetables; poultry, eggs, fish, ornamental fish

Exports: $122 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: machinery and equipment (including electronics), consumer goods, chemicals, mineral fuels

Exports - partners: Malaysia 18%, US 17%, Hong Kong 8%, Japan 7.5%,
Taiwan 6%, Thailand 4.3%, China 4%, South Korea 3.6%, Germany 3%,
Netherlands 3% (2000)

Imports: $116 billion (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, mineral fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs

Imports - partners: Japan 17%, Malaysia 17%, US 15%, China 5%, Taiwan 4.4%, Thailand 4.3%, South Korea 3.6%, Saudi Arabia 3% (2000)

Debt - external: $8.3 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $NA

Currency: Singapore dollar (SGD)

Currency code: SGD

Exchange rates: Singapore dollars per US dollar - 1.8388 (January 2002), 1.7917 (2001), 1.7240 (2000), 1.6950 (1999), 1.6736 (1998), 1.4848 (1997)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Communications Singapore

Telephones - main lines in use: 1.95 million (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 2.74 million (2000)

Telephone system: general assessment: major consideration given to serving business interests; excellent international service domestic: excellent domestic facilities international: submarine cables to Malaysia (Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia), Indonesia, and the Philippines; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 16, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios: 2.6 million (2000)

Television broadcast stations: 6 (2000)

Televisions: 1.33 million (1997)

Internet country code: .sg

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 9 (2000)

Internet users: 2.12 million (2001)

Transportation Singapore

Railways: total: 38.6 km narrow gauge: 38.6 km 1.000-m gauge note: there is also a 83 km mass transit system with 48 stations

Highways: 3,066 km (including 150 km of expressways) unpaved:
Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Singapore

Merchant marine: total: 876 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 20,686,612 GRT/32,647,743 DWT ships by type: bulk 131, cargo 100, chemical tanker 81, combination bulk 10, combination ore/oil 6, container 168, liquefied gas 35, livestock carrier 2, multi-functional large-load carrier 1, petroleum tanker 287, refrigerated cargo 6, roll on/roll off 5, short-sea passenger 1, specialized tanker 11, vehicle carrier 32 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Kong 44, Indonesia 8, Japan 52, Malaysia 4, Monaco 22, Netherlands 2, Norway 42, Philippines 6, Russia 3, Slovenia 1, South Korea 10, Sweden 13, Switzerland 7, Taiwan 46, Tanzania 2, Thailand 22, United Arab Emirates 4, United Kingdom 14, United States 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 9 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 9 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2001)

Military Singapore

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, People's Defense Force,
Police Force

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,354,857 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 986,101 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $4.47 billion (FY01/02 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 4.9% (FY01/02)

Transnational Issues Singapore

Disputes - international: Singapore and Malaysia are considering taking the unresolved dispute over Pulau Batu Putih (Pedra Branca Island) to ICJ; Malaysia concerned over Singapore's land reclamation works on Johor, which affects the maritime boundary, shipping lanes, and water ecology in the Tebrau Reach

Illicit drugs: as a transportation and financial services hub, Singapore is vulnerable, despite strict laws and enforcement, to use as a transit point for Golden Triangle heroin and as a venue for money laundering

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Somalia

Introduction

Somalia

Background: The SIAD BARRE regime was ousted in January 1991; turmoil, factional fighting, and anarchy have followed for eleven years. In May of 1991, northern clans declared an independent Republic of Somaliland that now includes the administrative regions of Awdal, Woqooyi Galbeed, Togdheer, Sanaag, and Sool. Although not recognized by any government, this entity has maintained a stable existence, aided by the overwhelming dominance of a ruling clan and economic infrastructure left behind by British, Russian, and American military assistance programs. The regions of Bari and Nugaal comprise a neighboring self-declared autonomous state of Puntland, which has been self-governing since 1998, but does not aim at independence; it has also made strides towards reconstructing legitimate, representative government. Puntland also claims Sool and eastern Sanaag. Beginning in 1993, a two-year UN humanitarian effort (primarily in the south) was able to alleviate famine conditions, but when the UN withdrew in 1995, having suffered significant casualties, order still had not been restored. A Transitional National Government (TNG) was created in August 2000 in Arta, Djibouti which was attended by a broad representation of Somali clans. The TNG has a three-year mandate to create a permanent national Somali government. The TNG does not recognize Somaliland as an independent republic but so far has been unable to reunite either Somaliland or Puntland with the unstable regions in the south. Numerous warlords and factions are still fighting for control of Mogadishu and the other southern regions. Suspicion of Somali links with global terrorism complicate the picture.

Geography Somalia

Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian
Ocean, east of Ethiopia

Geographic coordinates: 10 00 N, 49 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 637,657 sq km water: 10,320 sq km land: 627,337 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries: total: 2,340 km border countries: Djibouti 58 km,
Ethiopia 1,600 km, Kenya 682 km

Coastline: 3,025 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 200 NM

Climate: principally desert; December to February - northeast monsoon, moderate temperatures in north and very hot in south; May to October - southwest monsoon, torrid in the north and hot in the south, irregular rainfall, hot and humid periods (tangambili) between monsoons

Terrain: mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point:
Shimbiris 2,416 m

Natural resources: uranium and largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin, gypsum, bauxite, copper, salt, natural gas, likely oil reserves

Land use: arable land: 2% permanent crops: 0% other: 98% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 2,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains in summer; floods during rainy season

Environment - current issues: famine; use of contaminated water contributes to human health problems; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements: party to: Endangered Species,
Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Marine
Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban

Geography - note: strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern approaches to Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal

People Somalia

Population: 7,753,310 note: this estimate was derived from an official census taken in 1975 by the Somali Government; population counting in Somalia is complicated by the large number of nomads and by refugee movements in response to famine and clan warfare (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 44.7% (male 1,737,491; female 1,730,237) 15-64 years: 52.6% (male 2,054,243; female 2,019,980) 65 years and over: 2.7% (male 92,617; female 118,742) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.46% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 46.83 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 17.99 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 5.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 122.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 48.65 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 7.05 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Somali(s) adjective: Somali

Ethnic groups: Somali 85%, Bantu and other non-Somali 15% (including
Arabs 30,000)

Religions: Sunni Muslim

Languages: Somali (official), Arabic, Italian, English

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 37.8% male: 49.7% female: 25.8% (2001 est.)

Government Somalia

Country name: Somalia former: Government type: no permanent national government; transitional, parliamentary national government

Capital: Mogadishu

Administrative divisions: 18 regions (plural - NA, singular - gobolka);
Awdal, Bakool, Banaadir, Bari, Bay, Galguduud, Gedo, Hiiraan, Jubbada
Dhexe, Jubbada Hoose, Mudug, Nugaal, Sanaag, Shabeellaha Dhexe,
Shabeellaha Hoose, Sool, Togdheer, Woqooyi Galbeed

Independence: 1 July 1960 (from a merger of British Somaliland, which became independent from the UK on 26 June 1960, and Italian Somaliland, which became independent from the Italian-administered UN trusteeship on 1 July 1960, to form the Somali Republic)

National holiday: Foundation of the Somali Republic, 1 July (1960); note - 26 June (1960) in Somaliland

Constitution: 25 August 1979, presidential approval 23 September 1979 note: the Transitional National Government formed in August 2000 has a mandate to create a new constitution and hold elections within three years

Legal system: no national system; Shari'a and secular courts are in some localities

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: ABDIKASSIM Salad Hassan (since 26 August 2000); note - Interim President ABDIKASSIM was chosen for a three-year term by a 245-member National Assembly serving as a transitional government; the present political situation is still unstable, particularly in the south, with interclan fighting and random banditry election results: at the Djibouti-sponsored Arta Peace Conference on 26 August 2000 by a broad representation of Somali clans that comprised a transitional National Assembly head of government: Prime Minister HASSAN Abshir Farah (since 12 November 2001) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister and sworn in on 20 October 2000; as of 1 January 2002, the Cabinet was in caretaker status following a no-confidence vote in October 2001 that ousted HASSAN's predecessor

Legislative branch: unicameral People's Assembly or Golaha Shacbiga note: fledgling parliament; a transitional 245-member National Assembly began to meet on 13 August 2000 in the town of Arta, Djibouti and is now based in Mogadishu

Judicial branch: following the breakdown of national government, most regions have reverted to Islamic (Shari'a) law with a provision for appeal of all sentences

Political parties and leaders: none

Political pressure groups and leaders: numerous clan and subclan factions are currently vying for power

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF,
CAEU, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: Somalia does not have an embassy in the US (ceased operations on 8 May 1991); note - the TNG and other factions have representatives in Washington

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Somalia; US interests are represented by the US Embassy in Nairobi at Mombasa Road; mail address: P. O. Box 30137, Unit 64100, Nairobi; APO AE 09831; telephone: [254] (2) 537800; FAX [254] (2) 537810

Flag description: light blue with a large white five-pointed star in the center; blue field influenced by the flag of the UN

Government - note: An interim Transitional National Government - with a president, prime minister, and 245-member National Assembly - was established in Mogadishu in October 2000. However, other governing bodies continue to exist and control various cities and regions of the country, including Somaliland, Puntland, and traditional clan and faction strongholds.

Economy Somalia

Economy - overview: One of the world's poorest and least developed countries, Somalia has few resources and is prone to drought. Moreover, much of the economy has been devastated by civil war since 1991. Agriculture is the most important sector, with livestock accounting for about 40% of GDP and about 65% of export earnings. Nomads and semi-nomads, who are dependent upon livestock for their livelihood, make up a large portion of the population. Livestock, hides, charcoal, and bananas are Somalia's principal exports, while sugar, sorghum, corn, fish, qat, and machined goods are the principal imports. Somalia's small industrial sector, based on the processing of agricultural products, has largely been looted and sold as scrap metal. Despite the seeming anarchy, Somalia's service sector has managed to survive and grow. Telecommunication firms provide wireless services in most major cities and offer the lowest international call rates on the continent. In the absence of a formal banking sector, money exchange services have sprouted throughout the country, handling between $200 million and $500 million in remittances annually. Mogadishu's main market offers a variety of goods from food to the newest electronic gadgets. Hotels continue to operate, and security is provided by militias. Ongoing civil disturbances and clan rivalries, however, have interfered with any broad-based economic development and international aid arrangements. The failure of spring rains caused major food shortages in the south in 2001. Economic data is scare and prone to a wide margin of error.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $4.1 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $550 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 65% industry: 10% services: 25% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): over 100% (businesses print their own money) (2000 est.)

Labor force: 3.7 million (very few are skilled laborers) (1993 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture (mostly pastoral nomadism) 71%, industry and services 29%

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Industries: a few light industries, including sugar refining, textiles, petroleum refining (mostly shut down), wireless communication

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 250 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 232.5 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: cattle, sheep, goats; bananas, sorghum, corn, coconuts, rice, sugarcane, mangoes, sesame seeds, beans; fish

Exports: $186 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Exports - commodities: livestock, bananas, hides, fish, charcoal, scrap metal (1999)

Exports - partners: Saudi Arabia 29%, UAE 29%, Yemen 28% (calculated through partners) (2000)

Imports: $314 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Imports - commodities: manufactures, petroleum products, foodstuffs, construction materials, qat (1995)

Imports - partners: Djibouti 27%, Kenya 12%, India 9% (2000)

Debt - external: $2.6 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $60 million (1999 est.)

Currency: Somali shilling (SOS)

Currency code: SOS

Exchange rates: Somali shillings per US dollar - 11,000 (November 2000), 2,620 (January 1999), 7,500 (November 1997 est.), 7,000 (January 1996 est.), 5,000 (1 January 1995) note: the Republic of Somaliland, a self-declared independent country not recognized by any foreign government, issues its own currency, the Somaliland shilling

Fiscal year: NA

Communications Somalia

Telephones - main lines in use: NA

Telephones - mobile cellular: NA

Telephone system: general assessment: the public telecommunications system was almost completely destroyed or dismantled by the civil war factions; private wireless companies offer service in most major cities and charge the lowest international rates on the continent domestic: local cellular telephone systems have been established in Mogadishu and in several other population centers international: international connections are available from Mogadishu by satellite (2001)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 1, shortwave 5 (2001)

Radios: 470,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3 note: two in Mogadishu; one in Hargeisa (2001)

Televisions: 135,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .so

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 3 (one each in Boosaaso, Hargeisa, and Mogadishu) (2000)

Internet users: 200 (2000)

Transportation Somalia

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 22,100 km paved: 2,608 km unpaved: 19,492 km (1996)

Waterways: none

Pipelines: crude oil 15 km

Ports and harbors: Boosaaso, Berbera, Chisimayu (Kismaayo), Merca,
Mogadishu

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: 54 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 6 over 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: 15 914 to 1,523 m: Military Somalia

Military branches: A Somali National Army is being reformed under the interim government; numerous factions and clans maintain independent militias, and the Somaliland and Puntland regional governments maintain their own security and police forces

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,881,634 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,040,662 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $15.3 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.9% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Somalia

Disputes - international: most of the southern half of the boundary with Ethiopia is a provisional administrative line; in the Ogaden, regional states have established a variety of conflicting relationships with the Transitional National Government in Mogadishu, feuding factions in Puntland region, and the economically stabile break-away "Somaliland" region; Djibouti maintains economic ties and border accords with "Somaliland" leadership while politically supporting Somali Transitional National Government in Mogadishu; arms smuggling and Oromo rebel activities prompt strict border regime with Kenya

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Spain

Introduction

Spain

Background: Spain's powerful world empire of the 16th and 17th centuries ultimately yielded command of the seas to England. Subsequent failure to embrace the mercantile and industrial revolutions caused the country to fall behind Britain, France, and Germany in economic and political power. Spain remained neutral in World Wars I and II, but suffered through a devastating civil war (1936-39). In the second half of the 20th century, Spain has played a catch-up role in the western international community. Continuing concerns are Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA) terrorism and further reductions in unemployment.

Geography Spain

Location: Southwestern Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay, Mediterranean
Sea, North Atlantic Ocean, and Pyrenees Mountains, southwest of France

Geographic coordinates: 40 00 N, 4 00 W

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 504,782 sq km water: 5,240 sq km note: there are 19 autonomous communities including Balearic Islands and Canary Islands, and three small Spanish possessions off the coast of Morocco - Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera land: 499,542 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Oregon

Land boundaries: total: 1,917.8 km border countries: Andorra 63.7 km, France 623 km, Gibraltar 1.2 km, Portugal 1,214 km, Morocco (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Morocco (Melilla) 9.6 km

Coastline: 4,964 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM (applies only to the Atlantic Ocean) territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and cloudy along coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy and cool along coast

Terrain: large, flat to dissected plateau surrounded by rugged hills;
Pyrenees in north

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Pico de Teide (Tenerife) on Canary Islands 3,718 m

Natural resources: coal, lignite, iron ore, uranium, mercury, pyrites, fluorspar, gypsum, zinc, lead, tungsten, copper, kaolin, potash, hydropower, arable land

Land use: arable land: 29% permanent crops: 9% other: 62% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 36,400 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: pollution of the Mediterranean Sea from raw sewage and effluents from the offshore production of oil and gas; water quality and quantity nationwide; air pollution; deforestation; desertification

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution,
Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air
Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear
Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification

Geography - note: strategic location along approaches to Strait of
Gibraltar

People Spain

Population: 40,077,100 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 14.5% (male 2,993,747; female 2,812,498) 15-64 years: 68.1% (male 13,699,383; female 13,592,717) 65 years and over: 17.4% (male 2,922,452; female 4,056,303) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.09% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 9.29 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 9.22 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 4.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 82.76 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.16 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.58% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 120,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 2,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Spaniard(s) adjective: Spanish

Ethnic groups: composite of Mediterranean and Nordic types

Religions: Roman Catholic 94%, other 6%

Languages: Castilian Spanish (official) 74%, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%,
Basque 2%

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Spain

Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Spain conventional short form: Spain local short form: Espana

Government type: parliamentary monarchy

Capital: Madrid

Administrative divisions: 19 autonomous communities (comunidades autonomas, singular - comunidad autonoma); Andalucia, Aragon, Asturias, Baleares (Balearic Islands), Ceuta, Canarias (Canary Islands), Cantabria, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y Leon, Cataluna, Communidad Valencian, Extremadura, Galicia, La Rioja, Madrid, Melilla, Murcia, Navarra, Pais Vasco (Basque Country) note: Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera

Independence: the Iberian peninsula was characterized by a variety of independent kingdoms prior to the Moslem occupation that began in the early 8th Century A. D. and lasted nearly seven centuries; the small Christian redoubts of the north began the reconquest almost immediately, culminating in the seizure of Granada in 1492; this event completed the unification of several kingdoms and is traditionally considered the forging of present-day Spain

National holiday: Hispanic Day, 12 October

Constitution: 6 December 1978, effective 29 December 1978

Legal system: civil law system, with regional applications; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: King JUAN CARLOS I (since 22 November 1975); Heir Apparent Prince FELIPE, son of the monarch, born 30 January 1968 head of government: President of the Government Jose Maria AZNAR Lopez (since 5 May 1996); First Vice President (and Minister of Interior) Mariano RAJOY (since 27 April 2000) and Second Vice President (and Minister of Economy) Rodrigo RATO Figaredo (since 5 May 1996) cabinet: Council of Ministers designated by the president note: there is also a Council of State that is the supreme consultative organ of the government election results: Assembly vote - 44.54%; note - the Popular Party (PP) obtained an absolute majority of seats in both the Congress of Deputies and the Senate as a result of the March 2000 elections elections: the monarch is hereditary; president proposed by the monarch and elected by the National Assembly following legislative elections; election last held 12 March 2000 (next to be held NA March 2004); vice presidents appointed by the monarch on the proposal of the president

Legislative branch: bicameral; General Courts or National Assembly or Las Cortes Generales consists of the Senate or Senado (259 seats - 208 members directly elected by popular vote and the other 51 appointed by the regional legislatures to serve four-year terms) and the Congress of Deputies or Congreso de los Diputados (350 seats; members are elected by popular vote on block lists by proportional representation to serve four-year terms) election results: 1.5%, CC 1.1%, PIL 0%; seats by party - PP 127, PSOE 61, CiU 8, PNV 6, CC 5, PIL 1; Congress of Deputies - percent of vote by party - PP 44.5%, PSOE 34%, CiU 4.2%, IU 5.4%, PNV 1.5%, CC 1%, BNG 1.3%; seats by party - PP 183, PSOE 125, CiU 15, IU 8, PNV 7, CC 4, BNG 3, other 5 elections: of Deputies - last held 12 March 2000 (next to be held NA March 2004)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo

Political parties and leaders: Basque Nationalist Party or PNV [Xabier ARZALLUS Antia]; Batasuna [Arnaldo OTEGI]; Canarian Coalition or CC (a coalition of five parties) [Paulino RIVERO]; Convergence and Union or CiU [Jordi PUJOL i Soley, secretary general] (a coalition of the Democratic Convergence of Catalonia or CDC [Jordi PUJOL i Soley] and the Democratic Union of Catalonia or UDC [Josep Antoni DURAN y LLEIDA]); Galician Nationalist Bloc or BNG [Xose Manuel BEIRAS]; Party of Independents from Lanzarote or PIL [Dimas MARTIN Martin]; Popular Party or PP [Jose Maria AZNAR Lopez]; Spanish Socialist Workers Party or PSOE [Jose Luis RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO]; United Left or IU (a coalition of parties including the PCE and other small parties) [Gaspar LLAMAZARES]

Political pressure groups and leaders: business and landowning interests;
Catholic Church; free labor unions (authorized in April 1977); Socialist
General Union of Workers or UGT and the smaller independent Workers
Syndical Union or USO; university students; Workers Confederation or CC.OO

International organization participation: AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group,
BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IADB,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer),
NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNU, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Francisco Javier RUPEREZ chancery: 2375 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037 consulate(s) general: [1] (202) 833-5670 telephone: Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador George L. ARGYROS embassy: Serrano 75, 28006 [34] (91) 587-2200 FAX: Flag description: three horizontal bands of red (top), yellow (double width), and red with the national coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band; the coat of arms includes the royal seal framed by the Pillars of Hercules, which are the two promontories (Gibraltar and Ceuta) on either side of the eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar

Economy Spain

Economy - overview: Spain's mixed capitalist economy supports a GDP that on a per capita basis is 80% that of the four leading West European economies. Its center-right government successfully worked to gain admission to the first group of countries launching the European single currency on 1 January 1999. The AZNAR administration has continued to advocate liberalization, privatization, and deregulation of the economy and has introduced some tax reforms to that end. Unemployment has been steadily falling under the AZNAR administration but remains the highest in the EU at 13%. The government intends to make further progress in changing labor laws and reforming pension schemes, which are key to the sustainability of both Spain's internal economic advances and its competitiveness in a single currency area. Adjusting to the monetary and other economic policies of an integrated Europe - and further reducing unemployment - will pose challenges to Spain over the next few years.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $757 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 2.8% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $18,900 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4% industry: 28% services: 68% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 25.2% (1990)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 32.5 (1990)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.8% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 17.1 million (2001)

Labor force - by occupation: services 64%, manufacturing, mining, and construction 29%, agriculture 7% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate: 13% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $105 billion expenditures: $109 billion, including capital expenditures of $12.8 billion (2000 est.)

Industries: textiles and apparel (including footwear), food and beverages, metals and metal manufactures, chemicals, shipbuilding, automobiles, machine tools, tourism

Industrial production growth rate: 1% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 211.64 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 56.78% hydro: 12.49% other: 2.9% (2000) nuclear: 27.83%

Electricity - consumption: 201.159 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 7.832 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 12.166 billion kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: grain, vegetables, olives, wine grapes, sugar beets, citrus; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; fish

Exports: $118.6 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: machinery, motor vehicles; foodstuffs, other consumer goods

Exports - partners: EU 71.2% (France 19.6%, Germany 11.8%, Portugal 9.9%,
Italy 9%, UK 9%), US 4.4%, Latin America 4% (January-October 2001)

Imports: $150.5 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, semifinished goods; foodstuffs, consumer goods (1997)

Imports - partners: EU 63.1% (France 16.4%, Germany 15.5%, Italy 9%,
UK 6.9%, Benelux 3.5%), OPEC 5%, US 4.5%, Japan 2.5%, Latin America 2%
(January-October 2001)

Debt - external: $90 billion (1993 est.)

Economic aid - donor: ODA, $1.33 billion (1999)

Currency: euro (EUR); Spanish peseta (ESP) note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by the financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions with the member countries

Currency code: EUR; ESP

Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); pesetas per US dollar - 149.40 (1998), 146.41 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Spain

Telephones - main lines in use: 17.336 million (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 8.394 million (1999)

Telephone system: general assessment: generally adequate, modern facilities; teledensity NA international: Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), NA Eutelsat; tropospheric scatter to adjacent countries

Radio broadcast stations: AM 208, FM 715, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios: 13.1 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 224 (plus 2,105 repeaters) note: these figures include 11 television broadcast stations and 88 repeaters in the Canary Islands (1995)

Televisions: 16.2 million (1997)

Internet country code: .es

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 56 (2000)

Internet users: 7.38 million (2001)

Transportation Spain

Railways: total: 15,171 km broad gauge: 12,781 km 1.668-m gauge (6,434 km electrified) standard gauge: 525 km 1.435-m gauge (525 km electrified) narrow gauge: 1,837 km 1.000-m gauge (617 km electrified); 28 km 0.914-m gauge (28 km electrified) (2001)

Highways: total: 346,858 km paved: 343,389 km (including 9,063 km of expressways) unpaved: 3,469 km (1997)

Waterways: 1,045 km (of minor economic importance)

Pipelines: crude oil 265 km; petroleum products 1,794 km; natural gas 1,666 km

Ports and harbors: Aviles, Barcelona, Bilbao, Cadiz, Cartagena,
Castellon de la Plana, Ceuta, Huelva, La Coruna, Las Palmas (Canary
Islands), Malaga, Melilla, Pasajes, Gijon, Santa Cruz de Tenerife
(Canary Islands), Santander, Tarragona, Valencia, Vigo

Merchant marine: total: 144 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,364,751 GRT/1,962,764 DWT ships by type: bulk 10, cargo 31, chemical tanker 10, container 10, liquefied gas 2, livestock carrier 1, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 24, refrigerated cargo 8, roll on/roll off 35, short-sea passenger 8, vehicle carrier 3 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Croatia 1, Cuba 2, Denmark 1, Germany 7, Italy 1, Netherlands 1, Norway 6, Uruguay 3 (2002 est.)

Airports: 133 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 85 over 3,047 m: 15 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 19 under 914 m: 23 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 48 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 33 (2001)

Heliports: 5 (2001)

Military Spain

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Civil Guard, National
Police, Coastal Civil Guard

Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 10,520,561 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 8,403,430 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 281,043 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $8.6 billion (2002)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.15% (2002)

Transnational Issues Spain

Disputes - international: Spain and UK are discussing "total shared sovereignty" over Gibraltar, subject to a constitutional referendum by Gibraltarians, who have largely expressed opposition to any form of cession to Spain; Spain controls the coastal enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, which Morocco contests, as well as the islands of Penon de Alhucemas, Penon de Velez de la Gomera, and Islas Chafarinas; Morocco rejected Spain's unilateral designation of a median line from the Canary Islands in 2002 to explore undersea resources and to interdict illegal refugees from Africa

Illicit drugs: key European gateway country for Latin American cocaine and North African hashish entering the European market; destination and minor transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Saint Lucia

Introduction Saint Lucia

Background: The island, with its fine natural harbor at Castries, was contested between England and France throughout the 17th and early 18th centuries (changing possession 14 times); it was finally ceded to the UK in 1814. Self-government was granted in 1967 and independence in 1979.

Geography Saint Lucia

Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic
Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates: 13 53 N, 60 68 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 616 sq km water: 10 sq km land: 606 sq km

Area - comparative: 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 158 km

Maritime claims: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: Climate: tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season from January to April, rainy season from May to August

Terrain: volcanic and mountainous with some broad, fertile valleys

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point:
Mount Gimie 950 m

Natural resources: forests, sandy beaches, minerals (pumice), mineral springs, geothermal potential

Land use: arable land: 5% permanent crops: 23% other: 72% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 30 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: hurricanes and volcanic activity

Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion, particularly in the northern region

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol

Geography - note: the twin Pitons (Gros Piton and Petit Piton), striking cone-shaped peaks south of Soufriere, are one of the scenic natural highlights of the Caribbean

People Saint Lucia

Population: 160,145 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 31.6% (male 25,879; female 24,695) 15-64 years: 63.1% (male 49,667; female 51,482) 65 years and over: 5.3% (male 3,134; female 5,288) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.24% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 21.37 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 5.3 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -3.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 14.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 76.64 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.34 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Saint Lucian(s) adjective: Saint Lucian

Ethnic groups: black 90%, mixed 6%, East Indian 3%, white 1%

Religions: Roman Catholic 90%, Protestant 7%, Anglican 3%

Languages: English (official), French patois

Literacy: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population:
Government Saint Lucia

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Saint Lucia

Government type: Westminster-style parliamentary democracy

Capital: Castries

Administrative divisions: 11 quarters; Anse-la-Raye, Castries, Choiseul,
Dauphin, Dennery, Gros-Islet, Laborie, Micoud, Praslin, Soufriere,
Vieux-Fort

Independence: 22 February 1979 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 22 February (1979)

Constitution: 22 February 1979

Legal system: based on English common law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Dr. Perlette LOUISY (since September 1997) elections: monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister head of government: Prime Minister Kenneth ANTHONY (since 24 May 1997) and Deputy Prime Minister Mario MICHEL (since 24 May 1997)

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (11 seats; six members appointed on the advice of the prime minister, three on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and two after consultation with religious, economic, and social groups) and the House of Assembly (17 seats; members are elected by popular vote from single-member constituencies to serve five-year terms) election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - SLP 55%, UWP 37%, NA 3.5%; seats by party - SLP 14, UWP 3 elections: House of Assembly - last held 3 December 2001 (next to be held NA December 2006)

Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (jurisdiction extends
to Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, the British Virgin Islands, Dominica,
Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines)

Political parties and leaders: National Alliance or NA [George ODLUM];
Saint Lucia Freedom Party or SFP [Martinus FRANCOIS]; Saint Lucia
Labor Party or SLP [Kenneth ANTHONY]; Sou Tout Apwe Fete Fini or STAFF
[Christopher HUNTE]; United Workers Party or UWP [Dr. Morella JOSEPH]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, C, Caricom, CDB,
ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL,
OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Sonia Merlyn JOHNNY chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington,
DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 364-6792 through 6795 FAX: [1] (202)
364-6728 consulate(s) general: Miami and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Saint Lucia; the US Ambassador in Barbados is accredited to Saint Lucia

Flag description: blue, with a gold isosceles triangle below a black arrowhead; the upper edges of the arrowhead have a white border

Economy Saint Lucia

Economy - overview: The recent changes in the EU import preference regime and the increased competition from Latin American bananas have made economic diversification increasingly important in Saint Lucia. The island nation has been able to attract foreign business and investment, especially in its offshore banking and tourism industries. The manufacturing sector is the most diverse in the Eastern Caribbean area, and the government is trying to revitalize the banana industry. Despite negative growth in 2001, economic fundamentals remain solid, and GDP growth should recover in 2002.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $700 million (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: -2.5% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $4,400 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 7.9% industry: 19.6% services: 72.5% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 43,800

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 43.4%, services 38.9%, industry and commerce 17.7% (1983 est.)

Unemployment rate: 15% (1996 est.)

Budget: revenues: $141.2 million expenditures: $146.7 million, including capital expenditures of $25.1 million (FY97/98 est.)

Industries: clothing, assembly of electronic components, beverages, corrugated cardboard boxes, tourism, lime processing, coconut processing

Industrial production growth rate: -8.9% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production: 115 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 106.95 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: bananas, coconuts, vegetables, citrus, root crops, cocoa

Exports: $68.3 million (2000 est.)

Exports - commodities: bananas 41%, clothing, cocoa, vegetables, fruits, coconut oil

Exports - partners: UK 50%, US 24%, Caricom countries 16% (1995)

Imports: $319.4 million (2000 est.)

Imports - commodities: food 23%, manufactured goods 21%, machinery and transportation equipment 19%, chemicals, fuels

Imports - partners: US 36%, Caricom countries 22%, UK 11%, Japan 5%,
Canada 4% (1995)

Debt - external: $214 million (2000)

Economic aid - recipient: $51.8 million (1995)

Currency: East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code: XCD

Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Communications Saint Lucia

Telephones - main lines in use: 37,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 1,600 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: adequate system domestic: system is automatically switched international: direct microwave radio relay link with Martinique and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; tropospheric scatter to Barbados; international calls beyond these countries are carried by Intelsat from Martinique

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 7 (plus 3 repeaters), shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 111,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (of which two are commercial stations and one is a community antenna television or CATV channel) (1997)

Televisions: 32,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .lc

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 15 (2000)

Internet users: 5,000 (2000)

Transportation Saint Lucia

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 1,210 km paved: 63 km unpaved: 1,147 km (1996)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Castries, Vieux Fort

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: 2 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2001)

Military Saint Lucia

Military branches: Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (includes Special
Service Unit and Coast Guard)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: $NA

Transnational Issues Saint Lucia

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: transit point for South American drugs destined for the
US and Europe

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Sudan

Introduction

Sudan

Background: Military dictatorships favoring an Islamic-oriented government have dominated national politics since independence from the UK in 1956. Sudan has been embroiled in a civil war for all but 10 years of this period (1972-82). Since 1983, the war and war- and famine-related effects have led to more than 2 million deaths and over 4 million people displaced. The war pits the Arab/Muslim majority in Khartoum against the non-Muslim African rebels in the south. Since 1989, traditional northern Muslim parties have made common cause with the southern rebels and entered the war as a part of an anti-government alliance.

Geography Sudan

Location: Northern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Egypt and
Eritrea

Geographic coordinates: 15 00 N, 30 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 2,505,810 sq km water: 129,810 sq km land: 2.376 million sq km

Area - comparative: slightly more than one-quarter the size of the US

Land boundaries: total: 7,687 km border countries: Central African
Republic 1,165 km, Chad 1,360 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 628
km, Egypt 1,273 km, Eritrea 605 km, Ethiopia 1,606 km, Kenya 232 km,
Libya 383 km, Uganda 435 km

Coastline: 853 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 18 NM continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical in south; arid desert in north; rainy season (April to October)

Terrain: generally flat, featureless plain; mountains in east and west

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Red Sea 0 m highest point: Kinyeti 3,187 m

Natural resources: petroleum; small reserves of iron ore, copper, chromium ore, zinc, tungsten, mica, silver, gold, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 7% permanent crops: 0% other: 93% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 19,500 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: dust storms and periodic persistent droughts

Environment - current issues: inadequate supplies of potable water; wildlife populations threatened by excessive hunting; soil erosion; desertification; periodic drought

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea,
Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: largest country in Africa; dominated by the Nile and its tributaries

People Sudan

Population: 37,090,298 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 44.2% (male 8,385,554; female 8,023,847) 15-64 years: 53.6% (male 9,945,683; female 9,933,383) 65 years and over: 2.2% (male 447,214; female 354,617) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.73% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 37.21 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 9.81 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.26 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 67.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 58.5 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 5.22 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.99% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 186,000 (1998)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Sudanese (singular and plural) adjective: Sudanese

Ethnic groups: black 52%, Arab 39%, Beja 6%, foreigners 2%, other 1%

Religions: Sunni Muslim 70% (in north), indigenous beliefs 25%, Christian 5% (mostly in south and Khartoum)

Languages: Arabic (official), Nubian, Ta Bedawie, diverse dialects of Nilotic, Nilo-Hamitic, Sudanic languages, English note: program of "Arabization" in process

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 46.1% male: 57.7% female: 34.6% (1995 est.)

Government Sudan

Country name: Republic of the Sudan conventional short form: former:
Anglo-Egyptian Sudan

Government type: authoritarian regime - ruling military junta took power in 1989; government is run by an alliance of the military and the National Congress Party (NCP), formerly the National Islamic Front (NIF), which espouses an Islamist platform

Capital: Khartoum

Administrative divisions: 26 states (wilayat, singular - wilayah);
A'ali an Nil, Al Bahr al Ahmar, Al Buhayrat, Al Jazirah, Al Khartum,
Al Qadarif, Al Wahdah, An Nil al Abyad, An Nil al Azraq, Ash Shamaliyah,
Bahr al Jabal, Gharb al Istiwa'iyah, Gharb Bahr al Ghazal, Gharb Darfur,
Gharb Kurdufan, Janub Darfur, Janub Kurdufan, Junqali, Kassala, Nahr
an Nil, Shamal Bahr al Ghazal, Shamal Darfur, Shamal Kurdufan, Sharq al
Istiwa'iyah, Sinnar, Warab

Independence: 1 January 1956 (from Egypt and UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 1 January (1956)

Constitution: 12 April 1973, suspended following coup of 6 April 1985; interim constitution of 10 October 1985 suspended following coup of 30 June 1989; new constitution implemented on 30 June 1998 partially suspended 12 December 1999 by President BASHIR

Legal system: based on English common law and Islamic law; as of 20 January 1991, the now defunct Revolutionary Command Council imposed Islamic law in the northern states; Islamic law applies to all residents of the northern states regardless of their religion; some separate religious courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 17 years of age; universal, but noncompulsory

Executive branch: chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Umar Hasan Ahmad al-BASHIR (since 16 October 1993); First Vice President Ali Uthman Muhammad TAHA (since 17 February 1998), Second Vice President Moses MACHAR (since 12 February 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 13-23 December 2000 (next to be held NA 2005) note: BASHIR assumed supreme executive power in 1989 and retained it through several transitional governments in the early and mid-90s before being popularly elected for the first time in March 1996 election results: Umar Hasan Ahmad al-BASHIR reelected president; percent of vote - Umar Hasan Ahmad al-BASHIR 86.5%, Ja'afar Muhammed NUMAYRI 9.6%, three other candidates received less than a combined 4% of the vote; election widely viewed as rigged; all popular opposition parties boycotted elections because of a lack of guarantees for a free and fair poll cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president; note - the National Congress Party or NCP (formerly the National Islamic Front or NIF) dominates BASHIR's cabinet head of government: First Vice President Ali Uthman Muhammad TAHA (since 17 February 1998), Second Vice President Moses MACHAR (since 12 February 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (360 seats; 270 popularly elected, 90 elected by supra assembly of interest groups known as National Congress; members serve four-year terms) elections: last held 13-22 December 2000 (next to be held NA December 2004) note: on 12 December 1999, BASHIR dismissed the National Assembly during an internal power struggle between the president and the speaker of the National Assembly Hassan al-TURABI election results: NCP 355, others 5

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Special Revolutionary Courts

Political parties and leaders: the government allows political "associations" under a 1998 law revised in 2000; to obtain government approval parties must accept the constitution and refrain from advocating or using violence against the regime; approved parties include the National Congress Party or NCP [Ibrahim Ahmed UMAR], Popular National Congress or PNC [Hassan al-TURABI], and over 20 minor, pro-government parties

Political pressure groups and leaders: National Congress Party [Ibrahim
Ahmed UMAR]; Popular National Congress [Hassan al-TURABI]; Umma [Sadiq
al-MAHDI]; Democratic Unionist Party [Muhammed Uthman AL-MIRGHANI];
National Democratic Alliance [Muhammed Uthman AL-MIRGHANI, chairman];
Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army [Dr. John GARANG]

International organization participation: ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL,
AMF, CAEU, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent),
ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNU,
UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge D'Affairs, Ad Interim [1] (202) 338-8565 FAX: DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: For security reasons, US officials at the US Embassy in Khartoum were relocated in February 1996 to the US Embassies in Nairobi, Kenya, and Cairo, Egypt, from where they make regular visits to Khartoum; the US Embassy in Khartoum is located on Sharia Abdul Latif Avenue; mailing address - P. O. Box 699, Khartoum; APO AE 09829; telephone - [249] (11) 774611 or 774700; FAX - [249] (11) 774137; the US Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya is located in the Interim Office Building on Mombasa Road, Nairobi; mailing address - P. O. Box 30137, Box 21A, Unit 64100, APO AE 09831; telephone - [254] (2) 751613; FAX - [254] (2) 743204; the US Embassy in Cairo, Egypt is located at (North Gate) 8, Kamel El-Din Salah Street, Garden City, Cairo; mailing address - Unit 64900, APO AE 09839-4900; telephone - [20] (2) 3557371; FAX - [20] (2) 3573200

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist side

Economy Sudan

Economy - overview: Sudan has turned around a struggling economy with sound economic policies and infrastructure investments, but it still faces formidable economic problems. Starting in 1997 Sudan began implementing IMF macroeconomic reforms that have successfully stabilized inflation. In 1999 Sudan began exporting crude oil and in the last quarter of 1999 recorded its first trade surplus, along with monetary policy, has stabilized the exchange rate. Current oil production stands at 220,000 barrels per day, of which some 70% is exported and the rest refined mostly for domestic consumption. Increased oil production, revived light industry, and expanded export processing zones should maintain GDP growth at 5% in 2002. Agriculture production remains Sudan's most important sector, employing 80% of the work force and contributing 43% of GDP, but most farms remain rain-fed and susceptible to drought. Sudan is also constrained by its limited access to international credit; most of Sudan's $24.9 billion debt remains in arrears. The civil war, chronic instability, adverse weather, and weak world agricultural prices ensure that much of the population will remain at or below the poverty line for years.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $49.3 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 5.5% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,360 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 43% industry: 17% services: 40% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 11 million (1996 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 80%, industry and commerce 7%, government 13% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate: 18.7% (2002 est.)

Budget: revenues: $1.6 billion expenditures: $1.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Industries: oil, cotton ginning, textiles, cement, edible oils, sugar, soap distilling, shoes, petroleum refining, pharmaceuticals, armaments, automobile/light truck assembly

Industrial production growth rate: 8.5% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production: 1.97 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 49.24% hydro: 50.76% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 1,832.1 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: cotton, groundnuts (peanuts), sorghum, millet, wheat, gum arabic, sugarcane, cassava (tapioca), mangos, papaya, bananas, sweet potatoes, sesame; sheep, livestock

Exports: $2.1 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: oil and petroleum products, cotton, sesame, livestock, groundnuts, gum arabic, sugar

Exports - partners: Japan 25%, China 19%, Saudi Arabia 14%, Germany 4%, (2000)

Imports: $1.6 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, manufactured goods, refinery and transport equipment, medicines and chemicals, textiles, wheat

Imports - partners: China 12%, Saudi Arabia 10%, UK 10%, Germany 7% (2000)

Debt - external: $24.9 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $187 million (1997)

Currency: Sudanese dinar (SDD)

Currency code: SDD

Exchange rates: Sudanese dinars per US dollar - 261.44 (January 2002), 258.70 (2001), 257.12 (2000), 252.55 (1999), 200.80 (1998), 157.57 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Sudan

Telephones - main lines in use: 400,000 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 20,000 (2000)

Telephone system: general assessment: large, well-equipped system by regional standards and being upgraded; cellular communications started in 1996 and have expanded substantially domestic: consists of microwave radio relay, cable, radiotelephone communications, tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat (2000)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios: 7.55 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (1997)

Televisions: 2.38 million (1997)

Internet country code: .sd

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2002)

Internet users: 50,000 (2002)

Transportation Sudan

Railways: total: 5,995 km narrow gauge: 4,595 km 1.067-m gauge; 1,400 km 0.600-m gauge plantation line note: the 1.067-m line from Khartoum to Port Sudan carries over two-thirds of Sudan's rail traffic; the 0.600-m gauge system serves Sudan's cotton plantations with over 120 collecting stations (2001)

Highways: total: 11,900 km paved: 4,320 km unpaved: 7,580 km (1996)

Waterways: 5,310 km

Pipelines: refined products 815 km

Ports and harbors: Juba, Khartoum, Kusti, Malakal, Nimule, Port Sudan,
Sawakin

Merchant marine: total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 39,545
GRT/51,195 DWT ships by type: cargo 2, roll on/roll off 2 (2002 est.)

Airports: 65 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 12 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 53 under 914 m: 11 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 26

Heliports: 1 (2001)

Military Sudan

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Popular Defense Force Militia

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 8,739,982 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 5,380,917 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 398,294 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $581 million (2001 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.5% (1999)

Transnational Issues Sudan

Disputes - international: Sudan agrees in 2002 to demarcate whole boundary with Ethiopia; Egypt and Sudan each claim to administer triangular areas which extend north and south of the 1899 Treaty boundary along the 22nd Parallel (the north "Hala'ib Triangle" is the largest with 20,580 sq km); in 2001, the two states agreed to discuss an "area of integration" and withdraw military forces in the overlapping areas; since colonial times, Kenya's administrative boundary has extended beyond its treaty boundary into Sudan creating the "Ilemi Triangle"

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Svalbard

Introduction

Svalbard

Background: First discovered by the Norwegians in the 12th century, the islands served as an international whaling base during the 17th and 18th centuries. Norway's sovereignty was recognized in 1920; five years later it officially took over the territory.

Geography Svalbard

Location: Northern Europe, islands between the Arctic Ocean, Barents Sea,
Greenland Sea, and Norwegian Sea, north of Norway

Geographic coordinates: 78 00 N, 20 00 E

Map references: Arctic Region

Area: total: 62,049 sq km note: includes Spitsbergen and Bjornoya
(Bear Island) water: 0 sq km land: 62,049 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than West Virginia

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 3,587 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM unilaterally claimed by Norway but not recognized by Russia territorial sea: 4 NM

Climate: arctic, tempered by warm North Atlantic Current; cool summers, cold winters; North Atlantic Current flows along west and north coasts of Spitsbergen, keeping water open and navigable most of the year

Terrain: wild, rugged mountains; much of high land ice covered; west coast clear of ice about one-half of the year; fjords along west and north coasts

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Arctic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Newtontoppen 1,717 m

Natural resources: coal, copper, iron ore, phosphate, zinc, wildlife, fish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (no trees, and the only bushes are crowberry and cloudberry) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: ice floes often block the entrance to Bellsund (a transit point for coal export) on the west coast and occasionally make parts of the northeastern coast inaccessible to maritime traffic

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: northernmost part of the Kingdom of Norway; consists of nine main islands; glaciers and snowfields cover 60% of the total area

People Svalbard

Population: 2,868 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA% 15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA%

Population growth rate: -1.99% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population

Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population

Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Sex ratio: NA

Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: NA years male: NA years female: NA years

Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0% (2001)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 0 (2001)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 0 (2001)

Ethnic groups: Norwegian 55.4%, Russian and Ukrainian 44.3%, other 0.3% (1998)

Languages: Russian, Norwegian

Literacy: NA

Government Svalbard

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Svalbard (sometimes referred to as Spitzbergen)

Dependency status: territory of Norway; administered by the Polar Department of the Ministry of Justice, through a governor (sysselmann) residing in Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen; by treaty (9 February 1920) sovereignty was awarded to Norway

Government type: NA

Capital: Longyearbyen

Independence: none (territory of Norway)

National holiday: NA

Legal system: NA

Executive branch: chief of state: King HARALD V of Norway (since 17 January 1991) head of government: Governor Morten RUUD (since NA November 1998) and Assistant Governor Odd Redar HUMLEGAARD (since NA) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor and assistant governor responsible to the Polar Department of the Ministry of Justice

International organization participation: none

Flag description: the flag of Norway is used

Economy Svalbard

Economy - overview: Coal mining is the major economic activity on Svalbard. The treaty of 9 February 1920 gives the 41 signatories equal rights to exploit mineral deposits, subject to Norwegian regulation. Although US, UK, Dutch, and Swedish coal companies have mined in the past, the only companies still mining are Norwegian and Russian. The settlements on Svalbard are essentially company towns. The Norwegian state-owned coal company employs nearly 60% of the Norwegian population on the island, runs many of the local services, and provides most of the local infrastructure. There is also some trapping of seal, polar bear, fox, and walrus.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $NA

GDP - real growth rate: NA%

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $NA

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

Labor force: NA

Budget: revenues: $11.5 million expenditures: $11.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: NA kWh

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: NA% other: NA% hydro:
NA% nuclear: NA%

Electricity - consumption: NA kWh

Exports: $NA

Imports: $NA

Economic aid - recipient: $8.2 million from Norway (1998)

Currency: Norwegian krone (NOK)

Currency code: NOK

Exchange rates: Norwegian kroner per US dollar - 8.9684 (January 2002), 8.9917 (2001), 8.8018 (2000), 7.7992 (1999), 7.5451 (1998), 7.0734 (1997)

Communications Svalbard

Telephones - main lines in use: NA

Telephones - mobile cellular: NA

Telephone system: general assessment: probably adequate domestic: local telephone service international: satellite earth station - 1 of unknown type (for communication with Norwegian mainland only)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1 (plus 2 repeaters), shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: NA

Televisions: NA

Internet country code: .sj

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 13 (Svalbard and Jan Mayen) (2000)

Internet users: NA

Transportation Svalbard

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Barentsburg, Longyearbyen, Ny-Alesund, Pyramiden

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: 4 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2001)

Military Svalbard

Military - note: demilitarized by treaty (9 February 1920)

Transnational Issues Svalbard

Disputes - international: despite recent discussions, Russia and
Norway dispute their maritime limits in the Barents Sea and Russia's
fishing rights beyond Svalbard's territorial limits within the Svalbard
Treaty zone

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Sweden

Introduction

Sweden

Background: A military power during the 17th century, Sweden has not participated in any war in almost two centuries. An armed neutrality was preserved in both World Wars. Sweden's long-successful economic formula of a capitalist system interlarded with substantial welfare elements was challenged in the 1990s by high unemployment, rising maintenance costs, and a declining position in world markets. Indecision over the country's role in the political and economic integration of Europe delayed Sweden's entry into the EU until 1995, and waived the introduction of the euro in 1999.

Geography Sweden

Location: Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia,
Kattegat, and Skagerrak, between Finland and Norway

Geographic coordinates: 62 00 N, 15 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 449,964 sq km water: 39,030 sq km land: 410,934 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than California

Land boundaries: total: 2,205 km border countries: Finland 586 km,
Norway 1,619 km

Coastline: 3,218 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: agreed boundaries or midlines territorial sea: 12 NM (adjustments made to return a portion of straits to high seas)

Climate: temperate in south with cold, cloudy winters and cool, partly cloudy summers; subarctic in north

Terrain: mostly flat or gently rolling lowlands; mountains in west

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m highest point:
Kebnekaise 2,111 m

Natural resources: zinc, iron ore, lead, copper, silver, timber, uranium, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 7% permanent crops: 0% other: 93% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,150 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially in the Gulf of Bothnia, can interfere with maritime traffic

Environment - current issues: acid rain damage to soils and lakes; pollution of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution,
Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air
Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note: strategic location along Danish Straits linking Baltic and North Seas

People Sweden

Population: 8,876,744 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 18% (male 817,688; female 776,018) 15-64 years: 64.7% (male 2,922,095; female 2,824,770) 65 years and over: 17.3% (male 651,120; female 885,053) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.02% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 9.81 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 10.6 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.95 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 3.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 82.64 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.54 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.08% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 3,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Swede(s) adjective: Swedish

Ethnic groups: indigenous population: Swedes and Finnish and Sami minorities; foreign-born or first-generation immigrants: Finns, Yugoslavs, Danes, Norwegians, Greeks, Turks

Religions: Lutheran 87%, Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist, Muslim,
Jewish, Buddhist

Languages: Swedish note: small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% (1979 est.) male: NA% female: NA%

Government Sweden

Country name: Kingdom of Sweden conventional short form: Government type: constitutional monarchy

Capital: Stockholm

Administrative divisions: 21 counties (lan, singular and plural);
Blekinge, Dalarnas, Gavleborgs, Gotlands, Hallands, Jamtlands,
Jonkopings, Kalmar, Kronobergs, Norrbottens, Orebro, Ostergotlands,
Skane, Sodermanlands, Stockholms, Uppsala, Varmlands, Vasterbottens,
Vasternorrlands, Vastmanlands, Vastra Gotalands

Independence: 6 June 1523 (Gustav VASA elected king)

National holiday: Flag Day, 6 June

Constitution: 1 January 1975

Legal system: civil law system influenced by customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: King CARL XVI GUSTAF (since 19 September 1973); Heir Apparent Princess VICTORIA Ingrid Alice Desiree, daughter of the monarch (born 14 July 1977) head of government: Prime Minister Goran PERSSON (since 21 March 1996) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister elections: the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister elected by the Parliament; election last held NA September 1998 (next to be held 20 September 2002) election results: Goran PERSSON reelected prime minister with 131 out of 349 votes

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Riksdag (349 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 20 September 1998 (next to be held 15 September 2002) election results: percent of vote by party - Social Democrats 36.5%, Moderates 22.7%, Left Party 12%, Christian Democrats 11.8%, Center Party 5.1%, Liberal Party 4.7%, Greens 4.5%; seats by party - Social Democrats 131, Moderates 82, Left Party 43, Christian Democrats 42, Center Party 18, Liberal Party 17, Greens 16

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Hogsta Domstolen (judges are appointed by the prime minister and the cabinet)

Political parties and leaders: Center Party [Maud OLOFSSON]; Christian
Democratic Party [Alf SVENSSON]; Communist Workers' Party [Rolf
HAGEL]; Green Party [no formal leader but party spokespersons are Maria
WETTERSTRAND and Peter ERIKSSON]; Left Party or VP (formerly Communist)
[Gudrun SCHYMAN]; Liberal People's Party [Lars LEIJONBORG]; Moderate Party
(conservative) [Bo LUNDGREN]; Social Democratic Party [Goran PERSSON]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group,
BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 6,
G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC,
NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA,
PFP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR,
UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNMOP, UNOMIG, UNTAET, UNTSO, UPU, WEU
(observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Jan ELIASSON consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York FAX: [1]
(202) 467-2699 telephone: [1] (202) 467-2600 chancery: 1501 M Street NW,
Washington, DC 20005-1702

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Charles A. HEIMBOLD, Jr. embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds VAG 31, SE-11589
Stockholm mailing address: American Embassy Stockholm, Department of
State, Washington, DC 20521-5750 (pouch) telephone: [46] (08) 783 53 00
FAX: [46] (08) 661 19 64

Flag description: blue with a golden yellow cross extending to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

Economy Sweden

Economy - overview: Aided by peace and neutrality for the whole 20th century, Sweden has achieved an enviable standard of living under a mixed system of high-tech capitalism and extensive welfare benefits. It has a modern distribution system, excellent internal and external communications, and a skilled labor force. Timber, hydropower, and iron ore constitute the resource base of an economy heavily oriented toward foreign trade. Privately owned firms account for about 90% of industrial output, of which the engineering sector accounts for 50% of output and exports. Agriculture accounts for only 2% of GDP and 2% of the jobs. The government's commitment to fiscal discipline resulted in a substantive budgetary surplus in 2001, but is expected to shrink somewhat in 2002, due to the global economic slowdown, tax cuts, and spending increases. The Swedish central bank (the Riksbank) is focusing on price stability with an inflation target of 2% for 2002.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $219 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 1.6% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $24,700 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2% industry: 28.7% services: 69.3% (2000)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.7% highest 10%: 20.1% (1992)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 25 (1992)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.7% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 4.4 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 2%, industry 24%, services 74% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: 3.9% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $119 billion expenditures: $110 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Industries: iron and steel, precision equipment (bearings, radio and telephone parts, armaments), wood pulp and paper products, processed foods, motor vehicles

Industrial production growth rate: 4.5% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 144.621 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 6.06% hydro: 53.81% other: 2.72% (2000) nuclear: 37.41%

Electricity - consumption: 139.176 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 13.628 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 18.306 billion kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: barley, wheat, sugar beets; meat, milk

Exports: $96 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: machinery 35%, motor vehicles, paper products, pulp and wood, iron and steel products, chemicals

Exports - partners: EU 53.6% (Germany 10.6%, UK 9.1%, Denmark 5.3%,
France 5.1%), US 9.5%, Norway 7.5% (2000)

Imports: $89.2 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, motor vehicles, iron and steel; foodstuffs, clothing

Imports - partners: EU 60.3% (Germany 16.3%, UK 8.8%, Denmark 6.7%,
France 5.6%), Norway 8.2%, US 6.7% (2000)

Debt - external: $66.5 billion (1994)

Economic aid - donor: ODA, $1.7 billion (1997)

Currency: Swedish krona (SEK)

Currency code: SEK

Exchange rates: Swedish kronor per US dollar - 10.4381 (January 2002), 10.3291 (2001), 9.1622 (2000), 8.2624 (1999), 7.9499 (1998), 7.6349 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Sweden

Telephones - main lines in use: 6.017 million (December 1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 3.835 million (October 1998)

Telephone system: general assessment: excellent domestic and international facilities; automatic system domestic: coaxial and multiconductor cables carry most of the voice traffic; parallel microwave radio relay systems carry some additional telephone channels international: 5 submarine coaxial cables; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Sweden shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Norway)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 265, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios: 8.25 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 169 (plus 1,299 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions: 4.6 million (1997)

Internet country code: .se

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 29 (2000)

Internet users: 5.64 million (2000)

Transportation Sweden

Railways: total: 12,821 km standard gauge: 12,600 km 1.435-m gauge (7,918 km electrified) narrow gauge: 221 km 0.891-m gauge (2001)

Highways: total: 210,760 km paved: 162,707 km (including 1,428 km of expressways) unpaved: 48,053 km (1999)

Waterways: 2,052 km note: navigable to small steamers and barges

Pipelines: natural gas 84 km

Ports and harbors: Gavle, Goteborg, Halmstad, Helsingborg, Hudiksvall,
Kalmar, Karlshamn, Malmo, Solvesborg, Stockholm, Sundsvall

Merchant marine: total: 174 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,255,344 GRT/1,609,844 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Denmark 8, Finland 8, Germany 3, Italy 3, Japan 2, Norway 7 (2002 est.) ships by type: bulk 5, cargo 37, chemical tanker 33, combination ore/oil 4, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 27, railcar carrier 1, roll on/roll off 38, short-sea passenger 4, specialized tanker 6, vehicle carrier 18

Airports: 255 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 147 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 27 under 914 m: 25 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 80

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 108 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 102 (2001)

Heliports: 1 (2001)

Military Sweden

Military branches: Army, Royal Navy (including Coast Artillery and
Naval Helicopter Service), Air Force

Military manpower - military age: 19 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 2,060,205 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,800,991 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 51,506 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $4,395,100,000 (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.1% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Sweden

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Introduction South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Background: The islands lie approximately 1,000 km east of the Falkland Islands and have been under British administration since 1908 except for a brief period in 1982 when Argentina occupied them. Grytviken, on South Georgia, was a 19th and early 20th century whaling station. The famed explorer Ernest SHACKLETON stopped there in 1914 en route to his ill-fated attempt to cross Antarctica on foot. He returned some 20 months later with a few companions in a small boat and arranged a successful rescue for the rest of his crew, stranded off the Antarctic Peninsula. He died in 1922 on a subsequent expedition and is buried in Grytviken. Today, the station houses scientists from the British Antarctic Survey. The islands have large bird and seal populations and, recognizing the importance of preserving the marine stocks in adjacent waters, the UK, in 1993, extended the exclusive fishing zone from 12 NM to 200 NM around each island.

Geography South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Location: Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of the tip of South America

Geographic coordinates: 54 30 S, 37 00 W

Map references: Antarctic Region

Area: total: 3,903 sq km note: includes Shag Rocks, Black Rock, Clerke Rocks, South Georgia Island, Bird Island, and the South Sandwich Islands, which consist of some nine islands water: 0 sq km land: 3,903 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Rhode Island

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: NA km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: variable, with mostly westerly winds throughout the year interspersed with periods of calm; nearly all precipitation falls as snow

Terrain: most of the islands, rising steeply from the sea, are rugged and mountainous; South Georgia is largely barren and has steep, glacier-covered mountains; the South Sandwich Islands are of volcanic origin with some active volcanoes

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Mount Paget (South Georgia) 2,934 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (largely covered by permanent ice and snow with some sparse vegetation consisting of grass, moss, and lichen) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: the South Sandwich Islands have prevailing weather conditions that generally make them difficult to approach by ship; they are also subject to active volcanism

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: the north coast of South Georgia has several large bays, which provide good anchorage; reindeer, introduced early in the 21st century, live on South Georgia

People South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Population: no indigenous inhabitants note: the small military garrison on South Georgia withdrew in March 2001, to be replaced by a permanent group of scientists of the British Antarctic Survey, which also has a biological station on Bird Island; the South Sandwich Islands are uninhabited (July 2002 est.)

Population growth rate: NA%

Government South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Country name: conventional long form: South Georgia and the South
Sandwich Islands conventional short form: none

Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina; administered from the Falkland Islands by a commissioner, who is concurrently governor of the Falkland Islands, representing Queen ELIZABETH II; Grytviken, formerly a whaling station on South Georgia, is a scientific base

National holiday: Liberation Day, 14 June (1982)

Constitution: adopted 3 October 1985

Legal system: the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply; the senior magistrate from the Falkland Islands presides over the Magistrates Court

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of the
UK, also claimed by Argentina)

Flag description: the flag of the UK is used

Economy South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Economy - overview: Some fishing takes place in adjacent waters. There is a potential source of income from harvesting fin fish and krill. The islands receive income from postage stamps produced in the UK, sale of fishing licenses, and harbor and landing fees from tourist vessels. Tourism from specialized cruise ships is increasing rapidly.

Electricity - production: NA kWh

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: NA% hydro: NA% other:
NA% nuclear: NA%

Electricity - consumption: NA kWh

Communications South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: coastal radiotelephone station at Grytviken

Radio broadcast stations: none

Television broadcast stations: 0 (1997)

Internet country code: .gs

Transportation South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Grytviken

Airports: none (2001)

Military South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Disputes - international: South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands occupied briefly by Argentina in 1982; islands continue to be claimed by Argentina

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Syria

Introduction

Syria

Background: Following the breakup of the Ottoman Empire during World War I, Syria was administered by the French until independence in 1946. In the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Syria lost the Golan Heights to Israel. Since 1976, Syrian troops have been stationed in Lebanon, ostensibly in a peacekeeping capacity. In recent years, Syria and Israel have held occasional peace talks over the return of the Golan Heights.

Geography Syria

Location: Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon and Turkey

Geographic coordinates: 35 00 N, 38 00 E

Map references: Middle East

Area: total: 185,180 sq km note: includes 1,295 sq km of Israeli-occupied territory water: 1,130 sq km land: 184,050 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than North Dakota

Land boundaries: total: 2,253 km border countries: Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km, Lebanon 375 km, Turkey 822 km

Coastline: 193 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 41 NM territorial sea: 35 NM

Climate: mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August) and mild, rainy winters (December to February) along coast; cold weather with snow or sleet periodically in Damascus

Terrain: primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain; mountains in west

Elevation extremes: unnamed location near Lake Tiberias -200 m highest point: Natural resources: petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 26% permanent crops: 4% other: 70% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 12,130 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: dust storms, sandstorms

Environment - current issues: deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution from raw sewage and petroleum refining wastes; inadequate potable water

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:
Environmental Modification

Geography - note: there are 42 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (August 2001 est.)

People Syria

Population: 17,155,814 (July 2002 est.) note: in addition, about 40,000 people live in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights - 20,000 Arabs (18,000 Druze and 2,000 Alawites) and about 20,000 Israeli settlers (August 2001 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 39.3% (male 3,467,267; female 3,264,639) 15-64 years: 57.5% (male 5,052,841; female 4,817,662) 65 years and over: 3.2% (male 267,803; female 285,602) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.5% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 30.11 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 5.12 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 32.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 70.32 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 3.84 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.01% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Syrian(s) adjective: Syrian

Ethnic groups: Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other 9.7%

Religions: Sunni Muslim 74%, Alawite, Druze, and other Muslim sects 16%,
Christian (various sects) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus,
Al Qamishli, and Aleppo)

Languages: Arabic (official); Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian widely understood; French, English somewhat understood

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 70.8% male: 85.7% female: 55.8% (1997 est.)

Government Syria

Country name: Syrian Arab Republic conventional short form: local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah

Government type: republic under military regime since March 1963

Capital: Damascus

Administrative divisions: 14 provinces (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah);
Al Hasakah, Al Ladhiqiyah, Al Qunaytirah, Ar Raqqah, As Suwayda', Dar'a,
Dayr az Zawr, Dimashq, Halab, Hamah, Hims, Idlib, Rif Dimashq, Tartus

Independence: 17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under
French administration)

National holiday: Independence Day, 17 April (1946)

Constitution: 13 March 1973

Legal system: based on Islamic law and civil law system; special religious courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Bashar al-ASAD (since 17 July 2000); Vice Presidents Abd al-Halim ibn Said KHADDAM (since 11 March 1984) and Muhammad Zuhayr MASHARIQA (since 11 March 1984) head of government: Prime Ministers Lt. Gen. Mustafa TALAS (since 11 March 1984), Farouk al-SHARA (since 13 December 2001), Dr. Muhammad al-HUSAYN (since 13 December 2001) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; referendum/election last held 10 July 2000 - after the death of President Hafez al-ASAD, father of Bashar al-ASAD - (next to be held NA 2007); vice presidents appointed by the president; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president note: Hafiz al-ASAD died on 10 June 2000; on 20 June 2000, the Ba'th Party nominated Bashar al-ASAD for president and presented his name to the People's Council on 25 June 2000 election results: Bashar al-ASAD elected president; percent of vote - Bashar al-ASAD 97.29%

Legislative branch: unicameral People's Council or Majlis al-shaab (250 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) election results: NPF 167, independents 83; note - the constitution guarantees that the Ba'th Party (part of the NPF alliance) receives one-half of the seats elections: last held 30 November-1 December 1998 (next to be held NA 2002)

Judicial branch: Supreme Constitutional Court (justices are appointed for four-year terms by the president); High Judicial Council; Court of Cassation; State Security Courts

Political parties and leaders: National Progressive Front or NPF
(includes the Ba'th Party, ASU, Arab Socialist Party, Socialist Unionist
Democratic Party, ASP, SCP) [President Bashar al-ASAD, chairman];
Arab Socialist Renaissance (Ba'th) Party (governing party) [President
Bashar al-ASAD, secretary general]; Syrian Arab Socialist Party or ASP
[Safwan KOUDSI]; Syrian Communist Party or SCP [Yusuf FAYSAL]; Syrian
Social National Party [Jubran URAYJI]

Political pressure groups and leaders: conservative religious leaders; Muslim Brotherhood (operates in exile in Jordan and Yemen); non-Ba'th parties have little effective political influence

International organization participation: AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC,
ESCWA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC,
OIC, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA,
UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Rustum al-ZU'BI chancery: 2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 FAX: [1] (202) 234-9548 telephone: [1] (202) 232-6313

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Theodore H. KATTOUF embassy: Abou Roumaneh, Al-Mansur Street, No. 2,
Damascus mailing address: P. O. Box 29, Damascus telephone: [963] (11)
333-1342 FAX: [963] (11) 331-9678

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black, with two small green five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Yemen, which has a plain white band, and of Iraq, which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Egypt, which has a heraldic eagle centered in the white band

Economy Syria

Economy - overview: Syria's predominantly statist economy has been growing slower than its 2.5% annual population growth rate, causing a persistent decline in per capita GDP. President Bashar AL-ASAD has made little progress on the economic front after one year in office, but does appear willing to permit a gradual strengthening of the private sector. His most obvious accomplishment to this end was the recent passage of legislation allowing private banks to operate in Syria, although a private banking sector will take years and further government cooperation to develop. ASAD's recent cabinet reshuffle may improve his chances of implementing further growth-oriented policies, although external factors such as the international war on terrorism, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and downturn in oil prices could weaken the foreign investment and government revenues Syria needs to flourish. A long-run economic constraint is the pressure on water supplies caused by rapid population growth, industrial expansion, and increased water pollution.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $54.2 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 2% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,200 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 27% industry: 23% services: 50% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 15%-25%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.3% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 4.7 million (1998 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 40%, industry 20%, services 40% (1996 est.)

Unemployment rate: 20% (2000 est.)

Budget: revenues: $5 billion expenditures: $7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Industries: petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate rock mining

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 19.7 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 64.47% hydro: 35.53% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 17.671 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 650 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas, olives, sugar beets; beef, mutton, eggs, poultry, milk

Exports: $5 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: crude oil 68%, textiles 7%, fruits and vegetables 6%, raw cotton 4% (1998 est.)

Exports - partners: Germany 27%, Italy 12%, France 10%, Turkey 10%,
Saudi Arabia 7% (2000 est.)

Imports: $4 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment 21%, food and livestock 18%, metal and metal products 15%, chemicals and chemical products 10% (2000 est.)

Imports - partners: Italy 9%, Germany 7%, France 5%, Lebanon 5%, China 4%, South Korea 4%, Turkey 4%, US 4% (2000 est.)

Debt - external: $22 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $199 million (1997 est.)

Currency: Syrian pound (SYP)

Currency code: SYP

Exchange rates: Syrian pounds per US dollar - 51 (December 2001), 46 (2000), 46 (1998), 41.9 (January 1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Syria

Telephones - main lines in use: 1.313 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: NA

Telephone system: general assessment: fair system currently undergoing significant improvement and digital upgrades, including fiber-optic technology coaxial cable and microwave radio relay network international: (Atlantic Ocean region); 1 submarine cable; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey; participant in Medarabtel

Radio broadcast stations: AM 14, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios: 4.15 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 44 (plus 17 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions: 1.05 million (1997)

Internet country code: .sy

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: 32,000 (2001)

Transportation Syria

Railways: total: 2,750 km standard gauge: 2,423 km 1.435-m gauge note: rail link between Syria and Iraq replaced in 2000 (2001) narrow gauge: 327 km 1.050-m gauge

Highways: total: 41,451 km paved: 9,575 km (including 877 km of expressways) unpaved: 31,876 km (1997)

Waterways: 870 km (minimal economic importance)

Pipelines: crude oil 1,304 km; petroleum products 515 km

Ports and harbors: Baniyas, Jablah, Latakia, Tartus

Merchant marine: total: 143 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 482,985 GRT/702,590 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Egypt 1, Greece 2, Italy 1, Lebanon 10 (2002 est.) ships by type: bulk 12, cargo 126, livestock carrier 4, roll on/roll off 1

Airports: 99 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 24 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 16 under 914 m: 1 (2001) 914 to 1,523 m: 2

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 75 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 62 (2001)

Heliports: 2 (2001)

Military Syria

Military branches: Syrian Arab Army, Syrian Arab Navy, Syrian Arab Air
Force (includes Air Defense Forces), Police and Security Force

Military manpower - military age: 19 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 4,550,496 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 2,539,342 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 200,859 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $921 million (FY00 est.); note - based on official budget data that may understate actual spending

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 5.9% (FY98)

Transnational Issues Syria

Disputes - international: Golan Heights is Israeli-occupied; dispute with upstream riparian Turkey over Turkish water development plans for the Tigris and Euphrates rivers; Syrian troops in northern, central, and eastern Lebanon since October 1976; Turkey is quick to rebuff any perceived Syrian claim to Hatay province

Illicit drugs: a transit point for opiates and hashish bound for regional and Western markets

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Switzerland

Introduction

Switzerland

Background: Switzerland's independence and neutrality have long been honored by the major European powers and Switzerland was not involved in either of the two World Wars. The political and economic integration of Europe over the past half century, as well as Switzerland's role in many UN and international organizations has strengthened Switzerland's ties with its neighbors. Switzerland is active in many UN and international organizations, but retains a strong commitment to neutrality.

Geography Switzerland

Location: Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy

Geographic coordinates: 47 00 N, 8 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 41,290 sq km water: 1,520 sq km land: 39,770 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

Land boundaries: total: 1,852 km border countries: Austria 164 km,
France 573 km, Italy 740 km, Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 334 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers

Terrain: mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Lake Maggiore 195 m highest point:
Dufourspitze 4,634 m

Natural resources: hydropower potential, timber, salt

Land use: arable land: 10% permanent crops: 1% other: 89% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 250 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: avalanches, landslides, flash floods

Environment - current issues: air pollution from vehicle emissions and open-air burning; acid rain; water pollution from increased use of agricultural fertilizers; loss of biodiversity

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air
Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants,
Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile
Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous
Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber
94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental
Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea

Geography - note: landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe; along with southeastern France and northern Italy, has the highest elevations in Europe

People Switzerland

Population: 7,301,994 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 16.8% (male 629,513; female 597,472) 15-64 years: 67.7% (male 2,512,273; female 2,433,396) 65 years and over: 15.5% (male 461,722; female 667,618) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.24% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 9.84 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 8.79 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 1.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 4.42 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 82.89 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.47 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.46% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 17,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 150 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Swiss (singular and plural) adjective: Swiss

Ethnic groups: German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6%

Religions: Roman Catholic 46.1%, Protestant 40%, other 5%, none 8.9% (1990)

Languages: German (official) 63.7%, French (official) 19.2%, Italian (official) 7.6%, Romansch 0.6%, other 8.9%

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% (1980 est.) male: NA% female: NA%

Government Switzerland

Country name: Swiss Confederation conventional short form: (Italian) local long form: Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German), Confederation Suisse (French), Confederazione Svizzera (Italian)

Government type: federal republic

Capital: Bern

Administrative divisions: 26 cantons (cantons, singular - canton in
French; cantoni, singular - cantone in Italian; kantone, singular - kanton
in German); Aargau, Appenzell Ausser-Rhoden, Appenzell Inner-Rhoden,
Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Bern, Fribourg, Geneve, Glarus, Graubunden,
Jura, Luzern, Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt Gallen, Schaffhausen,
Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri, Valais, Vaud, Zug, Zurich

Independence: 1 August 1291 (Founding of the Swiss Confederation)

National holiday: Founding of the Swiss Confederation, 1 August (1291)

Constitution: 29 May 1874

Legal system: civil law system influenced by customary law; judicial review of legislative acts, except with respect to federal decrees of general obligatory character; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Kasper VILLIGER (since 1 January 2002); Vice President Pascal COUCHEPIN (since 1 January 2002); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: Pascal COUCHEPIN (since 1 January 2002); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal (in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) elected by the Federal Assembly from among its own members for a four-year term elections: president and vice president elected by the Federal Assembly from among the members of the Federal Council for one-year terms that run concurrently; election last held 5 December 2001 (next to be held NA December 2002) election results: Kasper VILLIGER elected president; percent of Federal Assembly vote - 74.4%; Pascal COUCHEPIN elected vice president; percent of legislative vote - 58.5%

Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung (in German), Assemblee Federale (in French), Assemblea Federale (in Italian) consists of the Council of States or Standerat (in German), Conseil des Etats (in French), Consiglio degli Stati (in Italian) (46 seats - members serve four-year terms) and the National Council or Nationalrat (in German), Conseil National (in French), Consiglio Nazionale (in Italian) (200 seats - members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: Council of States - last held NA 1999 (each canton determines when the next election will be held); National Council - last held 24 October 1999 (next to be held NA October 2003) election results: Council of States - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - FDP 18, CVP 15, SVP 7, SPS 6; National Council - percent of vote by party - SPS 22.5%, SVP 22.6%, FDP 19.9%, CVP 15.8%, other small parties all under 5%; seats by party - SPS 51, SVP 44, FDP 43, CVP 35, Green Party 9, other small parties 18

Judicial branch: Federal Supreme Court (judges elected for six-year terms by the Federal Assembly)

Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic People's Party
(Christichdemokratische Volkspartei der Schweiz or CVP, Parti
Democrate-Chretien Suisse or PDC, Partito Democratico-Cristiano
Popolare Svizzero or PDC, Partida Cristiandemocratica dalla Svizra
or PCD) [Philipp STAEHELIN, president]; Green Party (Grune Partei
der Schweiz or Grune, Parti Ecologiste Suisse or Les Verts, Partito
Ecologista Svizzero or I Verdi, Partida Ecologica Svizra or La
Verda) [Ruth GENNER and Patrice MUGNY, co-presidents]; Radical Free
Democratic Party (Freisinnig-Demokratische Partei der Schweiz or FDP,
Parti Radical-Democratique Suisse or PRD, Partitio Liberal-Radicale
Svizzero or PLR) [Gerold BUEHRER, president]; Social Democratic Party
(Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz or SPS, Parti Socialist Suisse
or PSS, Partito Socialista Svizzero or PSS, Partida Socialdemocratica de
la Svizra or PSS) [Christiane BRUNNER, president]; Swiss People's Party
(Schweizerische Volkspartei or SVP, Union Democratique du Centre or UDC,
Unione Democratica de Centro or UDC, Uniun Democratica dal Center or UDC)
[Ueli MAURER, president]; and other minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia
Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G-10, IADB,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MONUC, NAM (guest),
NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN (observer),
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP,
UNOMIG, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: Ambassador Christian BLICKENSTORFER consulate(s): New York, and San Francisco FAX: [1] (202) 387-2564 telephone: [1] (202) 745-7900 chancery: 2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mercer REYNOLDS III embassy: Jubilaeumstrasse use embassy street address telephone: Flag description: red square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the center that does not extend to the edges of the flag

Economy Switzerland

Economy - overview: Switzerland is a prosperous and stable modern market economy with a per capita GDP higher than that of the big western European economies. The Swiss in recent years have brought their economic practices largely into conformity with the EU's to enhance their international competitiveness. Although the Swiss are not pursuing full EU membership in the near term, in 1999 Bern and Brussels signed agreements to further liberalize trade ties. They continue to discuss further areas for cooperation. Switzerland remains a safe haven for investors, because it has maintained a degree of bank secrecy and has kept up the franc's long-term external value. The GDP growth rate dipped to 1.6% in 2001, and the government projects that it will slow further to 1.3% in 2002.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $226 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 1.6% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $31,100 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2% industry: 34% services: 64% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 25.2% (1992)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 33.1 (1992)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1% (2001)

Labor force: 4 million (2001)

Labor force - by occupation: services 69.1%, industry 26.3%, agriculture 4.6% (1998)

Unemployment rate: 1.8% (2001)

Budget: revenues: $30 billion expenditures: $30 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Industries: machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments

Industrial production growth rate: 3.2% (2001)

Electricity - production: 64.182 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 3.96% hydro: 56.81% other: 2.3% (2000) nuclear: 36.93%

Electricity - consumption: 52.62 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 31.4 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 24.33 billion kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs

Exports: $91.4 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Exports - commodities: machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, agricultural products

Exports - partners: EU 59% (Germany 21%, France 9%, Italy 8%, UK 6%,
Austria 3%), US 13%, Japan 4% (2000)

Imports: $91.4 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Imports - commodities: machinery, chemicals, vehicles, metals; agricultural products, textiles

Imports - partners: EU 74% (Germany 29%, France 10%, Italy 9%,
Netherlands 6%, UK 6%), US 8%, Japan 3% (2000)

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid - donor: ODA, $1.1 billion (1995)

Currency: Swiss franc (CHF)

Currency code: CHF

Exchange rates: Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.6668 (January 2002), 1.6876 (2001), 1.6888 (2000), 1.5022 (1999), 1.4498 (1998), 1.4513 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Switzerland

Telephones - main lines in use: 4.82 million (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 1.967 million (1999)

Telephone system: general assessment: excellent domestic and international services domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 113 (plus many low power stations), shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios: 7.1 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 115 (plus 1,919 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions: 3.31 million (1997)

Internet country code: .ch

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 44 (Switzerland and Liechtenstein) (2000)

Internet users: 3.41 million (2001)

Transportation Switzerland

Railways: total: 4,406 km standard gauge: 3,440 km 1.435-m gauge dual gauge: 56 km 1.435-m and 1.000-m gauges (3 rail system) note: Swiss railways are virtually all electrified (2001) narrow gauge: 900 km 1.000-m gauge; 10 km 0.800-m gauge

Highways: total: 71,059 km (including 1,638 km of expressways) paved: 71,059 km unpaved: 0 km (1999)

Waterways: 65 km note: The Rhine carries heavy traffic on the Basel-Rheinfelden and Schaffhausen-Bodensee stretches; there are also 12 navigable lakes

Pipelines: crude oil 314 km; natural gas 1,506 km

Ports and harbors: Basel

Merchant marine: total: 26 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 509,943 GRT/896,309 DWT ships by type: bulk 15, cargo 6, chemical tanker 4, petroleum tanker 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience:, United Kingdom 6, United States 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 66 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 42 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 15 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 24 under 914 m: 24 (2001)

Heliports: 1 (2001)

Military Switzerland

Military branches: Army, Air Force, Frontier Guards, Fortification Guards

Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,841,867 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,561,689 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 42,597 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $2.548 billion (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Switzerland

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: because of more stringent government regulations, used significantly less as a money-laundering center; transit country for and consumer of South American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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United Arab Emirates

Introduction

United Arab Emirates

Background: The Trucial States of the Persian Gulf coast granted the UK control of their defense and foreign affairs in 19th century treaties. In 1971, six of these states - Abu Zaby, 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah, Dubayy, and Umm al Qaywayn - merged to form the United Arab Emirates (UAE). They were joined in 1972 by Ra's al Khaymah. The UAE's per capita GDP is not far below those of leading West European nations. Its generosity with oil revenues and its moderate foreign policy stance have allowed the UAE to play a vital role in the affairs of the region.

Geography United Arab Emirates

Location: Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates: 24 00 N, 54 00 E

Map references: Middle East

Area: total: 82,880 sq km land: 82,880 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maine

Land boundaries: total: 867 km border countries: Oman 410 km, Saudi
Arabia 457 km

Coastline: 1,318 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate: desert; cooler in eastern mountains

Terrain: flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast desert wasteland; mountains in east

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point:
Jabal Yibir 1,527 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 1% other: 99% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 720 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: frequent sand and dust storms

Environment - current issues: lack of natural freshwater resources compensated by desalination plants; desertification; beach pollution from oil spills

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note: strategic location along southern approaches to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil

People United Arab Emirates

Population: 2,445,989 note: includes 1,576,472 non-nationals (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 27.7% (male 345,077; female 331,545) 15-64 years: 69.7% (male 1,069,443; female 635,275) 65 years and over: 2.6% (male 45,989; female 18,660) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.58% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 18.3 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 3.9 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 1.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.68 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 2.46 male(s)/female total population: 1.48 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 16.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 77.1 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 3.16 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.18% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Emirati(s) adjective: Emirati

Ethnic groups: Emirati 19%, other Arab and Iranian 23%, South Asian 50%, other expatriates (includes Westerners and East Asians) 8% (1982) note: less than 20% are UAE citizens (1982)

Religions: Muslim 96% (Shi'a 16%), Christian, Hindu, and other 4%

Languages: Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 79.2% male: 78.9% female: 79.8% (1995 est.)

Government United Arab Emirates

Country name: United Arab Emirates conventional short form: UAE former:
Trucial Oman, Trucial States local short form: none

Government type: federation with specified powers delegated to the UAE federal government and other powers reserved to member emirates

Capital: Abu Dhabi

Administrative divisions: 7 emirates (imarat, singular - imarah); Abu
Zaby (Abu Dhabi), 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah (Sharjah), Dubayy
(Dubai), Ra's al Khaymah, Umm al Qaywayn

Independence: 2 December 1971 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 2 December (1971)

Constitution: 2 December 1971 (made permanent in 1996)

Legal system: federal court system introduced in 1971; all emirates except Dubayy (Dubai) and Ra's al Khaymah have joined the federal system; all emirates have secular and Islamic law for civil, criminal, and high courts

Suffrage: none

Executive branch: chief of state: President ZAYID bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan (since 2 December 1971), ruler of Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) (since 6 August 1966) and Vice President MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum (since 8 October 1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai) note: there is also a Federal Supreme Council (FSC) composed of the seven emirate rulers; the FSC is the highest constitutional authority in the UAE; establishes general policies and sanctions federal legislation; meets four times a year; Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) and Dubayy (Dubai) rulers have effective veto power head of government: Prime Minister MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum (since 8 October 1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai); Deputy Prime Minister SULTAN bin Zayid Al Nuhayyan (since 20 November 1990) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president and vice president elected by the FSC (a group of seven electors) for five-year terms; election last held 2 December 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president election results: ZAYID bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan reelected president; percent of FSC vote - NA%, but believed to be unanimous; MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum elected vice president; percent of FSC vote - NA%, but believed to be unanimous

Legislative branch: unicameral Federal National Council or Majlis al-Ittihad al-Watani (40 seats; members appointed by the rulers of the constituent states to serve two-year terms) elections: none note: reviews legislation, but cannot change or veto

Judicial branch: Union Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)

Political parties and leaders: none

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU,
CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC,
OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Asri Said Ahmad al-DHAHIRI FAX: [1] (202) 243-2432 telephone: [1] (202) 243-2400 chancery: 3522 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20037

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Marcelle M. WAHBA (since 4 Oct. 2001) embassy: Al-Sudan Street, Abu Dhabi mailing address: P. O. Box 4009, Abu Dhabi; American Embassy Abu Dhabi, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-6010 (pouch); note - work week is Saturday through Wednesday telephone: [971] (2) 4436691 FAX: [971] (2) 4435441 consulate(s) general: Dubai

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black with a wider vertical red band on the hoist side

Economy United Arab Emirates

Economy - overview: The UAE has an open economy with a high per capita income and a sizable annual trade surplus. Its wealth is based on oil and gas output (about 33% of GDP), and the fortunes of the economy fluctuate with the prices of those commodities. Since 1973, the UAE has undergone a profound transformation from an impoverished region of small desert principalities to a modern state with a high standard of living. At present levels of production, oil and gas reserves should last for more than 100 years. The government has increased spending on job creation and infrastructure expansion and is opening up its utilities to greater private sector involvement.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $51 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 5.6% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $21,100 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3% industry: 46% services: 51% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.5% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 1.6 million (2000 est.) note: 73.9% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (July 2002 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: services 78%, industry 15%, agriculture 7% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $20 billion expenditures: $22 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Industries: petroleum, fishing, petrochemicals, construction materials, some boat building, handicrafts, pearling

Industrial production growth rate: 4% (2000)

Electricity - production: 38.7 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 35.991 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: dates, vegetables, watermelons; poultry, eggs, dairy products; fish

Exports: $47.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Exports - commodities: crude oil 45%, natural gas, reexports, dried fish, dates

Exports - partners: Japan 30%, India 7%, Singapore 6%, South Korea 4%,
Oman, Iran (1999)

Imports: $28.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food

Imports - partners: Japan 9%, UK 8%, US 8%, Italy 6%, Germany, South
Korea (1999)

Debt - external: $12.6 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - donor: $NA

Currency: Emirati dirham (AED)

Currency code: AED

Exchange rates: Emirati dirhams per US dollar - central bank mid-point rate: 3.6725 (since 1997), 3.6710 (1995-96)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications United Arab Emirates

Telephones - main lines in use: 915,223 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 1 million (1999)

Telephone system: general assessment: modern system of microwave radio relay and coaxial cable; key centers are Abu Dhabi and Dubai domestic: microwave radio relay and coaxial cable international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; submarine cables to Qatar, Bahrain, India, and Pakistan; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia

Radio broadcast stations: AM 13, FM 7, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios: 820,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 15 (1997)

Televisions: 310,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .ae

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: 735,000 (2001)

Transportation United Arab Emirates

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 4,835 km paved: 4,835 km unpaved: 0 km (1998 est.)

Waterways: none

Pipelines: crude oil 830 km; natural gas, including natural gas liquids, 870 km

Ports and harbors: 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Das Island, Khawr Fakkan,
Mina' Jabal 'Ali, Mina' Khalid, Mina' Rashid, Mina' Saqr, Mina' Zayid,
Umm al Qaywayn

Merchant marine: total: 56 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 833,401 GRT/1,251,015 DWT ships by type: cargo 13, chemical tanker 3, container 7, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 1, petroleum tanker 25, roll on/roll off 6 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Greece 2, Italy 1, Kuwait 2 (2002 est.)

Airports: 38 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: 3 3 914 to 1,523 m: Airports - with unpaved runways: 1 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: Heliports: 2 (2001)

Military United Arab Emirates

Military branches: Army, Navy (including Marines and Coast Guard), Air
Force, Air Defense, paramilitary forces (includes Federal Police Force)

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 773,938 note: includes non-nationals (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 419,851 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 25,482 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $1.6 billion (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.1% (FY00)

Transnational Issues United Arab Emirates

Disputes - international: Oman signed boundary treaty with the UAE in 1999, but complete UAE-Oman boundary line is not expected until the end of 2002; undefined segments remain with Ra's al-Khaymah and Ash Shariqah (Sharjah) emirates, including the Musandam Peninsula, where an administrative boundary substitutes for an international boundary; because details of 1974 and 1977 treaties have not been made public, the exact location of the Saudi Arabia-UAE boundary is unknown and status is considered de facto; UAE seeks United Arab League and other international support against Iran's occupation of Greater Tunb Island (called Tunb al Kubra in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Bozorg in Persian by Iran) and Lesser Tunb Island (called Tunb as Sughra in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Kuchek in Persian by Iran) and attempts to occupy completely a jointly administered island in the Persian Gulf (called Abu Musa in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Abu Musa in Persian by Iran)

Illicit drugs: The UAE is a drug transshipment point for traffickers given its proximity to southwest Asian drug producing countries; the UAE's position as a major financial center makes it vulnerable to money laundering; anti-money-laundering legislation was signed into law by the president on 25 January 2002

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Trinidad and Tobago

Introduction

Trinidad and Tobago

Background: The islands came under British control in the 19th century; independence was granted in 1962. The country is one of the most prosperous in the Caribbean thanks largely to petroleum and natural gas production and processing. Tourism, mostly in Tobago, is targeted for expansion and is growing.

Geography Trinidad and Tobago

Location: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North
Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela

Geographic coordinates: 11 00 N, 61 00 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 5,128 sq km land: 5,128 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Delaware

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 362 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines exclusive economic zone: edge of the continental margin contiguous zone: 24 NM

Climate: tropical; rainy season (June to December)

Terrain: mostly plains with some hills and low mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point:
El Cerro del Aripo 940 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, asphalt

Land use: arable land: 15% permanent crops: 9% other: 76% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 30 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: outside usual path of hurricanes and other tropical storms

Environment - current issues: water pollution from agricultural chemicals, industrial wastes, and raw sewage; oil pollution of beaches; deforestation; soil erosion

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: Pitch Lake, on Trinidad's southwestern coast, is the world's largest natural reservoir of asphalt

People Trinidad and Tobago

Population: 1,163,724 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 23% (male 136,807; female 131,177) 15-64 years: 70.2% (male 419,847; female 396,643) 65 years and over: 6.8% (male 35,146; female 44,104) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.52% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 13.66 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 8.81 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -10.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 24.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 71.25 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.8 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 1.05% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 7,800 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 530 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Trinidadian(s), Tobagonian(s) adjective: Trinidadian,
Tobagonian

Ethnic groups: black 39.5%, East Indian (a local term - primarily immigrants from northern India) 40.3%, mixed 18.4%, white 0.6%, Chinese and other 1.2%

Religions: Roman Catholic 29.4%, Hindu 23.8%, Anglican 10.9%, Muslim 5.8%, Presbyterian 3.4%, other 26.7%

Languages: English (official), Hindi, French, Spanish, Chinese

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 94% (2000) male: 95.9% (1999) female: 91.7% (1999)

Government Trinidad and Tobago

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Trinidad and Tobago conventional short form: Trinidad and Tobago

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Port-of-Spain

Administrative divisions: 8 counties, 3 municipalities*, and 1 ward**;
Arima*, Caroni, Mayaro, Nariva, Port-of-Spain*, Saint Andrew, Saint David,
Saint George, Saint Patrick, San Fernando*, Tobago**, Victoria

Independence: 31 August 1962 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 31 August (1962)

Constitution: 1 August 1976

Legal system: based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Arthur Napoleon Raymond ROBINSON (since 18 March 1997) head of government: Prime Minister Patrick MANNING (since 24 December 2001) cabinet: Cabinet appointed from among the members of Parliament elections: president elected by an electoral college, which consists of the members of the Senate and House of Representatives, for a five-year term; election last held 10 December 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); the president usually appoints as prime minister the leader of the majority party in the House of Representatives election results: college vote - 69%

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (31 seats; members appointed by the president for a maximum term of five years) and the House of Representatives (36 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: House of Representatives - last held 10 December 2001 (next to be held by December 2006) note: Tobago has a unicameral House of Assembly, with 15 members serving four-year terms election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote - UNC 49.9%, PNM 46.5%; seats by party - UNC 18, PNM 18

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Judicature (comprised of the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeals; the chief justice is appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister and the leader of the opposition; other justices are appointed by the president on the advice of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission); High Court of Justice; Court of Appeals the highest court of appeal is the Privy Council in London

Political parties and leaders: National Alliance for Reconstruction
or NAR [Hochoy CHARLES]; People's Empowerment Party or PEP [leader NA];
People's National Movement or PNM [Patrick MANNING]; Team Unity or TUN
[Ramesh MAHARAJ]; United National Congress or UNC [Basdeo PANDAY]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Jamaat-al Musilmeen [Yasin BAKR]

International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB,
ECLAC, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS,
OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
(vacant); Charge d'Affaires Mackisack LOGIE chancery: 1708 Massachusetts
Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 consulate(s) general: Miami and New York
FAX: [1] (202) 785-3130 telephone: [1] (202) 467-6490

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Roy AUSTIN embassy: 15 Queen's Park West,
 P. O. Box 752, Port-of-Spain telephone:
Flag description: red with a white-edged black diagonal band from the
upper hoist side

Economy Trinidad and Tobago

Economy - overview: Trinidad and Tobago has earned a reputation as an excellent investment site for international businesses. A leading performer in the past 4 years has been the booming natural gas sector. Tourism is a growing sector, although not proportionately as important as in many other Caribbean islands. The expected recovery of the global economy, along with anticipated higher oil prices, are plus factors for 2002. Negative factors are persistent high unemployment and the political uncertainties following the contentious selection of a new government in December 2001.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $10.6 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $9,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.6% industry: 43.2% services: 55.2% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 21% (1992 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.6% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 564,000 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation: construction and utilities 12.4%, manufacturing, mining, and quarrying 14%, agriculture 9.5%, services 64.1% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate: 11.8% (2001)

Budget: revenues: $1.54 billion expenditures: $1.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $117.3 million (1998)

Industries: petroleum, chemicals, tourism, food processing, cement, beverage, cotton textiles

Industrial production growth rate: 4.2% (2001)

Electricity - production: 5.153 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.59% hydro: 0% other: 0.41% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 4.792 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: cocoa, sugarcane, rice, citrus, coffee, vegetables; poultry

Exports: $4.1 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, steel products, fertilizer, sugar, cocoa, coffee, citrus, flowers

Exports - partners: US 45.9%, Caricom countries 26.1%, Latin America 9.5%, EU 5.7% (1999)

Imports: $3.5 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods, food, live animals

Imports - partners: US 39.8%, Venezuela 11.9%, EU 11%, Caricom 4.8% (1999)

Debt - external: $2.2 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $24 million (1999 est.)

Currency: Trinidad and Tobago dollar (TTD)

Currency code: TTD

Exchange rates: Trinidad and Tobago dollars per US dollar - 6.2466 (January 2002), 6.2332 (2001), 6.2998 (2000), 6.2989 (1999), 6.2983 (1998), 6.2517 (1997)

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

Communications Trinidad and Tobago

Telephones - main lines in use: 252,000 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 17,411 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: excellent international service; good local service domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Barbados and Guyana

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 680,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 4 (1997)

Televisions: 425,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .tt

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 17 (2000)

Internet users: 42,800 (2001)

Transportation Trinidad and Tobago

Railways: minimal agricultural railroad system near San Fernando; common carrier railway service was discontinued in 1968 (2001)

Highways: total: 8,320 km paved: 4,252 km unpaved: 4,068 km (1996)

Waterways: none

Pipelines: crude oil 1,032 km; petroleum products 19 km; natural gas 904 km

Ports and harbors: Pointe-a-Pierre, Point Fortin, Point Lisas,
Port-of-Spain, Scarborough, Tembladora

Merchant marine: total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,910
GRT/7,546 DWT ships by type: cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1 note: includes
a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: United
States 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 6 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2001)

Military Trinidad and Tobago

Military branches: Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force (including Ground
Force, Coast Guard, and Air Wing), Trinidad and Tobago Police Service

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 347,831 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 248,324 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $90 million (1999)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.4% (1999)

Transnational Issues Trinidad and Tobago

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe; producer of cannabis

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Tromelin Island

Introduction

Tromelin Island

Background: First explored by the French in 1776, the island came under the jurisdiction of Reunion in 1814. At present, it serves as a sea turtle sanctuary and is the site of an important meteorological station.

Geography Tromelin Island

Location: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar

Geographic coordinates: 15 52 S, 54 25 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 1 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 1 sq km

Area - comparative: about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 3.7 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical

Terrain: low, flat, and sandy

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 7 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (scattered bushes) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: climatologically important location for forecasting cyclones; wildlife sanctuary

People Tromelin Island

Population: uninhabited (July 2002 est.)

Population growth rate: NA

Government Tromelin Island

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Tromelin Island local short form: Ile Tromelin local long form: none

Dependency status: possession of France; administered by a high commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion

Legal system: the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Flag description: the flag of France is used

Economy Tromelin Island

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Communications Tromelin Island

Communications - note: important meteorological station

Transportation Tromelin Island

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Airports: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2001)

Military Tromelin Island

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Tromelin Island

Disputes - international: claimed by Madagascar and Mauritius

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Thailand

Introduction

Thailand

Background: A unified Thai kingdom was established in the mid-14th century. Known as Siam until 1939, Thailand is the only Southeast Asian country never to have been taken over by a European power. A bloodless revolution in 1932 led to a constitutional monarchy. In alliance with Japan during World War II, Thailand became a US ally following the conflict.

Geography Thailand

Location: Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of
Thailand, southeast of Burma

Geographic coordinates: 15 00 N, 100 00 E

Map references: Southeast Asia

Area: total: 514,000 sq km water: 2,230 sq km land: 511,770 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Wyoming

Land boundaries: total: 4,863 km border countries: Burma 1,800 km,
Cambodia 803 km, Laos 1,754 km, Malaysia 506 km

Coastline: 3,219 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical; rainy, warm, cloudy southwest monsoon (mid-May to September); dry, cool northeast monsoon (November to mid-March); southern isthmus always hot and humid

Terrain: central plain; Khorat Plateau in the east; mountains elsewhere

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m highest point:
Doi Inthanon 2,576 m

Natural resources: tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead, fish, gypsum, lignite, fluorite, arable land

Land use: arable land: 33% permanent crops: 7% other: 60% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 47,490 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: land subsidence in Bangkok area resulting from the depletion of the water table; droughts

Environment - current issues: air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from organic and factory wastes; deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by illegal hunting

Environment - international agreements: party to: Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life
Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber
83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea

Geography - note: controls only land route from Asia to Malaysia and
Singapore

People Thailand

Population: 62,354,402 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 23.3% (male 7,404,227; female 7,121,083) 15-64 years: (male 1,868,632; female 2,400,754) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.88% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 16.39 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 7.55 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 29.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 72.51 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.86 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 2.15% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 755,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 66,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Thai (singular and plural) adjective: Thai

Ethnic groups: Thai 75%, Chinese 14%, other 11%

Religions: Buddhism 95%, Muslim 3.8%, Christianity 0.5%, Hinduism 0.1%, other 0.6% (1991)

Languages: Thai, English (secondary language of the elite), ethnic and regional dialects

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93.8% male: 96% female: 91.6% (1995 est.)

Government Thailand

Country name: Kingdom of Thailand conventional short form: Government type: constitutional monarchy

Capital: Bangkok

Administrative divisions: 76 provinces (changwat, singular and plural);
Amnat Charoen, Ang Thong, Buriram, Chachoengsao, Chai Nat, Chaiyaphum,
Chanthaburi, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Chon Buri, Chumphon, Kalasin,
Kamphaeng Phet, Kanchanaburi, Khon Kaen, Krabi, Krung Thep Mahanakhon
(Bangkok), Lampang, Lamphun, Loei, Lop Buri, Mae Hong Son, Maha Sarakham,
Mukdahan, Nakhon Nayok, Nakhon Pathom, Nakhon Phanom, Nakhon Ratchasima,
Nakhon Sawan, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Nan, Narathiwat, Nong Bua Lamphu, Nong
Khai, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Pattani, Phangnga, Phatthalung, Phayao,
Phetchabun, Phetchaburi, Phichit, Phitsanulok, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya,
Phrae, Phuket, Prachin Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Ranong, Ratchaburi,
Rayong, Roi Et, Sa Kaeo, Sakon Nakhon, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Samut
Songkhram, Sara Buri, Satun, Sing Buri, Sisaket, Songkhla, Sukhothai,
Suphan Buri, Surat Thani, Surin, Tak, Trang, Trat, Ubon Ratchathani,
Udon Thani, Uthai Thani, Uttaradit, Yala, Yasothon

Independence: 1238 (traditional founding date; never colonized)

National holiday: Birthday of King PHUMIPHON, 5 December (1927)

Constitution: new constitution signed by King PHUMIPHON on 11 October 1997

Legal system: based on civil law system, with influences of common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch: King PHUMIPHON Adunyadet (since 9 June 1946) note: THAKSIN Chinnawat (since NA January 2001) and Deputy Prime Ministers Gen. (Ret.) CHAWALIT Yongchaiyut (since NA), DET Bunlong (since NA), PHITHAK Intharawithayanan (since NA), PONGPHON Adireksan (since NA), and Council of Ministers elections: members of the House of Representatives; following a national election for the House of Representatives, the leader of the party that can organize a majority coalition usually becomes prime minister

Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly or Rathasapha consists of the Senate or Wuthisapha (200 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Sapha Phuthaen Ratsadon (500 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 4 March, 29 April, 4 June, 9 July, and 22 July 2000 (next to be held NA March 2004); House of Representatives - last held 6 January 2001 (next to be held NA January 2005) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - TRT 248, DP 128, TNP 41, NAP 36, NDP 29, other 18

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Sandika (judges appointed by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party or DP (Prachathipat Party) [CHUAN Likphai]; Mass Party or MP [CHALERM Yoobamrung, SOPHON Petchsavang]; National Development Party or NDP (Chat Phattana) [KORN Dabbaransi]; Phalang Dharma Party or PDP (Phalang Tham) [CHAIWAT Sinsuwong]; Solidarity Party or SP (Ekkaphap Party) [CHAIYOT Sasomsap]; Thai Citizen's Party or TCP (Prachakon Thai) [SAMAK Sunthonwet]; Thai Nation Party or TNP (Chat Thai Party) [BANHAN Sinlapa-acha]; Thai Rak Thai Party or TRT [THAKSIN Chinnawat] note: the Liberal Democratic Party or LDP (Seri Tham) and the New Aspiration Party or NAP (Khwamwang Mai) no longer exist as separate parties; elements of the two parties joined the Thai Rak Thai Party or TRT

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS,
CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAS
(observer), OIC (observer), OPCW (signatory), OSCE (partner), PCA, UN,
UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNTAET,
UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador SAKTHIP
Krairiksh chancery: 1024 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 FAX:
[1] (202) 944-3611 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New
York telephone: [1] (202) 944-3600

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Darryl N. JOHNSON embassy: 120/22 Wireless Road, Bangkok mailing address:
APO AP 96546 telephone: [66] (2) 205-4000 FAX: [66] (2) 254-1171
consulate(s) general: Chiang Mai

Flag description: five horizontal bands of red (top), white, blue (double width), white, and red

Economy Thailand

Economy - overview: After enjoying the world's highest growth rate from 1985 to 1995 - averaging almost 9% annually - increased speculative pressure on Thailand's currency in 1997 led to a crisis that uncovered financial sector weaknesses and forced the government to float the baht. Long pegged at 25 to the dollar, the baht reached its lowest point of 56 to the dollar in January 1998 and the economy contracted by 10.2% that same year. Thailand entered a recovery stage in 1999, expanding 4.2% and grew 4.4% in 2000, largely due to strong exports - which increased about 20% in 2000. An ailing financial sector and the slow pace of corporate debt restructuring, combined with a softening of global demand, however, slowed growth in 2001 to 1.4%.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $410 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 1.4% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $6,600 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11% industry: 40% services: 49% (2001)

Population below poverty line: 12.5% (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 32.4% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 41.4 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.6% (2001)

Labor force: 33.4 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 54%, industry 15%, services 31% (1996 est.)

Unemployment rate: 3.9% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $19 billion expenditures: $21 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Industries: tourism; textiles and garments, agricultural processing, beverages, tobacco, cement, light manufacturing, such as jewelry; electric appliances and components, computers and parts, integrated circuits, furniture, plastics; world's second-largest tungsten producer and third-largest tin producer

Industrial production growth rate: 3% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production: 94.314 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 92.26% hydro: 6.33% other: 1.41% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 90.261 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 151 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 2.7 billion kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: rice, cassava (tapioca), rubber, corn, sugarcane, coconuts, soybeans

Exports: $65.3 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: computers, transistors, seafood, clothing, rice

Exports - partners: US 23%, Japan 14%, Singapore 8%, China 6%, Hong
Kong 5%, Malaysia 4% (2000)

Imports: $62.3 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: capital goods, intermediate goods and raw materials, consumer goods, fuels

Imports - partners: Japan 24%, US 11%, Singapore 10%, Malaysia 6%,
China 4%, Taiwan 4% (2000)

Debt - external: $69.4 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $131.5 million (1998 est.)

Currency: baht (THB)

Currency code: THB

Exchange rates: baht per US dollar - 43.982 (January 2002), 43.432 (2001), 40.112 (2000), 37.814 (1999), 41.359 (1998), 31.364 (1997)

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

Communications Thailand

Telephones - main lines in use: 5.6 million (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 3.1 million (2002)

Telephone system: general assessment: service to general public adequate, but investment in technological upgrades reduced by recession; bulk of service to government activities provided by multichannel cable and microwave radio relay network domestic: microwave radio relay and multichannel cable; domestic satellite system being developed international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 204, FM 334, shortwave 6 (1999)

Radios: 13.96 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 5 (all in Bangkok; plus 131 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 15.19 million (1997)

Internet country code: .th

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 15 (2000)

Internet users: 2.3 million (2000)

Transportation Thailand

Railways: total: 4,071 km narrow gauge: 4,071 km 1.000-m gauge (`2001)

Highways: total: 64,600 km paved: 62,985 km unpaved: 1,615 km (1996)

Waterways: 4,000 km note: 3,701 km are navigable throughout the year by boats with drafts up to 0.9 meters; numerous minor waterways serve shallow-draft native craft

Pipelines: petroleum products 67 km; natural gas 350 km

Ports and harbors: Bangkok, Laem Chabang, Pattani, Phuket, Sattahip,
Si Racha, Songkhla

Merchant marine: total: 297 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,661,314 GRT/2,564,820 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Germany 1, Greece 1, Indonesia 1, Japan 1, Norway 24, Panama 1, Singapore 1 (2002 est.) ships by type: bulk 34, cargo 133, chemical tanker 3, combination bulk 1, container 14, liquefied gas 20, multi-functional large-load carrier 2, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 65, refrigerated cargo 16, roll on/roll off 2, short-sea passenger 2, specialized tanker 4

Airports: 110 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 59 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 16 under 914 m: 4 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 22

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 51 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 19 under 914 m: 31 (2001)

Heliports: 2 (2001)

Military Thailand

Military branches: Royal Thai Army, Royal Thai Navy (includes Royal
Thai Marine Corps), Royal Thai Air Force, paramilitary forces (includes
the Border Patrol Police [including Police Aerial Reinforcement Unit],
Thahan Phran, Special Action Forces, Police Aviation Division, Thai
Marine Police, and the Volunteer Defense Corps)

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 17,766,501 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 10,660,530 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 567,659 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $1.775 billion (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.4% (FY00)

Transnational Issues Thailand

Disputes - international: a one km stretch of Malaysia-Thailand territory at the mouth of the Kolok river remains in dispute, despite overall success in boundary redemarcation; Cambodia accuses Thailand of moving or destroying boundary markers and encroachment, of not respecting its claims, and of sealing off access to the Preah Vihear temple ruin awarded to Cambodia by the ICJ in 1962; demarcation of boundary with Laos is nearing completion, but Mekong River islets remain in dispute; Laos also protests Thai squatters; despite renewed border committee talks, significant differences remain with Burma over boundary alignment and the handling of ethnic guerrilla rebels, refugees, smuggling, and drug trafficking in cross-border region

Illicit drugs: a minor producer of opium, heroin, and marijuana; illicit transit point for heroin en route to the international drug market from Burma and Laos; eradication efforts have reduced the area of cannabis cultivation and shifted some production to neighboring countries; opium poppy cultivation has been reduced by eradication efforts; also a drug money-laundering center; minor role in amphetamine production for regional consumption; increasing indigenous abuse of methamphetamine

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Tajikistan

Introduction

Tajikistan

Background: Tajikistan has experienced three changes in government and a five-year civil war since it gained independence in 1991 from the USSR. A peace agreement among rival factions was signed in 1997, and implemented in 2000. The central government's less than total control over some areas of the country has forced it to compromise and forge alliances among factions. Open skirmishes in the streets are less of a problem than they were during the war five years ago. Attention by the international community in the wake of the war in Afghanistan may bring increased economic development assistance, which would create jobs and increase stability in the long term. Tajikistan is in the beginning stages of seeking World Trade Organization membership and has been approved to join NATO's Partnership for Peace.

Geography Tajikistan

Location: Central Asia, west of China

Geographic coordinates: 39 00 N, 71 00 E

Map references: Asia

Area: total: 143,100 sq km water: 400 sq km land: 142,700 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Wisconsin

Land boundaries: total: 3,651 km border countries: Afghanistan 1,206 km,
China 414 km, Kyrgyzstan 870 km, Uzbekistan 1,161 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: midlatitude continental, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid to polar in Pamir Mountains

Terrain: Pamir and Alay Mountains dominate landscape; western Fergana
Valley in north, Kofarnihon and Vakhsh Valleys in southwest

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Syr Darya (Sirdaryo) 300 m highest point: Qullai Ismoili Somoni 7,495 m

Natural resources: hydropower, some petroleum, uranium, mercury, brown coal, lead, zinc, antimony, tungsten, silver, gold

Land use: arable land: 5% permanent crops: 1% other: 94% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 7,200 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: earthquakes and floods

Environment - current issues: inadequate sanitation facilities; increasing levels of soil salinity; industrial pollution; excessive pesticides; part of the basin of the shrinking Aral Sea suffers from severe overutilization of available water for irrigation and associated pollution

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Geography - note: landlocked; mountainous region dominated by the Trans-Alay Range in the north and the Pamirs in the southeast; highest point, Qullai Ismoili Somoni (formerly Communism Peak), was the tallest mountain in the former USSR

People Tajikistan

Population: 6,719,567 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 40.4% (male 1,370,314; female 1,346,465) 15-64 years: 54.9% (male 1,835,573; female 1,854,677) 65 years and over: 4.7% (male 136,033; female 176,505) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.12% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 32.99 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 8.51 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -3.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 114.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 67.46 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 4.23 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: less than 0.01% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: less than 100 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Tajikistani(s) adjective: Tajikistani

Ethnic groups: Tajik 64.9%, Uzbek 25%, Russian 3.5% (declining because of emigration), other 6.6%

Religions: Sunni Muslim 85%, Shi'a Muslim 5%

Languages: Tajik (official), Russian widely used in government and business

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 99% female: 97% (1989 est.)

Government Tajikistan

Country name: Republic of Tajikistan conventional short form: local long form: Jumhurii Tojikiston

Government type: republic

Capital: Dushanbe

Administrative divisions: 2 provinces (viloyatho, singular - viloyat)
and 1 autonomous province* (viloyati mukhtor); Viloyati Mukhtori Kuhistoni
Badakhshon* (Khorugh), Viloyati Khatlon (Qurghonteppa), Viloyati Sughd
(Khujand) note: the administrative center name follows in parentheses

Independence: 9 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day (or National Day), 9 September (1991)

Constitution: 6 November 1994

Legal system: based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Emomali RAHMONOV (since 6 November 1994; head of state and Supreme Assembly chairman since 19 November 1992) head of Prime Minister Oqil OQILOV (since 20 January 1999) cabinet: Assembly election results: Emomali RAHMONOV elected president; percent of vote - Emomali RAHMONOV 97%, Davlat USMON 2% elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held 6 November 1999 (next to be held NA 2006); prime minister appointed by the president

Legislative branch: bicameral Supreme Assembly or Majlisi Oli consists of the Assembly of Representatives (lower chamber) or Majlisi Namoyandagon (63 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the National Assembly (upper chamber) or Majlisi Milliy (33 seats; members are indirectly elected, 25 selected by local deputies, 8 appointed by the president; all serve five-year terms) election results: Assembly of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PDPT 65%, Communist Party 20%, Islamic Rebirth Party 7.5%, other 7.5%; seats by party - NA; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA elections: last held 27 February and 12 March 2000 for the Assembly of Representatives (next to be held NA 2005) and 23 March 2000 for the National Assembly (next to be held NA 2005)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)

Political parties and leaders: Congress of People's Unity of Tajikistan
[Saiffidin TURAYEV]; Democratic Party or TDP [Mahmadruzi ISKANDAROV,
chairman]; Islamic Rebirth Party [Muhammadsharif HIMMAT-ZODA, chairman];
Party of Justice and Development [Rahmatullo ZOIROV]; People's Democratic
Party of Tajikistan or PDPT [Emomali RAHMONOV]; Socialist Party [leader
NA]; Tajik Communist Party or CPT [Shodi SHABDOLOV]; Adolatho "Justice"
Party [Abdurahmon KARIMOV, chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders: there are three unregistered political parties with 1,000 or more members: ZOIROV]; Unity Party [Hikmatuko SAIDOV]

International organization participation: AsDB, CCC, CIS, EAPC, EBRD,
ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IOC, IOM, ITU, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: Tajikistan does not have an embassy in the US, but does have a permanent mission to the UN: address - 136 East 67th Street, New York, NY 10021, telephone - [1] (212) 472-7645, FAX - [1] (212) 628-0252; permanent representative to the UN is Rashid ALIMOV

Diplomatic representation from the US: Ambassador Franklin P. "Pancho" HUDDLE, Jr. embassy: Dushanbe is not yet fully operational; most business is still handled in Almaty at 531 Sayfullin Street, Almaty, Kazakhstan, telephone 7-3272-58-79-61, FAX 7-3272-58079-68 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: 992-372-21-03-48, 03-50, 03-52 FAX: 992-372-24-15-62

Flag description: three horizontal stripes of red (top), a wider stripe of white, and green; a gold crown surmounted by seven gold, five-pointed stars is located in the center of the white stripe

Economy Tajikistan

Economy - overview: Tajikistan has the lowest per capita GDP among the 15 former Soviet republics. Cotton is the most important crop. Mineral resources, varied but limited in amount, include silver, gold, uranium, and tungsten. Industry consists only of a large aluminum plant, hydropower facilities, and small obsolete factories mostly in light industry and food processing. The civil war (1992-97) severely damaged the already weak economic infrastructure and caused a sharp decline in industrial and agricultural production. Even though 80% of its people continue to live in abject poverty, Tajikistan has experienced strong economic growth since 1997. Continued privatization of medium and large state-owned enterprises will further increase productivity. Tajikistan's economic situation, however, remains fragile due to uneven implementation of structural reforms, weak governance, and the external debt burden. Servicing of the debt, owed principally to Russia and Uzbekistan, could require as much as 50% of government revenues in 2002, thus limiting the nation's ability to meet pressing development needs.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $7.5 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 8.3% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,140 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 19% industry: 25% services: 56% (2000)

Population below poverty line: 80% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 33% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 3.187 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 67.2%, industry 7.5%, services 25.3% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: 20% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $146 million expenditures: $196 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Industries: aluminum, zinc, lead, chemicals and fertilizers, cement, vegetable oil, metal-cutting machine tools, refrigerators and freezers

Industrial production growth rate: 10.3% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production: 14.245 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 2% hydro: 98% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 12.539 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 3.909 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 3.2 billion kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: cotton, grain, fruits, grapes, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats

Exports: $640 million (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: aluminum, electricity, cotton, fruits, vegetable oil, textiles

Exports - partners: Europe 43%, Russia 30%, Uzbekistan 13% (2000)

Imports: $700 million (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: electricity, petroleum products, aluminum oxide, machinery and equipment, foodstuffs

Imports - partners: Uzbekistan 27%, Russia 16%, Europe 12% (2000)

Debt - external: $1.23 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $60.7 million from US (2001)

Currency: somoni

Currency code: SM

Exchange rates: Tajikistani somoni per US dollar - 2.55 (January 2002), 2.2 (January 2001), 1550 (January 2000), 998 (January 1999), 350 (January 1997), 284 (January 1996) note: the new unit of exchange was introduced on 30 October 2000, with one somoni equal to 1,000 of the old Tajikistani rubles

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Tajikistan

Telephones - main lines in use: 363,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 2,500 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: poorly developed and not well maintained; many towns are not reached by the national network domestic: cable and microwave radio relay international: linked by cable and microwave radio relay to other CIS republics and by leased connections to the Moscow international gateway switch; Dushanbe linked by Intelsat to international gateway switch in Ankara (Turkey); satellite earth stations - 1 Orbita and 2 Intelsat

Radio broadcast stations: AM 8, FM 7, shortwave 2 (2001)

Radios: 1.291 million (1991)

Television broadcast stations: 13 (2001)

Televisions: 820,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .tj

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 5 (2001)

Internet users: 2,000 (2000)

Transportation Tajikistan

Railways: total: 482 km broad gauge: 482 km 1.520-m gauge note: includes only lines in common carrier service; lines dedicated to particular industries are excluded (2001)

Highways: total: 29,900 km paved: 21,400 km (includes some all-weather gravel-surfaced roads) unpaved: 8,500 km (these roads are made of unstabilized earth and are difficult to negotiate in wet weather) (1990)

Waterways: none

Pipelines: natural gas 400 km (1992)

Ports and harbors: none

Airports: 53 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 51 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 36 (2001)

Military Tajikistan

Military branches: Army, Air Force and Air Defense Force, Presidential
National Guard, Security Forces (internal and border troops)

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,646,278 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,349,505 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 72,056 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $35.4 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.9% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Tajikistan

Disputes - international: the undemarcated northern and western border with Uzbekistan is mined in many sections; continues to maintain a territorial dispute with Kyrgyzstan in Isfara Valley area; ongoing talks with China have failed to resolve the longstanding dispute over the indefinite boundary; Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan wrestle with sharing limited water resources and the regional environmental degradation caused by the shrinking of the Aral Sea

Illicit drugs: major transshipment zone for heroin and opiates from Afghanistan going to Russia and Western Europe; limited illicit cultivation of narcotics crops, mostly for domestic consumption

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Turks and Caicos Islands

Introduction Turks and Caicos Islands

Background: The islands were part of the UK's Jamaican colony until 1962, when they assumed the status of a separate crown colony upon Jamaica's independence. The governor of The Bahamas oversaw affairs from 1965 to 1973. With Bahamian independence, the islands received a separate governor in 1973. Although independence was agreed upon for 1982, the policy was reversed and the islands are presently a British overseas territory.

Geography Turks and Caicos Islands

Location: Caribbean, two island groups in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of The Bahamas

Geographic coordinates: 21 45 N, 71 35 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 430 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 430 sq km

Area - comparative: 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 389 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical; marine; moderated by trade winds; sunny and relatively dry

Terrain: low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point:
Blue Hills 49 m

Natural resources: spiny lobster, conch

Land use: arable land: 2% permanent crops: 0% other: 98% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: frequent hurricanes

Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources, private cisterns collect rainwater

Geography - note: about 40 islands (eight inhabited)

People Turks and Caicos Islands

Population: 18,738 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 32.6% (male 3,101; female 3,004) 15-64 years: 63.6% (male 6,266; female 5,651) 65 years and over: 3.8% (male 319; female 397) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.28% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 24.18 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 4.38 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 12.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 17.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 76.03 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 3.18 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: none adjective: none

Ethnic groups: black

Religions: Baptist 40%, Methodist 16%, Anglican 18%, Church of God 12%, other 14% (1990)

Languages: English (official)

Literacy: 99% female: People - note: destination and transit point for illegal Haitian immigrants bound for the Turks and Caicos Islands, Bahamas, and US

Government Turks and Caicos Islands

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Turks and Caicos Islands

Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK

Government type: NA

Capital: Grand Turk (Cockburn Town)

Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday: Constitution Day, 30 August (1976)

Constitution: introduced 30 August 1976; suspended in 1986; restored and revised 5 March 1988

Legal system: based on laws of England and Wales, with a few adopted from Jamaica and The Bahamas

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1953), represented by Governor Mervyn JONES (since 27 January 2000) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; chief minister appointed by the governor head of government: Chief Minister Derek H. TAYLOR (since 31 January 1995) cabinet: Executive Council consists of three ex officio members and five appointed by the governor from among the members of the Legislative Council

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council (19 seats, of which 13 are popularly elected; members serve four-year terms) elections: last held 4 March 1999 (next to be held NA 2003) election results: percent of vote by party - PDM 52.2%, PNP 40.9%, independent 6.9%; seats by party - PDM 9, PNP 4

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: People's Democratic Movement or PDM
[Derek H. TAYLOR]; Progressive National Party or PNP [Washington MISICK];
United Democratic Party or UDP [Wendal SWANN]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: Caricom (associate), CDB,
Interpol (subbureau)

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description: blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the colonial shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield is yellow and contains a conch shell, lobster, and cactus

Economy Turks and Caicos Islands

Economy - overview: The Turks and Caicos economy is based on tourism, fishing, and offshore financial services. Most capital goods and food for domestic consumption are imported. The US is the leading source of tourists, accounting for more than half of the 93,000 visitors in 1998. Major sources of government revenue include fees from offshore financial activities and customs receipts.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $128 million (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 8.7% (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $7,300 (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4% (1995)

Labor force: 4,848 (1990 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: about 33% in government and 20% in agriculture and fishing; significant numbers in tourism, financial, and other services (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate: 10% (1997 est.)

Budget: revenues: $47 million expenditures: $33.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997-98 est.)

Industries: tourism, offshore financial services

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 5 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 4.65 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), citrus fruits; fish

Exports: $13.7 million (1999)

Exports - commodities: lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells

Exports - partners: US, UK

Imports: $175.6 million (1999)

Imports - commodities: food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures, construction materials

Imports - partners: US, UK

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid - recipient: $4.1 million (1997)

Currency: US dollar (USD)

Currency code: USD

Exchange rates: the US dollar is used

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Turks and Caicos Islands

Telephones - main lines in use: 3,000 (1994)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 0 (1994)

Telephone system: general assessment: fair cable and radiotelephone services domestic: NA international: 2 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 3 (one inactive), FM 6, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 8,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 0 (broadcasts from The Bahamas are received; cable television is established) (1997)

Televisions: NA

Internet country code: .tc

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 14 (2000)

Internet users: NA

Transportation Turks and Caicos Islands

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 121 km paved: 24 km unpaved: 97 km (2000)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Grand Turk, Providenciales

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: 8 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2001)

Military Turks and Caicos Islands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Turks and Caicos Islands

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Tokelau

Introduction

Tokelau

Background: Originally settled by Polynesian emigrants from surrounding island groups, the Tokelau Islands were made a British protectorate in 1889. They were transferred to New Zealand administration in 1925.

Geography Tokelau

Location: Oceania, group of three atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates: 9 00 S, 172 00 W

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 10 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 10 sq km

Area - comparative: about 17 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 101 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November)

Terrain: low-lying coral atolls enclosing large lagoons

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 5 m

Natural resources: NEGL

Land use: 0% other: Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: lies in Pacific typhoon belt

Environment - current issues: very limited natural resources and overcrowding are contributing to emigration to New Zealand

Geography - note: consists of three atolls, each with a lagoon surrounded by a number of reef-bound islets of varying length and rising to over three meters above sea level

People Tokelau

Population: 1,431 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 42% 15-64 years: 53% 65 years and over: 5% (1996 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.92% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population

Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population

Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Sex ratio: NA

Infant mortality rate: 38 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: NA years male: 68 years (2001) female: 70 years (2001)

Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Tokelauan(s) adjective: Tokelauan

Ethnic groups: Polynesian

Religions: Congregational Christian Church 70%, Roman Catholic 28%, other 2% note: Roman Catholic; on Fakaofo, both denominations, with the Congregational Christian Church predominant

Languages: Tokelauan (a Polynesian language), English

Literacy: NA

Government Tokelau

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Tokelau

Dependency status: self-administering territory of New Zealand; note - Tokelauans are drafting a constitution, developing institutions and patterns of self-government as Tokelau moves toward free association with New Zealand

Government type: NA

Capital: none; each atoll has its own administrative center

Administrative divisions: none (territory of New Zealand)

Independence: none (territory of New Zealand)

National holiday: Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)

Constitution: administered under the Tokelau Islands Act of 1948, as amended in 1970

Legal system: New Zealand and local statutes

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); the UK and New Zealand are represented by Administrator Lindsay WATT (since NA March 1993) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade in New Zealand; the head of government is chosen from the Council of Faipule and serves a one-year term head of government: Aliki Faipule Pio TUIA (since NA 2002) cabinet: the Council of Faipule, consisting of three elected leaders - one from each atoll - functions as a cabinet

Legislative branch: unicameral General Fono (48 seats; members chosen by each atoll's Council of Elders or Taupulega to serve three-year terms); note - the Tokelau Amendment Act of 1996 confers limited legislative power on the General Fono

Judicial branch: Supreme Court in New Zealand exercises civil and criminal jurisdiction in Tokelau

Political parties and leaders: none

Political pressure groups and leaders: none

International organization participation: SPC, UNESCO (associate), WHO (associate)

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of New Zealand)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of New Zealand)

Flag description: the flag of New Zealand is used

Economy Tokelau

Economy - overview: Tokelau's small size (three villages), isolation, and lack of resources greatly restrain economic development and confine agriculture to the subsistence level. The people rely heavily on aid from New Zealand - about $4 million annually - to maintain public services, annual aid being substantially greater than GDP. The principal sources of revenue come from sales of copra, postage stamps, souvenir coins, and handicrafts. Money is also remitted to families from relatives in New Zealand.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.5 million (1993 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: NA%

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,000 (1993 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

Labor force: NA

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $430,830 expenditures: $2.8 million, including capital expenditures of $37,300 (1987 est.)

Industries: small-scale enterprises for copra production, woodworking, plaited craft goods; stamps, coins; fishing

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: NA kWh

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: NA% hydro: NA% other:
NA% nuclear: NA%

Electricity - consumption: NA kWh

Agriculture - products: coconuts, copra, breadfruit, papayas, bananas; pigs, poultry, goats

Exports: $98,000 (f.o.b., 1983)

Exports - commodities: stamps, copra, handicrafts

Exports - partners: NZ

Imports: $323,000 (c.i.f., 1983)

Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, building materials, fuel

Imports - partners: NZ

Debt - external: $0

Economic aid - recipient: from New Zealand about $4 million annually

Currency: New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Currency code: NZD

Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 2.3535 (January 2002), 2.3776 (2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999), 1.8632 (1998), 1.5083 (1997)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Communications Tokelau

Telephones - main lines in use: NA

Telephones - mobile cellular: 0 (2001)

Telephone system: general assessment: adequate domestic: radiotelephone service between islands international: radiotelephone service to Samoa; government-regulated telephone service (TeleTok), with 3 satellite earth stations, established in 1997

Radio broadcast stations: note: each atoll has a radio broadcast station of unknown type that broadcasts shipping and weather reports (1998)

Radios: 1,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .tk

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: NA

Transportation Tokelau

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: none; lagoon landings are possible by amphibious aircraft (2001)

Military Tokelau

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of New Zealand

Transnational Issues Tokelau

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Tonga

Introduction

Tonga

Background: The archipelago of "The Friendly Islands" was united into a Polynesian kingdom in 1845. It became a constitutional monarchy in 1875 and a British protectorate in 1900. Tonga acquired its independence in 1970 and became a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. It remains the only monarchy in the Pacific.

Geography Tonga

Location: Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates: 20 00 S, 175 00 W

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 748 sq km water: 30 sq km land: 718 sq km

Area - comparative: four times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 419 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate: tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to
May), cool season (May to December)

Terrain: most islands have limestone base formed from uplifted coral formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic base

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Kao Island 1,033 m

Natural resources: fish, fertile soil

Land use: arable land: 24% permanent crops: 43% other: 33% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity on Fonuafo'ou

Environment - current issues: deforestation results as more and more land is being cleared for agriculture and settlement; some damage to coral reefs from starfish and indiscriminate coral and shell collectors; overhunting threatens native sea turtle populations

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation,
Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but
not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: archipelago of 169 islands (36 inhabited)

People Tonga

Population: 106,137 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 39.5% (male 21,374; female 20,555) 15-64 years: 56.4% (male 29,519; female 30,322) 65 years and over: 4.1% (male 1,945; female 2,422) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.85% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 24.08 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 5.63 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 13.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 71.11 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 3 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Tongan(s) adjective: Tongan

Ethnic groups: Polynesian, Europeans about 300

Religions: Christian (Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000 adherents)

Languages: Tongan, English

Literacy: can read and write Tongan and/or English total population:
Government Tonga

Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Tonga conventional short form: Tonga former: Friendly Islands

Government type: hereditary constitutional monarchy

Capital: Nuku'alofa

Administrative divisions: 3 island groups; Ha'apai, Tongatapu, Vava'u

Independence: 4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate)

National holiday: Independence Day, 4 June (1970)

Constitution: 4 November 1875, revised 1 January 1967

Legal system: based on English law

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch: King Taufa'ahau TUPOU IV (since 16 December 1965) note: and two governors elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed for life by the monarch cabinet: Cabinet, appointed by the monarch, consists of 12 members head of government: Prime Minister Prince Lavaka ata ULUKALALA (since NA February 2000) and Deputy Prime Minister Tevita TOPOU (since NA January 2001)

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fale Alea (30 seats - 12 reserved for cabinet ministers sitting ex officio, nine for nobles selected by the country's 33 nobles, and nine elected by popular vote; members serve three-year terms) elections: last held 7 March 2002 (next to be held NA 2005) election results: percent of vote - pro-democratic 70%; seats - pro-democratic 7, traditionalist 2

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the monarch); Court of Appeal (consists of the Privy Council with the addition of the chief justice of the Supreme Court)

Political parties and leaders: there are no political parties

Political pressure groups and leaders: Tonga Human Rights and Democracy
Movement or THRDM [Akilisi POHIVA, president]

International organization participation: ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO,
G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Sione KITE chancery: 250 East 51st Street, [1] (917) 369-1136 consulate(s) general: Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Tonga; the ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tonga

Flag description: red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner

Economy Tonga

Economy - overview: Tonga has a small, open economy with a narrow export base in agricultural goods. Squash, coconuts, bananas, and vanilla beans are the main crops, and agricultural exports make up two-thirds of total exports. The country must import a high proportion of its food, mainly from New Zealand. Tourism is the second largest source of hard currency earnings following remittances. The country remains dependent on external aid and remittances from Tongan communities overseas to offset its trade deficit. The government is emphasizing the development of the private sector, especially the encouragement of investment, and is committing increased funds for health and education. Tonga has a reasonable basic infrastructure and well-developed social services.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $225 million (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 5.3% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,200 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 30% industry: 10% services: 60% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 9.4% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 33,908 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 65% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate: 13.3% (1996 est.)

Budget: revenues: $39.9 million expenditures: $52.4 million, including capital expenditures of $1.9 million (FY99/00 est.)

Industries: tourism, fishing

Industrial production growth rate: 8.6% (FY98/99)

Electricity - production: 30 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 27.9 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: squash, coconuts, copra, bananas, vanilla beans, cocoa, coffee, ginger, black pepper; fish

Exports: $9.3 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Exports - commodities: squash, fish, vanilla beans, root crops

Exports - partners: Japan 50.4%, US 31.6%, NZ 4.1%, Australia 2.1%,
Fiji 1.7% (2000 est.)

Imports: $70 million (c.i.f., 2000 est.)

Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, chemicals

Imports - partners: New Zealand 29.8%, Japan 18.6%, Australia 12.7%,
US 12.7%, Fiji 12.2% (2000 est.)

Debt - external: $57.5 million (June 2001)

Economic aid - recipient: Australia $5.5 million, New Zealand $2.3 million (FY01/02)

Currency: pa'anga (TOP)

Currency code: TOP

Exchange rates: pa'anga per US dollar - 2.1920 (January 2002), 2.1236 (2001), 1.7585 (2000), 1.5991 (1999), 1.4920 (1998), 1.2635 (1997)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Communications Tonga

Telephones - main lines in use: 8,000 (1996)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 302 (1996)

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (1996)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios: 61,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 2 (2001)

Televisions: 2,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .to

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)

Internet users: 1,000 (2000)

Transportation Tonga

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 680 km paved: 184 km unpaved: 496 km (1996)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Neiafu, Nuku'alofa, Pangai

Merchant marine: total: 80 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 292,139 GRT/421,221 DWT ships by type: bulk 10, cargo 54, liquefied gas 4, petroleum tanker 8, roll on/roll off 4 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Albania 1, Australia 4, Austria 1, Bolivia 1, Cyprus 1, Djibouti 1, Egypt 2, Greece 4, Lebanon 2, Liberia 2, Marshall Islands 2, Morocco 1, Norway 1, Panama 1, Romania 3, Russia 1, Sao Tome and Principe 1, Saudi Arabia 2, Singapore 1, Sweden 1, Switzerland 3, Syria 5, Ukraine 1, United Arab Emirates 16, United States 4 (2002 est.)

Airports: 6 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2001)

Military Tonga

Military branches: Tonga Defense Services (made up of three operational command components and two support elements, including the Royal Marines, Royal Guards, Maritime Force, a support/logistics group, and a training group), Police; note - a new air wing that will be subordinate to the Ministry of Defense is being developed

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Transnational Issues Tonga

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Togo

Introduction

Togo

Background: French Togoland became Togo in 1960. General Gnassingbe EYADEMA, installed as military ruler in 1967, is Africa's longest-serving head of state. Despite the facade of multiparty elections instituted in the early 1990s, the government continues to be dominated by President EYADEMA, whose Rally of the Togolese People (RPT) party has maintained power almost continually since 1967. In addition, Togo has come under fire from international organizations for human rights abuses and is plagued by political unrest. Most bilateral and multilateral aid to Togo remains frozen.

Geography Togo

Location: Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Benin and Ghana

Geographic coordinates: 8 00 N, 1 10 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 56,785 sq km water: 2,400 sq km land: 54,385 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than West Virginia

Land boundaries: total: 1,647 km border countries: Benin 644 km,
Burkina Faso 126 km, Ghana 877 km

Coastline: 56 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 30 NM

Climate: tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

Terrain: gently rolling savanna in north; central hills; southern plateau; low coastal plain with extensive lagoons and marshes

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Mont Agou 986 m

Natural resources: phosphates, limestone, marble, arable land

Land use: arable land: 41% permanent crops: 2% other: 57% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 70 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: hot, dry harmattan wind can reduce visibility in north during winter; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: deforestation attributable to slash-and-burn agriculture and the use of wood for fuel; water pollution presents health hazards and hinders the fishing industry; air pollution increasing in urban areas

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Nuclear
Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the
selected agreements

Geography - note: the country's length allows it to stretch through six distinct geographic regions; climate varies from tropical to savanna

People Togo

Population: 5,285,501 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 45.1% (male 1,195,052; female 1,187,014) 15-64 years: 52.4% (male 1,351,345; female 1,420,617) 65 years and over: 2.5% (male 56,270; female 75,203) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.48% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 36.11 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 11.3 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 69.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 56.07 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 5.14 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 5.98% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 130,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 14,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Togolese (singular and plural) adjective: Togolese

Ethnic groups: native African (37 tribes; largest and most important are Ewe, Mina, and Kabre) 99%, European and Syrian-Lebanese less than 1%

Religions: indigenous beliefs 51%, Christian 29%, Muslim 20%

Languages: French (official and the language of commerce), Ewe and Mina (the two major African languages in the south), Kabye (sometimes spelled Kabiye) and Dagomba (the two major African languages in the north)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 51.7% male: 67% female: 37% (1995 est.)

Government Togo

Country name: Togolese Republic conventional short form: Republique
Togolaise

Government type: republic under transition to multiparty democratic rule

Capital: Lome

Administrative divisions: 5 regions (regions, singular - region);
De La Kara, Des Plateaux, Des Savanes, Centrale, Maritime

Independence: 27 April 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday: Independence Day, 27 April (1960)

Constitution: multiparty draft constitution approved by High Council of the Republic 1 July 1992; adopted by public referendum 27 September 1992

Legal system: French-based court system

Suffrage: NA years of age; universal adult

Executive branch: chief of state: President Gen. Gnassingbe EYADEMA (since 14 April 1967) head of government: Prime Minister Agbeyome KODJO (since 29 August 2000) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 21 June 1998 (next to be held NA 2003); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Gnassingbe EYADEMA reelected president; percent of vote - Gnassingbe EYADEMA 52.13%, Gilchrist OLYMPIO 34.12%, other 13.75%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (81 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 21 March 1999 (next was tentatively scheduled for March 2002, however, it was postponed with no new date given) note: Togo's main opposition parties boycotted the election because of EYADEMA's alleged manipulation of 1998 presidential polling; in March of 1999, opposition parties entered into negotiations with the president over the establishment of an independent electoral commission and a new round of legislative elections election results: Judicial branch: Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Political parties and leaders: Action Committee for Renewal or CAR
[Yawovi AGBOYIBO]; Coordination des Forces Nouvelles or CFN [Joseph
KOFFIGOH]; Democratic Convention of African Peoples or CDPA [Leopold
GNININVI]; Party for Democracy and Renewal or PDR [Zarifou AYEVA];
Patriotic Pan-African Convergence or CPP [Edem KODJO]; Rally of the
Togolese People or RPT [President Gen. Gnassingbe EYADEMA]; Union of
Forces for Change or UFC [Gilchrist OLYMPIO (in exile), Jean Pierre
FABRE, general secretary in Togo]; Union of Independent Liberals or ULI
[Jacques AMOUZOU] note: Rally of the Togolese People or RPT, led by
President EYADEMA, was the only party until the formation of multiple
parties was legalized 12 April 1991

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA,
ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIPONUH, NAM, OAU,
OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Akoussoulelou BODJONA FAX: [1] (202) 232-3190 telephone: [1] (202) 234-4212 chancery: 2208 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Karl HOFMANN embassy: Angle Rue Kouenou B. P. 852, Lome telephone: Flag description: five equal horizontal bands of green (top and bottom) alternating with yellow; there is a white five-pointed star on a red square in the upper hoist-side corner; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy Togo

Economy - overview: This small sub-Saharan economy is heavily dependent on both commercial and subsistence agriculture, which provides employment for 65% of the labor force. Some basic foodstuffs must still be imported. Cocoa, coffee, and cotton generate about 40% of export earnings, with cotton being the most significant cash crop despite falling prices on the world market. Political unrest, including private and public sector strikes throughout 1992 and 1993, jeopardized the reform program, shrunk the tax base, and disrupted vital economic activity. The 12 January 1994 devaluation of the XOF currency by 50% provided an important impetus to renewed structural adjustment. In the industrial sector, phosphate mining is by far the most important activity. Togo is the world's fourth largest producer, and geological advantages keep production costs low. The recently privatized mining operation, Office Togolais des Phosphates (OTP), is slowly recovering from a steep fall in prices in the early 1990's, but continues to face the challenge of tough foreign competition, exacerbated by weakening demand. Togo serves as a regional commercial and trade center. It continues to expand its duty-free export-processing zone (EPZ), launched in 1989, which has attracted enterprises from France, Italy, Scandinavia, the US, India, and China and created jobs for Togolese nationals. The government's decade-long effort, supported by the World Bank and the IMF, to implement economic reform measures, encourage foreign investment, and bring revenues in line with expenditures has stalled. Progress depends on following through on privatization, increased openness in government financial operations, progress towards legislative elections, and possible downsizing of the military, on which the regime has depended to stay in place. Lack of large-scale foreign aid, deterioration of the financial sector, energy shortages, and depressed commodity prices continue to constrain economic growth. The takeover of the national power company by a Franco-Canadian consortium in 2000 should ease the energy crisis.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $7.6 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 2.2% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,500 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 42% industry: 21% services: 37% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 32% (1989 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.3% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 1.74 million (1996)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 65%, industry 5%, services 30% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $232 million expenditures: $252 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)

Industries: phosphate mining, agricultural processing, cement; handicrafts, textiles, beverages

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 97 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 97.94% other: 0% (2000) hydro: 2.06% nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 525.21 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 435 million kWh note: electricity supplied by
Ghana (2000)

Agriculture - products: coffee, cocoa, cotton, yams, cassava (tapioca), corn, beans, rice, millet, sorghum; livestock; fish

Exports: $306 million (f.o.b., 2001)

Exports - commodities: cotton, phosphates, coffee, cocoa

Exports - partners: Benin 12%, Nigeria 9%, Belgium 5%, Ghana 4% (2000)

Imports: $420 million (f.o.b., 2001)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products

Imports - partners: Ghana 26%, France 11%, China 7%, Cote d'Ivoire 7% (2000)

Debt - external: $1.5 billion (1999)

Economic aid - recipient: $201.1 million (1995)

Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Currency code: XOF

Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 741.79 (January 2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997); note - from 1 January 1999, the XOF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF per euro

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Togo

Telephones - main lines in use: 25,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 2,995 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: fair system based on a network of microwave radio relay routes supplemented by open-wire lines and a mobile cellular system domestic: microwave radio relay and open-wire lines for conventional system; cellular system has capacity of 10,000 telephones international: Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios: 940,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (plus two repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 73,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .tg

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 3 (2001)

Internet users: 20,000 (2001)

Transportation Togo

Railways: total: 525 km narrow gauge: 525 km 1.000-m gauge (2001)

Highways: total: 7,520 km paved: 2,376 km unpaved: 5,144 km (1996)

Waterways: 50 km (Mono river)

Ports and harbors: Kpeme, Lome

Merchant marine: total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,603 GRT/2,800 DWT ships by type: specialized tanker 1 note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Greece 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 9 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 2 (2001)

Military Togo

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,220,758 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 640,280 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $21.9 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.8% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Togo

Disputes - international: Benin accuses Togo of moving boundary markers and stationing troops in its territory

Illicit drugs: transit hub for Nigerian heroin and cocaine traffickers

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Sao Tome and Principe

Introduction Sao Tome and Principe

Background: Discovered and claimed by Portugal in the late 15th century, the islands' sugar-based economy gave way to coffee and cocoa in the 19th century - all grown with plantation slave labor, a form of which lingered into the 20th century. Although independence was achieved in 1975, democratic reforms were not instituted until the late 1980s. The first free elections were held in 1991.

Geography Sao Tome and Principe

Location: Western Africa, islands in the Gulf of Guinea, straddling the Equator, west of Gabon

Geographic coordinates: 1 00 N, 7 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 1,001 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 1,001 sq km

Area - comparative: more than five times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 209 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate: tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season (October to May)

Terrain: volcanic, mountainous

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Pico de Sao Tome 2,024 m

Natural resources: fish, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 2% permanent crops: 41% other: 57% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 100 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion and exhaustion

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not
ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: the smallest country in Africa; the two main islands form part of a chain of extinct volcanoes and both are fairly mountainous

People Sao Tome and Principe

Population: 170,372 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 47.7% (male 41,159; female 40,125) 15-64 years: 48.3% (male 39,701; female 42,586) 65 years and over: 4% (male 3,115; female 3,686) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.18% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 42.3 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 7.32 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -3.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 47.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 67.45 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 5.95 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Sao Tomean(s) adjective: Sao Tomean

Ethnic groups: mestico, angolares (descendants of Angolan slaves), forros (descendants of freed slaves), servicais (contract laborers from Angola, Mozambique, and Cape Verde), tongas (children of servicais born on the islands), Europeans (primarily Portuguese)

Religions: Christian 80% (Roman Catholic, Evangelical Protestant,
Seventh-Day Adventist)

Languages: Portuguese (official)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 79.3% male: 85% female: 62% (1991 est.)

Government Sao Tome and Principe

Country name: conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe conventional short form: Sao Tome and Principe local short form: Sao Tome e Principe local long form: Republica Democratica de Sao Tome e Principe

Government type: republic

Capital: Sao Tome

Administrative divisions: 2 provinces; Principe, Sao Tome note: Principe has had self-government since 29 April 1995

Independence: 12 July 1975 (from Portugal)

National holiday: Independence Day, 12 July (1975)

Constitution: approved March 1990; effective 10 September 1990

Legal system: based on Portuguese legal system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Fradique DE MENEZES (since 3 September 2001) election results: Fradique DE MENEZES elected president in Sao Tome's third multiparty presidential election; percent of vote - NA% elections: 29 July 2001 (next to be held NA July 2006); prime minister chosen by the National Assembly and approved by the president head of government: cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the proposal of the prime minister

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (55 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: percent of vote by party - MLSTP 39.6%, Force for Change Democratic Movement 39.4%, Ue-Kedadji coalition 16.2%; seats by party - MLSTP 24, Force for Change Democratic Movement 23, Ue-Kedadji coalition 8

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the National
Assembly)

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Renovation Party [Armindo
GRACA]; Force for Change Democratic Movement [leader NA]; Independent
Democratic Action or ADI [Carlos NEVES]; Movement for the Liberation
of Sao Tome and Principe-Social Democratic Party or MLSTP-PSD [Manuel
Pinto Da COSTA]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Aldo BANDEIRA];
Ue-Kedadji coalition [leader NA]; other small parties

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CEEAC,
CEMAC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: Sao Tome and Principe does not have an embassy in the US, but does have a Permanent Mission to the UN, headed by First Secretary Domingos Augusto FERREIRA, located at 400 Park Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10022, telephone [1] (212) 317-0580

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Sao Tome and Principe; the Ambassador to Gabon is accredited to Sao Tome and Principe on a nonresident basis and makes periodic visits to the islands

Flag description: three horizontal bands of green (top), yellow (double width), and green with two black five-pointed stars placed side by side in the center of the yellow band and a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy Sao Tome and Principe

Economy - overview: This small poor island economy has become increasingly dependent on cocoa since independence 26 years ago. However, cocoa production has substantially declined because of drought and mismanagement. The resulting shortage of cocoa for export has created a persistent balance-of-payments problem. Sao Tome has to import all fuels, most manufactured goods, consumer goods, and a substantial amount of food. Over the years, it has been unable to service its external debt and has had to depend on concessional aid and debt rescheduling. Sao Tome benefited from $200 million in debt relief in December 2000 under the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) program. Sao Tome's success in implementing structural reforms has been rewarded by international donors, who have pledged increased assistance in 2001. Considerable potential exists for development of a tourist industry, and the government has taken steps to expand facilities in recent years. The government also has attempted to reduce price controls and subsidies. Sao Tome is also optimistic that substantial petroleum discoveries are forthcoming in its territorial waters in the oil-rich waters of the Gulf of Guinea. Corruption scandals continue to weaken the economy.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $189 million (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 25% industry: 10% services: 65% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7% (2001 est.)

Labor force: NA

Labor force - by occupation: population mainly engaged in subsistence agriculture and fishing note: Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $58 million expenditures: $114 million, including capital expenditures of $54 million (1993 est.)

Industries: light construction, textiles, soap, beer; fish processing; timber

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 17 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 41.18% hydro: 58.82% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 15.81 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, copra, cinnamon, pepper, coffee, bananas, papayas, beans; poultry; fish

Exports: $4.1 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Exports - commodities: cocoa 90%, copra, coffee, palm oil

Exports - partners: Portugal 33.3%, Netherlands 8.3%, Spain 8.3% (1999)

Imports: $40 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and electrical equipment, food products, petroleum products

Imports - partners: Portugal 43%, France 15.7%, UK 13.7% (1999)

Debt - external: $253.8 million (2000)

Economic aid - recipient: $200 million in December 2000 under the
HIPC program

Currency: dobra (STD)

Currency code: STD

Exchange rates: dobras per US dollar - 9,009.1 (December 2001), 8,842.1 (2001), 7,978.2 (2000), 7,119.0 (1999), 6,883.2 (1998), 4,552.5 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Sao Tome and Principe

Telephones - main lines in use: 3,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 6,942 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: adequate facilities domestic: minimal system international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 38,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 2 (1997)

Televisions: 23,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .st

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)

Internet users: 6,500 (2001)

Transportation Sao Tome and Principe

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 320 km paved: 218 km unpaved: 102 km (1996)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Santo Antonio, Sao Tome

Merchant marine: total: 41 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 169,991 GRT/245,996 DWT ships by type: bulk 6, cargo 23, chemical tanker 1, container 3, livestock carrier 1, petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 2, specialized tanker 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Egypt 1, Greece 1, Kenya 1, Portugal 1, Syria 1, Turkey 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 2 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)

Military Sao Tome and Principe

Military branches: Army, Navy, Security Police

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 35,524 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 18,727 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $400,000 (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.8% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Sao Tome and Principe

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Tunisia

Introduction

Tunisia

Background: Following independence from France in 1956, President Habib BOURGUIBA established a strict one-party state. He dominated the country for 31 years, repressing Islamic fundamentalism and establishing rights for women unmatched by any other Arab nation. In recent years, Tunisia has taken a moderate, non-aligned stance in its foreign relations. Domestically, it has sought to diffuse rising pressure for a more open political society.

Geography Tunisia

Location: Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between
Algeria and Libya

Geographic coordinates: 34 00 N, 9 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 163,610 sq km water: 8,250 sq km land: 155,360 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Georgia

Land boundaries: total: 1,424 km border countries: Algeria 965 km,
Libya 459 km

Coastline: 1,148 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers; desert in south

Terrain: mountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid south merges into the Sahara

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Shatt al Gharsah -17 m highest point:
Jebel ech Chambi 1,544 m

Natural resources: petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt

Land use: arable land: 19% permanent crops: 13% other: 68% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 3,800 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: toxic and hazardous waste disposal is ineffective and poses health risks; water pollution from raw sewage; limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:
Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note: strategic location in central Mediterranean; Malta and Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil exploration

People Tunisia

Population: 9,815,644 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 27.8% (male 1,412,625; female 1,320,729) 15-64 years: 65.9% (male 3,234,770; female 3,233,149) 65 years and over: 6.3% (male 303,093; female 311,278) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.12% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 16.83 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 5 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 27.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 75.89 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.94 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.04% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Tunisian(s) adjective: Tunisian

Ethnic groups: Arab 98%, European 1%, Jewish and other 1%

Religions: Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other 1%

Languages: Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce),
French (commerce)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 66.7% male: 78.6% female: 54.6% (1995 est.)

Government Tunisia

Country name: Republic of Tunisia conventional short form: Tunisiyah

Government type: republic

Capital: Tunis

Administrative divisions: 23 governorates; Ariana (Aryanah), Beja
(Bajah), Ben Arous (Bin 'Arus), Bizerte (Banzart), El Kef (Al Kaf), Gabes
(Qabis), Gafsa (Qafsah), Jendouba (Jundubah), Kairouan (Al Qayrawan),
Kasserine (Al Qasrayn), Kebili (Qibili), Mahdia (Al Mahdiyah), Medenine
(Madanin), Monastir (Al Munastir), Nabeul (Nabul), Sfax (Safaqis), Sidi
Bou Zid (Sidi Bu Zayd), Siliana (Silyanah), Sousse (Susah), Tataouine
(Tatawin), Tozeur (Tawzar), Tunis, Zaghouan (Zaghwan)

Independence: 20 March 1956 (from France)

National holiday: Independence Day, 20 March (1956)

Constitution: 1 June 1959; amended 12 July 1988

Legal system: based on French civil law system and Islamic law; some judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court in joint session

Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI (since 7 November 1987) head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed GHANNOUCHI (since 17 November Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: held 24 October 1999 (next to be held NA 2004); prime minister appointed by the president election results: President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI reelected for a third term without opposition; percent of vote - Zine El Abidine BEN ALI nearly 100%

Legislative branch: unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Majlis al-Nuwaab (182 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 24 October 1999 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - RCD 92%; seats by party - RCD 148, MDS 13, UDU 7, PUP 7, Al-Tajdid 5, PSL 2; note - reforms enabled opposition parties to win up to 20% of seats, increasing the number of seats they hold from 19 in the last election to 34 now

Judicial branch: Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation

Political parties and leaders: Al-Tajdid Movement [Adel CHAOUCH];
Constitutional Democratic Rally Party (Rassemblement Constitutionnel
Democratique) or RCD [President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI (official ruling
party)]; Liberal Social Party or PSL [Mounir BEJI]; Movement of Democratic
Socialists or MDS [Khamis CHAMMARI]; Popular Unity Party or PUP [Mohamed
Belhaj AMOR]; Unionist Democratic Union or UDU [Abderrahmane TLILI]

Political pressure groups and leaders: the Islamic fundamentalist party,
Al Nahda (Renaissance), is outlawed

International organization participation: ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AL,
AMF, AMU, BSEC (observer), CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OAU, OIC, OPCW,
OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UPU,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Hatem ATALLAH FAX: [1] (202) 862-1858 telephone: [1] (202) 862-1850 chancery: 1515 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Rust M. DEMING embassy: 144 Avenue de la Liberte, 1002 Tunis-Belvedere mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [216] (1) 782-566 FAX: [216] (1) 789-719

Flag description: red with a white disk in the center bearing a red crescent nearly encircling a red five-pointed star; the crescent and star are traditional symbols of Islam

Economy Tunisia

Economy - overview: Tunisia has a diverse economy, with important agricultural, mining, energy, tourism, and manufacturing sectors. Governmental control of economic affairs while still heavy has gradually lessened over the past decade with increasing privatization, simplification of the tax structure, and a prudent approach to debt. Real growth averaged 5.4% in the past five years, and inflation is slowing. Growth in tourism and increased trade have been key elements in this steady growth, although tourism revenues have slowed since 11 September 2001 and may take a year or more to fully recover. Tunisia's association agreement with the European Union entered into force on 1 March 1998, the first such accord between the EU and a Mediterranean country. Under the agreement Tunisia will gradually remove barriers to trade with the EU over the next decade. Broader privatization, further liberalization of the investment code to increase foreign investment, and improvements in government efficiency are among the challenges for the future.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $64.5 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4.8% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $6,600 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 13% industry: 33% services: 54% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 6% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 31.8% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 41.7 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.7% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 2.69 million (2001 est.) note: shortage of skilled labor

Labor force - by occupation: services 55%, industry 23%, agriculture 22% (1995 est.)

Unemployment rate: 15.6% (2000 est.)

Budget: revenues: $5.7 billion expenditures: $6.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.5 billion (2001 est.)

Industries: petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate and iron ore), tourism, textiles, footwear, agribusiness, beverages

Industrial production growth rate: 5.2% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 10.3 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.03% hydro: 0.97% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 9.562 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 19 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 2 million kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: olives, olive oil, grain, dairy products, tomatoes, citrus fruit, beef, sugar beets, dates, almonds

Exports: $6.6 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: textiles, mechanical goods, phosphates and chemicals, agricultural products, hydrocarbons

Exports - partners: France 28%, Italy 21%, Germany 14%, Belgium 6%,
Libya (2000)

Imports: $8.9 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, hydrocarbons, chemicals, food

Imports - partners: France 30%, Italy 21%, Germany 11%, Spain 4%,
Belgium (2000)

Debt - external: $11.5 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $933.2 million (1995); note - ODA, $90 million (1998 est.)

Currency: Tunisian dinar (TND)

Currency code: TND

Exchange rates: Tunisian dinars per US dollar - 1.44 (January 2002), 1.3753 (2001), 1.3707 (2000), 1.1862 (1999), 1.1387 (1998), 1.1059 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Tunisia

Telephones - main lines in use: 654,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 50,000 (1998)

Telephone system: general assessment: above the African average and continuing to be upgraded; key centers are Sfax, Sousse, Bizerte, and Tunis; Internet access available domestic: trunk facilities consist of open-wire lines, coaxial cable, and microwave radio relay international: 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Algeria and Libya; participant in Medarabtel; two international gateway digital switches

Radio broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 20, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios: 2.06 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 26 (plus 76 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions: 920,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .tn

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: 280,000 (2001)

Transportation Tunisia

Railways: total: 2,168 km standard gauge: 471 km 1.435-m gauge dual gauge: 10 km 1.000-m and 1.435-m gauges (three rails) (2001) narrow gauge: 1,687 km 1.000-m gauge

Highways: total: 23,100 km paved: 18,226 km unpaved: 4,874 km (1996)

Waterways: none

Pipelines: crude oil 797 km; petroleum products 86 km; natural gas 742 km

Ports and harbors: Bizerte, Gabes, La Goulette, Sfax, Sousse, Tunis,
Zarzis

Merchant marine: total: 16 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 150,710 GRT/162,616 DWT ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 4, chemical tanker 4, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 1, short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 30 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 14 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 16 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 7 (2001)

Military Tunisia

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary forces,
National Guard

Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 2,806,881 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,597,565 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 105,146 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $356 million (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.5% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Tunisia

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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East Timor

Introduction East Timor

Background: The Portuguese colony of Timor declared itself independent from Portugal on 28 November 1975 and was invaded and occupied by Indonesian forces nine days later. It was subsequently incorporated into Indonesia in July 1976 as the province of Timor Timur. A so-called campaign of pacification followed, during which time an estimated 100,000 to 250,000 individuals lost their lives. On 30 August 1999, in a UN-supervised popular referendum, the people of Timor Timur voted for independence from Indonesia. On 20 May 2002, East Timor was internationally recognized as an independent state and the world's newest democracy.

Geography East Timor

Location: Southeastern Asia, northwest of Australia in the Lesser Sunda
Islands at the eastern end of the Indonesian archipelago; note - East
Timor includes the eastern half of the island of Timor, the Oecussi
(Ambeno) region on the northwest portion of the island of Timor, and
the islands of Pulau Atauro and Pulau Jaco

Geographic coordinates: 8 50 S, 125 55 E

Map references: Southeast Asia

Area: total: 15,007 sq km land: NA sq km water: NA sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Connecticut

Land boundaries: total: 228 km border countries: Indonesia 228 km

Coastline: 706 km

Maritime claims: NA NM territorial sea: economic zone: NA NM

Climate: tropical; hot, humid; distinct rainy and dry seasons

Terrain: mountainous

Elevation extremes: Timor Sea, Savu Sea, and Banda Sea 0 m highest point: Natural resources: gold, petroleum, natural gas, manganese, marble

Land use: arable land: NA% other: NA% permanent crops: NA%

Irrigated land: 1,065 sq km (est.)

Natural hazards: floods and landslides are common; earthquakes, tsunamis, tropical cyclones

Environment - current issues: widespread use of slash and burn agriculture has led to deforestation and soil erosion

Environment - international agreements: NA

Geography - note: Timor is the Malay word for "Orient"; the island of Timor is part of the Malay Archipelago and is the largest and easternmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands

People East Timor

Population: 952,618 (July 2002 est.) note: other estimates range as low as 800,000 (2002 est.)

Age structure: NA

Population growth rate: 7.26% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 28.07 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 6.52 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 51.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: NA

Infant mortality rate: 51.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 64.85 years male: 62.64 years female: 67.17 years (2002 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.88 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Timorese adjective: Timorese

Ethnic groups: Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian), Papuan, small Chinese minority

Religions: Roman Catholic 90%, Muslim 4%, Protestant 3%, Hindu 0.5%,
Buddhist, Animist (1992 est.)

Languages: Tetum (official), Portuguese (official), Indonesian, English note: Galole, Mambae, and Kemak are spoken by significant numbers of people

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 48% (2001) male: NA% female: NA%

Government East Timor

Country name: conventional long form: Democratic Republic of East Timor
conventional short form: East Timor local short form: Timor Lorosa'e
[Tetum];
 Portuguese Timor local long form: Timor-Leste [Portuguese]

Government type: republic

Capital: Dili

Administrative divisions: 13 administrative districts; Aileu, Ainaro,
Baucau, Bobonaro (Maliana), Cova-Lima (Suai), Dili, Ermera, Lautem (Los
Palos), Liquica, Manatuto, Manufahi (Same), Oecussi (Ambeno), Viqueque

Independence: 28 November 1975 (date of proclamation of independence from Portugal); note - 20 May 2002 is the official date of international recognition of East Timor's independence from Indonesia

National holiday: Independence Day, 28 November (1975)

Constitution: 22 March 2002 (based on the Portuguese model)

Legal system: NA

Suffrage: 17 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Jose Alexander GUSMAO (since 20 May 2002); note - the president plays a largely symbolic role but is able to veto some legislation head of government: Prime Minister Mari Bin Amude ALKATIRI (since 20 May 2002) cabinet: Council of State elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 14 April 2002 (next to be held NA April 2007); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president election results: Jose Alexander GUSMAO elected president; percent of vote - Jose Alexander GUSMAO 82.7%, Francisco Xavier do Amaral 17.3%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Parliament (number of seats can vary, minimum requirement of 52 and a maximum of 65 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - for its first term of office, the National Parliament is comprised of 88 members on an exceptional basis elections: last held 30 August 2001 (next to be held NA August 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - FRETILIN 57.37%, PD 8.72%, PSD 8.18%, ASDT 7.84%, UDT 2.36%, PNT 2.21%, KOTA 2.13%, PPT 2.01%, PDC 1.98%, PST 1.78%, independents/other 5.42%; seats by party - FRETILIN 55, PD 7, PSD 6, ASDT 6, PDC 2, UDT 2, KOTA 2, PNT 2, PPT 2, UDC/PDC 1, PST 1, PL 1, independent 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice, one judge appointed by the National Parliament and the rest appointed by the Superior Council for the Judiciary

Political parties and leaders: Associacao Social-Democrata Timorense or
ASDT [Francisco Xavier do AMARAL]; Christian Democratic Party of Timor
or PDC [Antonio XIMENES]; Christian Democratic Union of Timor or UDC
[Vicente da Silva GUTERRES]; Democratic Pary or PD [Fernando de ARAUJO];
Maubere Democratic Party or PDM [leader NA]; People's Party of Timor or
PPT [Jacob XAVIER]; Revolutionary Front of Independent East Timor or
FRETILIN [Lu OLO]; Social Democrat Party of East Timor or PSD [Mario
CARRASCALAO]; Socialist Party of Timor or PST [leader NA]; Sons of
the Mountain Warriors (also known as Association of Timorese Heroes)
or KOTA [Clementino dos Reis AMARAL]; Timor Democratic Union or UDT
[Joao CARRASCALAO]; Timor Labor Party or TRABALHISTA [Paulo Freitas
DA SILVA]; Timorese Nationalist Party or PNT [Abilio ARAUJO]; Timorese
Popular Democratic Association or APODETI [Frederico Almeida Santos COSTA]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: IBRD, IMF note: UN membership is expected in September

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Constancio PINTO chancery: NA consulate(s) general: NA FAX: NA telephone: NA

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) embassy: Farol district, Dili mailing address: NA telephone: (670) 390 324 684 FAX: (670) 390 313 206

Flag description: red, with a black isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) superimposed on a slightly longer yellow arrowhead that extends to the center of the flag; there is a white star in the center of the black triangle

Economy East Timor

Economy - overview: In late 1999, about 70% of the economic infrastructure of East Timor was laid waste by Indonesian troops and anti-independence militias, and 260,000 people fled westward. Over the next three years, however, a massive international program, manned by 5,000 peacekeepers (8,000 at peak) and 1,300 police officers, led to substantial reconstruction in both urban and rural areas. By mid-2002, all but about 50,000 of the refugees had returned. The country faces great challenges in continuing the rebuilding of infrastructure and the strengthening of the infant civil administration. One promising long-term project would be development of oil resources in nearby waters.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $415 million (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 18% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $500 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 25.4% industry: 17.2% services: 57.4% (2001)

Population below poverty line: 42% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 38

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

Labor force: NA

Labor force - by occupation: NA

Unemployment rate: 50% (including underemployment)

Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA

Industries: printing, soap manufacturing, handicrafts, woven cloth

Industrial production growth rate: 8.5%

Electricity - production: NA kWh

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: NA kWh

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh

Agriculture - products: coffee, rice, maize, cassava, sweet potatoes, soybeans, cabbage, mangoes, bananas, vanilla

Exports: $8 million (2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: coffee, sandalwood, marble; note - the potential for oil and vanilla exports

Exports - partners: NA

Imports: $237 million (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: NA

Imports - partners: NA

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid - recipient: $2.2 billion (1999-2002 est.)

Currency: US dollar (USD)

Currency code: USD

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Communications East Timor

Telephones - main lines in use: NA

Telephones - mobile cellular: NA

Telephone system: NA

Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: NA

Televisions: NA

Internet country code: .tp

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA

Internet users: NA

Transportation East Timor

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 3,800 km paved: 428 km unpaved: 3,372 km (1995)

Waterways: NA

Pipelines: NA

Ports and harbors: NA

Merchant marine: total: NA ships by type: NA

Airports: 8 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,427 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (2001)

Heliports: 1 (2001)

Military East Timor

Military branches: the East Timor Defense Force or FALINTIL-FDTL comprises a light-infantry Army and a small Naval component; note - plans are to develop a force of 1,500 active personnel and 1,500 reserve personnel over the next five years

Military manpower - military age: 18-21 years of age

Military manpower - availability: NA

Military manpower - fit for military service: NA

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: NA

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $4.4 million (FY03)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Transnational Issues East Timor

Disputes - international: East Timor-Indonesia Boundary Committee meets to survey and delimit land boundary; Indonesia seeks resolution of East Timor refugees in Indonesia; Australia-East Timor-Indonesia are working to resolve maritime boundary and sharing of seabed resources in "Timor Gap"

Illicit drugs: NA

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Turkey

Introduction

Turkey

Background: Turkey was created in 1923 from the Turkish remnants of the Ottoman Empire. Soon thereafter the country instituted secular laws to replace traditional religious fiats. In 1945 Turkey joined the UN and in 1952 it became a member of NATO. Turkey occupied the northern portion of Cyprus in 1974 to prevent a Greek takeover of the island; relations between the two countries remain strained but have begun to improve over the past three years. In 1984, the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a Marxist-Leninist, separatist group, initiated an insurgency in Southeast Turkey, often using terrorist tactics to try to attain its goal of an independent Kurdistan. The group - whose leader, Abdullah OCALAN, was captured in Kenya in February 1999 and sentenced to death by a Turkish court - has observed a unilateral cease-fire since September 1999, although there have been occasional clashes between Turkish military units and some of the 4,000-5,000 armed PKK militants, most of whom currently are encamped in northern Iraq. The PKK changed its name to the Kurdistan Freedom and Democracy Congress (KADEK) in April 2002.

Geography Turkey

Location: southeastern Europe and southwestern Asia (that portion of
Turkey west of the Bosporus is geographically part of Europe), bordering
the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Georgia, and bordering the Aegean
Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, between Greece and Syria

Geographic coordinates: 39 00 N, 35 00 E

Map references: Middle East

Area: total: 780,580 sq km water: 9,820 sq km land: 770,760 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Texas

Land boundaries: total: 2,648 km border countries: Armenia 268 km, Azerbaijan 9 km, Bulgaria 240 km, Georgia 252 km, Greece 206 km, Iran 499 km, Iraq 352 km, Syria 822 km

Coastline: 7,200 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: in Black Sea only: to the maritime boundary agreed upon with the former USSR territorial sea: 6 NM in the Aegean Sea; 12 NM in Black Sea and in Mediterranean Sea

Climate: temperate; hot, dry summers with mild, wet winters; harsher in interior

Terrain: mostly mountains; narrow coastal plain; high central plateau
(Anatolia)

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point:
Mount Ararat 5,166 m

Natural resources: antimony, coal, chromium, mercury, copper, borate, sulfur, iron ore, arable land, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 35% permanent crops: 3% other: 62% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 42,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: very severe earthquakes, especially in northern Turkey, along an arc extending from the Sea of Marmara to Lake Van

Environment - current issues: water pollution from dumping of chemicals and detergents; air pollution, particularly in urban areas; deforestation; concern for oil spills from increasing Bosporus ship traffic

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Geography - note: strategic location controlling the Turkish Straits (Bosporus, Sea of Marmara, Dardanelles) that link Black and Aegean Seas; Mount Ararat, the legendary landing place of Noah's Ark, is in the far eastern portion of the country

People Turkey

Population: 67,308,928 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 27.8% (male 9,520,030; female 9,178,423) 15-64 years: (male 1,946,523; female 2,284,697) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.2% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 17.95 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 5.95 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 45.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 74.01 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.07 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.01% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Turk(s) adjective: Turkish

Ethnic groups: Turkish 80%, Kurdish 20%

Religions: Muslim 99.8% (mostly Sunni), other 0.2% (mostly Christians and Jews)

Languages: Turkish (official), Kurdish, Arabic, Armenian, Greek

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 85% male: 94% female: 77% (2000)

Government Turkey

Country name: Republic of Turkey conventional short form: Government type: republican parliamentary democracy

Capital: Ankara

Administrative divisions: 81 provinces (iller, singular - il); Adana,
Adiyaman, Afyon, Agri, Aksaray, Amasya, Ankara, Antalya, Ardahan, Artvin,
Aydin, Balikesir, Bartin, Batman, Bayburt, Bilecik, Bingol, Bitlis,
Bolu, Burdur, Bursa, Canakkale, Cankiri, Corum, Denizli, Diyarbakir,
Duzce, Edirne, Elazig, Erzincan, Erzurum, Eskisehir, Gaziantep, Giresun,
Gumushane, Hakkari, Hatay, Icel, Igdir, Isparta, Istanbul, Izmir,
Kahramanmaras, Karabuk, Karaman, Kars, Kastamonu, Kayseri, Kilis,
Kirikkale, Kirklareli, Kirsehir, Kocaeli, Konya, Kutahya, Malatya,
Manisa, Mardin, Mugla, Mus, Nevsehir, Nigde, Ordu, Osmaniye, Rize,
Sakarya, Samsun, Sanliurfa, Siirt, Sinop, Sirnak, Sivas, Tekirdag, Tokat,
Trabzon, Tunceli, Usak, Van, Yalova, Yozgat, Zonguldak

Independence: 29 October 1923 (successor state to the Ottoman Empire)

National holiday: Independence Day, 29 October (1923)

Constitution: 7 November 1982

Legal system: derived from various European continental legal systems; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Ahmet Necdet SEZER (since 16 May 2000) elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a seven-year term; election last held 5 May 2000 (next to be held NA May 2007); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president note: a National Security Council serves as an advisory body to the president and the cabinet cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the nomination of the prime minister head of government: Ahmed Necdet SEZER elected president on the third ballot; percent of National Assembly vote - 60% note: president must have a two-thirds majority of the National Assembly on the first two ballots and a simple majority on the third ballot

Legislative branch: unicameral Grand National Assembly of Turkey or Turkiye Buyuk Millet Meclisi (550 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 18 April 1999 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - DSP 136, MHP 130, FP 110, DYP 86, ANAP 88; note - as of 11 January 2002 seating was DSP 129, MHP 127, DYP 84, ANAP 79, AK 53, Saadet 48, independents 20, vacancies 10

Judicial branch: Constitutional Court (judges are appointed by the president); Court of Appeals (judges are elected by the Supreme Council of Judges and Prosecutors)

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Left Party or DSP [Bulent
ECEVIT]; Justice and Development Party or AK [Recep Tayip ERDOGAN];
Motherland Party or ANAP [Mesut YILMAZ]; Nationalist Action Party or
MHP [Devlet BAHCELI]; Saadet Party [Recai KUTAN]; note - KUTAN was head
of the Virtue Party or FP which was banned by Turkey's Constitutional
Court in June 2001; Socialist Democratic Party or TDP [Sema PISKINSUT];
True Path Party or DYP [Tansu CILLER]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Confederation of Revolutionary
Workers Unions or DISK [Ridvan BUDAK]; Independent Industrialists and
Businessmen's Association or MUSIAD [Erol YARAR]; Moral Rights Workers
Union or Hak-Is [Salim USLU]; Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's
Association or TUSIAD [Muharrem KAYHAN]; Turkish Confederation of
Employers' Unions or TISK [Refik BAYDUR]; Turkish Confederation of Labor
or Turk-Is [Bayram MERAL]; Turkish Union of Chambers of Commerce and
Commodity Exchanges or TOBB [Fuat MIRAS]

International organization participation: AsDB, Australia Group,
BIS, BSEC, CCC, CE, CERN (observer), EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, EU
(applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IEA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer),
ISO, ITU, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PCA,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UNRWA,
UNTAET, UPU, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Dr. Osman Faruk LOGOGLU FAX: [1] (202) 612-6744 consulate(s) general:
Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, and New York
 2525 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone:
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Robert W. PEARSON embassy: Ataturk Bulvari
 PSC 93, Box 5000, APO AE 09823 telephone: Istanbul consulate(s): Adana

Flag description: red with a vertical white crescent (the closed portion is toward the hoist side) and white five-pointed star centered just outside the crescent opening

Economy Turkey

Economy - overview: Turkey's dynamic economy is a complex mix of modern industry and commerce along with a traditional agriculture sector that in 2001 still accounted for 40% of employment. It has a strong and rapidly growing private sector, yet the state still plays a major role in basic industry, banking, transport, and communication. The most important industry - and largest exporter - is textiles and clothing, which is almost entirely in private hands. In recent years the economic situation has been marked by erratic economic growth and serious imbalances. Real GNP growth has exceeded 6% in most years, but this strong expansion was interrupted by sharp declines in output in 1994, 1999, and 2001. Meanwhile the public sector fiscal deficit has regularly exceeded 10% of GDP - due in large part to the huge burden of interest payments, which in 2001 accounted for more than 50% of central government spending - while inflation has remained in the high double digit range. Perhaps because of these problems, foreign direct investment in Turkey remains low - less than $1 billion annually. In late 2000 and early 2001 a growing trade deficit and serious weaknesses in the banking sector plunged the economy into crisis - forcing Ankara to float the lira and pushing the country into recession. Prospects for 2002 are much better, because of strong financial support from the IMF, tighter fiscal policy, a major bank restructuring program, and the enactment of numerous other economic reforms.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $443 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: -6.5% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $6,700 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 14.5% industry: 28.4% services: 57.1% (2000)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 32.3% (1994)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 41.5 (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 69% (2001)

Labor force: 23.8 million (2001 3rd quarter) note: about 1.2 million
Turks work abroad (1999)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 39.7%, services 37.9%, industry 22.4% (2001 3rd quarter)

Unemployment rate: 10.6% (plus underemployment of 6.1%) (2001 4th quarter)

Budget: revenues: $42.4 billion expenditures: $69.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001)

Industries: textiles, food processing, autos, mining (coal, chromite, copper, boron), steel, petroleum, construction, lumber, paper

Industrial production growth rate: -8.9% (2001)

Electricity - production: 119.18 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 74.09% hydro: 25.65% other: 0.26% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 114.192 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 437 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 3.791 billion kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: tobacco, cotton, grain, olives, sugar beets, pulse, citrus; livestock

Exports: $33.8 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Exports - commodities: apparel 24.8%, foodstuffs 12.8%, textiles 12.7%, metal manufactures 8.8%, transport equipment 8.5% (2000)

Exports - partners: Germany 17.4%, US 10.2%, Italy 7.5%, UK 7.0%,
France 6.1% (2001 est.)

Imports: $39.7 billion (c.i.f., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery 25.4%, chemicals 13.4%, semi-finished goods 13.7%, fuels 14.0%, transport equipment 12.4% (2000)

Imports - partners: Germany 13.3%, Italy 8.6%, Russia 8.4%, US 8.1%,
France 5.7%, UK 4.5% (2001 est.)

Debt - external: $118.8 billion (September 2001)

Economic aid - recipient: ODA, $195 million (1993)

Currency: Turkish lira (TRL)

Currency code: TRL

Exchange rates: Turkish liras per US dollar - 1,223,140 (January 2002), 1,223,140 (2001), 625,219 (2000), 418,783 (1999), 260,724 (1998), 151,865 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Turkey

Telephones - main lines in use: 19.5 million (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 17.1 million (2001)

Telephone system: general assessment: undergoing rapid modernization and expansion, especially with cellular telephones domestic: additional digital exchanges are permitting a rapid increase in subscribers; the construction of a network of technologically advanced intercity trunk lines, using both fiber-optic cable and digital microwave radio relay is facilitating communication between urban centers; remote areas are reached by a domestic satellite system; the number of subscribers to mobile cellular telephone service is growing rapidly international: international service is provided by three submarine fiber-optic cables in the Mediterranean and Black Seas, linking Turkey with Italy, Greece, Israel, Bulgaria, Romania, and Russia; also by 12 Intelsat earth stations, and by 328 mobile satellite terminals in the Inmarsat and Eutelsat systems (2002)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 16, FM 107, shortwave 6 (2001)

Radios: 11.3 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 635 (plus 2,934 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions: 20.9 million (1997)

Internet country code: .tr

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 50 (2001)

Internet users: 4 million (2001)

Transportation Turkey

Railways: total: 8,607 km standard gauge: 8,607 km 1.435-m gauge (2,131 km electrified) (2001)

Highways: total: 382,059 km paved: 106,976 km (including 1,726 km of expressways) unpaved: 275,083 km (1999 est.)

Waterways: 1,200 km (approximately)

Pipelines: crude oil 1,738 km; petroleum products 2,321 km; natural gas 708 km

Ports and harbors: Gemlik, Hopa, Iskenderun, Istanbul, Izmir, Kocaeli
(Izmit), Icel (Mersin), Samsun, Trabzon

Merchant marine: total: 553 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,674,099 GRT/9,108,819 DWT ships by type: bulk 138, cargo 239, chemical tanker 45, combination bulk 5, combination ore/oil 2, container 27, liquefied gas 6, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 45, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 27, short-sea passenger 10, specialized tanker 5 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Belize 1, Cyprus 1, Denmark 2, Greece 1, Italy 1, Thailand 1, United Kingdom 11 (2002 est.)

Airports: 120 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 86 over 3,047 m: 16 2,438 to 3,047 m: 30 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 6 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 34 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 24 (2001) 914 to 1,523 m: 8

Heliports: 6 (2001)

Military Turkey

Military branches: Land Forces, Navy (includes Naval Air and Naval
Infantry), Air Force, Coast Guard, Gendarmerie

Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 19,219,177 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 11,623,675 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 674,805 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $8.1 billion (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 4.5% (2002 est.)

Transnational Issues Turkey

Disputes - international: complex maritime, air, and territorial disputes with Greece in Aegean Sea; Cyprus question with Greece; dispute with downstream riparian states (Syria and Iraq) over water development plans for the Tigris and Euphrates rivers; traditional demands regarding former Armenian lands in Turkey have subsided; Turkey is quick to rebuff any perceived Syrian claim to Hatay province; border with Armenia remains closed over Nagorno-Karabakh dispute

Illicit drugs: key transit route for Southwest Asian heroin to Western Europe and - to a far lesser extent the US - via air, land, and sea routes; major Turkish, Iranian, and other international trafficking organizations operate out of Istanbul; laboratories to convert imported morphine base into heroin are in remote regions of Turkey as well as near Istanbul; government maintains strict controls over areas of legal opium poppy cultivation and output of poppy straw concentrate

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Tuvalu

Introduction

Tuvalu

Background: In 1974, ethnic differences within the British colony of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands caused the Polynesians of the Ellice Islands to vote for separation from the Micronesians of the Gilbert Islands. The following year, the Ellice Islands became the separate British colony of Tuvalu. Independence was granted in 1978. In 2000, Tuvalu negotiated a contract leasing its Internet domain name ".tv" for $50 million in royalties over the next dozen years.

Geography Tuvalu

Location: Oceania, island group consisting of nine coral atolls in the
South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia

Geographic coordinates: 8 00 S, 178 00 E

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 26 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 26 sq km

Area - comparative: 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 24 km

Maritime claims: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: Climate: tropical; moderated by easterly trade winds (March to November); westerly gales and heavy rain (November to March)

Terrain: very low-lying and narrow coral atolls

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 5 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: severe tropical storms are usually rare, but, in 1997, there were three cyclones; low level of islands make them very sensitive to changes in sea level

Environment - current issues: since there are no streams or rivers and groundwater is not potable, most water needs must be met by catchment systems with storage facilities (the Japanese Government has built one desalination plant and plans to build one other); beachhead erosion because of the use of sand for building materials; excessive clearance of forest undergrowth for use as fuel; damage to coral reefs from the spread of the Crown of Thorns starfish; Tuvalu is very concerned about global increases in greenhouse gas emissions and their effect on rising sea levels, which threaten the country's underground water table; in 2000, the government appealed to Australia and New Zealand to take in Tuvaluans if rising sea levels should make evacuation necessary

Environment - international agreements: party to: Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: Geography - note: one of the smallest and most remote countries on Earth; six of the coral atolls - Nanumea, Nui, Vaitupu, Nukufetau, Funafuti, and Nukulaelae - have lagoons open to the ocean; Nanumaya and Niutao have landlocked lagoons; Niulakita does not have a lagoon

People Tuvalu

Population: 11,146 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 32.6% (male 1,851; female 1,785) 15-64 years: 62.3% (male 3,335; female 3,607) 65 years and over: 5.1% (male 233; female 335) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.4% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 21.44 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 7.45 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 22 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 69.23 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 3.07 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Tuvaluan(s) adjective: Tuvaluan

Ethnic groups: Polynesian 96%, Micronesian 4%

Religions: Church of Tuvalu (Congregationalist) 97%, Seventh-Day
Adventist 1.4%, Baha'i 1%, other 0.6%

Languages: Tuvaluan, English, Samoan, Kiribati (on the island of Nui)

Literacy: definition: percentage of people over the age of 15 who can read and write total population: 55% (1996) male: NA% female: NA%

Government Tuvalu

Country name: Tuvalu note: traditionally inhabited islands former:
Ellice Islands

Government type: constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy; began debating republic status in 1992

Capital: Fongafale

Administrative divisions: none

Independence: 1 October 1978 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 1 October (1978)

Constitution: 1 October 1978

Legal system: NA

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Tomasi PUAPUA, M.D. (since 26 June 1998) elections: the recommendation of the prime minister; prime minister and deputy prime minister elected by and from the members of Parliament; election last held 13 December 2001 (next to be held by August 2002) election results: cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister head of government: Prime Minister Koloa TALAKE (since 13 December 2001); TALAKE took over after Prime Minister Faimalaga LUKA was ousted in a vote of no-confidence

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Fale I Fono, also called House of Assembly (15 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 25 July 2002 (next to be held NA 2006) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 15

Judicial branch: High Court (a chief justice visits twice a year to preside over its sessions; its rulings can be appealed to the Court of Appeal in Fiji); eight Island Courts (with limited jurisdiction)

Political parties and leaders: there are no political parties but members of Parliament usually align themselves in informal groupings

Political pressure groups and leaders: none

International organization participation: ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, IFRCS (associate), ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US: Tuvalu does not have an embassy in the US - the country's only diplomatic post is in Fiji - Tuvalu does, however, have a UN office located at 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400D, New York, New York 10017, telephone: [1] (212) 490-0534

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Tuvalu; the US ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tuvalu

Flag description: light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the outer half of the flag represents a map of the country with nine yellow five-pointed stars symbolizing the nine islands

Economy Tuvalu

Economy - overview: Tuvalu consists of a densely populated, scattered group of nine coral atolls with poor soil. The country has no known mineral resources and few exports. Subsistence farming and fishing are the primary economic activities. Fewer than 1,000 tourists, on average, visit Tuvalu annually. Government revenues largely come from the sale of stamps and coins and worker remittances. About 1,000 Tuvaluans work in Nauru in the phosphate mining industry. Nauru has begun repatriating Tuvaluans, however, as phosphate resources decline. Substantial income is received annually from an international trust fund established in 1987 by Australia, NZ, and the UK and supported also by Japan and South Korea. Thanks to wise investments and conservative withdrawals, this Fund has grown from an initial $17 million to over $35 million in 1999. The US government is also a major revenue source for Tuvalu, with 1999 payments from a 1988 treaty on fisheries at about $9 million, a total which is expected to rise annually. In an effort to reduce its dependence on foreign aid, the government is pursuing public sector reforms, including privatization of some government functions and personnel cuts of up to 7%. In 1998, Tuvalu began deriving revenue from use of its area code for "900" lines and in 2000, from the lease of its ".tv" Internet domain name. Royalties from these new technology sources could raise GDP substantially over the next decade. With merchandise exports only a fraction of merchandise imports, continued reliance must be placed on fishing and telecommunications license fees, remittances from overseas workers, official transfers, and investment income from overseas assets.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $12.2 million (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 7,000 (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: people make a living mainly through exploitation of the sea, reefs, and atolls and from wages sent home by those abroad (mostly workers in the phosphate industry and sailors)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $22.5 million expenditures: $11.2 million, including capital expenditures of $4.2 million (2000 est.)

Industries: fishing, tourism, copra

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: NA% hydro: NA% nuclear:
NA% other: NA%

Agriculture - products: coconuts; fish

Exports: $276,000 (f.o.b., 1997)

Exports - commodities: copra, fish

Exports - partners: Sweden, Fiji, Iceland, Germany, Greece (2000)

Imports: $7.2 million (c.i.f., 1998)

Imports - commodities: food, animals, mineral fuels, machinery, manufactured goods

Imports - partners: Fiji, Australia, Portugal, NZ (2000)

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid - recipient: $13 million (1999 est.); note - major donors are Japan, Australia, and the US

Currency: Australian dollar (AUD); note - there is also a Tuvaluan dollar

Currency code: AUD

Exchange rates: Tuvaluan dollars or Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.9354 (January 2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Tuvalu

Telephones - main lines in use: 1,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 0 (1994)

Telephone system: general assessment: serves particular needs for internal communications domestic: radiotelephone communications between islands international: NA

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1999)

Radios: 4,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 0 (1997)

Televisions: 800

Internet country code: .tv

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: NA

Transportation Tuvalu

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 19.5 km paved: 0 km unpaved: 19.5 km (2002)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Funafuti, Nukufetau

Merchant marine: total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 31,021 GRT/52,198 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Germany 5 (2002 est.) ships by type: cargo 3, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1

Airports: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2001)

Military Tuvalu

Military branches: no regular military forces; Police Force (includes Maritime Surveillance Unit for search and rescue missions and surveillance operations)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Transnational Issues Tuvalu

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Taiwan

Introduction

Taiwan

Background: In 1895, military defeat forced China to cede Taiwan to Japan, however it reverted to Chinese control after World War II. Following the Communist victory on the mainland in 1949, 2 million Nationalists fled to Taiwan and established a government using the 1947 constitution drawn up for all of China. Over the next five decades, the ruling authorities gradually democratized and incorporated the native population within its governing structure. This culminated in 2000, when Taiwan underwent its first peaceful transfer of power from the Nationalist to the Democratic Progressive Party. Throughout this period, the island has prospered to become one of East Asia's economic "Tigers." The dominant political issues continue to be the relationship between Taiwan and China - specifically the question of eventual unification - as well as domestic political and economic reform.

Geography Taiwan

Location: Eastern Asia, islands bordering the East China Sea, Philippine Sea, South China Sea, and Taiwan Strait, north of the Philippines, off the southeastern coast of China

Geographic coordinates: 23 30 N, 121 00 E

Map references: Southeast Asia

Area: total: 35,980 sq km note: includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and
Quemoy water: 3,720 sq km land: 32,260 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 1,566.3 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year

Terrain: eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently rolling plains in west

Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point:
Yu Shan 3,997 m

Natural resources: small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and asbestos

Land use: arable land: 24% permanent crops: 1% other: 75%

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: earthquakes and typhoons

Environment - current issues: air pollution; water pollution from industrial emissions, raw sewage; contamination of drinking water supplies; trade in endangered species; low-level radioactive waste disposal

Environment - international agreements: party to: none of the selected agreements because of Taiwan's international status signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements because of Taiwan's international status

Geography - note: strategic location adjacent to both the Taiwan Strait and the Luzon Strait

People Taiwan

Population: 22,548,009 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 21% (male 2,464,290; female 2,268,627) 15-64 years: 70% (male 8,010,014; female 7,774,296) 65 years and over: 9% (male 1,053,975; female 976,807) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.78% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 14.21 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 6.08 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.08 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 6.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 79.71 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.76 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Chinese (singular and plural) adjective: Chinese

Ethnic groups: Taiwanese (including Hakka) 84%, mainland Chinese 14%, aborigine 2%

Religions: mixture of Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%, other 2.5%

Languages: Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 86% 79% (1980 est.) note: (1998 est.)

Government Taiwan

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Taiwan local short form: T'ai-wan local long form: none former: Formosa

Government type: multiparty democratic regime headed by popularly elected president and unicameral legislature

Capital: Taipei

Administrative divisions: the central administrative divisions include the provinces of Fu-chien (some 20 offshore islands of Fujian Province including Quemoy and Matsu) and Taiwan (the island of Taiwan and the Pescadores islands); Taiwan is further subdivided into 16 counties (hsien, singular and plural), 5 municipalities* (shih, singular and plural), and 2 special municipalities** (chuan-shih, singular and plural); Chang-hua, Chia-i, Chia-i*, Chi-lung*, Hsin-chu, Hsin-chu*, Hua-lien, I-lan, Kao-hsiung, Kao-hsiung**, Miao-li, Nan-t'ou, P'eng-hu, P'ing-tung, T'ai-chung, T'ai-chung*, T'ai-nan, T'ai-nan*, T'ai-pei, T'ai-pei**, T'ai-tung, T'ao-yuan, and Yun-lin; the provincial capital is at Chung-hsing-hsin-ts'un note: Taiwan uses the Wade-Giles system for romanization

National holiday: Republic Day (Anniversary of the Chinese Revolution), 10 October (1911)

Constitution: 1 January 1947, amended in 1992, 1994, 1997, and 1999

Legal system: based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Shui-bian CHEN (since 20 May 2000) and Vice President Annette Hsiu-lien LU (since 20 May 2000) election results: (DPP) 39.3%, James SOONG (independent) 36.84%, LIEN Chan (KMT) 23.1%, HSU Hsin-liang (independent) 0.63%, LEE Ao (CNP) 0.13% elections: for four-year terms; election last held 18 March 2000 (next to be held NA March 2004); premier appointed by the president; vice premiers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the premier head of government: 2002) and Vice Premier (Vice President of the Executive Yuan) Hsin-yi LIN (since 1 February 2002) cabinet: Executive Yuan appointed by the president

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Yuan (225 seats - 168 elected by popular vote, 41 elected on the basis of the proportion of islandwide votes received by participating political parties, eight elected from overseas Chinese constituencies on the basis of the proportion of islandwide votes received by participating political parties, eight elected by popular vote among the aboriginal populations; members serve three-year terms) and unicameral National Assembly (300 seat nonstanding body; delegates nominated by parties and elected by proportional representation within three months of a Legislative Yuan call to amend the Constitution, impeach the president, or change national borders) elections: Legislative Yuan - last held 8 December 2001 (next to be held NA December 2004); note - the National Assembly is a nonstanding body and is called into session election results: Legislative Yuan - percent of vote by party - DPP 39%, KMT 30%, PFP 20%, TSU 6%, independents and other parties 5%; seats by party - DPP 87, KMT 68, PFP 46, TSU 13, independents and other parties 11

Judicial branch: Judicial Yuan (justices appointed by the president with consent of the National Assembly; note - beginning in 2003, justices will be appointed by the president with consent of the Legislative Yuan)

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [Frank Chang-ting HSIEH, chairman]; Kuomintang or KMT (Nationalist Party) [LIEN Chan, chairman]; People First Party or PFP [James Chu-yu SOONG, chairman]; Taiwan Solidarity Union or TSU [Chu-wen HUANG, chairman]; other minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders: Taiwan independence movement, various business and environmental groups note: debate on Taiwan independence has become acceptable within the mainstream of domestic politics on Taiwan; political liberalization and the increased representation of opposition parties in Taiwan's legislature have opened public debate on the island's national identity; a broad popular consensus has developed that Taiwan currently enjoys de facto independence and - whatever the ultimate outcome regarding reunification or independence - that Taiwan's people must have the deciding voice; advocates of Taiwan independence oppose the stand that the island will eventually unify with mainland China; goals of the Taiwan independence movement include establishing a sovereign nation on Taiwan and entering the UN; other organizations supporting Taiwan independence include the World United Formosans for Independence and the Organization for Taiwan Nation Building

International organization participation: APEC, AsDB, BCIE, ICC, ICFTU,
IFRCS, IOC, WCL, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people of the US are maintained through an unofficial instrumentality, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) in the US with headquarters in Taipei and field offices in Washington and 12 other US cities

Diplomatic representation from the US: none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people on Taiwan are maintained through an unofficial instrumentality - the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) - which has offices in the US and Taiwan; US office located at 1700 N. Moore St., Suite 1700, Arlington, VA 22209-1996, telephone: [1] (703) 525-8474, FAX: [1] (703) 841-1385); Taiwan offices located at #7 Lane 134, Hsin Yi Road, Section 3, Taipei, Taiwan, telephone: [886] (2) 2709-2000, FAX: [886] (2) 2702-7675; #2 Chung Cheng 3rd Road, 5th Floor, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, telephone: [886] (7) 224-0154 through 0157, FAX: [886] (7) 223-8237; and the American Trade Center, Room 3208 International Trade Building, Taipei World Trade Center, 333 Keelung Road Section 1, Taipei, Taiwan 10548, telephone: Flag description: red with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays

Economy Taiwan

Economy - overview: Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist economy with gradually decreasing guidance of investment and foreign trade by government authorities. In keeping with this trend, some large government-owned banks and industrial firms are being privatized. Real growth in GDP has averaged about 8% during the past three decades. Exports have provided the primary impetus for industrialization. The trade surplus is substantial, and foreign reserves are the world's third largest. Agriculture contributes 2% to GDP, down from 35% in 1952. Traditional labor-intensive industries are steadily being moved offshore and replaced with more capital- and technology-intensive industries. Taiwan has become a major investor in China, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Vietnam; 50,000 Taiwanese businesses are established in China. Because of its conservative financial approach and its entrepreneurial strengths, Taiwan suffered little compared with many of its neighbors from the Asian financial crisis in 1998-99. The global economic downturn, however, combined with poor policy coordination by the new administration and increasing bad debts in the banking system, pushed Taiwan into recession in 2001, the first whole year of negative growth since 1947. Unemployment also reached a level not seen since the 1970s oil crisis.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $386 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: -2.2% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $17,200 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2% industry: 32% services: 66% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 1% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 32.6 (2000)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.5% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 9.8 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: services 56%, industry 36%, agriculture 8% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate: 4.5% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $36 billion expenditures: $36.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2002 est.)

Industries: electronics, petroleum refining, chemicals, textiles, iron and steel, machinery, cement, food processing

Industrial production growth rate: -5% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 149.78 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 69.48% hydro: 5.82% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 24.7%

Electricity - consumption: 139.295 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: rice, corn, vegetables, fruit, tea; pigs, poultry, beef, milk; fish

Exports: $122 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Exports - commodities: machinery and electrical equipment 55%, metals, textiles, plastics, chemicals

Exports - partners: US 23.5%, Hong Kong 21.1%, Europe 16%, ASEAN 12.2%,
Japan 11.2% (2000)

Imports: $109 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Imports - commodities: machinery and electrical equipment 50%, minerals, precision instruments

Imports - partners: Japan 27.5%, US 17.9%, Europe 13.6%, South Korea 6.4% (2000)

Debt - external: $40 billion (2000)

Currency: new Taiwan dollar (TWD)

Currency code: TWD

Exchange rates: new Taiwan dollars per US dollar - 34.494 (yearend 2001), 33.082 (yearend 2000), 31.395 (yearend 1999), 32.216 (1998), 32.052 (1997), 27.5 (1996)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June (up to FY98/99); 1 July 1999 - 31 December 2000 for FY00; calendar year (after FY00)

Communications Taiwan

Telephones - main lines in use: 12.49 million (September 2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 16 million (September 2000)

Telephone system: general assessment: provides telecommunications service for every business and private need domestic: thoroughly modern; completely digitalized international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); submarine cables to Japan (Okinawa), Philippines, Guam, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe (1999)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 218, FM 333, shortwave 50 (1999)

Radios: 16 million (1994)

Television broadcast stations: 29 (plus two repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 8.8 million (1998)

Internet country code: .tw

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 8 (2000)

Internet users: 11.6 million (2001)

Transportation Taiwan

Railways: total: 1,108 km narrow gauge: 1,108 km 1.067-m gauge (519 km electrified) note: in addition to the above routes in common carrier service, there are several thousand kilometers of 1.067-m gauge routes that are dedicated to industrial use (2001)

Highways: total: 34,901 km paved: 31,271 km (including 538 km of expressways) unpaved: 3,630 km (1998 est.)

Waterways: NA

Pipelines: petroleum products 3,400 km; natural gas 1,800 km (1999)

Ports and harbors: Chi-lung (Keelung), Hua-lien, Kao-hsiung, Su-ao,
T'ai-chung

Merchant marine: total: 152 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,262,451 GRT/6,596,950 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Hong Kong 3, Japan 1 (2002 est.) ships by type: bulk 40, cargo 28, combination bulk 3, container 53, petroleum tanker 17, refrigerated cargo 9, roll on/roll off 2

Airports: 39 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 36 over 3,047 m: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 3 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2001)

Heliports: 3 (2001)

Military Taiwan

Military branches: Army, Navy (including Marine Corps), Air Force,
Coast Guard Administration, Armed Forces Reserve Command, Combined
Service Forces Command

Military manpower - military age: 19 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 6,575,625 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 5,018,882 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 198,766 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $8,041,200,000 (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.8% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Taiwan

Disputes - international: involved in complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; Paracel Islands occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam; claims Japanese-administered Senkaku-shoto (Senkaku Islands/Diaoyu Tai), as does China

Illicit drugs: regional transit point for heroin and methamphetamine; major problem with domestic consumption of methamphetamine and heroin

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Turkmenistan

Introduction

Turkmenistan

Background: Annexed by Russia between 1865 and 1885, Turkmenistan became a Soviet republic in 1925. It achieved its independence upon the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. President NIYAZOV retains absolute control over the country and opposition is not tolerated. Extensive hydrocarbon/natural gas reserves could prove a boon to this underdeveloped country if extraction and delivery projects can be worked out.

Geography Turkmenistan

Location: Central Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and
Kazakhstan

Geographic coordinates: 40 00 N, 60 00 E

Map references: Asia

Area: total: 488,100 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 488,100 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than California

Land boundaries: total: 3,736 km border countries: Afghanistan 744 km,
Iran 992 km, Kazakhstan 379 km, Uzbekistan 1,621 km

Coastline: 0 km; note - Turkmenistan borders the Caspian Sea (1,768 km)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: subtropical desert

Terrain: flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes rising to mountains in the south; low mountains along border with Iran; borders Caspian Sea in west

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Vpadina Akchanaya -81 m; note - Sarygamysh Koli is a lake in northern Turkmenistan with a water level that fluctuates above and below the elevation of Vpadina Akchanaya (the lake has dropped as low as -110 m) highest point: Gora Ayribaba 3,139 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, coal, sulfur, salt

Land use: arable land: 4% permanent crops: 0% other: 96% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 18,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: contamination of soil and groundwater with agricultural chemicals, pesticides; salination, water-logging of soil due to poor irrigation methods; Caspian Sea pollution; diversion of a large share of the flow of the Amu Darya into irrigation contributes to that river's inability to replenish the Aral Sea; desertification

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes,
Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected
agreements

Geography - note: landlocked; the western and central low-lying, desolate portions of the country make up the great Garagum (Kara-Kum) desert, which occupies over 80% of the country; eastern part is plateau

People Turkmenistan

Population: 4,688,963 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 37.3% (male 895,536; female 853,301) 15-64 years: 58.6% (male 1,350,142; female 1,399,879) 65 years and over: 4.1% (male 72,784; female 117,321) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.84% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 28.27 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 8.92 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 73.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 64.8 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 3.54 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.01% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: less than 100 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Turkmen(s) adjective: Turkmen

Ethnic groups: Turkmen 77%, Uzbek 9.2%, Russian 6.7%, Kazakh 2%, other 5.1% (1995)

Religions: Muslim 89%, Eastern Orthodox 9%, unknown 2%

Languages: Turkmen 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7%

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 99% female: 97% (1989 est.)

Government Turkmenistan

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Turkmenistan local long form: none former: Turkmen Soviet Socialist
Republic local short form: Turkmenistan

Government type: republic

Capital: Ashgabat

Administrative divisions: 5 provinces (welayatlar, singular - welayat): Ahal Welayaty (Ashgabat), Balkan Welayaty (Balkanabat), Dasoguz Welayaty, Labap Welayaty (Turkmenabat), Mary Welayaty note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)

Independence: 27 October 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day, 27 October (1991)

Constitution: adopted 18 May 1992

Legal system: based on civil law system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President and Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Saparmurat NIYAZOV (since 27 October 1990, when the first direct presidential election occurred); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President and Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Saparmurat NIYAZOV (since 27 October 1990, when the first direct presidential election occurred); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 21 June 1992 (next to be held NA); note - President NIYAZOV was unanimously approved as president for life by the Assembly on 28 December 1999); deputy chairmen of the cabinet of ministers are appointed by the president election results: Saparmurat NIYAZOV elected president without opposition; percent of vote - Saparmurat NIYAZOV 99.5% note: NIYAZOV's term in office was extended indefinitely on 28 December 1999 by the Assembly (Majlis) during a session of the People's Council (Halk Maslahaty)

Legislative branch: under the 1992 constitution, there are two parliamentary bodies, a unicameral People's Council or Halk Maslahaty (more than 100 seats, some of which are elected by popular vote and some of which are appointed; meets infrequently) and a unicameral Assembly or Majlis (50 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) election results: Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; note - all 50 elected officials preapproved by President NIYAZOV; most are from the DPT elections: People's Council - NA; Assembly - last held 12 December 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party of Turkmenistan or DPT [Saparmurat NIYAZOV] note: movements exist underground or in foreign countries

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: AsDB, CCC, CIS, EAPC, EBRD,
ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE,
PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
(observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mered Bairamovich ORAZOV FAX: [1] (202) 588-0697 telephone: [1] (202) 588-1500 chancery: 2207 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Laura E. KENNEDY embassy: 9 Pushkin Street, Ashgabat, Turkmenistan 774000 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [9] (9312) 35-00-45 FAX: [9] (9312) 51-13-05

Flag description: green field with a vertical red stripe near the hoist side, containing five carpet guls (designs used in producing rugs) stacked above two crossed olive branches similar to the olive branches on the UN flag; a white crescent moon and five white stars appear in the upper corner of the field just to the fly side of the red stripe

Economy Turkmenistan

Economy - overview: Turkmenistan is largely desert country with intensive agriculture in irrigated oases and huge gas (fifth largest reserves in the world) and oil resources. One-half of its irrigated land is planted in cotton, making it the world's tenth largest producer. Until the end of 1993, Turkmenistan had experienced less economic disruption than other former Soviet states because its economy received a boost from higher prices for oil and gas and a sharp increase in hard currency earnings. In 1994, Russia's refusal to export Turkmen gas to hard currency markets and mounting debts of its major customers in the former USSR for gas deliveries contributed to a sharp fall in industrial production and caused the budget to shift from a surplus to a slight deficit. With an authoritarian ex-Communist regime in power and a tribally based social structure, Turkmenistan has taken a cautious approach to economic reform, hoping to use gas and cotton sales to sustain its inefficient economy. Privatization goals remain limited. In 1998-2001, Turkmenistan has suffered from the continued lack of adequate export routes for natural gas and from obligations on extensive short-term external debt. At the same time, however, total exports have risen sharply because of higher international oil and gas prices. Prospects in the near future are discouraging because of widespread internal poverty, the burden of foreign debt, and the unwillingness of the government to adopt market-oriented reforms. However, Turkmenistan's cooperation with the international community in transporting humanitarian aid to Afghanistan may foreshadow a change in the atmosphere for foreign investment, aid, and technological support. Turkmenistan's economic statistics are state secrets, and GDP and other figures are subject to wide margins of error.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $21.5 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 10% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $4,700 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 27% industry: 45% services: 28% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 34.4% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 31.7% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 40.8 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 2.34 million (1996)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 48%, industry 15%, services 37% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $588.6 million expenditures: $658.2 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)

Industries: natural gas, oil, petroleum products, textiles, food processing

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 9.256 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.94% hydro: 0.06% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 7.708 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 900 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: cotton, grain; livestock

Exports: $2.7 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: gas 33%, oil 30%, cotton fiber 18%, textiles 8% (1999)

Exports - partners: Ukraine 27%, Iran 14%, Turkey 11%, Italy 9%,
Switzerland 5% (1999)

Imports: $2.3 billion (c.i.f., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment 60%, foodstuffs 15% (1999)

Imports - partners: Turkey 17%, Ukraine 12%, Russia 11%, UAE 8%, France 6% (1999)

Debt - external: $2.3 billion to $5 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $16 million from the US (2001)

Currency: Turkmen manat (TMM)

Currency code: TMM

Exchange rates: Turkmen manats per US dollar - 5,200 (January 2002-January 2000), 5,350 (January 1999), 4,070 (January 1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Turkmenistan

Telephones - main lines in use: 363,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 4,300 (1998)

Telephone system: general assessment: poorly developed domestic: NA international: linked by cable and microwave radio relay to other CIS republics and to other countries by leased connections to the Moscow international gateway switch; a new telephone link from Ashgabat to Iran has been established; a new exchange in Ashgabat switches international traffic through Turkey via Intelsat; satellite earth stations - 1 Orbita and 1 Intelsat

Radio broadcast stations: AM 16, FM 8, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios: 1.225 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (much programming relayed from Russia and Turkey) (1997)

Televisions: 820,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .tm

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA

Internet users: 2,000 (2000)

Transportation Turkmenistan

Railways: total: 2,440 km broad gauge: 2,440 km 1.520-m gauge (2001)

Highways: total: 22,000 km paved: 18,000 km (includes some all-weather gravel-surfaced roads) unpaved: 4,000 km (these roads are made of unstabilized earth and are difficult to negotiate in wet weather) (1996)

Waterways: the Amu Darya is an important inland waterway for Turkmenistan

Pipelines: crude oil 250 km; natural gas 4,400 km

Ports and harbors: Turkmenbasy

Merchant marine: total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,600
GRT/5,000 DWT ships by type: petroleum tanker 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 76 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 13 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 63 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 41 (2001)

Military Turkmenistan

Military branches: Ministry of Defense (Army, Air and Air Defense,
Navy, Border Troops, and Internal Troops), National Guard

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,206,920 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 979,282 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 48,292 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $90 million (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.4% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Turkmenistan

Disputes - international: Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan wrestle with sharing limited water resources and regional environmental degradation caused by the shrinking of the Aral Sea; multilaterally-accepted Caspian Sea seabed and maritime boundaries have not yet been established in the Caspian - Iran insists on division of Caspian Sea into five equal sectors while Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan have generally agreed upon equidistant seabed boundaries; Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan await ICJ decision to resolve sovereignty dispute over oil fields in the Caspian Sea

Illicit drugs: limited illicit cultivator of opium poppy, mostly for domestic consumption; limited government eradication program; increasingly used as transshipment point for illicit drugs from Southwest Asia to Russia and Western Europe; also a transshipment point for acetic anhydride destined for Afghanistan

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Tanzania

Introduction

Tanzania

Background: Shortly after independence, Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged to form the nation of Tanzania in 1964. One-party rule came to an end in 1995 with the first democratic elections held in the country since the 1970s. Zanzibar's semi-autonomous status and popular opposition have led to two contentious elections since 1995, which the ruling party won despite international observers' claims of voting irregularities.

Geography Tanzania

Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Kenya and Mozambique

Geographic coordinates: 6 00 S, 35 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 945,087 sq km note: includes the islands of Mafia, Pemba, and Zanzibar water: 59,050 sq km land: 886,037 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than twice the size of California

Land boundaries: total: 3,402 km border countries: Burundi 451 km, Kenya 769 km, Malawi 475 km, Mozambique 756 km, Rwanda 217 km, Uganda 396 km, Zambia 338 km

Coastline: 1,424 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands

Terrain: plains along coast; central plateau; highlands in north, south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point:
Kilimanjaro 5,895 m

Natural resources: hydropower, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds, gemstones, gold, natural gas, nickel

Land use: arable land: 4% permanent crops: 1% other: 95% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,550 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season; drought

Environment - current issues: soil degradation; deforestation; desertification; destruction of coral reefs threatens marine habitats; recent droughts affected marginal agriculture; wildlife threatened by illegal hunting and trade, especially for ivory

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of
the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:
Nuclear Test Ban

Geography - note: Kilimanjaro is highest point in Africa; bordered by three of the largest lakes on the continent: Lake Victoria (the world's second-largest freshwater lake) in the north, Lake Tanganyika (the world's second deepest) in the west, and Lake Nyasa in the southwest

People Tanzania

Population: 37,187,939 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 44.6% (male 8,338,764; female 8,247,789) 15-64 years: 52.5% (male 9,674,951; female 9,847,084) 65 years and over: 2.9% (male 483,760; female 595,591) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.6% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 39.12 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 13.02 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 77.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 52.67 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 5.33 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 8.09% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 1.3 million (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 140,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Tanzanian(s) adjective: Tanzanian

Ethnic groups: mainland - native African 99% (of which 95% are Bantu consisting of more than 130 tribes), other 1% (consisting of Asian, European, and Arab); Zanzibar - Arab, native African, mixed Arab and native African

Religions: mainland - Christian 30%, Muslim 35%, indigenous beliefs 35%;
Zanzibar - more than 99% Muslim

Languages: Kiswahili or Swahili (official), Kiunguju (name for Swahili in Zanzibar), English (official, primary language of commerce, administration, and higher education), Arabic (widely spoken in Zanzibar), many local languages note: Kiswahili (Swahili) is the mother tongue of the Bantu people living in Zanzibar and nearby coastal Tanzania; although Kiswahili is Bantu in structure and origin, its vocabulary draws on a variety of sources, including Arabic and English, and it has become the lingua franca of central and eastern Africa; the first language of most people is one of the local languages

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write Kiswahili (Swahili), English, or Arabic total population: 67.8% male: 79.4% female: 56.8% (1995 est.)

Government Tanzania

Country name: conventional long form: United Republic of Tanzania conventional short form: Tanzania former: United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar

Government type: republic

Capital: Dar es Salaam; note - legislative offices have been transferred to Dodoma, which is planned as the new national capital; the National Assembly now meets there on regular basis

Administrative divisions: 25 regions; Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Dodoma,
Iringa, Kagera, Kigoma, Kilimanjaro, Lindi, Mara, Mbeya, Morogoro,
Mtwara, Mwanza, Pemba North, Pemba South, Pwani, Rukwa, Ruvuma, Shinyanga,
Singida, Tabora, Tanga, Zanzibar Central/South, Zanzibar North, Zanzibar
Urban/West

Independence: 26 April 1964; Tanganyika became independent 9 December 1961 (from UK-administered UN trusteeship); Zanzibar became independent 19 December 1963 (from UK); Tanganyika united with Zanzibar 26 April 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar; renamed United Republic of Tanzania 29 October 1964

National holiday: Union Day (Tanganyika and Zanzibar), 26 April (1964)

Constitution: 25 April 1977; major revisions October 1984

Legal system: based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Benjamin William MKAPA (since 23 November 1995); Vice President Dr. Ali Mohammed SHEIN (since 5 July 2001); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government; Prime Minister Frederick SUMAYE (since NA) does not function as the head of government head of government: President Benjamin William MKAPA (since 23 November 1995); Vice President Dr. Ali Mohammed SHEIN (since 5 July 2001); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government; Prime Minister Frederick SUMAYE (since NA) does not function as the head of government note: Zanzibar elects a president who is head of government for matters internal to Zanzibar; Amani Abeid KARUME was elected to that office on 29 October 2000 cabinet: Cabinet ministers, including the prime minister, are appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly election results: Benjamin William MKAPA reelected president; percent of vote - Benjamin William MKAPA 71.7%, Ibrahim Haruna LIPUMBA 16.3%, Augustine Lyatonga MREME 7.8%, John Momose CHEYO 4.2% elections: president and vice president elected on the same ballot by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 29 October 2000 (next to be held NA October 2005); prime minister appointed by the president

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (274 seats - 232 elected by popular vote, 37 allocated to women nominated by the president, five to members of the Zanzibar House of Representatives; members serve five-year terms); note - in addition to enacting laws that apply to the entire United Republic of Tanzania, the Assembly enacts laws that apply only to the mainland; Zanzibar has its own House of Representatives to make laws especially for Zanzibar (the Zanzibar House of Representatives has 50 seats, directly elected by universal suffrage to serve five-year terms) election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CCM 244, CUF 16, CHADEMA 4, TLP 3, UDP 2, Zanzibar representatives 5; Zanzibar House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CCM 34, CUF 16 elections: last held 29 October 2000 (next to be held NA October 2005)

Judicial branch: Permanent Commission of Enquiry (official ombudsman); Court of Appeal (consists of a chief justice and four judges); High Court (consists of a Jaji Kiongozi and 29 judges appointed by the president; holds regular sessions in all regions); District Courts; Primary Courts (limited jurisdiction and appeals can be made to the higher courts)

Political parties and leaders: Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo or
CHADEMA [Bob MAKANI, chairman]; Chama Cha Mapinduzi or CCM (Revolutionary
Party) [Benjamin William MKAPA, chairman]; Civic United Front or CUF
[Seif Sharif HAMAD, secretary-general]; Democratic Party (unregistered)
[Reverend Christopher MTIKLA]; National Convention for Construction and
Reform or NCCR [James MBATIA, secretary general]; Tanzania Labor Party or
TLP [Augustine Lyatonga MREMA, chairman]; Union for Multiparty Democracy
or UMD [leader NA]; United Democratic Party or UDP [John CHEYO]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, EADB,
ECA, FAO, G- 6, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW,
SADC, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mustafa Salim NYANG'ANYI chancery: 2139 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 FAX: [1] (202) 797-7408 telephone: [1] (202) 939-6125

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Robert V. ROYALL embassy: 140 Msese Road, Kinondoni District, Dar es
Salaam mailing address: P. O. Box 9123, Dar es Salaam telephone: [255]
(22) 666010 through 666015 FAX: [255] (22) 666701

Flag description: divided diagonally by a yellow-edged black band from the lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the lower triangle is blue

Economy Tanzania

Economy - overview: Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in the world. The economy is heavily dependent on agriculture, which accounts for half of GDP, provides 85% of exports, and employs 80% of the work force. Topography and climatic conditions, however, limit cultivated crops to only 4% of the land area. Industry is mainly limited to processing agricultural products and light consumer goods. The World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and bilateral donors have provided funds to rehabilitate Tanzania's deteriorated economic infrastructure. Growth in 1991-2001 featured a pickup in industrial production and a substantial increase in output of minerals, led by gold. Natural gas exploration in the Rufiji Delta looks promising and production could start by 2002. Recent banking reforms have helped increase private sector growth and investment. Continued donor support and solid macroeconomic policies should support steady real GDP growth of 5% in 2002 and 2003.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $22.1 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 5% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $610 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 48.4% industry: 16.7% services: 34.9% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 51.1% (1991 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 30.1% (1993)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 38.2 (1993)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 13.495 million

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 80%, industry and services 20% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $1.01 billion expenditures: $1.38 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY00/01 est.)

Industries: primarily agricultural processing (sugar, beer, cigarettes, sisal twine), diamond and gold mining, oil refining, shoes, cement, textiles, wood products, fertilizer, salt

Industrial production growth rate: 8.4% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production: 2.765 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 18.08% hydro: 81.92% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 2.616 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 45 million kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: coffee, sisal, tea, cotton, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums), cashew nuts, tobacco, cloves (Zanzibar), corn, wheat, cassava (tapioca), bananas, fruits, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats

Exports: $827 million (f.o.b., 2001)

Exports - commodities: gold, coffee, cashew nuts, manufactures, cotton (2000)

Exports - partners: UK 22.0%, India 14.8%, Germany 9.9%, Netherlands 6.9% (2000)

Imports: $1.55 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Imports - commodities: consumer goods, machinery and transportation equipment, industrial raw materials, crude oil

Imports - partners: South Africa 11.5%, Japan 9.3%, UK 7.0%, Australia 6.2% (2000)

Debt - external: $6.8 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $963 million (1997)

Currency: Tanzanian shilling (TZS)

Currency code: TZS

Exchange rates: Tanzanian shillings per US dollar - 924.70 (January 2002), 876.41 (2001), 800.41 (2000), 744.76 (1999), 664.67 (1998), 612.12 (1997)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Communications Tanzania

Telephones - main lines in use: 127,000 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 30,000 (1999)

Telephone system: general assessment: fair system operating below capacity and being modernized for better service; VSAT (very small aperture terminal) system under construction domestic: trunk service provided by open wire, microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and fiber-optic cable; some links being made digital international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 12, FM 11, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios: 8.8 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (1999)

Televisions: 103,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .tz

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 6 (2000)

Internet users: 115,000 (2001)

Transportation Tanzania

Railways: total: 3,569 km narrow gauge: 2,600 km 1.000-m gauge; 969 km 1.067-m gauge note: the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA), which operates 1,860 km of 1.067-m narrow gauge track between Dar es Salaam and Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia (of which 969 km are in Tanzania and 891 km are in Zambia) is not a part of Tanzania Railways Corporation; because of the difference in gauge, this system does not connect to Tanzania Railways (2001)

Highways: total: 85,000 km paved: 4,250 km unpaved: 80,750 km (2001)

Waterways: note: Lake Tanganyika, Lake Victoria, and Lake Nyasa are principal avenues of commerce between Tanzania and its neighbors on those lakes

Pipelines: crude oil 982 km

Ports and harbors: Bukoba, Dar es Salaam, Kigoma, Kilwa Masoko, Lindi,
Mtwara, Mwanza, Pangani, Tanga, Wete, Zanzibar

Merchant marine: total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 21,987 GRT/27,121 DWT ships by type: cargo 2, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 1, short-sea passenger 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 125 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 11 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 114 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 61 under 914 m: 35 (2001)

Military Tanzania

Military branches: Tanzanian People's Defense Force (including Army,
Navy, and Air Force), paramilitary Police Field Force Unit (including
Police Marine Unit and Police Air Wing), territorial militia

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 8,636,817 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 4,997,257 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $19 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.2% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Tanzania

Disputes - international: Tanzania and Malawi maintain a largely dormant dispute over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and current location of historical boundary in the meandering Songwe River

Illicit drugs: growing role in transshipment of Southwest and Southeast
Asian heroin and South American cocaine destined for South African,
European, and US markets and of South Asian methaqualone bound for
Southern Africa

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Uganda

Introduction

Uganda

Background: Uganda achieved independence from the UK in 1962. The dictatorial regime of Idi AMIN (1971-79) was responsible for the deaths of some 300,000 opponents; guerrilla war and human rights abuses under Milton OBOTE (1980-85) claimed another 100,000 lives. During the 1990s the government promulgated non-party presidential and legislative elections.

Geography Uganda

Location: Eastern Africa, west of Kenya

Geographic coordinates: 1 00 N, 32 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 236,040 sq km water: 36,330 sq km land: 199,710 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries: total: 2,698 km border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 765 km, Kenya 933 km, Rwanda 169 km, Sudan 435 km, Tanzania 396 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: tropical; generally rainy with two dry seasons (December to
February, June to August); semiarid in northeast

Terrain: mostly plateau with rim of mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Lake Albert 621 m highest point:
Margherita Peak on Mount Stanley 5,110 m

Natural resources: copper, cobalt, hydropower, limestone, salt, arable land

Land use: arable land: 25% permanent crops: 9% other: 66% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 90 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: draining of wetlands for agricultural use; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria; poaching is widespread

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection,
Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note: landlocked; fertile, well-watered country with many lakes and rivers

People Uganda

Population: 24,699,073 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 50.9% (male 6,314,371; female 6,265,681) 15-64 years: 47% (male 5,803,430; female 5,789,713) 65 years and over: 2.1% (male 247,798; female 278,080) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.94% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 47.15 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 17.53 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: according to the UNHCR, by the end of 2001, Uganda was host to 178,815 refugees from a number of neighboring countries, including: Sudan 155,996, Rwanda 14,375, and Democratic Republic of the Congo 7,459 (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 89.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 44.67 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 6.8 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 6.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 1.1 million (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 110,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Ugandan(s) adjective: Ugandan

Ethnic groups: Baganda 17%, Ankole 8%, Basoga 8%, Iteso 8%, Bakiga
7%, Langi 6%, Rwanda 6%, Bagisu 5%, Acholi 4%, Lugbara 4%, Batoro 3%,
Bunyoro 3%, Alur 2%, Bagwere 2%, Bakonjo 2%, Jopodhola 2%, Karamojong 2%,
Rundi 2%, non-African (European, Asian, Arab) 1%, other 8%

Religions: Roman Catholic 33%, Protestant 33%, Muslim 16%, indigenous beliefs 18%

Languages: English (official national language, taught in grade schools, used in courts of law and by most newspapers and some radio broadcasts), Ganda or Luganda (most widely used of the Niger-Congo languages, preferred for native language publications in the capital and may be taught in school), other Niger-Congo languages, Nilo-Saharan languages, Swahili, Arabic

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 62.7% male: 74% female: 54% (2000 est.)

Government Uganda

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Uganda conventional short form: Uganda

Government type: republic

Capital: Kampala

Administrative divisions: 45 districts; Adjumani, Apac, Arua, Bugiri,
Bundibugyo, Bushenyi, Busia, Gulu, Hoima, Iganga, Jinja, Kabale, Kabarole,
Kalangala, Kampala, Kamuli, Kapchorwa, Kasese, Katakwi, Kibale, Kiboga,
Kisoro, Kitgum, Kotido, Kumi, Lira, Luwero, Masaka, Masindi, Mbale,
Mbarara, Moroto, Moyo, Mpigi, Mubende, Mukono, Nakasongola, Nebbi,
Ntungamo, Pallisa, Rakai, Rukungiri, Sembabule, Soroti, Tororo note:
there may be eleven more districts: Kaberamaido, Kamwenge, Kanungu,
Kayunga, Kyenjojo, Mayngc, Nakapiripiti, Pader, Sironko, Wakiso, Yumbe

Independence: 9 October 1962 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 9 October (1962)

Constitution: 8 October 1995; adopted by the interim, 284-member Constituent Assembly, charged with debating the draft constitution that had been proposed in May 1993; the Constituent Assembly was dissolved upon the promulgation of the constitution in October 1995

Legal system: in 1995, the government restored the legal system to one based on English common law and customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (since seizing power 29 January 1986); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (since seizing power 29 January 1986); Prime Minister Apollo NSIBAMBI (since 5 April 1999); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government; the prime minister assists the president in the supervision of the cabinet cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among elected legislators election results: Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI elected president; percent of vote - Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI 69.3%, Kizza BESIGYE 27.8% elections: president reelected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 12 March 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); note - first popular election for president since independence in 1962 was held in 1996; prime minister appointed by the president

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (303 members - 214 directly elected by popular vote, 81 nominated by legally established special interest groups [women 56, army 10, disabled 5, youth 5, labor 5], 8 ex officio members; members serve five-year terms) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; note - election campaigning by party was not permitted elections: last held 26 June 2001 (next to be held May or June 2006);

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal (judges are appointed by the president and approved by the legislature); High Court (judges are appointed by the president)

Political parties and leaders: only one political organization, the National Resistance Movement or NRM [President MUSEVENI, chairman] is allowed to operate unfettered; note - the president maintains that the NRM is not a political party, but a movement which claims the loyalty of all Ugandans note: the new constitution requires the suspension of political parties while the Movement organization is in governance; of the political parties that exist but are prohibited from sponsoring candidates, the most important are the Ugandan People's Congress or UPC [Milton OBOTE]; Democratic Party or DP [Paul SSEMOGERERE]; Conservative Party or CP [Joshua S. MAYANJA-NKANGI]; Justice Forum [Muhammad Kibirige MAYANJA]; and National Democrats Forum [Chapaa KARUHANGA]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, EADB, ECA,
FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
IGAD, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU,
OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Edith Grace SSEMPALA FAX: [1] (202) [1] (202) 726-7100 through 7102, 0416 chancery: Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Martin G. BRENNAN embassy: Ggaba, Plot 1577, Kampala mailing address: P. O. Box 7007, Kampala telephone: [256] (41) 259791 through 259795 FAX: [256] (41) 259794

Flag description: six equal horizontal bands of black (top), yellow, red, black, yellow, and red; a white disk is superimposed at the center and depicts a red-crested crane (the national symbol) facing the hoist side

Economy Uganda

Economy - overview: Uganda has substantial natural resources, including fertile soils, regular rainfall, and sizable mineral deposits of copper and cobalt. Agriculture is the most important sector of the economy, employing over 80% of the work force. Coffee is the major export crop and accounts for the bulk of export revenues. Since 1986, the government - with the support of foreign countries and international agencies - has acted to rehabilitate and stabilize the economy by undertaking currency reform, raising producer prices on export crops, increasing prices of petroleum products, and improving civil service wages. The policy changes are especially aimed at dampening inflation and boosting production and export earnings. During 1990-2001, the economy turned in a solid performance based on continued investment in the rehabilitation of infrastructure, improved incentives for production and exports, reduced inflation, gradually improved domestic security, and the return of exiled Indian-Ugandan entrepreneurs. Ongoing Ugandan involvement in the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, corruption within the government, and slippage in the government's determination to press reforms raise doubts about the continuation of strong growth. In 2000, Uganda qualified for enhanced Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) debt relief worth $1.3 billion and Paris Club debt relief worth $145 million. These amounts combined with the original HIPC debt relief added up to about $2 billion. Growth for 2001 was held back because of a continued decline in the price of coffee, Uganda's principal export.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $29 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 5.1% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 44% industry: 18% services: 38% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 35% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4% highest 10%: 21% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 37.4 (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.5% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 12 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 82%, industry 5%, services 13% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $959 million expenditures: $1.04 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY98/99 est.)

Industries: sugar, brewing, tobacco, cotton textiles, cement

Industrial production growth rate: 7% (1999)

Electricity - production: 1.599 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0.94% hydro: 99.06% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 1.314 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 174 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 1 million kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: coffee, tea, cotton, tobacco, cassava (tapioca), potatoes, corn, millet, pulses; beef, goat meat, milk, poultry, cut flowers

Exports: $367 million (f.o.b., 2001)

Exports - commodities: coffee, fish and fish products, tea; gold, cotton, flowers, horticultural products

Exports - partners: Germany 12.0%, Netherlands 10.2%, US 8.7%, Spain 8.0%, Belgium 7.1% (2000)

Imports: $1.26 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Imports - commodities: capital equipment, vehicles, petroleum, medical supplies; cereals

Imports - partners: Kenya 43.1%, US 7.0%, India 6.8%, South Africa 6.1%,
Japan 3.4% (2000)

Debt - external: $3.4 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $1.4 billion (2000)

Currency: Ugandan shilling (UGX)

Currency code: UGX

Exchange rates: Ugandan shillings per US dollar - 1,738.7 (January 2002), 1,755.7 (2001), 1,644.5 (2000), 1,454.8 (1999), 1,240.2 (1998), 1,083.0 (1997)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Communications Uganda

Telephones - main lines in use: 50,074; however, 80,868 main lines have been installed (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 9,000 (1998)

Telephone system: general assessment: seriously inadequate; two cellular systems have been introduced, but a sharp increase in the number of main lines is essential; e-mail and Internet services are available domestic: intercity traffic by wire, microwave radio relay, and radiotelephone communication stations, fixed and mobile cellular systems for short range traffic international: analog links to Kenya and Tanzania

Radio broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 33, shortwave 2 (2001)

Radios: 5 million (2001)

Television broadcast stations: 8 (plus one low-power repeater) (2001)

Televisions: 500,000 (2001)

Internet country code: .ug

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)

Internet users: 25,000 (2000)

Transportation Uganda

Railways: total: 1,241 km narrow gauge: 1,241 km 1.000-m gauge note: a program to rehabilitate the railroad is underway (2001)

Highways: total: 27,000 km paved: 1,800 km unpaved: 25,200 km (of which about 4,200 km are all-weather roads) (1990)

Waterways: Lake Victoria, Lake Albert, Lake Kyoga, Lake George, Lake
Edward, Victoria Nile, Albert Nile

Ports and harbors: Entebbe, Jinja, Port Bell

Merchant marine: total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,091 GRT/8,229 DWT ships by type: roll on/roll off 3 note: these ships are in cargo and passenger (ferry) service on Uganda's inland waterways (2002 est.)

Airports: 27 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: 6 914 to 1,523 m: Military Uganda

Military branches: Ugandan Peoples' Defense Force (including Army,
Marine unit, Air Wing)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 5,302,787 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 2,879,083 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $121.3 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.1% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Uganda

Disputes - international: Tutsi, Hutu, and other ethnic groups, political rebels, and various government forces continue fighting in Great Lakes region, transcending the boundaries of Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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United Kingdom

Introduction

United Kingdom

Background: Great Britain, the dominant industrial and maritime power of the 19th century, played a leading role in developing parliamentary democracy and in advancing literature and science. At its zenith, the British Empire stretched over one-fourth of the earth's surface. The first half of the 20th century saw the UK's strength seriously depleted in two World Wars. The second half witnessed the dismantling of the Empire and the UK rebuilding itself into a modern and prosperous European nation. As one of five permanent members of the UN Security Council, a founding member of NATO, and of the Commonwealth, the UK pursues a global approach to foreign policy; it currently is weighing the degree of its integration with continental Europe. A member of the EU, it chose to remain outside the European Monetary Union for the time being. Constitutional reform is also a significant issue in the UK. The Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales, and the Northern Ireland Assembly were established in 1999.

Geography United Kingdom

Location: Western Europe, islands including the northern one-sixth of the island of Ireland between the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea, northwest of France

Geographic coordinates: 54 00 N, 2 00 W

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 244,820 sq km water: 3,230 sq km note: includes Rockall and Shetland Islands land: 241,590 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries: total: 360 km border countries: Ireland 360 km

Coastline: 12,429 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: as defined in continental shelf orders or in accordance with agreed upon boundaries exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds over the
North Atlantic Current; more than one-half of the days are overcast

Terrain: mostly rugged hills and low mountains; level to rolling plains in east and southeast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Fenland -4 m highest point: Ben Nevis 1,343 m

Natural resources: coal, petroleum, natural gas, tin, limestone, iron ore, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, lead, silica, arable land

Land use: arable land: 26% permanent crops: 0% other: 74% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,080 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: winter windstorms; floods

Environment - current issues: continues to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (has met Kyoto Protocol target of a 12.5% reduction from 1990 levels and intends to meet the legally binding target and move towards a domestic goal of a 20% cut in emissions by 2010); by 2005 the Government aims to reduce the amount of industrial and commercial waste disposed of in landfill sites to 85% of 1998 levels and to recycle or compost at least 25% of household waste, increasing to 33% by 2015; between 1998-99 and 1999-2000, household recycling increased from 8.8% to 10.3%

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution,
Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air
Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent
Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note: lies near vital North Atlantic sea lanes; only 35 km from France and now linked by tunnel under the English Channel; because of heavily indented coastline, no location is more than 125 km from tidal waters

People United Kingdom

Population: 59,778,002 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 18.7% (male 5,732,385; female 5,443,900) 15-64 years: 65.5% (male 19,803,478; female 19,381,734) 65 years and over: 15.8% (male 3,931,463; female 5,485,042) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.21% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 11.34 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 10.3 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 1.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 5.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 80.84 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.73 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.11% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 20,800 (1999)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 450 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Briton(s), British (collective plural) adjective:
British

Ethnic groups: English 81.5%, Scottish 9.6%, Irish 2.4%, Welsh 1.9%,
Ulster 1.8%, West Indian, Indian, Pakistani, and other 2.8%

Religions: Anglican and Roman Catholic 40 million, Muslim 1.5 million,
Presbyterian 800,000, Methodist 760,000, Sikh 500,000, Hindu 500,000,
Jewish 350,000

Languages: English, Welsh (about 26% of the population of Wales),
Scottish form of Gaelic (about 60,000 in Scotland)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has completed five or more years of schooling total population: 99% (2000 est.) male: NA% female: NA%

Government United Kingdom

Country name: conventional long form: United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland conventional short form: United Kingdom abbreviation: UK

Government type: constitutional monarchy

Capital: London

Administrative divisions: England - 47 boroughs, 36 counties*, 29 London
boroughs**, 12 cities and boroughs***, 10 districts****, 12 cities*****,
3 royal boroughs******; Barking and Dagenham**, Barnet**, Barnsley, Bath
and North East Somerset****, Bedfordshire*, Bexley**, Birmingham***,
Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool, Bolton, Bournemouth, Bracknell
Forest, Bradford***, Brent**, Brighton and Hove, City of Bristol*****,
Bromley**, Buckinghamshire*, Bury, Calderdale, Cambridgeshire*, Camden**,
Cheshire*, Cornwall*, Coventry***, Croydon**, Cumbria*, Darlington,
Derby*****, Derbyshire*, Devon*, Doncaster, Dorset*, Dudley, Durham*,
Ealing**, East Riding of Yorkshire****, East Sussex*, Enfield**, Essex*,
Gateshead, Gloucestershire*, Greenwich**, Hackney**, Halton, Hammersmith
and Fulham**, Hampshire*, Haringey**, Harrow**, Hartlepool, Havering**,
Herefordshire*, Hertfordshire*, Hillingdon**, Hounslow**, Isle of Wight*,
Islington**, Kensington and Chelsea******, Kent*, City of Kingston upon
Hull*****, Kingston upon Thames******, Kirklees, Knowsley, Lambeth**,
Lancashire*, Leeds***, Leicester*****, Leicestershire*, Lewisham**,
Lincolnshire*, Liverpool***, City of London*****, Luton, Manchester***,
Medway, Merton**, Middlesbrough, Milton Keynes, Newcastle upon Tyne***,
Newham**, Norfolk*, Northamptonshire*, North East Lincolnshire****, North
Lincolnshire****, North Somerset****, North Tyneside, Northumberland*,
North Yorkshire*, Nottingham*****, Nottinghamshire*, Oldham, Oxfordshire*,
Peterborough*****, Plymouth*****, Poole, Portsmouth*****, Reading,
Redbridge**, Redcar and Cleveland, Richmond upon Thames**, Rochdale,
Rotherham, Rutland****, Salford***, Shropshire*, Sandwell, Sefton,
Sheffield***, Slough, Solihull, Somerset*, Southampton*****,
Southend-on-Sea, South Gloucestershire****, South Tyneside,
Southwark**, Staffordshire*, St. Helens, Stockport, Stockton-on-Tees,
Stoke-on-Trent*****, Suffolk*, Sunderland***, Surrey*, Sutton**, Swindon,
Tameside, Telford and Wrekin****, Thurrock, Torbay, Tower Hamlets**,
Trafford, Wakefield***, Walsall, Waltham Forest**, Wandsworth**,
Warrington, Warwickshire*, West Berkshire****, Westminster***, West
Sussex*, Wigan, Wiltshire*, Windsor and Maidenhead******, Wirral,
Wokingham****, Wolverhampton, Worcestershire*, York*****; Northern Ireland
- 24 districts, 2 cities*, 6 counties**; Antrim, County Antrim**,
Ards, Armagh, County Armagh**, Ballymena, Ballymoney, Banbridge,
Belfast*, Carrickfergus, Castlereagh, Coleraine, Cookstown, Craigavon,
Down, County Down**, Dungannon, Fermanagh, County Fermanagh**, Larne,
Limavady, Lisburn, County Londonderry**, Derry*, Magherafelt, Moyle,
Newry and Mourne, Newtownabbey, North Down, Omagh, Strabane, County
Tyrone**; Scotland - 32 council areas; Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire,
Angus, Argyll and Bute, The Scottish Borders, Clackmannanshire, Dumfries
and Galloway, Dundee City, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East
Lothian, East Renfrewshire, City of Edinburgh, Falkirk, Fife, Glasgow
City, Highland, Inverclyde, Midlothian, Moray, North Ayrshire, North
Lanarkshire, Orkney Islands, Perth and Kinross, Renfrewshire, Shetland
Islands, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, Stirling, West Dunbartonshire,
Eilean Siar (Western Isles), West Lothian; Wales - 11 county boroughs,
9 counties*, 2 cities and counties**; Isle of Anglesey*, Blaenau Gwent,
Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff**, Ceredigion*, Carmarthenshire*, Conwy,
Denbighshire*, Flintshire*, Gwynedd, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire*,
Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Pembrokeshire*, Powys*, Rhondda Cynon Taff,
Swansea**, Torfaen, The Vale of Glamorgan*, Wrexham

Dependent areas: Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory,
British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar,
Guernsey, Jersey, Isle of Man, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, Saint Helena,
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands

Independence: England has existed as a unified entity since the 10th century; the union between England and Wales was enacted under the Statute of Rhuddlan in 1284; in the Act of Union of 1707, England and Scotland agreed to permanent union as Great Britain; the legislative union of Great Britain and Ireland was implemented in 1801, with the adoption of the name the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland; the Anglo-Irish treaty of 1921 formalized a partition of Ireland; six northern Irish counties remained part of the United Kingdom as Northern Ireland and the current name of the country, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, was adopted in 1927

National holiday: Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, celebrated on the second Saturday in June (1926)

Constitution: unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Legal system: common law tradition with early Roman and modern continental influences; no judicial review of Acts of Parliament; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations; British courts and legislation are increasingly subject to review by European Union courts

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); Heir Apparent Prince CHARLES (son of the queen, born 14 November 1948) head of government: Prime Minister Anthony (Tony) BLAIR (since 2 May 1997) Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the prime minister elections: majority party in the House of Commons (assuming there is no majority party, a prime minister would have a majority coalition or at least a coalition that was not rejected by the majority)

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament comprised of House of Lords (consists of approximately 500 life peers, 92 hereditary peers and 26 clergy) and House of Commons (659 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms unless the House is dissolved earlier) elections: elections); House of Commons - last held 7 June 2001 (next to be held by NA May 2006) election results: House of Commons - percent of vote by party - Labor 42.1%, Conservative and Unionist 32.7%, Liberal Democrats 18.8%, other 6.4%; seats by party - Labor 412, Conservative and Unionist 166, Liberal Democrat 52, other 29; note - seating as of 15 February 2002: 1998 elections were held for a Northern Ireland Parliament (because of unresolved disputes among existing parties, the transfer of power from London to Northern Ireland came only at the end of 1999 and was twice rescinded before reinstatement in November 2001); in 1999 there were elections for a new Scottish Parliament and a new Welsh Assembly

Judicial branch: House of Lords (highest court of appeal; several
Lords of Appeal in Ordinary are appointed by the monarch for life);
Supreme Courts of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland (comprising the
Courts of Appeal, the High Courts of Justice, and the Crown Courts);
Scotland's Court of Session and Court of the Justiciary

Political parties and leaders: Conservative and Unionist Party [Iain
Duncan SMITH]; Democratic Unionist Party (Northern Ireland) [Rev. Ian
PAISLEY]; Labor Party [Anthony (Tony) BLAIR]; Liberal Democrats [Charles
KENNEDY]; Party of Wales (Plaid Cymru) [Ieuan Wyn JONES]; Scottish
National Party or SNP [John SWINNEY]; Sinn Fein (Northern Ireland) [Gerry
ADAMS]; Social Democratic and Labor Party or SDLP (Northern Ireland)
[Mark DURKAN]; Ulster Unionist Party (Northern Ireland) [David TRIMBLE]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament;
Confederation of British Industry; National Farmers' Union; Trades
Union Congress

International organization participation: AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group,
BIS, C, CCC, CDB, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECA (associate), ECE, ECLAC, EIB,
ESA, ESCAP, EU, FAO, G- 5, G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer),
OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOVIC, UNOMIG,
UNRWA, UNTAET, UNU, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Sir Christopher J. R. MEYER chancery: 3100 Massachusetts Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20008 FAX: [1] (202) 588-7870
 Dallas, Denver, Miami, and Seattle consulate(s) general: and San
 Francisco telephone: [1] (202) 588-6500

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador William S. FARISH embassy: 24/31 Grosvenor Square, London, W1A1AE mailing address: PSC 801, Box 40, FPO AE 09498-4040 telephone: [44] (0) 207499-9000 (switchboard) FAX: [44] (0) 207 629-8288 consulate(s) general: Belfast, Edinburgh

Flag description: blue with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England) edged in white superimposed on the diagonal red cross of Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland) and which is superimposed on the diagonal white cross of Saint Andrew (patron saint of Scotland); known as the Union Flag or Union Jack; the design and colors (especially the Blue Ensign) have been the basis for a number of other flags including other Commonwealth countries and their constituent states or provinces, as well as British overseas territories

Economy United Kingdom

Economy - overview: The UK, a leading trading power and financial center, is one of the quartet of trillion dollar economies of Western Europe. Over the past two decades the government has greatly reduced public ownership and contained the growth of social welfare programs. Agriculture is intensive, highly mechanized, and efficient by European standards, producing about 60% of food needs with only 1% of the labor force. The UK has large coal, natural gas, and oil reserves; primary energy production accounts for 10% of GDP, one of the highest shares of any industrial nation. Services, particularly banking, insurance, and business services, account by far for the largest proportion of GDP while industry continues to decline in importance. GDP growth slipped in 2001 as the global downturn, the high value of the pound, and the bursting of the "new economy" bubble hurt manufacturing and exports. Still, the economy is one of the strongest in Europe; inflation, interest rates, and unemployment remain low, and the government expects growth of 2% to 2.5% in 2002. The relatively good economic performance has complicated the BLAIR government's efforts to make a case for Britain to join the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). The Prime Minister has pledged to hold a public referendum if membership meets Chancellor of the Exchequer BROWN's five economic "tests." Scheduled for assessment by mid-2003, the tests will determine whether joining EMU would have a positive effect on British investment, employment, and growth. Critics point out, however, that the economy is thriving outside of EMU, and they point to public opinion polls that continue to show a majority of Britons opposed to the single currency.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.47 trillion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 2.4% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $24,700 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.7% industry: 24.9% services: 73.4% (1999)

Population below poverty line: 17%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 27.3% (1991)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 36.1 (1991)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.8% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 29.7 million (2001)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 1%, industry 25%, services 74% (1999)

Unemployment rate: 5.1% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $565 billion expenditures: $540 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY01)

Industries: machine tools, electric power equipment, automation equipment, railroad equipment, shipbuilding, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, electronics and communications equipment, metals, chemicals, coal, petroleum, paper and paper products, food processing, textiles, clothing, and other consumer goods

Industrial production growth rate: -1.6% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 355.761 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 73.26% hydro: 1.46% other: 2.31% (2000) nuclear: 22.97%

Electricity - consumption: 345.032 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 134 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 14.308 billion kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: cereals, oilseed, potatoes, vegetables; cattle, sheep, poultry; fish

Exports: $287 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Exports - commodities: manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals; food, beverages, tobacco

Exports - partners: EU 54% (Germany 11%, France 9%, Netherlands 7%,
Ireland 7%), US 15% (2000)

Imports: $337 billion (c.i.f., 2001)

Imports - commodities: manufactured goods, machinery, fuels; foodstuffs

Imports - partners: EU 48% (Germany 11%, France 7%, Netherlands 6%),
US 13%, Japan 5% (2000)

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid - donor: ODA, $4.5 billion (2000)

Currency: British pound (GBP)

Currency code: GBP

Exchange rates: British pounds per US dollar - 0.6981 (January 2002), 0.6944 (2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998), 0.6106 (1997)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Communications United Kingdom

Telephones - main lines in use: 34.878 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 13 million (yearend 1998)

Telephone system: general assessment: technologically advanced domestic and international system domestic: equal mix of buried cables, microwave radio relay, and fiber-optic systems international: 40 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 10 Intelsat (7 Atlantic Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), and 1 Eutelsat; at least 8 large international switching centers

Radio broadcast stations: AM 219, FM 431, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios: 84.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 228 (plus 3,523 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions: 30.5 million (1997)

Internet country code: .uk

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 245 (2000)

Internet users: 33 million (2001)

Transportation United Kingdom

Railways: total: 16,878 km standard gauge: 16,536 km 1.435-m gauge (4,928 km electrified; 12,591 km double- or multiple-tracked) broad gauge: 342 km 1.600-m gauge (190 km double-tracked) note: all 1.600-m gauge track is in common carrier service in Northern Ireland (1996)

Highways: total: 371,603 km paved: 371,603 km (including 3,303 km of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (1998 est.)

Waterways: 3,200 km

Pipelines: crude oil (almost all insignificant) 933 km; petroleum products 2,993 km; natural gas 12,800 km

Ports and harbors: Aberdeen, Belfast, Bristol, Cardiff, Dover, Falmouth,
Felixstowe, Glasgow, Grangemouth, Hull, Leith, Liverpool, London,
Manchester, Peterhead, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Scapa Flow, Southampton,
Sullom Voe, Tees, Tyne

Merchant marine: total: 212 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,308,232 GRT/4,171,757 DWT ships by type: bulk 7, cargo 32, chemical tanker 13, combination ore/oil 1, container 53, liquefied gas 3, passenger 13, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 48, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 26, short-sea passenger 10, specialized tanker 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Bermuda 1, Cyprus 1, Denmark 21, Germany 6, Greece 3, Hong Kong 4, Italy 1, Monaco 4, Netherlands 1, Norway 9, Russia 1, South Africa 2, Sweden 11, Taiwan 2, United States 5 (2002 est.)

Airports: 470 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 332 over 3,047 m: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 33 914 to 1,523 m: 84 under 914 m: 57 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 150

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 138 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 114 (2001)

Heliports: 13 (2001)

Military United Kingdom

Military branches: Army, Royal Navy (including Royal Marines), Royal
Air Force

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 14,632,418 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 12,151,734 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $31.7 billion (2002)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.32% (2002)

Transnational Issues United Kingdom

Disputes - international: Spain and UK are discussing "total shared sovereignty" over Gibraltar, subject to a constitutional referendum by Gibraltarians, who have largely expressed opposition to any form of cession to Spain; Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago (British Indian Ocean Territory) and its former inhabitants, who reside chiefly in Mauritius, but in 2001 were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation since eviction in 1965; Argentina claims the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Denmark and Iceland; territorial claim in Antarctica (British Antarctic Territory) overlaps Argentine claim and partially overlaps Chilean claim; disputes with Iceland, Denmark, and Ireland over the Faroe Islands continental shelf boundary outside 200 NM

Illicit drugs: gateway country for Latin American cocaine entering the European market; major consumer of synthetic drugs, producer of limited amounts of synthetic drugs and synthetic precursor chemicals; major consumer of Southwest Asian heroin; money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Ukraine

Introduction

Ukraine

Background: Richly endowed in natural resources, Ukraine has been fought over and subjugated for centuries; its 20th-century struggle for liberty is not yet complete. A short-lived independence from Russia (1917-1920) was followed by brutal Soviet rule that engineered two artificial famines (1921-22 and 1932-33) in which over 8 million died, and World War II, in which German and Soviet armies were responsible for some 7 million more deaths. Although independence was attained in 1991 with the dissolution of the USSR, true freedom remains elusive as many of the former Soviet elite remain entrenched, stalling efforts at economic reform, privatization, and civil liberties.

Geography Ukraine

Location: Eastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Poland and Russia

Geographic coordinates: 49 00 N, 32 00 E

Map references: Asia, Europe

Area: total: 603,700 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 603,700 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries: total: 4,663 km border countries: Belarus 891 km,
Hungary 103 km, Moldova 939 km, Poland 526 km, Romania (south) 169 km,
Romania (west) 362 km, Russia 1,576 km, Slovakia 97 km

Coastline: 2,782 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: temperate continental; Mediterranean only on the southern Crimean coast; precipitation disproportionately distributed, highest in west and north, lesser in east and southeast; winters vary from cool along the Black Sea to cold farther inland; summers are warm across the greater part of the country, hot in the south

Terrain: most of Ukraine consists of fertile plains (steppes) and plateaus, mountains being found only in the west (the Carpathians), and in the Crimean Peninsula in the extreme south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Black Sea 0 m highest point: Hora
Hoverla 2,061 m

Natural resources: iron ore, coal, manganese, natural gas, oil, salt, sulfur, graphite, titanium, magnesium, kaolin, nickel, mercury, timber, arable land

Land use: arable land: 57% permanent crops: 2% other: 41% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 24,540 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: inadequate supplies of potable water; air and water pollution; deforestation; radiation contamination in the northeast from 1986 accident at Chornobyl' Nuclear Power Plant

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air
Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Antarctic-Marine
Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of
the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants,
Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note: strategic position at the crossroads between Europe and Asia; second-largest country in Europe

People Ukraine

Population: 48,396,470 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 16.8% (male 4,147,344; female 3,970,343) 15-64 years: 68.7% (male 15,881,821; female 17,366,172) 65 years and over: 14.5% (male 2,341,885; female 4,688,905) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.72% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 9.59 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 16.4 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.5 male(s)/female total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 21.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 72.06 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.32 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.96% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 240,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 4,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Ukrainian(s) adjective: Ukrainian

Ethnic groups: Ukrainian 73%, Russian 22%, Jewish 1%, other 4%

Religions: Ukrainian Orthodox - Moscow Patriarchate, Ukrainian Orthodox -
Kiev Patriarchate, Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox, Ukrainian Catholic
(Uniate), Protestant, Jewish

Languages: Ukrainian, Russian, Romanian, Polish, Hungarian

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 100% female: 97% (1989 est.)

Government Ukraine

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Ukraine local long form: none former: Ukrainian National Republic,
Ukrainian State, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic local short form:
Ukrayina

Government type: republic

Capital: Kiev (Kyyiv)

Administrative divisions: 24 oblasti (singular - oblast'), 1 autonomous republic* (avtomnaya respublika), and 2 municipalities (mista, singular - misto) with oblast status**; Cherkas'ka (Cherkasy), Chernihivs'ka (Chernihiv), Chernivets'ka (Chernivtsi), Dnipropetrovs'ka (Dnipropetrovs'k), Donets'ka (Donets'k), Ivano-Frankivs'ka (Ivano-Frankivs'k), Kharkivs'ka (Kharkiv), Khersons'ka (Kherson), Khmel'nyts'ka (Khmel'nyts'kyy), Kirovohrads'ka (Kirovohrad), Kyyiv**, Kyyivs'ka (Kiev), Luhans'ka (Luhans'k), L'vivs'ka (L'viv), Mykolayivs'ka (Mykolayiv), Odes'ka (Odesa), Poltavs'ka (Poltava), Avtonomna Respublika Krym* (Simferopol'), Rivnens'ka (Rivne), Sevastopol'**, Sums'ka (Sumy), Ternopil's'ka (Ternopil'), Vinnyts'ka (Vinnytsya), Volyns'ka (Luts'k), Zakarpats'ka (Uzhhorod), Zaporiz'ka (Zaporizhzhya), Zhytomyrs'ka (Zhytomyr); note - when using a place name with an adjectival ending 's'ka' or 'z'ka,' the word Oblast' should be added to the place name note: oblasts have the administrative center name following in parentheses

Independence: 24 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day, 24 August (1991)

Constitution: adopted 28 June 1996

Legal system: based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Leonid D. KUCHMA (since 19 July 1994) head of government: Prime Minister Anatoliy KINAKH (since 29 May 2001), First Deputy Prime Minister Oleh DUBYNA (since 29 May 2001) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president and approved by the Supreme Council elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 31 October and 14 November 1999 (next to be held NA 2004); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president and approved by the Supreme Council election results: 57.7%, Petro SYMONENKO 38.8% note: there is also a National Security and Defense Council or NSDC originally created in 1992 as the National Security Council, but significantly revamped and strengthened under President KUCHMA; the NSDC staff is tasked with developing national security policy on domestic and international matters and advising the president; a Presidential Administration that helps draft presidential edicts and provides policy support to the president; and a Council of Regions that serves as an advisory body created by President KUCHMA in September 1994 that includes chairmen of the Kyyiv (Kiev) and Sevastopol' municipalities and chairmen of the oblasti

Legislative branch: unicameral Supreme Council or Verkhovna Rada (450 seats; under Ukraine's new election law, 225 of the Supreme Council's seats are allocated on a proportional basis to those parties that gain 4% or more of the national electoral vote; the other 225 members are elected by popular vote in single-mandate constituencies; all serve four-year terms) election results: percent of vote by party - Our Ukraine 24%, For One Ukraine 12%, CPU 20%, Social-Democratic Party of Ukraine 6%, SPU 7%, Juliya Tymochenko Election Bloc 7%, other 24%; seats by party - Our Ukraine 112, For One Ukraine 101, CPU 67, Social-Democratic Party of Ukraine 24, SPU 23, Juliya Tymochenko Election Bloc 21, Democratic Party of Ukraine 4, Unity 3, others 95 elections: last held 31 March 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Constitutional Court

Political parties and leaders: Agrarian Party [Mykhaylo HLADIY];
Communist Party of Ukraine or CPU [Petro SYMONENKO]; Democratic Union
[Oleksandr OMELCHENKO]; Fatherland (Motherland) All Ukrainian Party
[Yuliya TYMOSHENKO, chairperson]; For One Ukraine [leader NA]; Green Party
of Ukraine or PZU [Vitaliy KONONOV, chairman]; Juliya Tymochenko Election
Bloc [leader NA]; Liberal Party [Volodymyr SHCHERBAN]; Our Ukraine [leader
NA]; Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs [Anatoliy KINAKH]; Party
of Regions [Volodymyr SEMYNOZHENKO]; Party of Ukrainian Unity [Ivan
BILAS]; Peasant Party of Ukraine or SelPU [Serhiy DOVHAN]; People's
Democratic Party or PDP [Valeriy PUSTOVOYTENKO, chairman]; People's
Movement of Ukraine or Rukh U [Hennadiy UDOVENKO, chairman]; Progressive
Socialist Party [Nataliya VITRENKO]; Reforms Congress [Viktor PYNZENYK];
Social-Democratic Party of Ukraine (United) [Viktor MEDVEDCHUK]; Socialist
Party of Ukraine or SPU [Oleksandr MOROZ, chairman]; Solidarity [Petro
POROSHENKO]; Trudova Ukrayina/Working Ukraine [Viktor PINCHUK, chairman];
Ukrainian Popular Movement or Rukh K [Yuriy KOSTENKO, chairman]; Unity
[Oleksandr OMELCHENKO]; Working Ukraine/Labort Ukraine [Serhiy TYHYPKO];
Yabluko [BRODSKY] note: and numerous smaller parties

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: BSEC, CCC, CE, CEI, CIS,
EAPC, EBRD, ECE, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer),
OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE,
UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNMOVIC, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO (observer), ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Konstantin Ivanovych HRYSHCHENKO FAX: [1] Chicago and New York telephone: Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos PASCUAL embassy: 10 Yurii Kotsiubynskyi Street, Kiev 01901 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [380] (44) 490-4000 FAX: [380] (44) 244-7350

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of azure (top) and golden yellow represent grainfields under a blue sky

Economy Ukraine

Economy - overview: After Russia, the Ukrainian republic was far and away the most important economic component of the former Soviet Union, producing about four times the output of the next-ranking republic. Its fertile black soil generated more than one-fourth of Soviet agricultural output, and its farms provided substantial quantities of meat, milk, grain, and vegetables to other republics. Likewise, its diversified heavy industry supplied the unique equipment (for example, large diameter pipes) and raw materials to industrial and mining sites (vertical drilling apparatus) in other regions of the former USSR. Ukraine depends on imports of energy, especially natural gas, to meet some 85% of its annual energy requirements. Shortly after independence in late 1991, the Ukrainian Government liberalized most prices and erected a legal framework for privatization, but widespread resistance to reform within the government and the legislature soon stalled reform efforts and led to some backtracking. Output by 1999 had fallen to less than 40% the 1991 level. Loose monetary policies pushed inflation to hyperinflationary levels in late 1993. Ukraine's dependence on Russia for energy supplies and the lack of significant structural reform have made the Ukrainian economy vulnerable to external shocks. Now in his second term, President KUCHMA has pledged to reduce the number of government agencies, streamline the regulatory process, create a legal environment to encourage entrepreneurs, and enact a comprehensive tax overhaul. Reforms in the more politically sensitive areas of structural reform and land privatization are still lagging. Outside institutions - particularly the IMF - have encouraged Ukraine to quicken the pace and scope of reforms and have threatened to withdraw financial support. GDP in 2000 showed strong export-based growth of 6% - the first growth since independence - and industrial production grew 12.9%. The economy continued to expand in 2001 as real GDP rose 9% and industrial output grew by over 14%. Growth was undergirded by strong domestic demand and growing consumer and investor confidence.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $205 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 9% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $4,200 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 13% industry: 40% services: 47% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 29% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.7% highest 10%: 23.2% (1999)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 30 (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 12% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 22.8 million (yearend 1997)

Labor force - by occupation: industry 32%, agriculture 24%, services 44% (1996)

Unemployment rate: 3.6% officially registered; large number of unregistered or underemployed workers (November 2001)

Budget: revenues: $10.2 billion expenditures: $11.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2002 est.)

Industries: coal, electric power, ferrous and nonferrous metals, machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food processing (especially sugar)

Industrial production growth rate: 14.2% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 163.57 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 49.54% hydro: 7.02% other: 0.01% (2000) nuclear: 43.44%

Electricity - consumption: 151.72 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 400 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: grain, sugar beets, sunflower seeds, vegetables; beef, milk

Exports: $17.3 billion (2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: ferrous and nonferrous metals, fuel and petroleum products, machinery and transport equipment, food products

Exports - partners: Russia 22.6%, Turkey 6.2%, Italy 5.1%, Germany (2001 est.)

Imports: $17.1 billion (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: energy, machinery and parts, transportation equipment, chemicals

Imports - partners: Russia 36.9%, Turkmenistan 10.5%, Germany 8.7%, US (2001 est.)

Debt - external: $11.8 billion (2001)

Economic aid - recipient: $637.7 million (1995); IMF Extended Funds
Facility $2.2 billion (1998)

Currency: hryvnia (UAH)

Currency code: UAH

Exchange rates: hryvnia per US dollar - 5.3126 (January 2002), 5.3722 (2001), 5.4402 (2000), 4.1304 (1999), 2.4495 (1998), 1.8617 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Ukraine

Telephones - main lines in use: 9.45 million (April 1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 236,000 (1998)

Telephone system: general assessment: Ukraine's telecommunication development plan, running through 2005, emphasizes improving domestic trunk lines, international connections, and the mobile cellular system domestic: at independence in December 1991, Ukraine inherited a telephone system that was antiquated, inefficient, and in disrepair; more than 3.5 million applications for telephones could not be satisfied; telephone density is now rising slowly and the domestic trunk system is being improved; the mobile cellular telephone system is expanding at a high rate international: two new domestic trunk lines are a part of the fiber-optic Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) system and three Ukrainian links have been installed in the fiber-optic Trans-European Lines (TEL) project which connects 18 countries; additional international service is provided by the Italy-Turkey-Ukraine-Russia (ITUR) fiber-optic submarine cable and by earth stations in the Intelsat, Inmarsat, and Intersputnik satellite systems

Radio broadcast stations: AM 134, FM 289, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios: 45.05 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: at least 33 (plus 21 repeaters that relay broadcasts from Russia) (1997)

Televisions: 18.05 million (1997)

Internet country code: .ua

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 260 (2001)

Internet users: 750,000 (2001)

Transportation Ukraine

Railways: total: 22,510 km broad gauge: 21,951 km 1.524-m gauge (8,927 km electrified) standard gauge: 49 km 1.435-m gauge note: these data do not include railroads dedicated to serving industry and not in common carrier service (2001) narrow gauge: 510 km 0.750-m gauge

Highways: total: 273,700 km paved: 236,400 km (including 1,770 km of expressways and a substantial amount of all-weather roads with gravel surfaces) unpaved: 37,300 km (these roads are made of unstabilized earth and are difficult to negotiate in wet weather) (1990)

Waterways: 4,499 km note: 1,672 km are on the Pryp'yat' and Dniester
(Dnister) (1990)

Pipelines: crude oil 4,000 km (1995); petroleum products 4,500 km (1995); natural gas 34,400 km (1998)

Ports and harbors: Berdyans'k, Feodosiya, Illichivs'k, Izmayil, Kerch,
Kherson, Kiev (Kyyiv), Kiliya, Mariupol', Mykolayiv, Odesa, Reni,
Sevastopol', Yalta, Yuzhnyy

Merchant marine: total: 138 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 669,303 GRT/707,857 DWT ships by type: bulk 7, cargo 100, container 3, liquefied gas 2, passenger 11, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 12, railcar carrier 2 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Cyprus 1, Greece 1, Panama 1, Russia 4, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 718 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: 50 1,524 to 2,437 m: Airports - with unpaved runways: 37 1,524 to 2,437 m: Military Ukraine

Military branches: Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Air Force, Air Defense
Forces, Interior Troops, Border Troops

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 12,263,178 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 9,616,864 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 390,823 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $500 million (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.4% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Ukraine

Disputes - international: Ukraine and Romania have yet to resolve claims over Ukrainian-administered Zmiyinyy (Snake) Island and delimitation of Black Sea maritime boundary, despite 1997 bilateral treaty to find a solution in two years and numerous talks; Russia and Ukraine have successfully delimited land boundary in 2001, but disagree on delimitation of maritime boundary in the Sea of Azov and Black Sea; Moldovan difficulties with break-away Transnistria region inhibit establishment of a joint customs regime with Ukraine to curtail smuggling, arms transfers, and other illegal activities

Illicit drugs: limited cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for CIS consumption; some synthetic drug production for export to West; limited government eradication program; used as transshipment point for opiates and other illicit drugs from Africa, Latin America, and Turkey, and to Europe and Russia; drug-related money laundering a minor, but growing, problem

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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United States

Introduction

United States

Background: Britain's American colonies broke with the mother country in 1776 and were recognized as the new nation of the United States of America following the Treaty of Paris in 1783. During the 19th and 20th centuries, 37 new states were added to the original 13 as the nation expanded across the North American continent and acquired a number of overseas possessions. The two most traumatic experiences in the nation's history were the Civil War (1861-65) and the Great Depression of the 1930s. Buoyed by victories in World Wars I and II and the end of the Cold War in 1991, the US remains the world's most powerful nation-state. The economy is marked by steady growth, low unemployment and inflation, and rapid advances in technology.

Geography United States

Location: North America, bordering both the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Pacific Ocean, between Canada and Mexico

Geographic coordinates: 38 00 N, 97 00 W

Map references: North America

Area: 470,131 sq km note: Area - comparative: about half the size of Russia; about three-tenths the size of Africa; about half the size of South America (or slightly larger than Brazil); slightly larger than China; about two and a half times the size of Western Europe

Land boundaries: total: 12,034 km border countries: Canada 8,893 km (including 2,477 km with Alaska), Mexico 3,141 km note: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba is leased by the US and thus remains part of Cuba; the base boundary is 29 km

Coastline: 19,924 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM continental shelf: not specified exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: mostly temperate, but tropical in Hawaii and Florida, arctic in Alaska, semiarid in the great plains west of the Mississippi River, and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest; low winter temperatures in the northwest are ameliorated occasionally in January and February by warm chinook winds from the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains

Terrain: vast central plain, mountains in west, hills and low mountains in east; rugged mountains and broad river valleys in Alaska; rugged, volcanic topography in Hawaii

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Death Valley -86 m highest point:
Mount McKinley 6,194 m

Natural resources: coal, copper, lead, molybdenum, phosphates, uranium, bauxite, gold, iron, mercury, nickel, potash, silver, tungsten, zinc, petroleum, natural gas, timber

Land use: arable land: 19% other: 81% (1998 est.) permanent crops: NEGL%

Irrigated land: 214,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: tsunamis, volcanoes, and earthquake activity around Pacific Basin; hurricanes along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts; tornadoes in the midwest and southeast; mud slides in California; forest fires in the west; flooding; permafrost in northern Alaska, a major impediment to development

Environment - current issues: air pollution resulting in acid rain in both the US and Canada; the US is the largest single emitter of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels; water pollution from runoff of pesticides and fertilizers; very limited natural fresh water resources in much of the western part of the country require careful management; desertification

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution,
Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty,
Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test
Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic
Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Hazardous Wastes

Geography - note: world's third-largest country by size (after Russia and Canada) and by population (after China and India); Mt. McKinley is highest point in North America and Death Valley the lowest point on the continent

People United States

Population: 280,562,489 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 21% (male 30,116,782; female 28,765,183) 15-64 years: 66.4% (male 92,391,120; female 93,986,468) 65 years and over: 12.6% (male 14,748,522; female 20,554,414) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.89% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 14.1 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 8.7 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 3.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 6.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.4 years male: 74.5 years female: 80.2 years (2002 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.07 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.61% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 850,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 20,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: American(s) adjective: American

Ethnic groups: white 77.1%, black 12.9%, Asian 4.2%, Amerindian and Alaska native 1.5%, native Hawaiian and other Pacific islander 0.3%, other 4% (2000) note: Bureau considers Hispanic to mean a person of Latin American descent (especially of Cuban, Mexican, or Puerto Rican origin) living in the US who may be of any race or ethnic group (white, black, Asian, etc.)

Religions: Protestant 56%, Roman Catholic 28%, Jewish 2%, other 4%, none 10% (1989)

Languages: English, Spanish (spoken by a sizable minority)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write male: 97% female: 97% (1979 est.) total population: 97%

People - note: note: data for the US are based on projections that do not take into consideration the results of the 2000 census

Government United States

Country name: United States of America conventional short form:
Government type: federal republic; strong democratic tradition

Capital: Washington, DC

Administrative divisions: 50 states and 1 district*; Alabama, Alaska,
Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District
of Columbia*, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana,
Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts,
Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada,
New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North
Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South
Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia,
Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming

Dependent areas: American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Wake Island note: from 18 July 1947 until 1 October 1994, the US administered the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, but recently entered into a new political relationship with all four political units: the Northern Mariana Islands is a commonwealth in political union with the US (effective 3 November 1986); Palau concluded a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 1 October 1994); the Federated States of Micronesia signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 3 November 1986); the Republic of the Marshall Islands signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 21 October 1986)

Independence: 4 July 1776 (from Great Britain)

National holiday: Independence Day, 4 July (1776)

Constitution: 17 September 1787, effective 4 March 1789

Legal system: based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President George W. BUSH (since 20 January 2001) and Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with Senate approval elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by a college of representatives who are elected directly from each state; president and vice president serve four-year terms; election last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held 2 November 2004) election results: George W. BUSH elected president; percent of popular vote - George W. BUSH (Republican Party) 48%, Albert A. GORE, Jr. (Democratic Party) 48%, Ralph NADER (Green Party) 3%, other 1%

Legislative branch: bicameral Congress consists of the Senate (100 seats, one-third are renewed every two years; two members are elected from each state by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives (435 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Democratic Party 50, Republican Party 49, independent 1; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Republican Party 221, Democratic Party 211, independent 2, vacant 1 elections: Senate - last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held 4 November 2002); House of Representatives - last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held 4 November 2002)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (its nine justices are appointed for life by the president with confirmation by the Senate); United States Courts of Appeal; United States District Courts; State and County Courts

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party [Terence McAULIFFE, national committee chairman]; Green Party [leader NA]; Republican Party [Governor Marc RACICOT, national committee chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: AfDB, ANZUS, APEC, ARF
(dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group,
BIS, CCC, CE (observer), CERN (observer), CP, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC,
ESCAP, FAO, G- 8, G-5, G-7, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MIPONUH, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW,
OSCE, PCA, SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNHCR, UNIKOM, UNITAR,
UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOVIC, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTAET, UNTSO, UNU, UPU,
WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Flag description: thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing 50 small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and bottom) alternating with rows of five stars; the 50 stars represent the 50 states, the 13 stripes represent the 13 original colonies; known as Old Glory; the design and colors have been the basis for a number of other flags, including Chile, Liberia, Malaysia, and Puerto Rico

Economy United States

Economy - overview: The US has the largest and most technologically powerful economy in the world, with a per capita GDP of $36,300. In this market-oriented economy, private individuals and business firms make most of the decisions, and the federal and state governments buy needed goods and services predominantly in the private marketplace. US business firms enjoy considerably greater flexibility than their counterparts in Western Europe and Japan in decisions to expand capital plant, lay off surplus workers, and develop new products. At the same time, they face higher barriers to entry in their rivals' home markets than the barriers to entry of foreign firms in US markets. US firms are at or near the forefront in technological advances, especially in computers and in medical, aerospace, and military equipment, although their advantage has narrowed since the end of World War II. The onrush of technology largely explains the gradual development of a "two-tier labor market" in which those at the bottom lack the education and the professional/technical skills of those at the top and, more and more, fail to get comparable pay raises, health insurance coverage, and other benefits. Since 1975, practically all the gains in household income have gone to the top 20% of households. The years 1994-2000 witnessed solid increases in real output, low inflation rates, and a drop in unemployment to below 5%. The year 2001 witnessed the end of the boom psychology and performance, with output increasing only 0.3% and unemployment and business failures rising substantially. The response to the terrorist attacks of September 11 showed the remarkable resilience of the economy. Moderate recovery is expected in 2002, with the GDP growth rate rising to 2.5% or more. A major short-term problem in first half 2002 was a sharp decline in the stock market, fueled in part by the exposure of dubious accounting practices in some major corporations. Long-term problems include inadequate investment in economic infrastructure, rapidly rising medical and pension costs of an aging population, sizable trade deficits, and stagnation of family income in the lower economic groups.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $10.082 trillion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 0.3% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $36,300 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2% industry: 18% services: 80% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 12.7% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.8% highest 10%: 30.5% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 40.8 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.8% (2001)

Labor force: 141.8 million (includes unemployed) (2001)

Labor force - by occupation: managerial and professional 31%, technical, sales and administrative support 28.9%, services 13.6%, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and crafts 24.1%, farming, forestry, and fishing 2.4% (2001) note: Unemployment rate: 5% (2001)

Budget: revenues: $1.828 trillion expenditures: $1.703 trillion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999)

Industries: leading industrial power in the world, highly diversified and technologically advanced; petroleum, steel, motor vehicles, aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals, electronics, food processing, consumer goods, lumber, mining

Industrial production growth rate: -3.7% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 3,799.944 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 70.76% hydro: 7.19% other: 2.21% (2000) nuclear: 19.84%

Electricity - consumption: 3.613 trillion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 14.829 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 48.879 billion kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: wheat, other grains, corn, fruits, vegetables, cotton; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; forest products; fish

Exports: $723 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: capital goods, automobiles, industrial supplies and raw materials, consumer goods, agricultural products

Exports - partners: Canada 22.4%, Mexico 13.9%, Japan 7.9%, UK 5.6%,
Germany 4.1%, France, Netherlands (2001)

Imports: $1.148 trillion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: crude oil and refined petroleum products, machinery, automobiles, consumer goods, industrial raw materials, food and beverages

Imports - partners: Canada 19%, Mexico 11.5%, Japan 11.1%, China 8.9%,
Germany 5.2%, UK, Taiwan (2001)

Debt - external: $862 billion (1995 est.)

Economic aid - donor: ODA, $6.9 billion (1997)

Currency: US dollar (USD)

Currency code: USD

Exchange rates: British pounds per US dollar - 0.6981 (January 2002), 0.6944 (2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998), 0.6106 (1997); Canadian dollars per US dollar - 1.6003 (January 2002), 1.5488 (2001), 1.4851 (2000), 1.4857 (1999), 1.4835 (1998), 1.3846 (1997); French francs per US dollar - 5.65 (January 1999), 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997); Italian lire per US dollar - 1,668.7 (January 1999), 1,763.2 (1998), 1,703.1 (1997); Japanese yen per US dollar - 132.66 (January 2002), 121.53 (2001), 107.77 (2000), 113.91 (1999), 130.91 (1998), 120.99 (1997); German deutsche marks per US dollar - 1.69 (January 1999), 1.9692 (1998), 1.7341 (1997); euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.08540 (2000), 0.93863 (1999) note: financial institutions in France, Italy, and Germany and eight other European countries started using the euro on 1 January 1999 with the euro replacing the local currency in consenting countries for all transactions in 2002

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

Communications United States

Telephones - main lines in use: 194 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 69.209 million (1998)

Telephone system: general assessment: a very large, technologically advanced, multipurpose communications system domestic: a large system of fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and domestic satellites carries every form of telephone traffic; a rapidly growing cellular system carries mobile telephone traffic throughout the country international: (45 Atlantic Ocean and 16 Pacific Ocean), 5 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region), and 4 Inmarsat (Pacific and Atlantic Ocean regions) (2000)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 4,762, FM 5,542, shortwave 18 (1998)

Radios: 575 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: more than 1,500 (including nearly 1,000 stations affiliated with the five major networks - NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX, and PBS; in addition, there are about 9,000 cable TV systems) (1997)

Televisions: 219 million (1997)

Internet country code: .us

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 7,800 (2000 est.)

Internet users: 166 million (2001)

Transportation United States

Railways: total: 212,433 km mainline routes standard gauge: 212,433 km 1.435-m gauge note: represents the aggregate length of roadway of all line-haul railroads including an estimate for Class II and III railroads (1998)

Highways: total: 6,370,031 km paved: 5,733,028 km (including 74,091 km of expressways) unpaved: 637,003 km (1997)

Waterways: 41,009 km note: navigable inland channels, exclusive of the
Great Lakes

Pipelines: petroleum products 276,000 km; natural gas 331,000 km (1991)

Ports and harbors: Anchorage, Baltimore, Boston, Charleston, Chicago,
Duluth, Hampton Roads, Honolulu, Houston, Jacksonville, Los Angeles,
New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Port Canaveral, Portland (Oregon),
Prudhoe Bay, San Francisco, Savannah, Seattle, Tampa, Toledo

Merchant marine: total: 264 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,911,641 GRT/9,985,660 DWT ships by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 11, cargo 14, chemical tanker 16, collier 1, combination bulk 4, combination tanker 11, container 86, multi-functional large-load carrier 4, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 81, roll on/roll off 28, specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 2 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Australia 1, Canada 4, Denmark 15, France 1, Germany 1, Netherlands 3, Norway 7, Puerto Rico 4, Singapore 11, Sweden 1, United Kingdom 3 (2002 est.)

Airports: 14,695 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: 222 914 to 1,523 m: Airports - with unpaved runways: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: Heliports: 132 (2001)

Military United States

Military branches: Department of the Army, Department of the Navy (includes Marine Corps), Department of the Air Force note: the Coast Guard is normally subordinate to the Department of Transportation, but in wartime reports to the Department of the Navy

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 70,819,436 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: NA (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 2,053,179 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $276.7 billion (FY99 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.2% (FY99 est.)

Military - note: note: 2002 estimates for military manpower are based on projections that do not take into consideration the results of the 2000 census

Transnational Issues United States

Disputes - international: maritime boundary disputes with Canada (Dixon Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, Machias Seal Island); US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased from Cuba and only mutual agreement or US abandonment of the area can terminate the lease; Haiti claims Navassa Island; US has made no territorial claim in Antarctica (but has reserved the right to do so) and does not recognize the claims of any other state; Marshall Islands claims Wake Island

Illicit drugs: consumer of cocaine shipped from Colombia through Mexico and the Caribbean; consumer of heroin, marijuana, and increasingly methamphetamine from Mexico; consumer of high-quality Southeast Asian heroin; illicit producer of cannabis, marijuana, depressants, stimulants, hallucinogens, and methamphetamine; money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Burkina Faso

Introduction

Burkina Faso

Background: Independence from France came to Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta) in 1960. Governmental instability during the 1970s and 1980s was followed by multiparty elections in the early 1990s. Several hundred thousand farm workers migrate south every year to Cote d'Ivoire and Ghana.

Geography Burkina Faso

Location: Western Africa, north of Ghana

Geographic coordinates: 13 00 N, 2 00 W

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 274,200 sq km water: 400 sq km land: 273,800 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Colorado

Land boundaries: total: 3,193 km border countries: Benin 306 km, Cote d'Ivoire 584 km, Ghana 549 km, Mali 1,000 km, Niger 628 km, Togo 126 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: tropical; warm, dry winters; hot, wet summers

Terrain: mostly flat to dissected, undulating plains; hills in west and southeast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mouhoun (Black Volta) River 200 m highest point: Tena Kourou 749 m

Natural resources: manganese, limestone, marble; small deposits of gold, antimony, copper, nickel, bauxite, lead, phosphates, zinc, silver

Land use: arable land: 13% permanent crops: 0% other: 87% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 250 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: recurring droughts

Environment - current issues: recent droughts and desertification severely affecting agricultural activities, population distribution, and the economy; overgrazing; soil degradation; deforestation

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life
Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:
Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban

Geography - note: landlocked savanna cut by the three principal rivers of the Black, Red, and White Voltas

People Burkina Faso

Population: 12,603,185 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 47.3% (male 3,007,675; female 2,960,697) 15-64 years: 49.8% (male 3,000,411; female 3,271,594) 65 years and over: 2.9% (male 151,976; female 210,832) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.64% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 44.34 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 17.07 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 105.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 46.78 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 6.26 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 6.44% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 350,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 43,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Burkinabe (singular and plural) adjective: Burkinabe

Ethnic groups: Mossi over 40%, Gurunsi, Senufo, Lobi, Bobo, Mande, Fulani

Religions: indigenous beliefs 40%, Muslim 50%, Christian (mainly Roman
Catholic) 10%

Languages: French (official), native African languages belonging to
Sudanic family spoken by 90% of the population

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 36% (2001) male: NA% female: NA%

Government Burkina Faso

Country name: Burkina Faso former: Government type: parliamentary republic

Capital: Ouagadougou

Administrative divisions: 30 provinces; Bam, Bazega, Bougouriba, Boulgou,
Boulkiemde, Ganzourgou, Gnagna, Gourma, Houe, Kadiogo, Kenedougou, Komoe,
Kossi, Kouritenga, Mouhoun, Namentenga, Naouri, Oubritenga, Oudalan,
Passore, Poni, Sanguie, Sanmatenga, Seno, Sissili, Soum, Sourou, Tapoa,
Yatenga, Zoundweogo note: 1997; the number of administrative provinces
was increased from 30 to 45 (Bale, Bam, Banwa, Bazega, Bougouriba,
Boulgou, Boulkiemde, Comoe, Ganzourgou, Gnagna, Gourma, Houet, Ioba,
Kadiogo, Kenedougou, Komandjari, Kompienga, Kossi, Koupelogo, Kouritenga,
Kourweogo, Leraba, Loroum, Mouhoun, Nahouri, Namentenga, Nayala, Naumbiel,
Oubritenga, Oudalan, Passore, Poni, Samentenga, Sanguie, Seno, Sissili,
Soum, Sourou, Tapoa, Tuy, Yagha, Yatenga, Ziro, Zondomo, Zoundweogo),
however, this change has not yet been confirmed by the US Board on
Geographic Names

Independence: 5 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday: Republic Day, 11 December (1958)

Constitution: 2 June 1991 approved by referendum; 11 June 1991 formally adopted

Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law

Suffrage: universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Blaise COMPAORE (since 15 October 1987) head of government: Prime Minister Ernest Paramanga YONLI (since 6 November 2000) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister election results: Blaise COMPAORE reelected president with 87.5% percent of the vote note: recent charges against a former member of his Presidential Guard in the 1998 assassination of a newspaper editor signify an attempt to defuse chronic areas of dissatisfaction elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 15 November 1998 (next to be held NA 2005); in April 2000, the constitution was amended reducing the presidential term from seven to five years, enforceable as of 2005, and allowing the president to be reelected only once; it is unclear whether this amendment will be applied retroactively or not; prime minister appointed by the president with the consent of the legislature

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (111 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) election results: PDP/PS 10, CFD 5, PAI 5, others 17 elections: National Assembly election last held 5 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2007)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Appeals Court

Political parties and leaders: African Democratic Rally-Alliance for
Democracy and Federation or RDA-ADF [Herman YAMEOGO]; Confederation for
Federation and Democracy or CFD [Amadou Diemdioda DICKO]; Congress for
Democracy and Progress or CDP [Roch Marc-Christian KABORE]; Movement
for Tolerance and Progress or MTP [Noyabtigungu Congo KABORE]; Party for
African Independence or PAI [Philippe OUEDRAOGO]; Party for Democracy and
Progress or PDP [Joseph KI-ZERBO]; Union of Greens for the Development
of Burkina Faso or UVDB [Ram OVEDRAGO]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Burkinabe General Confederation of Labor or CGTB; Burkinabe Movement for Human Rights or MBDHP; Group of 14 February; National Confederation of Burkinabe Workers or CNTB; National Organization of Free Unions or ONSL; watchdog/political action groups throughout the country in both organizations and communities

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA,
ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber),
ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Tertius ZONGO chancery: 2340 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 FAX: [1] (202) 667-1882 telephone: [1] (202) 332-5577

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jimmy J. KOLKER embassy: 2440 Ouagadougou 01 B. P. 35, Ouagadougou 01 telephone: Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a yellow five-pointed star in the center; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy Burkina Faso

Economy - overview: One of the poorest countries in the world, landlocked Burkina Faso has a high population density, few natural resources, and a fragile soil. About 90% of the population is engaged in (mainly subsistence) agriculture, which is highly vulnerable to variations in rainfall. Industry remains dominated by unprofitable government-controlled corporations. Following the African franc currency devaluation in January 1994 the government updated its development program in conjunction with international agencies, and exports and economic growth have increased. Maintenance of macroeconomic progress depends on continued low inflation, reduction in the trade deficit, and reforms designed to encourage private investment.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $12.8 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4.7% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,040 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 31% industry: 28% services: 41% (2000)

Population below poverty line: 45% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.2% highest 10%: 39.5% (1994)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 48.2 (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.5% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 5 million (1999) note: a large part of the male labor force migrates annually to neighboring countries for seasonal employment

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 90% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $316 million expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001)

Industries: cotton lint, beverages, agricultural processing, soap, cigarettes, textiles, gold

Industrial production growth rate: 14% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 282 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 70.92% hydro: 29.08% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 262.26 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: peanuts, shea nuts, sesame, cotton, sorghum, millet, corn, rice; livestock

Exports: $265 million (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: cotton, animal products, gold

Exports - partners: Venezuela 14.7%, Benelux 12.2%, Italy 9.6%, France 7.0% (2000)

Imports: $580 million (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: capital goods, food products, petroleum

Imports - partners: Cote d'Ivoire 25.1%, Venezuela 23.4%, France 17.0% (2000)

Debt - external: $1.5 billion (1999)

Economic aid - recipient: $484.1 million (1995)

Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Currency code: XOF

Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 742.79 (January 2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997); note - from 1 January 1999, the XOF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF per euro

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Burkina Faso

Telephones - main lines in use: 53,200 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 25,200 (2000)

Telephone system: general assessment: all services only fair domestic: microwave radio relay, open wire, and radiotelephone communication stations international: Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 17, shortwave 3 (2002)

Radios: 394,020 (2000)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (2001)

Televisions: 131,340 (2002)

Internet country code: .bf

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 4 (2001)

Internet users: 10,000 (2001)

Transportation Burkina Faso

Railways: total: 622 km (517 km from Ouagadougou to the Cote d'Ivoire border and 105 km from Ouagadougou to Kaya) narrow gauge: 622 km 1.000-m gauge (1995 est.)

Highways: total: 12,506 km paved: 2,001 km unpaved: 10,505 km (1996)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: none

Airports: 33 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 31 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 16 (2001)

Military Burkina Faso

Military branches: Army, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National
Police, People's Militia

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 2,688,072 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,379,010 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $40.1 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.4% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Burkina Faso

Disputes - international: two villages are in dispute with Benin

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Uruguay

Introduction

Uruguay

Background: A violent Marxist urban guerrilla movement, the Tupamaros, launched in the late 1960s, led Uruguay's president to agree to military control of his administration in 1973. By the end of the year the rebels had been crushed, but the military continued to expand its hold throughout the government. Civilian rule was not restored until 1985. Uruguay's political and labor conditions are among the freest on the continent.

Geography Uruguay

Location: Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Argentina and Brazil

Geographic coordinates: 33 00 S, 56 00 W

Map references: South America

Area: total: 176,220 sq km land: 173,620 sq km water: 2,600 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than the state of Washington

Land boundaries: total: 1,564 km border countries: Argentina 579 km,
Brazil 985 km

Coastline: 660 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate: warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown

Terrain: mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Cerro Catedral 514 m

Natural resources: arable land, hydropower, minor minerals, fisheries

Land use: arable land: 7% permanent crops: 0% other: 93% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,800 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: seasonally high winds (the pampero is a chilly and occasional violent wind which blows north from the Argentine pampas), droughts, floods; because of the absence of mountains, which act as weather barriers, all locations are particularly vulnerable to rapid changes from weather fronts

Environment - current issues: water pollution from meat packing/tannery industry; inadequate solid/hazardous waste disposal

Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Geography - note: second-smallest South American country (after Suriname); most of the low-lying landscape (three-quarters of the country) is grassland, ideal for cattle and sheep raising

People Uruguay

Population: 3,386,575 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 24.4% (male 422,826; female 402,324) 15-64 years: 62.6% (male 1,047,740; female 1,072,032) 65 years and over: 13% (male 181,522; female 260,131) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.79% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 17.28 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 9 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 14.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 79.17 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.35 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.33% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 6,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 150 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Uruguayan(s) adjective: Uruguayan

Ethnic groups: white 88%, mestizo 8%, black 4%, Amerindian, practically nonexistent

Religions: Roman Catholic 66% (less than half of the adult population attends church regularly), Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, nonprofessing or other 31%

Languages: Spanish, Portunol, or Brazilero (Portuguese-Spanish mix on the Brazilian frontier)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.3% male: 96.9% female: 97.7% (1995 est.)

Government Uruguay

Country name: conventional long form: Oriental Republic of Uruguay conventional short form: Uruguay local short form: Uruguay former: Banda Oriental, Cisplatine Province local long form: Republica Oriental del Uruguay

Government type: constitutional republic

Capital: Montevideo

Administrative divisions: 19 departments (departamentos, singular -
departamento); Artigas, Canelones, Cerro Largo, Colonia, Durazno, Flores,
Florida, Lavalleja, Maldonado, Montevideo, Paysandu, Rio Negro, Rivera,
Rocha, Salto, San Jose, Soriano, Tacuarembo, Treinta y Tres

Independence: 25 August 1825 (from Brazil)

National holiday: Independence Day, 25 August (1825)

Constitution: 27 November 1966, effective February 1967, suspended 27 June 1973, new constitution rejected by referendum 30 November 1980; two constitutional reforms approved by plebiscite 26 November 1989 and 7 January 1997

Legal system: based on Spanish civil law system; accepts compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch: chief of state: President Jorge BATLLE Ibanez (since 1 March 2000) and Vice President Luis HIERRO (since 1 March 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: Luis HIERRO (since 1 March 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president with parliamentary approval elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 31 October 1999, with runoff election on 28 November 1999 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: Jorge BATLLE Ibanez elected president; percent of vote - Jorge BATLLE Ibanez 52% in a runoff against Tabare VAZQUEZ 44%

Legislative branch: bicameral General Assembly or Asamblea General consists of Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (30 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and Chamber of Representatives or Camara de Representantes (99 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: Chamber of Senators - last held 31 October 1999 (next to be held NA 2004); Chamber of Representatives - last held 31 October 1999 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: Encuentro Progresista 12, Colorado Party 10, Blanco 7, New Sector/Space Coalition 1; Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Encuentro Progresista 40, Colorado Party 33, Blanco 22, New Sector/Space Coalition 4

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are nominated by the president and elected for 10-year terms by the General Assembly)

Political parties and leaders: Colorado Party [Jorge BATLLE Ibanez];
National Party or Blanco [Luis Alberto LACALLE Herrera]; New Sector/Space
Coalition or Nuevo Espacio [Rafael MICHELINI]; Progressive Encounter/Broad
Front Coalition or Encuentro Progresista/Frente Amplio [Tabare VAZQUEZ]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM
(observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMOGIP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNTAET, UPU, WCL, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Hugo FERNANDEZ-FAINGOLD consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, and New York FAX: [1] (202) 331-8142 telephone: [1] (202) 331-1313 through 1316 chancery: 1913 I Street NW, Washington, DC 20006

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Martin J. SILVERSTEIN embassy: Lauro Muller 1776, Montevideo 11200 mailing address: APO AA 34035 telephone: [598] (2) 418-7777 FAX: [598] (2) 410-0022

Flag description: nine equal horizontal stripes of white (top and bottom) alternating with blue; there is a white square in the upper hoist-side corner with a yellow sun bearing a human face known as the Sun of May and 16 rays alternately triangular and wavy

Economy Uruguay

Economy - overview: Uruguay's economy is characterized by an export-oriented agricultural sector, a well-educated workforce, and high levels of social spending. After averaging growth of 5% annually in 1996-98, in 1999-2001 the economy suffered from lower demand in Argentina and Brazil, which together account for nearly half of Uruguay's exports. Despite the severity of the trade shocks, Uruguay's financial indicators remained more stable than those of its neighbors, a reflection of its solid reputation among investors and its investment-grade sovereign bond rating - one of only two in South America. Challenges for the government of President Jorge BATLLE include reducing the budget deficit, expanding Uruguay's trade ties beyond its Mercosur trade partners, and reducing the costs of public services. GDP fell by 1.3% in 2000 and by 1.5% in 2001.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $31 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: -1.5% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $9,200 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6% industry: 29% services: 65% (2001)

Population below poverty line: 6% (1997)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.7% highest 10%: 25.8% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 42.3 (1989)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.6% (2001)

Labor force: 1.2 million (2001)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 14%, industry 16%, services 70%

Unemployment rate: 15.2% (2001)

Budget: revenues: $3.7 billion expenditures: $4.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $500 million (2000)

Industries: food processing, electrical machinery, transportation equipment, petroleum products, textiles, chemicals, beverages

Industrial production growth rate: -2.4% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 7.527 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 6.64% hydro: 92.83% other: 0.53% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 7.35 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 950 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 1.3 billion kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: rice, wheat, corn, barley; livestock; fish

Exports: $2.24 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: meat, rice, leather products, wool, vehicles, dairy products

Exports - partners: Mercosur partners 40%, EU 20%, US 8% (2001 est.)

Imports: $2.9 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery, chemicals, road vehicles, crude petroleum

Imports - partners: Mercosur partners 44%, EU 18%, US 9% (2001 est.)

Debt - external: $7.7 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $NA

Currency: Uruguayan peso (UYU)

Currency code: UYU

Exchange rates: Uruguayan pesos per US dollar - 14.3325 (January 2002), 13.3191 (2001), 12.0996 (2000), 11.3393 (1999), 10.4719 (1998), 9.4418 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Uruguay

Telephones - main lines in use: 929,141 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 350,000 (2001)

Telephone system: general assessment: fully digitalized domestic: most modern facilities concentrated in Montevideo; new nationwide microwave radio relay network international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2002)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 91, FM 149, shortwave 7 (2001)

Radios: 1.97 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 20 (2001)

Televisions: 782,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .uy

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 14 (2001)

Internet users: 370,000 (2001)

Transportation Uruguay

Railways: total: 2,993 km standard gauge: 2,993 km 1.435-m gauge note: of the total route length, 461 km have been taken out of service and 460 km are in only partial use; moreover, not all lines offer passenger service (2001)

Highways: total: 8,764 km paved: 7,800 km unpaved: 964 km (2001)

Waterways: 1,600 km (used by coastal and shallow-draft river craft)

Ports and harbors: Colonia, Fray Bentos, Juan La Caze, La Paloma,
Montevideo, Nueva Palmira, Paysandu, Punta del Este, Piriapolis

Merchant marine: total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 7,752 GRT/5,228 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Argentina 4, Greece 1 (2002 est.) ships by type: petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1

Airports: 64 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: 5 914 to 1,523 m: Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 49 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 16 under 914 m: 31 (2001)

Military Uruguay

Military branches: Army, Navy (including Naval Air Arm, Coast Guard,
Marines), Air Force, Police (Coracero Guard, Grenadier Guard)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 824,395 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 666,880 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $250 million (1999)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.1% (2000)

Transnational Issues Uruguay

Disputes - international: uncontested dispute with Brazil over islands in the Rio Quarai (Rio Cuareim) and the Arroio Invernada (Arroyo de la Invernada)

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Uzbekistan

Introduction

Uzbekistan

Background: Russia conquered Uzbekistan in the late 19th century. Stiff resistance to the Red Army after World War I was eventually suppressed and a socialist republic set up in 1924. During the Soviet era, intensive production of "white gold" (cotton) and grain led to overuse of agrochemicals and the depletion of water supplies, which have left the land poisoned and the Aral Sea and certain rivers half dry. Independent since 1991, the country seeks to gradually lessen its dependence on agriculture while developing its mineral and petroleum reserves. Current concerns include insurgency by Islamic militants based in Tajikistan and Afghanistan, a nonconvertible currency, and the curtailment of human rights and democratization.

Geography Uzbekistan

Location: Central Asia, north of Afghanistan

Geographic coordinates: 41 00 N, 64 00 E

Map references: Asia

Area: total: 447,400 sq km water: 22,000 sq km land: 425,400 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than California

Land boundaries: total: 6,221 km border countries: Afghanistan 137 km, Kazakhstan 2,203 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,099 km, Tajikistan 1,161 km, Turkmenistan 1,621 km

Coastline: 0 km (doubly landlocked); note - Uzbekistan includes the southern portion of the Aral Sea with a 420 km shoreline

Maritime claims: none (doubly landlocked)

Climate: mostly midlatitude desert, long, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid grassland in east

Terrain: mostly flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes; broad, flat intensely irrigated river valleys along course of Amu Darya, Syr Darya (Sirdaryo), and Zarafshon; Fergana Valley in east surrounded by mountainous Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan; shrinking Aral Sea in west

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sariqarnish Kuli -12 m highest point:
Adelunga Toghi 4,301 m

Natural resources: natural gas, petroleum, coal, gold, uranium, silver, copper, lead and zinc, tungsten, molybdenum

Land use: arable land: 11% permanent crops: 1% other: 88% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 42,810 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: shrinkage of the Aral Sea is resulting in growing concentrations of chemical pesticides and natural salts; these substances are then blown from the increasingly exposed lake bed and contribute to desertification; water pollution from industrial wastes and the heavy use of fertilizers and pesticides is the cause of many human health disorders; increasing soil salination; soil contamination from buried nuclear processing and agricultural chemicals, including DDT

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the
selected agreements

Geography - note: along with Liechtenstein, one of the only two doubly landlocked countries in the world

People Uzbekistan

Population: 25,563,441 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 35.5% (male 4,617,110; female 4,457,065) 15-64 years: 59.8% (male 7,567,510; female 7,726,753) 65 years and over: 4.7% (male 482,137; female 712,866) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.62% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 26.09 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 7.98 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 71.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 67.6 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 3.03 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: less than 0.01% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: less than 100 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Uzbekistani(s) adjective: Uzbekistani

Ethnic groups: Uzbek 80%, Russian 5.5%, Tajik 5%, Kazakh 3%, Karakalpak 2.5%, Tatar 1.5%, other 2.5% (1996 est.)

Religions: Muslim 88% (mostly Sunnis), Eastern Orthodox 9%, other 3%

Languages: Uzbek 74.3%, Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1%

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (yearend 1996)

Government Uzbekistan

Country name: Republic of Uzbekistan conventional short form: local long form: Uzbekiston Respublikasi

Government type: republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little power outside the executive branch

Capital: Tashkent (Toshkent)

Administrative divisions: 12 provinces (viloyatlar, singular - viloyat), 1 autonomous republic* (respublika), and 1 city** (shahar); Andijon Viloyati, Buxoro Viloyati, Farg'ona Viloyati, Jizzax Viloyati, Namangan Viloyati, Navoiy Viloyati, Qashqadaryo Viloyati (Qarshi), Qaraqalpog'iston Respublikasi* (Nukus), Samarqand Viloyati, Sirdaryo Viloyati (Guliston), Surxondaryo Viloyati (Termiz), Toshkent Shahri**, Toshkent Viloyati, Xorazm Viloyati (Urganch) note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)

Independence: 1 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day, 1 September (1991)

Constitution: new constitution adopted 8 December 1992

Legal system: evolution of Soviet civil law; still lacks independent judicial system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Islom KARIMOV (since 24 March 1990, when he was elected president by the then Supreme Soviet) head of government: of Ministers appointed by the president with approval of the Supreme Assembly election results: Islom KARIMOV reelected president; percent of vote - Islom KARIMOV 91.9%, Abdulkhafiz JALALOV 4.2% elections: last held 9 January 2000 (next to be held NA 2007); (previously was a five-year term, extended by national referendum on 27 January 2002) prime minister and deputy ministers appointed by the president

Legislative branch: unicameral Supreme Assembly or Oliy Majlis (250 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - on 27 January 2002, a referendum was held that will make the Assembly bicameral on the 2004 elections election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NDP 48, Self-Sacrificers Party 34, Fatherland Progress Party 20, Adolat Social Democratic Party 11, MTP 10, citizens' groups 16, local government 110, vacant 1 note: not all seats in the last Supreme Assembly election were contested; all parties in the Supreme Assembly support President KARIMOV elections: last held 5 December and 19 December 1999 (next to be held NA December 2004)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Supreme Assembly)

Political parties and leaders: Adolat (Justice) Social Democratic Party
[Anwar JURABAYEV, first secretary]; Democratic National Rebirth Party
(Milly Tiklanish) or MTP [Aziz KAYUMOV, chairman]; People's Democratic
Party or NDP (formerly Communist Party) [Abdulkhafiz JALOLOV, first
secretary]; Self-Sacrificers Party or Fidokorlar National Democratic
Party [Ahtam TURSUNOV, first secretary]; note - Fatherland Progress
Party merged with Self-Sacrificers Party

Political pressure groups and leaders: Birlik (Unity) Movement
[Abdurakhim POLAT, chairman]; Erk (Freedom) Democratic Party [Muhammad
SOLIH, chairman] was banned 9 December 1992; Human Rights Society of
Uzbekistan [Abdumannob POLAT, chairman]; Independent Human Rights Society
of Uzbekistan [Mikhail ARDZINOV, chairman]

International organization participation: AsDB, CCC, CIS, EAPC, EBRD,
ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Shavkat HAMRAKULOV FAX: [1] (202) 293-6804 [1] (202) 887-5300 chancery: Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John Edward HERBST embassy: 82 Chilanzarskaya, Tashkent 700115 mailing address: use embassy street address; US Embassy Tashkent, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-7110 telephone: [998] (71) 120-5444 FAX: [998] (71) 120-6335

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and green separated by red fimbriations with a white crescent moon and 12 white stars in the upper hoist-side quadrant

Economy Uzbekistan

Economy - overview: Uzbekistan is a dry, landlocked country of which 11% consists of intensely cultivated, irrigated river valleys. More than 60% of its population lives in densely populated rural communities. Uzbekistan is now the world's second largest cotton exporter, a large producer of gold and oil, and a regionally significant producer of chemicals and machinery. Following independence in December 1991, the government sought to prop up its Soviet-style command economy with subsidies and tight controls on production and prices. The state continues to be a dominating influence in the economy and has so far failed to bring about much-needed structural changes. The IMF suspended Uzbekistan's $185 million standby arrangement in late 1996 because of governmental steps that made impossible fulfillment of Fund conditions. Uzbekistan has responded to the negative external conditions generated by the Asian and Russian financial crises by emphasizing import substitute industrialization and by tightening export and currency controls within its already largely closed economy. Economic policies that have repelled foreign investment are a major factor in the economy's stagnation. A growing debt burden, persistent inflation, and a poor business climate led to disappointing growth in 2001. However, in December 2001 the government voiced a renewed interest in economic reform, seeking advice from the IMF and other financial institutions.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $62 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,500 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 33% industry: 24% services: 43% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.1% highest 10%: 25.2% (1993)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 33.3 (1993)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 23% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 11.9 million (1998 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 44%, industry 20%, services 36% (1995)

Unemployment rate: 10% plus another 20% underemployed (1999 est.)

Budget: revenues: $4 billion expenditures: $4.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)

Industries: textiles, food processing, machine building, metallurgy, natural gas, chemicals

Industrial production growth rate: 3.5% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production: 44.075 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 86.95% hydro: 13.05% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 41.89 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 4.1 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 5 billion kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: cotton, vegetables, fruits, grain; livestock

Exports: $2.8 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: cotton 41.5%, gold 9.6%, energy products 9.6%, mineral fertilizers, ferrous metals, textiles, food products, automobiles (1998 est.)

Exports - partners: Russia 16.7%, Switzerland 8.3%, UK 7.2%, Ukraine 4.7%, South Korea 3.3%, Kazakhstan 3.1% (2000)

Imports: $2.5 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment 49.8%, foodstuffs 16.4%, chemicals, metals (1998 est.)

Imports - partners: Russia 15.8%, South Korea 9.8%, US 8.7%, Germany 8.6%, Kazakhstan 7.3%, Ukraine 6.1% (2002)

Debt - external: $5.1 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: approximately $150 million from the US (2001)

Currency: Uzbekistani sum (UZS)

Currency code: UZS

Exchange rates: Uzbekistani sums per US dollar - 687.0 (January 2002), 325.0 (January 2001), 141.4 (January 2000), 111.9 (February 1999), 110.95 (December 1998), 75.8 (September 1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Uzbekistan

Telephones - main lines in use: 1.98 million (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 26,000 (1998)

Telephone system: general assessment: antiquated and inadequate; in serious need of modernization domestic: the domestic telephone system is being expanded and technologically improved, particularly in Tashkent and Samarqand, under contracts with prominent companies in industrialized countries; moreover, by 1998, six cellular networks had been placed in operation - four of the GSM type (Global System for Mobile Communication), one D-AMPS type (Digital Advanced Mobile Phone System), and one AMPS type (Advanced Mobile Phone System) international: linked by landline or microwave radio relay with CIS member states and to other countries by leased connection via the Moscow international gateway switch; after the completion of the Uzbek link to the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic cable, Uzbekistan will be independent of Russian facilities for international communications; Inmarsat also provides an international connection, albeit an expensive one; satellite earth stations - NA (1998)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 20, FM 7, shortwave 10 (1998)

Radios: 10.8 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 4 (plus two repeaters that relay Russian,
Kazakh, Kyrgyz, and Tajik programs) (1997)

Televisions: 6.4 million (1997)

Internet country code: .uz

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 42 (2000)

Internet users: 7,500 (2000)

Transportation Uzbekistan

Railways: total: 3,656 km broad gauge: 3,656 km 1.520-m gauge (618 km electrified) (2000)

Highways: total: 81,600 km paved: 71,237 km (includes some all-weather gravel-surfaced roads) unpaved: 10,363 km (these roads are made of unstabilized earth and are difficult to negotiate in wet weather) (1990)

Waterways: 1,100 km (1990)

Pipelines: crude oil 250 km; petroleum products 40 km; natural gas 810 km (1992)

Ports and harbors: Termiz (Amu Darya)

Airports: 267 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 10 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 under 914 m: 2 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 257 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 222 (2001)

Military Uzbekistan

Military branches: Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, National Guard,
Security Forces (internal security and border troops)

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 6,747,221 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 5,478,766 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 274,602 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $200 million (FY97)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2% (FY97)

Transnational Issues Uzbekistan

Disputes - international: Uzbekistan border largely delimited with Kazakhstan, but unresolved dispute remains over sovereignty of two border villages, Bagys and Turkestan, and around the Arnasay dam; dispute over access to Sokh and other Uzbek enclaves in Kyrgyzstan mars progress on international boundary delimitation; Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan wrestle with sharing limited water resources and the regional environmental degradation caused by the shrinking Aral Sea; the undemarcated northern and western border with Uzbekistan is mined in many sections

Illicit drugs: limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and very small amounts of opium poppy, mostly for domestic consumption, almost entirely eradicated by an effective government eradication program; increasingly used as transshipment point for illicit drugs from Afghanistan to Russia and Western Europe and for acetic anhydride destined for Afghanistan

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Introduction Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Background: Disputed between France and the United Kingdom in the 18th century, Saint Vincent was ceded to the latter in 1783. Autonomy was granted in 1969, and independence in 1979.

Geography Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Location: Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates: 13 15 N, 61 12 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 389 sq km (Saint Vincent 344 sq km) water: 0 sq km land: 389 sq km

Area - comparative: twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 84 km

Maritime claims: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: Climate: tropical; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)

Terrain: volcanic, mountainous

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point:
Soufriere 1,234 m

Natural resources: hydropower, cropland

Land use: arable land: 10% permanent crops: 18% other: 72% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 10 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: hurricanes; Soufriere volcano on the island of Saint
Vincent is a constant threat

Environment - current issues: pollution of coastal waters and shorelines from discharges by pleasure yachts and other effluents; in some areas, pollution is severe enough to make swimming prohibitive

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Geography - note: the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is comprised of 32 islands and cays

People Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Population: 116,394 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 28.9% (male 17,093; female 16,497) 15-64 years: 64.8% (male 38,718; female 36,689) 65 years and over: 6.3% (male 3,188; female 4,209) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.37% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 17.54 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 6.12 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -7.69 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 16.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 74.63 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.01 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Saint Vincentian(s) or Vincentian(s) adjective:
Saint Vincentian or Vincentian

Ethnic groups: black 66%, mixed 19%, East Indian 6%, Carib Amerindian 2%, other 7%

Religions: Anglican 47%, Methodist 28%, Roman Catholic 13%, Hindu
Seventh-Day Adventist, other Protestant

Languages: English, French patois

Literacy: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population:
Government Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Government type: parliamentary democracy; independent sovereign state within the Commonwealth

Capital: Kingstown

Administrative divisions: 6 parishes; Charlotte, Grenadines, Saint
Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint Patrick

Independence: 27 October 1979 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 27 October (1979)

Constitution: 27 October 1979

Legal system: based on English common law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Charles ANTROBUS (since NA) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister head of government: Prime Minister Ralph GONSALVES (since 29 March 2001)

Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly (21 seats, 15 elected representatives and 6 appointed senators; representatives are elected by popular vote from single-member constituencies to serve five-year terms) election results: last held 28 March 2001 (next to be held by March 2006)

Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on Saint Lucia; one judge of the Supreme Court resides in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines)

Political parties and leaders: National Reform Party or NRP [Joel
MIGUEL]; New Democratic Party or NDP [Arnhim EUSTACE]; People's
Progressive Movement or PPM [Ken BOYEA]; Progressive Labor Party or PLP
[leader NA]; United People's Movement or UPM [Adrian SAUNDERS]; Unity
Labor Party or ULP [Ralph GONSALVES] (formed by the coalition of Saint
Vincent Labor Party or SVLP and the Movement for National Unity or MNU)

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC,
FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, ITU, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ellsworth I. A. JOHN chancery: 3216 New [1] (202) 364-6730 FAX: Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; the US Ambassador in Barbados is accredited to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Flag description: three vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold (double width), and green; the gold band bears three green diamonds arranged in a V pattern

Economy Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Economy - overview: Bananas and other agricultural products remain the staple of this lower-middle income country's economy. Although tourism and other services have been growing moderately in recent years, the government has been ineffective at introducing new industries. Unemployment remains high, and economic growth hinges upon seasonal variations in the agricultural and tourism sectors. Tropical storms wiped out substantial portions of crops in 1994 and 1995, and tourism in the Eastern Caribbean has suffered low arrivals following September 11. St. Vincent is home to a small offshore banking sector, but its restrictive secrecy laws have come under international review. As of June 2001, it remained on the Financial Action Task Force's list of noncooperative jurisdictions.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $339 million (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: -0.8% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,900 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 10% industry: 26% services: 64% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): -0.4% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 67,000 (1984 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 26%, industry 17%, services 57% (1980 est.)

Unemployment rate: 22% (1997 est.)

Budget: revenues: $94.6 million expenditures: $85.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Industries: food processing, cement, furniture, clothing, starch

Industrial production growth rate: -0.9% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production: 82 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 73.17% hydro: 26.83% other: 0% (1999) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 76.3 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products: bananas, coconuts, sweet potatoes, spices; small numbers of cattle, sheep, pigs, goats; fish

Exports: $53.7 million (2000 est.)

Exports - commodities: bananas 39%, eddoes and dasheen (taro), arrowroot starch, tennis racquets

Exports - partners: Caricom countries 49%, UK 16%, US 10% (1995)

Imports: $185.6 million (2000 est.)

Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, chemicals and fertilizers, minerals and fuels

Imports - partners: US 36%, Caricom countries 28%, UK 13% (1995)

Debt - external: $167.2 million (2000)

Economic aid - recipient: $47.5 million (1995); note - EU $34.5 million (1998)

Currency: East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code: XCD

Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Telephones - main lines in use: 20,500 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular: NA

Telephone system: general assessment: adequate system domestic: islandwide, fully automatic telephone system; VHF/UHF radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to the other islands of the Grenadines international: VHF/UHF radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to Barbados; new SHF radiotelephone to Grenada and to Saint Lucia; access to Intelsat earth station in Martinique through Saint Lucia

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 77,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (plus three repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 18,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .vc

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 15 (2000)

Internet users: 3,500 (2001)

Transportation Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 1,040 km paved: 320 km unpaved: 720 km (1996)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Kingstown

Merchant marine: total: 788 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 7,000,660 GRT/10,702,776 DWT ships by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 142, cargo 382, chemical tanker 24, combination bulk 11, combination ore/oil 3, container 47, liquefied gas 7, livestock carrier 3, multi-functional large-load carrier 2, passenger 3, petroleum tanker 48, refrigerated cargo 39, roll on/roll off 52, short-sea passenger 13, specialized tanker 10, vehicle carrier 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Albania 1, Anguilla 1, Argentina 1, Australia 2, Bahamas, The 1, Bangladesh 1, Barbados 2, Belgium 4, Bulgaria 14, Canada 1, Cayman Islands 1, China 135, Colombia 1, Croatia 12, Cyprus 6, Denmark 16, Egypt 7, Estonia 6, France 27, Germany 12, Greece 156, Guyana 7, Hong Kong 23, Iceland 1, India 11, Indonesia 3, Israel 2, Italy 19, Japan 1, Kenya 4, Latvia 5, Lebanon 9, Liberia 5, Lithuania 1, Malta 1, Man, Isle of 1, Marshall Islands 3, Mexico 1, Monaco 6, Netherlands 14, Netherlands Antilles 1, Nigeria 3, Norway 33, Pakistan 5, Panama 2, Poland 2, Portugal 2, Puerto Rico 2, Russia 8, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saudi Arabia 3, Singapore 4, Slovenia 7, South Korea 4, Spain 1, Sweden 6, Switzerland 10, Syria 2, Taiwan 1, Thailand 1, Trinidad and Tobago 1, Tunisia 1, Turkey 15, Ukraine 8, United Arab Emirates 45, United Kingdom 16, United States 25, Vietnam 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 6 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2001)

Military Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Military branches: Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (includes Special Service Unit), Coast Guard

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Transnational Issues Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Venezuela

Introduction

Venezuela

Background: Venezuela was one of the three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Colombia and Ecuador). For most of the first half of the 20th century, Venezuela was ruled by generally benevolent military strongmen, who promoted the oil industry and allowed for some social reforms. Democratically-elected governments have held sway since 1959. Current concerns include: an embattled president who is losing his once solid support among Venezuelans, a divided military, drug-related conflicts along the Colombian border, increasing internal drug consumption, overdependence on the petroleum industry with its price fluctuations, and irresponsible mining operations that are endangering the rain forest and indigenous peoples.

Geography Venezuela

Location: Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the
North Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana

Geographic coordinates: 8 00 N, 66 00 W

Map references: South America

Area: total: 912,050 sq km land: 882,050 sq km water: 30,000 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly more than twice the size of California

Land boundaries: total: 4,993 km border countries: Brazil 2,200 km,
Colombia 2,050 km, Guyana 743 km

Coastline: 2,800 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 15 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate: tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands

Terrain: Andes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest; central plains (llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point:
Pico Bolivar (La Columna) 5,007 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other minerals, hydropower, diamonds

Land use: arable land: 3% permanent crops: 1% other: 96% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 540 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: sewage pollution of Lago de Valencia; oil and urban pollution of Lago de Maracaibo; deforestation; soil degradation; urban and industrial pollution, especially along the Caribbean coast; threat to the rainforest ecosystem from irresponsible mining operations

Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping

Geography - note: on major sea and air routes linking North and South America; Angel Falls in the Guiana Highlands is the world's highest waterfall

People Venezuela

Population: 24,287,670 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 31.6% (male 3,955,132; female 3,710,159) 15-64 years: 63.6% (male 7,756,362; female 7,695,738) 65 years and over: 4.8% (male 533,559; female 636,720) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.52% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 20.22 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 4.91 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 24.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 76.81 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.41 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.49% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 62,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 2,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Venezuelan(s) adjective: Venezuelan

Ethnic groups: Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Arab, German, African, indigenous people

Religions: nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2%

Languages: Spanish (official), numerous indigenous dialects

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 91.1% male: 91.8% female: 90.3% (1995 est.)

Government Venezuela

Country name: conventional long form: Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
conventional
 Venezuela local long form:
Government type: federal republic

Capital: Caracas

Administrative divisions: 23 states (estados, singular - estado), 1 federal district* (distrito federal), and 1 federal dependency** (dependencia federal); Amazonas, Anzoategui, Apure, Aragua, Barinas, Bolivar, Carabobo, Cojedes, Delta Amacuro, Dependencias Federales**, Distrito Federal*, Falcon, Guarico, Lara, Merida, Miranda, Monagas, Nueva Esparta, Portuguesa, Sucre, Tachira, Trujillo, Vargas, Yaracuy, Zulia note: the federal dependency consists of 11 federally controlled island groups with a total of 72 individual islands

Independence: 5 July 1811 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Day, 5 July (1811)

Constitution: 30 December 1999

Legal system: based on organic laws as of July 1999; open, adversarial court system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 3 February 1999); Vice President Jose Vicente RANGEL (since 28 April 2002); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 3 February 1999); Vice President Jose Vicente RANGEL (since 28 April 2002); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: CHAVEZ Frias reelected president; percent of vote - 60% elections: held 30 July 2000 (next to be held NA 2006)

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (165 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; three seats reserved for the indigenous peoples of Venezuela) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - pro-government 108 (MVR 92, MAS 6, indigenous 3, other 7), opposition 57 (AD 33, COPEI 6, Justice First 5, other 13) elections: last held 30 July 2000 (next to be held NA 2005)

Judicial branch: Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Tribuna Suprema de Justicia (magistrates are elected by the National Assembly for a single 12-year term)

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Action or AD [Claudio FERMIN];
Fifth Republic Movement or MVR [Garcia PONCE]; Homeland for All or PPT
[Jose ALBORNIZ]; Justice First [Julio BORGES]; Movement Toward Socialism
or MAS [Hector MUJICA]; National Convergence or Convergencia [Juan
Jose CALDERA]; Radical Cause or La Causa R [Antonio HERRERA]; Social
Christian Party or COPEI [Oswaldo ALVAREZ Paz]; Venezuela Project or PV
[Henrique SALAS Romer]

Political pressure groups and leaders: FEDECAMARAS, a conservative business group; VECINOS groups; Venezuelan Confederation of Workers or CTV (labor organization dominated by the Democratic Action)

International organization participation: CAN, Caricom (observer), CCC,
CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-3, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, RG, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: Ambassador Designate Roy CHADERTON
Matos chancery: Chicago, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San
Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico) FAX: [1] (202) 342-6820 telephone:
[1] (202) 342-2214

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Charles SHAPIRO embassy: Calle F con Calle Suapure, Urbanizacion Colinas de Valle Arriba, Caracas 1080 mailing address: P. O. Box 62291, Caracas 1060-A; APO AA 34037 telephone: [58] (0212) 975-9234, 975-6411 FAX: [58] (0212) 975-8991

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), blue, and red with the coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band and an arc of seven white five-pointed stars centered in the blue band

Economy Venezuela

Economy - overview: The petroleum sector dominates the economy, accounting for roughly a third of GDP, around 80% of export earnings, and more than half of government operating revenues. Venezuelan officials estimate that GDP grew by 2.7% in 2001. A strong rebound in international oil prices fueled the recovery from the steep recession in 1999. Nevertheless, a weak nonoil sector and capital flight - and a temporary fall in oil prices - undercut the recovery. In early 2002, President CHAVEZ changed the exchange rate regime from a crawling peg to a free floating exchange rate, causing the bolivar to depreciate significantly.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $146.2 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 2.7% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $6,100 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5% industry: 40% services: 55% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 67% (1997 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 37.6% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 48.8 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 12.3% (2001)

Labor force: 9.9 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation: services 64%, industry 23%, agriculture 13% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate: 14.1% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $21.5 billion expenditures: $27 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Industries: petroleum, iron ore mining, construction materials, food processing, textiles, steel, aluminum, motor vehicle assembly

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 80.754 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 22.87% hydro: 77.13% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 75.101 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: corn, sorghum, sugarcane, rice, bananas, vegetables, coffee; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish

Exports: $29.5 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Exports - commodities: petroleum, bauxite and aluminum, steel, chemicals, agricultural products, basic manufactures

Exports - partners: US 60%, Brazil 5.5%, Colombia 3.5%, Italy 3.5%,
Spain 3.4% (2000)

Imports: $18.4 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Imports - commodities: raw materials, machinery and equipment, transport equipment, construction materials

Imports - partners: US 35.8%, Colombia 6.8%, Brazil 4.5%, Germany 3.9%,
Italy 3.9% (2000)

Debt - external: $34.5 billion (2000)

Economic aid - recipient: $35 million with more assistance likely as a result of flooding (1999)

Currency: bolivar (VEB)

Currency code: VEB

Exchange rates: bolivares per US dollar - 761.225 (January 2002), 723.666 (2001), 679.960 (2000), 605.717 (1999), 547.556 (1998), 488.635 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Venezuela

Telephones - main lines in use: 2.6 million (however, 3,500,000 have been installed) (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 2 million (1998)

Telephone system: general assessment: modern and expanding domestic: domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations; recent substantial improvement in telephone service in rural areas; substantial increase in digitalization of exchanges and trunk lines; installation of a national interurban fiber-optic network capable of digital multimedia services international: (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 PanAmSat; participating with Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia in the construction of an international fiber-optic network

Radio broadcast stations: AM 201, FM NA (20 in Caracas), shortwave 11 (1998)

Radios: 10.75 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 66 (plus 45 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 4.1 million (1997)

Internet country code: .ve

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 16 (2000)

Internet users: 950,000 (2001)

Transportation Venezuela

Railways: total: 682 km standard gauge: 682 km 1.435-m gauge note: 248 km of the existing system are privately owned; passenger services are nonexistent; however, a National Railways Plan, intended to provide a significant railway system, has been initiated (2001)

Highways: total: 96,155 km paved: 32,308 km unpaved: 63,847 km (1997 est.)

Waterways: 7,100 km note: Rio Orinoco and Lago de Maracaibo accept oceangoing vessels

Pipelines: crude oil 6,370 km; petroleum products 480 km; natural gas 4,010 km

Ports and harbors: Amuay, Bajo Grande, El Tablazo, La Guaira, La Salina,
Maracaibo, Matanzas, Palua, Puerto Cabello, Puerto la Cruz, Puerto Ordaz,
Puerto Sucre, Punta Cardon

Merchant marine: total: 45 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 716,361 GRT/1,267,095 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Denmark 1, Greece 1, Italy 1, United Kingdom 1, United States 2 (2002 est.) ships by type: bulk 7, cargo 9, liquefied gas 3, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 14, roll on/roll off 10, short-sea passenger 1

Airports: 372 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 124 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 59 under 914 m: 17 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 32

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 248 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 97 under 914 m: 140 (2001)

Heliports: 1 (2001)

Military Venezuela

Military branches: National Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas Nacionales or
FAN) includes Ground Forces or Army (Fuerzas Terrestres or Ejercito),
Naval Forces (Fuerzas Navales or Armada - including marines and
Coast Guard), Air Force (Fuerzas Aereas or Aviacion), Armed Forces
of Cooperation or National Guard (Fuerzas Armadas de Cooperacion or
Guardia Nacional)

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 6,647,718 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 4,786,849 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 246,185 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $934 million (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.9% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Venezuela

Disputes - international: claims all of Guyana west of the Essequibo (river); maritime boundary dispute with Colombia in the Gulf of Venezuela; several Caribbean states protest Venezuela's claim to Islas des Aves (Bird Islands), 565 km from Venezuelan mainland

Illicit drugs: small-scale illicit producer of opium and coca for the processing of opiates and coca derivatives; however, large quantities of cocaine, heroin, and marijuana transit the country from Colombia bound for US and Europe; important money-laundering center; active eradication program primarily targeting opium; increasing signs of drug-related activities by Colombian insurgents on border

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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British Virgin Islands

Introduction

British Virgin Islands

Background: First settled by the Dutch in 1648, the islands were annexed in 1672 by the English. The economy is closely tied to the larger and more populous US Virgin Islands to the west; the US dollar is the legal currency.

Geography British Virgin Islands

Location: Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic
Ocean, east of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates: 18 30 N, 64 30 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 153 sq km note: comprised of 16 inhabited and more than 20
 0 sq km land:
Area - comparative: about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 80 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 3 NM

Climate: subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds

Terrain: coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point:
Mount Sage 521 m

Natural resources: NEGL

Land use: arable land: 20% permanent crops: 7% other: 73% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October)

Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources (except for a few seasonal streams and springs on Tortola, most of the islands' water supply comes from wells and rainwater catchments)

Geography - note: strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico

People British Virgin Islands

Population: 21,272 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 22.4% (male 2,401; female 2,351) 15-64 years: 72.7% (male 7,962; female 7,509) 65 years and over: 4.9% (male 565; female 484) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.16% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 15.09 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 4.42 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 10.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.17 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 19.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 76.84 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.72 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: British Virgin Islander(s) adjective: British
Virgin Islander

Ethnic groups: black 83%, white, Indian, Asian and mixed

Religions: Protestant 86% (Methodist 33%, Anglican 17%, Church of God 9%,
Seventh-Day Adventist 6%, Baptist 4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2%, other 2%),
Roman Catholic 10%, none 2%, other 2% (1991)

Languages: English (official)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.8% (1991 est.) male: NA% female: NA%

Government British Virgin Islands

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
British Virgin Islands abbreviation: BVI

Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK; internal self-governing

Government type: NA

Capital: Road Town

Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday: Territory Day, 1 July

Constitution: 1 June 1977

Legal system: English law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Francis J. SAVAGE (since NA) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; chief minister appointed by the governor from among the members of the Legislative Council head of government: Chief Minister Ralph T. O'NEAL (since 15 May 1995) cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from members of the Legislative Council

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council (13 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote, one member from each of 9 electoral districts, four at-large members; members serve four-year terms) elections: last held 17 May 1999 (next to be held NA 2003) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - VIP 7, CCM 1, NDP 5

Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of the
High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal (one judge of the Supreme
Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the High Court);
Magistrate's Court; Juvenile Court; Court of Summary Jurisdiction

Political parties and leaders: Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Ethlyn SMITH]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Orlando SMITH]; United Party or UP [Gregory MADURO]; Virgin Islands Party or VIP [Ralph T. O'NEAL]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: Caricom (associate), CDB, ECLAC (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS (associate), UNESCO (associate)

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description: blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Virgin Islander coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms depicts a woman flanked on either side by a vertical column of six oil lamps above a scroll bearing the Latin word VIGILATE (Be Watchful)

Economy British Virgin Islands

Economy - overview: The economy, one of the most stable and prosperous in the Caribbean, is highly dependent on tourism, generating an estimated 45% of the national income. An estimated 350,000 tourists, mainly from the US, visited the islands in 1998. In the mid-1980s, the government began offering offshore registration to companies wishing to incorporate in the islands, and incorporation fees now generate substantial revenues. Roughly 400,000 companies were on the offshore registry by yearend 2000. The adoption of a comprehensive insurance law in late 1994, which provides a blanket of confidentiality with regulated statutory gateways for investigation of criminal offenses, is expected to make the British Virgin Islands even more attractive to international business. Livestock raising is the most important agricultural activity; poor soils limit the islands' ability to meet domestic food requirements. Because of traditionally close links with the US Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands has used the dollar as its currency since 1959.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $311 million (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4.4% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $16,000 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.8% industry: 6.2% services: 92% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.3% (2000)

Labor force: 4,911 (1980)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Unemployment rate: 3% (1995)

Budget: revenues: $121.5 million expenditures: $115.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997)

Industries: tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore financial center

Industrial production growth rate: 4% (1985)

Electricity - production: 42 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (1999) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 39.1 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products: fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish

Exports: $6.2 million (2000 est.)

Exports - commodities: rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand

Exports - partners: Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US

Imports: $230 million (2000 est.)

Imports - commodities: building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery

Imports - partners: Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US

Debt - external: $36.1 million (1997)

Economic aid - recipient: NA

Currency: US dollar (USD)

Currency code: USD

Exchange rates: the US dollar is used

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Communications British Virgin Islands

Telephones - main lines in use: 10,000 (1996)

Telephones - mobile cellular: NA

Telephone system: general assessment: worldwide telephone service domestic: NA international: submarine cable to Bermuda

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 9,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (plus one cable company) (1997)

Televisions: 4,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .vg

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 16 (2000)

Internet users: NA

Transportation British Virgin Islands

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 177 km paved: 177 km unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Road Town

Merchant marine: total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 70,285
GRT/6,946 DWT ships by type: passenger 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 3 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)

Military British Virgin Islands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues British Virgin Islands

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Vietnam

Introduction

Vietnam

Background: France occupied all of Vietnam by 1884. Independence was declared after World War II, but the French continued to rule until 1954 when they were defeated by Communist forces under Ho Chi MINH, who took control of the north. US economic and military aid to South Vietnam grew through the 1960s in an attempt to bolster the government, but US armed forces were withdrawn following a cease-fire agreement in 1973. Two years later North Vietnamese forces overran the south. Economic reconstruction of the reunited country has proven difficult as aging Communist Party leaders have only grudgingly initiated reforms necessary for a free market.

Geography Vietnam

Location: Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, Gulf of
Tonkin, and South China Sea, alongside China, Laos, and Cambodia

Geographic coordinates: 16 00 N, 106 00 E

Map references: Southeast Asia

Area: total: 329,560 sq km land: 325,360 sq km water: 4,200 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than New Mexico

Land boundaries: total: 4,639 km border countries: Cambodia 1,228 km,
China 1,281 km, Laos 2,130 km

Coastline: 3,444 km (excludes islands)

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate: tropical in south; monsoonal in north with hot, rainy season (mid-May to mid-September) and warm, dry season (mid-October to mid-March)

Terrain: low, flat delta in south and north; central highlands; hilly, mountainous in far north and northwest

Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point:
Ngoc Linh 3,143 m

Natural resources: phosphates, coal, manganese, bauxite, chromate, offshore oil and gas deposits, forests, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 17% permanent crops: 5% other: 78% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 30,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: occasional typhoons (May to January) with extensive flooding, especially in the Mekong River delta

Environment - current issues: logging and slash-and-burn agricultural practices contribute to deforestation and soil degradation; water pollution and overfishing threaten marine life populations; groundwater contamination limits potable water supply; growing urban industrialization and population migration are rapidly degrading environment in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Geography - note: extending 1,650
km north to south, the country is only 50 km across at its narrowest point

People Vietnam

Population: 81,098,416 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 31.6% (male 13,259,152; female 12,392,089) 15-64 years: (male 1,749,531; female 2,675,865) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.43% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 20.89 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 6.14 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 29.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 72.5 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.44 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.24% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 100,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 2,500 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Vietnamese (singular and plural) adjective: Vietnamese

Ethnic groups: Vietnamese 85%-90%, Chinese, Hmong, Thai, Khmer, Cham, mountain groups

Religions: Buddhist, Hoa Hao, Cao Dai, Christian (predominantly Roman
Catholic, some Protestant), indigenous beliefs, Muslim

Languages: Vietnamese (official), English (increasingly favored as a second language), some French, Chinese, and Khmer; mountain area languages (Mon-Khmer and Malayo-Polynesian)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93.7% male: 96.5% female: 91.2% (1995 est.)

Government Vietnam

Country name: conventional long form: Socialist Republic of Vietnam conventional short form: Vietnam local short form: Viet Nam abbreviation: SRV local long form: Cong Hoa Xa Hoi Chu Nghia Viet Nam

Government type: Communist state

Capital: Hanoi

Administrative divisions: 58 provinces (tinh, singular and plural), and
3 municipalities* (thu do, singular and plural); An Giang, Bac Giang,
Bac Kan, Bac Lieu, Bac Ninh, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Ben Tre, Binh Dinh, Binh
Duong, Binh Phuoc, Binh Thuan, Ca Mau, Can Tho, Cao Bang, Dac Lak, Da
Nang, Dong Nai, Dong Thap, Gia Lai, Ha Giang, Hai Duong, Hai Phong*,
Ha Nam, Ha Noi*, Ha Tay, Ha Tinh, Hoa Binh, Ho Chi Minh*, Hung Yen,
Khanh Hoa, Kien Giang, Kon Tum, Lai Chau, Lam Dong, Lang Son, Lao Cai,
Long An, Nam Dinh, Nghe An, Ninh Binh, Ninh Thuan, Phu Tho, Phu Yen,
Quang Binh, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Quang Ninh, Quang Tri, Soc Trang,
Son La, Tay Ninh, Thai Binh, Thai Nguyen, Thanh Hoa, Thua Thien-Hue,
Tien Giang, Tra Vinh, Tuyen Quang, Vinh Long, Vinh Phuc, Yen Bai

Independence: 2 September 1945 (from France)

National holiday: Independence Day, 2 September (1945)

Constitution: 15 April 1992

Legal system: based on communist legal theory and French civil law system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Tran Duc LUONG (since 24 September 1997) elections: president elected by the National Assembly from among its members for a five-year term; election last held 24 September 1997 (next to be held when National Assembly meets following legislative elections in May 2002); prime minister appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly; deputy prime ministers appointed by the prime minister head of government: Prime Minister Phan Van KHAI (since 25 September 1997); First Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Tan DUNG (since 29 September 1997); Deputy Prime Ministers Vu KHOAN (since NA) and Pham Gia KHIEM (since 29 September 1997) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the proposal of the prime minister and ratification of the National Assembly election results: Tran Duc LUONG elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - NA%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Quoc-Hoi (498 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 19 May 2002 (next to be held 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - CPV 90%, other 10% (the 10% are not CPV members but are approved by the CPV to stand for election); seats by party - CPV 447, CPV-approved 51

Judicial branch: Supreme People's Court (chief justice is elected for a five-year term by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president)

Political parties and leaders: only party - Communist Party of Vietnam or CPV [Nong Duc MANH, general secretary]

Political pressure groups and leaders: none

International organization participation: ACCT, APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN,
CCC, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Nguyen Tam CHIEN consulate(s) general: San [1] (202) 861-0737 chancery: Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Raymond F. BURGHARDT embassy: 7 Lang Ha Road, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi mailing address: PSC 461, Box 400, FPO AP 96521-0002 telephone: [84] (4) 772-1500 FAX: [84] (4) 772-1510 consulate(s) general: Ho Chi Minh City

Flag description: red with a large yellow five-pointed star in the center

Economy Vietnam

Economy - overview: Vietnam is a poor, densely populated country that has had to recover from the ravages of war, the loss of financial support from the old Soviet Bloc, and the rigidities of a centrally planned economy. Substantial progress was achieved from 1986 to 1996 in moving forward from an extremely low starting point - growth averaged around 9% per year from 1993 to 1997. The 1997 Asian financial crisis highlighted the problems in the Vietnamese economy but, rather than prompting reform, reaffirmed the government's belief that shifting to a market oriented economy leads to disaster. GDP growth of 8.5% in 1997 fell to 6% in 1998 and 5% in 1999. Growth then rose to 6.8% in 2000 and dropped back to 4.7% in 2001 against the background of global recession. These numbers mask some major difficulties in economic performance. Many domestic industries, including coal, cement, steel, and paper, have reported large stockpiles of inventory and tough competition from more efficient foreign producers. Meanwhile, Vietnamese authorities have moved slowly in implementing the structural reforms needed to revitalize the economy and produce more competitive, export-driven industries. The US-Vietnam Bilateral Trade Agreement entered into force near the end of 2001 and is expected to significantly increase Vietnam's exports to the US. The US is assisting Vietnam with implementing the legal and structural reforms called for in the agreement.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $168.1 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4.7% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,100 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 25% industry: 35% services: 40% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 37% (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.6% highest 10%: 29.9% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 36.1 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): -0.3% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 38.2 million (1998 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 67%, industry and services 33% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate: 25% (1995 est.)

Budget: revenues: $5.3 billion expenditures: $5.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.8 billion (1999 est.)

Industries: food processing, garments, shoes, machine building, mining, cement, chemical fertilizer, glass, tires, oil, coal, steel, paper

Industrial production growth rate: 10.4% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 25.775 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 40.74% hydro: 59.26% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 23.97 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: paddy rice, corn, potatoes, rubber, soybeans, coffee, tea, bananas, sugar; poultry, pigs; fish

Exports: $15.1 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: crude oil, marine products, rice, coffee, rubber, tea, garments, shoes

Exports - partners: Japan 18.1%, China 10.6%, Australia 8.8%, Singapore 6.1%, Taiwan 5.2%, Germany 5.1%, US 5.1% (2000)

Imports: $15.3 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, petroleum products, fertilizer, steel products, raw cotton, grain, cement, motorcycles

Imports - partners: Singapore 17.7%, Japan 14.4%, Taiwan 12.1%, South
Korea 11.1%, China 9.1%, Thailand 5.2%, Hong Kong 3.9% (2000)

Debt - external: $13.2 billion (2000)

Economic aid - recipient: $2.1 billion in credits and grants pledged by international donors for 2000

Currency: dong (VND)

Currency code: VND

Exchange rates: dong per US dollar - 15,085 (January 2002), 14,725 (2001), 14,168 (2000), 13,943 (1999), 13,268 (1998), 11,683 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Vietnam

Telephones - main lines in use: 2.6 million (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 730,155 (2000)

Telephone system: general assessment: Vietnam is putting considerable effort into modernization and expansion of its telecommunication system, but its performance continues to lag behind that of its more modern neighbors domestic: all provincial exchanges are digitalized and connected to Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City by fiber-optic cable or microwave radio relay networks; since 1991, main lines in use have been substantially increased and the use of mobile telephones is growing rapidly international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 65, FM 7, shortwave 29 (1999)

Radios: 8.2 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: at least 7 (plus 13 repeaters) (1998)

Televisions: 3.57 million (1997)

Internet country code: .vn

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 5 (2000)

Internet users: 160,000 (2001)

Transportation Vietnam

Railways: 209 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 1.435-m and 1.000-m gauges (2001)

Highways: total: 93,300 km paved: 23,418 km unpaved: 69,882 km (1996)

Waterways: 17,702 km note: more than 5,149 km are navigable at all times by vessels up to 1.8 m draft

Pipelines: petroleum products 150 km

Ports and harbors: Cam Ranh, Da Nang, Haiphong, Ho Chi Minh City,
Ha Long, Quy Nhon, Nha Trang, Vinh, Vung Tau

Merchant marine: total: 153 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 782,912 GRT/1,173,186 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Cambodia 1, Japan 1, Singapore 1, United Kingdom 2 (2002 est.) ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 113, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk 1, container 5, liquefied gas 2, petroleum tanker 20, refrigerated cargo 2

Airports: 34 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 17 over 3,047 m: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 17 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 8 (2001)

Military Vietnam

Military branches: People's Army of Vietnam (includes Ground Forces,
People's Navy Command [including Naval Infantry], Air and Air Defense
Force, Coast Guard)

Military manpower - military age: 17 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 22,220,891 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 13,978,653 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 961,124 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $650 million (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.5% (FY98)

Transnational Issues Vietnam

Disputes - international: Vietnam disputes several offshore islands with Cambodia, preventing delimitation of a maritime boundary; Cambodia accuses Vietnam of territorial encroachments and initiating armed border incidents in seven provinces; demarcation of boundaries with Laos is nearing completion, but Laos protests Vietnamese squatters; involved in a complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, and possibly Brunei; maritime boundary with China in the Gulf of Tonkin still awaits ratification; Paracel Islands occupied by China but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam; demarcation of the land boundary with China has commenced, but details of the alignment have not been made public

Illicit drugs: minor producer of opium poppy with 2,300 hectares cultivated in 2001, capable of producing 15 metric tons of opium; probable minor transit point for Southeast Asian heroin; domestic opium/heroin/methamphetamine addiction problems

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Virgin Islands

Introduction

Virgin Islands

Background: During the 17th century, the archipelago was divided into two territorial units, one English and the other Danish. Sugarcane, produced by slave labor, drove the islands' economy during the 18th and early 19th centuries. In 1917, the US purchased the Danish portion, which had been in economic decline since the abolition of slavery in 1848.

Geography Virgin Islands

Location: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North
Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates: 18 20 N, 64 50 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 352 sq km water: 3 sq km land: 349 sq km

Area - comparative: twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 188 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season May to November

Terrain: mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point:
Crown Mountain 474 m

Natural resources: sun, sand, sea, surf

Land use: arable land: 15% permanent crops: 6% other: 79% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes

Environment - current issues: lack of natural freshwater resources

Geography - note: important location along the Anegada Passage - a key shipping lane for the Panama Canal; Saint Thomas has one of the best natural deepwater harbors in the Caribbean

People Virgin Islands

Population: 123,498 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 26.7% (male 16,926; female 16,012) 15-64 years: 64.2% (male 35,801; female 43,443) 65 years and over: 9.1% (male 4,851; female 6,465) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.04% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 15.85 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 5.58 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.82 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.87 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 9.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 82.53 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.24 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Virgin Islander(s) adjective: Virgin Islander

Ethnic groups: black 80%, white 15%, other 5% note: West Indian (45% born in the Virgin Islands and 29% born elsewhere in the West Indies) 74%, US mainland 13%, Puerto Rican 5%, other 8%

Religions: Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7%

Languages: English (official), Spanish, Creole

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Virgin Islands

Country name: conventional long form: United States Virgin Islands conventional short form: Virgin Islands former: Danish West Indies

Dependency status: organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy relations between the Virgin Islands and the US under the jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior

Government type: NA

Capital: Charlotte Amalie

Administrative divisions: none (territory of the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are three islands at the second order; Saint Croix, Saint John, Saint Thomas

National holiday: Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US), 27 March (1917)

Constitution: Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954

Legal system: based on US laws

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; note - indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

Executive branch: chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (Since 20 January 2001) election results: Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL elected governor; percent of vote - Dr. Charles W. TURNBULL (Democrat) 58.9%, former Governor Roy L. SCHNEIDER (ICM) 41.1% elections: US president and vice president elected on the same ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 3 November 1998 (next to be held NA November 2002) head of government: Governor Gererd LUZ James II (since 5 January 1999) cabinet: NA

Legislative branch: unicameral Senate (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms) elections: last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2002) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Democratic Party 6, ICM 2, independents 4, no party affiliation 3 note: the Virgin Islands elects one non-voting representative to the US House of Representatives; election last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2002); results - Donna M. CHRISTIAN-CHRISTENSON (Democrat) elected

Judicial branch: US District Court of the Virgin Islands (under Third Circuit jurisdiction); Territorial Court (judges appointed by the governor for 10-year terms)

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party [Arturo WATLINGTON];
Independent Citizens' Movement or ICM [Usie RICHARDS]; Republican Party
[Gary SPRAUVE]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ECLAC (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of the US)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of the US)

Flag description: white, with a modified US coat of arms in the center between the large blue initials V and I; the coat of arms shows a yellow eagle holding an olive branch in one talon and three arrows in the other with a superimposed shield of vertical red and white stripes below a blue panel

Economy Virgin Islands

Economy - overview: Tourism is the primary economic activity, accounting for more than 70% of GDP and 70% of employment. The islands normally host 2 million visitors a year. The manufacturing sector consists of petroleum refining, textiles, electronics, pharmaceuticals, and watch assembly. The agricultural sector is small, with most food being imported. International business and financial services are a small but growing component of the economy. One of the world's largest petroleum refineries is at Saint Croix. The islands are subject to substantial damage from storms. The government is working to improve fiscal discipline, support construction projects in the private sector, expand tourist facilities, reduce crime, and protect the environment.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.8 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: NA%

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $15,000 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

Labor force: 48,356 (2002 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 1%, industry 20%, services 79% (1990 est.)

Unemployment rate: 4.9% (March 1999)

Budget: revenues: $364.4 million expenditures: $364.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1990 est.)

Industries: tourism, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum distilling, construction, pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 1.02 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (1999) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 948.6 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products: fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle

Exports: $NA

Exports - commodities: refined petroleum products

Exports - partners: US, Puerto Rico

Imports: $NA

Imports - commodities: crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials

Imports - partners: US, Puerto Rico

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid - recipient: $NA

Currency: US dollar (USD)

Currency code: USD

Exchange rates: the US dollar is used

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

Communications Virgin Islands

Telephones - main lines in use: 62,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 2,000 (1992)

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: modern, uses fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay international: submarine cable and satellite communications; satellite earth stations - NA

Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 11, shortwave 0 (2002)

Radios: 107,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 2 (2002)

Televisions: 68,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .vi

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 50 (2000)

Internet users: 12,000 (2000)

Transportation Virgin Islands

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 856 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (2000)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Charlotte Amalie, Christiansted, Cruz Bay, Port
Alucroix

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: 2 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2001)

Military Virgin Islands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Virgin Islands

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Holy See (Vatican City)

Introduction Holy See (Vatican City)

Background: Popes in their secular role ruled portions of the Italian peninsula for more than a thousand years until the mid 19th century, when many of the Papal States were seized by the newly united Kingdom of Italy. In 1870, the pope's holdings were further circumscribed when Rome itself was annexed. Disputes between a series of "prisoner" popes and Italy were resolved in 1929 by three Lateran Treaties, which established the independent state of Vatican City and granted Roman Catholicism special status in Italy. In 1984, a concordat between the Holy See and Italy modified certain of the earlier treaty provisions, including the primacy of Roman Catholicism as the Italian state religion. Present concerns of the Holy See include the failing health of Pope John Paul II, interreligious dialogue and reconciliation, and the adjustment of church doctrine in an era of rapid change and globalization. About 1 billion people worldwide profess the Catholic faith.

Geography Holy See (Vatican City)

Location: Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy)

Geographic coordinates: 41 54 N, 12 27 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 0.44 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 0.44 sq km

Area - comparative: about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC

Land boundaries: total: 3.2 km border countries: Italy 3.2 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to mid-May) with hot, dry summers (May to September)

Terrain: low hill

Elevation extremes: lowest point: unnamed location 19 m highest point: unnamed location 75 m

Natural resources: none

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (urban area) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: NA

Environment - international agreements: none of the selected agreements signed, but not ratified: Geography - note: urban; landlocked; enclave of Rome, Italy; world's smallest state; outside the Vatican City, 13 buildings in Rome and Castel Gandolfo (the pope's summer residence) enjoy extraterritorial rights

People Holy See (Vatican City)

Population: 900 (July 2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.15% (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: none adjective: none

Ethnic groups: Italians, Swiss, other

Religions: Roman Catholic

Languages: Italian, Latin, French, various other languages

Literacy: definition: NA total population: 100% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Holy See (Vatican City)

Country name: conventional long form: The Holy See (State of the Vatican
City) conventional short form: Holy See (Vatican City) local short form:
Santa Sede (Citta del Vaticano) local long form: Santa Sede (Stato della
Citta del Vaticano)

Government type: ecclesiastical

Capital: Vatican City

Administrative divisions: none

Independence: 11 February 1929 (from Italy)

National holiday: Coronation Day of Pope JOHN PAUL II, 22 October (1978)

Constitution: Apostolic Constitution of 1967 (effective 1 March 1968)

Legal system: NA

Suffrage: limited to cardinals less than 80 years old

Executive branch: chief of state: Pope JOHN PAUL II (since 16 October 1978) head of government: Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo SODANO (since 2 December Pontifical Commission appointed by the pope elections: 16 October 1978 (next to be held after the death of the current pope); secretary of state appointed by the pope election results: Karol WOJTYLA elected pope

Legislative branch: unicameral Pontifical Commission

Judicial branch: there are three tribunals responsible for civil and criminal matters within Vatican City; three other tribunals rule on issues pertaining to the Holy See note: judicial duties were established by the Motu Proprio of Pius XII on 1 May 1946

Political parties and leaders: none

Political pressure groups and leaders: none (exclusive of influence exercised by church officers)

International organization participation: CE (observer), IAEA, ICFTU, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM (guest), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR, UPU, WHO (observer), WIPO, WToO (observer), WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop
Gabriel MONTALVO telephone: Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador R. James "Jim" NICHOLSON embassy: Villa Domiziana, Via delle Terme Deciane 26, 00162 Rome mailing address: PSC 59, Box F, APO AE 09624 telephone: [39] (06) 4674-3428 FAX: [39] (06) 5758346

Flag description: two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side) and white with the crossed keys of Saint Peter and the papal miter centered in the white band

Economy Holy See (Vatican City)

Economy - overview: This unique, noncommercial economy is supported financially by contributions (known as Peter's Pence) from Roman Catholics throughout the world, the sale of postage stamps and tourist mementos, fees for admission to museums, and the sale of publications. The incomes and living standards of lay workers are comparable to, or somewhat better than, those of counterparts who work in the city of Rome.

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Labor force: NA

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%; note - dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and 3,000 lay workers live outside the Vatican

Budget: revenues: $209.6 million expenditures: $198.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997)

Industries: printing and production of a small amount of mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide banking and financial activities

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: NA% hydro: NA% nuclear:
NA% other: NA%

Electricity - consumption: NA kWh

Electricity - imports: NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy

Economic aid - recipient: none

Currency: euro (EUR); Italian lira (ITL)

Currency code: EUR; ITL

Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); Vatican lire per US dollar - 2,099 (2000), 1817.2 (1999), 1,736.2 (1998), 1,703.1 (1997); note - the Vatican lira is at par with the Italian lira; the Vatican started using euros in 2002 in conjunction with Italy at a fixed rate of 1,936.17 lire per euro

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Holy See (Vatican City)

Telephones - main lines in use: NA

Telephones - mobile cellular: NA

Telephone system: general assessment: automatic exchange domestic: tied into Italian system international: uses Italian system

Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 1 (1996)

Televisions: NA

Internet country code: .va

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA

Internet users: NA

Transportation Holy See (Vatican City)

Railways: total: 0.86 km standard gauge: 0.86 km 1.435-m gauge note: a spur of the Italian Railways system, serving Rome's Saint Peter's station (2001 est.)

Highways: none; all city streets

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: none

Airports: none (2001)

Heliports: 1 (2001)

Military Holy See (Vatican City)

Military branches: Swiss Guards Corps (Corpo della Guardia Svizzera)

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Italy; Swiss Papal Guards are posted at entrances to the Vatican City to provide security and protect the Pope

Transnational Issues Holy See (Vatican City)

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Namibia

Introduction

Namibia

Background: South Africa occupied the German colony of South-West Africa during World War I and administered it as a mandate until after World War II when it annexed the territory. In 1966 the Marxist South-West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) guerrilla group launched a war of independence for the area that was soon named Namibia, but it was not until 1988 that South Africa agreed to end its administration in accordance with a UN peace plan for the entire region. Independence came in 1990.

Geography Namibia

Location: Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between
Angola and South Africa

Geographic coordinates: 22 00 S, 17 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 825,418 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 825,418 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly more than half the size of Alaska

Land boundaries: total: 3,936 km border countries: Angola 1,376 km,
Botswana 1,360 km, South Africa 967 km, Zambia 233 km

Coastline: 1,572 km

Maritime claims: 200 NM territorial sea: Climate: desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic

Terrain: mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari Desert in east

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Konigstein 2,606 m

Natural resources: diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, lead, tin, lithium, cadmium, zinc, salt, vanadium, natural gas, hydropower, fish note: suspected deposits of oil, coal, and iron ore

Land use: arable land: 1% permanent crops: 0% other: 99% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 70 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: prolonged periods of drought

Environment - current issues: very limited natural fresh water resources; desertification; wildlife poaching; land degradation has led to few conservation areas

Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Marine Living
Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,
Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: first country in the world to incorporate the protection of the environment into its constitution; some 14% of the land is protected, including virtually the entire Namib Desert coastal strip

People Namibia

Population: 1,820,916 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 42.6% (male 392,706; female 382,690) 15-64 years: 53.7% (male 490,151; female 488,052) 65 years and over: 3.7% (male 29,345; female 37,972) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.19% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 34.17 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 22.28 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 72.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 37.07 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 4.77 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 19.54% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 160,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 18,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Namibian(s) adjective: Namibian

Ethnic groups: black 87.5%, white 6%, mixed 6.5% note: about 50% of the population belong to the Ovambo tribe and 9% to the Kavangos tribe; other ethnic groups are: Herero 7%, Damara 7%, Nama 5%, Caprivian 4%, Bushmen 3%, Baster 2%, Tswana 0.5%

Religions: Christian 80% to 90% (Lutheran 50% at least), indigenous beliefs 10% to 20%

Languages: English 7% (official), Afrikaans common language of most of the population and about 60% of the white population, German 32%, indigenous languages: Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 38% male: 45% female: 31% (1960 est.)

Government Namibia

Country name: Republic of Namibia conventional short form: Government type: republic

Capital: Windhoek

Administrative divisions: 13 regions; Caprivi, Erongo, Hardap, Karas,
Khomas, Kunene, Ohangwena, Okavango, Omaheke, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto,
Otjozondjupa

Independence: 21 March 1990 (from South African mandate)

National holiday: Independence Day, 21 March (1990)

Constitution: ratified 9 February 1990; effective 12 March 1990

Legal system: based on Roman-Dutch law and 1990 constitution

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA (since 21 March 1990); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA (since 21 March 1990); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 30 November-1 December 1999 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA elected president; percent of vote - Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA 77%

Legislative branch: bicameral legislature consists of the National Council (26 seats; two members are chosen from each regional council to serve six-year terms) and the National Assembly (72 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: National Council - elections for regional councils, to determine members of the National Council, held 30 November-1 December 1998 (next to be held by December 2004); National Assembly - last held 30 November-1 December 1999 (next to be held by December 2004) note: the National Council is primarily an advisory body election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - SWAPO 21, DTA 4, UDF 1; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - SWAPO 76%, COD 10%, DTA 9%, UDF 3%, MAG 1%, other 1%; seats by party - SWAPO 55, COD 7, DTA 7, UDF 2, MAG 1,

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission)

Political parties and leaders: Congress of Democrats or COD [Ben ULENGA];
Democratic Turnhalle Alliance of Namibia or DTA [Katuutire KAURA,
president]; Monitor Action Group or MAG [Kosie PRETORIUS]; South West
Africa People's Organization or SWAPO [Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA]; United
Democratic Front or UDF [Justus GAROEB]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO,
G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU,
OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WCL,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Leonard
Nangolo IIPUMBU chancery: 1605 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington,
DC 20009 FAX: [1] (202) 986-0443 telephone: [1] (202) 986-0540

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Kevin J. McGUIRE embassy: Ausplan Building, 14 Lossen Street, Windhoek mailing address: Private Bag 12029 Ausspannplatz, Windhoek telephone: [264] (61) 221601 FAX: [264] (61) 229792

Flag description: a large blue triangle with a yellow sunburst fills the upper left section and an equal green triangle (solid) fills the lower right section; the triangles are separated by a red stripe that is contrasted by two narrow white-edge borders

Economy Namibia

Economy - overview: The economy is heavily dependent on the extraction and processing of minerals for export. Mining accounts for 20% of GDP. Namibia is the fourth-largest exporter of nonfuel minerals in Africa and the world's fifth-largest producer of uranium. Rich alluvial diamond deposits make Namibia a primary source for gem-quality diamonds. Namibia also produces large quantities of lead, zinc, tin, silver, and tungsten. About half of the population depends on agriculture (largely subsistence agriculture) for its livelihood. Namibia must import some of its food. Although per capita GDP is five times the per capita GDP of Africa's poorest countries, the majority of Namibia's people live in pronounced poverty because of large-scale unemployment, the great inequality of income distribution, and the large amount of wealth going to foreigners. The Namibian economy has close links to South Africa. Agreement has been reached on the privatization of several more enterprises in coming years, which should stimulate long-run foreign investment.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $8.1 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $4,500 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11% industry: 28% services: 61% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8.8% (2001)

Labor force: 500,000

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 47%, industry 20%, services 33% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: 30% to 40%, including underemployment (1997 est.)

Budget: revenues: $883 million expenditures: $950 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998)

Industries: meatpacking, fish processing, dairy products; mining (diamond, lead, zinc, tin, silver, tungsten, uranium, copper)

Industrial production growth rate: NA

Electricity - production: 30 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 2% other: 0% (2000) hydro: 98% nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 890.9 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 863 million kWh note: supplied by South Africa (2000)

Agriculture - products: millet, sorghum, peanuts; livestock; fish

Exports: $1.58 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead, uranium; cattle, processed fish, karakul skins

Exports - partners: UK 43%, South Africa 26%, Spain 14%, France 8%,
Japan (1998 est.)

Imports: $1.71 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: foodstuffs; petroleum products and fuel, machinery and equipment, chemicals

Imports - partners: South Africa 81%, US 4%, Germany 2% (1997 est.)

Debt - external: $217 million (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $127 million (1998)

Currency: Namibian dollar (NAD); South African rand (ZAR)

Currency code: NAD; ZAR

Exchange rates: Namibian dollars per US dollar - 11.58786 (January 2002), 8.60918 (2001), 6.93983 (2000), 6.10948 (1999), 5.52828 (1998), 4.60796 (1997)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Communications Namibia

Telephones - main lines in use: 110,200 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 82,000 (2000)

Telephone system: general assessment: good system; about 6 telephones for each 100 persons domestic: good urban services; fair rural service; microwave radio relay links major towns; connections to other populated places are by open wire; 100% digital international: fiber-optic cable to South Africa, microwave radio relay link to Botswana, direct links to other neighboring countries; connected to Africa ONE and South African Far East (SAFE) submarine cables through South Africa; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (2002)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 39, shortwave 4 (2001)

Radios: 232,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 8 (plus about 20 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 60,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .na

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)

Internet users: 30,000 (2001)

Transportation Namibia

Railways: total: 2,382 km narrow gauge: 2,382 km 1.067-m gauge (2001)

Highways: total: 64,800 km paved: 5,378 km unpaved: 59,430 km (2001)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Luderitz, Walvis Bay

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: 137 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 22 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: 21 914 to 1,523 m: Military Namibia

Military branches: National Defense Force (Army, including Air Wing),
Police

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 436,642 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 260,879 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $104.4 million (2001)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.6% (FY97/98)

Transnational Issues Namibia

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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West Bank

Introduction West Bank

Background: The Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements (the DOP), signed in Washington on 13 September 1993, provided for a transitional period not exceeding five years of Palestinian interim self-government in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Under the DOP, Israel agreed to transfer certain powers and responsibilities to the Palestinian Authority, which includes the Palestinian Legislative Council elected in January 1996, as part of the interim self-governing arrangements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. A transfer of powers and responsibilities for the Gaza Strip and Jericho took place pursuant to the Israel-PLO 4 May 1994 Cairo Agreement on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area and in additional areas of the West Bank pursuant to the Israel-PLO 28 September 1995 Interim Agreement, the Israel-PLO 15 January 1997 Protocol Concerning Redeployment in Hebron, the Israel-PLO 23 October 1998 Wye River Memorandum, and the 4 September 1999 Sharm el-Sheikh Agreement. The DOP provides that Israel will retain responsibility during the transitional period for external security and for internal security and public order of settlements and Israeli citizens. Direct negotiations to determine the permanent status of Gaza and West Bank had begun in September 1999 after a three-year hiatus, but have been derailed by a second intifadah that broke out in September 2000. The resulting widespread violence in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Israel's military response, and instability within the Palestinian Authority continue to undermine progress toward a permanent agreement.

Geography West Bank

Location: Middle East, west of Jordan

Geographic coordinates: 32 00 N, 35 15 E

Map references: Middle East

Area: total: 5,860 sq km note: includes West Bank, Latrun Salient, and the northwest quarter of the Dead Sea, but excludes Mt. Scopus; East Jerusalem and Jerusalem No Man's Land are also included only as a means of depicting the entire area occupied by Israel in 1967 water: 220 sq km land: 5,640 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Delaware

Land boundaries: total: 404 km border countries: Israel 307 km, Jordan 97 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: temperate; temperature and precipitation vary with altitude, warm to hot summers, cool to mild winters

Terrain: mostly rugged dissected upland, some vegetation in west, but barren in east

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m highest point: Tall
Asur 1,022 m

Natural resources: arable land

Land use: arable land: NEGL% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: droughts

Environment - current issues: adequacy of fresh water supply; sewage treatment

Geography - note: landlocked; highlands are main recharge area for
Israel's coastal aquifers; there are 231 Israeli settlements and
civilian land use sites in the West Bank and 29 in East Jerusalem
(August 2001 est.)

People West Bank

Population: 2,163,667 (July 2002 est.) note: in addition, there are about 182,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank and about 176,000 in East Jerusalem (August 2001 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 44.4% (male 492,446; female 468,321) 15-64 years: 52% (male 575,282; female 550,793) 65 years and over: 3.6% (male 33,163; female 43,662) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.39% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 34.94 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 4.26 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 3.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 21.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 74.29 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 4.77 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: NA adjective: NA

Ethnic groups: Palestinian Arab and other 83%, Jewish 17%

Religions: Muslim 75% (predominantly Sunni), Jewish 17%, Christian and other 8%

Languages: Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers and many
Palestinians), English (widely understood)

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Government West Bank

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
West Bank

Economy West Bank

Economy - overview: Economic output in the West Bank is governed by the Paris Economic Protocol of April 1994 between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Real per capita GDP for the West Bank and Gaza Strip (WBGS) declined by about one-third between 1992 and 1996 due to the combined effect of falling aggregate incomes and rapid population growth. The downturn in economic activity was largely the result of Israeli closure policies - the imposition of border closures in response to security incidents in Israel - which disrupted labor and commodity market relationships between Israel and the WBGS. The most serious social effect of this downturn was rising unemployment; unemployment in the WBGS during the 1980s was generally under 5%; by 1995 it had risen to over 20%. Israel's use of comprehensive closures during the next five years decreased and, in 1998, Israel implemented new policies to reduce the impact of closures and other security procedures on the movement of Palestinian goods and labor. These changes fueled an almost three-year-long economic recovery in the West Bank and Gaza Strip; real GDP grew by 5% in 1998 and 6% in 1999. Recovery was upended in the last quarter of 2000 with the outbreak of Palestinian violence, which triggered tight Israeli closures of Palestinian self-rule areas and severely disrupted trade and labor movements. In 2001, and even more severely in 2002, internal turmoil and Israeli military measures in Palestinian Authority areas have resulted in the destruction of much capital plant and administrative structure, widespread business closures, and a sharp drop in GDP. Another major loss has been the decline in earnings of Palestinian workers in Israel.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $2.1 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: -35% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 9% industry: 28% services: 63% note: includes Gaza Strip (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line: 50% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1% (includes Gaza Strip) (2001 est.)

Labor force: NA

Labor force - by occupation: services 66%, industry 21%, agriculture 13% (1996)

Unemployment rate: 26% (includes Gaza Strip) (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $930 million note: includes Gaza Strip (2000 est.) expenditures: $1.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $15 million

Industries: generally small family businesses that produce cement, textiles, soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs; the Israelis have established some small-scale, modern industries in the settlements and industrial centers

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: NA kWh; note - most electricity imported from Israel; East Jerusalem Electric Company buys and distributes electricity to Palestinians in East Jerusalem and its concession in the West Bank; the Israel Electric Company directly supplies electricity to most Jewish residents and military facilities; at the same time, some Palestinian municipalities, such as Nablus and Janin, generate their own electricity from small power plants

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: NA% hydro: NA% nuclear:
NA% other: NA%

Electricity - consumption: NA kWh

Electricity - imports: NA kWh

Agriculture - products: olives, citrus, vegetables; beef, dairy products

Exports: $603 million (includes Gaza Strip) (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: olives, fruit, vegetables, limestone

Exports - partners: Israel, Jordan, Gaza Strip

Imports: $1.9 billion (includes Gaza Strip) (c.i.f., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: food, consumer goods, construction materials

Imports - partners: Israel, Jordan, Gaza Strip

Debt - external: $108 million (includes Gaza Strip) (1997 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $800 million disbursed (includes Gaza Strip) (2001 est.)

Currency: new Israeli shekel (ILS); Jordanian dinar (JOD)

Currency code: ILS; JOD

Exchange rates: new Israeli shekels per US dollar - 4.2757 (December 2001), 4.2057 (2001), 4.0773 (2000), 4.1397 (1999), 3.8001 (1998), 3.4494 (1997); Jordanian dinars per US dollar - fixed rate of 0.7090 (from 1996)

Fiscal year: calendar year (since 1 January 1992)

Communications West Bank

Telephones - main lines in use: 95,729 (total for West Bank and Gaza
Strip) (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: NA

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: NA note: Israeli company BEZEK and the Palestinian company PALTEL are responsible for communication services in the West Bank

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 note: the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation broadcasts from an AM station in Ramallah on 675 kHz; numerous local, private stations are reported to be in operation (2000)

Radios: NA; note - most Palestinian households have radios (1999)

Television broadcast stations: NA

Televisions: NA; note - many Palestinian households have televisions (1999)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 8 (1999)

Internet users: 60,000 (includes Gaza Strip) (2001)

Transportation West Bank

Railways: 0 km

Highways: 1,800 km (1997 est.) note: Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: none

Airports: 3 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2001)

Military West Bank

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Transnational Issues West Bank

Disputes - international: West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be determined through further negotiation

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Wallis and Futuna

Introduction

Wallis and Futuna

Background: Although discovered by the Dutch and the British in the 17th and 18th centuries, it was the French who declared a protectorate over the islands in 1842. In 1959, the inhabitants of the islands voted to become a French overseas territory.

Geography Wallis and Futuna

Location: Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates: 13 18 S, 176 12 W

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 274 sq km note: includes Ile Uvea (Wallis Island), Ile Futuna (Futuna Island), Ile Alofi, and 20 islets water: 0 sq km land: 274 sq km

Area - comparative: 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 129 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical; hot, rainy season (November to April); cool, dry season (May to October); rains 2,500-3,000 mm per year (80% humidity); average temperature 26.6 degrees C

Terrain: volcanic origin; low hills

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point:
Mont Singavi 765 m

Natural resources: NEGL

Land use: arable land: 5% permanent crops: 20% other: 75% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: deforestation (only small portions of the original forests remain) largely as a result of the continued use of wood as the main fuel source; as a consequence of cutting down the forests, the mountainous terrain of Futuna is particularly prone to erosion; there are no permanent settlements on Alofi because of the lack of natural fresh water resources

Geography - note: both island groups have fringing reefs

People Wallis and Futuna

Population: 15,585 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA% 15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA%

Population growth rate: NA (2002 est.)

Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population

Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population

Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: NA years male: NA years female: NA years

Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: Wallisian(s), Futunan(s), or Wallis and Futuna Islanders adjective: Ethnic groups: Polynesian

Religions: Roman Catholic 100%

Languages: French, Wallisian (indigenous Polynesian language)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 50% male: 50% female: 50% (1969 est.)

Government Wallis and Futuna

Country name: conventional long form: Territory of the Wallis and Futuna
Islands conventional short form: Wallis and Futuna local short form:
Wallis et Futuna local long form: Territoire des Iles Wallis et Futuna

Dependency status: overseas territory of France

Government type: NA

Capital: Mata-Utu (on Ile Uvea)

Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are three kingdoms at the second order named Alo, Sigave, Wallis

Independence: none (overseas territory of France)

National holiday: Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system: French legal system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Administrator Alain WAQUET (since 12 July 2000) elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; high administrator appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of the Interior; the presidents of the Territorial Government and the Territorial Assembly are elected by the members of the assembly note: there are three traditional kings with limited powers head of government: President of the Territorial Assembly Patalione KANIMOA (since NA January 2001) cabinet: Council of the Territory consists of three kings and three members appointed by the high administrator on the advice of the Territorial Assembly

Legislative branch: unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (20 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: Wallis and Futuna elects one senator to the French Senate and one deputy to the French National Assembly; French Senate - elections last held 27 September 1998 (next to be held by NA September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats - RPR 1; French National Assembly - elections last held 25 May-1 June 1997 (next to be held by NA 2002); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats - RPR 1 election results: Judicial branch: none; justice generally administered under French law by the high administrator, but the three traditional kings administer customary law and there is a magistrate in Mata-Utu

Political parties and leaders: Lua Kae Tahi (Giscardians) [leader
NA]; Mouvement des Radicaux de Gauche or MRG [leader NA]; Rally for the
Republic or RPR [Clovis LOGOLOGOFOLAU]; Taumu'a Lelei [Soane Muni UHILA];
Union Populaire Locale or UPL [Falakiko GATA]; Union Pour la Democratie
Francaise or UDF [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: FZ, SPC

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of
France)

Flag description: a large white modified Maltese cross centered on a red background; the flag of France outlined in white on two sides is in the upper hoist quadrant; the flag of France is used for official occasions

Economy Wallis and Futuna

Economy - overview: The economy is limited to traditional subsistence agriculture, with about 80% labor force earnings from agriculture (coconuts and vegetables), livestock (mostly pigs), and fishing. About 4% of the population is employed in government. Revenues come from French Government subsidies, licensing of fishing rights to Japan and South Korea, import taxes, and remittances from expatriate workers in New Caledonia.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $30 million (1997 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: NA%

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,000 (1997 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

Labor force: NA

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture, livestock, and fishing 80%, government 4% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $20 million expenditures: $17 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)

Industries: copra, handicrafts, fishing, lumber

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: NA kWh

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: NA% hydro: NA% other:
NA% nuclear: NA%

Electricity - consumption: NA kWh

Agriculture - products: breadfruit, yams, taro, bananas; pigs, goats

Exports: $250,000 (f.o.b., 1999)

Exports - commodities: copra, chemicals, construction materials

Exports - partners: Italy 40%, Croatia 15%, US 14%, Denmark 13%

Imports: $300,000 (f.o.b., 1999)

Imports - commodities: chemicals, machinery, passenger ships, consumer goods

Imports - partners: France 97%, Australia 2%, New Zealand 1%

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid - recipient: assistance from France

Currency: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)

Currency code: XPF

Exchange rates: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 135.04 (January 2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.43 (2000), 111.93 (1999), 107.25 (1998), 106.11 (1997); note - linked at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Wallis and Futuna

Telephones - main lines in use: 1,125 (1994)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 0 (1994)

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: NA

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (2000)

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 2 (2000)

Televisions: NA

Internet country code: .wf

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: NA

Transportation Wallis and Futuna

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 120 km (Ile Uvea 100 km, Ile Futuna 20 km) paved: 16 km (all on Ile Uvea) unpaved: 104 km (Ile Uvea 84 km, Ile Futuna 20 km)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Leava, Mata-Utu

Merchant marine: total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 71,868 GRT/7,422 DWT ships by type: passenger 4 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: France 3, United States 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 2 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)

Military Wallis and Futuna

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Wallis and Futuna

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Western Sahara

Introduction

Western Sahara

Background: Morocco virtually annexed the northern two-thirds of Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) in 1976, and the rest of the territory in 1979, following Mauritania's withdrawal. A guerrilla war with the Polisario Front contesting Rabat's sovereignty ended in a 1991 cease-fire; a referendum on final status has been repeatedly postponed.

Geography Western Sahara

Location: Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
Mauritania and Morocco

Geographic coordinates: 24 30 N, 13 00 W

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 266,000 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 266,000 sq km

Area - comparative: about the size of Colorado

Land boundaries: total: 2,046 km border countries: Algeria 42 km,
Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km

Coastline: 1,110 km

Maritime claims: contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue

Climate: hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew

Terrain: mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sebjet Tah -55 m highest point: unnamed location 463 m

Natural resources: phosphates, iron ore

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely restricting visibility

Environment - current issues: sparse water and lack of arable land

Environment - international agreements: none of the selected agreements signed, but not ratified: Geography - note: the waters off the coast are particularly rich fishing areas

People Western Sahara

Population: 256,177 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA% 15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA%

Population growth rate: NA (2002 est.)

Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population

Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population

Sex ratio: NA

Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: NA years male: NA years female: NA years

Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s) adjective: Sahrawian,
Sahraouian

Ethnic groups: Arab, Berber

Religions: Muslim

Languages: Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Western Sahara

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Western Sahara former: Spanish Sahara

Government type: legal status of territory and issue of sovereignty unresolved; territory contested by Morocco and Polisario Front (Popular Front for the Liberation of the Saguia el Hamra and Rio de Oro), which in February 1976 formally proclaimed a government-in-exile of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR),led by President Mohamed ABDELAZIZ and recognized by 54 nations; territory partitioned between Morocco and Mauritania in April 1976, with Morocco acquiring northern two-thirds; Mauritania, under pressure from Polisario guerrillas, abandoned all claims to its portion in August 1979; Morocco moved to occupy that sector shortly thereafter and has since asserted administrative control; the Polisario's government-in-exile was seated as an OAU member in 1984; guerrilla activities continued sporadically, until a UN-monitored cease-fire was implemented 6 September 1991

Capital: none

Administrative divisions: none (under de facto control of Morocco)

Suffrage: none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign not yet completed

Executive branch: none

Political pressure groups and leaders: none

International organization participation: none

Diplomatic representation in the US: none

Diplomatic representation from the US: none

Economy Western Sahara

Economy - overview: Western Sahara depends on pastoral nomadism, fishing, and phosphate mining as the principal sources of income for the population. The territory lacks sufficient rainfall for sustainable agricultural production, and most of the food for the urban population must be imported. All trade and other economic activities are controlled by the Moroccan Government. Moroccan energy interests in 2001 signed contracts to explore for oil off the coast of Western Sahara, which has angered the Polisario. Incomes and standards of living in Western Sahara are substantially below the Moroccan level.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $NA

GDP - real growth rate: NA%

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $NA

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: 40%-45% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

Labor force: 12,000

Labor force - by occupation: animal husbandry and subsistence farming 50%

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Industries: phosphate mining, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 90 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 83.7 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep, goats (kept by nomads)

Exports: $NA

Exports - commodities: phosphates 62%

Exports - partners: Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts

Imports: $NA

Imports - commodities: fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs

Imports - partners: Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid - recipient: $NA

Currency: Moroccan dirham (MAD)

Currency code: MAD

Exchange rates: Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 11.584 (January 2002), 11.303 (2001), 10.626 (2000), 9.804 (1999), 9.604 (1998), 9.527 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Western Sahara

Telephones - main lines in use: about 2,000 (1999 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 0 (1999)

Telephone system: NA international: and satellite; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) linked to Rabat, Morocco

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 56,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: NA

Televisions: 6,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .eh

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: NA

Transportation Western Sahara

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 6,200 km paved: 1,350 km unpaved: 4,850 km (1991 est.)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Ad Dakhla, Cabo Bojador, Laayoune (El Aaiun)

Airports: 11 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 3 (2001)

Military Western Sahara

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Transnational Issues Western Sahara

Disputes - international: Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, but sovereignty remains unresolved; UN-administered cease-fire has remained in effect since September 1991, but attempts to hold a referendum have failed and parties reject other proposals

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Wake Island

Introduction Wake Island

Background: The US annexed Wake Island in 1899 for a cable station. An important air and naval base was constructed in 1940-41. In December 1941 the island was captured by the Japanese and held until the end of World War II. In subsequent years, Wake was developed as a stopover and refueling site for military and commercial aircraft transiting the Pacific. Since 1974, the island's airstrip has been used by the US military and some commercial cargo planes, as well as for emergency landings. There are over 700 landings a year on the island.

Geography Wake Island

Location: Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to the Northern Mariana Islands

Geographic coordinates: 19 17 N, 166 36 E

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 6.5 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 6.5 sq km

Area - comparative: about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 19.3 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical

Terrain: atoll of three coral islands built up on an underwater volcano; central lagoon is former crater, islands are part of the rim

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 6 m

Natural resources: none

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: occasional typhoons

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean; emergency landing location for transpacific flights

People Wake Island

Population: no indigenous inhabitants note: US military personnel have left the island, but civilian personnel remain; as of December 2000, one US Army civilian and 123 contractor personnel were present (July 2002 est.)

Population growth rate: NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

Government Wake Island

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Wake Island

Dependency status: unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC, by the Department of the Interior; activities on the island are managed by the US Army under a US Air Force permit

Legal system: the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description: the flag of the US is used

Economy Wake Island

Economy - overview: Economic activity is limited to providing services to contractors located on the island. All food and manufactured goods must be imported.

Electricity - production: NA kWh

Communications Wake Island

Telephone system: general assessment: satellite communications; 1 DSN circuit off the Overseas Telephone System (OTS) domestic: NA international: NA

Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM NA, shortwave NA note: Armed Forces Radio/Television Service (AFRTS) radio service provided by satellite (1998)

Television broadcast stations: 0 (1997)

Transportation Wake Island

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: none; two offshore anchorages for large ships

Airports: 1 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2001)

Transportation - note: formerly an important commercial aviation base, now used by US military, some commercial cargo planes, and for emergency landings

Military Wake Island

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Wake Island

Disputes - international: claimed by Marshall Islands

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Samoa

Introduction

Samoa

Background: New Zealand occupied the German protectorate of Western Samoa at the outbreak of World War I in 1914. It continued to administer the islands as a mandate and then as a trust territory until 1962, when the islands became the first Polynesian nation to reestablish independence in the 20th century. The country dropped the "Western" from its name in 1997.

Geography Samoa

Location: Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates: 13 35 S, 172 20 W

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 2,944 sq km water: 10 sq km land: 2,934 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Rhode Island

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 403 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical; rainy season (October to March), dry season (May to October)

Terrain: narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rocky, rugged mountains in interior

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point:
Mauga Silisili 1,857 m

Natural resources: hardwood forests, fish, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 19% permanent crops: 24% other: 57% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: occasional typhoons; active volcanism

Environment - current issues: soil erosion

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea,
Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: occupies an almost central position within Polynesia

People Samoa

Population: 178,631 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 30.6% (male 27,774; female 26,854) 15-64 years: 63.5% (male 71,358; female 42,150) 65 years and over: 5.9% (male 4,859; female 5,636) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.25% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 15.53 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 6.35 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -11.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.69 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 1.39 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 30.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 72.69 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 3.3 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Samoan(s) adjective: Samoan

Ethnic groups: Samoan 92.6%, Euronesians 7% (persons of European and
Polynesian blood), Europeans 0.4%

Religions: Christian 99.7% (about one-half of population associated with the London Missionary Society; includes Congregational, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Latter-Day Saints, Seventh-Day Adventist)

Languages: Samoan (Polynesian), English

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 80% male: 81% female: 79% (1999)

Government Samoa

Country name: conventional long form: Independent State of Samoa conventional short form: Samoa former: Western Samoa

Government type: constitutional monarchy under native chief

Capital: Apia

Administrative divisions: 11 districts; A'ana, Aiga-i-le-Tai, Atua,
Fa'asaleleaga, Gaga'emauga, Gagaifomauga, Palauli, Satupa'itea, Tuamasaga,
Va'a-o-Fonoti, Vaisigano

Independence: 1 January 1962 (from New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday: Independence Day Celebration, 1 June (1962); note - 1
January 1962 is the date of independence from the New Zealand-administered
UN trusteeship, 1 June 1962 is the date that independence is celebrated

Constitution: 1 January 1962

Legal system: based on English common law and local customs; judicial review of legislative acts with respect to fundamental rights of the citizen; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Chief Tanumafili II MALIETOA (cochief of state from 1 January 1962 until becoming sole chief of state 5 April 1963) head of government: Prime Minister Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA'EPA (since 24 November 1998); note - TUILA'EPA served as deputy prime minister from 1992 until he assumed the prime ministership in November 1998, when former Prime Minister TOFILAU Eti Alesana resigned in poor health; the post of deputy prime minister is currently vacant cabinet: Cabinet consists of 12 members, appointed by the chief of state with the prime minister's advice elections: upon the death of Chief Tanumafili II MALIETOA, a new chief of state will be elected by the Legislative Assembly to serve a five-year term; prime minister appointed by the chief of state with the approval of the Legislative Assembly

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fono (49 seats - 47 elected by Samoans, 2 elected by non-Samoans; only chiefs or matai may stand for election to the Fono; members serve five-year terms) elections: byelection last held NA November 2001 (next byelection to be held 29 March 2002) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - HRPP 30, SNDP 13, independents 6

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic Party [leader NA]; Human Rights Protection Party or HRPP [Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA'EPA, chairman]; Samoa All People's Party or SAPP [Matatumua NAIMOAGA]; Samoan National Development Party or SNDP [LE MAMEA Ropati, chairman] (opposition); Samoa National Party [FETU Tiatia, party secretary]; Samoan Progressive Conservative Party [LEOTA Ituau Ale]; Samoan United Independent Party or SUIP [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO,
G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, IOC,
ITU, OPCW (signatory), Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Tuiloma Neroni SLADE FAX: [1] (212) 599-0797 telephone: [1] (212) 599-6196, 6197 chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400D, New York, NY 10017

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: the Ambassador to New Zealand is accredited to Samoa embassy: 5th floor, Beach Road, Apia mailing address: P. O. Box 3430, Apia telephone: [685] 21631 FAX: [685] 22030

Flag description: red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side quadrant bearing five white five-pointed stars representing the Southern Cross constellation

Economy Samoa

Economy - overview: The economy of Samoa has traditionally been dependent on development aid, family remittances from overseas, and agricultural exports. The country is vulnerable to devastating storms. Agriculture employs two-thirds of the labor force, and furnishes 90% of exports, featuring coconut cream, coconut oil, and copra. The manufacturing sector mainly processes agricultural products. The decline of fish stocks in the area is a continuing problem. Tourism is an expanding sector, accounting for 16% of GDP; about 85,000 tourists visited the islands in 2000. The Samoan Government has called for deregulation of the financial sector, encouragement of investment, and continued fiscal discipline. Observers point to the flexibility of the labor market as a basic strength for future economic advances. Foreign reserves are in a relatively healthy state, the external debt is stable, and inflation is low.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $618 million (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 6% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,500 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 16% industry: 18% services: 66% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.5% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 90,000 (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 65%, services 30%, industry 5% (1995 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%; note - substantial underemployment

Budget: revenues: $105 million expenditures: $119 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001/2002)

Industries: food processing, building materials, auto parts

Industrial production growth rate: 2.8% (2000)

Electricity - production: 103 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 59.22% hydro: 40.78% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 95.79 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: coconuts, bananas, taro, yams

Exports: $17 million (f.o.b., 2000)

Exports - commodities: fish, coconut oil and cream, copra, taro, garments, beer

Exports - partners: Australia 62%, Indonesia 13%, US 11%, American
Samoa 3%, New Zealand 3% (2000)

Imports: $90 million (f.o.b., 2000)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, industrial supplies, foodstuffs

Imports - partners: Australia 27%, US 26%, New Zealand 14%, Fiji 12%,
Japan 9% (2000)

Debt - external: $192 million (1999)

Economic aid - recipient: $42.9 million (1995)

Currency: tala (WST)

Currency code: WST

Exchange rates: tala per US dollar - 3.5236 (January 2002), 3.4722 (2001), 3.2712 (2000), 3.0120 (1999), 2.9429 (1998), 2.5562 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Samoa

Telephones - main lines in use: 8,183 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 1,545 (February 1998)

Telephone system: general assessment: adequate domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 174,849 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 6 (1997)

Televisions: 8,634 (1999)

Internet country code: .ws

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)

Internet users: 500 (2000)

Transportation Samoa

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 836 km paved: 267 km unpaved: 569 km (1983)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Apia, Asau, Mulifanua, Salelologa

Merchant marine: total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 7,091 GRT/ 8,127 DWT ships by type: cargo 1 note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Germany 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 3 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2001)

Military Samoa

Military branches: no regular armed services; Samoa Police Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Military - note: Samoa has no formal defense structure or regular armed forces; informal defense ties exist with NZ, which is required to consider any Samoan request for assistance under the 1962 Treaty of Friendship

Transnational Issues Samoa

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Swaziland

Introduction

Swaziland

Background: Autonomy for the Swazis of southern Africa was guaranteed by the British in the late 19th century; independence was granted 1968. Student and labor unrest during the 1990s have pressured the monarchy (one of the oldest on the continent) to grudgingly allow political reform and greater democracy.

Geography Swaziland

Location: Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa

Geographic coordinates: 26 30 S, 31 30 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 17,363 sq km water: 160 sq km land: 17,203 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries: total: 535 km border countries: Mozambique 105 km,
South Africa 430 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: varies from tropical to near temperate

Terrain: mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Great Usutu River 21 m highest point:
Emlembe 1,862 m

Natural resources: asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests, small gold and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc

Land use: arable land: 10% permanent crops: 1% other: 89% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 690 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: drought

Environment - current issues: limited supplies of potable water; wildlife populations being depleted because of excessive hunting; overgrazing; soil degradation; soil erosion

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Desertification, Law of the Sea

Geography - note: landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South
Africa

People Swaziland

Population: 1,123,605 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 45.5% (male 254,573; female 256,677) 15-64 years: 51.9% (male 281,645; female 301,071) 65 years and over: 2.6% (male 12,027; female 17,612) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.63% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 39.59 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 23.26 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 109.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 37.66 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 5.77 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 35.6% (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 212,000 (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 7,100 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Swazi(s) adjective: Swazi

Ethnic groups: African 97%, European 3%

Religions: Zionist (a blend of Christianity and indigenous ancestral worship) 40%, Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 10%, Anglican, Bahai, Methodist, Mormon, Jewish and other 30%

Languages: English (official, government business conducted in English), siSwati (official)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 78.3% male: 78% female: 78.4% (1999 est.)

Government Swaziland

Country name: Kingdom of Swaziland conventional short form: Government type: monarchy; independent member of Commonwealth

Capital: Mbabane; note - Lobamba is the royal and legislative capital

Administrative divisions: 4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini,
Shiselweni

Independence: 6 September 1968 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 6 September (1968)

Constitution: none; constitution of 6 September 1968 was suspended 12 April 1973; a new constitution was promulgated 13 October 1978, but was not formally presented to the people; since then a few more outlines for a constitution have been compiled under the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC), but so far none have been accepted

Legal system: based on South African Roman-Dutch law in statutory courts and Swazi traditional law and custom in traditional courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age

Executive branch: King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986) head of government: Cabinet recommended by the prime minister and confirmed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Libandla, an advisory body, consists of the Senate (30 seats - 10 appointed by the House of Assembly and 20 appointed by the monarch; members serve five-year terms) and the House of Assembly (65 seats - 10 appointed by the monarch and 55 elected by popular vote; members serve five-year terms) elections: House of Assembly - last held 16 and 24 October 1998 (next to be held NA 2003) election results: for election are nominated by the local council of each constituency and for each constituency the three candidates with the most votes in the first round of voting are narrowed to a single winner by a second round

Judicial branch: High Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts are appointed by the monarch

Political parties and leaders: political parties are banned by the
constitution - the following are considered political associations
- Imbokodvo National Movement or INM [leader NA]; Ngwane National
Libertatory Congress or NNLC [Obed DLAMINI, president]; People's United
Democratic Movement or PUDEMO [Mario MASUKU, president]; Swaziland
National Front or SWANAFRO [Elmond SHONGWE, president]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA,
FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, PCA, SACU,
SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mary Madzandza KANYA FAX: [1] (202) 234-8254 telephone: [1] (202) 234-5002 chancery: 1712 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador James D. McGEE embassy: Central Bank Building, Warner Street, Mbabane mailing address: P. O. Box 199, Mbabane telephone: [268] 404-6441 through 404-6445 FAX: [268] 404-5959

Flag description: three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and blue; the red band is edged in yellow; centered in the red band is a large black and white shield covering two spears and a staff decorated with feather tassels, all placed horizontally

Economy Swaziland

Economy - overview: In this small landlocked economy, subsistence agriculture occupies more than 80% of the population. Manufacturing features a number of agroprocessing factories. Mining has declined in importance in recent years: diamond mines have shut down because of the depletion of easily accessible reserves; high-grade iron ore deposits were depleted by 1978; and health concerns have cut world demand for asbestos. Exports of soft drink concentrate, sugar, and wood pulp are the main earners of hard currency. Surrounded by South Africa, except for a short border with Mozambique, Swaziland is heavily dependent on South Africa from which it receives nine-tenths of its imports and to which it sends more than two-thirds of its exports. Remittances from the Southern African Customs Union and Swazi workers in South African mines substantially supplement domestically earned income. The government is trying to improve the atmosphere for foreign investment. Overgrazing, soil depletion, drought, and sometimes floods persist as problems for the future. Prospects for 2002 are strengthened by the country's status as a beneficiary of the US African Growth and Opportunity Act initiative.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $4.6 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 2.5% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $4,200 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 10% industry: 43% services: 47% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.5% (2001 est.)

Labor force: NA

Labor force - by occupation: NA

Unemployment rate: 34% (2000 est.)

Budget: revenues: $448 million expenditures: $506.9 million, including capital expenditures of $147 million (FY01/02)

Industries: mining (coal), wood pulp, sugar, soft drink concentrates, textile and apparel

Industrial production growth rate: 3.7% (FY95/96)

Electricity - production: 362 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 55.8% other: 0% (2000) hydro: 44.2% nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 900.66 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 564 million kWh note: supplied by South Africa (2000)

Agriculture - products: sugarcane, cotton, corn, tobacco, rice, citrus, pineapples, sorghum, peanuts; cattle, goats, sheep

Exports: $702 million (f.o.b., 2001)

Exports - commodities: soft drink concentrates, sugar, wood pulp, cotton yarn, refrigerators, citrus and canned fruit

Exports - partners: South Africa 72%, EU 12%, UK 6%, Mozambique 4%, US 4% (1999)

Imports: $850 million (f.o.b., 2001)

Imports - commodities: motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals

Imports - partners: South Africa 89%, EU 5%, Japan 2%, Singapore 2% (2000)

Debt - external: $336 million (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $104 million (2001)

Currency: lilangeni (SZL)

Currency code: SZL

Exchange rates: emalangeni per US dollar - 11.5808 (January 2002), 8.4933 (2001), 6.9056 (2000), 6.1087 (1999), 5.4807 (1998), 4.6032 (1997); note - the Swazi lilangeni is at par with the South African rand; emalangeni is the plural form of lilangeni

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Communications Swaziland

Telephones - main lines in use: 38,500 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 45,000 (2001)

Telephone system: a somewhat modern but not an advanced system domestic: microwave radio relay international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 2 plus 4 repeaters, shortwave 3 (2001)

Radios: 170,000 (1999)

Television broadcast stations: 5 plus 7 relay stations (2001)

Televisions: 23,000 (2000)

Internet country code: .sz

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 6 (2001)

Internet users: 6,000 (2001)

Transportation Swaziland

Railways: total: 297 km narrow gauge: 297 km 1.067-m gauge note: includes 71 km which are not in use (2001)

Highways: total: 3,800 km paved: 1,064 km unpaved: 2,736 km (2002)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: none

Airports: 18 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 17 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 10 (2001)

Military Swaziland

Military branches: Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force (Army), Royal
Swaziland Police Force

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 253,510 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 146,805 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $20 million (FY01/02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 4.75% (FY00/01)

Transnational Issues Swaziland

Disputes - international: Swaziland continues to press South Africa into ceding ethnic Swazi lands in Kangwane region of KwaZulu-Natal province that were long ago part of the Swazi Kingdom

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Indian Ocean

Introduction

Indian Ocean

Background: The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean, but larger than the Southern Ocean and Arctic Ocean). Four critically important access waterways are the Suez Canal (Egypt), Bab el Mandeb (Djibouti-Yemen), Strait of Hormuz (Iran-Oman), and Strait of Malacca (Indonesia-Malaysia).

Geography Indian Ocean

Location: body of water between Africa, the Southern Ocean, Asia, and Australia

Geographic coordinates: 20 00 S, 80 00 E

Map references: Political Map of the World

Area: total: 68.556 million sq km note: includes Andaman Sea, Arabian
Sea, Bay of Bengal, Great Australian Bight, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman,
Mozambique Channel, Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Strait of Malacca, and other
tributary water bodies

Area - comparative: about 5.5 times the size of the US

Coastline: 66,526 km

Climate: northeast monsoon (December to April), southwest monsoon (June to October); tropical cyclones occur during May/June and October/November in the northern Indian Ocean and January/February in the southern Indian Ocean

Terrain: surface dominated by counterclockwise gyre (broad, circular system of currents) in the southern Indian Ocean; unique reversal of surface currents in the northern Indian Ocean; low atmospheric pressure over southwest Asia from hot, rising, summer air results in the southwest monsoon and southwest-to-northeast winds and currents, while high pressure over northern Asia from cold, falling, winter air results in the northeast monsoon and northeast-to-southwest winds and currents; ocean floor is dominated by the Mid-Indian Ocean Ridge and subdivided by the Southeast Indian Ocean Ridge, Southwest Indian Ocean Ridge, and Ninetyeast Ridge

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Java Trench -7,258 m highest point: sea level 0 m

Natural resources: oil and gas fields, fish, shrimp, sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules

Natural hazards: occasional icebergs pose navigational hazard in southern reaches

Environment - current issues: endangered marine species include the dugong, seals, turtles, and whales; oil pollution in the Arabian Sea, Persian Gulf, and Red Sea

Geography - note: major chokepoints include Bab el Mandeb, Strait of
Hormuz, Strait of Malacca, southern access to the Suez Canal, and the
Lombok Strait

People Indian Ocean

Population growth rate: NA%

Economy Indian Ocean

Economy - overview: The Indian Ocean provides major sea routes connecting the Middle East, Africa, and East Asia with Europe and the Americas. It carries a particularly heavy traffic of petroleum and petroleum products from the oilfields of the Persian Gulf and Indonesia. Its fish are of great and growing importance to the bordering countries for domestic consumption and export. Fishing fleets from Russia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan also exploit the Indian Ocean, mainly for shrimp and tuna. Large reserves of hydrocarbons are being tapped in the offshore areas of Saudi Arabia, Iran, India, and western Australia. An estimated 40% of the world's offshore oil production comes from the Indian Ocean. Beach sands rich in heavy minerals and offshore placer deposits are actively exploited by bordering countries, particularly India, South Africa, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.

Transportation Indian Ocean

Ports and harbors: Chennai (Madras; India), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Durban
(South Africa), Jakarta (Indonesia), Kolkata (Calcutta; India) Melbourne
(Australia), Mumbai (Bombay; India), Richards Bay (South Africa)

Transnational Issues Indian Ocean

Disputes - international: some maritime disputes (see littoral states)

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Arctic Ocean

Introduction

Arctic Ocean

Background: The Arctic Ocean is the smallest of the world's five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and the recently delimited Southern Ocean). The Northwest Passage (US and Canada) and Northern Sea Route (Norway and Russia) are two important seasonal waterways. A sparse network of air, ocean, river, and land routes circumscribes the Arctic Ocean.

Geography Arctic Ocean

Location: body of water between Europe, Asia, and North America, mostly north of the Arctic Circle

Geographic coordinates: 90 00 N, 0 00 E

Map references: Arctic Region

Area: total: 14.056 million sq km note: includes Baffin Bay, Barents
Sea, Beaufort Sea, Chukchi Sea, East Siberian Sea, Greenland Sea,
Hudson Bay, Hudson Strait, Kara Sea, Laptev Sea, Northwest Passage,
and other tributary water bodies

Area - comparative: slightly less than 1.5 times the size of the US

Coastline: 45,389 km

Climate: polar climate characterized by persistent cold and relatively narrow annual temperature ranges; winters characterized by continuous darkness, cold and stable weather conditions, and clear skies; summers characterized by continuous daylight, damp and foggy weather, and weak cyclones with rain or snow

Terrain: central surface covered by a perennial drifting polar icepack that averages about 3 meters in thickness, although pressure ridges may be three times that size; clockwise drift pattern in the Beaufort Gyral Stream, but nearly straight-line movement from the New Siberian Islands (Russia) to Denmark Strait (between Greenland and Iceland); the icepack is surrounded by open seas during the summer, but more than doubles in size during the winter and extends to the encircling landmasses; the ocean floor is about 50% continental shelf (highest percentage of any ocean) with the remainder a central basin interrupted by three submarine ridges (Alpha Cordillera, Nansen Cordillera, and Lomonosov Ridge)

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Fram Basin -4,665 m highest point: sea level 0 m

Natural resources: sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules, oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and whales)

Natural hazards: ice islands occasionally break away from northern Ellesmere Island; icebergs calved from glaciers in western Greenland and extreme northeastern Canada; permafrost in islands; virtually ice locked from October to June; ships subject to superstructure icing from October to May

Environment - current issues: endangered marine species include walruses and whales; fragile ecosystem slow to change and slow to recover from disruptions or damage; thinning polar icepack

Geography - note: major chokepoint is the southern Chukchi Sea (northern access to the Pacific Ocean via the Bering Strait); strategic location between North America and Russia; shortest marine link between the extremes of eastern and western Russia; floating research stations operated by the US and Russia; maximum snow cover in March or April about 20 to 50 centimeters over the frozen ocean; snow cover lasts about 10 months

People Arctic Ocean

Population growth rate: NA%

Economy Arctic Ocean

Economy - overview: Economic activity is limited to the exploitation of natural resources, including petroleum, natural gas, fish, and seals.

Transportation Arctic Ocean

Ports and harbors: Churchill (Canada), Murmansk (Russia), Prudhoe Bay
(US)

Transportation - note: sparse network of air, ocean, river, and land routes; the Northwest Passage (North America) and Northern Sea Route (Eurasia) are important seasonal waterways

Transnational Issues Arctic Ocean

Disputes - international: some maritime disputes (see littoral states);
Russia is the first state to submit data to the UN Commission on the
Limits of the Continental Shelf to extend its continental shelf by
claiming two undersea ridges in the Arctic Ocean

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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World

Introduction

World

Background: Globally, the 20th century was marked by: (a) two devastating world wars; (b) the Great Depression of the 1930s; (c) the end of vast colonial empires; (d) rapid advances in science and technology, from the first airplane flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina (US) to the landing on the moon; (e) the Cold War between the Western alliance and the Warsaw Pact nations; (f) a sharp rise in living standards in North America, Europe, and Japan; (g) increased concerns about the environment, including loss of forests, shortages of energy and water, the decline in biological diversity, and air pollution; (h) the onset of the AIDS epidemic; and (i) the ultimate emergence of the US as the only world superpower. The planet's population continues to explode: from 1 billion in 1820, to 2 billion in 1930, 3 billion in 1960, 4 billion in 1974, 5 billion in 1988, and 6 billion in 2000. For the 21st century, the continued exponential growth in science and technology raises both hopes (e.g., advances in medicine) and fears (e.g., development of even more lethal weapons of war).

Geography World

Map references: Physical Map of the World, Political Map of the World,
Standard Time Zones of the World

Area: total: 510.072 million sq km land: 148.94 million sq km water: 361.132 million sq km note: 70.8% of the world's surface is water, 29.2% is land

Area - comparative: land area about 16 times the size of the US

Land boundaries: the land boundaries in the world total 250,472 km (not counting shared boundaries twice)

Coastline: 356,000 km

Maritime claims: a variety of situations exist, but in general, most countries make the following claims: contiguous zone - 24 NM; continental shelf - 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation, or 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin; exclusive fishing zone - 200 NM; exclusive economic zone - 200 NM; territorial sea - 12 NM; boundary situations with neighboring states prevent many countries from extending their fishing or economic zones to a full 200 NM; 43 nations and other areas that are landlocked include Afghanistan, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Czech Republic, Ethiopia, Holy See (Vatican City), Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malawi, Mali, Moldova, Mongolia, Nepal, Niger, Paraguay, Rwanda, San Marino, Slovakia, Swaziland, Switzerland, Tajikistan, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Uzbekistan, West Bank, Zambia, Zimbabwe; two of these, Liechtenstein and Uzbekistan, are doubly landlocked

Climate: two large areas of polar climates separated by two rather narrow temperate zones form a wide equatorial band of tropical to subtropical climates

Terrain: the greatest ocean depth is the Mariana Trench at 10,924 m in the Pacific Ocean

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Bentley Subglacial Trench -2,540 m note: in the oceanic realm, Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench is the lowest point, lying -10,924 m below the surface of the Pacific Ocean highest point: Natural resources: the rapid depletion of nonrenewable mineral resources, the depletion of forest areas and wetlands, the extinction of animal and plant species, and the deterioration in air and water quality (especially in Eastern Europe, the former USSR, and China) pose serious long-term problems that governments and peoples are only beginning to address

Land use: arable land: 11% permanent crops: 1% other: 88% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 2,714,320 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: large areas subject to severe weather (tropical cyclones), natural disasters (earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions)

Environment - current issues: large areas subject to overpopulation, industrial disasters, pollution (air, water, acid rain, toxic substances), loss of vegetation (overgrazing, deforestation, desertification), loss of wildlife, soil degradation, soil depletion, erosion

Geography - note: the world is now thought to be about 4.55 billion years old, just about one-third of the 13-billion-year age estimated for the universe

People World

Population: 6,233,821,945 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 29.2% (male 932,581,592; female 885,688,851) 15-64 years: (male 193,549,180; female 247,067,032) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.23% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 21.16 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 8.93 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 51.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 65.67 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.7 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Religions: Christians 32.88% (of which Roman Catholics 17.39%,
Protestants 5.62%, Orthodox 3.54%, Anglicans 1.31%), Muslims 19.54%,
Hindus 13.34%, Buddhists 5.92%, Sikhs 0.38%, Jews 0.24%, other religions
12.6%, non-religious 12.63%, atheists 2.47% (2000 est.)

Languages: Chinese, Mandarin 14.37%, Hindi 6.02%, English 5.61%, Spanish 5.59%, Bengali 3.4%, Portuguese 2.63%, Russian 2.75%, Japanese 2.06%, German, Standard 1.64%, Korean 1.28%, French 1.27% (2000 est.) note: percents are for "first language" speakers only

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 77% male: 83% female: 71% (1995 est.)

Government World

Administrative divisions: 268 nations, dependent areas, other, and miscellaneous entries

Legal system: all members of the UN plus Switzerland are parties to the statute that established the International Court of Justice (ICJ) or World Court

Economy World

Economy - overview: Growth in global output (gross world product, GWP) fell from 4.8% in 2000 to 2.2% in 2001. The causes: slowdowns in the US economy (21% of GWP) and in the 15 EU economies (20% of GWP); continued stagnation in the Japanese economy (7.3% of GWP); and spillover effects in the less developed regions of the world. China, the second largest economy in the world (12% of GWP), proved an exception, continuing its rapid annual growth, officially announced as 7.3% but estimated by many observers as perhaps two percentage points lower. Russia (2.6% of GWP), with 5.2% growth, continued to make uneven progress, its GDP per capita still only one-third that of the leading industrial nations. The other 14 successor nations of the USSR and the other old Warsaw Pact nations again experienced widely divergent growth rates; the three Baltic nations were strong performers, in the 5% range of growth. The developing nations also varied in their growth results, with many countries facing population increases that eat up gains in output. Externally, the nation-state, as a bedrock economic-political institution, is steadily losing control over international flows of people, goods, funds, and technology. Internally, the central government often finds its control over resources slipping as separatist regional movements - typically based on ethnicity - gain momentum, e.g., in many of the successor states of the former Soviet Union, in the former Yugoslavia, in India, in Indonesia, and in Canada. In Western Europe, governments face the difficult political problem of channeling resources away from welfare programs in order to increase investment and strengthen incentives to seek employment. The addition of 80 million people each year to an already overcrowded globe is exacerbating the problems of pollution, desertification, underemployment, epidemics, and famine. Because of their own internal problems and priorities, the industrialized countries devote insufficient resources to deal effectively with the poorer areas of the world, which, at least from the economic point of view, are becoming further marginalized. The introduction of the euro as the common currency of much of Western Europe in January 1999, while paving the way for an integrated economic powerhouse, poses economic risks because of varying levels of income and cultural and political differences among the participating nations. The terrorist attacks on the US on 11 September 2001 accentuate a further growing risk to global prosperity, illustrated, for example, by the reallocation of resources away from investment to anti-terrorist programs. (For specific economic developments in each country of the world in 2001, see the individual country entries.)

GDP: GWP (gross world product) - purchasing power parity - $47 trillion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 2.2% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $7,600 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4% industry: 32% services: 64% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): developed countries 1% to 4% typically; developing countries 5% to 60% typically (2001 est.); national inflation rates vary widely in individual cases, from declining prices in Japan to hyperinflation in several Third World countries

Labor force: NA

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Unemployment rate: 30% combined unemployment and underemployment in many non-industrialized countries; developed countries typically 4%-12% unemployment (2001 est.)

Industries: dominated by the onrush of technology, especially in computers, robotics, telecommunications, and medicines and medical equipment; most of these advances take place in OECD nations; only a small portion of non-OECD countries have succeeded in rapidly adjusting to these technological forces; the accelerated development of new industrial (and agricultural) technology is complicating already grim environmental problems

Industrial production growth rate: 6% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: NA% hydro: NA% nuclear:
NA% other: NA%

Exports: $6.3 trillion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: the whole range of industrial and agricultural goods and services

Exports - partners: in value, about 75% of exports from the developed countries

Imports: $6.3 trillion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: the whole range of industrial and agricultural goods and services

Imports - partners: in value, about 75% of imports into the developed countries

Debt - external: $2 trillion for less developed countries (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: official development assistance (ODA) $50 billion (2001 est.)

Communications World

Telephones - main lines in use: NA

Telephones - mobile cellular: NA

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: NA

Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: NA

Televisions: NA

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 10,350 (2000 est.)

Internet users: 513.41 million (2001 est.)

Transportation World

Railways: total: 1,201,337 km includes about 190,000 to 195,000 km of electrified routes of which 147,760 km are in Europe, 24,509 km in the Far East, 11,050 km in Africa, 4,223 km in South America, and 4,160 km in North America; note - fastest speed in daily service is 300 km/hr attained by France's Societe Nationale des Chemins-de-Fer Francais (SNCF) Le Train a Grande Vitesse (TGV) - Atlantique line broad gauge: 251,153 km narrow gauge: 239,430 km standard gauge: 710,754 km

Highways: total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km

Ports and harbors: Chiba, Houston, Kawasaki, Kobe, Marseille, Mina' al Ahmadi (Kuwait), New Orleans, New York, Rotterdam, Yokohama

Military World

Military expenditures - dollar figure: aggregate real expenditure on arms worldwide in 1999 remained at approximately the 1998 level, about three-quarters of a trillion dollars (1999 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: roughly 2% of gross world product (1999 est.)

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Yugoslavia

Introduction

Yugoslavia

Background: The Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes was formed in 1918; its name was changed to Yugoslavia in 1929. Occupation by Nazi Germany in 1941 was resisted by various paramilitary bands that fought themselves as well as the invaders. The group headed by Marshal TITO took full control upon German expulsion in 1945. Although Communist, his new government successfully steered its own path between the Warsaw Pact nations and the West for the next four and a half decades. In the early 1990s, post-TITO Yugoslavia began to unravel along ethnic lines: Slovenia, Croatia, and The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia all declared their independence in 1991; Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1992. The remaining republics of Serbia and Montenegro declared a new "Federal Republic of Yugoslavia" (FRY)in 1992 and, under President Slobodan MILOSEVIC, Serbia led various military intervention efforts to unite Serbs in neighboring republics into a "Greater Serbia." All of these efforts were ultimately unsuccessful. In 1999, massive expulsions by FRY forces and Serb paramilitaries of ethnic Albanians living in Kosovo provoked an international response, including the NATO bombing of Serbia and the stationing of NATO and Russian peacekeepers in Kosovo. There are Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS)-led coalitions governing at the federal and Serbian Republic levels, implementing a wide-ranging political and economic reform program. The governing coalition in Montenegro is seeking independence from the Federation. Kosovo has been governed by the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) since June 1999, under the authority of UN Security Council Resolution 1244.

Geography Yugoslavia

Location: Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea, between
Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina

Geographic coordinates: 44 00 N, 21 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 102,350 sq km water: 214 sq km land: 102,136 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Kentucky

Land boundaries: total: 2,246 km border countries: Albania 287 km,
Bosnia and Herzegovina 527 km, Bulgaria 318 km, Croatia (north) 241 km,
Croatia (south) 25 km, Hungary 151 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia 221 km, Romania 476 km

Coastline: 199 km

Maritime claims: NA

Climate: in the north, continental climate (cold winters and hot, humid summers with well distributed rainfall); central portion, continental and Mediterranean climate; to the south, Adriatic climate along the coast, hot, dry summers and autumns and relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall inland

Terrain: extremely varied; to the north, rich fertile plains; to the east, limestone ranges and basins; to the southeast, ancient mountains and hills; to the southwest, extremely high shoreline with no islands off the coast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m highest point:
Daravica 2,656 m

Natural resources: oil, gas, coal, antimony, copper, lead, zinc, nickel, gold, pyrite, chrome, hydropower, arable land

Land use: arable land: 36% permanent crops: 4% other: 60% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 570 sq km

Natural hazards: destructive earthquakes

Environment - current issues: pollution of coastal waters from sewage outlets, especially in tourist-related areas such as Kotor; air pollution around Belgrade and other industrial cities; water pollution from industrial wastes dumped into the Sava which flows into the Danube

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Geography - note: controls one of the major land routes from Western Europe to Turkey and the Near East; strategic location along the Adriatic coast

People Yugoslavia

Population: 10,656,929 note: all data dealing with population is subject to considerable error because of the dislocations caused by military action and ethnic cleansing (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 19.6% (male 1,077,581; female 1,005,379) 15-64 years: 65.3% (male 3,415,929; female 3,546,410) 65 years and over: 15.1% (male 690,014; female 921,616) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.12% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 12.8 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 10.59 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -3.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 17.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 76.89 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.78 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Serb(s); Montenegrin(s) adjective: Serbian;
Montenegrin

Ethnic groups: Serb 62.6%, Albanian 16.5%, Montenegrin 5%, Hungarian 3.3%, other 12.6% (1991)

Religions: Orthodox 65%, Muslim 19%, Roman Catholic 4%, Protestant 1%, other 11%

Languages: Serbian 95%, Albanian 5%

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93% male: 97.2% female: 88.9% (1991)

Government Yugoslavia

Country name: conventional long form: Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
conventional
 Jugoslavija local long form:
Government type: republic

Capital: Belgrade

Administrative divisions: 2 republics (republike, singular - republika); and 2 nominally autonomous provinces* (autonomn pokrajine, singular - autonomna pokrajina); Kosovo*, Montenegro, Serbia, Vojvodina*

Independence: 27 April 1992 (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia or FRY formed as self-proclaimed successor to the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia or SFRY)

National holiday: Republic Day, 29 November

Constitution: 27 April 1992

Legal system: based on civil law system

Suffrage: 16 years of age, if employed; 18 years of age, universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Vojislav KOSTUNICA (since 7 October 2000) head of government: Prime Minister Dragisa PESIC (since 24 July 2001); Deputy Prime Minister Miroljub LABUS (since 25 January 2001) cabinet: popular vote for up to two, four-year terms; election last held 24 September 2000 (next to be held NA 2004); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Vojislav KOSTUNICA elected president; percent of vote - Vojislav KOSTUNICA 50.2%, Slobodan MILOSEVIC 37%

Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Assembly or Savezna Skupstina consists of the Chamber of Republics or Vece Republika (40 seats - 20 Serbian, 20 Montenegrin; members distributed on the basis of party representation in the republican assemblies to serve four-year terms; note - the Assembly passed a new constitutional amendment calling for direct elections for the deputies to the upper chamber) and the Chamber of Citizens or Vece Gradjana (138 seats - 108 Serbian with half elected by constituency majorities and half by proportional representation, 30 Montenegrin with six elected by constituency and 24 proportionally; members serve four-year terms) elections: Chamber of Republics - last held 24 September 2000 (next to be held NA 2004); Chamber of Citizens - last held 24 September 2000 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: Chamber of Republics - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - SNP 19, DOS 10, SPS/JUL 7, SRS 2, SPO 1, SNS 1; note - seats are filled on a proportional basis to reflect the composition of the legislatures of the republics of Montenegro and Serbia; since 1998 Serbia has effectively barred Montenegro from its constitutional right to delegate deputies to the Chamber of Republics; Chamber of Citizens - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - DOS 58, SPS/JUL 44, SNP 28, SRS 5, SNS 2, other 1

Judicial branch: Federal Court or Savezni Sud; Constitutional Court; judges for both courts are elected by the Federal Assembly for nine-year terms

Political parties and leaders: Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians or SVM
[Jozsef KASZA]; Civic Alliance of Serbia or GSS [Goran SVILANOVIC];
Coalition Sandzak [Rasim LJAJIC]; Coalition Sumadija [Branislav
KOVACEVIC]; Democratic Alternative of DA [Nebojsa COVIC]; Democratic
Center or DC [Dragoljub MICUNOVIC]; Democratic Christian Party of Serbia
of DHSS [Vladan BATIC]; Democratic League of Kosovo or LDK [Dr. Ibrahim
RUGOVA, president]; Democratic Opposition of Serbia or DOS [leader NA];
Democratic Party or DS [Zoran DJINDJIC]; Democratic Party of Serbia or
DSS [Vojislav KOSTUNICA]; Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro or
DPS [Milo DJUKANOVIC]; Movement for a Democratic Serbia or PDS [Momcilo
PERISIC]; New Democracy or ND [Dusan MIHAJLOVIC]; New Serbia [Velimir
ILIC]; People's Party of Montenegro or NS [Dragan SOC]; Serb People's
Party or SNS [Bozidar BOJOVIC]; Serbian Radical Party or SRS [Vojislav
SESELJ]; Serbian Renewal Movement or SPO [Vuk DRASKOVIC, president];
Serbian Socialist Party or SPS (former Communist Party) [Slobodan
MILOSEVIC]; Social Democracy or SD [Vuk OBRADOVIC]; Social Democratic
Union or SDU [Zarko KORAC]; Socialist People's Party of Montenegro or SNP
[Momir BULATOVIC]; Yugoslav United Left or JUL [Ljubisa RISTIC]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Alliance for the Future of Kosovo
or AAK [Ramush HARADINAJ]; Democratic League of Kosovo or LDK [Ibrahim
RUGOVA]; Democratic Party of Kosovo or PDK [Hashim THACI]; Group of 17
Independent Economists or G-17 [leader NA]; National Movement for the
Liberation of Kosovo or LKCK [Sabit GASHI]; Otpor Student Resistance
Movement [leader NA]; Political Council for Presevo, Meveda and Bujanovac
or PCPMB [leader NA]; The People's Movement for Kosovo or LPK [Emrush
XHEMAJLI]

International organization participation: ABEDA, BIS, CCC, CE (guest),
CEI, EBRD, FAO, G- 9, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM,
OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Ivan ZIVKOVIC telephone: [1] (202) 462-6566 chancery: 2134 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador William D. MONTGOMERY embassy: Kneza Milosa 50, 11000 Belgrade telephone: [381] (11) 361-9344 FAX: [381] (11) 646-031 branch office: Pristina

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and red

Economy Yugoslavia

Economy - overview: MILOSEVIC-era mismanagement of the economy, an extended period of economic sanctions, and the damage to Yugoslavia's infrastructure and industry during the war in Kosovo has left the economy only half the size it was in 1990. Since the ousting of former Federal Yugoslav President MILOSEVIC in October 2000, the Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS) coalition government has implemented stabilization measures and embarked on an aggressive market reform program. After renewing its membership in the IMF in December 2000, Yugoslavia continued to reintegrate into the international community by rejoining the World Bank (IBRD) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). A World Bank-European Commission sponsored Donors' Conference held in June 2001 raised $1.3 billion for economic restructuring. An agreement rescheduling the country's $4.5 billion Paris Club government debts was concluded in November 2001; it will write off 66% of the debt and provide a basis for Belgrade to seek similar debt relief on its $2.8 billion London Club commercial debt. The smaller republic of Montenegro severed its economy from federal control and from Serbia during the MILOSEVIC era and continues to maintain it's own central bank, uses the euro instead of the Yugoslav dinar as official currency, collects customs tariffs, and manages its own budget. Kosovo, while technically still part of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia according to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244, is moving toward local autonomy under United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and is dependent on the international community for financial and technical assistance. The euro and the Yugoslav dinar are official currencies, and UNMIK collects taxes and manages the budget.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $24 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 5% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,250 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 26% industry: 36% services: 38% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 30%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 40% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 3 million (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate: 30% (2001)

Budget: revenues: $3.9 billion expenditures: $4.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Industries: machine building (aircraft, trucks, and automobiles; tanks and weapons; electrical equipment; agricultural machinery); metallurgy (steel, aluminum, copper, lead, zinc, chromium, antimony, bismuth, cadmium); mining (coal, bauxite, nonferrous ore, iron ore, limestone); consumer goods (textiles, footwear, foodstuffs, appliances); electronics, petroleum products, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals

Industrial production growth rate: 11% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production: 32.984 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 58.75% hydro: 41.25% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 31.546 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 43 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 914 million kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: cereals, fruits, vegetables, tobacco, olives; cattle, sheep, goats

Exports: $2 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: manufactured goods, food and live animals, raw materials

Exports - partners: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy, The Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia, Germany (2001)

Imports: $4.5 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, fuels and lubricants, manufactured goods, chemicals, food and live animals, raw materials

Imports - partners: Germany, Italy, Russia, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (2001)

Debt - external: $9.2 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $2 billion pledged in 2001 (disbursements to follow for several years)

Currency: new Yugoslav dinar (YUM); note - in Montenegro the euro is legal tender; in Kosovo both the euro and the Yugoslav dinar are legal (2002)

Currency code: YUM

Exchange rates: new Yugoslav dinars per US dollar - official rate: 65 (January 2002), 10.0 (December 1998), 5.85 (December 1997), 5.02 (September 1996); black market rate: 14.5 (December 1998), 8.9 (December 1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Yugoslavia

Telephones - main lines in use: 2.017 million (1995)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 87,000 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 113, FM 194, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios: 3.15 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: more than 771 (including 86 strong stations and 685 low-power stations, plus 20 repeaters in the principal networks; also numerous local or private stations in Serbia and Vojvodina) (1997)

Televisions: 2.75 million (1997)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 9 (2000)

Internet users: 400,000 (2001)

Transportation Yugoslavia

Railways: total: 4,059 km standard gauge: 4,059 km 1.435-m gauge (1,377 km electrified) note: during the 1999 Kosovo conflict, the Serbian rail system suffered significant damage due to bridge destruction; many rail bridges have been rebuilt; Montenegrin rail lines remain intact (2001)

Highways: 28,822 km (including 560 km of expressways) note: since the end of the conflict in June 1999, there has been an intensive program to either rebuild bridges or build by-pass routes (1999) unpaved: Waterways: 587 km note: the Danube River, central Europe's connection with the Black Sea, runs through Serbia; since early 2000, a pontoon bridge, replacing a destroyed conventional bridge, has obstructed river traffic at Novi Sad; the obstruction is bypassed by a canal system, the inadequate lock size of which limits the size of vessels which may pass; the pontoon bridge can be opened for large ships but has slowed river traffic (2001)

Pipelines: crude oil 415 km; petroleum products 130 km; natural gas 2,110 km

Ports and harbors: Bar, Belgrade, Kotor, Novi Sad, Pancevo, Tivat,
Zelenika

Merchant marine: total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,437
GRT/400 DWT ships by type: short-sea passenger 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 46 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 19 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 4 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 27 27 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 2 13 (2001)

Heliports: 2 (2001)

Military Yugoslavia

Military branches: Army (VJ) (including ground forces with border troops, naval forces, air and air defense forces)

Military manpower - military age: 19 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 2,589,437 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 2,082,322 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 82,542 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $654 million (2002)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Transnational Issues Yugoslavia

Disputes - international: Yugoslavia and Bosnia and Herzegovina have delimited about half of their boundary, but several segments, particularly along the meandering Drina River, remain in dispute; FYROM-Yugoslavia signed and ratified a boundary agreement, which adjusts the former republic boundaries, with demarcation to commence in 2002; ethnic Albanians in Kosovo dispute authority of agreement which cedes small tracts of Kosovo to FYROM; Croatia and Yugoslavia continue to discuss disputed Prevlaka Peninsula and control over the Gulf of Kotor despite imminent UN intention to withdraw observer mission (UNMOP)

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin moving to Western Europe on the Balkan route

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Yemen

Introduction

Yemen

Background: North Yemen became independent of the Ottoman Empire in 1918. The British, who had set up a protectorate area around the southern port of Aden in the 19th century, withdrew in 1967 from what became South Yemen. Three years later, the southern government adopted a Marxist orientation. The massive exodus of hundreds of thousands of Yemenis from the south to the north contributed to two decades of hostility between the states. The two countries were formally unified as the Republic of Yemen in 1990. A southern secessionist movement in 1994 was quickly subdued. In 2000, Saudi Arabia and Yemen agreed to a delimitation of their border.

Geography Yemen

Location: Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, and
Red Sea, between Oman and Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates: 15 00 N, 48 00 E

Map references: Middle East

Area: total: 527,970 sq km land: 527,970 sq km note: includes Perim, Socotra, the former Yemen Arab Republic (YAR or North Yemen), and the former People's Democratic Republic of Yemen (PDRY or South Yemen) water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than twice the size of Wyoming

Land boundaries: total: 1,746 km border countries: Oman 288 km, Saudi
Arabia 1,458 km

Coastline: 1,906 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate: mostly desert; hot and humid along west coast; temperate in western mountains affected by seasonal monsoon; extraordinarily hot, dry, harsh desert in east

Terrain: narrow coastal plain backed by flat-topped hills and rugged mountains; dissected upland desert plains in center slope into the desert interior of the Arabian Peninsula

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m highest point: Jabal an Nabi Shu'ayb 3,760 m

Natural resources: petroleum, fish, rock salt, marble, small deposits of coal, gold, lead, nickel, and copper, fertile soil in west

Land use: arable land: 3% permanent crops: 0% other: 97% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 4,900 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: sandstorms and dust storms in summer

Environment - current issues: very limited natural fresh water resources; inadequate supplies of potable water; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but
not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban

Geography - note: strategic location on Bab el Mandeb, the strait linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, one of world's most active shipping lanes

People Yemen

Population: 18,701,257 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 47% (male 4,468,928; female 4,317,648) 15-64 years: 50.1% (male 4,783,769; female 4,587,309) 65 years and over: 2.9% (male 273,282; female 270,321) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.4% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 43.3 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 9.31 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 66.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 62.46 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 6.9 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.01% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Yemeni(s) adjective: Yemeni

Ethnic groups: predominantly Arab; but also Afro-Arab, South Asians,
Europeans

Religions: Muslim including Shaf'i (Sunni) and Zaydi (Shi'a), small numbers of Jewish, Christian, and Hindu

Languages: Arabic

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 38% male: 53% female: 26% (1990 est.)

Government Yemen

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Yemen conventional short form: Yemen local short form: Al Yaman local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Yamaniyah

Government type: republic

Capital: Sanaa

Administrative divisions: 17 governorates (muhafazat, singular -
muhafazah); Abyan, 'Adan, Al Bayda', Al Hudaydah, Al Jawf, Al Mahrah, Al
Mahwit, Dhamar, Hadramawt, Hajjah, Ibb, Lahij, Ma'rib, Sa'dah, San'a',
Shabwah, Ta'izz note: there may be three more governorates: Ad Dali',
Amran, and the capital city of Sanaa

Independence: 22 May 1990, Republic of Yemen was established with the merger of the Yemen Arab Republic [Yemen (Sanaa) or North Yemen] and the Marxist-dominated People's Democratic Republic of Yemen [Yemen (Aden) or South Yemen]; previously North Yemen had become independent on NA November 1918 (from the Ottoman Empire) and South Yemen had become independent on 30 November 1967 (from the UK)

National holiday: Unification Day, 22 May (1990)

Constitution: 16 May 1991; amended 29 September 1994 and February 2001

Legal system: based on Islamic law, Turkish law, English common law, and local tribal customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Field Marshall Ali Abdallah SALIH (since 22 May 1990, the former president of North Yemen, assumed office upon the merger of North and South Yemen); Vice President Maj. Gen. Abd al-Rab Mansur al-HADI (since 3 October 1994) head of government: Prime Minister Abd al-Qadir BA JAMAL (since 4 April 2001) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister election results: Ali Abdallah SALIH elected president; percent of vote - Ali Abdallah SALIH 96.3%, Najib Qahtan AL-SHAABI 3.7% elections: president elected by direct, popular vote for a seven-year term (recently extended from a five-year term by constitutional amendment); election last held 23 September 1999 (next to be held NA 2006); vice president appointed by the president; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president

Legislative branch: a new constitutional amendment ratified on 20 February 2001 created a bicameral legislature consisting of a Shura Council (111 seats; members appointed by the president) and a House of Representatives (301 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) election results: Nasserite Unionist Party 3, National Arab Socialist Baath Party 2, independents 54, election pending 1; seats by party as of January 2002: Baath Party 2, YSP 2, independents 7 elections: last held 27 April 1997 (next to be held 27 April 2003)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: there are over 12 political parties active in Yemen, some of the more prominent are: General People's Congress or GPC [President Ali Abdallah SALIH]; Islamic Reform Grouping or Islah [Shaykh Abdallah bin Husayn al-AHMAR]; National Arab Socialist Baath Party [Dr. Qassim SALAAM]; Nasserite Unionist Party [Abdel Malik al-MAKHLAFI]; Yemeni Socialist Party or YSP [Ali Salih MUQBIL] note: President SALIH's General People's Congress or GPC won a landslide victory in the April 1997 legislative election and no longer governs in coalition with Shaykh Abdallah bin Husayn al-AHMAR's Islamic Reform Grouping or Islah - the two parties had been in coalition since the end of the civil war in 1994; the YSP, a loyal opposition party, boycotted the April 1997 legislative election, but announced that it would participate in Yemen's first local elections which were held in February 2001; these local elections aim to decentralize political power and are a key element of the government's political reform program

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU,
CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer),
OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Abd al-Wahhab Abdallah al-HAJRI FAX: [1] (202) 337-2017 telephone: [1]
(202) 965-4760 chancery: Suite 705, 2600 Virginia Avenue NW, Washington,
DC 20037

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Edmund J. HULL (since 17 September 2001) embassy: Dhahar Himyar Zone,
Sheraton Hotel District, Sanaa mailing address: P. O. Box 22347, Sanaa
telephone: [967] (1) 303-161 FAX: [967] (1) 303-182

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black; similar to the flag of Syria which has two green stars and of Iraq which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Egypt which has a heraldic eagle centered in the white band

Economy Yemen

Economy - overview: Yemen, one of the poorest countries in the Arab world, reported strong growth in the mid-1990s with the onset of oil production, but has been harmed by periodic declines in oil prices. Yemen has embarked on an IMF-supported structural adjustment program designed to modernize and streamline the economy, which has led to substantial foreign debt relief and restructuring. Aided by higher oil prices in 1999-2000, Yemen worked to maintain tight control over spending and implement additional components of the IMF program. A high population growth rate and internal political dissension complicate the government's task.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $14.8 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $820 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 17% industry: 40% services: 43% (1998)

Population below poverty line: NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3% highest 10%: 25.9% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 33.4 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10% (2001 est.)

Labor force: NA

Labor force - by occupation: most people are employed in agriculture and herding; services, construction, industry, and commerce account for less than one-fourth of the labor force

Unemployment rate: 30% (1995 est.)

Budget: revenues: $3 billion expenditures: $3.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Industries: crude oil production and petroleum refining; small-scale production of cotton textiles and leather goods; food processing; handicrafts; small aluminum products factory; cement

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 3.2 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 2.976 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: grain, fruits, vegetables, pulses, qat (mildly narcotic shrub), coffee, cotton; dairy products, livestock (sheep, goats, cattle, camels), poultry; fish

Exports: $3.9 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: crude oil, coffee, dried and salted fish

Exports - partners: Thailand 34%, China 26%, South Korea 14%, Singapore 9%, Japan 3%, Saudi Arabia 3% (1999)

Imports: $3 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: food and live animals, machinery and equipment

Imports - partners: Saudi Arabia 10%, UAE 8%, France 7%, US 7%, Italy 6% (1999)

Debt - external: $4.7 billion (2001)

Economic aid - recipient: $176.1 million (1995)

Currency: Yemeni rial (YER)

Currency code: YER

Exchange rates: Yemeni rials per US dollar - 171.860 (December 2001), 168.678 (2001), 161.718 (2000), 155.718 (1999), 135.882 (1998), 129.281 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Yemen

Telephones - main lines in use: 291,359 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 32,042 (2000)

Telephone system: general assessment: since unification in 1990, efforts have been made to create a national telecommunications network domestic: the national network consists of microwave radio relay, cable, tropospheric scatter, and GSM cellular mobile telephone systems international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region), and 2 Arabsat; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and Djibouti

Radio broadcast stations: AM 6, FM 1, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios: 1.05 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 7 (plus several low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 470,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .ye

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: 14,000 (2001)

Transportation Yemen

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 69,263 km paved: 9,963 km unpaved: 59,300 km (1999)

Waterways: none

Pipelines: crude oil 644 km; petroleum products 32 km

Ports and harbors: Aden, Al Hudaydah, Al Mukalla, As Salif, Ras Issa,
Mocha, Nishtun

Merchant marine: total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 15,002
GRT/23,752 DWT ships by type: cargo 1, petroleum tanker 3 note: includes
some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience:
Hong Kong 2 (2002 est.)

Airports: 49 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 14 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 35 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 4 (2001)

Military Yemen

Military branches: Army (includes Special Forces, established in 1999),
Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Forces, Republican Guard

Military manpower - military age: 14 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 4,272,156 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 2,397,914 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 238,690 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $482.5 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 5.2% (FY01)

Military - note: establishement of a Coast Guard, scheduled for May 2001, has been delayed

Transnational Issues Yemen

Disputes - international: demarcation of delimited boundary with Saudi Arabia involves nomadic tribal affiliations; Yemen has asserted traditional fishing rights to islands ceded to Eritrea in ICJ ruling

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Zambia

Introduction

Zambia

Background: The territory of Northern Rhodesia was administered by the South Africa Company from 1891 until it was taken over by the UK in 1923. During the 1920s and 1930s, advances in mining spurred development and immigration. The name was changed to Zambia upon independence in 1964. In the 1980s and 1990s, declining copper prices and a prolonged drought hurt the economy. Elections in 1991 brought an end to one-party rule, but the subsequent vote in 1996 saw blatant harassment of opposition parties. The election in 2001 was marked by administrative problems with at least two parties filing legal petitions challenging the results. Opposition parties currently hold a majority of seats in the National Assembly.

Geography Zambia

Location: Southern Africa, east of Angola

Geographic coordinates: 15 00 S, 30 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 752,614 sq km water: 11,890 sq km land: 740,724 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Texas

Land boundaries: total: 5,664 km border countries: Angola 1,110 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 1,930 km, Malawi 837 km, Mozambique 419 km, Namibia 233 km, Tanzania 338 km, Zimbabwe 797 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: tropical; modified by altitude; rainy season (October to April)

Terrain: mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Zambezi river 329 m highest point: unnamed location in Mafinga Hills 2,301 m

Natural resources: copper, cobalt, zinc, lead, coal, emeralds, gold, silver, uranium, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 7% permanent crops: 0% other: 93% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 460 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: tropical storms (November to April)

Environment - current issues: air pollution and resulting acid rain in the mineral extraction and refining region; chemical runoff into watersheds; poaching seriously threatens rhinoceros, elephant, antelope, and large cat populations; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; lack of adequate water treatment presents human health risks

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note: landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary with Zimbabwe

People Zambia

Population: 9,959,037 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 47.1% (male 2,357,581; female 2,335,644) 15-64 years: 50.4% (male 2,497,360; female 2,519,227) 65 years and over: 2.5% (male 106,160; female 143,065) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.9% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 41.01 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 21.89 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 89.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 37.66 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 5.43 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 19.95% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 870,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 99,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Zambian(s) adjective: Zambian

Ethnic groups: African 98.7%, European 1.1%, other 0.2%

Religions: Christian 50%-75%, Muslim and Hindu 24%-49%, indigenous beliefs 1%

Languages: English (official), major vernaculars - Bemba, Kaonda, Lozi,
Lunda, Luvale, Nyanja, Tonga, and about 70 other indigenous languages

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write English total population:
Government Zambia

Country name: Republic of Zambia conventional short form: Government type: republic

Capital: Lusaka

Administrative divisions: 9 provinces; Central, Copperbelt, Eastern,
Luapula, Lusaka, Northern, North-Western, Southern, Western

Independence: 24 October 1964 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 24 October (1964)

Constitution: 2 August 1991

Legal system: based on English common law and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in an ad hoc constitutional council; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Levy MWANAWASA (since 2 January 2002); Vice President Enoch KAVINDELE (since 4 May 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Levy MWANAWASA (since 2 January 2002); Vice President Enoch KAVINDELE (since 4 May 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 27 December 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); vice president appointed by the president election results: Levy MWANAWASA elected president; percent of vote - Levy MWANAWASA 29%, Anderson MAZOKA 27%, Christon TEMBO 13%, Tilyenji KAUNDA 10%, Godfrey MIYANDA 8%, Benjamin MWILA 5%, Michael SATA 3%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (150 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 27 December 2001 (next to be held NA 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - MMD 45.9%, UPND 32.4%, UNIP 8.8%, FDD 8.1%, HP 2.7%, PF 0.7%, ZRP 0.7%, independents 0.7%; seats by party - MMD 68, UPND 48, UNIP 13, FDD 12, HP 4, PF 1, ZRP 1, independents 1; seats not determined 2

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (the final court of appeal; justices are appointed by the president); High Court (has unlimited jurisdiction to hear civil and criminal cases)

Political parties and leaders: Agenda for Zambia or AZ [Inonge MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA]; Forum for Democracy and Development or FDD [Christon TEMBO]; Heritage Party or HP [Godfrey MIYANDA]; Liberal Progressive Front or LPF [Roger CHONGWE, president]; Movement for Multiparty Democracy or MMD [Frederick CHILUBA, president]; National Citizens Coalition or NCC [Nevers MUMBA, president]; National Leadership for Development or NLD [Yobert SHAMAPANDE]; National Party or NP [Dr. Sam CHIPUNGU]; Patriotic Front or PF [Michael SATA]; Zambian Republican Party or ZRP [Benjamin MWILA]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Gwendoline Konie]; United National Independence Party or UNIP [Francis NKHOMA, president]; United Party for National Development or UPND [Anderson MAZOKA]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO,
G-19, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN,
UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Atan SHANSONGA FAX: [1] (202) 332-0826 telephone: [1] (202) 265-9717 through 9719 chancery: 2419 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador David B. DUNN embassy: corner of Independence and United Nations Avenues mailing address: P. O. Box 31617, Lusaka telephone: [260] (1) 250-955 FAX: [260] (1) 252-225

Flag description: green with a panel of three vertical bands of red (hoist side), black, and orange below a soaring orange eagle, on the outer edge of the flag

Economy Zambia

Economy - overview: Despite progress in privatization and budgetary reform, Zambia's economy has a long way to go. Privatization of government-owned copper mines relieved the government from covering mammoth losses generated by the industry and greatly improved the chances for copper mining to return to profitability and spur economic growth. However, low mineral prices have slowed the benefits from privatizing the mines and reduced incentives for further private investment in the sector. In late 2000, Zambia was determined to be eligible for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative, but Zambia has not yet finalized its Poverty Reduction Strategy paper. Unemployment rates remain high, but GDP growth should continue at about 4%. Inflation should remain close to 20%.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $8.5 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3.9% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $870 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 24% industry: 25% services: 51% (2000)

Population below poverty line: 86% (1993 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.1% highest 10%: 41% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 52.6 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 21.5% (2001)

Labor force: 3.4 million

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 85%, industry 6%, services 9%

Unemployment rate: 50% (2000 est.)

Budget: revenues: $1.2 billion expenditures: $1.25 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Industries: copper mining and processing, construction, foodstuffs, beverages, chemicals, textiles, fertilizer, horticulture

Industrial production growth rate: 5.1% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 7.822 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0.51% hydro: 99.49% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 5.838 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 1.536 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 100 million kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: corn, sorghum, rice, peanuts, sunflower seed, vegetables, flowers, tobacco, cotton, sugarcane, cassava (tapioca); cattle, goats, pigs, poultry, milk, eggs, hides; coffee

Exports: $876 million (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: copper 55%, cobalt, electricity, tobacco, flowers, cotton

Exports - partners: UK 25.2%, South Africa 24.5%, Switzerland 9.4%,
Malawi 7.5% (2000)

Imports: $12.05 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery, transportation equipment, petroleum products, electricity, fertilizer; foodstuffs, clothing

Imports - partners: South Africa 67.1%, UK 9.8%, Zimbabwe 7.5%, US 5.9% (2000)

Debt - external: $5.8 billion (2001)

Economic aid - recipient: $651 million (2000 est.)

Currency: Zambian kwacha (ZMK)

Currency code: ZMK

Exchange rates: Zambian kwacha per US dollar - 3,848.65 (January 2002), 3,610.94 (2001), 3,110.84 (2000), 2,388.02 (1999), 1,862.07 (1998), 1,314.50 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Zambia

Telephones - main lines in use: 130,000 (including more than 40,000 fixed telephones in wireless local loop connections) (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 75,000 (2001)

Telephone system: general assessment: facilities are aging but still among the best in Sub-Saharan Africa domestic: high-capacity microwave radio relay connects most larger towns and cities; several cellular telephone services in operation; Internet service is widely available; very small aperture terminal (VSAT) networks are operated by private firms international: Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 19, FM 5, shortwave 4 (2001)

Radios: 1.2 million (2001)

Television broadcast stations: 9 (2002)

Televisions: 277,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .zm

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 5 (2001)

Internet users: 15,000 (2000)

Transportation Zambia

Railways: total: 2,157 km narrow gauge: 2,157 km 1.067-m gauge (13 km double-track) note: the total includes 891 km of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA), which operates 1,860 km of 1.067-m narrow gauge track between Dar es Salaam and Kapiri Mposhi where it connects to the Zambia Railways system; TAZARA is not a part of the Zambia Railways system; Zambia Railways assets are scheduled for concessioning (2002)

Highways: total: 66,781 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (1997 est.)

Waterways: 2,250 km note: includes Lake Tanganyika and the Zambezi and
Luapula rivers

Pipelines: crude oil 1,724 km

Ports and harbors: Mpulungu

Airports: 111 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 11 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: 3 914 to 1,523 m: Military Zambia

Military branches: Army, Air Force, Police, paramilitary forces

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 2,313,567 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,228,385 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $32.5 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.9% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Zambia

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for moderate amounts of methaqualone, small amounts of heroin, and cocaine bound for Southern Africa and possibly Europe; regional money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Atlantic Ocean

Introduction

Atlantic Ocean

Background: The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean, but larger than the Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean, and Arctic Ocean). The Kiel Canal (Germany), Oresund (Denmark-Sweden), Bosporus (Turkey), Strait of Gibraltar (Morocco-Spain), and the St. Lawrence Seaway (Canada-US) are important strategic access waterways.

Geography Atlantic Ocean

Location: body of water between Africa, Europe, the Southern Ocean, and the Western Hemisphere

Geographic coordinates: 0 00 N, 25 00 W

Map references: Political Map of the World

Area: total: 76.762 million sq km note: includes Baltic Sea, Black Sea,
Caribbean Sea, Davis Strait, Denmark Strait, part of the Drake Passage,
Gulf of Mexico, Mediterranean Sea, North Sea, Norwegian Sea, almost all
of the Scotia Sea, and other tributary water bodies

Area - comparative: slightly less than 6.5 times the size of the US

Coastline: 111,866 km

Climate: tropical cyclones (hurricanes) develop off the coast of Africa near Cape Verde and move westward into the Caribbean Sea; hurricanes can occur from May to December, but are most frequent from August to November

Terrain: surface usually covered with sea ice in Labrador Sea, Denmark Strait, and coastal portions of the Baltic Sea from October to June; clockwise warm-water gyre (broad, circular system of currents) in the northern Atlantic, counterclockwise warm-water gyre in the southern Atlantic; the ocean floor is dominated by the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a rugged north-south centerline for the entire Atlantic basin

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Milwaukee Deep in the Puerto Rico
Trench -8,605 m highest point: sea level 0 m

Natural resources: oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and whales), sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules, precious stones

Natural hazards: icebergs common in Davis Strait, Denmark Strait, and the northwestern Atlantic Ocean from February to August and have been spotted as far south as Bermuda and the Madeira Islands; ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme northern Atlantic from October to May; persistent fog can be a maritime hazard from May to September; hurricanes (May to December)

Environment - current issues: endangered marine species include the manatee, seals, sea lions, turtles, and whales; drift net fishing is hastening the decline of fish stocks and contributing to international disputes; municipal sludge pollution off eastern US, southern Brazil, and eastern Argentina; oil pollution in Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, Lake Maracaibo, Mediterranean Sea, and North Sea; industrial waste and municipal sewage pollution in Baltic Sea, North Sea, and Mediterranean Sea

Geography - note: major chokepoints include the Dardanelles, Strait of Gibraltar, access to the Panama and Suez Canals; strategic straits include the Strait of Dover, Straits of Florida, Mona Passage, The Sound (Oresund), and Windward Passage; the Equator divides the Atlantic Ocean into the North Atlantic Ocean and South Atlantic Ocean

People Atlantic Ocean

Population growth rate: NA%

Economy Atlantic Ocean

Economy - overview: The Atlantic Ocean provides some of the world's most heavily trafficked sea routes, between and within the Eastern and Western Hemispheres. Other economic activity includes the exploitation of natural resources, e.g., fishing, the dredging of aragonite sands (The Bahamas), and production of crude oil and natural gas (Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and North Sea).

Transportation Atlantic Ocean

Ports and harbors: Alexandria (Egypt), Algiers (Algeria), Antwerp
(Belgium), Barcelona (Spain), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Casablanca
(Morocco), Colon (Panama), Copenhagen (Denmark), Dakar (Senegal),
Gdansk (Poland), Hamburg (Germany), Helsinki (Finland), Las Palmas
(Canary Islands, Spain), Le Havre (France), Lisbon (Portugal), London
(UK), Marseille (France), Montevideo (Uruguay), Montreal (Canada),
Naples (Italy), New Orleans (US), New York (US), Oran (Algeria), Oslo
(Norway), Peiraiefs or Piraeus (Greece), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil),
Rotterdam (Netherlands), Saint Petersburg (Russia), Stockholm (Sweden)

Transportation - note: Kiel Canal and Saint Lawrence Seaway are two important waterways; significant domestic commercial and recreational use of Intracoastal Waterway on central and south Atlantic seaboard and Gulf of Mexico coast of US

Transnational Issues Atlantic Ocean

Disputes - international: some maritime disputes (see littoral states)

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Zimbabwe

Introduction

Zimbabwe

Background: The UK annexed Southern Rhodesia from the South Africa Company in 1923. A 1961 constitution was formulated that favored whites in power. In 1965 the government unilaterally declared its independence, but the UK did not recognize the act and demanded more complete voting rights for the black African majority in the country (then called Rhodesia). UN sanctions and a guerrilla uprising finally led to free elections in 1979 and independence (as Zimbabwe) in 1980. Robert MUGABE, the nation's first prime minister, has been the country's only ruler (as president since 1987) and has dominated the country's political system since independence.

Geography Zimbabwe

Location: Southern Africa, between South Africa and Zambia

Geographic coordinates: 20 00 S, 30 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 390,580 sq km water: 3,910 sq km land: 386,670 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Montana

Land boundaries: total: 3,066 km border countries: Botswana 813 km,
Mozambique 1,231 km, South Africa 225 km, Zambia 797 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: tropical; moderated by altitude; rainy season (November to March)

Terrain: mostly high plateau with higher central plateau (high veld); mountains in east

Elevation extremes: junction of the Runde and Save rivers 162 m highest point: Natural resources: coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron ore, vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum group metals

Land use: arable land: 8% permanent crops: 1% other: 91% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,170 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare

Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; land degradation; air and water pollution; the black rhinoceros herd - once the largest concentration of the species in the world - has been significantly reduced by poaching; poor mining practices have led to toxic waste and heavy metal pollution

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Geography - note: landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary with Zambia; in full flood (February-April) the massive Victoria Falls on the river forms the world's largest curtain of falling water

People Zimbabwe

Population: 11,376,676 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 37.9% (male 2,178,073; female 2,128,287) 15-64 years: 58.4% (male 3,376,850; female 3,268,315) 65 years and over: 3.7% (male 213,286; female 211,865) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.05% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 24.59 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 24.06 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: NEGL migrant(s)/1,000 population note: there is a small but steady flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa in search of better paid employment (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 62.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 35.1 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 3.21 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 25.06% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 1.5 million (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 160,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Zimbabwean(s) adjective: Zimbabwean

Ethnic groups: African 98% (Shona 82%, Ndebele 14%, other 2%), mixed and Asian 1%, white less than 1%

Religions: syncretic (part Christian, part indigenous beliefs) 50%,
Christian 25%, indigenous beliefs 24%, Muslim and other 1%

Languages: English (official), Shona, Sindebele (the language of the
Ndebele, sometimes called Ndebele), numerous but minor tribal dialects

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write English total population:
Government Zimbabwe

Country name: Republic of Zimbabwe conventional short form: Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Harare

Administrative divisions: 8 provinces and 2 cities* with provincial
status; Bulawayo*, Harare*, Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland
East, Mashonaland West, Masvingo, Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South,
Midlands

Independence: 18 April 1980 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 18 April (1980)

Constitution: 21 December 1979

Legal system: mixture of Roman-Dutch and English common law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31 December 1987); Co-Vice Presidents Simon Vengai MUZENDA (since 31 December 1987) and Joseph MSIKA (since 23 December 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: Co-Vice Presidents Simon Vengai MUZENDA (since 31 December 1987) and Joseph MSIKA (since 23 December 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; responsible to the House of Assembly elections: least 10 registered voters (at least one from each province) and elected by popular vote; election last held 9-11 March 2002 (next to be held NA March 2006); co-vice presidents appointed by the president election results: Robert Gabriel MUGABE reelected president; percent of vote - Robert Gabriel MUGABE 56.2%, Morgan TSVANGIRAI 41.9%

Legislative branch: unicameral parliament, called House of Assembly (150 seats - 120 elected by popular vote for five-year terms, 12 nominated by the president, 10 occupied by traditional chiefs chosen by their peers, and 8 occupied by provincial governors appointed by the president) elections: last held 24-25 June 2000 (next to be held NA 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - ZANU-PF 47.2%, MDC 45.6%, ZANU-Ndonga 0.7%, United Parties 0.7%; seats by party - ZANU-PF 63, MDC 56, ZANU-Ndonga 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; High Court

Political parties and leaders: Movement for Democratic Change or MDC
[Morgan TSVANGIRAI]; United Parties [Abel MUZOREWA]; Zimbabwe African
National Union-Ndonga or ZANU-Ndonga [leader NA]; Zimbabwe African
National Union-Patriotic Front or ZANU-PF [Robert Gabriel MUGABE];
Zimbabwe African Peoples Union or ZAPU [Paul SIWELA]

Political pressure groups and leaders: National Constitutional Assembly or NCA [Lovemore MADHUKU]

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA,
FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, PCA,
SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Simbi Veke MUBAKO FAX: [1] (202) 483-9326 telephone: [1] (202) 332-7100 chancery: 1608 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph G. SULLIVAN embassy: 172 Herbert P. O. Box 3340, Harare telephone: Flag description: seven equal horizontal bands of green, yellow, red, black, red, yellow, and green with a white isosceles triangle edged in black with its base on the hoist side; a yellow Zimbabwe bird is superimposed on a red five-pointed star in the center of the triangle

Economy Zimbabwe

Economy - overview: The government of Zimbabwe faces a wide variety of difficult economic problems as it struggles to consolidate earlier moves to develop a market-oriented economy. Its involvement in the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, for example, has already drained hundreds of millions of dollars from the economy. Badly needed support from the IMF has been suspended because of the country's failure to meet budgetary goals. Inflation rose from an annual rate of 32% in 1998 to 59% in 1999, to 60% in 2000, and to 100% by yearend 2001. The economy is being steadily weakened by excessive government deficits, AIDS, and rampant inflation. The government's land reform program, characterized by chaos and violence, has derailed the commercial sector, the traditional source of exports and foreign exchange and the provider of 400,000 jobs. Distribution of income is extremely unequal.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $28 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: -6.5% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,450 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11% industry: 14% services: 75% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 60% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.8% highest 10%: 46.9% (1990)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 56.8 (1990-91)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 100% (2001)

Labor force: 5.5 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 66%, services 24%, industry 10% (1996 est.)

Unemployment rate: 60% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $2.5 billion expenditures: $2.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Industries: mining (coal, gold, copper, nickel, tin, clay, numerous metallic and nonmetallic ores), steel, wood products, cement, chemicals, fertilizer, clothing and footwear, foodstuffs, beverages

Industrial production growth rate: -10% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 6.425 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 53.31% hydro: 46.69% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 10.475 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 4.5 billion kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: corn, cotton, tobacco, wheat, coffee, sugarcane, peanuts; cattle, sheep, goats, pigs

Exports: $2.1 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: tobacco 30%, gold 11%, ferroalloys 9%, textile/clothing 3% (2000)

Exports - partners: South Africa 12.1%, UK 8.5%, Japan 7.7%, Germany 6.1%, China 5.4% (2000)

Imports: $1.5 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment 34%, other manufactures 18%, chemicals 17%, fuels 11% (1999)

Imports - partners: South Africa 46.3%, UK 7.2%, Germany 2.5%, US 2.8%,
Japan 2.5% (2000 est.)

Debt - external: $5 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $200 million (2000 est.)

Currency: Zimbabwean dollar (ZWD)

Currency code: ZWD

Exchange rates: Zimbabwean dollars per US dollar - 54.9451 (December 2001), 54.9451 (2001), 43.2900 (2000), 38.3142 (1999), 21.4133 (1998), 11.8906 (1997)

Fiscal year: 1 January - 31 December

Communications Zimbabwe

Telephones - main lines in use: 212,000 (in addition, there are about 20,000 fixed telephones in wireless local loop connections) (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 111,000 (2001)

Telephone system: general assessment: system was once one of the best in Africa, but now suffers from poor maintenance; more than 100,000 outstanding requests for connection despite an equally large number of installed but unused main lines domestic: consists of microwave radio relay links, open-wire lines, radiotelephone communication stations, fixed wireless local loop installations, and a substantial mobile cellular network; Internet connection is available in Harare and planned for all major towns and for some of the smaller ones international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat; two international digital gateway exchanges (in Harare and Gweru)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 20 (plus 17 repeater stations), shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios: 1.14 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 16 (1997)

Televisions: 370,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .zw

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 6 (2000)

Internet users: 30,000 (1999)

Transportation Zimbabwe

Railways: total: 3,077 km narrow gauge: 3,077 km 1.067-m gauge (313 km electrified; 42 km double-tracked) note: includes the 318 km Bulawaya-Beitbridge Railway Company line (2001)

Highways: total: 18,338 km paved: 8,692 km unpaved: 9,646 km (2002)

Waterways: chrome ore is transported from Harare - by way of the Mazoe
River - to the Zambezi River in Mozambique

Pipelines: petroleum products 212 km

Ports and harbors: Binga, Kariba

Airports: 454 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 17 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 8 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 437 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 209 under 914 m: 224 (2001)

Military Zimbabwe

Military branches: Zimbabwe National Army, Air Force of Zimbabwe,
Zimbabwe Republic Police (includes Police Support Unit, Paramilitary
Police)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 3,057,381 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,898,383 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $350.6 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.8% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Zimbabwe

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: transit point for African cannabis and South Asian heroin, mandrax, and methamphetamines destined for the South African and European markets

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

========================================================================

Pacific Ocean

Introduction

Pacific Ocean

Background: The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the world's five oceans
(followed by the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean, and Arctic
Ocean). Strategically important access waterways include the La Perouse,
Tsugaru, Tsushima, Taiwan, Singapore, and Torres Straits.

Geography Pacific Ocean

Location: body of water between the Southern Ocean, Asia, Australia, and the Western Hemisphere

Geographic coordinates: 0 00 N, 160 00 W

Map references: Political Map of the World

Area: total: 155.557 million sq km note: includes Bali Sea, Bering Sea, Bering Strait, Coral Sea, East China Sea, Flores Sea, Gulf of Alaska, Gulf of Tonkin, Java Sea, Philippine Sea, Savu Sea, Sea of Japan, Sea of Okhotsk, South China Sea, Tasman Sea, Timor Sea, and other tributary water bodies

Area - comparative: about 15 times the size of the US; covers about 28% of the global surface; larger than the total land area of the world

Coastline: 135,663 km

Climate: planetary air pressure systems and resultant wind patterns exhibit remarkable uniformity in the south and east; trade winds and westerly winds are well-developed patterns, modified by seasonal fluctuations; tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico from June to October and affect Mexico and Central America; continental influences cause climatic uniformity to be much less pronounced in the eastern and western regions at the same latitude in the North Pacific Ocean; the western Pacific is monsoonal - a rainy season occurs during the summer months, when moisture-laden winds blow from the ocean over the land, and a dry season during the winter months, when dry winds blow from the Asian landmass back to the ocean; tropical cyclones (typhoons) may strike southeast and east Asia from May to December

Terrain: surface currents in the northern Pacific are dominated by a clockwise, warm-water gyre (broad circular system of currents) and in the southern Pacific by a counterclockwise, cool-water gyre; in the northern Pacific, sea ice forms in the Bering Sea and Sea of Okhotsk in winter; in the southern Pacific, sea ice from Antarctica reaches its northernmost extent in October; the ocean floor in the eastern Pacific is dominated by the East Pacific Rise, while the western Pacific is dissected by deep trenches, including the Mariana Trench, which is the world's deepest

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench -10,924 m highest point: sea level 0 m

Natural resources: oil and gas fields, polymetallic nodules, sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, fish

Natural hazards: surrounded by a zone of violent volcanic and earthquake activity sometimes referred to as the "Pacific Ring of Fire"; subject to tropical cyclones (typhoons) in southeast and east Asia from May to December (most frequent from July to October); tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico and strike Central America and Mexico from June to October (most common in August and September); cyclical El Nino/La Nina phenomenon occurs in the equatorial Pacific, influencing weather in the Western Hemisphere and the western Pacific; ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme north from October to May; persistent fog in the northern Pacific can be a maritime hazard from June to December

Environment - current issues: endangered marine species include the dugong, sea lion, sea otter, seals, turtles, and whales; oil pollution in Philippine Sea and South China Sea

Geography - note: the major chokepoints are the Bering Strait, Panama Canal, Luzon Strait, and the Singapore Strait; the Equator divides the Pacific Ocean into the North Pacific Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean; dotted with low coral islands and rugged volcanic islands in the southwestern Pacific Ocean

People Pacific Ocean

Population growth rate: NA%

Economy Pacific Ocean

Economy - overview: The Pacific Ocean is a major contributor to the world economy and particularly to those nations its waters directly touch. It provides low-cost sea transportation between East and West, extensive fishing grounds, offshore oil and gas fields, minerals, and sand and gravel for the construction industry. In 1996, over 60% of the world's fish catch came from the Pacific Ocean. Exploitation of offshore oil and gas reserves is playing an ever-increasing role in the energy supplies of US, Australia, NZ, China, and Peru. The high cost of recovering offshore oil and gas, combined with the wide swings in world prices for oil since 1985, has slowed but not stopped new drillings.

Transportation Pacific Ocean

Ports and harbors: Bangkok (Thailand), Hong Kong, Kao-hsiung (Taiwan),
Los Angeles (US), Manila (Philippines), Pusan (South Korea), San Francisco
(US), Seattle (US), Shanghai (China), Singapore, Sydney (Australia),
Vladivostok (Russia), Wellington (NZ), Yokohama (Japan)

Transportation - note: Inside Passage offers protected waters from southeast Alaska to Puget Sound (Washington state)

Transnational Issues Pacific Ocean

Disputes - international: some maritime disputes (see littoral states)

========================================================================

CIA - The World Factbook 2002 - Appendixes

Appendix A: Abbreviations

Appendix B: International Organizations and Groups

Appendix C: Selected International Environmental Agreements

Appendix D: Cross-Reference List of Country Data Codes

Appendix E: Cross-Reference List of Hydrographic Data Codes

Appendix F: Cross-Reference List of Geographic Names

===============================================================================

Appendix A - Abbreviations

ABEDA : Arab Bank for Economic Development in
                                  Africa

ACC : Arab Cooperation Council

ACCT : Agency for the French-Speaking Community

ACP Group : African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of
                                  States

AfDB : African Development Bank

AFESD : Arab Fund for Economic and Social
                                  Development

Air Pollution : Convention on Long-Range Transboundary
                                  Air Pollution

Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides : Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-
                                  Range Transboundary Air Pollution
                                  Concerning the Control of Emissions of
                                  Nitrogen Oxides or Control of Emissions
                                  of Nitrogen Oxides or Their
                                  Transboundary Fluxes

Air Pollution-Persistent Organic: Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-

Pollutants : Range Transboundary Air Pollution on
                                  Persistent Organic Pollutants

Air Pollution-Sulphur 85 : Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-
                                  Range Transboundary Air Pollution on the
                                  Reduction of Sulphur Emissions or Their
                                  Transboundary Fluxes by at Least 30%

Air Pollution-Sulphur 94 : Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-
                                  Range Transboundary Air Pollution on
                                  Further Reduction of Sulphur Emissions

Air Pollution-Volatile Organic : Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-

Compounds : Range Transboundary Air Pollution
                                  Concerning the Control of Emissions of
                                  Volatile Organic Compounds or Their
                                  Transboundary Fluxes

AL : Arab League

AMF : Arab Monetary Fund

AMU : Arab Maghreb Union

Antarctic-Environmental Protocol: Protocol on Environmental Protection to
                                  the Antarctic Treaty

ANZUS : Australia-New Zealand-United States
                                  Security Treaty

APEC : Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation

Arabsat : Arab Satellite Communications
                                  Organization

AsDB : Asian Development Bank

ASEAN : Association of Southeast Asian Nations

Autodin : Automatic Digital Network

Benelux : Benelux Economic Union

Biodiversity : Convention on Biological Diversity

BIS : Bank for International Settlements

BSEC : Black Sea Economic Cooperation Zone

C : Commonwealth

CACM : Central American Common Market

CAEU : Council of Arab Economic Unity

CAN : Andean Community of Nations

Caricom : Caribbean Community and Common Market

CB : citizen's band mobile radio communications

CBSS : Council of the Baltic Sea States

CCC : Customs Cooperation Council

CDB : Caribbean Development Bank

CE : Council of Europe

CEI : Central European Initiative

CEMA : Council for Mutual Economic Assistance;
                                  also known as CMEA or Comecon

CEPGL : Economic Community of the Great Lakes
                                  Countries

CERN : European Organization for Nuclear
                                  Research

c.i.f. : cost, insurance, and freight

CIS : Commonwealth of Independent States

CITES : see Endangered Species

Climate Change : United Nations Framework Convention on
                                  Climate Change

Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol : Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations
                                  Framework Convention on Climate Change

COCOM : Coordinating Committee on Export
                                  Controls

Comsat : Communications Satellite Corporation

CP : Colombo Plan

CY : calendar year

DC : developed country

Desertification : United Nations Convention to Combat
                                  Desertification in Those Countries
                                  Experiencing Serious Drought and/or
                                  Desertification, Particularly in Africa

DSN : Defense Switched Network

DWT : deadweight ton

EADB : East African Development Bank

EAPC : Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council

EBRD : European Bank for Reconstruction and
                                  Development

EC : European Community

ECA : Economic Commission for Africa

ECE : Economic Commission for Europe

ECLAC : Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean

ECO : Economic Cooperation Organization

ECOSOC : Economic and Social Council

ECOWAS : Economic Community of West African
                                  States

ECS : European Coal and Steel Community

EEC : European Economic Community

EFTA : European Free Trade Association

EIB : European Investment Bank

EMU : European Monetary Union

Endangered Species : Convention on the International Trade in
                                  Endangered Species of Wild Flora and
                                  Fauna (CITES)

Entente : Council of the Entente

Environmental Modification : Convention on the Prohibition of
                                  Military or Any Other Hostile Use of
                                  Environmental Modification Techniques

ESA : European Space Agency

ESCAP : Economic and Social Commission for Asia
                                  and the Pacific

ESCWA : Economic and Social Commission for
                                  Western Asia

est. : estimate

EU : European Union

Euratom : European Atomic Energy Community

Eutelsat : European Telecommunications Satellite
                                  Organization

Ex-Im : Export-Import Bank of the United States

FAO : Food and Agriculture Organization

FAX : facsimile

f.o.b. : free on board

FLS : Front Line States

FRG : Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany); used for information dated before 3 October 1990 or CY91

FSU : former Soviet Union

FY : fiscal year

FYROM : The Former Yugoslav Republic of
                                  Macedonia

FZ : Franc Zone

G-2 : Group of 2

G-3 : Group of 3

G-5 : Group of 5

G-6 : Group of 6

G-7 : Group of 7

G-8 : Group of 8

G-9 : Group of 9

G-10 : Group of 10

G-11 : Group of 11

G-15 : Group of 15

G-19 : Group of 19

G-24 : Group of 24

G-30 : Group of 30

G-33 : Group of 33

G-77 : Group of 77

GATT : General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade; now WTrO

GCC : Gulf Cooperation Council

GDP : gross domestic product

GDR : German Democratic Republic (East Germany); used for information dated before 3 October 1990 or CY91

GNP : gross national product

GRT : gross register ton

GWP : gross world product

Hazardous Wastes : Basel Convention on the Control of
                                  Transboundary Movements of Hazardous
                                  Wastes and Their Disposal

HF : high-frequency

IADB : Inter-American Development Bank

IAEA : International Atomic Energy Agency

IBEC : International Bank for Economic
                                  Cooperation

IBRD : International Bank for Reconstruction
                                  and Development (World Bank)

ICAO : International Civil Aviation
                                  Organization

ICC : International Chamber of Commerce

ICJ : International Court of Justice (World
                                  Court)

ICRC : International Committee of the Red Cross

ICRM : International Red Cross and Red Crescent
                                  Movement

IDA : International Development Association

IDB : Islamic Development Bank

IEA : International Energy Agency

IFAD : International Fund for Agricultural
                                  Development

IFC : International Finance Corporation

IFCTU : International Federation of Christian
                                  Trade Unions

IFRCS : International Federation of Red Cross
                                  and Red Crescent Societies

IGAD : Inter-Governmental Authority on
                                  Development

IGADD : Inter-Governmental Authority on Drought
                                  and Development

IHO : International Hydrographic Organization

IIB : International Investment Bank

ILO : International Labor Organization

IMF : International Monetary Fund

IMO : International Maritime Organization

Inmarsat : International Mobile Satellite
                                  Organization

InOC : Indian Ocean Commission

Intelsat : International Telecommunications
                                  Satellite Organization

Interpol : International Criminal Police
                                  Organization

Intersputnik : International Organization of Space
                                  Communications

IOC : International Olympic Committee

IOM : International Organization for Migration

ISO : International Organization for
                                  Standardization

ITU : International Telecommunication Union

kHz : kilohertz

km : kilometer

kW : kilowatt

kWh : kilowatt hour

LAES : Latin American Economic System

LAIA : Latin American Integration Association

Law of the Sea : United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOS)

LDC : less developed country

LLDC : least developed country

London Convention : see Marine Dumping

LOS : see Law of the Sea

m : meter

Marecs : Maritime European Communications
                                  Satellite

Marine Dumping : Convention on the Prevention of Marine
                                  Pollution by Dumping Wastes and Other
                                  Matter

Marine Life Conservation : Convention on Fishing and Conservation
                                  of Living Resources of the High Seas

MARPOL : see Ship Pollution

Medarabtel : Middle East Telecommunications Project of the International Telecommunications Union

Mercosur : Southern Cone Common Market

MHz : megahertz

MINURSO : United Nations Mission for the
                                  Referendum in Western Sahara

MONUC : United Nations Organization Mission in
                                  the Democratic Republic of the Congo

NA : not available

NAM : Nonaligned Movement

NATO : North Atlantic Treaty Organization

NC : Nordic Council

NEA : Nuclear Energy Agency

NEGL : negligible

NIB : Nordic Investment Bank

NIC : newly industrializing country

NIE : newly industrializing economy

NM : nautical mile

NMT : Nordic Mobile Telephone

NSG : Nuclear Suppliers Group

Nuclear Test Ban : Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapons Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space, and Under Water

NZ : New Zealand

OAPEC : Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting
                                  Countries

OAS : Organization of American States

OAU : Organization of African Unity

ODA : official development assistance

OECD : Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development

OECS : Organization of Eastern Caribbean States

OIC : Organization of the Islamic Conference

OOF : other official flows

OPCW : Organization for the Prohibition of
                                  Chemical Weapons

OPEC : Organization of Petroleum Exporting
                                  Countries

OSCE : Organization for Security and
                                  Cooperation in Europe

Ozone Layer Protection : Montreal Protocol on Substances That
                                  Deplete the Ozone Layer

PCA : Permanent Court of Arbitration

PDRY : People's Democratic Republic of Yemen
                                  [Yemen (Aden) or South Yemen]; used for
                                  information dated before 22 May 1990 or
                                  CY91

PFP : Partnership for Peace

Ramsar : see Wetlands

RG : Rio Group

SAARC : South Asian Association for Regional
                                  Cooperation

SACU : Southern African Customs Union

SADC : Southern African Development Community

SFRY : Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

SHF : super-high-frequency

Ship Pollution : Protocol of 1978 Relating to the
                                  International Convention for the
                                  Prevention of Pollution From Ships, 1973
                                  (MARPOL)

Sparteca : South Pacific Regional Trade and
                                  Economic Cooperation Agreement

SPC : South Pacific Commission

SPF : South Pacific Forum

sq km : square kilometer

sq mi : square mile

TAT : Trans-Atlantic Telephone

Tropical Timber 83 : International Tropical Timber Agreement,
                                  1983

Tropical Timber 94 : International Tropical Timber Agreement,
                                  1994

UAE : United Arab Emirates

UDEAC : Central African Customs and Economic
                                  Union

UHF : ultra-high-frequency

UK : United Kingdom

UN : United Nations

UNAMIR : United Nations Assistance Mission for
                                  Rwanda

UNAMSIL : United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone

UNAVEM III : United Nations Angola Verification
                                  Mission III

UNCRO : United Nations Confidence Restoration
                                  Operation in Croatia

UNCTAD : United Nations Conference on Trade and
                                  Development

UNDOF : United Nations Disengagement Observer
                                  Force

UNDP : United Nations Development Program

UNEP : United Nations Environment Program

UNESCO : United Nations Educational, Scientific,
                                  and Cultural Organization

UNFICYP : United Nations Peace-keeping Force in
                                  Cyprus

UNHCR : United Nations High Commissioner for
                                  Refugees

UNICEF : United Nations Children's Fund

UNIDO : United Nations Industrial Development
                                  Organization

UNIFIL : United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon

UNIKOM : United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observation
                                  Mission

UNITAR : United Nations Institute for Training
                                  and Research

UNMIBH : United Nations Mission in Bosnia and
                                  Herzegovina

UNMIK : United Nations Interim Administration
                                  Mission in Kosovo

UNMOGIP : United Nations Military Observer Group
                                  in India and Pakistan

UNMOP : United Nations Mission of Observers in
                                  Prevlaka

UNMOT : United Nations Mission of Observers in
                                  Tajikistan

UNMOVIC : United Nations Monitoring and
                                  Verification Commission

UNOMIG : United Nations Observer Mission in
                                  Georgia

UNOMSIL : United Nations Mission of Observers in
                                  Sierra Leone

UNRISD : United Nations Research Institute for
                                  Social Development

UNRWA : United Nations Relief and Works Agency
                                  for Palestine Refugees in the Near East

UNSMIH : United Nations Support Mission in Haiti

UNTAET : United Nations Transitional
                                  Administration in East Timor

UNTSO : United Nations Truce Supervision
                                  Organization

UNU : United Nations University

UPU : Universal Postal Union

US : United States

USSR : Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
                                  (Soviet Union); used for information
                                  dated before 25 December 1991

USSR/EE : Union of Soviet Socialist Republics/
                                  Eastern Europe

VHF : very-high-frequency

VSAT : very small aperture terminal

WADB : West African Development Bank

WAEMU : West African Economic and Monetary Union

WCL : World Confederation of Labor

Wetlands : Convention on Wetlands of International
                                  Importance Especially As Waterfowl
                                  Habitat

WEU : Western European Union

WFC : World Food Council

WFP : World Food Program

WFTU : World Federation of Trade Unions

Whaling : International Convention for the
                                  Regulation of Whaling

WHO : World Health Organization

WIPO : World Intellectual Property Organization

WMO : World Meteorological Organization

WP : Warsaw Pact

WTO : see WToO for World Tourism Organization or WTrO for World Trade Organization

WToO : World Tourism Organization

WTrO : World Trade Organization

YAR : Yemen Arab Republic [Yemen (Sanaa) or North Yemen]; used for information dated before 22 May 1990 or CY91

ZC : Zangger Committee

===============================================================================

Appendix B - International Organizations and Groups

** advanced developing countries **

another term for those less developed countries (LDCs) with particularly rapid industrial development; see newly industrializing economies (NIEs)

** advanced economies **

a term used by the International Monetary FUND (IMF) for the top group in its hierarchy of advanced economies, countries in transition, and developing countries; it includes the following 28 advanced economies: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, UK, US;

note - this group would presumably also cover the following seven smaller countries of Andorra, Bermuda, Faroe Islands, Holy See, Liechtenstein, Monaco, and San Marino which are included in the more comprehensive group of "developed countries"

** African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States **

(ACP Group)

established - 6 June 1975

aim - to manage their preferential economic and aid relationship with the EU

members - (77) Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados,
Belize, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde,
Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the
Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti,
Dominica, Dominican Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji,
Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti,
Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali,
Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Federated States of Micronesia,
Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Palau, Papua New
Guinea, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and
the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles,
Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Suriname,
Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda,
Vanuatu, Zambia, Zimbabwe

** African Development Bank (AfDB) **

note - also known as Banque Africaine de Developpement (BAD)

established - 4 August 1963

aim - to promote economic and social development

regional members - (53) Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso,
Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire,
Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia,
Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar,
Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia,
Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles,
Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo,
Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

nonregional members - (24) Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada,
China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, South
Korea, Kuwait, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US

** Agency for the French-Speaking Community (ACCT) **

note - formerly Agency for Cultural and Technical Cooperation

established - 20 March 1970; name changed 1996

aim - to promote cultural and technical cooperation among French-speaking countries

members - (51) Albania, Belgium, Benin, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi,
Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic,
Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo,
Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Dominica, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, France,
French Community of Belgium, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Laos,
Lebanon, Luxembourg, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar,
Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Moldova, Monaco, Morocco, New Brunswick
(Canada), Niger, Quebec (Canada), Romania, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Sao
Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Switzerland, Togo, Tunisia,
Vanuatu, Vietnam

observers - (4) Czech Republic, Lithuania, Poland, Slovenia

** Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons **

in Latin America and the Caribbean (OPANAL) note - acronym from Organismo para la Proscripcion de las Armas Nucleares en la America Latina y el Caribe (OPANAL)

established - 14 February 1967 under the Treaty of Tlatelolco;

effective - 25 April 1969 on the 11th ratification of the treaty

aim - to encourage the peaceful uses of atomic energy and prohibit nuclear weapons

members - (32) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela; note - Cuba signed the treaty but did not ratify it

** Andean Community of Nations (CAN) **

note - formerly known as the Andean Group (AG), the Andean Parliament, and most recently as the Andean Common Market (Ancom)

established - 26 May 1969; present name established 1

October 1992; effective - 16 October 1969

aim - to promote harmonious development through economic integration

members - (5) Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela

** Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa **

(ABEDA) note - also known as Banque Arabe de Developpement Economique en Afrique (BADEA)

established - 18 February 1974; effective - 16 September 1974

aim - to promote economic development

members - (17 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria,
Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania,
Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Palestine
Liberation Organization;

note - these are all the members of the Arab League excluding Comoros, Djibouti, Somalia, Yemen

** Arab Cooperation Council (ACC) **

established - 16 February 1989

aim - to promote economic cooperation and integration, possibly leading to an Arab Common Market

members - (4) Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Yemen

** Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development **

(AFESD)

established - 16 May 1968

aim - to promote economic and social development

members - (20 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq (suspended 1993), Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia (suspended 1993), Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization

** Arab League (AL) **

note - also known as League of Arab States (LAS)

established - 22 March 1945

aim - to promote economic, social, political, and military cooperation

members - (21 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria,
Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya,
Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria,
Tunisia, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization

** Arab Maghreb Union (AMU) **

established - 17 February 1989

aim - to promote cooperation and integration among the Arab states of northern Africa

members - (5) Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia

** Arab Monetary Fund (AMF) **

established - 27 April 1976; effective - 2 February 1977

aim - to promote Arab cooperation, development, and integration in monetary and economic affairs

members - (20 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria,
Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya,
Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria,
Tunisia, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization

** Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) **

established - 7 November 1989

aim - to promote trade and investment in the Pacific basin

members - (21) Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, NZ, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, US, Vietnam

observers - (3) Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Pacific Economic Cooperation Conference, Pacific Islands Forum

** Asian Development Bank (AsDB) **

established - 19 December 1966

aim - to promote regional economic cooperation

regional members - (43) Afghanistan, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh,
Bhutan, Burma, Cambodia, China, Cook Islands, Fiji, Hong Kong, India,
Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos,
Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia,
Mongolia, Nauru, Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines,
Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Tajikistan,
Thailand, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam

nonregional members - (16) Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US

** Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) **

established - 8 August 1967

aim - to encourage regional economic, social, and cultural cooperation among the non-Communist countries of Southeast Asia

members - (10) Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam

associate member - (1) Papua New Guinea

dialogue partners - (12) Australia, Canada, China, EU, India, Japan, Pakistan, South Korea, NZ, Russia, US, UNDP

** ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) **

established - NA 1994

aim - to foster constructive dialogue and consultation on political and security issues of common interest and concern

members - (10) Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam

dialogue partners - (13) Australia, Canada, China, EU, India, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Mongolia, NZ, Papua New Guinea, Russia, US

** Australia Group **

established - NA 1984

aim - to consult on and coordinate export controls related to chemical and biological weapons

members - (34) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada,
Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, European Commission, Finland, France,
Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea,
Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia,
Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US

** Australia-New Zealand-United States Security **

Treaty (ANZUS)

established - 1 September 1951; effective - 29 April 1952

aim - to implement a trilateral mutual security agreement, although the US suspended security obligations to NZ on 11 August 1986; Australia and the US continue to hold annual meetings

members - (3) Australia, NZ, US

** Bank for International Settlements (BIS) **

established - 20 January 1930; effective - 17 March 1930

aim - to promote cooperation among central banks in international financial settlements

members - (50) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Estonia, European Central Bank, Finland, France, Germany, Greece,
Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea,
Latvia, Lithuania, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malaysia,
Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi
Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, UK, US, Yugoslavia

** Benelux Economic Union (Benelux) **

note - acronym from Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg

established - 3 February 1958; effective - 1 November 1960

aim - to develop closer economic cooperation and integration

members - (3) Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands

** Big Seven **

note - membership is the same as the Group of 7

established - NA 1975

aim - to discuss and coordinate major economic policies

members - (7) Big Six (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK) plus the US

** Big Six **

note - not to be confused with the Group of 6

established - NA 1967

aim - to foster economic cooperation

members - (6) Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK

** Black Sea Economic Cooperation Zone (BSEC) **

established - 25 June 1992

aim - to enhance regional stability through economic cooperation

members - (11) Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine

observers - (7) Austria, Egypt, Israel, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Tunisia

** Caribbean Community and Common Market (Caricom) **

established - 4 July 1973; effective - 1 August 1973

aim - to promote economic integration and development, especially among the less developed countries

members - (15) Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago;

note - when Haiti has deposited an appropriate instrument of accession with the Secretary General, it will become a full member of the Community

associate members - (3) Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands

observers - (10) Aruba, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Netherlands Antilles, Puerto Rico, Venezuela

** Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) **

established - 18 October 1969; effective - 26 January 1970

aim - to promote economic development and cooperation

regional members - (20) Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas,
Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Colombia,
Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Mexico, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and
Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago,
Turks and Caicos Islands, Venezuela

nonregional members - (5) Canada, China, Germany, Italy, UK

** Central African Customs and Economic Union (UDEAC) **

see Monetary and Economic Community of Central Africa (CEMAC)

** Central African States Development Bank (BDEAC) **

note - acronym from Banque de Developpement des Etats de l'Afrique Centrale

established - 3 December 1975

aim - to provide loans for economic development

members - (11) African Development Bank (AfDB), Cameroon, Central African States Bank (BEAC), Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, France, Gabon, Germany, Kuwait

** Central American Bank for Economic Integration **

(BCIE) note - acronym from Banco Centroamericano de Integracion Economico

established - 13 December 1960 signature of Articles of Agreement; 31 May 1961 began operations

aim - to promote economic integration and development

members - (5) Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua

nonregional members - (4) Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Taiwan

** Central American Common Market (CACM) **

established - 13 December 1960, collapsed in 1969, reinstated in 1991

aim - to promote establishment of a Central American Common Market

members - (5) Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua;

note - Panama, although not a member, pursues full regional cooperation

** Central European Initiative (CEI) **

note - evolved from the Quadrilateral Initiative and the Hexagonal Initiative

established - 11 November 1989 as the Quadrilateral Initiative, 27 July 1991 became the Hexagonal Initiative, NA July 1992 present name adopted

aim - to form an economic and political cooperation group for the region between the Adriatic and the Baltic Seas

members - (17) Albania, Austria, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, The Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia,
Ukraine, Yugoslavia

** centrally planned economies **

a term applied mainly to the traditionally communist states that looked to the former USSR for leadership; most are now evolving toward more democratic and market-oriented systems; also known formerly as the Second World or as the communist countries; through the 1980s, this group included Albania, Bulgaria, Cambodia, China, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, GDR, Hungary, North Korea, Laos, Mongolia, Poland, Romania, USSR, Vietnam, Yugoslavia

** Colombo Plan (CP) **

established - NA May 1950 proposal was adopted; 1 July 1951 commenced full operations

aim - to promote economic and social development in Asia and the Pacific

members - (24) Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma,
Cambodia, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Laos,
Malaysia, Maldives, Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines,
Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, US

provisional member - (1) Mongolia

** Commonwealth (C) **

note - also known as Commonwealth of Nations

established - 31 December 1931

aim - to foster multinational cooperation and assistance, as a voluntary association that evolved from the British Empire

members - (54) Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Bangladesh,
Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Brunei, Cameroon, Canada, Cyprus, Dominica,
Fiji, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati,
Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Mozambique,
Namibia, Nauru, NZ, Nigeria, Pakistan (suspended), Papua New Guinea,
Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,
Samoa, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South
Africa, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago,
Tuvalu, Uganda, UK, Vanuatu, Zambia, Zimbabwe (suspended)

** Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) **

established - 8 December 1991; effective - 21 December 1991

aim - to coordinate intercommonwealth relations and to provide a mechanism for the orderly dissolution of the USSR

members - (12) Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan

** communist countries **

traditionally the Marxist-Leninist states with authoritarian governments and command economies based on the Soviet model; most of the original and the successor states are no longer communist; see centrally planned economies

** Coordinating Committee on Export Controls (COCOM) **

established in 1949 to control the export of strategic products and technical data from member countries to proscribed destinations; members were Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, UK, US; abolished 31 March 1994; COCOM members established a new organization, the Wassenaar Arrangement, with expanded membership on 12 July 1996 which focuses on nonproliferation export controls as opposed to East-West control of advanced technology

** Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (CEMA) **

note - also known as CMEA or Comecon established 25 January 1949 to promote the development of socialist economies and abolished 1 January 1991; members included Afghanistan (observer), Albania (had not participated since 1961 break with USSR), Angola (observer), Bulgaria, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Ethiopia (observer), GDR, Hungary, Laos (observer), Mongolia, Mozambique (observer), Nicaragua (observer), Poland, Romania, USSR, Vietnam, Yemen (observer), Yugoslavia (associate)

** Council of Arab Economic Unity (CAEU) **

established - 3 June 1957; effective - 30 May 1964

aim - to promote economic integration among Arab nations

members - (11 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Mauritania, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization

** Council of Europe (CE) **

established - 5 May 1949; effective - 3 August 1949

aim - to promote increased unity and quality of life in Europe

members - (43) Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium,
Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland,
France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy,
Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Poland,
Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK

guests - (2) Bosnia and Herzegovina, Yugoslavia

observers - (6) Canada, Holy See, Israel, Japan, Mexico, US

** Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) **

established - 6 March 1992

aim - to promote cooperation among the Baltic Sea states in the areas of aid to new democratic institutions, economic development, humanitarian aid, energy and the environment, cultural programs and education, and transportation and communication

members - (12) Denmark, Estonia, EC, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden

** Council of the Entente (Entente) **

established - 29 May 1959

aim - to promote economic, social, and political coordination

members - (5) Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Niger, Togo

** countries in transition **

a term used by the International Monetary FUND (IMF) for the middle group in its hierarchy of advanced economies, countries in transition, and developing countries; recently published IMF statistics include the following 28 countries in transition: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Yugoslavia; note - this group is identical to the group traditionally referred to as the "former USSR/Eastern Europe" except for the addition of Mongolia

** Customs Cooperation Council (CCC) **

note - also known as World Customs Organization (WCO)

established - 15 December 1950

aim - to promote international cooperation in customs matters

members - (157) Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Argentina, Armenia,
Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh,
Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bermuda, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil,
Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon,
Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chile, China, Colombia,
Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote
d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt,
Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia,
Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti,
Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland,
Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Korea,
Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Macau, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar,
Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,
Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Netherlands Antilles,
Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman,
Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar,
Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone,
Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan,
Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand,
Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine,
UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia,
Zambia, Zimbabwe

** developed countries (DCs) **

the top group in the hierarchy of developed countries (DCs), former USSR/Eastern Europe (former USSR/EE), and less developed countries (LDCs); includes the market-oriented economies of the mainly democratic nations in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Bermuda, Israel, South Africa, and the European ministates; also known as the First World, high-income countries, the North, industrial countries; generally have a per capita GDP in excess of $10,000 although four OECD countries and South Africa have figures well under $10,000 and two of the excluded OPEC countries have figures of more than $10,000; the 35 DCs are: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bermuda, Canada, Denmark, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holy See, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US; note - similar to the new International Monetary Fund (IMF) term "advanced economies" which adds Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan but drops Malta, Mexico, South Africa, and Turkey

** developing countries **

a term used by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the bottom
group in its hierarchy of advanced economies, countries in transition,
and developing countries; recently published IMF statistics include
the following 126 developing countries: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola,
Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh,
Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso,
Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic,
Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cyprus, Djibouti,
Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial
Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala,
Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran,
Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho,
Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta,
Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of
Micronesia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands Antilles,
Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea,
Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint
Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe,
Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands,
Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria,
Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, UAE,
Uganda, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe;

note - this category would presumably also cover the following 46 other countries that are traditionally included in the more comprehensive group of "less developed countries": American Samoa, Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Cayman Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, Cook Islands, Cuba, Eritrea, Falkland Islands, French Guiana, French Polynesia, Gaza Strip, Gibraltar, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guernsey, Jersey, North Korea, Macau, Isle of Man, Martinique, Mayotte, Montserrat, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Pitcairn Islands, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Saint Helena, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Tokelau, Tonga, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Virgin Islands, Wallis and Futuna, West Bank, Western Sahara

** East African Development Bank (EADB) **

established - 6 June 1967; effective - 1 December 1967

aim - to promote economic development

members - (3) Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda

** Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) **

established - 26 June 1945; effective - 24 October 1945

aim - to coordinate the economic and social work of the UN; includes five regional commissions (Economic Commission for Africa, Economic Commission for Europe, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia) and 9 functional commissions (Commission for Social Development, Commission on Human Rights, Commission on Narcotic Drugs, Commission on the Status of Women, Commission on Population and Development, Statistical Commission, Commission on Science and Technology for Development, Commission on Sustainable Development, and Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice)

members - (54) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

** Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries **

(CEPGL) note - acronym from Communaute Economique des Pays des Grands Lacs

established - 20 September 1976

aim - to promote regional economic cooperation and integration

members - (3) Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda

** Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) **

established - 28 May 1975

aim - to promote regional economic cooperation

members - (15) Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cote d'Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo

** Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) **

established - 27-29 January 1985

aim - to promote regional cooperation in trade, transportation, communications, tourism, cultural affairs, and economic development

members - (10) Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan

associate member - (1) "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus"

** Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) **

note - began as the North Atlantic Cooperation Council (NACC); an extension of NATO

established - 8 November 1991; effective - 20 December 1991

aim - to discuss cooperation on mutual political and security issues

members - (46) Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium,
Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland,
France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Poland,
Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, UK, US, Uzbekistan

** European Bank for Reconstruction and Development **

(EBRD)

established - 8-9 January 1990 (proposals made); 15 April 1991 (bank inaugurated)

aim - to facilitate the transition of seven centrally planned economies in Europe (Bulgaria, former Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, former USSR, and former Yugoslavia) to market economies by committing 60% of its loans to privatization

members - (61) Albania, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus,
Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Egypt, EU, European Investment Bank (EIB), Estonia,
Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland,
Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia,
Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia, Malta, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Netherlands, NZ,
Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, UK, US,
Uzbekistan, Yugoslavia

** European Community (or European Communities, **

EC) was established 8 April 1965 to integrate the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom), the European Coal and Steel Community (ESC), the European Economic Community (EEC or Common Market), and to establish a completely integrated common market and an eventual federation of Europe; merged into the European Union (EU) on 7 February 1992; member states at the time of merger were Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, UK

** European Free Trade Association (EFTA) **

established - 4 January 1960; effective - 3 May 1960

aim - to promote expansion of free trade

members - (4) Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland

** European Investment Bank (EIB) **

established - 25 March 1957; effective - 1 January 1958

aim - to promote economic development of the EU and its predecessors, the EEC and the EC

members - (15) Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, UK

** European Monetary Union (EMU) **

note - an integral part of the European Union; also known as the European Economic and Monetary Union

proposed - 1-2 December 1969 at summit conference of heads

of government; signed - 7 February 1992 - Maastricht Treaty

aim - to promote a single market by creating a single

currency, the euro; time table - 2 May 1998: European exchange rates fixed for 1 January 1999; 1 January 1999: all banks and stock exchanges begin using euros; 1 January 2002: the euro goes into circulation; 1 July 2002 local currencies no longer accepted

members - (12) Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain; note - Denmark, Sweden, and UK decided not to join

** European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) **

note - acronym retained from the predecessor organization Conseil Europeenne pour la Recherche Nucleaire

established - 1 July 1953; effective - 29 September 1954

aim - to foster nuclear research for peaceful purposes only

members - (20) Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK

observers - (7) European Commission, Israel, Japan, Russia, Turkey, United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), US

** European Space Agency (ESA) **

established - 31 May 1975

aim - to promote peaceful cooperation in space research and technology

members - (15) Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK

cooperating state - (1) Canada

** European Union (EU) **

note - evolved from the European Community (EC)

established - 7 February 1992; effective - 1 November 1993

aim - to coordinate policy among the 15 members in three fields: economics, building on the European Economic Community's (EEC) efforts to establish a common market and eventually a common currency to be called the 'euro', which superseded the EU's accounting unit, the ECU; defense, within the concept of a Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP); and justice and home affairs, including immigration, drugs, terrorism, and improved living and working conditions

members - (15) Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, UK

membership applicants - (13) Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey

** First World **

another term for countries with advanced, industrialized economies; this term is fading from use; see developed countries (DCs)

** Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) **

established - 16 October 1945

aim - to raise living standards and increase availability of agricultural products, as a UN specialized agency

members - (184) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and
Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas,
Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma,
Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic,
Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia,
Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican
Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea,
Estonia, Ethiopia, EC, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia,
Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana,
Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland,
Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati,
North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon,
Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali,
Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco,
Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ,
Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama,
Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar,
Romania, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and
the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia,
Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands,
Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland,
Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga,
Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, UAE, UK,
US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia,
Zambia, Zimbabwe

** former Soviet Union (FSU) **

former term often used to identify as a group the successor nations to the Soviet Union or USSR; this group of 15 countries consists of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan

** former USSR/Eastern Europe (former USSR/EE) **

the middle group in the hierarchy of developed countries (DCs), former USSR/Eastern Europe (former USSR/EE), and less developed countries (LDCs); these countries are in political and economic transition and may well be grouped differently in the near future; this group of 27 countries consists of Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Yugoslavia; this group is identical to the IMF group "countries in transition" except for the IMF's inclusion of Mongolia

** Four Dragons **

the four small Asian less developed countries (LDCs) that have experienced unusually rapid economic growth; also known as the Four Tigers; this group consists of Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan; these countries are included in the IMF's "advanced economies" group

** Franc Zone (FZ) **

note - also known as Conference des Ministres des Finances des Pays de la Zone Franc

established - NA 1964

aim - to form a monetary union among countries whose currencies are linked to the French franc

members - (16) Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, France, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo;

note - France includes metropolitan France, the four overseas departments of France (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion), the two territorial collectivities of France (Mayotte, Saint Pierre and Miquelon), and the three overseas territories of France (French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna)

** Front Line States (FLS) **

established to achieve black majority rule in South Africa; has since gone out of existence; members included Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe

** General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) **

see the World Trade Organization (WTrO)

** Group of 2 (G-2) **

informal term that came into use about 1986; to facilitate bilateral economic cooperation between the two most powerful economic giants; members were Japan, US

** Group of 3 (G-3) **

established - NA September 1990

aim - mechanism for policy coordination

members - (3) Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela

** Group of 5 (G-5) **

established - 22 September 1985

aim - to coordinate the economic policies of five major noncommunist economic powers

members - (5) France, Germany, Japan, UK, US

** Group of 6 (G-6) **

note - also known as Groupe des Six Sur le Desarmement; not to be confused with the Big Six

established - 22 May 1984

aim - to achieve nuclear disarmament

members - (6) Argentina, Greece, India, Mexico, Sweden, Tanzania

** Group of 7 (G-7) **

note - membership is the same as the Big Seven

established - 22 September 1985

aim - to facilitate economic cooperation among the seven major noncommunist economic powers

members - (7) Group of 5 (France, Germany, Japan, UK, US) plus Canada and Italy

** Group of 8 (G-8) **

established - NA October 1975

aim - to facilitate economic cooperation among the developed countries (DCs) that participated in the Conference on International Economic Cooperation (CIEC), held in several sessions between NA December 1975 and 3 June 1977

members - (9) Canada, EU (as one member), France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, UK, US

** Group of 9 (G-9) **

established - NA

aim - to discuss matters of mutual interest on an informal basis

members - (9) Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Romania, Sweden, Yugoslavia

** Group of 10 (G-10) **

note - also known as the Paris Club; includes the wealthiest members of the IMF who provide most of the money to be loaned and act as the informal steering committee; name persists in spite of the addition of Switzerland on NA April 1984

established - NA October 1962

aim - to coordinate credit policy

members - (11) Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US nonstate participants - (4) BIS, EU, IMF, OECD

** Group of 11 (G-11) **

note - also known as the Cartagena Group; established in 21-22 June 1984, in Cartagena, Colombia; aim was to provide a forum for largest debtor nations in Latin America; members were Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela

** Group of 15 (G-15) **

note - byproduct of the Nonaligned Movement established - NA September 1989

aim - to promote economic cooperation among developing nations; to act as the main political organ for the Nonaligned Movement

members - (16) Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Venezuela, Zimbabwe

** Group of 24 (G-24) **

established - 1 August 1989

aim - to promote the interests of developing countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America within the IMF

members - (24) Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Iran, Lebanon, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Syria, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela

** Group of 77 (G-77) **

established - 15 June 1964 was set up; NA October 1967 first ministerial meeting

aim - to promote economic cooperation among developing countries; name persists in spite of increased membership

members - (131 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan,
Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, The Bahamas, Bahrain,
Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi,
Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile,
China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of
the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominica,
Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea,
Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq,
Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon,
Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali,
Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Federated States of
Micronesia, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua,
Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru,
Philippines, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia,
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi
Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands,
Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria,
Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Uganda,
UAE, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia,
Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation Organization

** Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) **

note - also known as the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf

established - 25 May 1981

aim - to promote regional cooperation in economic, social, political, and military affairs

members - (6) Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE

** high-income countries **

another term for the industrialized countries with high per capita GDPs; see developed countries (DCs)

** Indian Ocean Commission (InOC) **

established - 21 December 1982

aim - to organize and promote regional cooperation in all sectors, especially economic

members - (5) Comoros, France (for Reunion), Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles

** industrial countries **

another term for the developed countries; see developed countries (DCs)

** Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) **

note - also known as Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID)

established - 8 April 1959; effective - 30 December 1959

aim - to promote economic and social development in Latin America

members - (46) Argentina, Austria, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium,
Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia,
Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Finland, France,
Germany, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Israel, Italy, Jamaica,
Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru,
Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Trinidad and
Tobago, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela

** Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) **

note - formerly known as Inter-Governmental Authority on Drought and Development (IGADD)

established - 15-16 January 1986 as the Inter-Governmental

Authority on Drought and Development; revitalized - 21 March 1996 as the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development

aim - to promote a social, economic, and scientific community among its members

members - (7) Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda

** International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) **

established - 26 October 1956; effective - 29 July 1957

aim - to promote peaceful uses of atomic energy

members - (133) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina,
Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium,
Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso,
Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, Chile,
China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote
d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican
Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland,
France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Holy
See, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel,
Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait,
Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg,
The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mali,
Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia,
Morocco, Namibia, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway,
Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar,
Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia,
Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland,
Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine,
UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia,
Zambia, Zimbabwe;

note - Honduras membership has been approved; membership will take effect once legal instruments have been deposited

** International Bank for Reconstruction and Development **

(IBRD) note - also known as the World Bank

established - 22 July 1944; effective - 27 December 1945

aim - to provide economic development loans; a UN specialized agency

members - (184) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and
Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas,
Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan,
Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria,
Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde,
Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica,
Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti,
Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,
Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France,
Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala,
Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland,
India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan,
Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan,
Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg,
The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia,
Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,
Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique,
Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman,
Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,
Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis,
Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao
Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone,
Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa,
Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria,
Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia,
Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan,
Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe

** International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) **

established - NA 1919

aim - to promote free trade and private enterprise and to represent business interests at national and international levels

members - (80 national committees) Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria,
Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada,
Caribbean, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Ecuador, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hong Kong,
Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan,
Jordan, South Korea, Kuwait, Lebanon, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico,
Monaco, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Peru,
Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia,
Senegal, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,
Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia,
Turkey, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yugoslavia

** International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) **

established - 7 December 1944; effective - 4 April 1947

aim - to promote international cooperation in civil aviation; a UN specialized agency

members - (187) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua
and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan,
The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei,
Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape
Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands,
Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,
Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France,
Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala,
Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India,
Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan,
Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan,
Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg,
The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia,
Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,
Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco,
Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger,
Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Palau, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea,
Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia,
Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino,
Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone,
Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa,
Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria,
Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia,
Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan,
Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe

** International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) **

established - 17 February 1863

aim - to provide humanitarian aid in wartime

members - (25 individuals) all Swiss nationals

** International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) **

established - NA December 1949

aim - to promote the trade union movement

members - (225 affiliated organizations in the following 148 countries)
Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria,
Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin,
Bermuda, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada,
Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Democratic
Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica,
Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Curacao, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Eritrea,
Estonia, Falkland Islands, Fiji, Finland, France, French Polynesia, Gabon,
The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Holy See, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland,
India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan,
Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania,
Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique,
Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Caledonia, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria,
Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,
Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Helena,
Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,
Samoa, San Marino, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia,
South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland,
Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia,
Turkey, Uganda, UK, US, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia,
Zimbabwe

** International Court of Justice (ICJ) **

note - also known as the World Court

established - 3 February 1946 superseded Permanent Court of International Justice

aim - primary judicial organ of the UN

members - (15 judges) elected by the UN General Assembly and Security Council to represent all principal legal systems

** International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) **

established - NA September 1923 set up as the International Criminal Police Commission; 13 June 1956 constitution modified and present name adopted

aim - to promote international cooperation among police authorities in fighting crime

members - (179) Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda,
Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas,
Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso,
Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African
Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of
the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia,
Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican
Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea,
Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia,
Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana,
Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland,
Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Korea,
Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,
Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic
of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta,
Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco,
Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands,
Netherlands Antilles, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman,
Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland,
Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint
Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi
Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia,
Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland,
Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad
and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay,
Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe

subbureaus - (14) American Samoa, Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin
Islands, Cayman Islands, Gibraltar, Guam, Hong Kong, Macau, Montserrat,
Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, Turks and Caicos Islands,
Virgin Islands

** International Development Association (IDA) **

established - 26 January 1960; effective - 24 September 1960

aim - UN specialized agency and IBRD affiliate that provides economic loans for low-income countries

members - (163)

Part I - (27 developed countries) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UAE, UK, US

Part II - (136 less developed countries) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe

** International Energy Agency (IEA) **

established - 15 November 1974

aim - to promote cooperation on energy matters, especially emergency oil sharing and relations between oil consumers and oil producers; established by the OECD

members - (26) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy,
Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US

** International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent **

Societies (IFRCS) note - formerly known as League of Red Cross and Red
Crescent Societies (LORCS)

established - 5 May 1919

aim - to organize, coordinate, and direct international relief actions; to promote humanitarian activities; to represent and encourage the development of National Societies; to bring help to victims of armed conflicts, refugees, and displaced people; to reduce the vulnerability of people through development programs

members - (179) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua
and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin,
Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria,
Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde,
Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic
Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire,
Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican
Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia,
Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany,
Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti,
Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy,
Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea,
Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,
Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic
of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania,
Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique,
Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway,
Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,
Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis,
Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome
and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri
Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan,
Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia,
Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan,
Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe

associate members - (7 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Comoros, Cook Islands, Eritrea, Israel, Kazakhstan, Federated States of Micronesia, Tuvalu, Palestine Liberation Organization

** International Finance Corporation (IFC) **

established - 25 May 1955; effective - 24 July 1956

aim - to support private enterprise in international economic development; a UN specialized agency and IBRD affiliate

members - (175) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and
Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas,
Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma,
Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic,
Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus,
Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,
Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji,
Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece,
Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras,
Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy,
Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait,
Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi,
Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,
Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique,
Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman,
Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,
Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint
Lucia, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain,
Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan,
Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,
Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu,
Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe

** International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) **

established - NA November 1974

aim - to promote agricultural development; a UN specialized agency

members - (162)

Category I - (23 industrialized aid contributors) Australia, Austria,
Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland,
Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal,
Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US

Category II - (12 petroleum-exporting aid contributors) Algeria, Gabon,
Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia,
UAE, Venezuela

Category III - (127 aid recipients) Afghanistan, Albania, Angola,
Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil,
Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central
African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic
Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica,
Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican
Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea,
Ethiopia, Fiji, The Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Israel, Jamaica, Jordan,
Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon,
Lesotho, Liberia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar,
Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,
Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger,
Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,
Romania, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent
and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles,
Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan,
Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga,
Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Uruguay, Vietnam, Yemen,
Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe

** International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) **

note - name changed from International Hydrographic Bureau on 22 September 1970

established - NA June 1919; effective - NA June 1921

aim - to train hydrographic surveyors and nautical cartographers to achieve standardization in nautical charts and electronic chart displays; to provide advice on nautical cartography and hydrography; to develop the sciences in the field of hydrography and techniques used for descriptive oceanography

members - (70) Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh,
Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China (including Hong Kong and Macau),
Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus,
Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Fiji, Finland,
France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran,
Italy, Jamaica, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Malaysia, Monaco,
Morocco, Mozambique, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan,
Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Singapore,
South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden, Syria, Thailand, Tonga,
Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay,
Venezuela, Yugoslavia

membership pending - (3) Bulgaria, Mauritania, Qatar

** International Labor Organization (ILO) **

established - 28 June 1919 set up as part of Treaty of Versailles; 11 April 1919 became operative; 14 December 1946 affiliated with the UN

aim - to deal with world labor issues; a UN specialized agency

members - (175) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and
Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas,
Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma,
Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic,
Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus,
Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,
Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji,
Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece,
Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras,
Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy,
Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait,
Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi,
Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia,
Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger,
Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay,
Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda,
Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,
San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles,
Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia,
South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden,
Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and
Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US,
Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia,
Zimbabwe

** International Maritime Organization (IMO) **

note - name changed from Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative Organization (IMCO) on 22 May 1982

established - 6 March 1948 set up as the Inter-Governmental

Maritime Consultative Organization; effective - 17 March 1958

aim - to deal with international maritime affairs; a UN specialized agency

members - (161) Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,
Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh,
Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil,
Brunei, Bulgaria, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile,
China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic
of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,
Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji,
Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece,
Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras,
Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy,
Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea,
Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia,
Maldives, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova,
Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ,
Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea,
Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia,
Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,
Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra
Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South
Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria,
Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,
Turkmenistan, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam,
Yemen, Yugoslavia

associate members - (2) Hong Kong, Macau

** International Monetary Fund (IMF) **

established - 22 July 1944; effective - 27 December 1945

aim - to promote world monetary stability and economic development; a UN specialized agency

members - (184) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and
Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas,
Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan,
Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria,
Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde,
Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica,
Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti,
Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,
Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France,
Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala,
Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland,
India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan,
Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan,
Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg,
The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia,
Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,
Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique,
Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman,
Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,
Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis,
Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao
Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone,
Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa,
Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria,
Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia,
Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan,
Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe

** International Olympic Committee (IOC) **

established - 23 June 1894

aim - to promote the Olympic ideals and administer the Olympic games: 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, United States; 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece; 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy

National Olympic Committees - (199 and the Palestine Liberation
Organization) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Andorra,
Angola (suspended), Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba,
Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh,
Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Brunei,
Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape
Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China,
Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the
Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus,
Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,
Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji,
Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece,
Grenada, Guam, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras,
Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland,
Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea,
South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia,
Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic
of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta,
Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova,
Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands,
Netherlands Antilles, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman,
Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,
Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint
Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa,
San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles,
Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia,
South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden,
Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga,
Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE,
UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands,
Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation Organization

** International Organization for Migration (IOM) **

note - established as Provisional Intergovernmental Committee for the
Movement of Migrants from Europe; renamed Intergovernmental Committee for
European Migration (ICEM) on 15 November 1952; renamed Intergovernmental
Committee for Migration (ICM) in November 1980; current name adopted 14
November 1989

established - 5 December 1951

aim - to facilitate orderly international emigration and immigration

members - (91) Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia,
Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia,
Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Democratic
Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire,
Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,
Egypt, El Salvador, Finland, France, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany,
Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iran,
Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia,
Liberia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Mali, Morocco, Netherlands,
Nicaragua, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland,
Portugal, Romania, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, South
Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania,
Thailand, Tunisia, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yemen,
Yugoslavia, Zambia

observers - (36) Afghanistan, Belarus, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Cambodia, China, Cuba, Estonia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Holy See, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malta, Mexico, Moldova, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, NZ, Papua New Guinea, Russia, Rwanda, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Somalia, Spain, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Vietnam, Zimbabwe

** International Organization for Standardization (ISO) **

established - NA February 1947

aim - to promote the development of international standards with a view to facilitating international exchange of goods and services and to developing cooperation in the sphere of intellectual, scientific, technological and economic activity

members - (93 national standards organizations) Algeria, Argentina,
Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile,
China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana,
Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland,
Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea,
South Korea, Kuwait, Libya, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic
of Macedonia, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco,
Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Philippines, Poland,
Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia,
South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania,
Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US,
Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yugoslavia, Zimbabwe

correspondent members - (36) Albania, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bolivia,
Brunei, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, El
Salvador, Estonia, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon,
Lithuania, Macau, Madagascar, Malawi, Moldova, Mozambique, Namibia,
Nepal, Nicaragua, Oman, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Qatar, Rwanda,
Saint Lucia, Seychelles, Sudan, Swaziland, Turkmenistan, Uganda

subscriber members - (13 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization)
Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Comoros, Dominica,
Dominican Republic, Fiji, Grenada, Guyana, Honduras, Lesotho, Mali,
Saint Lucia, Palestine Liberation Organization

** International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (ICRM) **

established - NA 1928

aim - to promote worldwide humanitarian aid through the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in wartime, and International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCS; formerly League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies or LORCS) in peacetime

National Societies - (176 countries);

note - same as membership for International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCS)

** International Telecommunication Union (ITU) **

established - 17 May 1865 set up as the International Telegraph Union; 9 December 1932 adopted present name

effective - 1 January 1934; affiliated with the UN - 15 November 1947

aim - to deal with world telecommunications issues; a UN specialized agency

members - (189) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua
and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin,
Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei,
Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada,
Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia,
Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa
Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,
Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France,
Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala,
Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary,
Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica,
Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea,
Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,
Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic
of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta,
Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of
Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia,
Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway,
Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,
Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe,
Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia,
Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,
Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan,
Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,
Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan,
Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe

** Islamic Development Bank (IDB) **

established - 15 December 1973 by declaration of

intent; effective - 12 August 1974

aim - to promote Islamic economic aid and social development

members - (52 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan,
Albania, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Brunei,
Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Gabon, The Gambia,
Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait,
Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco,
Mozambique, Niger, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra
Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Suriname, Syria, Tajikistan, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey,
Turkmenistan, Uganda, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization

** Latin American Economic System (LAES) **

note - also known as Sistema Economico Latinoamericana (SELA)

established - 17 October 1975

aim - to promote economic and social development through regional cooperation

members - (28) Argentina, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia,
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,
El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica,
Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago,
Uruguay, Venezuela

** Latin American Integration Association (LAIA) **

note - also known as Asociacion Latinoamericana de Integracion (ALADI)

established - 12 August 1980; effective - 18 March 1981

aim - to promote freer regional trade

members - (12) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela

observers - (23) China, Commission of the European Communities,
Corporacion Andina de Fomento, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic,
El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Inter-American Development Bank,
Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture, Italy, Latin
America Economic System, Nicaragua, Organization of American States,
Panama, Panamerican Health Organization, Portugal, Romania, Russia,
Spain, Switzerland, United Nations Development Program, United Nations
Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean

** least developed countries (LLDCs) **

that subgroup of the less developed countries (LDCs) initially identified by the UN General Assembly in 1971 as having no significant economic growth, per capita GDPs normally less than $1,000, and low literacy rates; also known as the undeveloped countries; the 42 LLDCs are: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Kiribati, Laos, Lesotho, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Yemen

** less developed countries (LDCs) **

the bottom group in the hierarchy of developed countries (DCs), former USSR/Eastern Europe (former USSR/EE), and less developed countries (LDCs); mainly countries and dependent areas with low levels of output, living standards, and technology; per capita GDPs are generally below $5,000 and often less than $1,500; however, the group also includes a number of countries with high per capita incomes, areas of advanced technology, and rapid rates of growth; includes the advanced developing countries, developing countries, Four Dragons (Four Tigers), least developed countries (LLDCs), low-income countries, middle-income countries, newly industrializing economies (NIEs), the South, Third World, underdeveloped countries, undeveloped countries; the 172 LDCs are: Afghanistan, Algeria, American Samoa, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Falkland Islands, Fiji, French Guiana, French Polynesia, Gabon, The Gambia, Gaza Strip, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Guernsey, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jersey, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Macau, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Isle of Man, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mayotte, Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia, Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands Antilles, New Caledonia, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Oman, Palau, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Pitcairn Islands, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Reunion, Rwanda, Saint Helena, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tokelau, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, UAE, Uganda, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands, Wallis and Futuna, West Bank, Western Sahara, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe;

note - similar to the new International Monetary Fund (IMF) term
"developing countries" which adds Malta, Mexico, South Africa, and
Turkey but omits in its recently published statistics American Samoa,
Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Cayman Islands, Christmas
Island, Cocos Islands, Cook Islands, Cuba, Eritrea, Falkland Islands,
French Guiana, French Polynesia, Gaza Strip, Gibraltar, Greenland,
Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guernsey, Jersey, North Korea, Macau, Isle
of Man, Martinique, Mayotte, Montserrat, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue,
Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Pitcairn Islands, Puerto
Rico, Reunion, Saint Helena, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Tokelau, Tonga,
Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Virgin Islands, Wallis and Futuna,
West Bank, Western Sahara

** low-income countries **

another term for those less developed countries with below-average per capita GDPs; see less developed countries (LDCs)

** middle-income countries **

another term for those less developed countries with above-average per capita GDPs; see less developed countries (LDCs)

** Monetary and Economic Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) **

note - was formerly the Central African Customs and Economic Union (UDEAC)

established - 8 December 1964; effective - 1 January 1966

aim - to promote the establishment of a Central African Common Market

members - (7) Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Sao Tome and Principe

** Near Abroad **

Russian term for the 14 non-Russian successor states of the USSR, in which 25 million ethnic Russians live and in which Moscow has expressed a strong national security interest; the 14 countries are Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan

** new independent states (NIS) **

a term referring to all those countries of the FSU except the Baltic countries (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania)

** newly industrializing countries (NICs) **

former term for the newly industrializing economies; see newly industrializing economies (NIEs)

** newly industrializing economies (NIEs) **

that subgroup of the less developed countries (LDCs) that has experienced particularly rapid industrialization of their economies; formerly known as the newly industrializing countries (NICs); also known as advanced developing countries; usually includes the Four Dragons (Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan), and Brazil

** Nonaligned Movement (NAM) **

established - 1-6 September 1961

aim - to establish political and military cooperation apart from the traditional East or West blocs

members - (113 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan,
Algeria, Angola, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus,
Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burma,
Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad,
Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic
of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt,
Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada,
Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, North Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon,
Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali,
Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia,
Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New
Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Sao Tome and
Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,
Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria,
Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan,
Uganda, UAE, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia,
Zambia, Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation Organization

observers - (16) Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Brazil, China, Costa Rica, Croatia, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Paraguay, Ukraine, Uruguay

guests - (28) Australia, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria,
Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holy See, Hungary, Ireland,
Italy, Japan, South Korea, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal,
Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US

** Nordic Council (NC) **

established - 16 March 1952; effective - 12 February 1953

aim - to promote regional economic, cultural, and environmental cooperation

members - (5) Denmark (including Faroe Islands and Greenland), Finland (including Aland Islands), Iceland, Norway, Sweden

observers - (3) the Sami (Lapp) local parliaments of Finland, Norway, and Sweden

** Nordic Investment Bank (NIB) **

established - 4 December 1975; effective - 1 June 1976

aim - to promote economic cooperation and development

members - (5) Denmark (including Faroe Islands and Greenland), Finland (including Aland Islands), Iceland, Norway, Sweden

** North **

a popular term for the rich industrialized countries generally located in the northern portion of the Northern Hemisphere; the counterpart of the South; see developed countries (DCs)

** North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) **

established - 4 April 1949

aim - to promote mutual defense and cooperation

members - (19) Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, UK, US

** Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) **

note - also known as OECD Nuclear Energy Agency

established - 1 February 1958

aim - to promote the peaceful uses of nuclear energy; associated with OECD

members - (27) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland,
Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway,
Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US

** Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) **

note - also known as the London Suppliers Group or the London Group

established - NA 1974; effective - NA 1975

aim - to establish guidelines for exports of nuclear materials, processing equipment for uranium enrichment, and technical information to countries of proliferation concern and regions of conflict and instability

members - (39) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil,
Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France,
Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Latvia,
Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia,
Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey,
Ukraine, UK, US

observer - (1) European Commission (a policy-planning body for the EU)

** Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) **

established - 14 December 1960; effective - 30 September 1961

aim - to promote economic cooperation and development

members - (30) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland,
Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, NZ, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US

special member - (1) EU

** Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) **

note - formerly the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) established 3 July 1975

established - 1 January 1995

aim - to foster the implementation of human rights, fundamental freedoms, democracy, and the rule of law; to act as an instrument of early warning, conflict prevention, and crisis management; and to serve as a framework for conventional arms control and confidence building measures

members - (55) Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus,
Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece,
Holy See, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, UK, US,
Uzbekistan, Yugoslavia partners for cooperation - (9) Algeria, Egypt,
Israel, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Morocco, Thailand, Tunisia

** Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) **

established - 29 April 1997

aim - to enforce the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction; to provide a forum for consultation and cooperation among the signatories of the Convention

members - (145) Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Australia,
Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Benin,
Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria,
Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia,
Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea,
Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia,
Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Guyana, Holy See, Hungary,
Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan,
Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Latvia, Lesotho,
Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic
of Macedonia, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania,
Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco,
Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ,
Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New
Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania,
Russia, Saint Lucia, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles,
Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan,
Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo,
Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine,
UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia,
Zambia, Zimbabwe

signatory states - (29) Afghanistan, The Bahamas, Bhutan, Burma, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Israel, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Madagascar, Marshall Islands, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sierra Leone, Thailand; note - states have signed but not ratified the convention

** Organization of African Unity (OAU) **

established - 25 May 1963

aim - to promote unity and cooperation among African states

members - (53) Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi,
Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic
Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti,
Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana,
Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar,
Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria,
Rwanda, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal,
Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland,
Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

** Organization of American States (OAS) **

established - 14 April 1890 as the International Union of American

Republics; 30 April 1948 adopted present charter; effective - 13
December 1951

aim - to promote regional peace and security as well as economic and social development

members - (35) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba (excluded from formal participation since 1962), Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, US, Uruguay, Venezuela

observers - (51) Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, EU, Finland, France, Germany,
Ghana, Greece, Holy See, Hungary, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan,
Kazakhstan, South Korea, Latvia, Lebanon, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway,
Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia,
Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine,
UK, Yemen

** Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) **

established - 9 January 1968

aim - to promote cooperation in the petroleum industry

members - (10) Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, UAE

** Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) **

established - 18 June 1981; effective - 4 July 1981

aim - to promote political, economic, and defense cooperation

members - (7) Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

associate members - (2) Anguilla, British Virgin Islands

** Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) **

established - 14 September 1960

aim - to coordinate petroleum policies

members - (11) Algeria, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Venezuela

** Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) **

established - 22-25 September 1969

aim - to promote Islamic solidarity in economic, social, cultural, and political affairs

members - (56 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan,
Albania, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Brunei, Burkina
Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Gabon,
The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan,
Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives,
Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan,
Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Suriname,
Syria, Tajikistan, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, UAE,
Uzbekistan, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization

observers - (3) Bosnia and Herzegovina, Central African Republic, Thailand

** Pacific Community **

note - formerly known as the South Pacific Commission (SPC)

established - 6 February

1947; effective - 29 July 1948

aim - to promote regional cooperation in economic and social matters

members - (27) American Samoa, Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, France,
French Polynesia, Guam, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of
Micronesia, Nauru, New Caledonia, NZ, Niue, Northern Mariana Islands,
Palau, Papua New Guinea, Pitcairn Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands,
Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, UK, US, Vanuatu, Wallis and Futuna

** Pacific Island Forum **

note - used to the South Pacific Forum (SPF)

established - 5 August 1971

aim - to promote regional cooperation in political matters

members - (16) Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, NZ, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu

observer - (1) New Caledonia

** Paris Club **

established - 1956

aim - to provide a forum for debtor countries to negotiate rescheduling of debt service payments or loans extended by governments or official agencies of participating countries; to help restore normal trade and project finance to debtor countries

members - (19) Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US

** Partnership for Peace (PFP) **

established - 10-11 January 1994

aim - to expand and intensify political and military cooperation throughout Europe, increase stability, diminish threats to peace, and build relationships by promoting the spirit of practical cooperation and commitment to democratic principles that underpin NATO; program under the auspices of NATO

members - (29) Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Hungary, Ireland, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan

** Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) **

established - 29 July 1899

aim - to facilitate the settlement of international disputes

members - (96) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium,
Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada,
Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica,
Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic,
Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany,
Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India,
Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos,
Latvia, Lebanon, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands,
NZ, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland,
Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, Slovakia,
Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland,
Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay,
Venezuela, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe

** Rio Group (RG) **

note - formerly known as Grupo de los Ocho, established in December 1986; composed of the Contadora Group and the Lima Group

established - NA 1988

aim - to consult on regional Latin American issues

members - (19) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela

** Second World **

another term for the traditionally Marxist-Leninist states of the USSR and Eastern Europe, with authoritarian governments and command economies based on the Soviet model; the term is fading from use; see centrally planned economies

** socialist countries **

in general, countries in which the government owns and plans the use of the major factors of production;

note - the term is sometimes used incorrectly as a synonym for communist countries

** South **

a popular term for the poorer, less industrialized countries generally located south of the developed countries; the counterpart of the North; see less developed countries (LDCs)

** South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) **

established - 8 December 1985

aim - to promote economic, social, and cultural cooperation

members - (7) Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka

** South Pacific Forum (SPF) **

note - see Pacific Island Forum

** South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement **

(Sparteca)

established - NA 1981

aim - to redress unequal trade relationships of Australia and New Zealand with small island economies in the Pacific region

members - (16) Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, NZ, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu

** Southern African Customs Union (SACU) **

established - 11 December 1969

aim - to promote free trade and cooperation in customs matters

members - (5) Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland

** Southern African Development Community (SADC) **

note - evolved from the Southern African Development Coordination Conference (SADCC)

established - 17 August 1992

aim - to promote regional economic development and integration

members - (14) Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe

** Southern Cone Common Market (Mercosur) or Southern Common Market **

note - also known as Mercado Comun del Cono Sur (Mercosur)

established - 26 March 1991

aim - to increase regional economic cooperation

members - (4) Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay

associate member - (2) Bolivia, Chile

** Third World **

another term for the less developed countries; the term is obsolescent; see less developed countries (LDCs)

** underdeveloped countries **

refers to those less developed countries with the potential for above-average economic growth; see less developed countries (LDCs)

** undeveloped countries **

refers to those extremely poor less developed countries (LDCs) with little prospect for economic growth; see least developed countries (LLDCs)

** United Nations (UN) **

established - 26 June 1945;

effective - 24 October 1945

aim - to maintain international peace and security and to promote cooperation involving economic, social, cultural, and humanitarian problems

constituent organizations - the UN is composed of six principal organs
and numerous subordinate agencies and bodies as follows: 1) Secretariat
2) General Assembly: International Research and Training Institute
for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW), United Nations Center for
Human Settlements (Habitat), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF),
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), United
Nations Development Program (UNDP), United Nations Drug Control Program
(UNDCP), United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), United Nations High
Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR), United Nations High Commissioner
for Refugees (UNHCR), United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research
(UNIDIR), United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR),
United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute
(UNICRI), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Office
of Project Services (UNOPS), United Nations Relief and Works Agency for
Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), United Nations Research
Institute for Social Development (UNRISD), United Nations System Staff
College (UNSSC), and United Nations University (UNU), World Food Program
(WFP) 3) Security Council: International Criminal Tribunal for the Former
Yugoslavia (ICTY), International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR),
United Nations Compensation Commission, United Nations Disengagement
Observer Force (UNDOF), United Nations Interim Administration Mission
in Kosovo (UNMIK), United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL),
United Nations Iraq/Kuwait Boundary Demarcation Commission, United Nations
Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission (UNIKOM), United Nations Military Observer
Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP), United Nations Mission for the
Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), United Nations Mission in Bosnia
and Herzegovina (UNMIBH), United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea
(UNMEE), United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL), United Nations
Mission of Observers in Prevlaka (UNMOP), United Nations Monitoring and
Verification Commission (UNMOVIC), United Nations Observer Mission in
Georgia (UNOMIG), United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic
Republic of the Congo (MONUC), United Nations Peace-Keeping Force in
Cyprus (UNFICYP), United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor
(UNTAET), and United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) 4)
Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC): Commission for Social Development,
Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, Commission on
Human Rights, Commission on Narcotics Drugs, Commission on Population
and Development, Commission on Science and Technology for Development,
Commission on Sustainable Development, Commission on the Status of Women,
Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), Economic
and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), Economic Commission for
Africa (ECA), Economic Commission for Europe (ECE), Economic Commission
for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations (FAO), International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA), International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
(IBRD), International Center for Secretariat of Investment Disputes
(ICSID), International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), International
Development Association (IDA), International Finance Corporation (IFC),
International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), International
Labor Organization (ILO), International Maritime Organization (IMO),
International Monetary Fund (IMF), International Telecommunication Union
(ITU), Multilateral Investment Geographic Agency (MGIA), Statistical
Commission, United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO), United Nations Industrial Development Organization
(UNIDO), Universal Postal Union (UPU), World Health Organization (WHO),
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), World Meteorological
Organization (WMO), World Tourism Organization (WToO), and World Trade
Organization (WTrO) 5) Trusteeship Council (inactive; no trusteeships at
this time) 6) International Court of Justice (ICJ) UN members - (189)
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda,
Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain,
Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso,
Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African
Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of
the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia,
Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican
Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea,
Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia,
Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana,
Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland,
Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North
Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho,
Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali,
Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States
of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia,
Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman,
Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,
Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis,
Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao
Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone,
Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa,
Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Syria, Tajikistan,
Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,
Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan,
Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe; note -
all UN members are represented in the General Assembly; East Timor and
Switzerland are scheduled to become UN members in September 2002

observers - (2 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Holy See, Switzerland, Palestine Liberation Organization

** United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) **

note - acronym retained from the predecessor organization, UN International Children's Emergency Fund

established - 11 December 1946

aim - to help establish child health and welfare services

members - (36) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

** United Nations Civilian Police Mission in Haiti (MIPONUH) **

established 28 November 1997; to support the professionalization of the Haitian National Police; established by UN Security Council; members were Argentina, Benin, Canada, France, India, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo, Tunisia, US; mission ended March 2000

** United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) **

established - 30 December 1964

aim - to promote international trade

members - (191) all UN members plus Holy See, Switzerland

** United Nations Development Program (UNDP) **

established - 22 November 1965

aim - to provide technical assistance to stimulate economic and social development

members (executive board) - (36) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

** United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) **

established - 31 May 1974

aim - to observe the 1973 Arab-Israeli cease-fire; established by the UN Security Council

members - (6) Austria, Canada, Japan, Poland, Slovakia, Sweden

** United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization **

(UNESCO)

established - 16 November

1945; effective - 4 November 1946

aim - to promote cooperation in education, science, and culture

members - (188) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua
and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin,
Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria,
Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde,
Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands,
Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,
Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France,
Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala,
Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India,
Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan,
Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan,
Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg,
The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia,
Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,
Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco,
Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger,
Nigeria, Niue, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea,
Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia,
Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia,
Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands,
Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland,
Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga,
Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda,
Ukraine, UAE, UK, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam,
Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe

associate members - (6) Aruba, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Macau, Netherlands Antilles, Tokelau

** United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) **

established - 15 December 1972

aim - to promote international cooperation on all environmental matters

members - (58) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

** United Nations General Assembly **

established - 26 June 1945;

effective - 24 October 1945

aim - to function as the primary deliberative organ of the UN

members - (189) all UN members are represented in the General Assembly

** United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) **

established - 3 December

1949; effective - 1 January 1951

aim - to ensure the humanitarian treatment of refugees and find permanent solutions to refugee problems members (executive committee) - (57) Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Denmark, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holy See, Hungary, India, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Lebanon, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Russia, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UK, US, Venezuela

** United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) **

established - 17 November

1966; effective - 1 January 1967

aim - UN specialized agency that promotes industrial development especially among the members

members - (169) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia,
Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus,
Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana,
Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon,
Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia,
Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa
Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,
Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon,
The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran,
Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya,
North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho,
Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic
of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta,
Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique,
Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway,
Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,
Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis,
Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe,
Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia,
Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland,
Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga,
Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE,
UK, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia,
Zambia, Zimbabwe

** United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) **

established - 11 December 1963 adoption of the resolution establishing the Institute; effective - 24 March 1965

aim - to help the UN become more effective through training and research members (Board of Trustees) - (20) Austria, Brazil, Cameroon, Chile, China, Egypt, France, Ghana, Ireland, Japan, Kuwait, Mexico, Netherlands, Nigeria, Russia, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, US;

note - the UN Secretary General can appoint up to 30 members

** United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) **

established - 10 June 1999

aim - to promote the establishment of substantial autonomy and self-government in Kosovo; to perform basic civilian administrative functions; to support the reconstruction of key infrastructure and humanitarian and disaster relief

members - (53) Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Bulgaria,
Cameroon, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt,
Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, The Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece,
Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan,
Lithuania, Malawi, Malaysia, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan,
Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Slovenia, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine UK, US, Zambia, Zimbabwe

** United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) **

established - 19 March 1978

aim - to confirm the withdrawal of Israeli forces, and assist in reestablishing Lebanese authority in southern Lebanon; established by the UN Security Council

members - (10) Fiji, Finland, France, Ghana, India, Ireland, Italy, Nepal, Poland, Ukraine

** United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission (UNIKOM) **

established - 9 April 1991

aim - to observe and monitor the demilitarized zone established between Iraq and Kuwait; established by the UN Security Council

members - (33) Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, China, Denmark, Fiji,
Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia,
Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Poland, Romania,
Russia, Senegal, Singapore, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey, UK, US, Uruguay,
Venezuela

** United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan **

(UNMOGIP)

established - 24 January 1949

aim - to observe the 1949 India-Pakistan cease-fire; established by the UN Security Council

members - (9) Austria, Belgium, Chile, Denmark, Finland, Italy, South Korea, Sweden, Uruguay

** United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) **

established - 29 April 1991

aim - to supervise the cease-fire and conduct a referendum in Western Sahara; established by the UN Security Council

members - (25) Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, China, Egypt,
El Salvador, France, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Honduras, Hungary, Ireland,
Italy, Kenya, South Korea, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal,
Russia, US, Uruguay

** United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNMIBH) **

established - 21 December 1995

aim - to establish an International Police Task Force (IPTF) to implement the Dayton Peace Agreement in Bosnia and Herzegovina

members - (44) Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile,
China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France,
Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland,
Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Malaysia, Nepal, Netherlands, Norway, Pakistan,
Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US, Vanuatu

** United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) **

established - 31 July 2000

aim - to monitor the cessation of hostilities

members - (45) Algeria, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Benin, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Finland, France, The Gambia, Ghana, Greece, India, Ireland, Italy, Jordan,
Kenya, Malaysia, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Paraguay,
Peru, Poland, Romania, Russia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Tunisia, Ukraine, US, Uruguay, Zambia

** United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) **

established - 22 October 1999 aim - to cooperate with the Government of Sierra Leone and the other parties to the Peace Agreement in the implementation of the agreement; to monitor the military and security situation in Sierra Leone; to monitor the disarmament and demobilization of combatants and members of the Civil Defense Forces (CFD); to assist in monitoring respect for international humanitarian law

members - (32) Bangladesh, Bolivia, Canada, China, Croatia, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Egypt, France, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Indonesia,
Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mali, Nepal, NZ, Nigeria, Norway,
Pakistan, Paraguay, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, Tanzania, Thailand, Ukraine,
UK, Uruguay, Zambia

** United Nations Mission of Observers in Prevlaka (UNMOP) **

established - 1 February 1996

aim - to monitor the demilitarization of the Prevlaka peninsula in southern Croatia

members - (24) Argentina, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Egypt, Finland, Ghana, Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, Kenya,
Nepal, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Sweden,
Switzerland, Ukraine

** United Nations Mission of Observers in Tajikistan (UNMOT) **

established 16 December 1994; to monitor and investigate violations of the cease-fire of 17 September 1994 between Tajikistan and the Tajik opposition and to assist in the political negotiation process; established by the UN Security Council; members were Austria, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ghana, Indonesia, Jordan, Nepal, Nigeria, Poland, Ukraine, Uruguay; mission ended May 2000

** United Nations Monitoring and Verification Commission (UNMOVIC) **

note - formerly known as United Nations Special Commission for the Elimination of Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction (UNSCOM)

established - NA December 1999

aim - to identify, account for, and eliminate Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and the capacity to produce them

commissioners - (15) Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Finland, France, Germany, India, Japan, Nigeria, Russia, Senegal, Ukraine, UK, US

** United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) **

established - 24 August 1993

aim - to verify compliance with the cease-fire agreement, to monitor weapons exclusion zone, and to supervise CIS peacekeeping force for Abkhazia; established by the UN Security Council

members - (22) Albania, Austria, Bangladesh, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Jordan, South Korea, Pakistan, Poland, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US, Uruguay

** United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic **

of the Congo (MONUC)

established - 30 November 1999

aim - to establish contacts with the signatories to the cease-fire agreement and to plan for the observation of the cease-fire and disengagement of forces

members - (42) Algeria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Burkina
Faso, Cameroon, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, France,
Ghana, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Malawi, Malaysia,
Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru,
Poland, Romania, Russia, Senegal, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland,
Tunisia, Ukraine, UK, Uruguay, Zambia

** United Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) **

established - 4 March 1964

aim - to serve as a peacekeeping force between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots in Cyprus; established by the UN Security Council

members - (9) Argentina, Austria, Canada, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Nepal, Slovakia, UK

** United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) **

note - acronym retained from predecessor organization UN Fund for Population Activities

established - NA July 1967

aim - to assist both developed and developing countries to deal with their population problems members (executive board

) - (36) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

** United Nations Preventive Deployment Force (UNPREDEP) **

established 31 March 1995; to monitor border activity in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia; members were Argentina, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, Ghana, Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, Kenya, Nepal, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, US; mandate ended 25 March 1999

** United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees **

in the Near East (UNRWA)

established - 8 December 1949

aim - to provide assistance to Palestinian refugees members (advisory commission) - (10) Belgium, Egypt, France, Japan, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, UK, US

** United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD) **

established - NA 1963

aim - to conduct research into the problems of economic development during different phases of economic growth

members - no country members, but a Board of Directors consisting of a chairman appointed by the UN secretary general and 11 individual members

** United Nations Secretariat **

established - 26 June 1945;

effective - 24 October 1945

aim - to serve as the primary administrative organ of the UN; a Secretary General is appointed for a five-year term by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council

members - the UN Secretary General and staff

** United Nations Security Council **

established - 26 June 1945;

effective - 24 October 1945

aim - to maintain international peace and security

permanent members - (5) China, France, Russia, UK, US

nonpermanent members - (10) elected for two-year terms by the UN General Assembly; Bulgaria (2002-03), Cameroon (2002-03), Colombia (2001-02), Guinea (2002-03), Ireland (2001-02), Mauritius (2001-02), Mexico (2002-03), Norway (2001-02), Singapore (2001-02), Syria (2002-03)

** United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) **

established - 25 October 1999

aim - to provide security throughout the territory of East Timor; to establish an effective administration; to ensure the coordination and delivery of humanitarian assistance; to support capacity-building for self-government

members - (28) Australia, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Denmark,
Egypt, Fiji, Ireland, Jordan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mozambique, Nepal,
NZ, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, Slovakia,
Sweden, Thailand, Turkey, UK, US, Uruguay

** United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) **

established - NA June 1948

aim - to supervise the 1948 Arab-Israeli cease-fire; currently supports timely deployment of reinforcements to other peacekeeping operations in the region as needed; initially established by the UN Security Council

members - (22) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, China, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, US

** United Nations Trusteeship Council **

established on 26 June 1945, effective on 24 October 1945, to supervise the administration of the 11 UN trust territories; members were China, France, Russia, UK, US; it formally suspended operations 1 November 1995 after the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (Palau) became the Republic of Palau, a constitutional government in free association with the US; the Trusteeship Council was not dissolved

** United Nations University (UNU) **

established - 3 December 1973

aim - to conduct research in development, welfare, and human survival and to train scholars

members - (24 members of UNU Council and the Rector are appointed by the Secretary General of the United Nations and the Director General of UNESCO)

** Universal Postal Union (UPU) **

established - 9 October

1874, affiliated with the UN 15 November 1947; effective - 1 July 1948

aim - to promote international postal cooperation; a UN specialized agency

members - (189) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and
Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas,
Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan,
Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria,
Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde,
Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica,
Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti,
Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial
Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The
Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland,
India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan,
Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait,
Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,
Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania,
Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique,
Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, NZ, Nicaragua,
Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Overseas Territories of the UK, Pakistan,
Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal,
Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe,
Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia,
Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,
Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan,
Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,
Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan,
Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe

** Warsaw Pact (WP) **

established 14 May 1955 to promote mutual defense; members met 1 July 1991 to dissolve the alliance; member states at the time of dissolution were Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and the USSR; earlier members included GDR and Albania

** West African Development Bank (WADB) **

note - also known as Banque Ouest-Africaine de Developpement (BOAD); is a financial institution of WAEMU

established - 14 November 1973

aim - to promote regional economic development and integration

regional members - (9) Central Bank of West African States, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo international/nonregional

members - (5) African Development Bank, Belgium, European Investment Bank, France, Germany

** West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) **

note - also known as Union Economique et Monetaire Ouest Africaine (UEMOA)

established - 1 August 1994

aim - to increase competitiveness of members' economic markets; to create a common market

members - (8) Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo

** Western European Union (WEU) **

established - 23 October

1954; effective - 6 May 1955

aim - to provide mutual defense and to move toward political unification

members - (10) Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, UK

associate members - (6) Czech Republic, Hungary, Iceland, Norway, Poland, Turkey

associate partners - (7) Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia

observers - (5) Austria, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Sweden

** World Bank Group **

includes International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), International Development Association (IDA), and International Finance Corporation (IFC)

** World Confederation of Labor (WCL) **

established - 19 June 1920 as the International Federation of Christian Trade Unions (IFCTU), renamed 4 October 1968

aim - to promote the trade union movement

members - (101 national organizations) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,
Aruba, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bonaire
Island, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, Central African
Republic, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, France,
French Guiana, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guinea,
Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran,
Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar,
Malaysia, Malta, Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Montserrat,
Morocco, Namibia, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua, Niger,
Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto
Rico, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,
Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, South
Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Togo,
Trinidad and Tobago, Ukraine, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam, Windward
Islands, Zimbabwe

** World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) **

established - 3 October 1945

aim - to promote the trade union movement

members - (125 and the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan,
Albania, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia,
Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Benin,
Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon,
Canada, Chile, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the
Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Djibouti,
Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji,
Finland, France, French Guiana, The Gambia, Ghana, Greece, Guadeloupe,
Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, India,
Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, North Korea,
Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar,
Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Martinique, Mauritius, Mexico, Mozambique,
Nepal, New Caledonia, NZ, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua
New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Reunion,
Romania, Russia, Saint Lucia, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saint Vincent
and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Slovakia,
Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Syria,
Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia,
Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu,
Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation Organization

** World Food Program (WFP) **

established - 24 November 1961

aim - to provide food aid in support of economic development or disaster relief; an ECOSOC organization

members - (36) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

** World Health Organization (WHO) **

established - 22 July 1946;

effective - 7 April 1948

aim - to deal with health matters worldwide; a UN specialized agency

members - (191) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua
and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan,
The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei,
Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape
Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands,
Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,
Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France,
Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala,
Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland,
India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan,
Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait,
Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar,
Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania,
Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco,
Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ,
Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama,
Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar,
Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe,
Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia,
Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,
Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan,
Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,
Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan,
Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe

associate members - (2) Puerto Rico, Tokelau

observers - (2) Holy See, Liechtenstein

** World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) **

established - 14 July 1967;

effective - 26 April 1970

aim - to furnish protection for literary, artistic, and scientific works; a UN specialized agency

members - (178) Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda,
Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain,
Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso,
Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African
Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus,
Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El
Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland,
France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada,
Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras,
Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy,
Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea,
Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,
Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic
of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania,
Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique,
Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway,
Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,
Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis,
Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao
Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone,
Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,
Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania,
Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan,
Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam,
Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe

** World Meteorological Organization (WMO) **

established - 11 October

1947; effective - 4 April 1951

aim - to sponsor meteorological cooperation; a UN specialized agency

members - (185) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and
Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas,
Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, British Caribbean Territories,
Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon,
Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China,
Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the
Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus,
Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,
Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France,
French Polynesia, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece,
Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong,
Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy,
Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea,
Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,
Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania,
Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco,
Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands
Antilles, New Caledonia, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norway,
Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,
Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Samoa,
Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone,
Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa,
Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria,
Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia,
Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan,
Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe

** World Tourism Organization (WToO) **

established - 2 January 1975

aim - to promote tourism as a means of contributing to economic development, international understanding, and peace

members - (138) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Argentina,
Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia
and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi,
Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China,
Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa
Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Djibouti,
Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea,
Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany,
Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras,
Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan,
Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos,
Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,
Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania,
Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique,
Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan,
Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania,
Russia, Rwanda, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles,
Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan,
Swaziland, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey,
Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam,
Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe

associate members - (6) Aruba, Flanders, Hong Kong, Macau, Madeira Islands, Netherlands Antilles

observers - (2) Holy See, Palestine Liberation Organization

** World Trade Organization (WTrO) **

note - succeeded General Agreement on Tariff and Trade (GATT)

established - 15 April 1994;

effective - 1 January 1995

aim - to provide a means to resolve trade conflicts between members and to carry on negotiations with the goal of further lowering and/or eliminating tariffs and other trade barriers

members - (144) Albania, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,
Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin,
Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi,
Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica,
Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti,
Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, EU,
Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece,
Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras,
Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy,
Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia,
Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Madagascar, Malawi,
Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova,
Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua,
Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea,
Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda,
Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,
Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands,
South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland,
Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,
Uganda, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zambia, Zimbabwe

observers - (31) Algeria, Andorra, Armenia, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas,
Belarus, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Ethiopia,
The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Holy See, Kazakhstan, Laos,
Lebanon, Nepal, Russia, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia,
Seychelles, Sudan, Tajikistan, Tonga, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu,
Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia;

note - must start accession negotiations within five years of becoming observers

** Zangger Committee (ZC) **

established - early 1970s

aim - to establish guidelines for the export control provisions of the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons Treaty (NPT)

members - (35) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada,
China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary,
Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa,
Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US

===============================================================================

Appendix C - Selected International Environmental Agreements

*Air Pollution: see Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution

*Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides:

see Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution Concerning the Control of Emissions of Nitrogen Oxides or Their Transboundary Fluxes

*Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants:

see Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Persistent Organic Pollutants

*Air Pollution-Sulphur 85:

see Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on the Reduction of Sulphur Emissions or Their Transboundary Fluxes by at least 30%

*Air Pollution-Sulphur 94:

see Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Further Reduction of Sulphur Emissions

*Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds:

see Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution Concerning the Control of Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds or Their Transboundary Fluxes

*Antarctic-Environmental Protocol:

see Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty

*Antarctic Treaty:

opened for signature - 1 December 1959 entered into force - 23 June 1961 objective - to ensure that Antarctica is used for peaceful purposes only (such as international cooperation in scientific research); to defer the question of territorial claims asserted by some nations and not recognized by others; to provide an international forum for management of the region; applies to land and ice shelves south of 60 degrees South latitude parties - (44) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela

*Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous
        Wastes and Their Disposal:

note - abbreviated as Hazardous Wastes opened for signature - 22 March 1989 entered into force - 5 May 1992 objective - to reduce transboundary movements of wastes subject to the Convention to a minimum consistent with the environmentally sound and efficient management of such wastes; to minimize the amount and toxicity of wastes generated and ensure their environmentally sound management as closely as possible to the source of generation; and to assist LDCs in environmentally sound management of the hazardous and other wastes they generate parties - (143) Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d`Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Ethiopia, EU, Finland, France, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (3) Afghanistan, Haiti, US

*Biodiversity:

see Convention on Biological Diversity

*Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals:

note - abbreviated as Antarctic Seals opened for signature - NA entered into force - NA objective - NA parties - (16) Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Poland, Russia, South Africa, UK, US countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (1) NZ

*Convention on Biological Diversity:

note - abbreviated as Biodiversity
opened for signature - 5 June 1992
entered into force - 29 December 1993
objective - to develop national strategies for the conservation
and sustainable use of biological diversity
parties - (180) Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda,
Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain,
Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia,
Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon,
Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia,
Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook
Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d`Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,
Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, EU, Fiji, Finland, France,
Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala,
Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India,
Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan,
Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon,
Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta,
Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,
Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique,
Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue,
Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru,
Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda,
Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa,
San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan,
Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo,
Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE,
UK, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (7) Afghanistan,
Kuwait, Libya, Thailand, Tuvalu, US, Yugoslavia

*Climate Change:

see United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

*Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol:

see Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

*Convention on Fishing and Conservation of Living Resources of the High Seas:

note - abbreviated as Marine Life Conservation opened for signature - 29 April 1958 entered into force - 20 March 1966 objective - to solve through international cooperation the problems involved in the conservation of living resources of the high seas, considering that because of the development of modern technology some of these resources are in danger of being overexploited parties - (38) Australia, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Colombia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Fiji, Finland, France, Haiti, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Netherlands, Nigeria, Portugal, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yugoslavia countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (21) Afghanistan, Argentina, Bolivia, Canada, China, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ghana, Iceland, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Lebanon, Liberia, Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Panama, Sri Lanka, Tunisia

*Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution:

note - abbreviated as Air Pollution opened for signature - 13 November 1979 entered into force - 16 March 1983 objective - to protect the human environment against air pollution and to gradually reduce and prevent air pollution, including long-range transboundary air pollution parties - (48) Armenia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, EU, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US, Yugoslavia countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (2) Holy See, San Marino

*Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources:

note - abbreviated as Antarctic-Marine Living Resources opened for signature - NA entered into force - NA objective - NA parties - (30) Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Namibia, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Peru, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay

*Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild :

Flora and Fauna (CITES)
note - abbreviated as Endangered Species
opened for signature - 3 March 1973
entered into force - 1 July 1975
objective - to protect certain endangered species from overexploitation
by means of a system of import/export permits
parties - (152) Afghanistan, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,
Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus,
Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina
Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic,
Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d`Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus,
Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,
Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji,
Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada,
Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland,
India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan,
Kenya, South Korea, Latvia, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, The Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta,
Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique,
Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan,
Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal,
Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent
and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname,
Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and
Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan,
Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (3) Ireland,
Kuwait, Lesotho

*Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping Wastes
        and Other Matter (London Convention):

note - abbreviated as Marine Dumping opened for signature - 29 December 1972 entered into force - 30 August 1975 objective - to control pollution of the sea by dumping and to encourage regional agreements supplementary to the Convention parties - (78) Afghanistan, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Azerbaijan, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong (associate member), Hungary, Iceland, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Libya, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Nauru, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Saint Lucia, Seychelles, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Tonga, Tunisia, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Vanuatu, Yugoslavia

*Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of
        Environmental Modification Techniques:

note - abbreviated as Environmental Modification opened for signature - 10 December 1976 entered into force - 5 October 1978 objective - to prohibit the military or other hostile use of environmental modification techniques in order to further world peace and trust among nations parties - (68) Afghanistan, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Egypt, Finland, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Malawi, Mauritius, Mongolia, Netherlands, NZ, Niger, Norway, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Poland, Romania, Russia, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Solomon Islands, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (15) Bolivia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Holy See, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Liberia, Luxembourg, Morocco, Nicaragua, Portugal, Syria, Turkey, Uganda

*Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl
        Habitat (Ramsar):

note - abbreviated as Wetlands opened for signature - 2 February 1971 entered into force - 21 December 1975 objective - to stem the progressive encroachment on and loss of wetlands now and in the future, recognizing the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands and their economic, cultural, scientific, and recreational value parties - (123) Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Canada, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d`Ivoire, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Latvia, Lebanon, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yugoslavia, Zambia

*Desertification:

see United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa

*Endangered Species:

see Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES)

*Environmental Modification:

see Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification Techniques

*Hazardous Wastes:

see Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal

*International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling:

note - abbreviated as Whaling opened for signature - 2 December 1946 entered into force - 10 November 1948 objective - to protect all species of whales from overhunting; to establish a system of international regulation for the whale fisheries to ensure proper conservation and development of whale stocks; and to safeguard for future generations the great natural resources represented by whale stocks parties - (41) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Denmark, Dominica, Finland, France, Germany, Grenada, Guinea, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kenya, South Korea, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Oman, Peru, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US

*International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1983:

note - abbreviated as Tropical Timber 83 opened for signature - 18 November 1983 entered into force - 1 April 1985; this agreement expired when the International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994, went into force objective - to provide an effective framework for cooperation between tropical timber producers and consumers and to encourage the development of national policies aimed at sustainable utilization and conservation of tropical forests and their genetic resources parties - (54) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Burma, Cameroon, Canada, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d`Ivoire, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guyana, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Liberia, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, US, Venezuela

*International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994:

note - abbreviated as Tropical Timber 94 opened for signature - 26 January 1994 entered into force - 1 January 1997 objective - to ensure that by the year 2000 exports of tropical timber originate from sustainably managed sources; to establish a fund to assist tropical timber producers in obtaining the resources necessary to reach this objective parties - (58) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d`Ivoire, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guyana, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Liberia, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, US, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (1) Ireland

*Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change:

note - abbreviated as Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol opened for signature - 16 March 1998, but not yet in force objective - to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions by enhancing the national programs of developed countries aimed at this goal and by establishing percentage reduction targets for the developed countries parties - (32) Antigua and Barbuda, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Barbados, Bolivia, Cyprus, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Fiji, Georgia, Guatemala, Guinea, Honduras, Jamaica, Kiribati, Lesotho, Maldives, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia, Nicaragua, Niue, Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Samoa, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uruguay, Uzbekistan countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (64) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Monaco, Netherlands, NZ, Niger, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Seychelles, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Ukraine, UK, US, Vietnam, Zambia

*Law of the Sea:

see United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOS)

*Marine Dumping:

see Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping Wastes and Other Matter (London Convention)

*Marine Life Conservation:

see Convention on Fishing and Conservation of Living Resources of the High Seas

*Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer:

note - abbreviated as Ozone Layer Protection
opened for signature - 16 September 1987
entered into force - 1 January 1989
objective - to protect the ozone layer by controlling emissions
of substances that deplete it
parties - (175) Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda,
Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain,
Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia
and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma,
Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China,
Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo,
Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia,
Ethiopia, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany,
Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary,
Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan,
Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait,
Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar,
Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania,
Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia,
Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger,
Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru,
Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saint Kitts and
Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Saudi Arabia,
Senegal, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South
Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland,
Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago,
Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay,
Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe

*Nuclear Test Ban:

see Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapons Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space, and Under Water

*Ozone Layer Protection:

see Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer

*Protocol of 1978 Relating to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution From Ships, 1973 (MARPOL):

note - abbreviated as Ship Pollution opened for signature - 17 February 1978 entered into force - 2 October 1983 objective - to preserve the marine environment through the complete elimination of pollution by oil and other harmful substances and the minimization of accidental discharge of such substances parties - (115) Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burma, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Hong Kong (associate member), Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Tuvalu, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yugoslavia

*Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty:

note - abbreviated as Antarctic-Environmental Protocol opened for signature - 4 October 1991 entered into force - 14 January 1998 objective - to provide for comprehensive protection of the Antarctic environment and dependent and associated ecosystems; applies to the area covered by the Antarctic Treaty parties - (27) Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, China, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Peru, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, UK, US, Uruguay countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (16) Austria, Canada, Colombia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, North Korea, Papua New Guinea, Romania, Slovakia, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine

*Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution :

Concerning the Control of Emissions of Nitrogen Oxides or Their Transboundary Fluxes note - abbreviated as Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides opened for signature - 31 October 1988 entered into force - 14 February 1991 objective - to provide for the control or reduction of nitrogen oxides and their transboundary fluxes parties - (28) Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, UK, US countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (1) Poland

*Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution :

Concerning the Control of Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds or Their Transboundary Fluxes note - abbreviated as Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds opened for signature - 18 November 1991 entered into force - 29 September 1997 objective - to provide for the control and reduction of emissions of volatile organic compounds in order to reduce their transboundary fluxes so as to protect human health and the environment from adverse effects parties - (20) Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (7) Canada, EU, Greece, Norway, Portugal, Ukraine, US

*Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution :

on Further Reduction of Sulphur Emissions note - abbreviated as Air Pollution-Sulphur 94 opened for signature - 14 June 1994 entered into force - 5 August 1998 objective - to provide for a further reduction in sulfur emissions or transboundary fluxes parties - (23) Austria, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (5) Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Russia, Ukraine

*Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution :

on Persistent Organic Pollutants note - abbreviated as Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants opened for signature - 24 June 1998, but not yet in force objective - to provide for the control and reduction of emissions of persistent organic pollutants in order to reduce their transboundary fluxes so as to protect human health and the environment from adverse effects parties - (6) Canada, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (30) Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Ukraine, UK, US

*Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution :

on the Reduction of Sulphur Emissions or Their Transboundary Fluxes by at Least 30% note - abbreviated as Air Pollution-Sulphur 85 opened for signature - 8 July 1985 entered into force - 2 September 1987 objective - to provide for a 30% reduction in sulfur emissions or transboundary fluxes by 1993 parties - (22) Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine

*Ship Pollution:

see Protocol of 1978 Relating to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution From Ships, 1973 (MARPOL)

*Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space,
        and Under Water:

note - abbreviated as Nuclear Test Ban opened for signature - 5 August 1963 entered into force - 10 October 1963 objective - to obtain an agreement on general and complete disarmament under strict international control in accordance with the objectives of the United Nations; to put an end to the armaments race and eliminate incentives for the production and testing of all kinds of weapons, including nuclear weapons parties - (113) Afghanistan, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burma, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Fiji, Finland, Gabon, The Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Samoa, San Marino, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UK, US, Venezuela, Yugoslavia, Zambia countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (17) Algeria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Chile, Ethiopia, Haiti, Libya, Mali, Pakistan, Paraguay, Portugal, Somalia, Tanzania, Uruguay, Vietnam, Yemen

*Tropical Timber 83:

see International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1983

*Tropical Timber 94:

see International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994

*United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOS):

note - abbreviated as Law of the Sea opened for signature - 10 December 1982 entered into force - 16 November 1994 objective - to set up a comprehensive new legal regime for the sea and oceans; to include rules concerning environmental standards as well as enforcement provisions dealing with pollution of the marine environment parties - (135) Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burma, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Djibouti, Dominica, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Monaco, Mongolia, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (35) Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Colombia, Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Hungary, Iran, North Korea, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Madagascar, Malawi, Morocco, Niger, Niue, Qatar, Rwanda, Swaziland, Switzerland, Thailand, Tuvalu, UAE

*United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries
        Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification,
        Particularly in Africa:

note - abbreviated as Desertification opened for signature - 14 October 1994 entered into force - 26 December 1996 objective - to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought through national action programs that incorporate long-term strategies supported by international cooperation and partnership arrangements parties - (172) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

*United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change:

note - abbreviated as Climate Change opened for signature - 9 May 1992 entered into force - 21 March 1994 objective - to achieve stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a low enough level to prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system parties - (186) Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d`Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (2) Afghanistan, Liberia

*Wetlands:

see Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially As Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar)

*Whaling:

see International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling

===============================================================================

Appendix D —Cross-Reference List of Country Data Codes

FIPS 10-4: Countries, Dependencies, Areas of Special Sovereignty, and Their Principal Administrative Divisions (FIPS PUB 10-4) is maintained by the Office of the Geographer and Global Issues (Department of State) and published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (Department of Commerce). FIPS 10-4 codes are intended for general use throughout the US Government, especially in activities associated with the mission of the Department of State and national defense programs.

ISO 3166: Codes for the Representation of Names of Countries (ISO 3166) is prepared by the International Organization for Standardization. ISO 3166 includes two- and three-character alphabetic codes and three-digit numeric codes that may be needed for activities involving exchange of data with international organizations that have adopted that standard. Except for the numeric codes, ISO 3166 codes have been adopted in the US as FIPS 104-1:American National Standard Codes for the Representation of Names of Countries, Dependencies, and Areas of Special Sovereignty for Information Interchange.

Internet: The Internet country code is the two-letter digraph maintained by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in the ISO 3166 Alpha-2 list and used by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) to establish country-coded top-level domains (ccTLDs).

__________________________________________________________________________
    Entity | FIPS 10-4 | ISO 3166 | Internet | Comment
—————————————————————————————————————
__________________________________________________________________________
Afghanistan_______________|AF____|AF|AFG|004|.af|_________________________
Albania___________________|AL____|AL|ALB|008|.al|_________________________
Algeria___________________|AG____|DZ|DZA|012|.dz|_________________________
American Samoa____________|AQ____|AS|ASM|016|.as|_________________________
Andorra___________________|AN____|AD|AND|020|.ad|_________________________
Angola____________________|AO____|AO|AGO|024|.ao|_________________________
Anguilla__________________|AV____|AI|AIA|660|.ai|_________________________
Antarctica |AY |AQ|ATA|010|.aq|ISO defines as the
                          | | | | | |territory south of 60
__________________________|______|__|___|___|___|degrees south latitude___
Antigua and Barbuda_______|AC____|AG|ATG|028|.ag|_________________________
Argentina_________________|AR____|AR|ARG|032|.ar|_________________________
Armenia___________________|AM____|AM|ARM|051|.am|_________________________
Aruba_____________________|AA____|AW|ABW|533|.aw|_________________________
Ashmore and Cartier |AT |—|—-|—-|—-|ISO includes with
Islands___________________|______|__|___|___|___|Australia________________
Australia |AS |AU|AUS|036|.au|ISO includes Ashmore and
                          | | | | | |Cartier Islands, Coral
__________________________|______|__|___|___|___|Sea Islands______________
Austria___________________|AU____|AT|AUT|040|.at|_________________________
Azerbaijan________________|AJ____|AZ|AZE|031|.az|_________________________
Bahamas, The______________|BF____|BS|BHS|044|.bs|_________________________
Bahrain___________________|BA____|BH|BHR|048|.bh|_________________________
Baker Island |FQ |—|—-|—-|—-|ISO includes with the US
__________________________|______|__|___|___|___|Minor Outlying Islands___
Bangladesh________________|BG____|BD|BGD|050|.bd|_________________________
Barbados__________________|BB____|BB|BRB|052|.bb|_________________________
Bassas da India |BS |—|—-|—-|—-|ISO includes with the
                          | | | | | |Miscellaneous(French)
__________________________|______|__|___|___|___|Indian Ocean Islands_____
Belarus___________________|BO____|BY|BLR|112|.by|_________________________
Belgium___________________|BE____|BE|BEL|056|.be|_________________________
Belize____________________|BH____|BZ|BLZ|084|.bz|_________________________
Benin_____________________|BN____|BJ|BEN|204|.bj|_________________________
Bermuda___________________|BD____|BM|BMU|060|.bm|_________________________
Bhutan____________________|BT____|BT|BTN|064|.bt|_________________________
Bolivia___________________|BL____|BO|BOL|068|.bo|_________________________
Bosnia and Herzegovina____|BK____|BA|BIH|070|.ba|_________________________
Botswana__________________|BC____|BW|BWA|072|.bw|_________________________
Bouvet Island_____________|BV____|BV|BVT|074|.bv|_________________________
Brazil____________________|BR____|BR|BRA|076|.br|_________________________
British Indian Ocean |IO |IO|IOT|086|.io|
Territory_________________|______|__|___|___|___|_________________________
British Virgin Islands____|VI____|VG|VGB|092|.vg|_________________________
Brunei____________________|BX____|BN|BRN|096|.bn|_________________________
Bulgaria__________________|BU____|BG|BGR|100|.bg|_________________________
Burkina Faso______________|UV____|BF|BFA|854|.bf|_________________________
Burma_____________________|BM____|MM|MMR|104|.mm|ISO uses the name Myanmar
Burundi___________________|BY____|BI|BDI|108|.bi|_________________________
Cambodia__________________|CB____|KH|KHM|116|.kh|_________________________
Cameroon__________________|CM____|CM|CMR|120|.cm|_________________________
Canada____________________|CA____|CA|CAN|124|.ca|_________________________
Cape Verde________________|CV____|CV|CPV|132|.cv|_________________________
Cayman Islands____________|CJ____|KY|CYM|136|.ky|_________________________
Central African Republic__|CT____|CF|CAF|140|.cf|_________________________
Chad______________________|CD____|TD|TCD|148|.td|_________________________
Chile_____________________|CI____|CL|CHL|152|.cl|_________________________
China_____________________|CH____|CN|CHN|156|.cn|see also Taiwan__________
Christmas Island__________|KT____|CX|CXR|162|.cx|_________________________
Clipperton Island |IP |—|—-|—-|—-|ISO includes with French
__________________________|______|__|___|___|___|Polynesia________________
Cocos (Keeling) Islands___|CK____|CC|CCK|166|.cc|_________________________
Colombia__________________|CO____|CO|COL|170|.co|_________________________
Comoros___________________|CN____|KM|COM|174|.km|_________________________
Congo, Democratic |CG |ZR|ZAR|180|.cd|formerly Zaire
Republic of the___________|______|__|___|___|___|_________________________
Congo, Republic of the____|CF____|CG|COG|178|.cg|_________________________
Cook Islands______________|CW____|CK|COK|184|.ck|_________________________
Coral Sea Islands |CR |—|—-|—-|—-|ISO includes with
__________________________|______|__|___|___|___|Australia________________
Costa Rica________________|CS____|CR|CRI|188|.cr|_________________________
Cote d'Ivoire_____________|IV____|CI|CIV|384|.ci|_________________________
Croatia___________________|HR____|HR|HRV|191|.hr|_________________________
Cuba______________________|CU____|CU|CUB|192|.cu|_________________________
Cyprus____________________|CY____|CY|CYP|196|.cy|_________________________
Czech Republic____________|EZ____|CZ|CZE|203|.cz|_________________________
Denmark___________________|DA____|DK|DNK|208|.dk|_________________________
Djibouti__________________|DJ____|DJ|DJI|262|.dj|_________________________
Dominica__________________|DO____|DM|DMA|212|.dm|_________________________
Dominican Republic________|DR____|DO|DOM|214|.do|_________________________
East Timor________________|TT____|TP|TMP|626|.tp|_________________________
Ecuador___________________|EC____|EC|ECU|218|.ec|_________________________
Egypt_____________________|EG____|EG|EGY|818|.eg|_________________________
El Salvador_______________|ES____|SV|SLV|222|.sv|_________________________
Equatorial Guinea_________|EK____|GQ|GNQ|226|.gq|_________________________
Eritrea___________________|ER____|ER|ERI|232|.er|_________________________
Estonia___________________|EN____|EE|EST|233|.ee|_________________________
Ethiopia__________________|ET____|ET|ETH|231|.et|_________________________
Europa Island |EU |—|—-|—-|—-|ISO includes with the
                          | | | | | |Miscellaneous (French)
__________________________|______|__|___|___|___|Indian Ocean Islands_____
Falkland Islands (Islas |FA |FK|FLK|238|.fk|
Malvinas)_________________| ____|__|___|___|___|_________________________
Faroe Islands_____________|FO____|FO|FRO|234|.fo|_________________________
Fiji______________________|FJ____|FJ|FJI|242|.fj|_________________________
Finland___________________|FI____|FI|FIN|246|.fi|_________________________
France____________________|FR____|FR|FRA|250|.fr|_________________________
France, Metropolitan |———|FX|FXX|249|.fx|ISO limits to the
                          | | | | | |European part of France,
                          | | | | | |excluding French Guiana,
                          | | | | | |French Polynesia, French
                          | | | | | |Southern and Antarctic
                          | | | | | |Lands, Guadeloupe,
                          | | | | | |Martinique, Mayotte, New
                          | | | | | |Caledonia, Reunion, Saint
                          | | | | | |Pierre and Miquelon,
__________________________|______|__|___|___|___|Wallis and Futuna________
French Guiana_____________|FG____|GF|GUF|254|.gf|_________________________
French Polynesia |FP |PF|PYF|258|.pf|ISO includes Clipperton
__________________________|______|__|___|___|___|Island___________________
French Southern and |FS |TF|ATF|260|.tf|FIPS 10-4 does not
Antarctic Lands | | | | | |include the French———-
                          | | | | | |claimed portion of
__________________________| ____|__|___|___|___|Antarctica (Terre Adelie)
Gabon_____________________|GB____|GA|GAB|266|.ga|_________________________
Gambia, The_______________|GA____|GM|GMB|270|.gm|_________________________
Gaza Strip________________|GZ____|—|—-|—-|—-|_________________________
Georgia___________________|GG____|GE|GEO|268|.ge|_________________________
Germany___________________|GM____|DE|DEU|276|.de|_________________________
Ghana_____________________|GH____|GH|GHA|288|.gh|_________________________
Gibraltar_________________|GI____|GI|GIB|292|.gi|_________________________
Glorioso Islands |GO |—|—-|—-|—-|ISO includes with the
                          | | | | | |Miscellaneous (French)
__________________________|______|__|___|___|___|Indian Ocean Islands_____
Greece____________________|GR____|GR|GRC|300|.gr|_________________________
Greenland_________________|GL____|GL|GRL|304|.gl|_________________________
Grenada___________________|GJ____|GD|GRD|308|.gd|_________________________
Guadeloupe________________|GP____|GP|GLP|312|.gp|_________________________
Guam______________________|GQ____|GU|GUM|316|.gu|_________________________
Guatemala_________________|GT____|GT|GTM|320|.gt|_________________________
Guernsey |GK |—|—-|—-|.gg|ISO includes with the
__________________________|______|__|___|___|___|United Kingdom___________
Guinea____________________|GV____|GN|GIN|324|.gn|_________________________
Guinea-Bissau_____________|PU____|GW|GNB|624|.gw|_________________________
Guyana____________________|GY____|GY|GUY|328|.gy|_________________________
Haiti_____________________|HA____|HT|HTI|332|.ht|_________________________
Heard Island and |HM |HM|HMD|334|.hm|
McDonald Islands__________|______|__|___|___|___|_________________________
Holy See (Vatican City)___|VT____|VA|VAT|336|.va|_________________________
Honduras__________________|HO____|HN|HND|340|.hn|_________________________
Hong Kong_________________|HK____|HK|HKG|344|.hk|_________________________
Howland Island |HQ |—|—-|—-|—-|ISO includes with the US
__________________________|______|__|___|___|___|Minor Outlying Islands___
Hungary___________________|HU____|HU|HUN|348|.hu|_________________________
Iceland___________________|IC____|IS|ISL|352|.is|_________________________
India_____________________|IN____|IN|IND|356|.in|_________________________
Indonesia_________________|ID____|ID|IDN|360|.id|_________________________
Iran______________________|IR____|IR|IRN|364|.ir|_________________________
Iraq______________________|IZ____|IQ|IRQ|368|.iq|_________________________
Ireland___________________|EI____|IE|IRL|372|.ie|_________________________
Israel____________________|IS____|IL|ISR|376|.il|_________________________
Italy_____________________|IT____|IT|ITA|380|.it|_________________________
Jamaica___________________|JM____|JM|JAM|388|.jm|_________________________
Jan Mayen |JN |—|—-|—-|—-|ISO includes with
__________________________|______|__|___|___|___|Svalbard_________________
Japan_____________________|JA____|JP|JPN|392|.jp|_________________________
Jarvis Island |DQ |—|—-|—-|—-|ISO includes with the US
__________________________|______|__|___|___|___|Minor Outlying Islands___
Jersey |JE |—|—-|—-|.je|ISO includes with the
__________________________|______|__|___|___|___|United Kingdom___________
Johnston Atoll |JQ |—|—-|—-|—-|ISO includes with the US
__________________________|______|__|___|___|___|Minor Outlying Islands___
Jordan____________________|JO____|JO|JOR|400|.jo|_________________________
Juan de Nova Island |JU |—|—-|—-|—-|ISO includes with the
                          | | | | | |Miscellaneous (French)
__________________________|______|__|___|___|___|Indian Ocean Islands_____
Kazakhstan________________|KZ____|KZ|KAZ|398|.kz|_________________________
Kenya_____________________|KE____|KE|KEN|404|.ke|_________________________
Kingman Reef |KQ |—|—-|—-|—-|ISO includes with the US
__________________________|______|__|___|___|___|Minor Outlying Islands___
Kiribati__________________|KR____|KI|KIR|296|.ki|_________________________
Korea, North______________|KN____|KP|PRK|408|.kp|_________________________
Korea, South______________|KS____|KR|KOR|410|.kr|_________________________
Kuwait____________________|KU____|KW|KWT|414|.kw|_________________________
Kyrgyzstan________________|KG____|KG|KGZ|417|.kg|_________________________
Laos______________________|LA____|LA|LAO|418|.la|_________________________
Latvia____________________|LG____|LV|LVA|428|.lv|_________________________
Lebanon___________________|LE____|LB|LBN|422|.lb|_________________________
Lesotho___________________|LT____|LS|LSO|426|.ls|_________________________
Liberia___________________|LI____|LR|LBR|430|.lr|_________________________
Libya_____________________|LY____|LY|LBY|434|.ly|_________________________
Liechtenstein_____________|LS____|LI|LIE|438|.li|_________________________
Lithuania_________________|LH____|LT|LTU|440|.lt|_________________________
Luxembourg________________|LU____|LU|LUX|442|.lu|_________________________
Macau_____________________|MC____|MO|MAC|446|.mo|_________________________
Macedonia, The Republic of|MK____|MK|MKD|807|.mk|_________________________
Madagascar________________|MA____|MG|MDG|450|.mg|_________________________
Malawi____________________|MI____|MW|MWI|454|.mw|_________________________
Malaysia__________________|MY____|MY|MYS|458|.my|_________________________
Maldives__________________|MV____|MV|MDV|462|.mv|_________________________
Mali______________________|ML____|ML|MLI|466|.ml|_________________________
Malta_____________________|MT____|MT|MLT|470|.mt|_________________________
Man, Isle of |IM |—|—-|—-|.im|ISO includes with the
__________________________|______|__|___|___|___|United Kingdom___________
Marshall Islands__________|RM____|MH|MHL|584|.mh|_________________________
Martinique________________|MB____|MQ|MTQ|474|.mq|_________________________
Mauritania________________|MR____|MR|MRT|478|.mr|_________________________
Mauritius_________________|MP____|MU|MUS|480|.mu|_________________________
Mayotte___________________|MF____|YT|MYT|175|.yt|_________________________
Mexico____________________|MX____|MX|MEX|484|.mx|_________________________
Micronesia, Federated |FM |FM|FSM|583|.fm|
States of_________________|______|__|___|___|___|_________________________
Midway Islands |MQ |—|—-|—-|—-|ISO includes with the US
__________________________|______|__|___|___|___|Minor Outlying Islands___
Miscellaneous (French) |———|—|—-|—-|—-|ISO includes Bassas da
Indian Ocean Islands | | | | | |India, Europa Island,
                          | | | | | |Glorioso Islands, Juan de
                          | | | | | |Nova Island, Tromelin
__________________________|______|__|___|___|___|Island___________________
Moldova___________________|MD____|MD|MDA|498|.md|_________________________
Monaco____________________|MN____|MC|MCO|492|.mc|_________________________
Mongolia__________________|MG____|MN|MNG|496|.mn|_________________________
Montserrat________________|MH____|MS|MSR|500|.ms|_________________________
Morocco___________________|MO____|MA|MAR|504|.ma|_________________________
Mozambique________________|MZ____|MZ|MOZ|508|.mz|_________________________
Myanmar___________________|———|—|—-|—-|—-|see Burma________________
Namibia___________________|WA____|NA|NAM|516|.na|_________________________
Nauru_____________________|NR____|NR|NRU|520|.nr|_________________________
Navassa Island____________|BQ____|—|—-|—-|—-|_________________________
Nepal_____________________|NP____|NP|NPL|524|.np|_________________________
Netherlands_______________|NL____|NL|NLD|528|.nl|_________________________
Netherlands Antilles______|NT____|AN|ANT|530|.an|_________________________
New Caledonia_____________|NC____|NC|NCL|540|.nc|_________________________
New Zealand_______________|NZ____|NZ|NZL|554|.nz|_________________________
Nicaragua_________________|NU____|NI|NIC|558|.ni|_________________________
Niger_____________________|NG____|NE|NER|562|.ne|_________________________
Nigeria___________________|NI____|NG|NGA|566|.ng|_________________________
Niue______________________|NE____|NU|NIU|570|.nu|_________________________
Norfolk Island____________|NF____|NF|NFK|574|.nf|_________________________
Northern Mariana Islands__|CQ____|MP|MNP|580|.mp|_________________________
Norway____________________|NO____|NO|NOR|578|.no|_________________________
Oman______________________|MU____|OM|OMN|512|.om|_________________________
Pakistan__________________|PK____|PK|PAK|586|.pk|_________________________
Palau_____________________|PS____|PW|PLW|585|.pw|_________________________
Palmyra Atoll |LQ |—|—-|—-|—-|ISO includes with the US
__________________________|______|__|___|___|___|Minor Outlying Islands___
Panama____________________|PM____|PA|PAN|591|.pa|_________________________
Papua New Guinea__________|PP____|PG|PNG|598|.pg|_________________________
Paracel Islands___________|PF____|—|—-|—-|—-|_________________________
Paraguay__________________|PA____|PY|PRY|600|.py|_________________________
Peru______________________|PE____|PE|PER|604|.pe|_________________________
Philippines_______________|RP____|PH|PHL|608|.ph|_________________________
Pitcairn Islands__________|PC____|PN|PCN|612|.pn|_________________________
Poland____________________|PL____|PL|POL|616|.pl|_________________________
Portugal__________________|PO____|PT|PRT|620|.pt|_________________________
Puerto Rico_______________|RQ____|PR|PRI|630|.pr|_________________________
Qatar_____________________|QA____|QA|QAT|634|.qa|_________________________
Reunion___________________|RE____|RE|REU|638|.re|_________________________
Romania___________________|RO____|RO|ROM|642|.ro|_________________________
Russia____________________|RS____|RU|RUS|643|.ru|_________________________
Rwanda____________________|RW____|RW|RWA|646|.rw|_________________________
Saint Helena______________|SH____|SH|SHN|654|.sh|_________________________
Saint Kitts and Nevis_____|SC____|KN|KNA|659|.kn|_________________________
Saint Lucia_______________|ST____|LC|LCA|662|.lc|_________________________
Saint Pierre and |SB |PM|SPM|666|.pm|
Miquelon__________________|______|__|___|___|___|_________________________
Saint Vincent and the |VC |VC|VCT|670|.vc|
Grenadines________________|______|__|___|___|___|_________________________
Samoa_____________________|WS____|WS|WSM|882|.ws|_________________________
San Marino________________|SM____|SM|SMR|674|.sm|_________________________
Sao Tome and Principe_____|TP____|ST|STP|678|.st|_________________________
Saudi Arabia______________|SA____|SA|SAU|682|.sa|_________________________
Senegal___________________|SG____|SN|SEN|686|.sn|_________________________
Seychelles________________|SE____|SC|SYC|690|.sc|_________________________
Sierra Leone______________|SL____|SL|SLE|694|.sl|_________________________
Singapore_________________|SN____|SG|SGP|702|.sg|_________________________
Slovakia__________________|LO____|SK|SVK|703|.sk|_________________________
Slovenia__________________|SI____|SI|SVN|705|.si|_________________________
Solomon Islands___________|BP____|SB|SLB|090|.sb|_________________________
Somalia___________________|SO____|SO|SOM|706|.so|_________________________
South Africa______________|SF____|ZA|ZAF|710|.za|_________________________
South Georgia and the |SX |GS|SGS|239|.gs|
Islands___________________|______|__|___|___|___|_________________________
Spain_____________________|SP____|ES|ESP|724|.es|_________________________
Spratly Islands___________|PG____|—|—-|—-|—-|_________________________
Sri Lanka_________________|CE____|LK|LKA|144|.lk|_________________________
Sudan_____________________|SU____|SD|SDN|736|.sd|_________________________
Suriname__________________|NS____|SR|SUR|740|.sr|_________________________
Svalbard__________________|SV____|SJ|SJM|744|.sj|ISO includes Jan Mayen___
Swaziland_________________|WZ____|SZ|SWZ|748|.sz|_________________________
Sweden____________________|SW____|SE|SWE|752|.se|_________________________
Switzerland_______________|SZ____|CH|CHE|756|.ch|_________________________
Syria_____________________|SY____|SY|SYR|760|.sy|_________________________
Taiwan____________________|TW____|TW|TWN|158|.tw|_________________________
Tajikistan________________|TI____|TJ|TJK|762|.tj|_________________________
Tanzania__________________|TZ____|TZ|TZA|834|.tz|_________________________
Thailand__________________|TH____|TH|THA|764|.th|_________________________
Togo______________________|TO____|TG|TGO|768|.tg|_________________________
Tokelau___________________|TL____|TK|TKL|772|.tk|_________________________
Tonga_____________________|TN____|TO|TON|776|.to|_________________________
Trinidad and Tobago_______|TD____|TT|TTO|780|.tt|_________________________
Tromelin Island |TE |—|—-|—-|—-|ISO includes with the
__________________________|______|__|___|___|___|Miscellaneous Islands____
Tunisia___________________|TS____|TN|TUN|788|.tn|_________________________
Turkey____________________|TU____|TR|TUR|792|.tr|_________________________
Turkmenistan______________|TX____|TM|TKM|795|.tm|_________________________
Turks and Caicos Islands__|TK____|TC|TCA|796|.tc|_________________________
Tuvalu____________________|TV____|TV|TUV|798|.tv|_________________________
Uganda____________________|UG____|UG|UGA|800|.ug|_________________________
Ukraine___________________|UP____|UA|UKR|804|.ua|_________________________
United Arab Emirates______|AE____|AE|ARE|784|.ae|_________________________
United Kingdom |UK |GB|GBR|826|.uk|ISO includes Guernsey,
__________________________|______|__|___|___|___|Isle of Man, Jersey______
United States_____________|US____|US|USA|840|.us|_________________________
United States Minor |———|UM|UMI|581|.um|ISO includes Baker
Outlying Islands | | | | | |Island, Howland Island,
                          | | | | | |Jarvis Island, Johnston
                          | | | | | |Atoll, Kingman Reef,
                          | | | | | |Midway Islands, Palmyra
__________________________|______|__|___|___|___|Atoll, Wake Island_______
Uruguay___________________|UY____|UY|URY|858|.uy|_________________________
Uzbekistan________________|UZ____|UZ|UZB|860|.uz|_________________________
Vanuatu___________________|NH____|VU|VUT|548|.vu|_________________________
Venezuela_________________|VE____|VE|VEN|862|.ve|_________________________
Vietnam___________________|VM____|VN|VNM|704|.vn|_________________________
Virgin Islands____________|VQ____|VI|VIR|850|.vi|_________________________
Virgin Islands (UK) |———|—|—-|—-|.vg|see British Virgin
__________________________|______|__|___|___|___|Islands__________________
Virgin Islands (US)_______|———|—|—-|—-|.vi|see Virgin Islands_______
Wake Island |WQ |—|—-|—-|—-|ISO includes with the US
__________________________|______|__|___|___|___|Minor Outlying Islands___
Wallis and Futuna_________|WF____|WF|WLF|876|.wf|_________________________
West Bank_________________|WE____|—|—-|—-|—-|_________________________
Western Sahara____________|WI____|EH|ESH|732|.eh|_________________________
Western Samoa_____________|———|—|—-|—-|.ws|see Samoa________________
World |———|—|—-|—-|—-|the Factbook uses the W
                          | | | | | |data code from DIAM 65-18
                          | | | | | |Geopolitical Data
                          | | | | | |Elements and Related
                          | | | | | |Features, Data Standard
                          | | | | | |No. 3, December 1994,
                          | | | | | |published by the Defense
__________________________|______|__|___|___|___|Intelligence Agency______
Yemen_____________________|YM____|YE|YEM|887|.ye|_________________________
Yugoslavia________________|YI____|YU|YUG|891|.yu|_________________________
Zaire |———|—|—-|—-|—-|see Democratic Republic
__________________________| ____|__|___|___|___|of the Congo_____________
Zambia____________________|ZA____|ZM|ZWB|894|.zm|_________________________
Zimbabwe__________________|ZI____|ZW|ZWE|716|.zw|_________________________

===============================================================================

Appendix E - Cross-Reference List of Hydrographic Data Codes

 IHO 23-4th:
 Limits of Oceans and Seas, Special Publication 23, Draft 4th Edition 1986,
published by the International Hydrographic Bureau of the International
Hydrographic Organization

 IHO 23-3rd:
 Limits of Oceans and Seas, Special Publication 23, 3rd Edition 1953,
published by the International Hydrographic Organization

 ACIC M 49-1:
 Chart of Limits of Seas and Oceans, revised January 1958,
published by the Aeronautical Chart and Information Center (ACIC), United
States Air Force; note - ACIC is now part of the National Imagery and Mapping
Agency (NIMA)

 DIAM 65-18:
 Geopolitical Data Elements and Related Features, Data Standard No. 4,
Defense Intelligence Agency Manual 65-18, December 1994, published by the
Defense Intelligence Agency

The US Government has not yet adopted a standard for hydrographic codes similar to the Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 10-4 country codes. The names and limits of the following oceans and seas are not always directly comparable because of differences in the customers, needs, and requirements of the individual organizations. Even the number of principal water bodies varies from organization to organization. Factbook users, for example, find the Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean entries useful, but none of the following standards include those oceans in their entirety. Nor is there any provision for combining codes or overcodes to aggregate water bodies.The recently delimited Southern Ocean is not included.

             Principal Oceans and Seas of the World
             With Hydrographic Codes by Institution
_________________________________________________________________________
_______________________|IHO_23-4th|IHO_23-3rd*|ACIC_M_49-1____|DIAM_65-18
Arctic Ocean___________|9_________|17_________|A______________|5A________
Atlantic Ocean_________|-_________|-__________|-______________|-_________
North Atlantic Ocean___|1_________|23_________|B______________|1A________
South Atlantic Ocean___|4_________|32_________|C______________|2A________
Baltic Sea_____________|2_________|1__________|B26____________|7B________
Indian Ocean___________|5_________|45_________|F______________|6A________
Mediterranean Sea______|3.1_______|28_________|B11____________|-_________
Eastern Mediterranean__|3.1.2_____|28_B_______|-______________|8E________
Western Mediterranean__|3.1.1_____|28_A_______|-______________|8W________
Pacific Ocean__________|-_________|-__________|-______________|-_________
North Pacific Ocean____|7_________|57_________|D______________|3A________
South Pacific Ocean____|8_________|61_________|E______________|4A________
South China and Eastern|6 |49, 48 |D18 plus |3U plus
Archipelagic Seas______|__________|___________|others_________|others____

*The letters after the numbers are subdivisions, not footnotes.

===============================================================================

Appendix F - Cross-Reference List of Geographic Names

___________________________________________________________________________ Name |Entry in The World Factbook|Latitude |Longitude | |(deg min)|(deg min) ___________________________|___________________________|_________|_________

___________________________________________________________________________
Abidjan (capital)___________|Cote d'Ivoire________________| 5 19 N| 4 02 W
Abkhazia (region)___________|Georgia______________________|43 00 N| 41 00 E
Abu Dhabi (capital)_________|United Arab Emirates_________|24 28 N| 54 22 E
Abu Musa (island)___________|Iran_________________________|25 52 N| 55 03 E
Abuja (capital)_____________|Nigeria______________________| 9 12 N| 7 11 E
Abyssinia (former name for |Ethiopia | 8 00 N| 38 00 E
Ethiopia)___________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Acapulco (city)_____________|Mexico_______________________|16 51 N| 99 55 W
Accra (capital)_____________|Ghana________________________| 5 33 N| 0 13 W
Adamstown (capital)_________|Pitcairn Islands_____________|25 04 S|130 05 W
Addis Ababa (capital)_______|Ethiopia_____________________| 9 02 N| 38 42 E
Adelie Land (Terre Adelie) |Antarctica |66 30 S|139 00 E
(claimed by France)_________|_____________________________|_______|________
Aden (city)_________________|Yemen________________________|12 46 N| 45 01 E
Aden, Gulf of_______________|Indian Ocean_________________|12 30 N| 48 00 E
Admiralty Island____________|United States (Alaska)_______|57 44 N|134 20 W
Admiralty Islands___________|Papua New Guinea_____________| 2 10 S|147 00 E
Adriatic Sea________________|Atlantic Ocean_______________|42 30 N| 16 00 E
Adygey (region)_____________|Russia_______________________|44 30 N| 40 10 E
Aegean Islands______________|Greece_______________________|38 00 N| 25 00 E
Aegean Sea__________________|Atlantic Ocean_______________|38 30 N| 25 00 E
Afars and Issas, French |Djibouti |11 30 N| 43 00 E
Territory of the (FTAI) | | |
(former name for Djibouti)__|_____________________________|_______|________
Afghanestan (local name for |Afghanistan |33 00 N| 65 00 E
Afghanistan)________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Agalega Islands_____________|Mauritius____________________|10 25 S| 56 40 E
Agana (city; former name for|Guam |13 28 N|144 45 E
Hagatna)____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Ajaccio (city)______________|France (Corsica)_____________|41 55 N| 8 44 E
Ajaria (region)_____________|Georgia______________________|41 45 N| 42 10 E
Akmola (city; former name |Kazakhstan |51 10 N| 71 30 E
for Astana)_________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Aksai Chin (region) |China (de facto), India |35 00 N| 79 00 E
____________________________|(claimed)____________________|_______|________
Al Arabiyah as Suudiyah |Saudi Arabia |25 00 N| 45 00 E
(local name for Saudi | | |
Arabia)_____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Al Bahrayn (local name for |Bahrain |26 00 N| 50 33 E
Bahrain)____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Al Imarat al Arabiyah al |United Arab Emirates |24 00 N| 54 00 E
Muttahidah (local name for | | |
the United Arab Emirates)___|_____________________________|_______|________
Al Iraq (local name for |Iraq |33 00 N| 44 00 E
Iraq)_______________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Al Jaza`ir (local name for |Algeria |28 00 N| 3 00 E
Algeria)____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Al Kuwayt (local name for |Kuwait |29 30 N| 45 45 E
Kuwait)_____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Al Maghrib (local name for |Morocco |32 00 N| 5 00 W
Morocco)____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Al Urdun (local name for |Jordan |31 00 N| 36 00 E
Jordan)_____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Al Yaman (local name for |Yemen |15 00 N| 48 00 E
Yemen)______________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Aland Islands_______________|Finland______________________|60 15 N| 20 00 E
Alaska (state)______________|United States________________|65 00 N|153 00 W
Alaska, Gulf of_____________|Pacific Ocean________________|58 00 N|145 00 W
Alboran Sea_________________|Atlantic Ocean_______________|36 00 N| 2 30 W
Aldabra Islands (Groupe |Seychelles | 9 25 S| 46 22 E
d`Aldabra)__________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Alderney (island)___________|Guernsey_____________________|49 43 N| 2 12 W
Aleutian Islands____________|United States (Alaska)_______|52 00 N|176 00 W
Alexander Archipelago |United States (Alaska) |57 00 N|134 00 W
(island group)______________|_____________________________|_______|________
Alexander Island____________|Antarctica___________________|71 00 S| 70 00 W
Alexandretta (region; former|Turkey |36 34 N| 36 08 E
name for Iskenderun)________|_____________________________|_______|________
Alexandria (city)___________|Egypt________________________|31 12 N| 29 54 E
Algiers (capital)___________|Algeria______________________|36 47 N| 2 03 E
Alhucemas, Penon de (island |Spain |35 13 N| 3 53 W
group)______________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Alma-Ata (city; former name |Kazakhstan |43 15 N| 76 57 E
for Almaty)_________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Almaty (former capital)_____|Kazakhstan___________________|43 15 N| 76 57 E
Alofi (capital)_____________|Niue_________________________|19 01 S|169 55 E
Alphonse Island_____________|Seychelles___________________| 7 01 S| 52 45 E
Alsace (region)_____________|France_______________________|48 30 N| 7 20 E
Amami Strait________________|Pacific Ocean________________|28 40 N|129 30 E
Amindivi Islands (former |India |11 30 N| 72 30 E
name for Laccadive Islands) |_____________________________|_______|________
Amirante Isles (Les |Seychelles | 6 00 S| 53 10 E
Amirantes) (island group)___|_____________________________|_______|________
Amman (capital)_____________|Jordan_______________________|31 57 N| 35 56 E
Amsterdam (capital)_________|Netherlands__________________|52 23 N| 4 54 E
Amsterdam Island (Ile |French Southern and Antarctic|37 52 S| 77 32 E
Amsterdam)__________________|Lands________________________|_______|________
Amundsen Sea________________|Southern Ocean_______________|72 30 S|112 00 W
Amur River__________________|China, Russia________________|52 56 N|141 10 E
Amurskiy Liman (strait)_____|Pacific Ocean________________|53 00 N|141 30 E
Anadyrskiy Zaliv (gulf)_____|Pacific Ocean________________|64 00 N|177 00 E
Anatolia (region)___________|Turkey_______________________|39 00 N| 35 00 E
Andaman Islands_____________|India________________________|12 00 N| 92 45 E
Andaman Sea_________________|Indian Ocean_________________|10 00 N| 95 00 E
Andorra la Vella (capital)__|Andorra______________________|42 30 N| 1 30 E
Andros (island)_____________|Greece_______________________|37 45 N| 24 42 E
Andros Island_______________|The Bahamas__________________|24 26 N| 77 57 W
Anegada Passage_____________|Atlantic Ocean_______________|18 30 N| 63 40 W
Angkor Wat (ruins)__________|Cambodia_____________________|13 26 N|103 50 E
Anglo-Egyptian Sudan (former|Sudan |15 00 N| 30 00 E
name for Sudan)_____________|_____________________________|_______|________
Anjouan (island)____________|Comoros______________________|12 15 S| 44 25 E
Ankara (capital)____________|Turkey_______________________|39 56 N| 32 52 E
Annobon (island)____________|Equatorial Guinea____________| 1 25 S| 5 36 E
Antananarivo (capital)______|Madagascar___________________|18 52 S| 47 30 E
Antigua (island)____________|Antigua and Barbuda__________|14 34 N| 90 44 W
Antipodes Islands___________|New Zealand__________________|49 41 S|178 43 E
Antwerp (city)______________|Belgium______________________|51 13 N| 4 25 E
Aomen (local Chinese short- |Macau |22 10 N|113 33 E
form name for Macau)________|_____________________________|_______|________
Aozou Strip (region)________|Chad_________________________|22 00 N| 18 00 E
Apia (capital)______________|Samoa________________________|13 50 S|171 44 N
Aqaba, Gulf of______________|Indian Ocean_________________|29 00 N| 34 30 E
Arab, Shatt al (river)______|Iran, Iraq___________________|29 57 N| 48 34 E
Arabian Sea_________________|Indian Ocean_________________|15 00 N| 65 00 E
Arafura Sea_________________|Pacific Ocean________________| 9 00 S|133 00 E
Aral Sea____________________|Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan_______|45 00 N| 60 00 E
Argun River_________________|China, Russia________________|53 20 N|121 28 E
Aru Sea_____________________|Pacific Ocean________________| 6 15 S|135 00 E
Ascension Island____________|Saint Helena_________________| 7 57 S| 14 22 W
Ashgabat (capital)__________|Turkmenistan_________________|37 57 N| 58 23 E
Ashkhabad (see Ashgabat)____|Turkmenistan_________________|37 57 N| 58 23 E
Asmara (capital)____________|Eritrea______________________|15 20 N| 38 53 E
Asmera (see Asmara)_________|Eritrea______________________|15 20 N| 38 53 E
As-Sudan (local name for |Sudan |15 00 N| 30 00 E
Sudan)______________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Assumption Island___________|Seychelles___________________| 9 46 S| 46 34 E
Astana (Akmola) (capital)___|Kazakhstan___________________|51 10 N| 71 30 E
Asuncion (capital)__________|Paraguay_____________________|25 16 S| 57 40 W
Asuncion Island_____________|Northern Mariana Islands_____|19 40 N|145 24 E
Atacama (desert)____________|Chile________________________|23 00 S| 70 10 W
Atacama (region)____________|Chile________________________|24 30 S| 69 15 W
Athens (capital)____________|Greece_______________________|37 59 N| 23 44 E
Attu Island_________________|United States________________|52 55 N|172 57 E
Auckland Islands____________|New Zealand__________________|51 00 S|166 30 E
Australes, Iles (Iles |French Polynesia |23 20 S|151 00 W
Tubuai) (island group)______|_____________________________|_______|________
Avarua (capital)____________|Cook Islands_________________|21 12 S|159 46 W
Axel Heiberg Island_________|Canada_______________________|79 30 N| 90 00 W
Azad Kashmir (region)_______|Pakistan_____________________|34 30 N| 74 00 E
Azarbaycan (local name for |Azerbaijan |40 30 N| 47 30 E
Azerbaijan)_________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Azerbaidzhan (local name for|Azerbaijan |40 30 N| 47 30 E
Azerbaijan)_________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Azores (islands)____________|Portugal_____________________|38 30 N| 28 00 W
Azov, Sea of________________|Atlantic Ocean_______________|49 00 N| 36 00 E

___________________________________________________________________________
Bab el Mandeb (strait)______|Indian Ocean_________________|12 40 N| 43 20 E
Babuyan Channel_____________|Pacific Ocean________________|18 44 N|121 40 E
Babuyan Islands_____________|Philippines__________________|19 10 N|121 40 E
Baffin Bay__________________|Arctic Ocean_________________|73 00 N| 66 00 W
Baffin Island_______________|Canada_______________________|68 00 N| 70 00 W
Baghdad (capital)___________|Iraq_________________________|33 21 N| 44 25 E
Baki (see Baku)_____________|Azerbaijan___________________|40 23 N| 49 51 E
Baku (capital)______________|Azerbaijan___________________|40 23 N| 49 51 E
Baky (see Baku)_____________|Azerbaijan___________________|40 23 N| 49 51 E
Balabac Strait______________|Pacific Ocean________________| 7 35 N|117 00 E
Balearic Islands____________|Spain________________________|39 30 N| 3 00 E
Balearic Sea (Iberian Sea)__|Atlantic Ocean_______________|40 30 N| 2 00 E
Bali (island)_______________|Indonesia____________________| 8 20 S|115 00 E
Bali Sea____________________|Indian Ocean_________________| 7 45 S|115 30 E
Balintang Channel___________|Pacific Ocean________________|19 49 N|121 40 E
Balintang Islands___________|Philippines__________________|19 55 N|122 10 E
Balkan Peninsula |Albania, Bosnia and |42 00 N| 23 00 E
                            |Herzegovina, Bulgaria, | |
                            |Croatia, Greece, Romania, | |
                            |Serbia and Montenegro, | |
                            |Slovenia, The Former Yugoslav| |
                            |Republic of Macedonia, Turkey| |
____________________________|(European part)______________|_______|________
Balleny Islands_____________|Antarctica___________________|67 00 S|163 00 E
Balochistan (region)________|Pakistan_____________________|28 00 N| 63 00 E
Baltic Sea__________________|Atlantic Ocean_______________|57 00 N| 19 00 E
Bamako (capital)____________|Mali_________________________|12 39 N| 8 00 W
Banaba (Ocean Island)_______|Kiribati_____________________| 0 52 S|169 35 E
Banat (region)______________|Hungary, Romania, Yugoslavia |45 30 N| 21 00 E
Banda Sea___________________|Pacific Ocean________________| 5 00 S|128 00 E
Bandar Seri Begawan |Brunei | 4 52 S|114 55 E
(capital)___________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Bangka (island)_____________|Indonesia____________________| 2 30 S|106 00 E
Bangkok (capital)___________|Thailand_____________________|13 45 N|100 31 E
Bangui (capital)____________|Central African Republic_____| 4 22 N| 18 35 E
Banjul (capital)____________|The Gambia___________________|13 28 N| 16 39 W
Banks Island________________|Australia____________________|10 12 S|142 16 E
Banks Island________________|Canada_______________________|75 15 N|121 30 W
Banks Islands (Iles Banks)__|Vanuatu______________________|14 00 S|167 30 E
Barbuda (island)____________|Antigua and Barbuda__________|17 38 N| 61 48 W
Barents Sea_________________|Arctic Ocean_________________|74 00 N| 36 00 E
Barranquilla (city)_________|Colombia_____________________|10 59 N| 74 48 W
Bashi Channel_______________|Pacific Ocean________________|22 00 N|121 00 E
Basilan Strait______________|Pacific Ocean________________| 6 49 N|122 05 E
Basque Provinces____________|Spain________________________|43 00 N| 2 30 W
Bass Strait_________________|Pacific Ocean________________|39 20 S|145 30 E
Basse-Terre (capital)_______|Guadeloupe___________________|16 00 N| 61 44 W
Basseterre (capital)________|Saint Kitts and Nevis________|17 18 N| 62 43 W
Bastia (city)_______________|France (Corsica)_____________|42 42 N| 9 27 E
Basutoland (former name for |Lesotho |29 30 S| 28 30 E
Lesotho)____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Batan Islands_______________|Philippines__________________|20 30 N|121 50 E
Bavaria (Bayern) (region)___|Germany______________________|48 30 N| 11 30 E
Beagle Channel______________|Atlantic Ocean_______________|54 53 S| 68 10 W
Bear Island (see Bjornoya)__|Svalbard_____________________|74 26 N| 19 05 E
Beaufort Sea________________|Arctic Ocean_________________|73 00 N|140 00 W
Bechuanaland (former name |Botswana |22 00 S| 24 00 E
for Botswana)_______________|_____________________________|_______|________
Beijing (capital)___________|China________________________|39 56 N|116 24 E
Beirut (capital)____________|Lebanon______________________|33 53 N| 35 30 E
Bekaa Valley________________|Lebanon______________________|34 00 N| 36 05 E
Belau (Palau Islands)_______|Palau________________________| 7 30 N|134 30 E
Belep Islands (Iles Belep)__|New Caledonia________________|19 45 S|163 40 E
Belgian Congo (former name |Democratic Republic of the | 0 00 N| 25 00 E
for Democratic Republic of |Congo | |
the Congo)__________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Belgie (local name for |Belgium |50 50 N| 4 00 E
Belgium)____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Belgique (local name for |Belgium |50 50 N| 4 00 E
Belgium)____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Belgrade (capital)__________|Yugoslavia___________________|44 50 N| 20 30 E
Belize City (capital)_______|Belize_______________________|17 30 N| 88 12 W
Belle Isle, Strait of_______|Atlantic Ocean_______________|51 35 N| 56 30 W
Bellingshausen Sea__________|Southern Ocean_______________|71 00 S| 85 00 W
Belmopan (capital)__________|Belize_______________________|17 15 N| 88 46 W
Belorussia (former name for |Belarus |53 00 N| 28 00 E
Belarus)____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Benadir (region; former name|Somalia | 4 00 N| 46 00 E
of Italian Somaliland)______|_____________________________|_______|________
Bengal, Bay of______________|Indian Ocean_________________|15 00 N| 90 00 E
Berau, Gulf of______________|Pacific Ocean________________| 2 30 S|132 30 E
Bering Island_______________|Russia_______________________|55 00 N|166 30 E
Bering Sea__________________|Pacific Ocean________________|60 00 N|175 00 W
Bering Strait_______________|Pacific Ocean________________|65 30 N|169 00 W
Berkner Island______________|Antarctica___________________|79 30 S| 49 30 W
Berlin (capital)____________|Germany______________________|52 31 N| 13 24 E
Berlin, East (former name |Germany |52 30 N| 13 33 E
for eastern sector of | | |
Berlin)_____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Berlin, West (former name |Germany |52 30 N| 12 20 E
for western sector of | | |
Berlin)_____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Bern (capital)______________|Switzerland__________________|46 57 N| 7 26 E
Bessarabia (region)_________|Moldova, Romania, Ukraine____|47 00 N| 28 30 E
Bharat (local name for |India |20 00 N| 77 00 E
India)______________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Bhopal (city)_______________|India________________________|23 16 N| 77 24 E
Biafra (region)_____________|Nigeria______________________| 5 30 N| 7 30 E
Big Diomede Island__________|Russia_______________________|65 46 N|169 06 W
Bijagos, Arquipelago dos |Guinea-Bissau |11 25 N| 16 20 W
(island group)______________|_____________________________|_______|________
Bikini Atoll________________|Marshall Islands_____________|11 35 N|165 23 E
Bilbao (city)_______________|Spain________________________|43 15 N| 2 58 W
Bioko (island)______________|Equatorial Guinea____________| 3 30 N| 8 42 E
Biscay, Bay of______________|Atlantic Ocean_______________|44 00 N| 4 00 W
Bishkek (capital)___________|Kyrgyzstan___________________|42 54 N| 74 36 E
Bishop Rock_________________|United Kingdom_______________|49 52 N| 6 27 W
Bismarck Archipelago (island|Papua New Guinea | 5 00 S|150 00 E
group)______________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Bismarck Sea________________|Pacific Ocean________________| 4 00 S|148 00 E
Bissau (capital)____________|Guinea-Bissau________________|11 51 N| 15 35 W
Bjornoya (Bear Island)______|Svalbard_____________________|74 26 N| 19 05 E
Black Forest (region)_______|Germany______________________|48 00 N| 8 15 E
Black Rock (island) |South Georgia and the South |53 39 S| 41 48 W
____________________________|Sandwich Islands_____________|_______|________
Black Sea___________________|Atlantic Ocean_______________|43 00 N| 35 00 E
Bloemfontein (city, judicial|South Africa |29 12 S| 26 07 E
center)_____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Bo Hai (gulf)_______________|Pacific Ocean________________|38 00 N|120 00 E
Boa Vista (island)__________|Cape Verde___________________|16 05 N| 22 50 W
Bogota (capital)____________|Colombia_____________________| 4 36 N| 74 05 W
Bohemia (region)____________|Czech Republic_______________|50 00 N| 14 30 E
Bombay (see Mumbai)_________|India________________________|18 58 N| 72 50 E
Bonaire (island)____________|Netherlands Antilles_________|12 10 N| 68 15 W
Bonifacio, Strait of________|Atlantic Ocean_______________|41 01 N| 14 00 E
Bonin Islands_______________|Japan________________________|27 00 N|140 10 E
Bonn (capital)______________|Germany______________________|50 44 N| 7 05 E
Bophuthatswana (enclave |South Africa |26 30 S| 25 30 E
region)_____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Bora-Bora (island)__________|French Polynesia_____________|16 30 S|151 45 W
Bordeaux (city)_____________|France_______________________|44 50 N| 0 34 W
Borneo (island)_____________|Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia__| 0 30 N|114 00 E
Bornholm (island)___________|Denmark______________________|55 10 N| 15 00 E
Bosna i Hercegovina (local |Bosnia and Herzegovina |44 00 N| 18 00 E
name for Bosnia and | | |
Herzegovina)________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Bosnia (political region)___|Bosnia and Herzegovina_______|44 00 N| 18 00 E
Bosporus (strait)___________|Atlantic Ocean_______________|41 00 N| 29 00 E
Bothnia, Gulf of____________|Atlantic Ocean_______________|63 00 N| 20 00 E
Bougainville (island)_______|Papua New Guinea_____________| 6 00 S|155 00 E
Bougainville Strait_________|Pacific Ocean________________| 6 40 S|156 10 E
Bounty Islands______________|New Zealand__________________|47 43 S|174 00 E
Bourbon Island (former name |Reunion |21 06 S| 55 36 E
of Reunion)_________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Brasilia (capital)__________|Brazil_______________________|15 47 S| 47 55 W
Bratislava (capital)________|Slovakia_____________________|48 09 N| 17 07 E
Brazzaville (capital)_______|Republic of the Congo________| 4 16 S| 15 17 E
Bridgetown (capital)________|Barbados_____________________|13 06 N| 59 37 W
Brisbane (city)_____________|Australia____________________|27 28 S|153 02 E
Bristol Bay_________________|Pacific Ocean________________|57 00 N|160 00 W
Bristol Channel_____________|Atlantic Ocean_______________|51 18 N| 3 30 W
Britain (see Great Britain) |United Kingdom_______________|54 00 N| 2 00 W
British Bechuanaland |South Africa |27 30 S| 23 30 E
(region; former name for | | |
northwest South Africa)_____|_____________________________|_______|________
British Central African |Malawi |13 30 S| 34 00 E
Protectorate (former name | | |
of__Nyasaland)______________|_____________________________|_______|________
British East Africa (former |Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda | 1 00 N| 38 00 E
name for British possessions| | |
in eastern Africa)__________|_____________________________|_______|________
British Guiana (former name |Guyana | 5 00 N| 59 00 W
for Guyana)_________________|_____________________________|_______|________
British Honduras (former |Belize |17 15 N| 88 45 W
name for Belize)____________|_____________________________|_______|________
British Solomon Islands |Solomon Islands | 8 00 S|159 00 E
(former name for Solomon | | |
Islands)____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
British Somaliland (former |Somalia |10 00 N| 49 00 E
name for northern Somalia)__|_____________________________|_______|________
Brussels (capital)__________|Belgium______________________|50 50 N| 4 20 E
Bubiyan (island)____________|Kuwait_______________________|29 47 N| 48 10 E
Bucharest (capital)_________|Romania______________________|44 26 N| 26 06 E
Budapest (capital)__________|Hungary______________________|47 30 N| 19 05 E
Buenos Aires (capital)______|Argentina____________________|34 36 S| 58 27 W
Bujumbura (capital)_________|Burundi______________________| 3 23 S| 29 22 E
Bukovina (region)___________|Romania, Ukraine_____________|48 00 N| 26 00 E
Byelarus (local name for |Belarus |53 00 N| 28 00 E
Belarus)____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Byelorussia (former name for|Belarus |53 00 N| 28 00 E
Belarus)____________________|_____________________________|_______|________

___________________________________________________________________________
Cabinda (province)__________|Angola_______________________| 5 33 S| 12 12 E
Cabo Verde (local name for |Cape Verde |16 00 N| 24 00 W
Cape Verde)_________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Cabot Strait________________|Atlantic Ocean_______________|47 20 N| 59 30 W
Caicos Islands______________|Turks and Caicos Islands_____|21 56 N| 71 58 W
Cairo (capital)_____________|Egypt________________________|30 03 N| 31 15 E
California, Gulf of_________|Pacific Ocean________________|28 00 N|112 00 W
Cameroun (local name for |Cameroon | 6 00 N| 12 00 E
Cameroon)___________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Campbell Island_____________|New Zealand__________________|52 33 S|169 09 E
Campeche, Bay of____________|Atlantic Ocean_______________|20 00 N| 94 00 W
Canal Zone (former name for |Panama | 9 00 N| 79 45 W
US possessions in Panama)___|_____________________________|_______|________
Canarias Sea________________|Atlantic Ocean_______________|28 00 N| 16 00 W
Canary Islands______________|Spain________________________|28 00 N| 15 30 W
Canberra (capital)__________|Australia____________________|35 17 S|149 08 E
Cancun (city)_______________|Mexico_______________________|21 10 N| 86 50 W
Canton (Guangzhou) (city)___|China________________________|23 06 N|113 16 E
Canton Island (Kanton |Kiribati | 2 49 S|171 40 W
Island)_____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Cape Juby (region; former |Morocco |27 53 N| 12 58 W
name for Southern Morocco)__|_____________________________|_______|________
Cape of Good Hope (cape; |South Africa |34 15 S| 18 25 E
also alternate name for Cape| | |
Province of South Africa)___|_____________________________|_______|________
Cape Province (region; |South Africa |31 30 S| 22 30 E
former name for Northern, | | |
Western, and Eastern Cape | | |
Provinces of South Africa)__|_____________________________|_______|________
Cape Town (legislative |South Africa |33 57 S| 18 28 W
capital)____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Caracas (capital)___________|Venezuela____________________|10 30 N| 66 56 W
Cargados Carajos Shoals_____|Mauritius____________________|16 25 S| 59 38 E
Caribbean Sea_______________|Atlantic Ocean_______________|15 00 N| 73 00 W
Caroline Islands |Federated States of | 7 30 N|148 00 E
____________________________|Micronesia, Palau____________|_______|________
Carpatho-Ukraine (region; |Ukraine |48 22 N| 23 32 E
former name for Zakarpats`ka| | |
oblast`)____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Carpentaria, Gulf of________|Pacific Ocean________________|14 00 S|139 00 E
Castries (capital)__________|Saint Lucia__________________|14 01 N| 61 00 W
Catalonia (region)__________|Spain________________________|42 00 N| 2 00 E
Cato Island_________________|Australia____________________|23 15 S|155 32 E
Caucasus (region)___________|Russia_______________________|42 00 N| 45 00 E
Cayenne (capital)___________|French Guiana________________| 4 56 N| 52 20 W
Celebes (island)____________|Indonesia____________________| 2 00 S|121 00 E
Celebes Sea_________________|Pacific Ocean________________| 3 00 N|122 00 E
Celtic Sea__________________|Atlantic Ocean_______________|51 00 N| 6 30 W
Central African Empire |Central African Republic | 7 00 N| 21 00 E
(former name for Central | | |
African Republic)___________|_____________________________|_______|________
Ceram (Seram) Sea___________|Pacific Ocean________________| 2 30 S|129 30 E
Ceska Republika (local name |Czech Republic |49 45 N| 15 30 E
for Czech Republic)_________|_____________________________|_______|________
Ceskoslovensko (former local|Czech Republic, Slovakia |49 00 N| 17 30 E
name for Czechoslovakia)____|_____________________________|_______|________
Ceuta (city)________________|Spain________________________|35 53 N| 5 19 W
Ceylon (former name for Sri |Sri Lanka | 7 00 N| 81 00 E
Lanka)______________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Chafarinas, Islas (island)__|Spain________________________|35 12 N| 2 26 W
Chagos Archipelago (Oil |British Indian Ocean | 6 00 S| 71 30 E
Islands)____________________|Territory____________________|_______|________
Challenger Deep (Mariana |Pacific Ocean |11 22 N|142 36 E
Trench)_____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Channel Islands_____________|Guernsey, Jersey_____________|49 20 N| 2 20 W
Charlotte Amalie (capital)__|Virgin Islands_______________|18 21 N| 64 56 W
Chatham Islands_____________|New Zealand__________________|44 00 S|176 30 W
Chechnya (Chechnia) (region)|Russia_______________________|43 15 N| 45 40 E
Cheju Strait________________|Pacific Ocean________________|34 00 N|126 30 E
Cheju-do (island)___________|Korea, South_________________|33 20 N|126 30 E
Chennai (Madras) (city)_____|India________________________|13 04 N| 80 16 E
Chesterfield Islands (Iles |New Caledonia |19 52 S|158 15 E
Chesterfield)_______________|_____________________________|_______|________
Chihli, Gulf of (see Bo Hai)|Pacific Ocean________________|38 30 N|120 00 E
Chiloe (island)_____________|Chile________________________|42 50 S| 74 00 W
China, People's Republic of |China________________________|35 00 N|105 00 E
China, Republic of__________|Taiwan_______________________|23 30 N|105 00 E
Chisinau (capital)__________|Moldova______________________|47 00 N| 28 50 E
Choiseul (island)___________|Solomon Islands______________| 7 05 S|121 00 E
Chosen (local name for North|North Korea |40 00 N|127 00 E
Korea)______________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Christmas Island (Indian |Australia |10 25 S|105 39 E
Ocean)______________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Christmas Island |Kiribati | 1 52 N|157 20 W
(Kiritimati) (Pacific Ocean)|_____________________________|_______|________
Chukchi Sea_________________|Arctic Ocean_________________|69 00 N|171 00 W
Chuuk Islands (Truk Islands)|Federated States of | 7 25 N|151 47 W
____________________________|Micronesia___________________|_______|________
Cilicia (region)____________|Turkey_______________________|36 50 N| 34 30 E
Ciskei (enclave)____________|South Africa_________________|33 00 S| 27 00 E
Citta del Vaticano (local |Holy See |41 54 N| 12 27 E
name for Vatican City)______|_____________________________|_______|________
Cochin China (region)_______|Vietnam______________________|11 00 N|107 00 E
Coco, Isla del (island)_____|Costa Rica___________________| 5 32 N| 87 04 W
Cocos Islands_______________|Cocos (Keeling) Islands______|12 30 S| 96 50 E
Colombo (capital)___________|Sri Lanka____________________| 6 56 N| 79 51 E
Colon, Archipielago de |Ecuador | 0 00 N| 90 30 W
(Galapagos Islands)_________|_____________________________|_______|________
Commander Islands |Russia |55 00 N|167 00 E
(Komandorskiye Ostrova)_____|_____________________________|_______|________
Comores (local name for |Comoros |12 10 S| 44 15 E
Comoros)____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Con Son (islands)___________|Vietnam______________________| 8 43 N|106 36 E
Conakry (capital)___________|Guinea_______________________| 9 31 N| 13 43 W
Confederatio Helvetica |Switzerland |47 00 N| 8 00 E
(local name for Switzerland)|_____________________________|_______|________
Congo (Brazzaville) (former |Republic of the Congo | 1 00 S| 15 00 E
name for Republic of the | | |
Congo)______________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Congo (Leopoldville) (former|Democratic Republic of the | 0 00 N| 25 00 E
name for the Democratic |Congo | |
Republic of the Congo)______|_____________________________|_______|________
Constantinople (city; former|Turkey |41 01 N| 28 58 E
name for Istanbul)__________|_____________________________|_______|________
Cook Strait_________________|Pacific Ocean________________|41 15 S|174 30 E
Copenhagen (capital)________|Denmark______________________|55 40 N| 12 35 E
Coral Sea___________________|Pacific Ocean________________|15 00 S|150 00 E
Corfu (island)______________|Greece_______________________|39 40 N| 19 45 E
Corinth (region)____________|Greece_______________________|37 56 N| 22 56 E
Corisco (island)____________|Equatorial Guinea____________| 0 55 N| 9 19 E
Corn Islands (Islas del |Nicaragua |12 15 N| 83 00 W
Maiz)_______________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Corocoro Island_____________|Guyana, Venezuela____________| 3 38 N| 66 50 W
Corsica (Corse) (island)____|France_______________________|42 00 N| 9 00 E
Cosmoledo Group (Atoll de |Seychelles | 9 43 S| 47 35 E
Cosmoledo) (island group)___|_____________________________|_______|________
Cotonou (capital)___________|Benin________________________| 6 21 N| 2 26 E
Cotopaxi (volcano)__________|Ecuador______________________| 0 39 S| 78 26 W
Courantyne River____________|Guyana, Suriname_____________| 5 57 N| 57 06 W
Cozumel (island)____________|Mexico_______________________|20 30 N| 86 55 W
Crete (island)______________|Greece_______________________|35 15 N| 24 45 E
Crimea (region)_____________|Ukraine______________________|45 00 N| 34 00 E
Crimean Peninsula___________|Ukraine______________________|45 00 N| 34 00 E
Crooked Island Passage______|Atlantic Ocean_______________|22 55 N| 74 35 W
Crozet Islands (Iles Crozet)|French Southern and Antarctic|46 30 S| 51 00 E
____________________________|Lands________________________|_______|________
Cyclades (island group)_____|Greece_______________________|37 00 N| 25 10 E
Cyrenaica (region)__________|Libya________________________|31 00 N| 22 00 E
Czechoslovakia (former name |Czech Republic, Slovakia |49 00 N| 18 00 E
for the entity that | | |
subsequently split into the | | |
Czech Republic and Slovakia)|_____________________________|_______|________

___________________________________________________________________________
Dagestan (region)___________|Russia_______________________|43 00 N| 47 00 E
Dahomey (former name for |Benin | 9 30 N| 2 15 E
Benin)______________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Daito Islands_______________|Japan________________________|43 00 N| 17 00 E
Dakar (capital)_____________|Senegal______________________|14 40 N| 17 26 W
Dalmatia (region)___________|Croatia______________________|43 00 N| 17 00 E
Daman (Damao) (city)________|India________________________|20 10 N| 73 00 E
Damascus (capital)__________|Syria________________________|33 30 N| 36 18 E
Danger Islands (see Pukapuka|Cook Islands |10 53 S|165 49 W
Atoll)______________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Danish Straits______________|Atlantic Ocean_______________|58 00 N| 11 00 E
Danish West Indies ( former |Virgin Islands |18 20 N| 64 50 W
name for the Virgin Islands)|_____________________________|_______|________
Danmark (local name)________|Denmark______________________|56 00 N| 10 00 E
Danzig (city; former name |Poland |54 23 N| 18 40 E
for Gdansk)_________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Dao Bach Long Vi (island)___|Vietnam______________________|20 08 N|107 44 E
Dar es Salaam (capital)_____|Tanzania_____________________| 6 48 S| 39 17 E
Dardanelles (strait)________|Atlantic Ocean_______________|40 15 N| 26 25 E
Davis Strait________________|Atlantic Ocean_______________|67 00 N| 57 00 W
Dead Sea____________________|Israel, Jordan, West Bank____|32 30 N| 35 30 E
Deception Island____________|Antarctica___________________|62 56 S| 60 34 W
Denmark Strait______________|Atlantic Ocean_______________|67 00 N| 24 00 W
D'Entrecasteaux Islands_____|Papua New Guinea_____________| 9 30 S|150 40 E
Desolation Islands (Isles |French Southern and Antarctic|49 30 S| 69 30 E
Kerguelen)__________________|Lands________________________|_______|________
Deutschland (local name for |Germany |51 00 N| 9 00 E
Germany)____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Devils Island (Ile du |French Guiana | 5 17 N| 52 35 W
Diable)_____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Devon Island________________|Canada_______________________|76 00 N| 87 00 W
Dhaka (capital)_____________|Bangladesh___________________|23 43 N| 90 25 E
Dhivehi Raajje (local name |Maldives | 3 15 N| 73 00 E
for Maldives)_______________|_____________________________|_______|________
Dhofar (region)_____________|Oman_________________________|17 00 N| 54 10 E
Diego Garcia (island) |British Indian Ocean | 7 20 S| 72 25 E
____________________________|Territory____________________|_______|________
Diego Ramirez (islands)_____|Chile________________________|56 30 S| 68 43 W
Dilmun (former name for |Bahrain | 7 00 N| 81 00 E
Bahrain)____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Diomede Islands |Russia (Big Diomede), United |65 47 N|169 00 W
____________________________|States (Little Diomede)______|_______|________
Diu (region)________________|India________________________|20 42 N| 70 59 E
Djibouti (capital)__________|Djibouti_____________________|11 30 N| 43 15 E
Dnieper (river) |Belarus, Russia, Ukraine |46 30 N| 32 18 E
____________________________|(Dnyapro, Dnepr, Dnipro)_____|_______|________
Dniester (river) |Moldova, Ukraine (Nistru, |46 18 N| 30 17 E
____________________________|Dnister)_____________________|_______|________
Dobruja (region)____________|Bulgaria, Romania____________|43 30 N| 28 00 E
Dodecanese (island group)___|Greece_______________________|36 00 N| 27 05 E
Dodoma (city)_______________|Tanzania_____________________| 6 11 S| 35 45 E
Doha (capital)______________|Qatar________________________|25 17 N| 51 32 E
Donets Basin________________|Russia, Ukraine______________|48 15 N| 38 30 E
Douala (city)_______________|Cameroon_____________________| 4 03 N| 9 42 E
Douglas (capital)___________|Man, Isle of_________________|54 09 N| 4 28 W
Dover, Strait of____________|Atlantic Ocean_______________|51 00 N| 1 30 E
Drake Passage |Atlantic Ocean, Southern |60 00 S| 60 00 W
____________________________|Ocean________________________|_______|________
Druk Yul (local name for |Bhutan |27 30 N| 90 30 E
Bhutan)_____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Dubai (city)________________|United Arab Emirates_________|25 18 N| 55 18 E
Dubayy (see Dubai)__________|United Arab Emirates_________|25 18 N| 55 18 E
Dublin (capital)____________|Ireland______________________|53 20 N| 6 15 W
Dushanbe (capital)__________|Tajikistan___________________|38 35 N| 68 48 E
Dutch Antilles (former name |Netherlands Antilles |52 05 N| 4 18 E
for the Netherlands | | |
Antilles)___________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Dutch East Indies (former |Indonesia | 5 00 S|120 00 E
name for Indonesia)_________|_____________________________|_______|________
Dutch Guiana (former name |Suriname | 4 00 N| 56 00 W
for Suriname)_______________|_____________________________|_______|________
Dutch West Indies (former |Netherlands Antilles |52 05 N| 4 18 E
name for the Netherlands | | |
Antilles)___________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Dzungarian Gate (valley)____|China, Kazakhstan____________|45 25 N| 82 25 E

___________________________________________________________________________
East China Sea______________|Pacific Ocean________________|30 00 N|126 00 E
East Frisian Islands________|Germany______________________|53 44 N| 7 25 E
East Germany (German |Germany |52 00 N| 13 00 E
Democratic Republic) (former| | |
name for eastern portion of | | |
Germany)____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
East Korea Strait (Eastern |Pacific Ocean |34 00 N|129 00 E
Channel or Tsushima Strait) |_____________________________|_______|________
East Pakistan (former name |Bangladesh |24 00 N| 90 00 E
for Bangladesh)_____________|_____________________________|_______|________
East Siberian Sea___________|Arctic Ocean_________________|74 00 N|166 00 E
Easter Island (Isla de |Chile |27 07 S|109 22 W
Pascua)_____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Eastern Channel (East Korea |Pacific Ocean |34 00 N|129 00 E
Strait or Tsushima Strait)__|_____________________________|_______|________
Eastern Samoa (former name |American Samoa |14 20 S|170 00 W
for American Samoa)_________|_____________________________|_______|________
Eesti (local name for |Estonia |59 00 N| 26 00 E
Estonia)____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Eire (local name for |Ireland |53 00 N| 8 00 W
Ireland)____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Elba (island)_______________|Italy________________________|42 46 N| 10 17 E
Elemi Triangle (region) |Ethiopia (claimed), Kenya (de| 5 00 N| 35 30 E
____________________________|facto), Sudan (claimed)______|_______|________
Ellada (local name for |Greece |39 00 N| 22 00 E
Greece)_____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Ellas (local name for |Greece |39 00 N| 22 00 E
Greece)_____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Ellef Ringnes Island________|Canada_______________________|78 00 N|103 00 W
Ellesmere Island____________|Canada_______________________|81 00 N| 80 00 W
Ellice Islands______________|Tuvalu_______________________| 8 00 S|178 00 E
Ellsworth Land (region)_____|Antarctica___________________|75 00 S| 92 00 W
Elobey, Islas de (island |Equatorial Guinea | 0 59 N| 9 33 E
group)______________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Enderbury Island____________|Kiribati_____________________| 3 08 S|171 05 W
Enewetak Atoll (Eniwetok |Marshall Islands |11 30 N|162 15 E
Atoll)______________________|_____________________________|_______|________
England (region)____________|United Kingdom_______________|52 30 N| 1 30 W
English Channel_____________|Atlantic Ocean_______________|50 20 N| 1 00 W
Eniwetok Atoll (see Enewetak|Marshall Islands |11 30 N|162 15 E
Atoll)______________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Eolie, Isole (island group) |Italy________________________|38 30 N| 15 00 E
Epirus, Northern (region)___|Albania, Greece______________|40 00 N| 20 30 E
Ertra (local name for |Eritrea |15 00 N| 39 00 E
Eritrea)____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Espana______________________|Spain________________________|40 00 N| 4 00 W
Essequibo (region) (claimed |Guyana | 6 59 N| 58 23 W
by Venezuela)_______________|_____________________________|_______|________
Etorofu (Iturup) (island)___|Russia (de facto)____________|44 55 N|147 40 E

___________________________________________________________________________ Farquhar Group (Atoll de |Seychelles |10 10 S| 51 10 E Farquhar) (island group)____|_____________________________|_______|________ Fergana Valley |Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, |41 00 N| 72 00 E ____________________________|Uzbekistan___________________|_______|________ Fernando de Noronha (island |Brazil | 3 51 S| 32 25 W group)______________________|_____________________________|_______|________ Fernando Po (island) (see |Equatorial Guinea | 3 30 N| 8 42 E Bioko)______________________|_____________________________|_______|________ Filipinas (local name for |Philippines |13 00 N|122 00 E the Philippines)____________|_____________________________|_______|________ Finland, Gulf of____________|Atlantic Ocean_______________|60 00 N| 27 00 E Flores (island)_____________|Indonesia____________________| 8 45 S|121 00 E Flores Sea__________________|Pacific Ocean________________| 7 40 S|119 45 E Florida, Straits of_________|Atlantic Ocean_______________|25 00 N| 79 45 W Fongafale (capital)_________|Tuvalu_______________________| 8 30 S|179 12 E Former Soviet Union (FSU) |Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus,| | |Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan,| | |Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, | | |Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, | | |Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, | | ____________________________|Ukraine, Uzbekistan__________|_______|________ Formosa (island)____________|Taiwan_______________________|23 30 N|121 00 E Formosa Strait (see Taiwan |Pacific Ocean |24 00 N|119 00 E Strait)_____________________|_____________________________|_______|________ Foroyar (local name for |Faroe Islands |62 00 N| 7 00 W Faroe Islands)______________|_____________________________|_______|________ Fort-de-France (capital)____|Martinique___________________|14 36 N| 61 05 W Franz Josef Land (island |Russia |81 00 N| 55 00 E group)______________________|_____________________________|_______|________ Freetown (capital)__________|Sierra Leone_________________| 8 30 N| 13 15 W French Cameroon (former name|Cameroon | 6 00 N| 12 00 E for Cameroon)_______________|_____________________________|_______|________ French Guinea (former name |Guinea |11 00 N| 10 00 W for Guinea)_________________|_____________________________|_______|________ French Indochina (former |Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam |15 00 N|107 00 E name for French possessions | | | in southeast Asia)__________|_____________________________|_______|________ French Morocco (former name |Morocco |32 00 N| 5 00 W for Morocco)________________|_____________________________|_______|________ French Somaliland (former |Djibouti |11 30 N| 43 00 W name for Djibouti)__________|_____________________________|_______|________ French Sudan (former name |Mali |17 00 N| 4 00 W for Mali)___________________|_____________________________|_______|________ French Territory of the |Djibouti |11 30 N| 43 00 E Afars and Issas (FTAI) | | | (former name for Djibouti)__|_____________________________|_______|________ French Togoland (former name|Togo | 8 00 N| 1 10 E for Togo)___________________|_____________________________|_______|________ French West Indies (former |Guadeloupe, Martinique |16 30 N| 62 00 W name for French possessions | | | in the West Indies)_________|_____________________________|_______|________ Friendly Islands____________|Tonga________________________|20 00 S|175 00 W Frisian Islands_____________|Denmark, Germany, Netherlands|53 35 N| 6 40 E Frunze (city; former name |Kyrgyzstan |42 54 N| 74 36 E for Bishkek)________________|_____________________________|_______|________ Funafuti (former name for |Tuvalu | 8 30 S|179 12 E Fongafale)__________________|_____________________________|_______|________ Fundy, Bay of_______________|Atlantic Ocean_______________|45 00 N| 66 00 W Futuna Islands (Hoorn |Wallis and Futuna |14 19 S|178 05 W Islands/Iles de Horne)______|_____________________________|_______|________ Fyn (island)________________|Denmark______________________|55 20 N| 10 25 E

___________________________________________________________________________
Gaborone (capital)____________|Botswana___________________|24 45 S| 25 55 E
Galapagos Islands |Ecuador | 0 00 N| 90 30 W
(Archipielago de Colon)_______|___________________________|_______|________
Galicia (region)______________|Poland, Ukraine____________|49 30 N| 23 00 E
Galicia (region)______________|Spain______________________|42 45 N| 8 10 E
Galilee (region)______________|Israel_____________________|32 54 N| 35 20 E
Galleons Passage______________|Atlantic Ocean_____________|11 00 N| 60 55 W
Gambier Islands (Iles Gambier)|French Polynesia___________|23 09 S|134 58 W
Gaspar Strait_________________|Pacific Ocean______________| 3 00 S|107 00 E
Gdansk (Danzig) (city)________|Poland_____________________|54 23 N| 18 40 E
Geneva (city)_________________|Switzerland________________|46 12 N| 6 10 E
Genoa (city)__________________|Italy______________________|44 25 N| 8 57 E
George Town (capital)_________|Cayman Islands_____________|19 20 N| 81 23 W
George Town (city)____________|Malaysia___________________| 5 26 N|100 16 E
George Town (city)____________|The Bahamas________________|23 30 N| 75 46 W
Georgetown (capital)__________|Guyana_____________________| 6 48 N| 58 10 W
Georgetown (city)_____________|The Gambia_________________|13 30 N| 14 47 W
German Democratic Republic |Germany |52 00 N| 13 00 E
(East Germany) (former name | | |
for eastern portion of | | |
Germany)______________________|___________________________|_______|________
German Southwest Africa |Namibia |22 00 S| 17 00 E
(former name for Namibia)_____|___________________________|_______|________
Germany, Federal Republic of__|Germany____________________|51 00 N| 9 00 E
Gibraltar (city, peninsula)___|Gibraltar__________________|36 11 N| 5 22 W
Gibraltar, Strait of__________|Atlantic Ocean_____________|35 57 N| 5 36 W
Gidi Pass_____________________|Egypt______________________|30 13 N| 33 09 E
Gilbert Islands_______________|Kiribati___________________| 1 25 N|173 00 E
Goa (state)___________________|India______________________|14 20 N| 74 00 E
Gobi (desert)_________________|China, Mongolia____________|42 30 N|107 00 E
Godthab (Nuuk) (capital)______|Greenland__________________|64 11 N| 51 44 W
Golan Heights (region)________|Syria______________________|33 00 N| 35 45 E
Gold Coast (former name for |Ghana | 8 00 N| 2 00 W
Ghana)________________________|___________________________|_______|________
Golfo San Jorge (gulf)________|Atlantic Ocean_____________|46 00 S| 66 00 W
Golfo San Matias (gulf)_______|Atlantic Ocean_____________|41 30 S| 64 00 W
Good Hope, Cape of____________|South Africa_______________|34 24 S| 18 30 E
Goteborg (city)_______________|Sweden_____________________|57 43 N| 11 58 E
Gotland (island)______________|Sweden_____________________|57 30 N| 18 33 E
Gough Island__________________|Saint Helena_______________|40 10 S| 9 45 W
Graham Land (region)__________|Antarctica_________________|65 00 S| 64 00 W
Gran Chaco (region)___________|Argentina, Paraguay________|24 00 S| 60 00 W
Grand Bahama (island)_________|The Bahamas________________|26 40 N| 78 35 W
Grand Banks (fishing ground)__|Atlantic Ocean_____________|47 06 N| 55 48 W
Grand Cayman (island)_________|Cayman Islands_____________|19 20 N| 81 20 W
Grand Turk (Cockburn Town) |Turks and Caicos Islands |21 28 N| 71 08 W
(capital)_____________________|___________________________|_______|________
Great Australian Bight________|Indian Ocean_______________|35 00 S|130 00 E
Great Belt (Store Baelt) |Atlantic Ocean |55 30 N| 11 00 E
(strait)______________________|___________________________|_______|________
Great Bitter Lake_____________|Egypt______________________|30 20 N| 32 23 E
Great Britain (island)________|United Kingdom_____________|54 00 N| 2 00 W
Great Channel_________________|Indian Ocean_______________| 6 25 N| 94 20 E
Great Inagua (island)_________|The Bahamas________________|21 00 N| 73 20 W
Great Rift Valley_____________|Ethiopia, Kenya____________| 0 30 N| 36 00 E
Greater Sunda Islands_________|Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia| 2 00 S|110 00 E
Green Islands_________________|Papua New Guinea___________| 4 30 S|154 10 E
Greenland Sea_________________|Arctic Ocean_______________|79 00 N| 5 00 W
Grenadines, Northern (island |Saint Vincent and the |13 15 N| 61 12 W
group)________________________|Grenadines_________________|_______|________
Grenadines, Southern (island |Grenada |12 07 N| 61 40 W
group)________________________|___________________________|_______|________
Grytviken (South Georgia) |South Georgia and the South|54 15 S| 36 45 W
(town)________________________|Sandwich Islands___________|_______|________
Guadalcanal (island)__________|Solomon Islands____________| 9 32 S|160 12 E
Guadalupe, Isla de (island)___|Mexico_____________________|29 11 N|118 17 W
Guantanamo Bay (US Naval Base)|Cuba_______________________|20 00 N| 75 08 W
Guatemala (capital)___________|Guatemala__________________|14 38 N| 90 31 W
Guinea Ecuatorial (local name |Equatorial Guinea | 2 00 N| 10 00 E
for Equatorial Guinea)________|___________________________|_______|________
Guinea, Gulf of_______________|Atlantic Ocean_____________| 3 00 N| 2 30 E
Guine-Bissau (local name for |Guinea-Bissau |12 00 N| 15 00 W
Guinea-Bissau)________________|___________________________|_______|________
Guinee (local name for Guinea)|Guinea_____________________|11 00 N| 10 00 W
Guyane (Francaise) (local name|French Guiana | 4 00 N| 53 00 W
for French Guiana)____________|___________________________|_______|________

___________________________________________________________________________
Ha'apai Group (island group) |Tonga_______________________|19 42 S|174 29 W
Habomai Islands______________|Russia (de facto)___________|43 30 N|146 10 E
Hadhramaut (region)__________|Yemen_______________________|15 00 N| 50 00 E
Hagatna (Agana) (capital)____|Guam________________________|13 28 N|144 45 E
Hague, The (seat of |Netherlands |52 05 N| 4 18 E
government)__________________|____________________________|_______|________
Haifa (city)_________________|Israel______________________|32 50 N| 35 00 E
Hainan Dao (island)__________|China_______________________|19 00 N|109 30 E
Haiphong (city)______________|Vietnam_____________________|20 52 N|106 41 E
Hala'ib Triangle (region) |Egypt (claimed), Sudan (de |22 30 N| 35 00 E
_____________________________|facto)______________________|_______|________
Halmahera (island)___________|Indonesia___________________| 1 00 N|128 00 E
Halmahera Sea________________|Pacific Ocean_______________| 0 30 S|129 00 E
Hamilton (capital)___________|Bermuda_____________________|32 17 N| 64 46 W
Han-guk (local name for South|South Korea |37 00 N|127 30 E
Korea)_______________________|____________________________|_______|________
Hanoi (capital)______________|Vietnam_____________________|21 02 N|105 51 E
Harare (capital)_____________|Zimbabwe____________________|17 50 S| 31 03 E
Harvey Islands (former name |Cook Islands |21 14 S|159 46 W
for Cook Islands)____________|____________________________|_______|________
Hatay (province)_____________|Turkey______________________|36 30 N| 36 15 E
Havana (capital)_____________|Cuba________________________|23 08 N| 82 22 W
Hawaii (island)______________|United States_______________|19 45 N|155 45 W
Hawaiian Islands_____________|United States_______________|21 00 N|157 45 W
Hawar (island)_______________|Bahrain_____________________|25 40 N| 50 47 E
Hayastan (local name for |Armenia |40 00 N| 45 00 E
Armenia)_____________________|____________________________|_______|________
Heard Island |Heard Island and McDonald |53 06 S| 73 30 E
_____________________________|Islands_____________________|_______|________
Hejaz (region)_______________|Saudi Arabia________________|24 30 N| 38 30 E
Helsinki (capital)___________|Finland_____________________|60 10 N| 24 58 E
Herzegovina (political |Bosnia and Herzegovina |44 00 N| 18 00 E
region)______________________|____________________________|_______|________
Hiiumaa (island)_____________|Estonia_____________________|58 50 N| 22 30 E
Hispaniola (island)__________|Dominican Republic, Haiti___|18 45 N| 71 00 W
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)____|Vietnam_____________________|10 45 N|106 40 E
Hokkaido (island)____________|Japan_______________________|44 00 N|143 00 E
Holland (region)_____________|Netherlands_________________|52 30 N| 5 45 E
Hong Kong (special |Hong Kong |22 15 N|114 10 E
administrative region)_______|____________________________|_______|________
Honiara (capital)____________|Solomon Islands_____________| 9 26 S|159 57 E
Honshu (island)______________|Japan_______________________|36 00 N|138 00 E
Hormuz, Strait of____________|Indian Ocean________________|26 34 N| 56 15 E
Horn of Africa (region) |Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia,| 8 00 N| 48 00 E
_____________________________|Somalia_____________________|_______|________
Horn, Cape (Cabo de Hornos)__|Chile_______________________|55 59 S| 67 16 W
Horne, Iles de (island group)|Wallis and Futuna___________|14 19 S|178 05 W
Hrvatska (local name for |Croatia |45 10 N| 15 30 E
Croatia)_____________________|____________________________|_______|________
Hudson Bay___________________|Arctic Ocean________________|60 00 N| 86 00 W
Hudson Strait________________|Arctic Ocean________________|62 00 N| 71 00 W
Hunter Island________________|New Caledonia, Vanuatu______|22 24 S|172 06 E

___________________________________________________________________________
Iberian Peninsula______________|Portugal, Spain___________|40 00 N| 5 00 W
Iceland Sea____________________|Arctic Ocean______________|68 00 N| 20 00 W
Ifni (region; former name of |Morocco |29 22 N| 10 09 W
part of Spanish West Africa)___|__________________________|_______|________
Inaccessible Island____________|Saint Helena______________|37 17 S| 12 40 W
Indochina (region)_____________|Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam___|15 00 N|107 00 E
Ingushetia (region)____________|Russia____________________|43 15 N| 45 00 E
Inhambane (region)_____________|Mozambique________________|22 30 S| 34 30 E
Inini (former name for French |French Guiana | 4 00 N| 53 00 W
Guiana)________________________|__________________________|_______|________
Inland Sea_____________________|Japan_____________________|34 20 N|133 30 E
Inner Hebrides (islands)_______|United Kingdom____________|56 30 N| 6 20 W
Inner Mongolia (Nei Mongol) |China |42 00 N|113 00 E
(region)_______________________|__________________________|_______|________
Ionian Islands_________________|Greece____________________|38 30 N| 20 30 E
Ionian Sea_____________________|Atlantic Ocean____________|38 30 N| 18 00 E
Irian Jaya (province)__________|Indonesia_________________| 5 00 S|138 00 E
Irish Sea______________________|Atlantic Ocean____________|53 30 N| 5 20 W
Iron Gate (river gorge)________|Romania, Yugoslavia_______|44 41 N| 22 31 E
Iskenderun (Alexandretta) |Turkey |36 34 N| 36 08 E
(region)_______________________|__________________________|_______|________
Islamabad (capital)____________|Pakistan__________________|33 42 N| 73 10 E
Island (local name for Iceland)|Iceland___________________|65 00 N| 18 00 W
Islas Malvinas (island group) |Falkland Islands (Islas |51 45 S| 59 00 W
_______________________________|Malvinas)_________________|_______|________
Istanbul (city)________________|Turkey____________________|41 01 N| 28 58 E
Istrian Peninsula______________|Croatia, Slovenia_________|45 00 N| 14 00 E
Italia (local name for Italy)__|Italy_____________________|42 50 N| 12 50 E
Italian East Africa (former |Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia| 8 00 N| 38 00 E
name for Italian possessions in| | |
eastern Africa)________________|__________________________|_______|________
Italian Somaliland (former name|Somalia |10 00 N| 49 00 E
for southern Somalia)__________|__________________________|_______|________
Ittihad al-Imarat al-Arabiyah |United Arab Emirates |24 00 N| 54 00 E
(local name for the United Arab| | |
Emirates)______________________|__________________________|_______|________
Iturup (see Etorofu) (island)__|Russia (de facto)_________|44 55 N|147 40 E
Ityop`iya (local name for |Ethiopia | 8 00 N| 38 00 E
Ethiopia)______________________|__________________________|_______|________
Ivory Coast (former name for |Cote d'Ivoire | 8 00 N| 5 00 W
Cote d`Ivoire)_________________|__________________________|_______|________
Iwo Jima (island)______________|Japan_____________________|24 47 N|141 20 E
Izmir (region)_________________|Turkey____________________|38 25 N| 27 10 E

___________________________________________________________________________
Jakarta (capital)____________|Indonesia___________________| 6 10 S|106 48 E
James Bay____________________|Arctic Ocean________________|54 00 N| 80 00 W
Jamestown (capital)__________|Saint Helena________________|15 56 S| 5 44 W
Jammu (city)_________________|India_______________________|32 42 N| 74 52 E
Jammu and Kashmir (region)___|India, Pakistan_____________|34 00 N| 76 00 E
Japan, Sea of________________|Pacific Ocean_______________|40 00 N|135 00 E
Jars, Plain of_______________|Laos________________________|19 27 N|103 10 E
Java (island)________________|Indonesia___________________| 7 30 S|110 00 E
Java Sea_____________________|Pacific Ocean_______________| 5 00 S|110 00 E
Jerusalem (capital, |Israel, West Bank |31 47 N| 35 14 E
proclaimed)__________________|____________________________|_______|________
Jiddah (Jeddah) (city)_______|Saudi Arabia________________|21 30 N| 39 12 E
Johannesburg (city)__________|South Africa________________|26 15 S| 28 00 E
Joseph Bonaparte Gulf________|Pacific Ocean_______________|14 00 S|128 45 E
Juan de Fuca, Strait of______|Pacific Ocean_______________|48 18 N|124 00 W
Juan Fernandez, Islas de |Chile |33 00 S| 80 00 W
(island group)_______________|____________________________|_______|________
Jubal, Strait of_____________|Indian Ocean________________|27 40 N| 33 55 E
Judaea (region)______________|Israel, West Bank___________|31 35 N| 35 00 E
Jugoslavia (local name for |Bosnia and Herzegovina, | |
former Yugoslavia) |Croatia, The Former Yugoslav| |
                             |Republic of Macedonia, | |
_____________________________|Yugoslavia, Slovenia________|_______|________
Jutland (region)_____________|Denmark_____________________|56 00 N| 9 15 E
Juventud, Isla de la (Isle of|Cuba |21 40 N| 82 50 W
Youth)_______________________|____________________________|_______|________

___________________________________________________________________________
Kabardino-Balkaria (region) |Russia_______________________|43 30 N| 43 30 E
Kabul (capital)_____________|Afghanistan__________________|34 31 N| 69 12 E
Kaduna (city)_______________|Nigeria______________________|10 33 N| 7 27 E
Kailas Range________________|China, India_________________|30 00 N| 82 00 E
Kalaallit Nunaat (local name|Greenland |72 00 N| 40 00 W
for Greenland)______________|_____________________________|_______|________
Kalahari (desert)___________|Botswana, Namibia____________|24 30 S| 21 00 E
Kalimantan (region)_________|Indonesia____________________| 0 00 N|115 00 E
Kaliningrad (region; |Russia |54 30 N| 21 00 E
formerly part of East | | |
Prussia)____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Kamaran (island)____________|Yemen________________________|15 21 N| 42 34 E
Kamchatka Peninsula |Russia |56 00 N|160 00 E
(Poluostrov Kamchatka)______|_____________________________|_______|________
Kampala (capital)___________|Uganda_______________________| 0 19 N| 32 25 E
Kampuchea (former name for |Cambodia |13 00 N|105 00 E
Cambodia)___________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Kane Basin (portion of |Arctic Ocean |79 30 N| 68 00 W
channel)____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Kanton Island_______________|Kiribati_____________________| 2 49 S|171 40 W
Kara Sea____________________|Arctic Ocean_________________|76 00 N| 80 00 E
Karachevo-Cherkessia |Russia |43 40 N| 41 50 E
(region)____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Karafuto (island; former |Russia |50 00 N|143 00 E
name for southern Sakhalin | | |
Island)_____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Karakoram Pass______________|China, India_________________|35 30 N| 77 50 E
Karelia (region)____________|Finland, Russia______________|63 15 N| 30 48 E
Karelian Isthmus____________|Russia_______________________|60 25 N| 30 00 E
Karimata Strait_____________|Pacific Ocean________________| 2 05 S|108 40 E
Kashmir (region)____________|India, Pakistan______________|34 00 N| 76 00 E
Katanga (region) |Democratic Republic of the |10 00 S| 26 00 E
____________________________|Congo________________________|_______|________
Kathmandu (capital)_________|Nepal________________________|27 43 N| 85 19 E
Kattegat (strait)___________|Atlantic Ocean_______________|57 00 N| 11 00 E
Kauai Channel_______________|Pacific Ocean________________|21 45 N|158 50 W
Kazakstan (former name for |Kazakhstan |48 00 N| 68 00 E
Kazakhstan)_________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Keeling Islands_____________|Cocos (Keeling) Islands______|12 30 S| 96 50 E
Kerguelen, Iles (island |French Southern and Antarctic|49 30 S| 69 30 E
group)______________________|Lands________________________|_______|________
Kermadec Islands____________|New Zealand__________________|29 50 S|178 15 W
Kerulen River_______________|China, Mongolia______________|48 48 N|117 00 E
Khabarovsk (city)___________|Russia_______________________|48 27 N|135 06 E
Khanka, Lake________________|China, Russia________________|45 00 N|132 24 E
Khartoum (capital)__________|Sudan________________________|15 36 N| 32 32 E
Khios (island)______________|Greece_______________________|38 22 N| 26 04 E
Khmer Republic (former name |Cambodia |13 00 N|105 00 E
for Cambodia)_______________|_____________________________|_______|________
Khuriya Muriya Islands |Oman |17 30 N| 56 00 E
(Kuria Muria Islands)_______|_____________________________|_______|________
Khyber Pass_________________|Afghanistan, Pakistan________|34 05 N| 71 10 E
Kibris (Turkish local name |Cyprus |35 00 N| 33 00 E
for Cyprus)_________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Kiel Canal (Nord-Ostsee |Atlantic Ocean |53 53 N| 9 08 E
Kanal)______________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Kiev (capital)______________|Ukraine______________________|50 26 N| 30 31 E
Kigali (capital)____________|Rwanda_______________________| 1 57 S| 30 04 E
Kingston (capital)__________|Jamaica______________________|18 00 N| 76 48 W
Kingston (capital)__________|Norfolk Island_______________|29 03 S|167 58 E
Kingstown (capital) |Saint Vincent and the |13 09 N| 61 14 W
____________________________|Grenadines___________________|_______|________
Kinshasa (capital) |Democratic Republic of the | 4 18 S| 15 18 E
____________________________|Congo________________________|_______|________
Kipros (Greek local name for|Cyprus |35 00 N| 33 00 E
Cyprus)_____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Kirghiziya (former name for |Kyrgyzstan |41 00 N| 75 00 E
Kyrgyzstan)_________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Kirgizia (former name for |Kyrgyzstan |41 00 N| 75 00 E
Kyrgyzstan)_________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Kirguizstan (local name for |Kyrgyzstan |41 00 N| 75 00 E
Kyrgyzstan)_________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Kiritimati (Christmas |Kiribati | 1 52 N|157 20 W
Island)_____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Kishinev (see Chisinau)_____|Moldova______________________|47 00 N| 28 50 E
Kithira Strait______________|Atlantic Ocean_______________|36 00 N| 23 00 E
Kobe (city)_________________|Japan________________________|34 41 N|135 10 E
Kodiak Island_______________|United States________________|57 49 N|152 23 W
Kola Peninsula (Kol'skiy |Russia |67 20 N| 37 00 E
Poluostrov)_________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Kolonia (town; former |Federated States of | 6 58 N|158 13 E
capital) (see Palikir)______|Micronesia___________________|_______|________
Korea Bay___________________|Pacific Ocean________________|39 00 N|124 00 E
Korea Strait________________|Pacific Ocean________________|34 00 N|129 00 E
Korea, Democratic People's |North Korea |40 00 N|127 00 E
Republic of_________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Korea, Republic of__________|South Korea__________________|37 00 N|127 30 E
Koror (capital)_____________|Palau________________________| 7 20 N|134 29 E
Kosovo (region)_____________|Yugoslavia___________________|42 30 N| 21 00 E
Kosrae (island) |Federated States of | 5 20 N|163 00 E
____________________________|Micronesia___________________|_______|________
Kowloon (city)______________|Hong Kong____________________|22 18 N|114 10 E
Kra, Isthmus of_____________|Burma, Thailand______________|10 20 N| 99 00 E
Krakatoa (volcano)__________|Indonesia____________________| 6 07 S|105 24 E
Kuala Lumpur (capital)______|Malaysia_____________________| 3 10 N|101 42 E
Kunashiri (Kunashir) |Russia (de facto) |44 20 N|146 00 E
(island)____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Kunlun Mountains____________|China________________________|36 00 N| 84 00 E
Kuril Islands_______________|Russia (de facto)____________|46 10 N|152 00 E
Kuwait (capital)____________|Kuwait_______________________|29 20 N| 47 59 E
Kuznetsk Basin______________|Russia_______________________|54 00 N| 86 00 E
Kwajalein Atoll_____________|Marshall Islands_____________| 9 05 N|167 20 E
Kyushu (island)_____________|Japan________________________|33 00 N|131 00 E
Kyyiv (see Kiev)____________|Ukraine______________________|50 26 N| 30 31 E

___________________________________________________________________________
La Paz (capital)_____________|Bolivia_____________________|16 30 S| 68 09 W
La Perouse Strait____________|Pacific Ocean_______________|45 45 N|142 00 E
Labrador (peninsula, region) |Canada______________________|54 00 N| 62 00 W
Labrador Sea_________________|Atlantic Ocean______________|60 00 N| 55 00 W
Laccadive Islands____________|India_______________________|10 00 N| 73 00 E
Laccadive Sea________________|Indian Ocean________________| 7 00 N| 76 00 E
Lagos (capital)______________|Nigeria_____________________| 6 27 N| 3 24 E
Lake Erie____________________|Atlantic Ocean______________|42 30 N| 81 00 W
Lake Huron___________________|Atlantic Ocean______________|45 00 N| 83 00 W
Lake Michigan________________|Atlantic Ocean______________|43 30 N| 87 30 W
Lake Ontario_________________|Atlantic Ocean______________|43 30 N| 78 00 W
Lake Superior________________|Atlantic Ocean______________|48 00 N| 88 00 W
Lakshadweep (Laccadive |India |10 00 N| 73 00 E
Islands)_____________________|____________________________|_______|________
Lantau Island________________|Hong Kong___________________|22 15 N|113 55 E
Lao (local name for Laos)____|Laos________________________|18 00 N|105 00 E
Laptev Sea___________________|Arctic Ocean________________|76 00 N|126 00 E
Las Palmas (city)____________|Spain (Canary Islands)______|28 06 N| 15 24 W
Latakia (region)_____________|Syria_______________________|36 00 N| 35 50 E
Latvija (local name for |Latvia |57 00 N| 25 00 E
Latvia)______________________|____________________________|_______|________
Lau Group (island group)_____|Fiji________________________|18 20 S|178 30 E
Lefkosa (see Nicosia)________|Cyprus______________________|35 10 N| 33 22 E
Lemnos (island)______________|Greece______________________|39 54 N| 25 21 E
Leningrad (see Saint |Russia |59 55 N| 30 15 E
Petersburg)__________________|____________________________|_______|________
Lesser Sunda Islands_________|Indonesia___________________| 9 00 S|120 00 E
Lesvos (island)______________|Greece______________________|39 15 N| 26 15 E
Leyte (island)_______________|Philippines_________________|10 50 N|124 50 E
Liancourt Rocks (claimed by |South Korea |37 15 N|131 50 E
Japan)_______________________|____________________________|_______|________
Liaodong Wan (gulf)__________|Pacific Ocean_______________|40 30 N|121 20 E
Liban (local name for |Lebanon |33 50 N| 36 50 E
Lebanon)_____________________|____________________________|_______|________
Libreville (capital)_________|Gabon_______________________| 0 23 N| 9 27 E
Lietuva (local name for |Lithuania |56 00 N| 24 00 E
Lithuania)___________________|____________________________|_______|________
Ligurian Sea_________________|Atlantic Ocean______________|43 30 N| 9 00 E
Lilongwe (capital)___________|Malawi______________________|13 59 S| 33 44 E
Lima (capital)_______________|Peru________________________|12 03 S| 77 03 W
Lincoln Sea__________________|Arctic Ocean________________|83 00 N| 56 00 W
Line Islands |Jarvis Island, Kingman Reef,| 0 05 N|157 00 W
_____________________________|Kiribati, Palmyra Atoll_____|_______|________
Lion, Gulf of________________|Atlantic Ocean______________|43 20 N| 4 00 E
Lisbon (capital)_____________|Portugal____________________|38 43 N| 9 08 W
Little Belt (Lille Baelt) |Atlantic Ocean |55 05 N| 9 55 E
(strait)_____________________|____________________________|_______|________
Ljubljana (capital)__________|Slovenia____________________|46 03 N| 14 31 E
Llanos (region)______________|Venezuela___________________| 8 00 N| 68 00 W
Lobamba (city)_______________|Swaziland___________________|26 27 S| 31 12 E
Lombok (island)______________|Indonesia___________________| 8 28 S|116 40 E
Lombok Strait________________|Indian Ocean________________| 8 30 S|115 50 E
Lome (capital)_______________|Togo________________________| 6 08 N| 1 13 E
London (capital)_____________|United Kingdom______________|51 30 N| 0 10 W
Longyearbyen (town)__________|Svalbard____________________|78 13 N| 15 33 E
Lord Howe Island_____________|Australia___________________|31 30 S|159 00 E
Lorraine (region)____________|France______________________|48 42 N| 6 11 E
Louisiade Archipelago________|Papua New Guinea____________|11 00 S|153 00 E
Lourenco Marques (former name|Mozambique |25 56 S| 32 34 E
for Maputo)__________________|____________________________|_______|________
Loyalty Islands (Iles |New Caledonia |21 00 S|167 00 E
Loyaute)_____________________|____________________________|_______|________
Luanda (capital)_____________|Angola______________________| 8 48 S| 13 14 E
Lubnan (local name for |Lebanon |33 50 N| 36 50 E
Lebanon)_____________________|____________________________|_______|________
Lubumbashi (city) |Democratic Republic of the |11 40 S| 27 28 E
_____________________________|Congo_______________________|_______|________
Lusaka (capital)_____________|Zambia______________________|15 25 S| 28 17 E
Luxembourg (capital)_________|Luxembourg__________________|49 45 N| 6 10 E
Luzon (island)_______________|Philippines_________________|16 00 N|121 00 E
Luzon Strait_________________|Pacific Ocean_______________|20 30 N|121 00 E
Lyakhov Islands______________|Russia______________________|73 45 N|138 00 E

___________________________________________________________________________
Macao_______________________|Macau________________________|22 10 N|113 33 E
Macedonia |The Former Yugoslav Republic |41 50 N| 22 00 E
____________________________|of Macedonia_________________|_______|________
Macquarie Island____________|Australia____________________|30 07 S|147 24 E
Madagasikara (local name for|Madagascar |20 00 S| 47 00 E
Madagascar)_________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Maddalena, Isola____________|Italy________________________|41 13 N| 09 24 E
Madeira Islands_____________|Portugal_____________________|32 40 N| 16 45 W
Madras (see Chennai) (city) |India________________________|13 04 N| 80 16 E
Madrid (capital)____________|Spain________________________|40 24 N| 3 41 W
Magellan, Strait of_________|Atlantic Ocean_______________|54 00 S| 71 00 W
Maghreb (region) |Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, |30 00 N| 5 00 E
____________________________|Morocco, Tunisia_____________|_______|________
Magreb (local name for |Morocco |32 00 N| 5 00 W
Morocco)____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Magyarorszag (local name for|Hungary |47 00 N| 20 00 E
Hungary)____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Mahe Island_________________|Seychelles___________________| 4 41 S| 55 30 E
Maiz, Islas del (Corn |Nicaragua |12 15 N| 83 00 W
Islands)____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Majorca Island (Isla de |Spain |39 30 N| 3 00 E
Mallorca)___________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Majuro (capital)____________|Marshall Islands_____________| 7 05 N|171 08 E
Makassar Strait_____________|Pacific Ocean________________| 2 00 S|117 30 E
Makedonija (local name for |The Former Yugoslav Republic |41 50 N| 22 00 E
Macedonia)__________________|of Macedonia_________________|_______|________
Malabo (capital)____________|Equatorial Guinea____________| 3 45 N| 8 47 E
Malacca, Strait of__________|Indian Ocean_________________| 2 30 N|101 20 E
Malagasy Republic___________|Madagascar___________________|20 00 S| 47 00 E
Malay Archipelago |Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, | 2 30 N|120 00 E
____________________________|Papua New Guinea, Philippines|_______|________
Malay Peninsula_____________|Malaysia, Thailand___________| 7 10 N|100 35 E
Male (capital)______________|Maldives_____________________| 4 10 N| 73 31 E
Mallorca (Majorca) (island) |Spain________________________|39 30 N| 3 00 E
Malmady (region)____________|Belgium______________________|50 26 N| 6 02 E
Malpelo, Isla de (island)___|Colombia_____________________| 4 00 N| 90 30 W
Malta Channel_______________|Atlantic Ocean_______________|56 44 N| 26 53 E
Malvinas, Islas (island |Falkland Islands (Islas |51 45 S| 59 00 W
group)______________________|Malvinas)____________________|_______|________
Mamoutzou (capital)_________|Mayotte______________________|12 47 S| 45 14 E
Managua (capital)___________|Nicaragua____________________|12 09 N| 86 17 W
Manama (capital)____________|Bahrain______________________|26 13 N| 50 35 E
Manchukuo (former state)____|China________________________|44 00 N|124 00 E
Manchuria (region)__________|China________________________|44 00 N|124 00 E
Manila (capital)____________|Philippines__________________|14 35 N|121 00 E
Manipa Strait_______________|Pacific Ocean________________| 3 20 S|127 23 E
Mannar, Gulf of_____________|Indian Ocean_________________| 8 30 N| 79 00 E
Manua Islands_______________|American Samoa_______________|14 13 S|169 35 W
Maputo (capital)____________|Mozambique___________________|25 58 S| 32 35 E
Marcus Island (Minami-tori- |Japan |24 16 N|154 00 E
shima)______________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Margarita, Isla (island)____|Venezuela____________________|10 00 N| 64 00 W
Mariana Islands |Guam, Northern Mariana |16 00 N|145 30 E
____________________________|Islands______________________|_______|________
Marie Byrd Land (region)____|Antarctica___________________|77 00 S|130 00 W
Marion Island_______________|South Africa_________________|46 51 S| 37 52 E
Marmara, Sea of_____________|Atlantic Ocean_______________|40 40 N| 28 15 E
Marquesas Islands (Iles |French Polynesia | 9 00 S|139 30 W
Marquises)__________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Martin Vaz, Ilhas (island |Brazil |20 30 S| 28 51 W
group)______________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Mas a Tierra (Robinson |Chile |33 38 S| 78 52 W
Crusoe Island)______________|_____________________________|_______|________
Mascarene Islands___________|Mauritius, Reunion___________|21 00 S| 57 00 E
Maseru (capital)____________|Lesotho______________________|29 28 S| 27 30 E
Mata-Utu (capital)__________|Wallis and Futuna____________|13 57 S|171 56 W
Matsu (island)______________|Taiwan_______________________|26 13 N|119 56 E
Matthew Island______________|New Caledonia, Vanuatu_______|22 20 S|171 20 E
Mauritanie (local name for |Mauritania |20 00 N| 12 00 W
Mauritania)_________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Mazatlan (city)_____________|Mexico_______________________|23 13 N|106 25 W
Mbabane (capital)___________|Swaziland____________________|26 18 S| 31 06 E
McDonald Islands |Heard Island and McDonald |53 06 S| 73 30 E
____________________________|Islands______________________|_______|________
Mecca (city)________________|Saudi Arabia_________________|21 27 N| 39 49 E
Mediterranean Sea___________|Atlantic Ocean_______________|36 00 N| 15 00 E
Melilla (exclave)___________|Spain________________________|35 19 N| 2 58 W
Memel (region)______________|Lithuania____________________|55 43 N| 21 30 E
Mesopotamia (region)________|Iraq_________________________|33 00 N| 44 00 E
Messina, Strait of__________|Atlantic Ocean_______________|38 15 N| 15 35 E
Mexico (capital)____________|Mexico_______________________|19 24 N| 99 09 W
Mexico, Gulf of_____________|Atlantic Ocean_______________|25 00 N| 90 00 W
Middle Congo (former name |Republic of the Congo | 1 00 S| 15 00 E
for Republic of the Congo)__|_____________________________|_______|________
Milwaukee Deep (Puerto Rico |Atlantic Ocean |19 55 N| 65 27 W
Trench)_____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Minami-tori-shima (Marcus |Japan |24 16 N|154 00 E
Island)_____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Mindanao (island)___________|Philippines__________________| 8 00 N|125 00 E
Mindanao Sea________________|Pacific Ocean________________| 9 15 N|124 30 E
Mindoro (island)____________|Philippines__________________|12 50 N|121 05 E
Mindoro Strait______________|Pacific Ocean________________|12 20 N|120 40 E
Mingrelia (region)__________|Georgia______________________|42 30 N| 41 52 E
Minicoy Island______________|India________________________| 8 17 N| 73 02 E
Minorca Island (Isla de |Spain |40 00 N| 4 00 E
Menorca)____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Minsk (capital)_____________|Belarus______________________|53 54 N| 27 34 E
Misr (local name for Egypt) |Egypt________________________|27 00 N| 30 00 E
Mitla Pass__________________|Egypt________________________|30 02 N| 32 54 E
Mocambique (local name for |Mozambique |18 15 S| 35 00 E
Mozambique)_________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Mogadishu (capital)_________|Somalia______________________| 2 04 N| 45 22 E
Moldavia (region)___________|Moldova, Romania_____________|47 00 N| 29 00 E
Molucca Sea_________________|Pacific Ocean________________| 2 00 N|127 00 E
Moluccas (Spice Islands)____|Indonesia____________________| 2 00 S| 28 00 E
Mombasa (city)______________|Kenya________________________| 4 03 S| 39 40 E
Mona Passage________________|Atlantic Ocean_______________|18 30 N| 67 45 W
Monaco (capital)____________|Monaco_______________________|43 44 N| 7 25 E
Mongol Uls (local name for |Mongolia |46 00 N|105 00 E
Mongolia)___________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Monrovia (capital)__________|Liberia______________________| 6 18 N| 10 47 W
Montenegro (political |Yugoslavia |42 30 N| 19 00 E
region)_____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Monterrey (city)____________|Mexico_______________________|25 40 N|100 19 W
Montevideo (capital)________|Uruguay______________________|34 53 S| 56 11 W
Montreal (city)_____________|Canada_______________________|45 31 N| 73 34 W
Moravia (region)____________|Czech Republic_______________|49 30 N| 17 00 E
Moravian Gate (pass)________|Czech Republic_______________|49 35 N| 17 50 E
Moroni (capital)____________|Comoros______________________|11 41 S| 43 16 E
Mortlock Islands (Nomoi |Federated States of | 5 30 N|153 40 E
Islands)____________________|Micronesia___________________|_______|________
Moscow (capital)____________|Russia_______________________|55 45 N| 37 35 E
Mount Pinatubo (volcano)____|Philippines__________________|15 08 N|120 21 E
Mozambique Channel__________|Indian Ocean_________________|19 00 S| 41 00 E
Muritaniyah (local name for |Mauritania |20 00 N| 12 00 W
Mauritania)_________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Musandam Peninsula__________|Oman, United Arab Emirates___|26 18 N| 56 24 E
Muscat (capital)____________|Oman_________________________|23 37 N| 58 35 E
Muscat and Oman (former name|Oman |21 00 N| 57 00 E
for Oman))__________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Myanma, Myanmar_____________|Burma________________________|22 00 N| 98 00 E

__________________________________________________________________________
Nagorno-Karabakh (region)_____|Azerbaijan_________________|40 00 N| 46 40 E
Nairobi (capital)_____________|Kenya______________________| 1 17 S| 36 49 E
Namib (desert)________________|Namibia____________________|24 00 S| 15 00 E
Nampo-shoto (island group)____|Japan______________________|30 00 N|140 00 E
Nassau (capital)______________|The Bahamas________________|25 05 N| 77 21 W
Natal (region)________________|South Africa_______________|29 00 S| 30 25 E
Natuna Besar Islands__________|Indonesia__________________| 3 30 N|102 30 E
Natuna Sea____________________|Pacific Ocean______________| 3 30 N|108 00 E
Naxcivan (region)_____________|Azerbaijan_________________|39 20 N| 45 20 E
Naxos (island)________________|Greece_____________________|37 05 N| 25 30 E
N'Djamena (capital)___________|Chad_______________________|12 07 N| 15 03 E
Nederland (local name for the |Netherlands |52 30 N| 5 45 E
Netherlands)__________________|___________________________|_______|________
Nederlandse Antillen (local |Netherlands Antilles |12 15 N| 68 45 W
name for the Netherlands | | |
Antilles)_____________________|___________________________|_______|________
Negev (region)________________|Israel_____________________|30 30 N| 34 55 E
Negros (island)_______________|Philippines________________|10 00 N|123 00 E
Nejd (region)_________________|Saudi Arabia_______________|24 05 N| 45 15 E
Netherlands East Indies |Indonesia | 5 00 S|120 00 E
(former name for Indonesia)___|___________________________|_______|________
Netherlands Guiana (former |Suriname | 4 00 N| 56 00 W
name for Suriname)____________|___________________________|_______|________
Nevis (island)________________|Saint Kitts and Nevis______|17 09 N| 62 35 W
New Britain (island)__________|Papua New Guinea___________| 6 00 S|150 00 E
New Delhi (capital)___________|India______________________|28 36 N| 77 12 E
New Guinea (island)___________|Indonesia, Papua New Guinea| 5 00 S|140 00 E
New Hebrides (island group)___|Vanuatu____________________|16 00 S|167 00 E
New Ireland (island)__________|Papua New Guinea___________| 3 20 N|152 00 E
New Siberian Islands__________|Russia_____________________|75 00 N|142 00 E
New Territories (mainland |Hong Kong |22 24 N|114 10 E
region)_______________________|___________________________|_______|________
Newfoundland (island, with |Canada |52 00 N| 56 00 W
mainland area, and a | | |
province)_____________________|___________________________|_______|________
Niamey (capital)______________|Niger______________________|13 31 N| 2 07 E
Nicobar Islands_______________|India______________________| 8 00 N| 93 30 E
Nicosia (capital)_____________|Cyprus_____________________|35 10 N| 33 22 E
Nightingale Island____________|Saint Helena_______________|37 25 S| 12 30 W
Nihon (local name for Japan) |Japan______________________|36 00 N|138 00 E
Nippon (local name for Japan) |Japan______________________|36 00 N|138 00 E
Nomoi Islands (Mortlock |Federated States of | 5 30 N|153 40 E
Islands)______________________|Micronesia_________________|_______|________
Norge (local name for Norway) |Norway_____________________|62 00 N| 10 00 E
Norman Isles (Channel |Guernsey, Jersey |49 20 N| 2 20 W
Islands)______________________|___________________________|_______|________
North Atlantic Ocean__________|Atlantic Ocean_____________|30 00 N| 45 00 W
North Channel_________________|Atlantic Ocean_____________|55 10 N| 5 40 W
North Frisian Islands_________|Denmark, Germany___________|54 50 N| 8 12 E
North Greenland Sea___________|Arctic Ocean_______________|78 00 N| 5 00 W
North Island__________________|New Zealand________________|39 00 S|176 00 E
North Korea___________________|North Korea________________|40 00 N|127 00 E
North Ossetia (region)________|Russia_____________________|43 00 N| 44 10 E
North Pacific Ocean___________|Pacific Ocean______________|30 00 N|165 00 W
North Sea_____________________|Atlantic Ocean_____________|56 00 N| 4 00 E
North Vietnam (former name |Vietnam |23 00 N|106 00 E
for northern portion of | | |
Vietnam)______________________|___________________________|_______|________
North Yemen (Yemen Arab |Yemen |15 00 N| 44 00 E
Republic)_____________________|___________________________|_______|________
Northeast Providence Channel |Atlantic Ocean_____________|25 40 N| 77 09 W
Northern Cyprus (region)______|Cyprus_____________________|35 15 N| 33 44 E
Northern Epirus (region)______|Albania, Greece____________|40 00 N| 20 30 E
Northern Grenadines |Saint Vincent and the |12 45 N| 61 15 W
(political region)____________|Grenadines_________________|_______|________
Northern Ireland______________|United Kingdom_____________|54 40 N| 6 45 W
Northern Rhodesia (former |Zambia |15 00 S| 30 00 E
name for Zambia)______________|___________________________|_______|________
Northwest Passages____________|Arctic Ocean_______________|74 40 N|100 00 W
Northwest Territories |Canada |64 05 N|117 10 W
(region)______________________|___________________________|_______|________
Norwegian Sea_________________|Atlantic Ocean_____________|66 00 N| 6 00 E
Nouakchott (capital)__________|Mauritania_________________|18 06 N| 15 57 W
Noumea (capital)______________|New Caledonia______________|22 16 S|166 27 E
Nouvelle-Caledonie (local |New Caledonia |21 30 S|165 30 E
name for New Caledonia)_______|___________________________|_______|________
Nouvelles Hebrides (former |Vanuatu |16 00 S|167 00 E
name for Vanuatu)_____________|___________________________|_______|________
Novaya Zemlya (islands)_______|Russia_____________________|74 00 N| 57 00 E
Nubia (region)________________|Sudan, Egypt_______________|20 30 N| 33 00 E
Nuku'alofa (capital)__________|Tonga______________________|21 08 S|175 12 W
Nunavut (region)______________|Canada_____________________|72 00 N| 90 00 W
Nuuk (Godthab) (capital)______|Greenland__________________|64 11 N| 51 44 W
Nyasaland (former name for |Malawi |13 30 S| 34 00 E
Malawi)_______________________|___________________________|_______|________
Nyassa (region)_______________|Mozambique_________________|13 30 S| 37 00 E

___________________________________________________________________________
Oahu (island)______________________|United States (Hawaii)|21 30 N|158 00 W
Ocean Island (Banaba)______________|Kiribati______________| 0 52 S|169 35 E
Ocean Island (Kure Island)_________|United States_________|28 25 N|178 20 W
Oesterreich (local name for |Austria |47 20 N| 13 20 E
Austria)___________________________|______________________|_______|________
Ogaden (region)____________________|Ethiopia, Somalia_____| 7 00 N| 46 00 E
Oil Islands (Chagos |British Indian Ocean | 6 00 S| 71 30 E
Archipelago)_______________________|Territory_____________|_______|________
Okhotsk, Sea of____________________|Pacific Ocean_________|53 00 N|150 00 E
Okinawa (island group)_____________|Japan_________________|26 30 N|128 00 E
Oland (island)_____________________|Sweden________________|56 45 N| 16 40 E
Oman, Gulf of______________________|Indian Ocean__________|24 30 N| 58 30 E
Ombai Strait_______________________|Pacific Ocean_________| 8 30 S|125 00 E
Oran (city)________________________|Algeria_______________|35 43 N| 0 43 W
Orange River Colony (region; |South Africa |28 20 S| 26 40 E
former name of Free State | | |
Province of South Africa)__________|______________________|_______|________
Oranjestad (capital)_______________|Aruba_________________|12 33 N| 70 06 W
Oresund (The Sound) (strait)|Atlantic Ocean_______________|55 50 N| 12 40 E
Orkney Islands_____________________|United Kingdom________|59 00 N| 3 00 W
Oslo (capital)_____________________|Norway________________|59 55 N| 10 45 E
Osumi Strait (Van Diemen |Pacific Ocean |31 00 N|131 00 E
Strait)____________________________|______________________|_______|________
Otranto, Strait of_________________|Atlantic Ocean________|40 00 N| 19 00 E
Ottawa (capital)___________________|Canada________________|45 20 N| 73 58 W
Ouagadougou (capital)______________|Burkina Faso__________|12 22 N| 1 31 W
Outer Hebrides (islands)___________|United Kingdom________|57 45 N| 7 00 W
Outer Mongolia (region)____________|Mongolia______________|46 00 N|105 00 E

__________________________________________________________________________
Pacific Islands, Trust |Marshall Islands, Federated|10 00 N|155 00 E
Territory of the |States of Micronesia, | |
                              |Northern Mariana Islands, | |
______________________________|Palau______________________|_______|________
Pagan (island)________________|Northern Mariana Islands___|18 08 N|145 47 E
Pago Pago (capital)___________|American Samoa_____________|14 16 S|170 42 W
Palawan (island)______________|Philippines________________| 9 30 N|118 30 E
Palermo (city)________________|Italy______________________|38 07 N| 13 21 E
Palestine (region)____________|Israel, West Bank__________|32 00 N| 35 15 E
Palikir (capital) |Federated States of | 6 55 N|158 08 E
______________________________|Micronesia_________________|_______|________
Palk Strait___________________|Indian Ocean_______________|10 00 N| 79 45 E
Pamirs (mountains)____________|China, Tajikistan__________|38 00 N| 73 00 E
Pampas (region)_______________|Argentina__________________|35 00 N| 63 00 W
Panama (capital)______________|Panama_____________________| 8 58 N| 79 32 W
Panama Canal__________________|Panama_____________________| 9 00 N| 79 45 W
Panama, Gulf of_______________|Pacific Ocean______________| 8 00 N| 79 30 W
Panay (island)________________|Philippines________________|11 15 N|122 30 E
Pantelleria, Isola di |Italy |36 47 N| 12 00 E
(island)______________________|___________________________|_______|________
Papeete (capital)_____________|French Polynesia___________|17 32 S|149 34 W
Paramaribo (capital)__________|Suriname___________________| 5 50 N| 55 10 W
Parece Vela (island)__________|Japan______________________|20 20 N|136 00 E
Paris (capital)_______________|France_____________________|48 52 N| 2 20 E
Pascua, Isla de (Easter |Chile |27 07 S|109 22 W
Island)_______________________|___________________________|_______|________
Pashtunistan (region)_________|Afghanistan, Pakistan______|32 00 N| 69 00 E
Passion, Ile de la (island)___|Clipperton Island__________|10 17 N|109 13 W
Patagonia (region)____________|Argentina__________________|48 00 S| 61 00 W
Peking (see Beijing)__________|China______________________|39 56 N|116 24 E
Pelagian Islands (Isole |Italy |35 40 N| 12 40 E
Pelagie)______________________|___________________________|_______|________
Peleliu (Beliliou) (island)___|Palau______________________| 7 01 N|134 15 E
Peloponnese (peninsula)_______|Greece_____________________|37 30 N| 22 25 E
Pemba Island__________________|Tanzania___________________| 7 31 S| 39 25 E
Penang Island_________________|Malaysia___________________| 5 23 N|100 15 E
Pentland Firth (channel)______|Atlantic Ocean_____________|58 44 N| 3 13 W
Perim (island)________________|Yemen______________________|12 39 N| 43 25 E
Perouse Strait, La____________|Pacific Ocean______________|44 45 N|142 00 E
Persia (former name for Iran) |Iran_______________________|32 00 N| 53 00 E
Persian Gulf__________________|Indian Ocean_______________|27 00 N| 51 00 E
Pescadores (islands)__________|Taiwan_____________________|23 30 N|119 30 E
Peter I Island________________|Antarctica_________________|68 48 S| 90 35 W
Philip Island_________________|Norfolk Island_____________|29 08 S|167 57 E
Philippine Sea________________|Pacific Ocean______________|20 00 N|134 00 E
Phnom Penh (capital)__________|Cambodia___________________|11 33 N|104 55 E
Phoenix Islands_______________|Kiribati___________________| 3 30 S|172 00 W
Pilipinas (local name for the |Philippines |13 00 N|122 00 E
Philippines)__________________|___________________________|_______|________
Pinatubo, Mount (volcano)_____|Philippines________________|15 08 N|120 21 E
Pines, Isle of (Isla de la |Cuba |21 40 N| 82 50 W
Juventud) (island)____________|___________________________|_______|________
Pleasant Island_______________|Nauru______________________| 0 32 S|166 55 E
Plymouth (capital)____________|Montserrat_________________|16 44 N| 62 14 W
Polska (local name)___________|Poland_____________________|52 00 N| 20 00 E
Polynesie Francaise (local |French Polynesia |15 00 S|140 00 W
name for French Polynesia)____|___________________________|_______|________
Pomerania (region)____________|Germany, Poland____________|53 40 N| 15 35 E
Ponape (Pohnpei) (island) |Federated States of | 6 55 N|158 15 E
______________________________|Micronesia_________________|_______|________
Port Louis (capital)__________|Mauritius__________________|20 10 S| 57 30 E
Port Moresby (capital)________|Papua New Guinea___________| 9 30 S|147 10 E
Port-au-Prince (capital)______|Haiti______________________|18 32 N| 72 20 W
Port-of-Spain (capital)_______|Trinidad and Tobago________|10 39 N| 61 31 W
Porto-Novo (capital)__________|Benin______________________| 6 29 N| 2 37 E
Portuguese East Africa |Mozambique |18 15 S| 35 00 E
(former name for Mozambique) |___________________________|_______|________
Portuguese Guinea (former |Guinea-Bissau |12 00 N| 15 00 W
name for Guinea-Bissau)_______|___________________________|_______|________
Portuguese Timor (former name |Indonesia | 9 00 S|126 00 E
for East Timor)_______________|___________________________|_______|________
Port-Vila (capital)___________|Vanuatu____________________|17 44 S|168 19 E
Poznan (city)_________________|Poland_____________________|52 25 N| 16 55 E
Prague (capital)______________|Czech Republic_____________|40 55 N| 21 00 E
Praia (capital)_______________|Cape Verde_________________|14 55 N| 23 31 W
Prathet Thai (local name for |Thailand |15 00 N|100 00 E
Thailand)_____________________|___________________________|_______|________
Pretoria (capital)____________|South Africa_______________|25 45 S| 28 10 E
Prevlaka peninsula____________|Croatia____________________|42 24 N| 18 31 E
Pribilof Islands______________|United States______________|57 00 N|170 00 W
Prince Edward Island__________|Canada_____________________|46 20 N| 63 20 W
Prince Edward Islands_________|South Africa_______________|46 35 S| 38 00 E
Prince Patrick Island_________|Canada_____________________|76 30 N|119 00 W
Principe (island)_____________|Sao Tome and Principe______| 1 38 N| 7 25 E
Prussia (region)______________|Germany, Poland, Russia____|53 00 N| 14 00 E
Pukapuka Atoll________________|Cook Islands_______________|10 53 S|165 49 W
Punjab (region)_______________|India, Pakistan____________|30 50 N| 73 30 E
Puntland (region)_____________|Somalia____________________| 8 21 N| 49 08 E
P'yongyang (capital)__________|North Korea________________|39 01 N|125 45 E

___________________________________________________________________________
Qazaqstan (local name for Kaz akhstan)__|Kazakhstan_______|48 00 N| 68 00 E
Qita Ghazzah (local name Gaza Strip)___|Gaza Strip_______|31 25 N| 34 20 E
Quebec (province)_______________________|Canada___________|52 00 N| 72 00 W
Queen Charlotte Islands_________________|Canada___________|53 00 N|132 00 W
Queen Elizabeth Islands_________________|Canada___________|78 00 N| 95 00 W
Queen Maud Land (claimed by N orway)____|Antarctica_______|73 30 S| 12 00 E
Quemoy (island)_________________________|Taiwan___________|24 27 N|118 23 E
Quito (capital)_________________________|Ecuador__________| 0 13 S| 78 30 W

___________________________________________________________________________
Rabat (capital)_____________|Morocco______________________|34 02 N| 6 51 W
Ralik Chain (island group)__|Marshall Islands_____________| 8 00 N|167 00 E
Rangoon (Yangon) (capital)__|Burma________________________|16 47 N| 96 10 E
Rapa Nui (Easter Island)____|Chile________________________|27 07 S|109 22 W
Ratak Chain (island group)__|Marshall Islands_____________| 9 00 N|171 00 E
Red Sea_____________________|Indian Ocean_________________|20 00 N| 38 00 E
Redonda (island)____________|Antigua and Barbuda__________|16 55 N| 62 19 W
Republica Dominicana (local |Dominican Republic |19 00 N| 70 40 W
name for Dominican Republic)|_____________________________|_______|________
Republique Centrafricain |Central African Republic | 7 00 N| 21 00 E
(local name for Central | | |
African Republic)___________|_____________________________|_______|________
Republique Francaise (local |France |46 00 N| 2 00 E
name for France)____________|_____________________________|_______|________
Republique Gabonaise (local |Gabon | 1 00 S| 11 45 E
name for Gabon)_____________|_____________________________|_______|________
Republique Rwandaise (local |Rwanda | 2 00 S| 30 00 E
name for Rwanda)____________|_____________________________|_______|________
Republique Togolaise (local |Togo | 8 00 N| 1 10 E
name for Togo)______________|_____________________________|_______|________
Revillagigedo Island________|United States (Alaska)_______|55 35 N|131 06 W
Revillagigedo Islands_______|Mexico_______________________|19 00 N|112 45 W
Reykjavik (capital)_________|Iceland______________________|19 00 N|111 30 W
Rhodes (island)_____________|Greece_______________________|36 10 N| 28 00 E
Rhodesia (region)___________|Zimbabwe_____________________|20 00 S| 30 00 E
Rhodesia, Northern (former |Zambia |15 00 S| 30 00 E
name for Zambia)____________|_____________________________|_______|________
Rhodesia, Southern (former |Zimbabwe |20 00 S| 30 00 E
name for Zimbabwe)__________|_____________________________|_______|________
Riga (capital)______________|Latvia_______________________|56 57 N| 24 06 E
Riga, Gulf of_______________|Atlantic Ocean_______________|57 30 N| 23 30 E
Rio de la Plata (gulf)______|Atlantic Ocean_______________|35 00 S| 59 00 W
Rio de Oro (region)_________|Western Sahara_______________|23 45 N| 15 45 W
Rio Muni (mainland region)__|Equatorial Guinea____________| 1 30 N| 10 00 E
Riyadh (capital)____________|Saudi Arabia_________________|24 38 N| 46 43 E
Road Town (capital)_________|British Virgin Islands_______|18 27 N| 64 37 W
Robinson Crusoe Island (Mas |Chile |33 38 S| 78 52 W
a Tierra)___________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Rocas, Atol das (island)____|Brazil_______________________| 3 51 S| 33 49 W
Rockall (island)____________|United Kingdom_______________|57 35 N| 13 48 W
Rodrigues (island)__________|Mauritius____________________|19 42 S| 63 25 E
Rome (capital)______________|Italy________________________|41 54 N| 12 29 E
Roncador Cay (island)_______|Colombia_____________________|13 32 N| 80 03 W
Roosevelt Island____________|Antarctica___________________|79 30 S|162 00 W
Roseau (capital)____________|Dominica_____________________|15 18 N| 61 24 W
Ross Dependency (claimed by |Antarctica |80 00 S|180 00 E
New Zealand)________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Ross Island_________________|Antarctica___________________|81 30 S|175 00 W
Ross Sea____________________|Antarctica, Southern Ocean___|76 00 S|175 00 W
Rossiya (local name for |Russia |60 00 N|100 00 E
Russia)_____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Rota (island)_______________|Northern Mariana Islands_____|14 10 N|145 12 E
Rotuma (island)_____________|Fiji_________________________|12 30 S|177 30 E
Ruanda (former name for |Rwanda | 2 00 S| 30 00 E
Rwanda)_____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Rub al Khali (desert)_______|Saudi Arabia_________________|19 30 N| 49 00 E
Rumelia (region) |Albania, Bulgaria, The Former|42 00 N| 22 30 E
                            |Yugoslav Republic of | |
____________________________|Macedonia____________________|_______|________
Ruthenia (region; former |Ukraine |48 22 N| 23 32 E
name for Carpatho-Ukraine)__|_____________________________|_______|________
Ryukyu Islands______________|Japan________________________|26 30 N|128 00 E

___________________________________________________________________________
Saar (region)_______________|Germany______________________|49 25 N| 7 00 E
Saaremaa (island)___________|Estonia______________________|58 25 N| 22 30 E
Saba (island)_______________|Netherlands Antilles_________|17 38 N| 63 10 W
Sabah (state)_______________|Malaysia_____________________| 5 20 N|117 10 E
Sable Island________________|Canada_______________________|43 55 N| 59 50 W
Safety Islands (Iles du |French Guiana | 5 20 N| 52 37 W
Salut)______________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Sahara Occidental (former |Western Sahara |24 30 N| 13 00 W
name for Western Sahara)____|_____________________________|_______|________
Sahel (region) |Burkina Faso, Chad, The |15 00 N| 8 00 W
                            |Gambia, Guinea- Bissau, Mali,| |
____________________________|Mauritania, Niger, Senegal___|_______|________
Saigon (city; former name |Vietnam |10 45 N|106 40 E
for Ho Chi Minh City)_______|_____________________________|_______|________
Saint Barthelemy (Saint |Guadeloupe |17 55 N| 62 52 W
Bart`s) (island)____________|_____________________________|_______|________
Saint Brandon (Cargados |Mauritius |16 25 S| 59 38 E
Carajos Shoals)_____________|_____________________________|_______|________
Saint Christopher (island)__|Saint Kitts and Nevis________|17 20 N| 62 45 W
Saint Christopher and Nevis |Saint Kitts and Nevis________|17 20 N| 62 45 W
Saint Eustatius (island)____|Netherlands Antilles_________|17 30 N| 63 00 W
Saint George's (capital)____|Grenada______________________|12 03 N| 61 45 W
Saint George's Channel______|Atlantic Ocean_______________|52 00 N| 6 00 W
Saint Helens, Mount |United States |46 15 N|122 12 W
(volcano)___________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Saint Helier (capital)______|Jersey_______________________|49 12 N| 2 37 W
Saint John (city)___________|Canada (New Brunswick)_______|45 16 N| 66 04 W
Saint John's (capital)______|Antigua and Barbuda__________|17 06 N| 61 51 W
Saint Lawrence Island_______|United States________________|49 30 N| 67 00 W
Saint Lawrence Seaway_______|Atlantic Ocean_______________|49 15 N| 67 00 W
Saint Lawrence, Gulf of_____|Atlantic Ocean_______________|48 00 N| 62 00 W
Saint Paul Island___________|Canada_______________________|47 12 N| 60 09 W
Saint Paul Island___________|United States________________|57 11 N|170 16 W
Saint Paul Island (Ile |French Southern and Antarctic|38 43 S| 77 29 E
Saint-Paul)_________________|Lands________________________|_______|________
Saint Peter and Saint Paul |Brazil | 0 23 N| 29 23 W
Rocks (Penedos de Sao Pedro | | |
e Sao Paulo)________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Saint Peter Port (capital)__|Guernsey_____________________|49 27 N| 2 32 W
Saint Petersburg (city; |Russia |59 55 N| 30 15 E
former capital)_____________|_____________________________|_______|________
Saint Thomas (island)_______|Virgin Islands_______________|18 21 N| 64 55 W
Saint Vincent Passage_______|Atlantic Ocean_______________|13 30 N| 61 00 W
Saint-Denis (capital)_______|Reunion______________________|20 52 S| 55 28 E
Saint-Martin (Sint Maarten) |Guadeloupe |18 04 N| 63 04 W
(island)____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Saint-Pierre (capital)______|Saint Pierre and Miquelon____|46 46 N| 56 11 W
Saipan (island)_____________|Northern Mariana Islands_____|15 12 N|145 45 E
Sak`art`velo (local name for|Georgia |42 00 N| 43 30 E
Georgia)____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Sakhalin Island (Ostrov |Russia |51 00 N|143 00 E
Sakhalin)___________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Sakishima Islands___________|Japan________________________|24 30 N|124 00 E
Sala y Gomez, Isla (island) |Chile________________________|26 28 S|105 00 W
Salisbury (city; former name|Zimbabwe |17 50 S|105 00 W
for Harare)_________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Salzburg (city)_____________|Austria______________________|47 48 N| 13 02 E
Samar (island)______________|Philippines__________________|12 00 N|125 00 E
Samaria (region)____________|West Bank____________________|32 15 N| 35 10 E
Samoa Islands_______________|American Samoa, Samoa________|14 00 S|171 00 W
Samos (island)______________|Greece_______________________|37 48 N| 26 44 E
San Ambrosio, Isla (island) |Chile________________________|26 21 S| 79 52 W
San Andres y Providencia, |Colombia |13 00 N| 81 30 W
Archipielago (island group) |_____________________________|_______|________
San Bernardino Strait_______|Pacific Ocean________________|12 32 N|124 10 E
San Felix, Isla (island)____|Chile________________________|26 17 S| 80 05 W
San Jose (capital)__________|Costa Rica___________________| 9 56 N| 84 05 W
San Juan (capital)__________|Puerto Rico__________________|18 28 N| 66 07 W
San Marino (capital)________|San Marino___________________|43 56 N| 12 25 E
San Salvador (capital)______|El Salvador__________________|13 42 N| 89 12 W
Sanaa (capital)_____________|Yemen________________________|15 21 N| 44 12 E
Sandzak (region)____________|Yugoslavia___________________|43 05 N| 19 45 E
Santa Cruz (city)___________|Bolivia______________________|17 48 S| 63 10 W
Santa Cruz Islands__________|Solomon Islands______________|11 00 S|166 15 E
Santa Sede (local name for |Holy See |41 54 N| 12 27 E
the Holy See)_______________|_____________________________|_______|________
Santiago (capital)__________|Chile________________________|33 27 S| 70 40 W
Santo Antao (island)________|Cape Verde___________________|17 05 N| 25 10 W
Santo Domingo (capital)_____|Dominican Republic___________|18 28 N| 69 54 W
Sao Pedro e Sao Paulo, |Brazil | 0 23 N| 29 23 W
Penedos de (rocks)__________|_____________________________|_______|________
Sao Tiago (island)__________|Cape Verde___________________|15 05 N| 23 40 W
Sao Tome (island)___________|Sao Tome and Principe________| 0 12 N| 6 39 E
Sapudi Strait_______________|Pacific Ocean________________| 7 05 S|114 10 E
Sarajevo (capital)__________|Bosnia and Herzegovina_______|43 52 N| 18 25 E
Sarawak (state)_____________|Malaysia_____________________| 2 30 N|113 30 E
Sardinia (island)___________|Italy________________________|40 00 N| 9 00 E
Sargasso Sea (region)_______|Atlantic Ocean_______________|30 00 N| 55 00 W
Sark (island)_______________|Guernsey_____________________|49 26 N| 2 21 W
Savage Island (former name |Niue |19 02 S|169 52 W
for Niue)___________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Savu Sea____________________|Pacific Ocean________________| 9 30 S|122 00 E
Saxony (region)_____________|Germany______________________|51 00 N| 13 00 E
Schleswig-Holstein (region) |Germany______________________|54 31 N| 9 33 E
Schweiz (local German name |Switzerland |47 00 N| 8 00 E
for Switzerland)____________|_____________________________|_______|________
Scopus, Mount_______________|Israel, West Bank____________|31 48 N| 35 14 E
Scotia Sea |Atlantic Ocean, Southern |56 00 S| 40 00 W
____________________________|Ocean________________________|_______|________
Scotland (region)___________|United Kingdom_______________|57 00 N| 4 00 W
Scott Island________________|Antarctica___________________|67 24 S|179 55 W
Senegambia (region; former |The Gambia, Senegal |13 50 N| 15 25 W
name of confederation of | | |
Senegal and The Gambia)_____|_____________________________|_______|________
Senyavin Islands |Federated States of | 6 55 N|158 00 E
____________________________|Micronesia___________________|_______|________
Seoul (capital)_____________|South Korea__________________|37 34 N|127 00 E
Serbia and Montenegro_______|Yugoslavia___________________|43 00 N| 21 00 E
Serendib (former name for |Sri Lanka | 7 00 N| 81 00 E
Sri Lanka)__________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Serrana Bank (shoal)________|Colombia_____________________|14 25 N| 80 16 W
Serranilla Bank (shoal)_____|Colombia_____________________|15 51 N| 79 46 W
Settlement, The (capital)___|Christmas Island_____________|18 44 N| 64 19 W
Severnaya Zemlya (Northland)|Russia |79 30 N| 98 00 E
(island group)______________|_____________________________|_______|________
Shaba (region) |Democratic Republic of the | 8 00 S| 27 00 E
____________________________|Congo________________________|_______|________
Shag Island |Heard Island and McDonald |53 00 S| 72 30 E
____________________________|Islands______________________|_______|________
Shag Rocks |South Georgia and the South |53 33 S| 42 02 W
____________________________|Sandwich Islands_____________|_______|________
Shetland Islands____________|United Kingdom_______________|60 30 N| 1 30 W
Shikoku (island)____________|Japan________________________|33 45 N|133 30 E
Shikotan (island)___________|Russia (de facto)____________|43 47 N|146 45 E
Shqiperia (local name for |Albania |41 00 N| 20 00 E
Albania)____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Siam (former name for |Thailand |15 00 N|100 00 E
Thailand)___________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Siberia (region)____________|Russia_______________________|60 00 N|100 00 E
Sibutu Passage______________|Pacific Ocean________________| 4 50 N|119 35 E
Sicily (island)_____________|Italy________________________|37 30 N| 14 00 E
Sicily, Strait of___________|Atlantic Ocean_______________|37 20 N| 11 20 E
Sidra, Gulf of______________|Atlantic Ocean_______________|31 30 N| 18 00 E
Sikkim (state)______________|India________________________|27 50 N| 88 30 E
Silesia (region) |Czech Republic, Germany, |51 00 N| 17 00 E
____________________________|Poland_______________________|_______|________
Sinai Peninsula_____________|Egypt________________________|29 30 N| 34 00 E
Singapore (capital)_________|Singapore____________________| 1 17 N|103 51 E
Singapore Strait____________|Pacific Ocean________________| 1 15 N|104 00 E
Sinkiang (Xinjiang) |China |42 00 N| 86 00 E
(autonomous region)_________|_____________________________|_______|________
Sint Eustatius (island)_____|Netherlands Antilles_________|17 29 N| 62 58 W
Sint Maarten (Saint-Martin) |Netherlands Antilles |18 04 N| 63 04 W
(island)____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Sjaelland (island)__________|Denmark______________________|55 30 N| 12 00 E
Skagerrak (strait)__________|Atlantic Ocean_______________|57 45 N| 9 00 E
Skopje (capital) |The Former Yugoslav Republic |41 59 N| 21 26 E
____________________________|of Macedonia_________________|_______|________
Slavonia (region)___________|Croatia______________________|45 27 N| 18 00 E
Slovenija (local name for |Slovenia |46 00 N| 15 00 E
Slovenia)___________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Slovensko (local name for |Slovakia |48 40 N| 19 30 E
Slovakia)___________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Smyrna (region; former name |Turkey |38 25 N| 27 10 E
for Izmir)__________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Society Islands (Iles de la |French Polynesia |17 00 S|150 00 W
Societe)____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Socotra (island)____________|Yemen________________________|12 30 N| 54 00 E
Sofia (capital)_____________|Bulgaria_____________________|42 41 N| 23 19 E
Solomon Islands, northern___|Papua New Guinea_____________| 6 00 S|155 00 E
Solomon Islands, southern___|Solomon Islands______________| 8 00 S|159 00 E
Solomon Sea_________________|Pacific Ocean________________| 8 00 S|153 00 E
Somaliland (region)_________|Somalia______________________| 9 30 N| 46 00 E
Somers Islands (former name |Bermuda |32 20 N| 64 45 W
for Bermuda)________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Songkhla (city)_____________|Thailand_____________________| 7 12 N|100 36 E
Sound, The (Oresund) |Atlantic Ocean |55 50 N| 12 40 E
(strait)____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
South Atlantic Ocean________|Atlantic Ocean_______________|30 00 S| 15 00 W
South China Sea_____________|Pacific Ocean________________|10 00 N|113 00 E
South Georgia (island) |South Georgia and the South |54 15 S| 36 45 W
____________________________|Sandwich Islands_____________|_______|________
South Island________________|New Zealand__________________|43 00 S|171 00 E
South Korea_________________|South Korea__________________|37 00 N|127 30 E
South Orkney Islands________|Antarctica___________________|61 00 S| 45 00 W
South Ossetia (region)______|Georgia______________________|42 20 N| 44 00 E
South Pacific Ocean_________|Pacific Ocean________________|30 00 S|130 00 W
South Sandwich Islands |South Georgia and the South |57 45 S| 26 30 W
____________________________|Sandwich Islands_____________|_______|________
South Shetland Islands______|Antarctica___________________|62 00 S| 59 00 W
South Tyrol (region)________|Italy________________________|46 30 N| 10 30 E
South Vietnam (former name |Vietnam |12 00 N|108 00 E
for the southern portion of | | |
Vietnam)____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
South Yemen (People's |Yemen |14 00 N| 48 00 E
Democratic Republic of | | |
Yemen)______________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Southern Grenadines (island |Grenada |12 20 N| 61 30 W
group)______________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Southern Rhodesia (former |Zimbabwe |20 00 S| 30 00 E
name for Zimbabwe)__________|_____________________________|_______|________
South-West Africa (former |Namibia |22 00 S| 17 00 E
name for Namibia)___________|_____________________________|_______|________
Soviet Union (former name of|Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus,| |
a large Eurasian empire, |Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan,| |
roughly coequal with the |Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, | |
former Russian Empire) |Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, | |
                            |Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, | |
____________________________|Ukraine, Uzbekistan__________|_______|________
Spanish Guinea (former name |Equatorial Guinea | 2 00 N| 10 00 E
for Equatorial Guinea)______|_____________________________|_______|________
Spanish Morocco (former name|Morocco |32 00 N| 7 00 W
for northern Morocco)_______|_____________________________|_______|________
Spanish North Africa |Spain (Ceuta, Islas |35 15 N| 4 00 W
(exclaves) |Chafarinas, Melilla, Penon de| |
                            |Alhucemas, Penon de Velez de | |
____________________________|la Gomera)___________________|_______|________
Spanish Sahara (former name)|Western Sahara_______________|24 30 N| 13 00 W
Spanish West Africa (former |Morocco, Western Sahara |25 00 N| 13 00 W
name for Ifni and Spanish | | |
Sahara)_____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Spice Islands (Moluccas)____|Indonesia____________________| 2 00 S| 28 00 E
Spitsbergen (island)________|Svalbard_____________________|78 00 N| 20 00 E
Srbija-Crna Gora (local name|Yugoslavia |44 00 N| 21 00 E
for Serbia and Montenegro)__|_____________________________|_______|________
St. John`s (city)___________|Canada (Newfoundland)________|47 34 N| 52 43 W
Stanley (capital) |Falkland Islands (Islas |51 42 S| 57 41 W
____________________________|Malvinas)____________________|_______|________
Stockholm (capital)_________|Sweden_______________________|59 20 N| 18 03 E
Stuttgart (city)____________|Germany______________________|48 46 N| 9 11 E
Sucre (city)________________|Bolivia______________________|19 02 S| 65 17 W
Suez Canal__________________|Egypt________________________|29 55 N| 32 33 E
Suez, Gulf of_______________|Indian Ocean_________________|28 10 N| 33 27 E
Suisse (local French name |Switzerland |47 00 N| 8 00 E
for Switzerland)____________|_____________________________|_______|________
Sulawesi (Celebes) (island) |Indonesia____________________| 2 00 S|121 00 E
Sulawesi Sea________________|Pacific Ocean________________| 3 00 N|122 00 E
Sulu Archipelago (island |Philippines | 6 00 N|121 00 E
group)______________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Sulu Sea____________________|Pacific Ocean________________| 8 00 N|120 00 E
Sumatra (island)____________|Indonesia____________________| 0 00 N|102 00 E
Sumba (island)______________|Indonesia____________________|10 00 S|120 00 E
Sumba Strait________________|Pacific Ocean________________| 9 10 S|120 00 E
Sumbawa (island)____________|Indonesia____________________| 8 30 S|118 00 E
Sunda Islands (Soenda Isles)|Indonesia, Malaysia__________| 2 00 S|110 00 E
Sunda Strait________________|Indian Ocean_________________| 6 00 S|105 45 E
Suomi (local name for |Finland |64 00 N| 26 00 E
Finland)____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Surigao Strait______________|Pacific Ocean________________|10 15 N|125 23 E
Surinam (former name for |Suriname | 4 00 N| 56 00 W
Suriname)___________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Suriyah (local name for |Syria |35 00 N| 38 00 E
Syria)______________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Surtsey (volcanic island)___|Iceland______________________|63 17 N| 20 40 W
Suva (capital)______________|Fiji_________________________|18 08 S|178 25 E
Sverdlovsk (Yekaterinburg) |Russia |56 50 N| 60 39 E
(city)______________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Sverige (local name for |Sweden |62 00 N| 15 00 E
Sweden)_____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Svizzera (local Italian name|Switzerland |47 00 N| 8 00 E
for Switzerland)____________|_____________________________|_______|________
Swains Island_______________|American Samoa_______________|11 03 S|171 15 W
Swan Islands________________|Honduras_____________________|17 25 S| 83 56 W

___________________________________________________________________________
Tadzhikistan (former name |Tadjikistan |39 00 N| 71 00 E
for Tajikistan)_____________|_____________________________|_______|________
Tahiti (island)_____________|French Polynesia_____________|17 37 S|149 27 W
Taipei (capital)____________|Taiwan_______________________|25 03 N|121 30 E
Taiwan Strait_______________|Pacific Ocean________________|24 00 N|119 00 E
Tallinn (capital)___________|Estonia______________________|59 25 N| 24 45 E
Tanganyika (former name for |Tanzania | 6 00 S| 35 00 E
the mainland portion of | | |
Tanzania)___________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Tangier (city)______________|Morocco______________________|35 48 N| 5 45 W
Tannu-Tuva (region)_________|Russia_______________________|51 25 N| 94 45 E
Tarawa (island)_____________|Kiribati_____________________| 1 25 N|173 00 E
Tartary, Gulf of____________|Pacific Ocean________________|50 00 N|141 00 E
Tashkent (capital)__________|Uzbekistan___________________|41 20 N| 69 18 E
Tasman Sea__________________|Pacific Ocean________________| 4 30 S|168 00 E
Tasmania (island)___________|Australia____________________|43 00 S|147 00 E
Tatar Strait________________|Pacific Ocean________________|50 00 N|141 00 E
Taymyr Peninsula (Poluostrov|Russia |76 00 N|104 00 E
Taymyr)_____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
T'bilisi (capital)__________|Georgia______________________|41 43 N| 44 49 E
Tchad (local name for Chad) |Chad_________________________|15 00 N| 19 00 E
Tegucigalpa (capital)_______|Honduras_____________________|14 06 N| 87 13 W
Tehran (capital)____________|Iran_________________________|35 40 N| 51 26 E
Tel Aviv (capital, de facto)|Israel_______________________|32 05 N| 34 48 E
Teluk Bone (gulf)___________|Pacific Ocean________________| 4 00 S|120 45 E
Teluk Tomini (gulf)_________|Pacific Ocean________________| 0 30 S|121 00 E
Terre Adelie (Adelie Land) |Antarctica |66 30 S|139 00 E
(claimed by France)_________|_____________________________|_______|________
Terres Australes et |French Southern and Antarctic|43 00 S| 67 00 E
Antarctiques Francaises |Lands | |
(local name for the French | | |
Southern and Antarctic | | |
Lands)______________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Thailand, Gulf of___________|Pacific Ocean________________|10 00 N|101 00 E
Thimphu (capital)___________|Bhutan_______________________|27 28 N| 89 39 E
Thuringia (region)__________|Germany______________________|51 00 N| 11 00 E
Thurston Island_____________|Antarctica___________________|72 20 S| 99 00 W
Tiberias, Lake______________|Israel_______________________|32 48 N| 35 35 E
Tibet (Xizang) (autonomous |China |32 00 N| 90 00 E
region)_____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Tibilisi (see T'bilisi)_____|Georgia______________________|41 43 N| 44 49 E
Tien Shan (mountains)_______|China, Kyrgyzstan____________|42 00 N| 80 00 E
Tierra del Fuego (island, |Argentina, Chile |54 00 S| 69 00 W
island group)_______________|_____________________________|_______|________
Timor (island)______________|Indonesia____________________| 9 00 S|125 00 E
Timor Leste (former name for|East Timor | 9 00 N|126 00 E
East Timor)_________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Timor Sea___________________|Pacific Ocean________________|11 00 S|128 00 E
Tinian (island)_____________|Northern Mariana Islands_____|15 00 N|145 38 E
Tiran, Strait of____________|Indian Ocean_________________|28 00 N| 34 27 E
Tirana (capital)____________|Albania______________________|41 20 N| 19 50 E
Tirane (see Tirana)_________|Albania______________________|41 20 N| 19 50 E
Tirol (region)______________|Austria, Italy_______________|47 00 N| 11 00 E
Tobago (island)_____________|Trinidad and Tobago__________|11 15 N| 60 40 W
Tokyo (capital)_____________|Japan________________________|35 42 N|139 46 E
Tonkin, Gulf of_____________|Pacific Ocean________________|20 00 N|108 00 E
Torres Strait_______________|Pacific Ocean________________|10 25 S|142 10 E
Torshavn (capital)__________|Faroe Islands________________|62 01 N| 6 46 W
Toshkent (see Tashkent)_____|Uzbekistan___________________|41 20 N| 69 18 E
Transcarpathia (region; |Ukraine |48 22 N| 23 32 E
alternate name for Carpatho-| | |
Ukraine)____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Transjordan (former name for|Jordan |31 00 N| 36 00 E
Jordan)_____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Transkei (enclave)__________|South Africa_________________|32 15 S| 28 15 E
Transvaal (region; former |South Africa |25 10 S| 29 25 E
name for northeastern South | | |
Africa)_____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Transylvania (region)_______|Romania______________________|46 30 N| 24 00 E
Trindade, Ilha de (island)__|Brazil_______________________|20 31 S| 29 20 W
Trinidad (island)___________|Trinidad and Tobago__________|10 22 N| 61 15 W
Tripoli (capital)___________|Libya________________________|32 54 N| 13 11 E
Tripoli (city)______________|Lebanon______________________|34 26 N| 35 51 E
Tripolitania (region)_______|Libya________________________|31 00 N| 14 00 E
Tristan da Cunha Group |Saint Helena |37 04 S| 12 19 W
(island group)______________|_____________________________|_______|________
Trobriand Islands___________|Papua New Guinea_____________| 8 38 S|151 04 E
Trucial Coast (former name |United Arab Emirates |24 00 N| 54 00 E
for the United Arab | | |
Emirates)___________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Trucial Oman (former name |United Arab Emirates |24 00 N| 54 00 E
for the United Arab | | |
Emirates)___________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Trucial States (former name |United Arab Emirates |24 00 N| 54 00 E
for the United Arab | | |
Emirates)___________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Truk Islands (former name |Federated States of | 7 25 N|151 47 E
for the Chuuk Islands)______|Micronesia___________________|_______|________
Tsugaru Strait______________|Pacific Ocean________________|41 35 N|141 00 E
Tuamotu Islands (Iles |French Polynesia |19 00 S|142 00 W
Tuamotu)____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Tubuai Islands (Iles Tubuai)|French Polynesia_____________|23 00 S|150 00 W
Tunb al Kubra (island)______|Iran_________________________|26 14 N| 55 19 E
Tunb as Sughra (island)_____|Iran_________________________|26 14 N| 55 09 E
Tunis (capital)_____________|Tunisia______________________|36 48 N| 10 11 E
Turin (city)________________|Italy________________________|45 04 N| 7 40 E
Turkish Straits_____________|Atlantic Ocean_______________|40 40 N| 28 00 E
Turkiye (local name for |Turkey |39 00 N| 35 00 E
Turkey)_____________________|_____________________________|_______|________
Turkmenia (former name for |Turkmenistan |40 00 N| 60 00 E
Turkmenistan)_______________|_____________________________|_______|________
Turkmeniya (former name for |Turkmenistan |40 00 N| 60 00 E
Turkmenistan)_______________|_____________________________|_______|________
Turks Island Passage________|Atlantic Ocean_______________|21 40 N| 71 00 W
Tuscany (region)____________|Italy________________________|43 25 N| 11 00 E
Tutuila (island)____________|American Samoa_______________|14 18 S|170 42 W
Tyrol, South (region)_______|Italy________________________|46 30 N| 10 30 E
Tyrrhenian Sea______________|Atlantic Ocean_______________|40 00 N| 12 00 E

___________________________________________________________________________ Ubangi-Shari (former name |Central African Republic | 6 38 N| 20 33 E for the Central African | | | Republic____________________|_____________________________|_______|________ Ukrayina (local name for |Ukraine |49 00 N| 32 00 E Ukraine)____________________|_____________________________|_______|________ Ulaanbaatar (capital)_______|Mongolia_____________________|47 55 N|106 53 E Ullung-do (island)__________|South Korea__________________|37 29 N|130 52 E Ulster (region)_____________|Ireland, United Kingdom______|54 35 N| 7 00 W Uman (local name for Oman)__|Oman_________________________|21 00 N| 57 00 E Unimak Pass (strait)________|Pacific Ocean________________|54 20 N|164 50 W Union of Soviet Socialist |Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus,| | Republics (USSR) (former |Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan,| | name of a large Eurasian |Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, | | empire, roughly coequal with|Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, | | the former Russian Empire) |Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, | | ____________________________|Ukraine, Uzbekistan__________|_______|________ United Arab Republic (UAR) |Egypt, Syria | | (former name for a | | | federation between Egypt and| | | Syria)______________________|_____________________________|_______|________ Upper Volta (former name for|Burkina Faso |13 00 N| 2 00 W Burkina Faso)_______________|_____________________________|_______|________ Ural Mountains______________|Kazakhstan, Russia___________|60 00 N| 60 00 E Urdunn (local name for |Jordan |31 00 N| 36 00 E Jordan)_____________________|_____________________________|_______|________ Urundi (former name for |Burundi | 3 30 S| 30 00 E Burundi)____________________|_____________________________|_______|________ Ussuri River________________|China, Russia________________|48 28 N|135 02 E

___________________________________________________________________________
Vaduz (capital)_____________________________|Liechtenstein|47 09 N| 9 31 E
Vakhan (Wakhan Corridor)____________________|Afghanistan__|37 00 N| 73 00 E
Valletta (capital)__________________________|Malta________|35 54 N| 14 31 E
Valley, The (capital)_______________________|Anguilla_____|18 13 N| 63 04 W
Van Diemen Strait (Osumi Strait)____________|Pacific Ocean|31 00 N|131 00 E
Vancouver Island____________________________|Canada_______|49 45 N|126 00 W
Vatican City (capital)______________________|Holy See_____|41 54 N| 12 27 E
Velez de la Gomera, Penon de (island)_______|Spain________|35 11 N| 4 18 W
Venda (enclave)_____________________________|South Africa |23 00 S| 31 00 E
Verde Island Passage________________________|Pacific Ocean|13 34 N|120 51 E
Victoria (capital)__________________________|Seychelles___| 4 38 S| 55 27 E
Victoria (city; former name of seaport city |Hong Kong |22 17 N|114 09 E
in Hong Kong colony)________________________|_____________|_______|________
Victoria (island)___________________________|Canada_______|71 00 N|110 00 W
Victoria Land (region)______________________|Antarctica___|72 00 S|155 00 E
Vienna (capital)____________________________|Austria______|48 12 N| 16 22 E
Vientiane (capital)_________________________|Laos_________|17 58 N|102 36 E
Vilnius (capital)___________________________|Lithuania____|54 41 N| 25 19 E
Viti Levu (island)__________________________|Fiji_________|18 00 S|178 00 E
Vladivostok (city)__________________________|Russia_______|43 10 N|131 56 E
Vojvodina (region)__________________________|Yugoslavia___|45 35 N| 20 00 E
Volcano Islands_____________________________|Japan________|25 00 N|141 00 E
Vostok Island_______________________________|Kiribati_____|10 06 S|152 23 W
Vrangelya, Ostrov (Wrangel Island) _________|Russia_______|71 14 N|179 36 W

___________________________________________________________________________
Wake Atoll________________________|Wake Island____________|19 17 N|166 36 E
Wakhan Corridor (see Vakhan)______|Afghanistan____________|37 00 N| 73 00 E
Walachia (region)_________________|Romania________________|44 45 N| 26 05 E
Wales (region)____________________|United Kingdom_________|52 30 N| 3 30 W
Wallis Islands____________________|Wallis and Futuna______|13 17 S|176 10 W
Walvis Bay (former exclave) (city)|Namibia________________|22 59 S| 14 31 E
Warsaw (capital)__________________|Poland_________________|52 15 N| 21 00 E
Washington, DC (capital)__________|United States__________|38 53 N| 77 02 W
Weddell Sea_______________________|Southern Ocean_________|72 00 S| 45 00 W
Wellington (capital)______________|New Zealand____________|41 28 S|174 51 E
West Frisian Islands______________|Netherlands____________|53 26 N| 5 30 E
West Germany (Federal Republic of |Germany |53 22 N| 5 20 E
Germany) (former name for western | | |
portion of Germany)_______________|_______________________|_______|________
West Island (capital)_____________|Cocos (Keeling) Islands|12 10 S| 96 55 E
West Korea Strait (Western |Pacific Ocean |34 40 N|129 00 E
Channel)__________________________|_______________________|_______|________
West Pakistan (former name for |Pakistan |30 00 N| 70 00 E
western portion of Pakistan)______|_______________________|_______|________
West Siberian Plain_______________|Russia_________________|60 00 N| 75 00 E
Western Channel (West Korea |Pacific Ocean |34 40 N|129 00 E
Strait)___________________________|_______________________|_______|________
Western Samoa (former name for |Samoa |13 35 S|172 20 W
Samoa)____________________________|_______________________|_______|________
Wetar Strait______________________|Pacific Ocean__________| 8 20 S|126 30 E
White Sea_________________________|Arctic Ocean___________|65 30 N| 38 00 E
Wilkes Land (region)______________|Antarctica_____________|71 00 S|120 00 E
Willemstad (capital)______________|Netherlands Antilles___|12 06 N| 68 56 W
Windhoek (capital)________________|Namibia________________|22 34 S| 17 06 E
Windward Passage__________________|Atlantic Ocean_________|20 00 N| 73 50 W
Wrangel Island (Ostrov Vrangelya) |Russia_________________|71 14 N|179 36 W

___________________________________________________________________________ Xianggang (local name for Hong Kong) |Hong Kong|22 15 N|114 10 E

___________________________________________________________________________ Y`israel (local name for |Israel |31 30 N| 34 45 E Isreal)_______________________|___________________________|_______|________ Yaitopya (local name for |Ethiopia | 8 00 N| 38 00 E Ethiopia)_____________________|___________________________|_______|________ Yalu River____________________|China, North Korea_________|39 55 N|124 20 E Yamoussoukro (capital)________|Cote d'Ivoire______________| 6 49 N| 5 17 W Yangon (see Rangoon)__________|Burma______________________|16 47 N| 96 10 E Yaounde (capital)_____________|Cameroon___________________| 3 52 N| 11 31 E Yap Islands |Federated States of | 9 30 N|138 00 E ______________________________|Micronesia_________________|_______|________ Yaren (governmental center)___|Nauru______________________| 0 32 S|166 55 E Yekaterinburg (city; former |Russia |56 50 N| 60 39 E name for Sverdlovsk)__________|___________________________|_______|________ Yellow Sea____________________|Pacific Ocean______________|36 00 N|123 00 E Yemen (Aden) (People's |Yemen |14 00 N| 46 00 E Democratic Republic of Yemen) | | | (former name for southern | | | portion of Yemen)_____________|___________________________|_______|________ Yemen (Sanaa) (Yemen Arab |Yemen |15 00 N| 44 00 E Republic) (former name for | | | northern portion of Yemen)____|___________________________|_______|________ Yemen Arab Republic (former |Yemen |15 00 N| 44 00 E name for northern portion of | | | Yemen)________________________|___________________________|_______|________ Yemen, North (Yemen Arab |Yemen |15 00 N| 44 00 E Republic) (former name for | | | northern portion of Yemen)____|___________________________|_______|________ Yemen, People's Democratic |Yemen |14 00 N| 46 00 E Republic of (former name for | | | southern portion of Yemen)____|___________________________|_______|________ Yemen, South (People's |Yemen |14 00 N| 46 00 E Democratic Republic of Yemen) | | | (former name for southern | | | portion of Yemen)_____________|___________________________|_______|________ Yerevan (capital)_____________|Armenia____________________|40 11 N| 44 30 E Youth, Isle of (Isla de la |Cuba |21 40 N| 82 50 W Juventud)_____________________|___________________________|_______|________ Yucatan Channel_______________|Atlantic Ocean_____________|21 45 N| 85 45 W Yucatan Peninsula_____________|Mexico_____________________|19 30 N| 89 00 W Yugoslavia (former name for a |Bosnia and Herzegovina, | | confederation of states in |Croatia,The Former Yugoslav| | the western Balkan peninsula) |Republic of Macedonia, | | |Federal Republic of | | |Yugoslavia (Serbia and | | ______________________________|Montenegro), Slovenia______|_______|________

___________________________________________________________________________
Zagreb (capital)________________|Croatia__________________|45 48 N| 15 58 E
Zaire (former name for the |Democratic Republic of |15 00 S| 30 00 E
Democratic Republic of the |the Congo | |
Congo)__________________________|_________________________|_______|________
Zakhalinskiy Zaliv (bay)________|Pacific Ocean____________|54 00 N|142 00 E
Zaliv Shelikhova (bay)__________|Pacific Ocean____________|60 00 N|157 30 E
Zambezia (region)_______________|Mozambique_______________|16 00 S| 37 00 E
Zanzibar (island)_______________|Tanzania_________________| 6 10 S| 39 11 E
Zhong Guo (local name for |China |35 00 N|105 00 E
China)__________________________|_________________________|_______|________
Zhonghua (local name for China) |China____________________|35 00 N|105 00 E
Zion, Mount (locale in |Israel, West Bank |31 46 N| 35 14 E
Jerusalem)______________________|_________________________|_______|________
Zurich (city)___________________|Switzerland______________|47 23 N| 8 32 E