Title: The 2008 CIA World Factbook
Author: United States. Central Intelligence Agency
Release date: June 25, 2009 [eBook #29233]
Most recently updated: January 5, 2021
Language: English
Credits: Produced by Al Haines
Produced by Al Haines
Countries and Locations
Field Listings
Rank Orders
Appendixes
Notes and Definitions
History of the World Factbook
Contributors and Copyright Information
Purchasing Information
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What's New
- Country information has been updated as of 18 December 2008.
- In the People category, two new fields provide information on education in terms of opportunity and resources. "School Life Expectancy" is an estimate of the total number of years of schooling (primary to tertiary) that a child can expect to receive, assuming that the probability of his or her being enrolled in school at any particular future age is equal to the current enrollment ratio at that age. "Education expenditures" provides an estimate of the public expenditure on education as a percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
- In order to help policymakers understand the nature and global dimensions of the current financial crisis, The World Factbook has added five new fields to the Economy category. "Central bank discount rate" provides the annualized interest rate a country's central bank charges commercial, depository banks for loans to meet temporary shortages of funds. "Commercial bank prime lending rate" provides a simple average of annualized interest rates commercial banks charge on new loans, denominated in the national currency, to their most credit-worthy customers. "Stock of money" also known as "M1," comprises the total quantity of currency in circulation (notes and coins) plus demand deposits denominated in the national currency, held by nonbank financial institutions, state and local governments, nonfinancial public enterprises, and the private sector of the economy. "Stock of quasi money" comprises the total quantity of time and savings deposits denominated in the national currency, held by nonbank financial institutions, state and local governments, nonfinancial public enterprises, and the private sector of the economy. When added together with "M1" the total money supply is known as "M2." "Stock of domestic credit" is the total quantity of credit, denominated in the domestic currency, provided by banks to nonbanking institutions.
- In the Geography category, two new fields focus on the increasingly vital resource of water: "Total renewable water resources" and "Freshwater withdrawal."
- Revision of some individual country maps, first introduced in the 2001 edition, is continued in this edition. Several regional maps have also been updated to reflect boundary changes and place name spelling changes.
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The World Factbook (2008) - Country Listing
[Transcriber's note: To search on a country in this file, prefix the country's name with "@", e.g. "@Afghanistan". "Afghanistan" will find all occurrences; prefixing it with "@" will find the correct location.]
World
Afghanistan
Akrotiri
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 description under United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges
Bangladesh
Barbados
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
Dhekelia
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia
Ethiopia
European Union entry follows Taiwan
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
Faroe Islands
Fiji
Finland
France
French Polynesia
French Southern and Antarctic Lands
Gabon
Gambia, The
Gaza Strip
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Gibraltar
Greece
Greenland
Grenada
Guam
Guatemala
Guernsey
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Holy See (Vatican City)
Honduras
Hong Kong
Howland Island description under United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indian Ocean
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Isle of Man
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Jan Mayen
Japan
Jarvis Island description under United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges
Jersey
Johnston Atoll description under United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kingman Reef description under United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges
Kiribati
Korea, North
Korea, South
Kosovo
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macau
Macedonia
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Malta
Marshall Islands
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mayotte
Mexico
Micronesia, Federated States of
Midway Islands description under United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges
Moldova
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro
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 description under United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paracel Islands
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Pitcairn Islands
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Qatar
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
Serbia
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
Timor-Leste
Togo
Tokelau
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Turks and Caicos Islands
Tuvalu
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States
United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Venezuela
Vietnam
Virgin Islands
Wake Island
Wallis and Futuna
West Bank
Western Sahara
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Taiwan
European Union
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Code Field Description
2001 GDP (purchasing power parity) 2002 Population growth rate (%) 2003 GDP - real growth rate (%) 2004 GDP - per capita (PPP) 2006 Dependency status 2007 Diplomatic representation from the US 2008 Transportation - note 2010 Age structure (%) 2011 Geographic coordinates 2012 GDP - composition by sector (%) 2013 Radio broadcast stations 2015 Television broadcast stations 2018 Sex ratio (male(s)/female) 2019 Heliports 2020 Elevation extremes (m) 2021 Natural hazards 2022 People - note 2023 Area - comparative 2024 Military service age and obligation (years of age) 2025 Manpower fit for military service 2026 Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually 2028 Background 2030 Airports - with paved runways 2031 Airports - with unpaved runways 2032 Environment - current issues 2033 Environment - international agreements 2034 Military expenditures (% of GDP) 2038 Electricity - production (kWh) 2042 Electricity - consumption (kWh) 2043 Electricity - imports (kWh) 2044 Electricity - exports (kWh) 2046 Population below poverty line (%) 2047 Household income or consumption by percentage share (%) 2048 Labor force - by occupation (%) 2049 Exports - commodities (%) 2050 Exports - partners (%) 2051 Administrative divisions 2052 Agriculture - products 2053 Airports 2054 Birth rate (births/1,000 population) 2055 Military branches 2056 Budget 2057 Capital 2058 Imports - commodities (%) 2059 Climate 2060 Coastline (km) 2061 Imports - partners (%) 2062 Economic aid - donor 2063 Constitution 2064 Economic aid - recipient 2065 Currency (code) 2066 Death rate (deaths/1,000 population) 2068 Dependent areas 2070 Disputes - international 2075 Ethnic groups (%) 2076 Exchange rates 2077 Executive branch 2078 Exports 2079 Debt - external 2080 Fiscal year 2081 Flag description 2085 Roadways (km) 2086 Illicit drugs 2087 Imports 2088 Independence 2089 Industrial production growth rate (%) 2090 Industries 2091 Infant mortality rate (deaths/1,000 live births) 2092 Inflation rate (consumer prices) (%) 2093 Waterways (km) 2094 Judicial branch 2095 Labor force 2096 Land boundaries (km) 2097 Land use (%) 2098 Languages (%) 2100 Legal system 2101 Legislative branch 2102 Life expectancy at birth (years) 2103 Literacy (%) 2105 Manpower available for military service 2106 Maritime claims 2107 International organization participation 2108 Merchant marine 2109 National holiday 2110 Nationality 2111 Natural resources 2112 Net migration rate (migrant(s)/1,000 population) 2113 Geography - note 2115 Political pressure groups and leaders 2116 Economy - overview 2117 Pipelines (km) 2118 Political parties and leaders 2119 Population 2120 Ports and terminals 2121 Railways (km) 2122 Religions (%) 2123 Suffrage 2124 Telephone system 2125 Terrain 2127 Total fertility rate (children born/woman) 2128 Government type 2129 Unemployment rate (%) 2137 Military - note 2138 Communications - note 2140 Government - note 2142 Country name 2144 Location 2145 Map references 2146 Irrigated land (sq km) 2147 Area (sq km) 2149 Diplomatic representation in the US 2150 Telephones - main lines in use 2151 Telephones - mobile cellular 2153 Internet users 2154 Internet country code 2155 HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate (%) 2156 HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS 2157 HIV/AIDS - deaths 2172 Distribution of family income - Gini index 2173 Oil - production (bbl/day) 2174 Oil - consumption (bbl/day) 2175 Oil - imports (bbl/day) 2176 Oil - exports (bbl/day) 2177 Median age (years) 2178 Oil - proved reserves (bbl) 2179 Natural gas - proved reserves (cu m) 2180 Natural gas - production (cu m) 2181 Natural gas - consumption (cu m) 2182 Natural gas - imports (cu m) 2183 Natural gas - exports (cu m) 2184 Internet hosts 2185 Investment (gross fixed) (% of GDP) 2186 Public debt (% of GDP) 2187 Current account balance 2188 Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2193 Major infectious diseases 2194 Refugees and internally displaced persons 2195 GDP (official exchange rate) 2196 Trafficking in persons 2198 Stock of direct foreign investment - at home 2199 Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad 2200 Market value of publicly traded shares 2201 Total renewable water resources (cu km) 2202 Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) () 2203 Geographic overview 2204 Economy of the area administered by Turkish Cypriots 2205 School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) (years) 2206 Education expenditures (% of GDP) 2207 Central bank discount rate (%) 2208 Commercial bank prime lending rate (%) 2209 Stock of money 2210 Stock of quasi money 2211 Stock of domestic credit
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Rank Orders
[Transcriber's note: To search on a rank order in this file, prefix the rank's name with "@", e.g. "@Population". "Population" will find all occurrences; prefixing it with "@" will find the correct location.]
Rank Order pages are presorted lists of data from selected Factbook data fields. Rank Order pages are generally given in descending order - highest to lowest - such as Population and Area. The two exceptions are Unemployment Rate and Inflation Rate, which are in ascending - lowest to highest - order. Rank Order pages are available for the following 55 fields in six of the nine Factbook categories.
Geography
Area - total
People
Population
Population growth rate
Birth rate
Death rate
Infant mortality rate
Life expectancy at birth - total
Total fertility rate
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
HIV/AIDS - deaths
Economy
GDP (purchasing power parity)
GDP - real growth rate
GDP - per capita
Labor force
Unemployment rate
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
Central bank discount rate
Commercial bank prime lending rate
Stock of money
Stock of quasi money
Stock of domestic credit
Investment (gross fixed)
Public debt
Industrial production growth rate
Electricity - production
Electricity - consumption
Oil - production
Oil - consumption
Oil - exports
Oil - imports
Oil - proved reserves
Natural Gas - production
Natural Gas - consumption
Natural Gas - exports
Natural Gas - imports
Natural Gas - proved reserves
Current account balance
Exports
Imports
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
Debt - external
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad
Market value of publicly traded shares
Communications
Telephones - main lines in use
Telephones - mobile cellular
Internet hosts
Internet users
Transportation
Airports
Railways - total
Roadways - total
Waterways
Merchant marine - total
Military
Military expenditures - percent of GDP
Factbook fields with Rank Order pages are easily identified with a small bar chart icon to the right of the data field title.
Not all Rank Order pages include the same number of entries because information for a particular field is not available for all countries. In addition, not all data fields are suitable for displaying as Rank Order pages, such as those containing textual information. Textual information is more readily viewed by clicking on the Field Listing icon next to the Data field title. The other icon next to the data field title provides the definition of the field.
All of the 'Rank Order' pages can be downloaded as tab-delimited data files and can be opened in other applications such as spreadsheets and databases. To save a Rank Order page in a spreadsheet, first click on the 'Download Datafile' choice above the Rank Order page you selected; then, at the top of your browser window, click on 'File' and 'Save As'. After saving the file, open the spreadsheet, find the saved file, and 'Open' it.
Additional Rank Order pages being considered for future updates of the
Factbook Web site include:
Median age
Literacy
Population below the poverty line
This page was last updated on 20 November, 2008
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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 G - Weights and Measures
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Notes and Definitions
In addition to the regular information updates, The World Factbook 2008 features several new additions. In the Geography category, two new fields focus on the increasingly vital resource of water: "Total renewable water resources" and "Freshwater withdrawal."
In the Economy category, the Factbook has added three fields: "Stock of direct foreign investment - at home", "Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad", and "Market value of publicly traded shares." Additionally, the data for GDP at purchasing power parity (PPP) has been rebased using new PPP conversion rates, benchmarked to the year 2005, which were released on 17 December 2007 by the International Comparison Program (ICP). The 2005 PPP data replace previous estimates, many from studies dating to 1993 or earlier. The preliminary ICP report provides estimates of internationally comparable price levels and the relative purchasing power of currencies for 146 countries. The 2005 benchmark revises downward the size of the world economy in PPP terms from the previous estimates, and changes the relative sizes of many of the world's economies.
Concise descriptions of the major religions mentioned in the Factbook have been added to the Notes and Definitions. France 's redesignation of some of its overseas possessions caused the five former Indian Ocean island possessions making up Iles Eparses to be incorporated into the French Southern and Antarctic Lands, while two new Caribbean entities, St. Barthelemy and St. Martin, were created.
Revision of some individual country maps, first introduced in the 2001 edition, is continued in this edition. The revised maps include elevation extremes and a partial geographic grid. Several regional maps have also been updated to reflect boundary changes and place name spelling changes.
Abbreviations: This information is included in Appendix A: Abbreviations, which includes all abbreviations and acronyms used in the Factbook, with their expansions.
Acronyms: An acronym is an abbreviation coined from the initial letter of each successive word in a term or phrase. In general, an acronym made up solely from the first letter of the major words in the expanded form is rendered in all capital letters (NATO from North Atlantic Treaty Organization; an exception would be ASEAN for Association of Southeast Asian Nations). In general, an acronym made up of more than the first letter of the major words in the expanded form is rendered with only an initial capital letter (Comsat from Communications Satellite Corporation; an exception would be NAM from Nonaligned Movement). Hybrid forms are sometimes used to distinguish between initially identical terms (ICC for International Chamber of Commerce and ICCt for International Criminal Court).
Administrative divisions: This entry generally gives the numbers, designatory terms, and first-order administrative divisions as approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (BGN). Changes that have been reported but not yet acted on by the BGN are noted.
Age structure: This entry provides the distribution of the population according to age. Information is included by sex and age group (0-14 years, 15-64 years, 65 years and over). The age structure of a population affects a nation's key socioeconomic issues. Countries with young populations (high percentage under age 15) need to invest more in schools, while countries with older populations (high percentage ages 65 and over) need to invest more in the health sector. The age structure can also be used to help predict potential political issues. For example, the rapid growth of a young adult population unable to find employment can lead to unrest.
Agriculture - products: This entry is an ordered listing of major crops and products starting with the most important.
Airports: This entry gives the total number of airports or airfields recognizable from the air. The runway(s) may be paved (concrete or asphalt surfaces) or unpaved (grass, earth, sand, or gravel surfaces) but may include closed or abandoned installations. Airports or airfields that are no longer recognizable (overgrown, no facilities, etc.) are not included. Note that not all airports have accommodations for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control.
Airports - with paved runways: This entry gives the total number of airports with paved runways (concrete or asphalt surfaces) by length. For airports with more than one runway, only the longest runway is included according to the following five groups - (1) over 3,047 m, (2) 2,438 to 3,047 m, (3) 1,524 to 2,437 m, (4) 914 to 1,523 m, and (5) under 914 m. Only airports with usable runways are included in this listing. Not all airports have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control.
Airports - with unpaved runways: This entry gives the total number of airports with unpaved runways (grass, dirt, sand, or gravel surfaces) by length. For airports with more than one runway, only the longest runway is included according to the following five groups - (1) over 3,047 m, (2) 2,438 to 3,047 m, (3) 1,524 to 2,437 m, (4) 914 to 1,523 m, and (5) under 914 m. Only airports with usable runways are included in this listing. Not all airports have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control.
Appendixes: This section includes Factbook-related material by topic.
Area: This entry includes three subfields. Total area is the sum of all land and water areas delimited by international boundaries and/or coastlines. Land area is the aggregate of all surfaces delimited by international boundaries and/or coastlines, excluding inland water bodies (lakes, reservoirs, rivers). Water area is the sum of the surfaces of all inland water bodies, such as lakes, reservoirs, or rivers, as delimited by international boundaries and/or coastlines.
Area - comparative: This entry provides an area comparison based on total area equivalents. Most entities are compared with the entire US or one of the 50 states based on area measurements (1990 revised) provided by the US Bureau of the Census. The smaller entities are compared with Washington, DC (178 sq km, 69 sq mi) or The Mall in Washington, DC (0.59 sq km, 0.23 sq mi, 146 acres).
Background: This entry usually highlights major historic events and current issues and may include a statement about one or two key future trends.
Birth rate: This entry gives the average annual number of births during a year per 1,000 persons in the population at midyear; also known as crude birth rate. The birth rate is usually the dominant factor in determining the rate of population growth. It depends on both the level of fertility and the age structure of the population.
Budget: This entry includes revenues, expenditures, and capital expenditures. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.
Capital: This entry gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.
Central bank discount rate: This entry provides the annualized interest rate a country's central bank charges commercial, depository banks for loans to meet temporary shortages of funds.
Climate: This entry includes a brief description of typical weather regimes throughout the year.
Coastline: This entry gives the total length of the boundary between the land area (including islands) and the sea.
Commercial bank prime lending rate: This entry provides a simple average of annualized interest rates commercial banks charge on new loans, denominated in the national currency, to their most credit- worthy customers.
Communications: This category deals with the means of exchanging information and includes the telephone, radio, television, and Internet host entries.
Communications - note: This entry includes miscellaneous communications information of significance not included elsewhere.
Constitution: This entry includes the dates of adoption, revisions, and major amendments.
Coordinated Universal Time (UTC): UTC is the international atomic time scale that serves as the basis of timekeeping for most of the world. The hours, minutes, and seconds expressed by UTC represent the time of day at the Prime Meridian (0 deg. longitude) located near Greenwich, England as reckoned from midnight. UTC is calculated by the Bureau International des Poids et Measures (BIPM) in Sevres, France. The BIPM averages data collected from more than 200 atomic time and frequency standards located at about 50 laboratories worldwide. UTC is the basis for all civil time with the Earth divided into time zones expressed as positive or negative differences from UTC. UTC is also referred to as "Zulu time." See the Standard Time Zones of the World map included with the Reference Maps.
Country data codes: see Data codes.
Country map: Most versions of the Factbook provide a country map in color. The maps were produced from the best information available at the time of preparation. Names and/or boundaries may have changed subsequently.
Country name: This entry includes all forms of the country's name approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (Italy is used as an example): conventional long form (Italian Republic), conventional short form (Italy), local long form (Repubblica Italiana), local short form (Italia), former (Kingdom of Italy), as well as the abbreviation. Also see the Terminology note.
Crude oil: See entry for oil.
Current account balance: This entry records a country's net trade in goods and services, plus net earnings from rents, interest, profits, and dividends, and net transfer payments (such as pension funds and worker remittances) to and from the rest of the world during the period specified. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.
Data codes: This information is presented in Appendix D: Cross-
Reference List of Country Data Codes and Appendix E: Cross-Reference
List of Hydrographic Data Codes.
Date of information: In general, information available as of 1 January 2007 was used in the preparation of this edition.
Daylight Saving Time (DST): This entry is included for those entities that have adopted a policy of adjusting the official local time forward, usually one hour, from Standard Time during summer months. Such policies are most common in mid-latitude regions.
Death rate: This entry gives the average annual number of deaths during a year per 1,000 population at midyear; also known as crude death rate. The death rate, while only a rough indicator of the mortality situation in a country, accurately indicates the current mortality impact on population growth. This indicator is significantly affected by age distribution, and most countries will eventually show a rise in the overall death rate, in spite of continued decline in mortality at all ages, as declining fertility results in an aging population.
Debt - external: This entry gives the total public and private debt owed to nonresidents repayable in foreign currency, goods, or services. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.
Dependency status: This entry describes the formal relationship between a particular nonindependent entity and an independent state.
Dependent areas: This entry contains an alphabetical listing of all nonindependent entities associated in some way with a particular independent state.
Diplomatic representation: The US Government has diplomatic relations with 189 independent states, including 187 of the 192 UN members (excluded UN members are Bhutan, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and the US itself). In addition, the US has diplomatic relations with 2 independent states that are not in the UN, the Holy See and Kosovo, as well as with the EU.
Diplomatic representation from the US: This entry includes the chief of mission, embassy address, mailing address, telephone number, FAX number, branch office locations, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
Diplomatic representation in the US: This entry includes the chief of mission, chancery, telephone, FAX, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
Disputes - international: This entry includes a wide variety of situations that range from traditional bilateral boundary disputes to unilateral claims of one sort or another. Information regarding disputes over international terrestrial and maritime boundaries has been reviewed by the US Department of State. References to other situations involving borders or frontiers may also be included, such as resource disputes, geopolitical questions, or irredentist issues; however, inclusion does not necessarily constitute official acceptance or recognition by the US Government.
Distribution of family income - Gini index: This index measures the degree of inequality in the distribution of family income in a country. The index is calculated from the Lorenz curve, in which cumulative family income is plotted against the number of families arranged from the poorest to the richest. The index is the ratio of (a) the area between a country's Lorenz curve and the 45 degree helping line to (b) the entire triangular area under the 45 degree line. The more nearly equal a country's income distribution, the closer its Lorenz curve to the 45 degree line and the lower its Gini index, e.g., a Scandinavian country with an index of 25. The more unequal a country's income distribution, the farther its Lorenz curve from the 45 degree line and the higher its Gini index, e.g., a Sub-Saharan country with an index of 50. If income were distributed with perfect equality, the Lorenz curve would coincide with the 45 degree line and the index would be zero; if income were distributed with perfect inequality, the Lorenz curve would coincide with the horizontal axis and the right vertical axis and the index would be 100.
Economy: This category includes the entries dealing with the size, development, and management of productive resources, i.e., land, labor, and capital.
Economy - overview: This entry briefly describes the type of economy, including the degree of market orientation, the level of economic development, the most important natural resources, and the unique areas of specialization. It also characterizes major economic events and policy changes in the most recent 12 months and may include a statement about one or two key future macroeconomic trends.
Education expenditures: This entry provides the public expenditure on education as a percent of GDP
Electricity - consumption: This entry consists of total electricity generated annually plus imports and minus exports, expressed in kilowatt-hours. The discrepancy between the amount of electricity generated and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is accounted for as loss in transmission and distribution.
Electricity - exports: This entry is the total exported electricity in kilowatt-hours.
Electricity - imports: This entry is the total imported electricity in kilowatt-hours.
Electricity - production: This entry is the annual electricity generated expressed in kilowatt-hours. The discrepancy between the amount of electricity generated and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is accounted for as loss in transmission and distribution.
Elevation extremes: This entry includes both the highest point and the lowest point.
Entities: Some of the independent states, dependencies, areas of special sovereignty, and governments included in this publication are not independent, and others are not officially recognized by the US Government. "Independent state" refers to a people politically organized into a sovereign state with a definite territory. "Dependencies" and "areas of special sovereignty" refer to a broad category of political entities that are associated in some way with an independent state. "Country" names used in the table of contents or for page headings are usually the short-form names as approved by the US Board on Geographic Names and may include independent states, dependencies, and areas of special sovereignty, or other geographic entities. There are a total of 266 separate geographic entities in The World Factbook that may be categorized as follows:
194 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, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia,
Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg,
Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta,
Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of
Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, 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,
Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia,
Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan,
Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania,
Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia,
Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay,
Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
2 Taiwan, European Union
6 Australia - Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Norfolk Island
2 China - Hong Kong, Macau
2 Denmark - Faroe Islands, Greenland
9 France - Clipperton Island, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, Mayotte, New Caledonia, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Martin, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Wallis and Futuna
2 Netherlands - Aruba, Netherlands Antilles
3 New Zealand - Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau
3 Norway - Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard
17 UK - Akrotiri, Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory,
British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dhekelia, Falkland Islands,
Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey, Isle of Man, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands,
Saint Helena, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Turks and
Caicos Islands
14 US - 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 (* consolidated in United States Pacific Island
Wildlife Refuges entry)
6 Antarctica, Gaza Strip, Paracel Islands, Spratly Islands, West Bank, Western Sahara
5 oceans - Arctic Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Southern Ocean
1 World
266 total
Environment - current issues: This entry lists the most pressing and important environmental problems. The following terms and abbreviations are used throughout the entry:
Acidification - the lowering of soil and water pH due to acid precipitation and deposition usually through precipitation; this process disrupts ecosystem nutrient flows and may kill freshwater fish and plants dependent on more neutral or alkaline conditions (see acid rain).
Acid rain - characterized as containing harmful levels of sulfur dioxide or nitrogen oxide; acid rain is damaging and potentially deadly to the earth's fragile ecosystems; acidity is measured using the pH scale where 7 is neutral, values greater than 7 are considered alkaline, and values below 5.6 are considered acid precipitation; note - a pH of 2.4 (the acidity of vinegar) has been measured in rainfall in New England.
Aerosol - a collection of airborne particles dispersed in a gas, smoke, or fog.
Afforestation - converting a bare or agricultural space by planting trees and plants; reforestation involves replanting trees on areas that have been cut or destroyed by fire.
Asbestos - a naturally occurring soft fibrous mineral commonly used in fireproofing materials and considered to be highly carcinogenic in particulate form.
Biodiversity - also biological diversity; the relative number of species, diverse in form and function, at the genetic, organism, community, and ecosystem level; loss of biodiversity reduces an ecosystem's ability to recover from natural or man-induced disruption.
Bio-indicators - a plant or animal species whose presence, abundance, and health reveal the general condition of its habitat.
Biomass - the total weight or volume of living matter in a given area or volume.
Carbon cycle - the term used to describe the exchange of carbon (in various forms, e.g., as carbon dioxide) between the atmosphere, ocean, terrestrial biosphere, and geological deposits.
Catchments - assemblages used to capture and retain rainwater and runoff; an important water management technique in areas with limited freshwater resources, such as Gibraltar.
DDT (dichloro-diphenyl-trichloro-ethane) - a colorless, odorless insecticide that has toxic effects on most animals; the use of DDT was banned in the US in 1972.
Defoliants - chemicals which cause plants to lose their leaves artificially; often used in agricultural practices for weed control, and may have detrimental impacts on human and ecosystem health.
Deforestation - the destruction of vast areas of forest (e.g., unsustainable forestry practices, agricultural and range land clearing, and the over exploitation of wood products for use as fuel) without planting new growth.
Desertification - the spread of desert-like conditions in arid or semi- arid areas, due to overgrazing, loss of agriculturally productive soils, or climate change.
Dredging - the practice of deepening an existing waterway; also, a technique used for collecting bottom-dwelling marine organisms (e.g., shellfish) or harvesting coral, often causing significant destruction of reef and ocean-floor ecosystems.
Drift-net fishing - done with a net, miles in extent, that is generally anchored to a boat and left to float with the tide; often results in an over harvesting and waste of large populations of non-commercial marine species (by-catch) by its effect of "sweeping the ocean clean."
Ecosystems - ecological units comprised of complex communities of organisms and their specific environments.
Effluents - waste materials, such as smoke, sewage, or industrial waste which are released into the environment, subsequently polluting it.
Endangered species - a species that is threatened with extinction either by direct hunting or habitat destruction.
Freshwater - water with very low soluble mineral content; sources include lakes, streams, rivers, glaciers, and underground aquifers.
Greenhouse gas - a gas that "traps" infrared radiation in the lower atmosphere causing surface warming; water vapor, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane, hydrofluorocarbons, and ozone are the primary greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere.
Groundwater - water sources found below the surface of the earth often in naturally occurring reservoirs in permeable rock strata; the source for wells and natural springs.
Highlands Water Project - a series of dams constructed jointly by Lesotho and South Africa to redirect Lesotho's abundant water supply into a rapidly growing area in South Africa; while it is the largest infrastructure project in southern Africa, it is also the most costly and controversial; objections to the project include claims that it forces people from their homes, submerges farmlands, and squanders economic resources.
Inuit Circumpolar Conference (ICC) - represents the 145,000 Inuits of Russia, Alaska, Canada, and Greenland in international environmental issues; a General Assembly convenes every three years to determine the focus of the ICC; the most current concerns are long-range transport of pollutants, sustainable development, and climate change.
Metallurgical plants - industries which specialize in the science, technology, and processing of metals; these plants produce highly concentrated and toxic wastes which can contribute to pollution of ground water and air when not properly disposed.
Noxious substances - injurious, very harmful to living beings.
Overgrazing - the grazing of animals on plant material faster than it can naturally regrow leading to the permanent loss of plant cover, a common effect of too many animals grazing limited range land.
Ozone shield - a layer of the atmosphere composed of ozone gas (O3) that resides approximately 25 miles above the Earth's surface and absorbs solar ultraviolet radiation that can be harmful to living organisms.
Poaching - the illegal killing of animals or fish, a great concern with respect to endangered or threatened species.
Pollution - the contamination of a healthy environment by man-made waste.
Potable water - water that is drinkable, safe to be consumed.
Salination - the process through which fresh (drinkable) water becomes salt (undrinkable) water; hence, desalination is the reverse process; also involves the accumulation of salts in topsoil caused by evaporation of excessive irrigation water, a process that can eventually render soil incapable of supporting crops.
Siltation - occurs when water channels and reservoirs become clotted with silt and mud, a side effect of deforestation and soil erosion.
Slash-and-burn agriculture - a rotating cultivation technique in which trees are cut down and burned in order to clear land for temporary agriculture; the land is used until its productivity declines at which point a new plot is selected and the process repeats; this practice is sustainable while population levels are low and time is permitted for regrowth of natural vegetation; conversely, where these conditions do not exist, the practice can have disastrous consequences for the environment.
Soil degradation - damage to the land's productive capacity because of poor agricultural practices such as the excessive use of pesticides or fertilizers, soil compaction from heavy equipment, or erosion of topsoil, eventually resulting in reduced ability to produce agricultural products.
Soil erosion - the removal of soil by the action of water or wind, compounded by poor agricultural practices, deforestation, overgrazing, and desertification.
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation - a portion of the electromagnetic energy emitted by the sun and naturally filtered in the upper atmosphere by the ozone layer; UV radiation can be harmful to living organisms and has been linked to increasing rates of skin cancer in humans.
Waterborne diseases - those in which bacteria survive in, and are transmitted through, water; always a serious threat in areas with an untreated water supply.
Environment - international agreements: This entry separates country participation in international environmental agreements into two levels - party to and signed, but not ratified. Agreements are listed in alphabetical order by the abbreviated form of the full name.
Environmental agreements: This information is presented in Appendix C: Selected International Environmental Agreements, which includes the name, abbreviation, date opened for signature, date entered into force, objective, and parties by category.
Ethnic groups: This entry provides an ordered listing of ethnic groups starting with the largest and normally includes the percent of total population.
Exchange rates: This entry provides the official value of a country's monetary unit at a given date or over a given period of time, as expressed in units of local currency per US dollar and as determined by international market forces or official fiat. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 4217 alphabetic currency code for the national medium of exchange is presented in parenthesis.
Executive branch: This entry includes several subfields. Chief of state includes the name and title of the titular leader of the country who represents the state at official and ceremonial functions but may not be involved with the day-to-day activities of the government. Head of government includes the name and title of the top administrative leader who is designated to manage the day-to-day activities of the government. For example, in the UK, the monarch is the chief of state, and the prime minister is the head of government. In the US, the president is both the chief of state and the head of government. Cabinet includes the official name for this body of high-ranking advisers and the method for selection of members. Elections include the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote for each candidate in the last election.
Exports: This entry provides the total US dollar amount of merchandise exports on an f.o.b. (free on board) basis. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.
Exports - commodities: This entry provides a listing of the highest- valued exported products; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value.
Exports - partners: This entry provides a rank ordering of trading partners starting with the most important; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value.
Flag description: This entry provides a written flag description produced from actual flags or the best information available at the time the entry was written. The flags of independent states are used by their dependencies unless there is an officially recognized local flag. Some disputed and other areas do not have flags.
Flag graphic: Most versions of the Factbook include a color flag at the beginning of the country profile. The flag graphics were produced from actual flags or the best information available at the time of preparation. The flags of independent states are used by their dependencies unless there is an officially recognized local flag. Some disputed and other areas do not have flags.
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): This entry provides the annual quantity of water in cubic kilometers removed from available sources for use in any purpose. Water drawn-off is not necessarily entirely consumed and some portion may be returned for further use downstream. Domestic sector use refers to water supplied by public distribution systems. Note that some of this total may be used for small industrial and/or limited agricultural purposes. Industrial sector use is the quantity of water used by self-supplied industries not connected to a public distribution system. Agricultural sector use includes water used for irrigation and livestock watering, and does not account for agriculture directly dependent on rainfall. Included are figures for total annual water withdrawal and per capita water withdrawal.
GDP (official exchange rate): This entry gives the gross domestic product (GDP) or value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year. A nation's GDP at official exchange rates (OER) is the home-currency-denominated annual GDP figure divided by the bilateral average US exchange rate with that country in that year. The measure is simple to compute and gives a precise measure of the value of output. Many economists prefer this measure when gauging the economic power an economy maintains vis-à-vis its neighbors, judging that an exchange rate captures the purchasing power a nation enjoys in the international marketplace. Official exchange rates, however, can be artificially fixed and/or subject to manipulation - resulting in claims of the country having an under- or over-valued currency - and are not necessarily the equivalent of a market-determined exchange rate. Moreover, even if the official exchange rate is market-determined, market exchange rates are frequently established by a relatively small set of goods and services (the ones the country trades) and may not capture the value of the larger set of goods the country produces. Furthermore, OER-converted GDP is not well suited to comparing domestic GDP over time, since appreciation/depreciation from one year to the next will make the OER GDP value rise/fall regardless of whether home- currency-denominated GDP changed.
GDP (purchasing power parity): This entry gives the gross domestic product (GDP) or value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year. A nation's GDP at purchasing power parity (PPP) exchange rates is the sum value of all goods and services produced in the country valued at prices prevailing in the United States. This is the measure most economists prefer when looking at per- capita welfare and when comparing living conditions or use of resources across countries. The measure is difficult to compute, as a US dollar value has to be assigned to all goods and services in the country regardless of whether these goods and services have a direct equivalent in the United States (for example, the value of an ox-cart or non-US military equipment); as a result, PPP estimates for some countries are based on a small and sometimes different set of goods and services. In addition, many countries do not formally participate in the World Bank's PPP project that calculates these measures, so the resulting GDP estimates for these countries may lack precision. For many developing countries, PPP-based GDP measures are multiples of the official exchange rate (OER) measure. The difference between the OER- and PPP- denominated GDP values for most of the wealthy industrialized countries are generally much smaller.
GDP - composition by sector: This entry gives the percentage contribution of agriculture, industry, and services to total GDP. The distribution will total less than 100 percent if the data are incomplete.
GDP - per capita (PPP): This entry shows GDP on a purchasing power parity basis divided by population as of 1 July for the same year.
GDP - real growth rate: This entry gives GDP growth on an annual basis adjusted for inflation and expressed as a percent.
GDP methodology: In the Economy category, GDP dollar estimates for countries are reported both on an official exchange rate (OER) and a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis. Both measures contain information that is useful to the reader. The PPP method involves the use of standardized international dollar price weights, which are applied to the quantities of final goods and services produced in a given economy. The data derived from the PPP method probably provide the best available starting point for comparisons of economic strength and well- being between countries. In contrast, the currency exchange rate method involves a variety of international and domestic financial forces that may not capture the value of domestic output. Whereas PPP estimates for OECD countries are quite reliable, PPP estimates for developing countries are often rough approximations. In developing countries with weak currencies, the exchange rate estimate of GDP in dollars is typically one-fourth to one-half the PPP estimate. Most of the GDP estimates for developing countries are based on extrapolation of PPP numbers published by the UN International Comparison Program (UNICP) and by Professors Robert Summers and Alan Heston of the University of Pennsylvania and their colleagues. GDP derived using the OER method should be used for the purpose of calculating the share of items such as exports, imports, military expenditures, external debt, or the current account balance, because the dollar values presented in the Factbook for these items have been converted at official exchange rates, not at PPP. One should use the OER GDP figure to calculate the proportion of, say, Chinese defense expenditures in GDP, because that share will be the same as one calculated in local currency units. Comparison of OER GDP with PPP GDP may also indicate whether a currency is over- or under-valued. If OER GDP is smaller than PPP GDP, the official exchange rate may be undervalued, and vice versa. However, there is no strong historical evidence that market exchange rates move in the direction implied by the PPP rate, at least not in the short- or medium-term. Note: the numbers for GDP and other economic data should not be chained together from successive volumes of the Factbook because of changes in the US dollar measuring rod, revisions of data by statistical agencies, use of new or different sources of information, and changes in national statistical methods and practices.
GNP: Gross national product (GNP) is the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year, plus income earned by its citizens abroad, minus income earned by foreigners from domestic production. The Factbook, following current practice, uses GDP rather than GNP to measure national production. However, the user must realize that in certain countries net remittances from citizens working abroad may be important to national well-being.
GWP: This entry gives the gross world product (GWP) or aggregate value of all final goods and services produced worldwide in a given year.
Geographic coordinates: This entry includes rounded latitude and longitude figures for the purpose of finding the approximate geographic center of an entity and is based on the locations provided in the Geographic Names Server (GNS), maintained by the National Geospatial- Intelligence Agency on behalf of the US Board on Geographic Names.
Geographic names: This information is presented in Appendix F: Cross- Reference List of Geographic Names. It includes a listing of various alternate names, former names, local names, and regional names referenced to one or more related Factbook entries. Spellings are normally, but not always, those approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (BGN). Alternate names and additional information are included in parentheses.
Geography: This category includes the entries dealing with the natural environment and the effects of human activity.
Geography - note: This entry includes miscellaneous geographic information of significance not included elsewhere.
Gini index: See entry for Distribution of family income - Gini index
Government: This category includes the entries dealing with the system for the adoption and administration of public policy.
Government - note: This entry includes miscellaneous government information of significance not included elsewhere.
Government type: This entry gives the basic form of government. Definitions of the major governmental terms are as follows. (Note that for some countries more than one definition applies.):
Absolute monarchy - a form of government where the monarch rules unhindered, i.e., without any laws, constitution, or legally organized opposition.
Anarchy - a condition of lawlessness or political disorder brought about by the absence of governmental authority.
Authoritarian - a form of government in which state authority is imposed onto many aspects of citizens' lives.
Commonwealth - a nation, state, or other political entity founded on law and united by a compact of the people for the common good.
Communist - a system of government in which the state plans and controls the economy and a single - often authoritarian - party holds power; state controls are imposed with the elimination of private ownership of property or capital while claiming to make progress toward a higher social order in which all goods are equally shared by the people (i.e., a classless society).
Confederacy (Confederation) - a union by compact or treaty between states, provinces, or territories, that creates a central government with limited powers; the constituent entities retain supreme authority over all matters except those delegated to the central government.
Constitutional - a government by or operating under an authoritative document (constitution) that sets forth the system of fundamental laws and principles that determines the nature, functions, and limits of that government.
Constitutional democracy - a form of government in which the sovereign power of the people is spelled out in a governing constitution.
Constitutional monarchy - a system of government in which a monarch is guided by a constitution whereby his/her rights, duties, and responsibilities are spelled out in written law or by custom.
Democracy - a form of government in which the supreme power is retained by the people, but which is usually exercised indirectly through a system of representation and delegated authority periodically renewed.
Democratic republic - a state in which the supreme power rests in the body of citizens entitled to vote for officers and representatives responsible to them.
Dictatorship - a form of government in which a ruler or small clique wield absolute power (not restricted by a constitution or laws).
Ecclesiastical - a government administrated by a church.
Emirate - similar to a monarchy or sultanate, but a government in which the supreme power is in the hands of an emir (the ruler of a Muslim state); the emir may be an absolute overlord or a sovereign with constitutionally limited authority.
Federal (Federation) - a form of government in which sovereign power is formally divided - usually by means of a constitution - between a central authority and a number of constituent regions (states, colonies, or provinces) so that each region retains some management of its internal affairs; differs from a confederacy in that the central government exerts influence directly upon both individuals as well as upon the regional units.
Federal republic - a state in which the powers of the central government are restricted and in which the component parts (states, colonies, or provinces) retain a degree of self-government; ultimate sovereign power rests with the voters who chose their governmental representatives.
Islamic republic - a particular form of government adopted by some Muslim states; although such a state is, in theory, a theocracy, it remains a republic, but its laws are required to be compatible with the laws of Islam.
Maoism - the theory and practice of Marxism-Leninism developed in China by Mao Zedong (Mao Tse-tung), which states that a continuous revolution is necessary if the leaders of a communist state are to keep in touch with the people.
Marxism - the political, economic, and social principles espoused by 19th century economist Karl Marx; he viewed the struggle of workers as a progression of historical forces that would proceed from a class struggle of the proletariat (workers) exploited by capitalists (business owners), to a socialist "dictatorship of the proletariat," to, finally, a classless society - Communism.
Marxism-Leninism - an expanded form of communism developed by Lenin from doctrines of Karl Marx; Lenin saw imperialism as the final stage of capitalism and shifted the focus of workers' struggle from developed to underdeveloped countries.
Monarchy - a government in which the supreme power is lodged in the hands of a monarch who reigns over a state or territory, usually for life and by hereditary right; the monarch may be either a sole absolute ruler or a sovereign - such as a king, queen, or prince - with constitutionally limited authority.
Oligarchy - a government in which control is exercised by a small group of individuals whose authority generally is based on wealth or power.
Parliamentary democracy - a political system in which the legislature (parliament) selects the government - a prime minister, premier, or chancellor along with the cabinet ministers - according to party strength as expressed in elections; by this system, the government acquires a dual responsibility: to the people as well as to the parliament.
Parliamentary government (Cabinet-Parliamentary government) - a government in which members of an executive branch (the cabinet and its leader - a prime minister, premier, or chancellor) are nominated to their positions by a legislature or parliament, and are directly responsible to it; this type of government can be dissolved at will by the parliament (legislature) by means of a no confidence vote or the leader of the cabinet may dissolve the parliament if it can no longer function.
Parliamentary monarchy - a state headed by a monarch who is not actively involved in policy formation or implementation (i.e., the exercise of sovereign powers by a monarch in a ceremonial capacity); true governmental leadership is carried out by a cabinet and its head - a prime minister, premier, or chancellor - who are drawn from a legislature (parliament).
Presidential - a system of government where the executive branch exists separately from a legislature (to which it is generally not accountable).
Republic - a representative democracy in which the people's elected deputies (representatives), not the people themselves, vote on legislation.
Socialism - a government in which the means of planning, producing, and distributing goods is controlled by a central government that theoretically seeks a more just and equitable distribution of property and labor; in actuality, most socialist governments have ended up being no more than dictatorships over workers by a ruling elite.
Sultanate - similar to a monarchy, but a government in which the supreme power is in the hands of a sultan (the head of a Muslim state); the sultan may be an absolute ruler or a sovereign with constitutionally limited authority.
Theocracy - a form of government in which a Deity is recognized as the supreme civil ruler, but the Deity's laws are interpreted by ecclesiastical authorities (bishops, mullahs, etc.); a government subject to religious authority.
Totalitarian - a government that seeks to subordinate the individual to the state by controlling not only all political and economic matters, but also the attitudes, values, and beliefs of its population.
Greenwich Mean Time (GMT): The mean solar time at the Greenwich Meridian, Greenwich, England, with the hours and days, since 1925, reckoned from midnight. GMT is now a historical term having been replaced by UTC on 1 January 1972. See Coordinated Universal Time.
Gross domestic product: see GDP
Gross national product: see GNP
Gross world product: see GWP
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: This entry gives an estimate of the percentage of adults (aged 15-49) living with HIV/AIDS. The adult prevalence rate is calculated by dividing the estimated number of adults living with HIV/AIDS at yearend by the total adult population at yearend.
HIV/AIDS - deaths: This entry gives an estimate of the number of adults and children who died of AIDS during a given calendar year.
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: This entry gives an estimate of all people (adults and children) alive at yearend with HIV infection, whether or not they have developed symptoms of AIDS.
Heliports: This entry gives the total number of heliports with hard- surface runways, helipads, or landing areas that support routine sustained helicopter operations exclusively and have support facilities including one or more of the following facilities: lighting, fuel, passenger handling, or maintenance. It includes former airports used exclusively for helicopter operations but excludes heliports limited to day operations and natural clearings that could support helicopter landings and takeoffs.
Household income or consumption by percentage share: Data on household income or consumption come from household surveys, the results adjusted for household size. Nations use different standards and procedures in collecting and adjusting the data. Surveys based on income will normally show a more unequal distribution than surveys based on consumption. The quality of surveys is improving with time, yet caution is still necessary in making inter-country comparisons.
Hydrographic data codes: see Data codes
Illicit drugs: This entry gives information on the five categories of illicit drugs - narcotics, stimulants, depressants (sedatives), hallucinogens, and cannabis. These categories include many drugs legally produced and prescribed by doctors as well as those illegally produced and sold outside of medical channels.
Cannabis (Cannabis sativa) is the common hemp plant, which provides hallucinogens with some sedative properties, and includes marijuana (pot, Acapulco gold, grass, reefer), tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, Marinol), hashish (hash), and hashish oil (hash oil).
Coca (mostly Erythroxylum coca) is a bush with leaves that contain the stimulant used to make cocaine. Coca is not to be confused with cocoa, which comes from cacao seeds and is used in making chocolate, cocoa, and cocoa butter.
Cocaine is a stimulant derived from the leaves of the coca bush.
Depressants (sedatives) are drugs that reduce tension and anxiety and include chloral hydrate, barbiturates (Amytal, Nembutal, Seconal, phenobarbital), benzodiazepines (Librium, Valium), methaqualone (Quaalude), glutethimide (Doriden), and others (Equanil, Placidyl, Valmid).
Drugs are any chemical substances that effect a physical, mental, emotional, or behavioral change in an individual.
Drug abuse is the use of any licit or illicit chemical substance that results in physical, mental, emotional, or behavioral impairment in an individual.
Hallucinogens are drugs that affect sensation, thinking, self- awareness, and emotion. Hallucinogens include LSD (acid, microdot), mescaline and peyote (mexc, buttons, cactus), amphetamine variants (PMA, STP, DOB), phencyclidine (PCP, angel dust, hog), phencyclidine analogues (PCE, PCPy, TCP), and others (psilocybin, psilocyn).
Hashish is the resinous exudate of the cannabis or hemp plant (Cannabis sativa).
Heroin is a semisynthetic derivative of morphine.
Mandrax is a trade name for methaqualone, a pharmaceutical depressant.
Marijuana is the dried leaf of the cannabis or hemp plant (Cannabis sativa).
Methaqualone is a pharmaceutical depressant, referred to as mandrax in
Southwest Asia and Africa.
Narcotics are drugs that relieve pain, often induce sleep, and refer to opium, opium derivatives, and synthetic substitutes. Natural narcotics include opium (paregoric, parepectolin), morphine (MS-Contin, Roxanol), codeine (Tylenol with codeine, Empirin with codeine, Robitussin AC), and thebaine. Semisynthetic narcotics include heroin (horse, smack), and hydromorphone (Dilaudid). Synthetic narcotics include meperidine or Pethidine (Demerol, Mepergan), methadone (Dolophine, Methadose), and others (Darvon, Lomotil).
Opium is the brown, gummy exudate of the incised, unripe seedpod of the opium poppy.
Opium poppy (Papaver somniferum) is the source for the natural and semisynthetic narcotics.
Poppy straw is the entire cut and dried opium poppy-plant material, other than the seeds. Opium is extracted from poppy straw in commercial operations that produce the drug for medical use.
Qat (kat, khat) is a stimulant from the buds or leaves of Catha edulis that is chewed or drunk as tea.
Quaaludes is the North American slang term for methaqualone, a pharmaceutical depressant.
Stimulants are drugs that relieve mild depression, increase energy and
activity, and include cocaine (coke, snow, crack), amphetamines
(Desoxyn, Dexedrine), ephedrine, ecstasy (clarity, essence, doctor,
Adam), phenmetrazine (Preludin), methylphenidate (Ritalin), and others
(Cylert, Sanorex, Tenuate).
Imports: This entry provides the total US dollar amount of merchandise imports on a c.i.f. (cost, insurance, and freight) or f.o.b. (free on board) basis. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.
Imports - commodities: This entry provides a listing of the highest- valued imported products; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value.
Imports - partners: This entry provides a rank ordering of trading partners starting with the most important; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value.
Independence: For most countries, this entry gives the date that sovereignty was achieved and from which nation, empire, or trusteeship. For the other countries, the date given may not represent "independence" in the strict sense, but rather some significant nationhood event such as the traditional founding date or the date of unification, federation, confederation, establishment, fundamental change in the form of government, or state succession. Dependent areas include the notation "none" followed by the nature of their dependency status. Also see the Terminology note.
Industrial production growth rate: This entry gives the annual percentage increase in industrial production (includes manufacturing, mining, and construction).
Industries: This entry provides a rank ordering of industries starting with the largest by value of annual output.
Infant mortality rate: This entry gives the number of deaths of infants under one year old in a given year per 1,000 live births in the same year; included is the total death rate, and deaths by sex, male and female. This rate is often used as an indicator of the level of health in a country.
Inflation rate (consumer prices): This entry furnishes the annual percent change in consumer prices compared with the previous year's consumer prices.
International disputes: see Disputes - international
International organization participation: This entry lists in alphabetical order by abbreviation those international organizations in which the subject country is a member or participates in some other way.
International organizations: This information is presented in Appendix B: International Organizations and Groups which includes the name, abbreviation, date established, aim, and members by category.
Internet country code: This entry includes the two-letter codes 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).
Internet hosts: This entry lists the number of Internet hosts available within a country. An Internet host is a computer connected directly to the Internet; normally an Internet Service Provider's (ISP) computer is a host. Internet users may use either a hard-wired terminal, at an institution with a mainframe computer connected directly to the Internet, or may connect remotely by way of a modem via telephone line, cable, or satellite to the Internet Service Provider's host computer. The number of hosts is one indicator of the extent of Internet connectivity.
Internet users: This entry gives the number of users within a country that access the Internet. Statistics vary from country to country and may include users who access the Internet at least several times a week to those who access it only once within a period of several months.
Introduction: This category includes one entry, Background.
Investment (gross fixed): This entry records total business spending on fixed assets, such as factories, machinery, equipment, dwellings, and inventories of raw materials, which provide the basis for future production. It is measured gross of the depreciation of the assets, i.e., it includes investment that merely replaces worn-out or scrapped capital.
Irrigated land: This entry gives the number of square kilometers of land area that is artificially supplied with water.
Judicial branch: This entry contains the name(s) of the highest court(s) and a brief description of the selection process for members.
Labor force: This entry contains the total labor force figure.
Labor force - by occupation: This entry lists the percentage distribution of the labor force by occupation. The distribution will total less than 100 percent if the data are incomplete.
Land boundaries: This entry contains the total length of all land boundaries and the individual lengths for each of the contiguous border countries. When available, official lengths published by national statistical agencies are used. Because surveying methods may differ, country border lengths reported by contiguous countries may differ.
Land use: This entry contains the percentage shares of total land area for three different types of land use: arable land - land cultivated for crops like wheat, maize, and rice that are replanted after each harvest; permanent crops - land cultivated for crops like citrus, coffee, and rubber that are not replanted after each harvest; includes land under flowering shrubs, fruit trees, nut trees, and vines, but excludes land under trees grown for wood or timber; other - any land not arable or under permanent crops; includes permanent meadows and pastures, forests and woodlands, built-on areas, roads, barren land, etc.
Languages: This entry provides a rank ordering of languages starting with the largest and sometimes includes the percent of total population speaking that language.
Legal system: This entry contains a brief description of the legal system's historical roots, role in government, and acceptance of International Court of Justice (ICJ) jurisdiction.
Legislative branch: This entry contains information on the structure (unicameral, bicameral, tricameral), formal name, number of seats, and term of office. Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote and/or number of seats held by each party in the last election.
Life expectancy at birth: This entry contains the average number of years to be lived by a group of people born in the same year, if mortality at each age remains constant in the future. The entry includes total population as well as the male and female components. Life expectancy at birth is also a measure of overall quality of life in a country and summarizes the mortality at all ages. It can also be thought of as indicating the potential return on investment in human capital and is necessary for the calculation of various actuarial measures.
Literacy: This entry includes a definition of literacy and Census Bureau percentages for the total population, males, and females. There are no universal definitions and standards of literacy. Unless otherwise specified, all rates are based on the most common definition - the ability to read and write at a specified age. Detailing the standards that individual countries use to assess the ability to read and write is beyond the scope of the Factbook. Information on literacy, while not a perfect measure of educational results, is probably the most easily available and valid for international comparisons. Low levels of literacy, and education in general, can impede the economic development of a country in the current rapidly changing, technology- driven world.
Location: This entry identifies the country's regional location, neighboring countries, and adjacent bodies of water.
Major infectious diseases: This entry lists major infectious diseases likely to be encountered in countries where the risk of such diseases is assessed to be very high as compared to the United States. These infectious diseases represent risks to US government personnel traveling to the specified country for a period of less than three years. The degree of risk is assessed by considering the foreign nature of these infectious diseases, their severity, and the probability of being affected by the diseases present. The diseases listed do not necessarily represent the total disease burden experienced by the local population.
The risk to an individual traveler varies considerably by the specific location, visit duration, type of activities, type of accommodations, time of year, and other factors. Consultation with a travel medicine physician is needed to evaluate individual risk and recommend appropriate preventive measures such as vaccines.
Diseases are organized into the following six exposure categories shown in italics and listed in typical descending order of risk. Note: The sequence of exposure categories listed in individual country entries may vary according to local conditions.
food or waterborne diseases acquired through eating or drinking on the local economy:
Hepatitis A - viral disease that interferes with the functioning of the liver; spread through consumption of food or water contaminated with fecal matter, principally in areas of poor sanitation; victims exhibit fever, jaundice, and diarrhea; 15% of victims will experience prolonged symptoms over 6-9 months; vaccine available.
Hepatitis E - water-borne viral disease that interferes with the functioning of the liver; most commonly spread through fecal contamination of drinking water; victims exhibit jaundice, fatigue, abdominal pain, and dark colored urine.
Typhoid fever - bacterial disease spread through contact with food or water contaminated by fecal matter or sewage; victims exhibit sustained high fevers; left untreated, mortality rates can reach 20%.
vectorborne diseases acquired through the bite of an infected arthropod:
Malaria - caused by single-cell parasitic protozoa Plasmodium; transmitted to humans via the bite of the female Anopheles mosquito; parasites multiply in the liver attacking red blood cells resulting in cycles of fever, chills, and sweats accompanied by anemia; death due to damage to vital organs and interruption of blood supply to the brain; endemic in 100, mostly tropical, countries with 90% of cases and the majority of 1.5-2.5 million estimated annual deaths occurring in sub- Saharan Africa.
Dengue fever - mosquito-borne (Aedes aegypti) viral disease associated with urban environments; manifests as sudden onset of fever and severe headache; occasionally produces shock and hemorrhage leading to death in 5% of cases.
Yellow fever - mosquito-borne viral disease; severity ranges from influenza-like symptoms to severe hepatitis and hemorrhagic fever; occurs only in tropical South America and sub-Saharan Africa, where most cases are reported; fatality rate is less than 20%.
Japanese Encephalitis - mosquito-borne (Culex tritaeniorhynchus) viral disease associated with rural areas in Asia; acute encephalitis can progress to paralysis, coma, and death; fatality rates 30%.
African Trypanosomiasis - caused by the parasitic protozoa Trypanosoma; transmitted to humans via the bite of bloodsucking Tsetse flies; infection leads to malaise and irregular fevers and, in advanced cases when the parasites invade the central nervous system, coma and death; endemic in 36 countries of sub-Saharan Africa; cattle and wild animals act as reservoir hosts for the parasites.
Cutaneous Leishmaniasis - caused by the parasitic protozoa leishmania; transmitted to humans via the bite of sandflies; results in skin lesions that may become chronic; endemic in 88 countries; 90% of cases occur in Iran, Afghanistan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, and Peru; wild and domesticated animals as well as humans can act as reservoirs of infection.
Plague - bacterial disease transmitted by fleas normally associated with rats; person-to-person airborne transmission also possible; recent plague epidemics occurred in areas of Asia, Africa, and South America associated with rural areas or small towns and villages; manifests as fever, headache, and painfully swollen lymph nodes; disease progresses rapidly and without antibiotic treatment leads to pneumonic form with a death rate in excess of 50%.
Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever - tick-borne viral disease; infection may also result from exposure to infected animal blood or tissue; geographic distribution includes Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe; sudden onset of fever, headache, and muscle aches followed by hemorrhaging in the bowels, urine, nose, and gums; mortality rate is approximately 30%.
Rift Valley fever - viral disease affecting domesticated animals and humans; transmission is by mosquito and other biting insects; infection may also occur through handling of infected meat or contact with blood; geographic distribution includes eastern and southern Africa where cattle and sheep are raised; symptoms are generally mild with fever and some liver abnormalities, but the disease may progress to hemorrhagic fever, encephalitis, or ocular disease; fatality rates are low at about 1% of cases.
Chikungunya - mosquito-borne (Aedes aegypti) viral disease associated with urban environments, similar to Dengue Fever; characterized by sudden onset of fever, rash, and severe joint pain usually lasting 3-7 days, some cases result in persistent arthritis.
water contact diseases acquired through swimming or wading in freshwater lakes, streams, and rivers:
Leptospirosis - bacterial disease that affects animals and humans; infection occurs through contact with water, food, or soil contaminated by animal urine; symptoms include high fever, severe headache, vomiting, jaundice, and diarrhea; untreated, the disease can result in kidney damage, liver failure, meningitis, or respiratory distress; fatality rates are low but left untreated recovery can take months.
Schistosomiasis - caused by parasitic trematode flatworm Schistosoma; fresh water snails act as intermediate host and release larval form of parasite that penetrates the skin of people exposed to contaminated water; worms mature and reproduce in the blood vessels, liver, kidneys, and intestines releasing eggs, which become trapped in tissues triggering an immune response; may manifest as either urinary or intestinal disease resulting in decreased work or learning capacity; mortality, while generally low, may occur in advanced cases usually due to bladder cancer; endemic in 74 developing countries with 80% of infected people living in sub-Saharan Africa; humans act as the reservoir for this parasite.
aerosolized dust or soil contact disease acquired through inhalation of aerosols contaminated with rodent urine:
Lassa fever - viral disease carried by rats of the genus Mastomys; endemic in portions of West Africa; infection occurs through direct contact with or consumption of food contaminated by rodent urine or fecal matter containing virus particles; fatality rate can reach 50% in epidemic outbreaks.
respiratory disease acquired through close contact with an infectious person:
Meningococcal meningitis - bacterial disease causing an inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord; one of the most important bacterial pathogens is Neisseria meningitidis because of its potential to cause epidemics; symptoms include stiff neck, high fever, headaches, and vomiting; bacteria are transmitted from person to person by respiratory droplets and facilitated by close and prolonged contact resulting from crowded living conditions, often with a seasonal distribution; death occurs in 5-15% of cases, typically within 24-48 hours of onset of symptoms; highest burden of meningococcal disease occurs in the hyperendemic region of sub-Saharan Africa known as the "Meningitis Belt" which stretches from Senegal east to Ethiopia.
animal contact disease acquired through direct contact with local animals:
Rabies - viral disease of mammals usually transmitted through the bite of an infected animal, most commonly dogs; virus affects the central nervous system causing brain alteration and death; symptoms initially are non-specific fever and headache progressing to neurological symptoms; death occurs within days of the onset of symptoms.
Manpower available for military service: This entry gives the number of males and females falling in the military age range for a country (defined as being ages 16-49) and assumes that every individual is fit to serve.
Manpower fit for military service: This entry gives the number of males and females falling in the military age range for a country (defined as being ages 16-49) and who are not otherwise disqualified for health reasons; accounts for the health situation in the country and provides a more realistic estimate of the actual number fit to serve.
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: This entry gives the number of males and females entering the military manpower pool (i.e., reaching age 16) in any given year and is a measure of the availability of military-age young adults.
Map references: This entry includes the name of the Factbook reference map on which a country may be found. Note that boundary representations on these maps are not necessarily authoritative. The entry on Geographic coordinates may be helpful in finding some smaller countries.
Maritime claims: This entry includes the following claims, the definitions of which are excerpted from the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which alone contains the full and definitive descriptions:
territorial sea - the sovereignty of a coastal state extends beyond its land territory and internal waters to an adjacent belt of sea, described as the territorial sea in the UNCLOS (Part II); this sovereignty extends to the air space over the territorial sea as well as its underlying seabed and subsoil; every state has the right to establish the breadth of its territorial sea up to a limit not exceeding 12 nautical miles; the normal baseline for measuring the breadth of the territorial sea is the mean low-water line along the coast as marked on large-scale charts officially recognized by the coastal state; the UNCLOS describes specific rules for archipelagic states.
contiguous zone - according to the UNCLOS (Article 33), this is a zone contiguous to a coastal state's territorial sea, over which it may exercise the control necessary to: prevent infringement of its customs, fiscal, immigration, or sanitary laws and regulations within its territory or territorial sea; punish infringement of the above laws and regulations committed within its territory or territorial sea; the contiguous zone may not extend beyond 24 nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured (e.g. the US has claimed a 12-nautical mile contiguous zone in addition to its 12-nautical mile territorial sea).
exclusive economic zone (EEZ) - the UNCLOS (Part V) defines the EEZ as a zone beyond and adjacent to the territorial sea in which a coastal state has: sovereign rights for the purpose of exploring and exploiting, conserving and managing the natural resources, whether living or non-living, of the waters superjacent to the seabed and of the seabed and its subsoil, and with regard to other activities for the economic exploitation and exploration of the zone, such as the production of energy from the water, currents, and winds; jurisdiction with regard to the establishment and use of artificial islands, installations, and structures; marine scientific research; the protection and preservation of the marine environment; the outer limit of the exclusive economic zone shall not exceed 200 nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured.
continental shelf - the UNCLOS (Article 76) defines the continental shelf of a coastal state as comprising the seabed and subsoil of the submarine areas that extend beyond its territorial sea throughout the natural prolongation of its land territory to the outer edge of the continental margin, or to a distance of 200 nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured where the outer edge of the continental margin does not extend up to that distance; the continental margin comprises the submerged prolongation of the landmass of the coastal state, and consists of the seabed and subsoil of the shelf, the slope and the rise; wherever the continental margin extends beyond 200 nautical miles from the baseline, coastal states may extend their claim to a distance not to exceed 350 nautical miles from the baseline or 100 nautical miles from the 2500 meter isobath; it does not include the deep ocean floor with its oceanic ridges or the subsoil thereof.
exclusive fishing zone - while this term is not used in the UNCLOS, some states (e.g., the United Kingdom) have chosen not to claim an EEZ, but rather to claim jurisdiction over the living resources off their coast; in such cases, the term exclusive fishing zone is often used; the breadth of this zone is normally the same as the EEZ or 200 nautical miles.
Market value of publicly traded shares: This entry gives the value of shares issued by publicly traded companies at a price determined in the national stock markets on the final day of the period indicated. It is simply the latest price per share multiplied by the total number of outstanding shares, cumulated over all companies listed on the particular exchange.
Median age: This entry is the age that divides a population into two numerically equal groups; that is, half the people are younger than this age and half are older. It is a single index that summarizes the age distribution of a population. Currently, the median age ranges from a low of about 15 in Uganda and Gaza Strip to 40 or more in several European countries and Japan. See the entry for "Age structure" for the importance of a young versus an older age structure and, by implication, a low versus a higher median age.
Merchant marine: Merchant marine may be defined as all ships engaged in the carriage of goods; or all commercial vessels (as opposed to all nonmilitary ships), which excludes tugs, fishing vessels, offshore oil rigs, etc. This entry contains information in four fields - total, ships by type, foreign-owned, and registered in other countries.
Total includes the number of ships (1,000 GRT or over), total DWT for those ships, and total GRT for those ships. DWT or dead weight tonnage is the total weight of cargo, plus bunkers, stores, etc., that a ship can carry when immersed to the appropriate load line. GRT or gross register tonnage is a figure obtained by measuring the entire sheltered volume of a ship available for cargo and passengers and converting it to tons on the basis of 100 cubic feet per ton; there is no stable relationship between GRT and DWT.
Ships by type includes a listing of barge carriers, bulk cargo ships, cargo ships, chemical tankers, combination bulk carriers, combination ore/oil carriers, container ships, liquefied gas tankers, livestock carriers, multifunctional large-load carriers, petroleum tankers, passenger ships, passenger/cargo ships, railcar carriers, refrigerated cargo ships, roll-on/roll-off cargo ships, short-sea passenger ships, specialized tankers, and vehicle carriers.
Foreign-owned are ships that fly the flag of one country but belong to owners in another.
Registered in other countries are ships that belong to owners in one country but fly the flag of another.
Military: This category includes the entries dealing with a country's military structure, manpower, and expenditures.
Military - note: This entry includes miscellaneous military information of significance not included elsewhere.
Military branches: This entry lists the service branches subordinate to defense ministries or the equivalent (typically ground, naval, air, and marine forces).
Military expenditures: This entry gives spending on defense programs for the most recent year available as a percent of gross domestic product (GDP); the GDP is calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in terms of purchasing power parity (PPP).
Military service age and obligation: This entry gives the required ages for voluntary or conscript military service and the length of service obligation.
Money figures: All money figures are expressed in contemporaneous US dollars unless otherwise indicated.
National holiday: This entry gives the primary national day of celebration - usually independence day.
Nationality: This entry provides the identifying terms for citizens - noun and adjective.
Natural gas - consumption: This entry is the total natural gas consumed in cubic meters (cu m). The discrepancy between the amount of natural gas produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock changes and other complicating factors.
Natural gas - exports: This entry is the total natural gas exported in cubic meters (cu m).
Natural gas - imports: This entry is the total natural gas imported in cubic meters (cu m).
Natural gas - production: This entry is the total natural gas produced in cubic meters (cu m). The discrepancy between the amount of natural gas produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock changes and other complicating factors.
Natural gas - proved reserves: This entry is the stock of proved reserves of natural gas in cubic meters (cu m). Proved reserves are those quantities of natural gas, which, by analysis of geological and engineering data, can be estimated with a high degree of confidence to be commercially recoverable from a given date forward, from known reservoirs and under current economic conditions.
Natural hazards: This entry lists potential natural disasters.
Natural resources: This entry lists a country's mineral, petroleum, hydropower, and other resources of commercial importance.
Net migration rate: This entry includes the figure for the difference between the number of persons entering and leaving a country during the year per 1,000 persons (based on midyear population). An excess of persons entering the country is referred to as net immigration (e.g., 3.56 migrants/1,000 population); an excess of persons leaving the country as net emigration (e.g., -9.26 migrants/1,000 population). The net migration rate indicates the contribution of migration to the overall level of population change. High levels of migration can cause problems such as increasing unemployment and potential ethnic strife (if people are coming in) or a reduction in the labor force, perhaps in certain key sectors (if people are leaving).
Oil - consumption: This entry is the total oil consumed in barrels per day (bbl/day). The discrepancy between the amount of oil produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock changes, refinery gains, and other complicating factors.
Oil - exports: This entry is the total oil exported in barrels per day (bbl/day), including both crude oil and oil products.
Oil - imports: This entry is the total oil imported in barrels per day (bbl/day), including both crude oil and oil products.
Oil - production: This entry is the total oil produced in barrels per day (bbl/day). The discrepancy between the amount of oil produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock changes, refinery gains, and other complicating factors.
Oil - proved reserves: This entry is the stock of proved reserves of crude oil in barrels (bbl). Proved reserves are those quantities of petroleum which, by analysis of geological and engineering data, can be estimated with a high degree of confidence to be commercially recoverable from a given date forward, from known reservoirs and under current economic conditions.
People: This category includes the entries dealing with the characteristics of the people and their society.
People - note: This entry includes miscellaneous demographic information of significance not included elsewhere.
Personal Names - Capitalization: The Factbook capitalizes the surname or family name of individuals for the convenience of our users who are faced with a world of different cultures and naming conventions. The need for capitalization, bold type, underlining, italics, or some other indicator of the individual's surname is apparent in the following examples: MAO Zedong, Fidel CASTRO Ruz, George W. BUSH, and TUNKU SALAHUDDIN Abdul Aziz Shah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Hisammuddin Alam Shah. By knowing the surname, a short form without all capital letters can be used with confidence as in President Castro, Chairman Mao, President Bush, or Sultan Tunku Salahuddin. The same system of capitalization is extended to the names of leaders with surnames that are not commonly used such as Queen ELIZABETH II. For Vietnamese names, the given name is capitalized because officials are referred to by their given name rather than by their surname. For example, the president of Vietnam is Tran Duc LUONG. His surname is Tran, but he is referred to by his given name - President LUONG.
Personal Names - Spelling: The romanization of personal names in the Factbook normally follows the same transliteration system used by the US Board on Geographic Names for spelling place names. At times, however, a foreign leader expressly indicates a preference for, or the media or official documents regularly use, a romanized spelling that differs from the transliteration derived from the US Government standard. In such cases, the Factbook uses the alternative spelling.
Personal Names - Titles: The Factbook capitalizes any valid title (or short form of it) immediately preceding a person's name. A title standing alone is not capitalized. Examples: President PUTIN and President BUSH are chiefs of state. In Russia, the president is chief of state and the premier is the head of the government, while in the US, the president is both chief of state and head of government.
Petroleum: See entries under Oil.
Petroleum products: See entries under Oil.
Pipelines: This entry gives the lengths and types of pipelines for transporting products like natural gas, crude oil, or petroleum products.
Political parties and leaders: This entry includes a listing of significant political organizations and their leaders.
Political pressure groups and leaders: This entry includes a listing of a country's political, social, labor, or religious organizations that are involved in politics, or that exert political pressure, but whose leaders do not stand for legislative election. International movements or organizations are generally not listed.
Population: This entry gives an estimate from the US Bureau of the Census based on statistics from population censuses, vital statistics registration systems, or sample surveys pertaining to the recent past and on assumptions about future trends. The total population presents one overall measure of the potential impact of the country on the world and within its region. Note: Starting with the 1993 Factbook, demographic estimates for some countries (mostly African) have explicitly taken into account the effects of the growing impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. These countries are currently: The Bahamas, Benin, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Population growth rate: The average annual percent change in the population, resulting from a surplus (or deficit) of births over deaths and the balance of migrants entering and leaving a country. The rate may be positive or negative. The growth rate is a factor in determining how great a burden would be imposed on a country by the changing needs of its people for infrastructure (e.g., schools, hospitals, housing, roads), resources (e.g., food, water, electricity), and jobs. Rapid population growth can be seen as threatening by neighboring countries.
Ports and terminals: This entry lists major ports and terminals primarily on the basis of the amount of cargo tonnage shipped through the facilities on an annual basis. In some instances, the number of containers handled or ship visits were also considered.
Public debt: This entry records the cumulative total of all government borrowings less repayments that are denominated in a country's home currency. Public debt should not be confused with external debt, which reflects the foreign currency liabilities of both the private and public sector and must be financed out of foreign exchange earnings.
Radio broadcast stations: This entry includes the total number of AM,
FM, and shortwave broadcast stations.
Railways: This entry states the total route length of the railway network and of its component parts by gauge: broad, standard, narrow, and dual. Other gauges are listed under note.
Reference maps: This section includes world and regional maps.
Refugees and internally displaced persons: This entry includes those persons residing in a country as refugees or internally displaced persons (IDPs). The definition of a refugee according to a United Nations Convention is "a person who is outside his/her country of nationality or habitual residence; has a well-founded fear of persecution because of his/her race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion; and is unable or unwilling to avail himself/herself of the protection of that country, or to return there, for fear of persecution." The UN established the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in 1950 to handle refugee matters worldwide. The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has a different operational definition for a Palestinian refugee: "a person whose normal place of residence was Palestine during the period 1 June 1946 to 15 May 1948 and who lost both home and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 conflict." However, UNHCR also assists some 400,000 Palestinian refugees not covered under the UNRWA definition. The term "internally displaced person" is not specifically covered in the UN Convention; it is used to describe people who have fled their homes for reasons similar to refugees, but who remain within their own national territory and are subject to the laws of that state.
Religions: This entry is an ordered listing of religions by adherents starting with the largest group and sometimes includes the percent of total population. The core characteristics and beliefs of the world's major religions are described below.
Baha'i - Founded by Mirza Husayn-Ali (known as Baha'u'llah) in Iran in 1852, Baha'i faith emphasizes monotheism and believes in one eternal transcendent God. Its guiding focus is to encourage the unity of all peoples on the earth so that justice and peace may be achieved on earth. Baha'i revelation contends the prophets of major world religions reflect some truth or element of the divine, believes all were manifestations of God given to specific communities in specific times, and that Baha'u'llah is an additional prophet meant to call all humankind. Bahais are an open community, located worldwide, with the greatest concentration of believers in South Asia.
Buddhism - Religion or philosophy inspired by the 5th century B.C. teachings of Siddhartha Gautama (also known as Gautama Buddha "the enlightened one"). Buddhism focuses on the goal of spiritual enlightenment centered on an understanding of Gautama Buddha's Four Noble Truths on the nature of suffering, and on the Eightfold Path of spiritual and moral practice, to break the cycle of suffering of which we are a part. Buddhism ascribes to a karmic system of rebirth. Several schools and sects of Buddhism exist, differing often on the nature of the Buddha, the extent to which enlightenment can be achieved - for one or for all, and by whom - religious orders or laity.
Basic Groupings
Theravada Buddhism: The oldest Buddhist school, Theravada is practiced mostly in Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Laos, Burma, and Thailand, with minority representation elsewhere in Asia and the West. Theravadans follow the Pali Canon of Buddha's teachings, and believe that one may escape the cycle of rebirth, worldly attachment, and suffering for oneself; this process may take one or several lifetimes.
Mahayana Buddhism, including subsets Zen and Tibetan Buddhism: Forms of Mahayana Buddhism are common in East Asia and Tibet, and parts of the West. Mahayanas have additional scriptures beyond the Pali Canon and believe the Buddha is eternal and still teaching. Unlike Theravada Buddhism, Mahayana schools maintain the Buddha-nature is present in all beings and all will ultimately achieve enlightenment.
Christianity - Descending from Judaism, Christianity's central belief maintains Jesus of Nazareth is the promised messiah of the Hebrew Scriptures, and that his life, death, and resurrection are salvific for the world. Christianity is one of the three monotheistic Abrahamic faiths, along with Islam and Judaism, which traces its spiritual lineage to Abraham of the Hebrew Scriptures. Its sacred texts include the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament (or the Christian Gospels).
Basic Groupings
Catholicism (or Roman Catholicism): This is the oldest established western Christian church and the world's largest single religious body. It is supranational, and recognizes a hierarchical structure with the Pope, or Bishop of Rome, as its head, located at the Vatican. Catholics believe the Pope is the divinely ordered head of the Church from a direct spiritual legacy of Jesus' apostle Peter. Catholicism is comprised of 23 particular Churches, or Rites - one Western (Latin- Rite) and 22 Eastern. The Latin Rite is by far the largest, making up about 98% of Catholic membership. Eastern-Rite Churches, such as the Maronite Church and the Ukrainian Catholic Church, are in communion with Rome although they preserve their own worship traditions and their immediate hierarchy consists of clergy within their own rite. The Catholic Church has a comprehensive theological and moral doctrine specified for believers in its catechism, which makes it unique among most forms of Christianity.
Mormonism (including the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints): Originating in 1830 in the United States under Joseph Smith, Mormonism is not characterized as a form of Protestant Christianity because it claims additional revealed Christian scriptures after the Hebrew Bible and New Testament. The Book of Mormon maintains there was an appearance of Jesus in the New World following the Christian account of his resurrection, and that the Americas are uniquely blessed continents. Mormonism believes earlier Christian traditions, such as the Roman Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant reform faiths, are apostasies and that Joseph Smith's revelation of the Book of Mormon is a restoration of true Christianity. Mormons have a hierarchical religious leadership structure, and actively proselytize their faith; they are located primarily in the Americas and in a number of other Western countries.
Orthodox Christianity: The oldest established eastern form of Christianity, the Holy Orthodox Church, has a ceremonial head in the Bishop of Constantinople (Istanbul), also known as a Patriarch, but its various regional forms (e.g., Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, Serbian Orthodox, Ukrainian Orthodox) are autocephalous (independent of Constantinople's authority, and have their own Patriarchs). Orthodox churches are highly nationalist and ethnic. The Orthodox Christian faith shares many theological tenets with the Roman Catholic Church, but diverges on some key premises and does not recognize the governing authority of the Pope.
Protestant Christianity: Protestant Christianity originated in the 16th century as an attempt to reform Roman Catholicism's practices, dogma, and theology. It encompasses several forms or denominations which are extremely varied in structure, beliefs, relationship to state, clergy, and governance. Many protestant theologies emphasize the primary role of scripture in their faith, advocating individual interpretation of Christian texts without the mediation of a final religious authority such as the Roman Pope. The oldest Protestant Christianities include Lutheranism, Calvinism (Presbyterians), and Anglican Christianity (Episcopalians), which have established liturgies, governing structure, and formal clergy. Other variants on Protestant Christianity, including Pentecostal movements and independent churches, may lack one or more of these elements, and their leadership and beliefs are individualized and dynamic.
Hinduism - Originating in the Vedic civilization of India (second and first millennium B.C.), Hinduism is an extremely diverse set of beliefs and practices with no single founder or religious authority. Hinduism has many scriptures; the Vedas, the Upanishads, and the Bhagavad-Gita are among some of the most important. Hindus may worship one or many deities, usually with prayer rituals within their own home. The most common figures of devotion are the gods Vishnu, Shiva, and a mother goddess, Devi. Most Hindus believe the soul, or atman, is eternal, and goes through a cycle of birth, death, and rebirth (samsara) determined by one's positive or negative karma, or the consequences of one's actions. The goal of religious life is to learn to act so as to finally achieve liberation (moksha) of one's soul, escaping the rebirth cycle.
Islam - The third of the monotheistic Abrahamic faiths, Islam originated with the teachings of Muhammad in the 7th century. Muslims believe Muhammad is the final of all religious prophets (beginning with Abraham) and that the Qu'ran, which is the Islamic scripture, was revealed to him by God. Islam derives from the word submission, and obedience to God is a primary theme in this religion. In order to live an Islamic life, believers must follow the five pillars, or tenets, of Islam, which are the testimony of faith (shahada), daily prayer (salah), giving alms (zakah), fasting during Ramadan (sawm), and the pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj).
Basic Groupings
The two primary branches of Islam are Sunni and Shia, which split from each other over a religio-political leadership dispute about the rightful successor to Muhammad. The Shia believe Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law, Ali, was the only divinely ordained Imam (religious leader), while the Sunni maintain the first three caliphs after Muhammad were also legitimate authorities. In modern Islam, Sunnis and Shia continue to have different views of acceptable schools of Islamic jurisprudence, and who is a proper Islamic religious authority. Islam also has an active mystical branch, Sufism, with various Sunni and Shia subsets.
Sunni Islam accounts for over 75% of the world's Muslim population. It recognizes the Abu Bakr as the first caliph after Muhammad. Sunni has four schools of Islamic doctrine and law - Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i, and Hanbali - which uniquely interpret the Hadith, or recorded oral traditions of Muhammad. A Sunni Muslim may elect to follow any one of these schools, as all are considered equally valid.
Shia Islam represents 10-20% of Muslims worldwide, and its distinguishing feature is its reverence for Ali as an infallible, divinely inspired leader, and as the first Imam of the Muslim community after Muhammad. A majority of Shia are known as "Twelvers," because they believe that the 11 familial successor imams after Muhammad culminate in a 12th Imam (al-Mahdi) who is hidden in the world and will reappear at its end to redeem the righteous.
Variants
Ismaili faith: A sect of Shia Islam, its adherents are also known as "Seveners," because they believe that the rightful seventh Imam in Islamic leadership was Isma'il, the elder son of Imam Jafar al-Sadiq. Ismaili tradition awaits the return of the seventh Imam as the Mahdi, or Islamic messianic figure. Ismailis are located in various parts of the world, particularly South Asia and the Levant.
Alawi faith: Another Shia sect of Islam, the name reflects followers' devotion to the religious authority of Ali. Alawites are a closed, secretive religious group who assert they are Shia Muslims, although outside scholars speculate their beliefs may have a syncretic mix with other faiths originating in the Middle East. Alawis live mostly in Syria, Lebanon, and Turkey.
Druze faith: A highly secretive tradition and a closed community that derives from the Ismaili sect of Islam; its core beliefs are thought to emphasize a combination of Gnostic principles believing that the Fatimid caliph, al-Hakin, is the one who embodies the key aspects of goodness of the universe, which are, the intellect, the word, the soul, the preceder, and the follower. The Druze have a key presence in Syria, Lebanon, and Israel.
Jainism - Originating in India, Jain spiritual philosophy believes in an eternal human soul, the eternal universe, and a principle of "the own nature of things." It emphasizes compassion for all living things, seeks liberation of the human soul from reincarnation through enlightenment, and values personal responsibility due to the belief in the immediate consequences of one's behavior. Jain philosophy teaches non-violence and prescribes vegetarianism for monks and laity alike; its adherents are a highly influential religious minority in Indian society.
Judaism - One of the first known monotheistic religions, likely dating to between 2000-1500 B.C., Judaism is the native faith of the Jewish people, based upon the belief in a covenant of responsibility between a sole omnipotent creator God and Abraham, the patriarch of Judaism's Hebrew Bible, or Tanakh. Divine revelation of principles and prohibitions in the Hebrew Scriptures form the basis of Jewish law, or halakhah, which is a key component of the faith. While there are extensive traditions of Jewish halakhic and theological discourse, there is no final dogmatic authority in the tradition. Local communities have their own religious leadership. Modern Judaism has three basic categories of faith: Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform/Liberal. These differ in their views and observance of Jewish law, with the Orthodox representing the most traditional practice, and Reform/Liberal communities the most accommodating of individualized interpretations of Jewish identity and faith.
Shintoism - A native animist tradition of Japan, Shinto practice is based upon the premise that every being and object has its own spirit or kami. Shinto practitioners worship several particular kamis, including the kamis of nature, and families often have shrines to their ancestors' kamis. Shintoism has no fixed tradition of prayers or prescribed dogma, but is characterized by individual ritual. Respect for the kamis in nature is a key Shinto value. Prior to the end of World War II, Shinto was the state religion of Japan, and bolstered the cult of the Japanese emperor.
Sikhism - Founded by the Guru Nanak (born 1469), Sikhism believes in a non-anthropomorphic, supreme, eternal, creator God; centering one's devotion to God is seen as a means of escaping the cycle of rebirth. Sikhs follow the teachings of Nanak and nine subsequent gurus. Their scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib - also known as the Adi Granth - is considered the living Guru, or final authority of Sikh faith and theology. Sikhism emphasizes equality of humankind and disavows caste, class, or gender discrimination.
Taoism - Chinese philosophy or religion based upon Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching, which centers on belief in the Tao, or the way, as the flow of the universe and the nature of things. Taoism encourages a principle of non-force, or wu-wei, as the means to live harmoniously with the Tao. Taoists believe the esoteric world is made up of a perfect harmonious balance and nature, while in the manifest world - particularly in the body - balance is distorted. The Three Jewels of the Tao - compassion, simplicity, and humility - serve as the basis for Taoist ethics.
Zoroastrianism - Originating from the teachings of Zoroaster in about the 9th or 10th century B.C., Zoroastrianism may be the oldest continuing creedal religion. Its key beliefs center on a transcendent creator God, Ahura Mazda, and the concept of free will. The key ethical tenets of Zoroastrianism expressed in its scripture, the Avesta, are based on a dualistic worldview where one may prevent chaos if one chooses to serve God and exercises good thoughts, good words, and good deeds. Zoroastrianism is generally a closed religion and members are almost always born to Zoroastrian parents. Prior to the spread of Islam, Zoroastrianism dominated greater Iran. Today, though a minority, Zoroastrians remain primarily in Iran, India, and Pakistan.
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: This entry gives the dollar value for the stock of all financial assets that are available to the central monetary authority for use in meeting a country's balance of payments needs as of the end-date of the period specified. This category includes not only foreign currency and gold, but also a country's holdings of Special Drawing Rights in the International Monetary Fund, and its reserve position in the Fund.
Roadways: This entry gives the total length of the road network and includes the length of the paved and unpaved portions.
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary): School life expectancy (SLE) is the total number of years of schooling (primary to tertiary) that a child can expect to receive, assuming that the probability of his or her being enrolled in school at any particular future age is equal to the current enrollment ratio at that age. Caution must be maintained when utilizing this indicator in international comparisons. For example, a year or grade completed in one country is not necessarily the same in terms of educational content or quality as a year or grade completed in another country. SLE represents the expected number of years of schooling that will be completed, including years spent repeating one or more grades.
Sex ratio: This entry includes the number of males for each female in five age groups - at birth, under 15 years, 15-64 years, 65 years and over, and for the total population. Sex ratio at birth has recently emerged as an indicator of certain kinds of sex discrimination in some countries. For instance, high sex ratios at birth in some Asian countries are now attributed to sex-selective abortion and infanticide due to a strong preference for sons. This will affect future marriage patterns and fertility patterns. Eventually, it could cause unrest among young adult males who are unable to find partners.
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: This entry gives the cumulative US dollar value of all investments in foreign countries made directly by residents - primarily companies - of the home country, as of the end of the time period indicated. Direct investment excludes investment through purchase of shares.
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: This entry gives the cumulative US dollar value of all investments in the home country made directly by residents - primarily companies - of other countries as of the end of the time period indicated. Direct investment excludes investment through purchase of shares.
Stock of domestic credit: This entry is the total quantity of credit, denominated in the domestic currency, provided by banks to nonbanking institutions. The national currency units have been converted to US dollars at the closing exchange rate on the date of the information.
Stock of money: This entry, also known as "M1," comprises the total quantity of currency in circulation (notes and coins) plus demand deposits denominated in the national currency, held by nonbank financial institutions, state and local governments, nonfinancial public enterprises, and the private sector of the economy. The national currency units have been converted to US dollars at the closing exchange rate on the date of the information.
Stock of quasi money: This entry comprises the total quantity of time and savings deposits denominated in the national currency, held by nonbank financial institutions, state and local governments, nonfinancial public enterprises, and the private sector of the economy. When added together with "M1" the total money supply is known as "M2." The national currency units have been converted to US dollars at the closing exchange rate on the date of the information.
Suffrage: This entry gives the age at enfranchisement and whether the right to vote is universal or restricted.
Telephone numbers: All telephone numbers in The World Factbook consist of the country code in brackets, the city or area code (where required) in parentheses, and the local number. The one component that is not presented is the international access code, which varies from country to country. For example, an international direct dial telephone call placed from the US to Madrid, Spain, would be as follows: 011 [34] (1) 577-xxxx, where 011 is the international access code for station-to- station calls; 01 is for calls other than station-to-station calls, [34] is the country code for Spain, (1) is the city code for Madrid, 577 is the local exchange, and xxxx is the local telephone number. An international direct dial telephone call placed from another country to the US would be as follows: international access code + [1] (202) 939- xxxx, where [ 1] is the country code for the US, (202) is the area code for Washington, DC, 939 is the local exchange, and xxxx is the local telephone number.
Telephone system: This entry includes a brief general assessment of the system with details on the domestic and international components. The following terms and abbreviations are used throughout the entry:
Arabsat - Arab Satellite Communications Organization (Riyadh, Saudi
Arabia).
Autodin - Automatic Digital Network (US Department of Defense).
CB - citizen's band mobile radio communications.
Cellular telephone system - the telephones in this system are radio transceivers, with each instrument having its own private radio frequency and sufficient radiated power to reach the booster station in its area (cell), from which the telephone signal is fed to a telephone exchange.
Central American Microwave System - a trunk microwave radio relay system that links the countries of Central America and Mexico with each other.
Coaxial cable - a multichannel communication cable consisting of a central conducting wire, surrounded by and insulated from a cylindrical conducting shell; a large number of telephone channels can be made available within the insulated space by the use of a large number of carrier frequencies.
Comsat - Communications Satellite Corporation (US).
DSN - Defense Switched Network (formerly Automatic Voice Network or
Autovon); basic general-purpose, switched voice network of the Defense
Communications System (US Department of Defense).
Eutelsat - European Telecommunications Satellite Organization (Paris).
Fiber-optic cable - a multichannel communications cable using a thread of optical glass fibers as a transmission medium in which the signal (voice, video, etc.) is in the form of a coded pulse of light.
GSM - a global system for mobile (cellular) communications devised by the Groupe Special Mobile of the pan-European standardization organization, Conference Europeanne des Posts et Telecommunications (CEPT) in 1982.
HF - high frequency; any radio frequency in the 3,000- to 30,000-kHz range.
Inmarsat - International Maritime Satellite Organization (London); provider of global mobile satellite communications for commercial, distress, and safety applications at sea, in the air, and on land.
Intelsat - International Telecommunications Satellite Organization
(Washington, DC).
Intersputnik - International Organization of Space Communications
(Moscow); first established in the former Soviet Union and the East
European countries, it is now marketing its services worldwide with
earth stations in North America, Africa, and East Asia.
Landline - communication wire or cable of any sort that is installed on poles or buried in the ground.
Marecs - Maritime European Communications Satellite used in the
Inmarsat system on lease from the European Space Agency.
Marisat - satellites of the Comsat Corporation that participate in the
Inmarsat system.
Medarabtel - the Middle East Telecommunications Project of the
International Telecommunications Union (ITU) providing a modern
telecommunications network, primarily by microwave radio relay, linking
Algeria, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Libya, Morocco, Saudi Arabia,
Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, and Yemen; it was initially started in
Morocco in 1970 by the Arab Telecommunications Union (ATU) and was
known at that time as the Middle East Mediterranean Telecommunications
Network.
Microwave radio relay - transmission of long distance telephone calls and television programs by highly directional radio microwaves that are received and sent on from one booster station to another on an optical path.
NMT - Nordic Mobile Telephone; an analog cellular telephone system that was developed jointly by the national telecommunications authorities of the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden).
Orbita - a Russian television service; also the trade name of a packet- switched digital telephone network.
Radiotelephone communications - the two-way transmission and reception of sounds by broadcast radio on authorized frequencies using telephone handsets.
PanAmSat - PanAmSat Corporation (Greenwich, CT).
SAFE - South African Far East Cable
Satellite communication system - a communication system consisting of two or more earth stations and at least one satellite that provide long distance transmission of voice, data, and television; the system usually serves as a trunk connection between telephone exchanges; if the earth stations are in the same country, it is a domestic system.
Satellite earth station - a communications facility with a microwave radio transmitting and receiving antenna and required receiving and transmitting equipment for communicating with satellites.
Satellite link - a radio connection between a satellite and an earth station permitting communication between them, either one-way (down link from satellite to earth station - television receive-only transmission) or two-way (telephone channels).
SHF - super high frequency; any radio frequency in the 3,000- to 30,000-MHz range.
Shortwave - radio frequencies (from 1.605 to 30 MHz) that fall above the commercial broadcast band and are used for communication over long distances.
Solidaridad - geosynchronous satellites in Mexico's system of international telecommunications in the Western Hemisphere.
Statsionar - Russia's geostationary system for satellite telecommunications.
Submarine cable - a cable designed for service under water.
TAT - Trans-Atlantic Telephone; any of a number of high-capacity submarine coaxial telephone cables linking Europe with North America.
Telefax - facsimile service between subscriber stations via the public switched telephone network or the international Datel network.
Telegraph - a telecommunications system designed for unmodulated electric impulse transmission.
Telex - a communication service involving teletypewriters connected by wire through automatic exchanges.
Tropospheric scatter - a form of microwave radio transmission in which the troposphere is used to scatter and reflect a fraction of the incident radio waves back to earth; powerful, highly directional antennas are used to transmit and receive the microwave signals; reliable over-the-horizon communications are realized for distances up to 600 miles in a single hop; additional hops can extend the range of this system for very long distances.
Trunk network - a network of switching centers, connected by multichannel trunk lines.
UHF - ultra high frequency; any radio frequency in the 300- to 3,000-
MHz range.
VHF - very high frequency; any radio frequency in the 30- to 300-MHz range.
Telephones - main lines in use: This entry gives the total number of main telephone lines in use.
Telephones - mobile cellular: This entry gives the total number of mobile cellular telephone subscribers.
Television broadcast stations: This entry gives the total number of separate broadcast stations plus any repeater stations.
Terminology: Due to the highly structured nature of the Factbook database, some collective generic terms have to be used. For example, the word Country in the Country name entry refers to a wide variety of dependencies, areas of special sovereignty, uninhabited islands, and other entities in addition to the traditional countries or independent states. Military is also used as an umbrella term for various civil defense, security, and defense activities in many entries. The Independence entry includes the usual colonial independence dates and former ruling states as well as other significant nationhood dates such as the traditional founding date or the date of unification, federation, confederation, establishment, or state succession that are not strictly independence dates. Dependent areas have the nature of their dependency status noted in this same entry.
Terrain: This entry contains a brief description of the topography.
Time difference: This entry is expressed in The World Factbook in two ways. First, it is stated as the difference in hours between the capital of an entity and Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) during Standard Time. Additionally, the difference in time between the capital of an entity and that observed in Washington, D.C. is also provided. Note that the time difference assumes both locations are simultaneously observing Standard Time or Daylight Saving Time.
Time zones: Ten countries (Australia, Brazil, Canada, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Mexico, New Zealand, Russia, Spain, and the United States) and the island of Greenland observe more than one official time depending on the number of designated time zones within their boundaries. An illustration of time zones throughout the world and within countries can be seen in the Standard Time Zones of the World map included in the Reference Maps section of The World Factbook.
Total fertility rate: This entry gives a figure for the average number of children that would be born per woman if all women lived to the end of their childbearing years and bore children according to a given fertility rate at each age. The total fertility rate (TFR) is a more direct measure of the level of fertility than the crude birth rate, since it refers to births per woman. This indicator shows the potential for population change in the country. A rate of two children per woman is considered the replacement rate for a population, resulting in relative stability in terms of total numbers. Rates above two children indicate populations growing in size and whose median age is declining. Higher rates may also indicate difficulties for families, in some situations, to feed and educate their children and for women to enter the labor force. Rates below two children indicate populations decreasing in size and growing older. Global fertility rates are in general decline and this trend is most pronounced in industrialized countries, especially Western Europe, where populations are projected to decline dramatically over the next 50 years.
Total renewable water resources: This entry provides the long-term average water availability for a country in cubic kilometers of precipitation, recharged ground water, and surface inflows from surrounding countries. The values have been adjusted to account for overlap resulting from surface flow recharge of groundwater sources. Total renewable water resources provides the water total available to a country but does not include water resource totals that have been reserved for upstream or downstream countries through international agreements. Note that these values are averages and do not accurately reflect the total available in any given year. Annual available resources can vary greatly due to short-term and long-term climatic and weather variations.
Trafficking in persons: Trafficking in persons is modern-day slavery, involving victims who are forced, defrauded, or coerced into labor or sexual exploitation. The International Labor Organization (ILO), the UN agency charged with addressing labor standards, employment, and social protection issues, estimates that 12.3 million people worldwide are enslaved in forced labor, bonded labor, forced child labor, sexual servitude, and involuntary servitude at any given time. Human trafficking is a multi-dimensional threat, depriving people of their human rights and freedoms, risking global health, promoting social breakdown, inhibiting development by depriving countries of their human capital, and helping fuel the growth of organized crime. In 2000, the US Congress passed the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA), reauthorized in 2003 and 2005, which provides tools for the US to combat trafficking in persons, both domestically and abroad. One of the law's key components is the creation of the US Department of State's annual Trafficking in Persons Report, which assesses the government response (i.e., the current situation) in some 150 countries with a significant number of victims trafficked across their borders who are recruited, harbored, transported, provided, or obtained for forced labor or sexual exploitation. Countries in the annual report are rated in three tiers, based on government efforts to combat trafficking. The countries identified in this entry are those listed in the 2007 Trafficking in Persons Report as Tier 2 Watch List or Tier 3 based on the following tier rating definitions:
Tier 2 Watch List countries do not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but are making significant efforts to do so, and meet one of the following criteria:
1. they display high or significantly increasing number of victims,
2. they have failed to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in persons, or,
3. they have committed to take action over the next year.
Tier 3 countries neither satisfy the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking nor demonstrate a significant effort to do so. Countries in this tier are subject to potential non-humanitarian and non-trade sanctions.
Transnational issues: This category includes four entries - Disputes - international, Refugees and internally displaced persons, Trafficking in persons, and Illicit drugs - that deal with current issues going beyond national boundaries.
Transportation: This category includes the entries dealing with the means for movement of people and goods.
Transportation - note: This entry includes miscellaneous transportation information of significance not included elsewhere.
UTC (Coordinated Universal Time): See entry for Coordinated Universal
Time.
Unemployment rate: This entry contains the percent of the labor force that is without jobs. Substantial underemployment might be noted.
Waterways: This entry gives the total length of navigable rivers, canals, and other inland bodies of water.
Weights and Measures: This information is presented in Appendix G: Weights and Measures and includes mathematical notations (mathematical powers and names), metric interrelationships (prefix; symbol; length, weight, or capacity; area; volume), and standard conversion factors.
Years: All year references are for the calendar year (CY) unless indicated as fiscal year (FY). The calendar year is an accounting period of 12 months from 1 January to 31 December. The fiscal year is an accounting period of 12 months other than 1 January to 31 December.
Note: Information for the US and US dependencies was compiled from material in the public domain and does not represent Intelligence Community estimates.
This page was last updated on 18 December 2008
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CIA - The World Factbook — History
A Brief History of Basic Intelligence and The World Factbook
The Intelligence Cycle is the process by which information is acquired, converted into intelligence, and made available to policymakers. Information is raw data from any source, data that may be fragmentary, contradictory, unreliable, ambiguous, deceptive, or wrong. Intelligence is information that has been collected, integrated, evaluated, analyzed, and interpreted. Finished intelligence is the final product of the Intelligence Cycle ready to be delivered to the policymaker.
The three types of finished intelligence are: basic, current, and estimative. Basic intelligence provides the fundamental and factual reference material on a country or issue. Current intelligence reports on new developments. Estimative intelligence judges probable outcomes. The three are mutually supportive: basic intelligence is the foundation on which the other two are constructed; current intelligence continually updates the inventory of knowledge; and estimative intelligence revises overall interpretations of country and issue prospects for guidance of basic and current intelligence. The World Factbook , The President's Daily Brief , and the National Intelligence Estimates are examples of the three types of finished intelligence.
The United States has carried on foreign intelligence activities since the days of George Washington but only since World War II have they been coordinated on a government-wide basis. Three programs have highlighted the development of coordinated basic intelligence since that time: (1 ) the Joint Army Navy Intelligence Studies (JANIS), (2 ) the National Intelligence Survey ( NIS ), and (3) The World Factbook .
During World War II, intelligence consumers realized that the production of basic intelligence by different components of the US Government resulted in a great duplication of effort and conflicting information. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 brought home to leaders in Congress and the executive branch the need for integrating departmental reports to national policymakers. Detailed and coordinated information was needed not only on such major powers as Germany and Japan , but also on places of little previous interest. In the Pacific Theater, for example, the Navy and Marines had to launch amphibious operations against many islands about which information was unconfirmed or nonexistent. Intelligence authorities resolved that the United States should never again be caught unprepared.
In 1943, Gen. George B. Strong (G-2), Adm. H. C. Train (Office of Naval Intelligence—ONI), and Gen. William J. Donovan (Director of the Office of Strategic Services—OSS ) decided that a joint effort should be initiated. A steering committee was appointed on 27 April 1943 that recommended the formation of a Joint Intelligence Study Publishing Board to assemble, edit, coordinate, and publish the Joint Army Navy Intelligence Studies (JANIS). JANIS was the first interdepartmental basic intelligence program to fulfill the needs of the US Government for an authoritative and coordinated appraisal of strategic basic intelligence. Between April 1943 and July 1947, the board published 34 JANIS studies. JANIS performed well in the war effort, and numerous letters of commendation were received, including a statement from Adm. Forrest Sherman, Chief of Staff, Pacific Ocean Areas, which said, "JANIS has become the indispensable reference work for the shore-based planners."
The need for more comprehensive basic intelligence in the postwar world was well expressed in 1946 by George S. Pettee, a noted author on national security. He wrote in The Future of American Secret Intelligence (Infantry Journal Press, 1946, page 46) that world leadership in peace requires even more elaborate intelligence than in war. "The conduct of peace involves all countries, all human activities—not just the enemy and his war production."
The Central Intelligence Agency was established on 26 July 1947 and officially began operating on 18 September 1947. Effective 1 October 1947, the Director of Central Intelligence assumed operational responsibility for JANIS. On 13 January 1948, the National Security Council issued Intelligence Directive (NSCID) No. 3, which authorized the National Intelligence Survey ( NIS ) program as a peacetime replacement for the wartime JANIS program. Before adequate NIS country sections could be produced, government agencies had to develop more comprehensive gazetteers and better maps. The US Board on Geographic Names (BGN) compiled the names; the Department of the Interior produced the gazetteers; and CIA produced the maps.
The Hoover Commission's Clark Committee, set up in 1954 to study the structure and administration of the CIA, reported to Congress in 1955 that: "The National Intelligence Survey is an invaluable publication which provides the essential elements of basic intelligence on all areas of the world. There will always be a continuing requirement for keeping the Survey up-to-date." The Factbook was created as an annual summary and update to the encyclopedic NIS studies. The first classified Factbook was published in August 1962, and the first unclassified version was published in June 1971. The NIS program was terminated in 1973 except for the Factbook , map, and gazetteer components. The 1975 Factbook was the first to be made available to the public with sales through the US Government Printing Office (GPO). The Factbook was first made available on the Internet in June 1997. The year 2008 marks the 61st anniversary of the establishment of the Central Intelligence Agency and the 65th year of continuous basic intelligence support to the US Government by The World Factbook and its two predecessor programs.
The Evolution of The World Factbook
National Basic Intelligence Factbook produced semiannually until 1980.
Country entries include sections on Land, Water, People, Government,
Economy, Communications, and Defense Forces.
1981—Publication becomes an annual product and is renamed The World Factbook. A total of 165 nations are covered on 225 pages.
1983—Appendices (Conversion Factors, International Organizations) first introduced.
1984—Appendices expanded; now include: A. The United Nations, B.
Selected United Nations Organizations, C. Selected International
Organizations, D. Country Membership in Selected Organizations, E.
Conversion Factors.
1987—A new Geography section replaces the former separate Land and Water sections. UN Organizations and Selected International Organizations appendices merged into a new International Organizations appendix. First multi-color-cover Factbook.
1988—More than 40 new geographic entities added to provide complete world coverage without overlap or omission. Among the new entities are Antarctica, oceans (Arctic, Atlantic , Indian, Pacific), and the World. The front-of-the-book explanatory introduction expanded and retitled to Notes, Definitions, and Abbreviations. Two new Appendices added: Weights and Measures (in place of Conversion Factors) and a Cross- Reference List of Geographic Names. Factbook size reaches 300 pages.
1989—Economy section completely revised and now includes an Overview briefly describing a country's economy. New entries added under People, Government, and Communications.
1990—The Government section revised and considerably expanded with new entries.
1991—A new International Organizations and Groups appendix added. Factbook size reaches 405 pages.
1992—Twenty new successor state entries replace those of the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia . New countries are respectively: Armenia , Azerbaijan , Belarus , Estonia , Georgia , Kazakhstan , Kyrgyzstan , Latvia , Lithuania , Moldova , Russia , Tajikistan , Turkmenistan , Ukraine , Uzbekistan ; and Bosnia and Hercegovina , Croatia , Macedonia , Serbia and Montenegro , Slovenia . Number of nations in the Factbook rises to 188.
1993—Czechoslovakia 's split necessitates new Czech Republic and Slovakia entries. New Eritrea entry added after it secedes from Ethiopia . Substantial enhancements made to Geography section.
1994—Two new appendices address Selected International Environmental Agreements. The gross domestic product (GDP) of most developing countries changed to a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis rather than an exchange rate basis. Factbook size up to 512 pages.
1995—The GDP of all countries now presented on a PPP basis. New appendix lists estimates of GDP on an exchange rate basis. Communications category split; Railroads, Highways, Inland waterways, Pipelines, Merchant marine, and Airports entries now make up a new Transportation category. The World Factbook is first produced on CD- ROM.
1996—Maps accompanying each entry now present more detail. Flags also introduced for nearly all entities. Various new entries appear under Geography and Communications. Factbook abbreviations consolidated into a new Appendix A. Two new appendices present a Cross-Reference List of Country Data Codes and a Cross-Reference List of Hydrogeographic Data Codes. Geographic coordinates added to Appendix H, Cross-Reference List of Geographic Names. Factbook size expands by 95 pages in one year to reach 652.
1997—A special edition for the CIA's 50 th anniversary. A schema or Guide to Country Profiles introduced. New color maps and flags now accompany each country profile. Category headings distinguished by shaded backgrounds. Number of categories expanded to nine—the current number—with the addition of an Introduction (for only a few countries) and Transnational Issues (which includes Disputes— international and Illicit drugs). The World Factbook introduced onto the Internet.
1998—The Introduction category with two entries, Current issues and Historical perspective, expanded to more countries. Last year for the production of CD-ROM versions of the Factbook.
1999—Historical perspective and Current issues entries in the Introduction category combined into a new Background statement. Several new Economy entries introduced. A new physical map of the world added to the back-of-the-book reference maps.
2000—A new "country profile" added on the Southern Ocean. The Background statements dramatically expanded to over 200 countries and possessions. A number of new Communications entries added.
2001—Background entries completed for all 267 entities in the Factbook. Several new HIV/AIDS entries introduced under the People category. Revision begun on individual country maps to include elevation extremes and a partial geographic grid. Weights and Measures appendix deleted.
2002—New entry on Distribution of Family income—Gini index added. Revision of individual country maps continued (process still ongoing).
2003—In the Economy category, petroleum entries added for oil production, consumption, exports, imports, and proved reserves, as well as natural gas proved reserves.
2004—Additional petroleum entries included for natural gas production, consumption, exports, and imports. In the Transportation category, under Merchant marine, subfields added for foreign-owned vessels and those registered in other countries. Descriptions of the many forms of government mentioned in the Factbook incorporated into the Notes and Definitions.
2005—In the People category, a Major infectious diseases field added for countries deemed to pose a higher risk for travelers. In the Economy category, entries included for Current account balance, Investment, Public debt, and Reserves of foreign exchange and gold. The Transnational issues category expanded to include Refugees and internally displaced persons. Category headings receive distinctive colored backgrounds. These distinguishing colors are used in both the printed and online versions of the Factbook. Size of the printed Factbook reaches 702 pages.
2006—In the Economy category, national GDP figures now presented at Official Exchange Rates (OER) in addition to GDP at purchasing power parity (PPP).
2007—In the Government category, the Capital entry significantly expanded with up to four subfields, including new information having to do with time. The subfields consist of the name of the capital itself, its geographic coordinates , the time difference at the capital from coordinated universal time (UTC), and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note is added to highlight those countries with multiple time zones. A Trafficking in persons entry added to the Transnational issues category. A new appendix, Weights and Measures, (re)introduced to the online version of the Factbook.
2008—In the Geography category, two fields focus on the increasingly vital resource of water: Total renewable water resources and Freshwater withdrawal. In the Economy category, three fields added for: Stock of direct foreign investment—at home, Stock of direct foreign investment—abroad, and Market value of publicly traded shares. Concise descriptions of the major religions mentioned in the Factbook included in the Notes and Definitions.
This page was last updated on 8 October, 2008
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CIA - The World Factbook — Contributors and Copyright Information
The World Factbook is prepared by the Central Intelligence Agency for the use of US Government officials, and the style, format, coverage, and content are designed to meet their specific requirements. Information is provided by Antarctic Information Program (National Science Foundation), Bureau of the Census (Department of Commerce), Bureau of Labor Statistics (Department of Labor), Central Intelligence Agency, Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs, Defense Intelligence Agency (Department of Defense), Department of Energy, Department of State, Fish and Wildlife Service (Department of the Interior), Maritime Administration (Department of Transportation), National Center for Medical Intelligence (Department of Defense), National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (Department of Defense), Naval Facilities Engineering Command (Department of Defense), Office of Insular Affairs (Department of the Interior), Office of Naval Intelligence (Department of Defense), US Board on Geographic Names (Department of the Interior), US Transportation Command (Department of Defense), Oil & Gas Journal, and other public and private sources.
The Factbook is in the public domain. Accordingly, it may be copied freely without permission of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). The official seal of the CIA, however, may NOT be copied without permission as required by the CIA Act of 1949 (50 U.S.C. section 403m). Misuse of the official seal of the CIA could result in civil and criminal penalties.
Comments and queries are welcome and may be addressed to:
Central Intelligence Agency
Attn.: Office of Public Affairs
Washington, DC 20505
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM Eastern Standard Time
Telephone: [1] (703) 482-0623
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General
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Geography
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Why are Taiwan and the European Union listed out of alphabetical order at the end of the Factbook entries?
Taiwan is listed after the regular entries because even though the mainland People's Republic of China claims Taiwan, elected Taiwanese authorities de facto administer the island and reject mainland sovereignty claims. With the establishment of diplomatic relations with China on January 1, 1979, the US Government recognized the People's Republic of China as the sole legal government of China, acknowledging the Chinese position that there is only one China and that Taiwan is part of China.
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Since we have an ambassador who represents the US at the Vatican, why is this entity not listed in the Factbook?
Vatican City is found under Holy See. The term "Holy See" refers to the authority, jurisdiction, and sovereignty vested in the Pope and his advisors to direct the worldwide Catholic Church. The Holy See has a legal personality that allows it to enter into treaties as the juridical equal of a state and to send and receive diplomatic representatives. Vatican City, created in 1929 to administer properties belonging to the Holy See in Rome, is recognized under international law as a sovereign state, but it does not send or receive diplomatic representatives. Consequently, Holy See is included as a Factbook entry, with Vatican City cross-referenced in the Geographic Names appendix.
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Why are the Golan Heights not shown as part of Israel or Northern
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Territorial occupations/annexations not recognized by the United
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Why don't you include information on entities such as Tibet or
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The World Factbook provides information on the administrative divisions of a country as recommended by the United States Board on Geographic Names (BGN). The BGN is a component of the US Government that develops policies, principles, and procedures governing the spelling, use, and application of geographic names—domestic, foreign, Antarctic, and undersea. Its decisions enable all departments and agencies of the US Government to have access to uniform names of geographic features.
Also included in the Factbook are entries on parts of the world whose status has not yet been resolved (e.g., West Bank, Spratly Islands). Specific regions within a country or areas in dispute among countries are not covered.
What do you mean when you say that a country is "doubly landlocked"?
A doubly landlocked country is one that is separated from an ocean or an ocean-accessible sea by two intervening countries. Uzbekistan and Liechtenstein are the only countries that fit this definition.
Why is the area of the United States described as "slightly larger than China" in the Factbook , while other sources list China as larger in area than the United States?
It all depends on whether one is looking at total area (land and water) when making the comparison (which is the criterion used by the Factbook) or just land area (which excludes inland water features such as rivers or lakes).
Total area (combining land and water)
United States = 9,826,630 sq km
China = 9,596,960 sq km
Land only (without any water features)
United States = 9,161,923 sq km
China = 9,326,410 sq km
Why has The World Factbook dropped the four French departments of
Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion, and French Guiana?
The reason the four entities are no longer in The World Factbook is because their status has changed. While they are overseas departments of France, they are also now recognized as French regions, having equal status to the 22 metropolitan regions that make up European France. In other words, they are now recognized as being part of France proper. Their status is somewhat analogous to Alaska and Hawaii vis-a-vis the contiguous United States. Although separated from the larger geographic entity, they are still considered to be an integral part of it.
Spelling and Pronunciation
Why is the spelling of proper names such as rulers, presidents, and prime ministers in The World Factbook different than their spelling in my country?
The Factbook staff applies the names and spellings from the Chiefs of State link on the CIA Web site. The World Factbook is prepared using the standard American English computer keyboard and does not use any special characters, symbols, or most diacritical markings in its spellings. Surnames are always spelled with capital letters; they may appear first in some cultures.
The spelling of geographic names, features, cities, administrative divisions, etc. in the Factbook differs from those used in my country. Why is this?
The United States Board on Geographic Names (BGN) recommends and approves names and spellings. The BGN is the component of the United States Government that develops policies, principles, and procedures governing the spelling, use, and application of geographic names—domestic, foreign, Antarctic, and undersea. Its decisions enable all departments and agencies of the US Government to use uniform names of geographic features. (A note is usually included where changes may have occurred but have not yet been approved by the BGN). The World Factbook is prepared using the standard American English computer keyboard and does not use any special characters, symbols, or most diacritical markings in its spellings.
Why doesn't The World Factbook include pronunciations of country or leader names?
There are too many variations in pronunciation among English-speaking countries, not to mention English renditions of non-English names, for pronunciations to be included. American English pronunciations are included for some countries like Qatar and Kiribati.
Why is the name of the Labour party misspelled?
When American and British spellings of common English words differ, The World Factbook always uses the American spelling, even when these common words form part of a proper name in British English.
Policies and Procedures
What is The World Factbook's source for a specific subject field?
The Factbook staff uses many different sources to publish what we judge are the most reliable and consistent data for any particular category. Space considerations preclude a listing of these various sources.
The names of some geographic features provided in the Factbook differ from those used in other publications. For example, in Asia the Factbook has Burma as the country name, but in other publications Myanmar is used; also, the Factbook uses Sea of Japan whereas other publications label it East Sea. What is your policy on naming geographic features?
The Factbook staff follows the guidance of the United States Board on Geographic Names (BGN). The BGN is the component of the United States Government that develops policies, principles, and procedures governing the spelling, use, and application of geographic names—domestic, foreign, Antarctic, and undersea. Its decisions enable all departments and agencies of the US Government to have access to uniform names of geographic features. The position of the BGN is that the names Burma and Sea of Japan be used in official US Government maps and publications.
Why is most of the statistical information in the Factbook given in metric units, rather than the units standard to US measure?
US Federal agencies are required by the Metric Conversion Act of 1975 (Public Law 94-168) and by Executive Order 12770 of July 1991 to use the International System of Units, commonly referred to as the metric system or SI. In addition, the metric system is used by over 95 percent of the world's population.
Why don't you include information on minimum and maximum temperature extremes?
The Factbook staff judges that this information would only be useful for some (generally smaller) countries. Larger countries can have large temperature extremes that do not represent the landmass as a whole. In the future, such a category may be adopted listing the extremes, but also adding a normal temperature range found throughout most of a country's territory.
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Flag designs used in The World Factbook are those recognized by the protocol office of the US Department of State.
Why do your GDP (Gross Domestic Product) statistics differ from other sources?
We have two sets of GDP dollar estimates in The World Factbook , one derived from purchasing power parity (PPP) calculations and the other derived using official exchange rates (OER). Other sources probably use one of the two. See the Notes and Definitions section on GDP and GDP methodology for more information.
On the CIA Web site, Chiefs of State is updated weekly, but the last update for the Factbook was an earlier date. Why the discrepancy?
Although Chiefs of State and The World Factbook both appear on the CIA Web site, they are produced and updated by separate staffs. Chiefs of State includes fewer countries but more leaders, and is updated more frequently than The World Factbook, which has a much larger database, and includes all countries.
Some percentage distributions do not add to 100. Why not?
Because of rounding, percentage distributions do not always add precisely to 100%. Rounding of numbers always results in a loss of precision—i.e., error. This error becomes apparent when percentage data are totaled, as the following two examples show:
Original Data Rounded to whole integer
Example 1 43.2 43
30.4 30
26.4 26
—— —
100.0 99
Example 2 42.8 43
31.6 32
25.6 26
—— —
100.0 101
When this occurs, we do not force the numbers to add exactly to 100, because doing so would introduce additional error into the distribution.
What rounding convention does The World Factbook use?
In deciding on the number of digits to present, the Factbook staff assesses the accuracy of the original data and the needs of US Government officials. All of the economic data are processed by computer—either at the source or by the Factbook staff. The economic data presented in The Factbook, therefore, follow the rounding convention used by virtually all numerical software applications, namely, any digit followed by a "5" is rounded up to the next higher digit, no matter whether the original digit is even or odd. Thus, for example, when rounded to the nearest integer, 2.5 becomes 3, rather than 2, as occurred in some pre-computer rounding systems.
Why do you list "Independence" dates for countries like France,
Germany, and the United Kingdom?
For most countries, this entry presents the date that sovereignty was achieved and from which nation, empire, or trusteeship. For other countries, the date may be some other significant nationhood event such as the traditional founding date or the date of unification, federation, confederation, establishment, or state succession and so may not strictly be an "Independence" date. Dependent entities have the nature of their dependency status noted in this same entry.
Technical
Does The World Factbook comply with Section 508 of the
Rehabilitation Act regarding accessibility of Web pages?
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Hundreds of "Factbook" look-alikes exist on the Internet. The
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When I attempt to download a PDF (Portable Document Format) map file (or some other map) the file has no image. Can you fix this?
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When I open a map on The World Factbook site, it is fuzzy or granular, or too big or too small. Why?
Adjusting the resolution setting on your monitor should correct this problem.
Is The World Factbook country data available in machine-readable format? All I can find is HTML, but I'm looking for simple tabular data.
The Factbook Web site now features "Rank Order" pages for selected Factbook entries. "Rank Order" pages are available for those data fields identified with a small bar chart icon located next to the title of the data entry. In addition, all of the "Rank Order" pages can be downloaded as tab-delimited data files that can be opened in other applications such as spreadsheets and databases.
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@Afghanistan
Introduction
Afghanistan
Background:
Ahmad Shah DURRANI unified the Pashtun tribes and founded Afghanistan in 1747. The country served as a buffer between the British and Russian empires until it won independence from notional British control in 1919. A brief experiment in democracy ended in a 1973 coup and a 1978 Communist counter-coup. The Soviet Union invaded in 1979 to support the tottering Afghan Communist regime, touching off a long and destructive war. The USSR withdrew in 1989 under relentless pressure by internationally supported anti-Communist mujahedin rebels. A series of subsequent civil wars saw Kabul finally fall in 1996 to the Taliban, a hardline Pakistani-sponsored movement that emerged in 1994 to end the country's civil war and anarchy. Following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks in New York City, a US, Allied, and anti-Taliban Northern Alliance military action toppled the Taliban for sheltering Osama BIN LADIN. The UN-sponsored Bonn Conference in 2001 established a process for political reconstruction that included the adoption of a new constitution, a presidential election in 2004, and National Assembly elections in 2005. In December 2004, Hamid KARZAI became the first democratically elected president of Afghanistan and the National Assembly was inaugurated the following December. Despite gains toward building a stable central government, a resurgent Taliban and continuing provincial instability - particularly in the south and the east - remain serious challenges for the Afghan Government.
Geography
Afghanistan
Location:
Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Asia
Area:
total: 647,500 sq km land: 647,500 sq km water: 0 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: 12.13% permanent crops: 0.21% other: 87.66% (2005)
Irrigated land:
27,200 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
65 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 23.26 cu km/yr (2%/0%/98%) per capita: 779 cu m/yr (2000)
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: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: 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:
32,738,376 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 44.6% (male 7,474,394/female 7,121,145) 15-64 years: 53% (male 8,901,880/female 8,447,983) 65 years and over: 2.4% (male 383,830/female 409,144) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 17.6 years male: 17.6 years female: 17.6 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.626% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
45.82 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
19.56 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.94 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 154.67 deaths/1,000 live births male: 158.88 deaths/1,000 live births female: 150.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 44.21 years male: 44.04 years female: 44.39 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
6.58 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.01% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria animal contact disease: rabies note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Afghan(s) adjective: Afghan
Ethnic groups:
Pashtun 42%, Tajik 27%, Hazara 9%, Uzbek 9%, Aimak 4%, Turkmen 3%,
Baloch 2%, other 4%
Religions:
Sunni Muslim 80%, Shia Muslim 19%, other 1%
Languages:
Afghan Persian or Dari (official) 50%, Pashto (official) 35%, 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 total population: 28.1% male: 43.1% female: 12.6% (2000 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 8 years male: 11 years female: 4 years (2004)
Education expenditures:
Government
Afghanistan
Country name:
conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Afghanistan conventional short form: Afghanistan local long form: Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Afghanestan local short form: Afghanestan former: Republic of Afghanistan
Government type:
Islamic republic
Capital:
name: Kabul geographic coordinates: 34 31 N, 69 11 E time difference: UTC+4.5 (9.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
34 provinces (velayat, singular - velayat); Badakhshan, Badghis,
Baghlan, Balkh, Bamyan, Daykundi, Farah, Faryab, Ghazni, Ghor,
Helmand, Herat, Jowzjan, Kabul, Kandahar, Kapisa, Khost, Kunar,
Kunduz, Laghman, Logar, Nangarhar, Nimroz, Nuristan, Paktika,
Paktiya, Panjshir, Parwan, Samangan, Sar-e Pul, Takhar, Uruzgan,
Wardak, Zabul
Independence:
19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign affairs)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 19 August (1919)
Constitution:
new constitution drafted 14 December 2003-4 January 2004; signed 16 January 2004
Legal system:
based on mixed civil and Sharia law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Hamid KARZAI (since 7 December 2004); Vice Presidents Ahmad Zia MASOOD and Abdul Karim KHALILI (since 7 December 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government; former King ZAHIR Shah held the honorific, "Father of the Country," and presided symbolically over certain occasions but lacked any governing authority; the honorific is not hereditary; King ZAHIR Shah died on 23 July 2007 head of government: President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Hamid KARZAI (since 7 December 2004); Vice Presidents Ahmad Zia MASOOD and Abdul Karim KHALILI (since 7 December 2004) cabinet: 25 ministers; note - under the new constitution, ministers are appointed by the president and approved by the National Assembly elections: the president and two vice presidents are elected by direct vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); if no candidate receives 50% or more of the vote in the first round of voting, the two candidates with the most votes will participate in a second round; a president can only be elected for two terms; election last held 9 October 2004 (next to be held in 2009) election results: Hamid KARZAI elected president; percent of vote - Hamid KARZAI 55.4%, Yunus QANUNI 16.3%, Ustad Mohammad MOHAQQEQ 11.6%, Abdul Rashid DOSTAM 10.0%, Abdul Latif PEDRAM 1.4%, Masooda JALAL 1.2%
Legislative branch:
the bicameral National Assembly consists of the Wolesi Jirga or House of People (no more than 249 seats), directly elected for five-year terms, and the Meshrano Jirga or House of Elders (102 seats, one-third elected from provincial councils for four-year terms, one-third elected from local district councils for three-year terms, and one-third nominated by the president for five-year terms) note: on rare occasions the government may convene a Loya Jirga (Grand Council) on issues of independence, national sovereignty, and territorial integrity; it can amend the provisions of the constitution and prosecute the president; it is made up of members of the National Assembly and chairpersons of the provincial and district councils elections: last held 18 September 2005 (next to be held for the Wolesi Jirga by September 2009; next to be held for the provincial councils to the Meshrano Jirga by September 2008) election results: the single non-transferable vote (SNTV) system used in the election did not make use of political party slates; most candidates ran as independents
Judicial branch:
the constitution establishes a nine-member Stera Mahkama or Supreme Court (its nine justices are appointed for 10-year terms by the president with approval of the Wolesi Jirga) and subordinate High Courts and Appeals Courts; there is also a minister of justice; a separate Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission established by the Bonn Agreement is charged with investigating human rights abuses and war crimes
Political parties and leaders:
Afghanistan Peoples' Treaty Party [Sayyed Amir TAHSEEN];
Afghanistan's Islamic Mission Organization [Abdul Rasoul SAYYAF];
Afghanistan's Islamic Nation Party [Toran Noor Aqa Ahmad ZAI];
Afghanistan's National Islamic Party [Rohullah LOUDIN];
Afghanistan's Welfare Party [Meer Asef ZAEEFI]; Afghan Social
Democratic Party [Anwarul Haq AHADI]; Afghan Society for the Call to
the Koran and Sunna [Mawlawee Samiullah NAJEEBEE]; Comprehensive
Movement of Democracy and Development of Afghanistan Party [Sher
Mohammad BAZGAR]; Democratic Party of Afghanistan [Tawos ARAB];
Democratic Party of Afghanistan [Abdul Kabir RANJBAR]; Elites People
of Afghanistan Party [Abdul Hamid JAWAD]; Freedom and Democracy
Movement of Afghanistan [Abdul Raqib Jawid KOHISTANEE]; Freedom
Party of Afghanistan [Ilaj Abdul MALEK]; Freedom Party of
Afghanistan [Dr. Ghulam Farooq NEJRABEE]; Hizullah-e-Afghanistan
[Qari Ahmad ALI]; Human Rights Protection and Development Party of
Afghanistan [Baryalai NASRATI]; Islamic Justice Party of Afghanistan
[Mohammad Kabir MARZBAN]; Islamic Movement of Afghanistan [Mohammad
Ali JAWID]; Islamic Movement of Afghanistan Party [Mohammad Mukhtar
MUFLEH]; Islamic Party of Afghanistan [Mohammad Khalid FAROOQI];
Islamic Party of the Afghan Land [Mohammad Hassan FEROZKHEL];
Islamic People's Movement of Afghanistan [Ilhaj Said Hussain
ANWARY]; Islamic Society of Afghanistan [Ustad RABBANI]; Islamic
Unity of the Nation of Afghanistan Party [Qurban Ali URFANI];
Islamic Unity Party of Afghanistan [Mohammad Karim KHALILI]; Islamic
Unity Party of the People of Afghanistan [Ustad Mohammad MOHAQQEQ];
Labor and Progress of Afghanistan Party [Zulfiqar OMID]; Muslim
People of Afghanistan Party [Besmellah JOYAN]; Muslim Unity Movement
Party of Afghanistan [Wazir Mohammad WAHDAT]; National and Islamic
Sovereignty Movement Party of Afghanistan [Ahmad Shah AHMADZAI];
National Congress Party of Afghanistan [Abdul Latif PEDRAM];
National Country Party [Ghulam MOHAMMAD]; National Development Party
of Afghanistan [Dr. Aref BAKTASH]; National Freedom Seekers Party
[Abdul Hadi DABEER]; National Independence Party of Afghanistan [Taj
Mohammad WARDAK]; National Islamic Fighters Party of Afghanistan
[Amanat NINGARHAREE]; National Islamic Front of Afghanistan [Pir
Sayed Ahmad GAILANEE]; National Islamic Moderation Party of
Afghanistan [Qara Bik Eized YAAR]; National Islamic Movement of
Afghanistan [Sayed NOORULLAH]; National Islamic Unity Party of
Afghanistan [Mohammad AKBAREE]; National Movement of Afghanistan
[Ahmad Wali MASOOUD]; National Party of Afghanistan [Abdul Rashid
ARYAN]; National Patch of Afghanistan Party [Sayed Kamal SADAT];
National Peace Islamic Party of Afghanistan [Shah Mohammood Popal
ZAI]; National Peace & Islamic Party of the Tribes of Afghanistan
[Abdul Qaher SHARIATEE]; National Peace & Unity Party of Afghanistan
[Abdul Qader IMAMI]; National Prosperity and Islamic Party of
Afghanistan [Mohammad Osman SALEKZADA]; National Prosperity Party
[Mohammad Hassan JAHFAREE]; National Solidarity Movement of
Afghanistan [Pir Sayed Eshaq GAILANEE]; National Solidarity Party of
Afghanistan [Sayed Mansoor NADREEI]; National Sovereignty Party
[Sayed Mustafa KAZEMI]; National Stability Party [Mohammad Same
KHAROTI]; National Stance Party [Habibullah JANEBDAR]; National
Tribal Unity Islamic Party of Afghanistan [Mohammad Shah KHOGYANI];
National United Front [Burhanuddin RABBANI] (a coalition); National
Unity Movement [Sultan Mohammad GHAZI]; National Unity Movement of
Afghanistan [Mohammad Nadir AATASH]; National Unity Party of
Afghanistan [Abdul Rashid JALILI]; New Afghanistan Party [Mohammad
Yunis QANUNI]; Peace and National Welfare Activists Society [Shamsul
Haq Noor SHAMS]; Peace Movement [Shahnawaz TANAI]; People's
Aspirations Party of Afghanistan [Ilhaj Saraj-u-din ZAFAREE];
People's Freedom Seekers Party of Afghanistan [Feda Mohammad EHSAS];
People's Liberal Freedom Seekers Party of Afghanistan [Ajmal
SUHAIL]; People's Message Party of Afghanistan [Noor Aqa WAINEE];
People's Movement of the National Unity of Afghanistan [Abdul Hakim
NOORZAI]; People's Party of Afghanistan [Ahmad Shah ASAR]; People's
Prosperity Party of Afghanistan [Ustad Mohammad ZAREEF]; People's
Sovereignty Movement of Afghanistan [Hayatullah SUBHANEE]; People's
Uprising Party of Afghanistan [Sayed Zahir Qayed Omul BELADI];
People's Welfare Party of Afghanistan [Mia Gul WASIQ]; People's
Welfare Party of Afghanistan [Mohammad Zubair PAIROZ]; Progressive
Democratic Party of Afghanistan [Wali ARYA]; Republican Party
[Sebghatullah SANJAR]; Solidarity Party of Afghanistan [Abdul Khaleq
NEMAT]; The Afghanistan's Mujahid Nation's Islamic Unity Movement
[Saeedullah SAEED]; The People of Afghanistan's Democratic Movement
[Sharif NAZARI]; Tribes Solidarity Party of Afghanistan [Mohammad
Zarif NASERI]; Understanding and Democracy Party of Afghanistan
[Ahamad SHAHEEN]; United Afghanistan Party [Mohammad Wasil RAHIMEE];
United Islamic Party of Afghanistan [Wahidullah SABAWOON]; Young
Afghanistan's Islamic Organization [Sayed Jawad HUSSINEE]; Youth
Solidarity Party of Afghanistan [Mohammad Jamil KARZAI]; note -
includes only political parties approved by the Ministry of Justice
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: religious groups; tribal leaders
International organization participation:
ADB, CP, ECO, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, IDA, IDB, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITSO,
ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), SAARC, SACEP, SCO
(guest), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Said Tayeb JAWAD chancery: 2341 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-6410 FAX: [1] (202) 483-6488 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador William B. WOOD embassy: The Great Masood Road, Kabul mailing address: U.S. Embassy Kabul, APO, AE 09806 telephone: [93] 0700 108 001 FAX: [93] 0700 108 564
Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), red, and green, with the national emblem in white centered on the red band and slightly overlapping the other two bands; the center of the emblem features a mosque with pulpit and flags on either side, below the mosque are numerals for the solar year 1298 (1919 in the Gregorian calendar, the year of Afghan independence from the UK); this central image is circled by a border consisting of sheaves of wheat on the left and right, in the upper-center is an Arabic inscription of the Shahada (Muslim creed) below which are rays of the rising sun over the Takbir (Arabic expression meaning "God is great"), and at bottom center is a scroll bearing the name Afghanistan
Economy
Afghanistan
Economy - overview:
Afghanistan's economy is recovering from decades of conflict. The economy has improved significantly since the fall of the Taliban regime in 2001 largely because of the infusion of international assistance, the recovery of the agricultural sector, and service sector growth. Real GDP growth exceeded 7% in 2007. Despite the progress of the past few years, Afghanistan is extremely poor, landlocked, and highly dependent on foreign aid, agriculture, and trade with neighboring countries. Much of the population continues to suffer from shortages of housing, clean water, electricity, medical care, and jobs. Criminality, insecurity, and the Afghan Government's inability to extend rule of law to all parts of the country pose challenges to future economic growth. It will probably take the remainder of the decade and continuing donor aid and attention to significantly raise Afghanistan's living standards from its current level, among the lowest in the world. International pledges made by more than 60 countries and international financial institutions at the Berlin Donors Conference for Afghan reconstruction in March 2004 reached $8.9 billion for 2004-09. While the international community remains committed to Afghanistan's development, pledging over $24 billion at three donors' conferences since 2002, Kabul will need to overcome a number of challenges. Expanding poppy cultivation and a growing opium trade generate roughly $4 billion in illicit economic activity and looms as one of Kabul's most serious policy concerns. Other long-term challenges include: budget sustainability, job creation, corruption, government capacity, and rebuilding war torn infrastructure.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$35 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$8.842 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
11.5% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,000 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 38% industry: 24% services: 38% note: data exclude opium production (2005 est.)
Labor force:
15 million (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 80% industry: 10% services: 10% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate:
40% (2005 est.)
Population below poverty line:
53% (2003)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $715 million expenditures: $2.6 billion note: Afghanistan has also received $273 million from the Reconstruction Trust Fund and $63 million from the Law and Order Trust Fund (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
21 March - 20 March
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
13% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
18.14% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$1.426 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$958.6 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$20.06 million (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
opium, wheat, fruits, nuts; wool, mutton, sheepskins, lambskins
Industries:
small-scale production of textiles, soap, furniture, shoes, fertilizer, cement; handwoven carpets; natural gas, coal, copper
Industrial production growth rate:
Electricity - production:
839 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
1.088 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
230 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 36.3% hydro: 63.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
5,036 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
4,534 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
20 million cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
20 million cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
49.55 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
Exports:
$274 million; note - not including illicit exports or reexports (2006)
Exports - commodities:
opium, fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton, hides and pelts, precious and semi-precious gems
Exports - partners:
India 22.8%, Pakistan 21.8%, US 20.5%, Tajikistan 7.2% (2007)
Imports:
$3.823 billion (2006)
Imports - commodities:
capital goods, food, textiles, petroleum products
Imports - partners:
Pakistan 36.8%, US 11%, India 5%, Germany 4.2% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$2.775 billion (2005)
Debt - external:
$8 billion in bilateral debt, mostly to Russia; Afghanistan has $500 million in debt to Multilateral Development Banks (2004)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
afghani (AFA)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
afghanis (AFA) per US dollar - NA (2007), 46 (2006), 47.7 (2005), 48 (2004), 49 (2003)
Communications
Afghanistan
Telephones - main lines in use:
280,000 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
5.4 million (2008)
Telephone system:
general assessment: limited landline telephone service; an increasing number of Afghans utilize mobile-cellular phone networks in major cities domestic: aided by the presence of multiple providers, mobile-cellular telephone service is improving rapidly international: country code - 93; five VSAT's installed in Kabul, Herat, Mazar-e-Sharif, Kandahar, and Jalalabad provide international and domestic voice and data connectivity (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 21, FM 5, shortwave 1 (broadcasts in Pashto, Dari (Afghan
Persian), Urdu, and English) (2006)
Radios:
167,000 (1999)
Television broadcast stations:
at least 7 (1 government-run central television station in Kabul and regional stations in 6 of the 34 provinces) (2006)
Televisions:
100,000 (1999)
Internet country code:
.af
Internet hosts:
31 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)
Internet users:
580,000 (2007)
Communications - note:
Internet access is growing through Internet cafes as well as public "telekiosks" in Kabul (2005)
Transportation
Afghanistan
Airports:
46 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 12 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 34 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 9 (2007)
Heliports:
9 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 466 km (2007)
Roadways:
total: 42,150 km paved: 12,350 km unpaved: 29,800 km (2006)
Waterways:
1,200 km (chiefly Amu Darya, which handles vessels up to 500 DWT) (2007)
Ports and terminals:
Kheyrabad, Shir Khan
Military
Afghanistan
Military branches:
Afghan Armed Forces: Afghan National Army (ANA, includes Afghan
National Army Air Corps) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
22 years of age; inductees are contracted into service for a 4-year term (2005)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 7,431,147 females age 16-49: 7,004,819 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 4,234,180 females age 16-49: 3,946,685 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 371,451 female: 351,295 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.9% of GDP (2006 est.)
Transnational Issues
Afghanistan
Disputes - international:
Pakistan has built fences in some portions of its border with Afghanistan which remains open in some areas to foreign terrorists and other illegal activities
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 132,246 (mostly Pashtuns and Kuchis displaced in south and west due to drought and instability) (2007)
Illicit drugs:
world's largest producer of opium; poppy cultivation increased 17% to a near-record 202,000 hectares in 2007; good growing conditions pushed potential opium production to a record 8,000 metric tons, up 42% from last year; if the entire opium crop were processed, 947 metric tons of heroin potentially could be produced; drug trade is a source of instability and the Taliban and other antigovernment groups participate in and profit from the drug trade; widespread corruption impedes counterdrug efforts; most of the heroin consumed in Europe and Eurasia is derived from Afghan opium; vulnerable to drug money laundering through informal financial networks; regional source of hashish
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Akrotiri
Introduction
Akrotiri
Background:
By terms of the 1960 Treaty of Establishment that created the independent Republic of Cyprus, the UK retained full sovereignty and jurisdiction over two areas of almost 254 square kilometers - Akrotiri and Dhekelia. The southernmost and smallest of these is the Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area, which is also referred to as the Western Sovereign Base Area.
Geography
Akrotiri
Location:
Eastern Mediterranean, peninsula on the southwest coast of Cyprus
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Middle East
Area:
total: 123 sq km note: includes a salt lake and wetlands
Area - comparative:
about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
total: 47.4 km border countries: Cyprus 47.4 km
Coastline:
56.3 km
Climate:
temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters
Environment - current issues:
shooting around the salt lake; note - breeding place for loggerhead and green turtles; only remaining colony of griffon vultures is on the base
Geography - note:
British extraterritorial rights also extended to several small off-post sites scattered across Cyprus; of the Sovereign Base Area land, 60% is privately owned and farmed, 20% is owned by the Ministry of Defense, and 20% is SBA Crown land
People
Akrotiri
Population:
approximately 15,700 live on the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia including 7,700 Cypriots, 3,600 Service and UK-based contract personnel, and 4,400 dependents
Languages:
English, Greek
Government
Akrotiri
Country name:
conventional long form: Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area conventional short form: Akrotiri
Dependency status:
a special form of UK overseas territory; administered by an administrator who is also the Commander, British Forces Cyprus
Capital:
name: Episkopi Cantonment (base administrative center for Akrotiri and Dhekelia) geographic coordinates: 34 40 N, 32 51 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Constitution:
Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia Order in Council 1960, effective 16 August 1960, functions as a basic legal document
Legal system:
the Sovereign Base Area Administration has its own court system to deal with civil and criminal matters; laws applicable to the Cypriot population are, as far as possible, the same as the laws of the Republic of Cyprus
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Administrator Air Vice-Marshal Richard LACEY (since 26 April 2006); note - reports to the British Ministry of Defense elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the administrator is appointed by the monarch
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Flag description:
the flag of the UK is used
Economy
Akrotiri
Economy - overview:
Economic activity is limited to providing services to the military and their families located in Akrotiri. All food and manufactured goods must be imported.
Currency (code):
euro (EUR) adopted 1 January 2008; note - the Cypriot pound (CYP) formerly used
Exchange rates:
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.4286 (2007), 0.46019 (2006), 0.4641 (2005), 0.4686 (2004), 0.5174 (2003)
Communications
Akrotiri
Radio broadcast stations:
AM NA, FM 1, shortwave NA (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides Radio 1 and Radio 2 service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia) (2006)
Television broadcast stations:
0 (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides multi-channel satellite service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia) (2006)
Military
Akrotiri
Military - note:
Akrotiri has a full RAF base, Headquarters for British Forces on
Cyprus, and Episkopi Support Unit
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Albania
Introduction
Albania
Background:
Albania declared its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1912, but was conquered by Italy in 1939. Communist partisans took over the country in 1944. Albania allied itself first with the USSR (until 1960), and then with China (to 1978). In the early 1990s, Albania ended 46 years of xenophobic Communist rule and established a multiparty democracy. The transition has proven challenging as successive governments have tried to deal with high unemployment, widespread corruption, a dilapidated physical infrastructure, powerful organized crime networks, and combative political opponents. Albania has made progress in its democratic development since first holding multiparty elections in 1991, but deficiencies remain. International observers judged elections to be largely free and fair since the restoration of political stability following the collapse of pyramid schemes in 1997. In the 2005 general elections, the Democratic Party and its allies won a decisive victory on pledges of reducing crime and corruption, promoting economic growth, and decreasing the size of government. The election, and particularly the orderly transition of power, was considered an important step forward. Although Albania's economy continues to grow, the country is still one of the poorest in Europe, hampered by a large informal economy and an inadequate energy and transportation infrastructure. Albania has played a largely helpful role in managing inter-ethnic tensions in southeastern Europe, and is continuing to work toward joining NATO and the EU. Albania, with troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, has been a strong supporter of the global war on terrorism.
Geography
Albania
Location:
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece in the south and Montenegro and Kosovo to the north
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 28,748 sq km land: 27,398 sq km water: 1,350 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries:
total: 717 km border countries: Greece 282 km, Macedonia 151 km, Montenegro 172 km, Kosovo 112 km
Coastline:
362 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
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) 2,764 m
Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, coal, bauxite, chromite, copper, iron ore, nickel, salt, timber, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 20.1% permanent crops: 4.21% other: 75.69% (2005)
Irrigated land:
3,530 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
41.7 cu km (2001)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 1.71 cu km/yr (27%/11%/62%) per capita: 546 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, 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:
3,619,778 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 23.6% (male 447,126/female 406,757) 15-64 years: 66.9% (male 1,239,819/female 1,180,720) 65 years and over: 9.5% (male 160,241/female 185,115) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 29.5 years male: 28.9 years female: 30.2 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.538% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
15.22 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
5.44 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-4.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 19.31 deaths/1,000 live births male: 19.74 deaths/1,000 live births female: 18.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.78 years male: 75.12 years female: 80.71 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.02 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Nationality:
noun: Albanian(s) adjective: Albanian
Ethnic groups:
Albanian 95%, Greek 3%, other 2% (Vlach, Roma (Gypsy), Serb, Macedonian, 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: percentages are estimates; there are no available current statistics on religious affiliation; all mosques and churches were closed in 1967 and religious observances prohibited; in November 1990, Albania began allowing private religious practice
Languages:
Albanian (official - derived from Tosk dialect), Greek, Vlach,
Romani, Slavic dialects
Literacy:
definition: age 9 and over can read and write total population: 98.7% male: 99.2% female: 98.3% (2001 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 11 years male: 11 years female: 11 years (2004)
Education expenditures:
2.9% of GDP (2002)
Government
Albania
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Albania conventional short form: Albania local long form: Republika e Shqiperise local short form: Shqiperia former: People's Socialist Republic of Albania
Government type:
emerging democracy
Capital:
name: Tirana (Tirane) geographic coordinates: 41 19 N, 19 49 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
12 counties (qarqe, singular - qark); Berat, Diber, Durres, Elbasan, Fier, Gjirokaster, Korce, Kukes, Lezhe, Shkoder, Tirane, Vlore
Independence:
28 November 1912 (from the Ottoman Empire)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 28 November (1912)
Constitution:
adopted by popular referendum on 22 November 1998; promulgated 28 November 1998
Legal system:
has a civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; has accepted jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court for its citizens
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President of the Republic Bamir TOPI (since 24 July 2007) head of government: Prime Minister Sali BERISHA (since 10 September 2005) cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, nominated by the president, and approved by parliament elections: president elected by the People's Assembly for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); four election rounds held between 8 and 20 July 2007 (next election to be held in 2012); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Bamir TOPI elected president; People's Assembly vote, fourth round (three-fifths majority (84 votes) required): Bamir TOPI 85 votes, Neritan CEKA 5 votes
Legislative branch:
unicameral Assembly or Kuvendi (140 seats; 100 members are elected by direct popular vote and 40 by proportional vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 3 July 2005 (next to be held in 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PD 56, PS 42, PR 11, PSD 7, LSI 5, other 19
Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court, Supreme Court (chairman is elected by the People's Assembly for a four-year term), and multiple appeals and district courts
Political parties and leaders:
Agrarian Environmentalist Party or PAA [Lufter XHUVELI]; Christian
Democratic Party or PDK [Nard NDOKA]; Communist Party of Albania or
PKSH [Hysni MILLOSHI]; Democratic Alliance Party or AD [Neritan
CEKA]; Democratic Party or PD [Sali BERISHA]; Legality Movement
Party or PLL [Ekrem SPAHIA]; Liberal Union Party or BLD [Arjan
STAROVA]; Movement for National Development or LZhK [Dashamir
SHEHI]; National Front Party (Balli Kombetar) or PBK [Artur ROSHI];
New Democratic Party or PDR [Genc POLLO]; Party of National Unity or
PUK [Idajet BEQIRI]; Republican Party or PR [Fatmir MEDIU]; Social
Democracy Party of Albania or PDSSh [Paskal MILO]; Social Democratic
Party or PSD [Skender GJINUSHI]; Socialist Movement for Integration
or LSI [Ilir META]; Socialist Party or PS [Edi RAMA]; Union for
Human Rights Party or PBDNj [Vangjel DULE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Citizens Advocacy Office [Kreshnik SPAHIU]; Confederation of Trade
Unions of Albania or KSSH [Kastriot MUCO]; Front for Albanian
National Unification or FBKSH [Gafur ADILI]; Mjaft Movement; Omonia
[Jani JANI]; Union of Independent Trade Unions of Albania or BSPSH
[Gezim KALAJA]
International organization participation:
BSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO
(correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SECI,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Aleksander SALLABANDA chancery: 2100 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 223-4942 FAX: [1] (202) 628-7342
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. John L. WITHERS, II embassy: Rruga e Elbasanit, Labinoti #103, Tirana mailing address: US Department of State, 9510 Tirana Place, Dulles, VA 20189-9510 telephone: [355] (4) 2247285 FAX: [355] (4) 2232222
Flag description:
red with a black two-headed eagle in the center
Economy
Albania
Economy - overview:
Lagging behind its Balkan neighbors, Albania is making the difficult transition to a more modern open-market economy. The government has taken measures to curb violent crime, and recently adopted a fiscal reform package aimed at reducing the large gray economy and attracting foreign investment. The economy is bolstered by annual remittances from abroad of $600-$800 million, mostly from Albanians residing in Greece and Italy; this helps offset the towering trade deficit. Agriculture, which accounts for more than one-fifth of GDP, is held back because of lack of modern equipment, unclear property rights, and the prevalence of small, inefficient plots of land. Energy shortages and antiquated and inadequate infrastructure contribute to Albania's poor business environment, which make it difficult to attract and sustain foreign investment. The completion of a new thermal power plant near Vlore and improved transmission line between Albania and Montenegro will help relieve the energy shortages. Also, the government is moving slowly to improve the poor national road and rail network, a long-standing barrier to sustained economic growth. On the positive side, macroeconomic growth was strong in 2003-07 and inflation is low and stable.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$20.87 billion note: Albania has a large gray economy that may be as large as 50% of official GDP (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$10.62 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
6% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$5,800 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 21.2% industry: 20.5% services: 58.3% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
1.09 million (not including 352,000 emigrant workers) (September 2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 58% industry: 15% services: 27% (September 2006 est.)
Unemployment rate:
13.2% official rate, but may exceed 30% due to preponderance of near-subsistence farming (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
25% (2004 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.4% highest 10%: 24.4% (2004)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
26.7 (2005)
Investment (gross fixed):
23.3% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $2.782 billion expenditures: $3.155 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
51.4% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.9% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
6.25% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
14.1% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$2.707 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$6.433 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$7.341 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
wheat, corn, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, sugar beets, grapes; meat, dairy products
Industries:
food processing, textiles and clothing; lumber, oil, cement, chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower
Industrial production growth rate:
4% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
2.892 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
3.607 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
2.8 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 2.9% hydro: 97.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
6,425 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
30,900 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
748.9 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - imports:
24,860 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - proved reserves:
199.1 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
30 million cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
30 million cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
849.5 million cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
-$1.202 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$1.076 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
textiles and footwear; asphalt, metals and metallic ores, crude oil; vegetables, fruits, tobacco
Exports - partners:
Italy 72%, Greece 8.8%, China 2.7% (2007)
Imports:
$3.999 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, textiles, chemicals
Imports - partners:
Italy 27.6%, Greece 14.8%, Turkey 7.4%, China 6.8%, Germany 5.6%,
Switzerland 5%, Russia 4.2% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
ODA: $318.7 million note: top donors were Italy, EU, Germany (2005 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$2.162 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$1.55 billion (2004)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
lek (ALL) note: the plural of lek is leke
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
leke (ALL) per US dollar - 92.668 (2007), 98.384 (2006), 102.649 (2005), 102.78 (2004), 121.863 (2003)
Communications
Albania
Telephones - main lines in use:
353,600 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
2.3 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: despite new investment in fixed lines, the density of main lines remains low with roughly 10 lines per 100 people; cellular telephone use is widespread and generally effective; combined fixed line and mobile telephone density is approximately 75 telephones per 100 persons domestic: offsetting the shortage of fixed line capacity, mobile phone service has been available since 1996; by 2003, two companies were providing mobile services at a greater density than some of Albania's neighbors; Internet broadband services initiated in 2005; Internet cafes are popular in Tirana and have started to spread outside the capital international: country code - 355; submarine cable provides connectivity to Italy, Croatia, and Greece; the Trans-Balkan Line, a combination submarine cable and land fiber-optic system, provides additional connectivity to Bulgaria, Macedonia, and Turkey; international traffic carried by fiber-optic cable and, when necessary, by microwave radio relay from the Tirana exchange to Italy and Greece (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 13, FM 46, shortwave 1 (2005)
Radios:
1 million (2001)
Television broadcast stations:
65 (3 national, 62 local); 2 cable networks (2005)
Televisions:
700,000 (2001)
Internet country code:
.al
Internet hosts:
10,162 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
10 (2001)
Internet users:
471,200 (2006)
Transportation
Albania
Airports:
11 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 8 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 4 (2007)
Heliports:
1 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 339 km; oil 207 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 447 km standard gauge: 447 km 1.435-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 18,000 km paved: 7,020 km unpaved: 10,980 km (2002)
Waterways:
43 km (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 24 by type: cargo 22, roll on/roll off 2 foreign-owned: 1 (Turkey 1) registered in other countries: 2 (Panama 2) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Durres, Sarande, Shengjin, Vlore
Military
Albania
Military branches:
Land Forces Command (Army), Naval Forces Command, Air Defense
Command, General Staff Headquarters (includes Logistics Command,
Training and Doctrine Command) (2007)
Military service age and obligation:
19 years of age (2004)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 944,592 females age 16-49: 908,527 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 798,454 females age 16-49: 767,143 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 36,340 female: 33,077 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.49% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
Albania
Disputes - international:
the Albanian Government calls for the protection of the rights of ethnic Albanians in neighboring countries, and the peaceful resolution of interethnic disputes; some ethnic Albanian groups in neighboring countries advocate for a "greater Albania," but the idea has little appeal among Albanian nationals; the mass emigration of unemployed Albanians remains a problem for developed countries, chiefly Greece and Italy
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Albania is a source country for women and girls trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor; it is no longer considered a major country of transit; Albanian victims are trafficked to Greece, Italy, Macedonia, and Kosovo, with many trafficked onward to Western European countries; children were also trafficked to Greece for begging and other forms of child labor; approximately half of all Albanian trafficking victims are under age 18; internal sex trafficking of women and children is on the rise tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Albania is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in persons in 2007, particularly in the area of victim protection; the government did not appropriately identify trafficking victims during 2007, and has not demonstrated that it is vigorously investigating or prosecuting complicit officials (2008)
Illicit drugs:
increasingly active transshipment point for Southwest Asian opiates, hashish, and cannabis transiting the Balkan route and - to a lesser extent - cocaine from South America destined for Western Europe; limited opium and growing cannabis production; ethnic Albanian narcotrafficking organizations active and expanding in Europe; vulnerable to money laundering associated with regional trafficking in narcotics, arms, contraband, and illegal aliens
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Algeria
Introduction
Algeria
Background:
After more than a century of rule by France, Algerians fought through much of the 1950s to achieve independence in 1962. Algeria's primary political party, the National Liberation Front (FLN), has dominated politics ever since. Many Algerians in the subsequent generation were not satisfied, however, and moved to counter the FLN's centrality in Algerian politics. The surprising first round success of the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) in the December 1991 balloting spurred the Algerian army to intervene and postpone the second round of elections to prevent what the secular elite feared would be an extremist-led government from assuming power. The army began a crackdown on the FIS that spurred FIS supporters to begin attacking government targets. The government later allowed elections featuring pro-government and moderate religious-based parties, but did not appease the activists who progressively widened their attacks. The fighting escalated into an insurgency, which saw intense fighting between 1992-98 and which resulted in over 100,000 deaths - many attributed to indiscriminate massacres of villagers by extremists. The government gained the upper hand by the late-1990s and FIS's armed wing, the Islamic Salvation Army, disbanded in January 2000. However, small numbers of armed militants persist in confronting government forces and conducting ambushes and occasional attacks on villages. The army placed Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA in the presidency in 1999 in a fraudulent election but claimed neutrality in his 2004 landslide reelection victory. Longstanding problems continue to face BOUTEFLIKA in his second term, including the ethnic minority Berbers' ongoing autonomy campaign, large-scale unemployment, a shortage of housing, unreliable electrical and water supplies, government inefficiencies and corruption, and the continuing activities of extremist militants. The 2006 merger of the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) with al-Qaida (followed by a name change to al-Qaida in the Lands of the Islamic Maghreb) signaled an increase in bombings, including high-profile, mass-casualty suicide attacks targeted against the Algerian government and Western interests. Algeria must also diversify its petroleum-based economy, which has yielded a large cash reserve but which has not been used to redress Algeria's many social and infrastructure problems.
Geography
Algeria
Location:
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Morocco and Tunisia
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 2,381,740 sq km land: 2,381,740 sq km water: 0 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:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 32-52 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: 3.17% permanent crops: 0.28% other: 96.55% (2005)
Irrigated land:
5,690 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
14.3 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 6.07 cu km/yr (22%/13%/65%) per capita: 185 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
second-largest country in Africa (after Sudan)
People
Algeria
Population:
33,769,668 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 26.3% (male 4,528,919/female 4,349,746) 15-64 years: 68.7% (male 11,699,701/female 11,509,619) 65 years and over: 5% (male 779,467/female 902,217) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 26 years male: 25.8 years female: 26.2 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.209% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
17.03 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
4.62 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 28.75 deaths/1,000 live births male: 31.95 deaths/1,000 live births female: 25.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.77 years male: 72.13 years female: 75.49 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.82 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1%; note - no country specific models provided (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
9,100 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 500 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Algerian(s) adjective: Algerian
Ethnic groups:
Arab-Berber 99%, European less than 1% note: almost all Algerians are Berber in origin, not Arab; the minority who identify themselves as Berber live mostly in the mountainous region of Kabylie east of Algiers; the Berbers are also Muslim but identify with their Berber rather than Arab cultural heritage; Berbers have long agitated, sometimes violently, for autonomy; the government is unlikely to grant autonomy but has offered to begin sponsoring teaching Berber language in schools
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: 69.9% male: 79.6% female: 60.1% (2002 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 13 years male: 13 years female: 13 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
5.1% of GDP (1999)
Government
Algeria
Country name:
conventional long form: People's Democratic Republic of Algeria conventional short form: Algeria local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Jaza'iriyah ad Dimuqratiyah ash Sha'biyah local short form: Al Jaza'ir
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Algiers geographic coordinates: 36 45 N, 3 03 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
48 provinces (wilayat, 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:
8 September 1963; revised 19 November 1976, effective 22 November 1976; revised 3 November 1988, 23 February 1989, 28 November 1996, and 12 November 2008
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 Ahmed OUYAHIA (since 23 June 2008) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a third term under 2008 amendment to constitution); election last held 8 April 2004 (next to be held in April 2009); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA reelected president for second term; percent of vote - Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA 85%, Ali BENFLIS 6.4%, Abdellah DJABALLAH 5%
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the National People's Assembly or Al-Majlis Al-Shabi Al-Watani (389 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Council of Nations (Senate) (144 seats; one-third of the members appointed by the president, two-thirds elected by indirect vote; to serve six-year terms; the constitution requires half the council to be renewed every three years) elections: National People's Assembly - last held 17 May 2007 (next to be held in 2012); Council of Nations (Senate) - last held 28 December 2006 (next to be held in 2009) election results: National People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FLN 136, RND 61, MSP 52, PT 26, RCD 19, FNA 13, other 49, independents 33; Council of Nations - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FLN 29, RND 12, MSP 3, RCD 1, independents 3, presidential appointees (unknown affiliation) 24; note - Council seating reflects the number of replaced council members rather than the whole Council
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:
Ahd 54 [Ali Fauzi REBAINE]; Algerian National Front or FNA [Moussa
TOUATI]; Islamic Salvation Front or FIS (outlawed April 1992) [Ali
BELHADJ, Dr. Abassi MADANI, Rabeh KEBIR]; National Democratic Rally
(Rassemblement National Democratique) or RND [Ahmed OUYAHIA];
National Entente Movement or MEN [Ali BOUKHAZNA]; National
Liberation Front or FLN [Abdelaziz BELKHADEM, secretary general];
National Reform Movement or Islah (formerly MRN) [Mohamed BOULAHIA];
National Renewal Party or PRA [Mohamed BENSMAIL]; Rally for Culture
and Democracy or RCD [Said SADI]; Renaissance Movement or EnNahda
Movement [Fatah RABEI]; Socialist Forces Front or FFS [Hocine Ait
AHMED]; Social Liberal Party or PSL [Ahmed KHELIL]; Society of Peace
Movement or MSP [Boudjerra SOLTANI]; Workers Party or PT [Louisa
HANOUNE]
note: a law banning political parties based on religion was enacted
in March 1997
Political pressure groups and leaders:
The Algerian Human Rights League or LADDH [Hocine ZEHOUANE]; SOS
Disparus [Nacera DUTOUR]; Somoud [Ali MERABET]
International organization participation:
ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, BIS, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU,
ITUC, LAS, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC,
OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO,
UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Abdallah BAALI chancery: 2118 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-2800 FAX: [1] (202) 667-2174
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador David D. PEARCE embassy: 05 Chemin Cheikh Bachir, El-Ibrahimi, El-Biar 16000 Algiers mailing address: B. P. 408, Alger-Gare, 16030 Algiers telephone: [213] 770-08-2000 FAX: [213] 21-60-7355
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 note: 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 eighth-largest reserves of natural gas in the world and is the fourth-largest gas exporter; it ranks 14th in oil reserves. Sustained high oil prices in recent years have helped improve Algeria's financial and macroeconomic indicators. Algeria is running substantial trade surpluses and building up record foreign exchange reserves. Algeria has decreased its external debt to less than 10% of GDP after repaying its Paris Club and London Club debt in 2006. Real GDP has risen due to higher oil output and increased government spending. The government's continued efforts to diversify the economy by attracting foreign and domestic investment outside the energy sector, however, has had little success in reducing high unemployment and improving living standards. Structural reform within the economy, such as development of the banking sector and the construction of infrastructure, moves ahead slowly hampered by corruption and bureaucratic resistance.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$222.3 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$131.6 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
4.5% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$6,700 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 8.2% industry: 61.5% services: 30.3% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
9.38 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 14%, industry 13.4%, construction and public works 10%, trade 14.6%, government 32%, other 16% (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate:
11.8% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
25% (2005 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 26.8% (1995)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
35.3 (1995)
Investment (gross fixed):
24.5% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $57.03 billion expenditures: $40.53 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
18% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.5% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
4% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
8% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$55.43 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$28.59 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
Agriculture - products:
wheat, barley, oats, grapes, olives, citrus, fruits; sheep, cattle
Industries:
petroleum, natural gas, light industries, mining, electrical, petrochemical, food processing
Industrial production growth rate:
5% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
33.12 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
26.91 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
300 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - imports:
382 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 99.7% hydro: 0.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
2.173 million bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
279,800 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
1.844 million bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - imports:
13,110 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - proved reserves:
12.2 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
85.7 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
26.3 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
59.4 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
4.502 trillion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
$32.05 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$60.51 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
petroleum, natural gas, and petroleum products 97%
Exports - partners:
US 29.4%, Italy 13.8%, Spain 9.6%, Canada 8.4%, France 7.4%,
Netherlands 5% (2007)
Imports:
$26.25 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods
Imports - partners:
France 18.7%, China 9%, Italy 8.5%, Spain 6%, US 5.5%, Germany 5.3%,
Russia 4.6%, Turkey 4.1% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$370.6 million (2005 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$110.6 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$3.957 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$12.04 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$851 million (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
Algerian dinar (DZD)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Algerian dinars (DZD) per US dollar - 69.9 (2007), 72.647 (2006), 73.276 (2005), 72.061 (2004), 77.395 (2003)
Communications
Algeria
Telephones - main lines in use:
3.068 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
27.563 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: a weak network of fixed-main lines, which remains low at less than 10 telephones per 100 persons, is partially offset by the rapid increase in mobile cellular subscribership; in 2007, combined fixed-line and mobile telephone density surpassed 90 telephones per 100 persons domestic: privatization of Algeria's telecommunications sector began in 2000; three mobile cellular licenses have been issued and, in 2005, a consortium led by Egypt's Orascom Telecom won a 15-year license to build and operate a fixed-line network in Algeria; the license will allow Orascom to develop high-speed data and other specialized services and contribute to meeting the large unfulfilled demand for basic residential telephony; Internet broadband services began in 2003 with approximately 200,000 subscribers in 2006 international: country code - 213; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-4 fiber-optic submarine cable system that provides links to Europe, the Middle East, and Asia; microwave radio relay to Italy, France, Spain, Morocco, and Tunisia; coaxial cable to Morocco and Tunisia; participant in Medarabtel; satellite earth stations - 51 (Intelsat, Intersputnik, and Arabsat) (2007)
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 hosts:
477 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)
Internet users:
3.5 million (2007)
Transportation
Algeria
Airports:
150 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 52 over 3,047 m: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 27 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 98 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 26 914 to 1,523 m: 44 under 914 m: 25 (2007)
Heliports:
2 (2007)
Pipelines:
condensate 1,532 km; gas 13,861 km; liquid petroleum gas 2,408 km; oil 6,878 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 3,973 km standard gauge: 2,888 km 1.435-m gauge (283 km electrified) narrow gauge: 1,085 km 1.055-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 108,302 km paved: 76,028 km (includes 645 km of expressways) unpaved: 32,274 km (2004)
Merchant marine:
total: 33 by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 8, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas 9, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 4, roll on/roll off 2 foreign-owned: 18 (Jordan 7, UK 11) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Algiers, Annaba, Arzew, Bejaia, Djendjene, Jijel, Mostaganem, Oran,
Skikda
Military
Algeria
Military branches:
National Popular Army (ANP; includes Land Forces), Algerian National
Navy (MRA), Air Force (QJJ), Territorial Air Defense Force (2005)
Military service age and obligation:
19-30 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 18 months (6 months basic training, 12 months civil projects) (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 9,736,757 females age 16-49: 9,590,978 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 8,141,864 females age 16-49: 8,215,895 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 374,365 female: 360,942 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
3.3% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Algeria
Disputes - international:
Algeria, and many other states, rejects Moroccan administration of Western Sahara; the Polisario Front, exiled in Algeria, represents the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic; Algeria's border with Morocco remains an irritant to bilateral relations, each nation accusing the other of harboring militants and arms smuggling; Algeria remains concerned about armed bandits operating throughout the Sahel who sometimes destabilize southern Algerian towns; dormant disputes include Libyan claims of about 32,000 sq km still reflected on its maps of southeastern Algeria and the FLN's assertions of a claim to Chirac Pastures in southeastern Morocco
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 90,000 (Western Saharan Sahrawi, mostly living in Algerian-sponsored camps in the southwestern Algerian town of Tindouf) IDPs: undetermined (civil war during 1990s) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Algeria is a transit country for men and women trafficked from sub-Saharan Africa to Europe for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and involuntary servitude; Algerian children are trafficked internally for the purpose of domestic servitude or street vending tier rating: Tier 3 - Algeria did not report any serious law enforcement actions to punish traffickers who force women into commercial sexual exploitation or men into involuntary servitude in 2007; the government again reported no investigations of trafficking of children for domestic servitude or improvements in protection services available to victims of trafficking; Algeria still lacks victim protection services, and its failure to distinguish between trafficking and illegal migration may result in the punishment of victims of trafficking (2008)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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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:
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total: 199 sq km land: 199 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Rose Island and Swains Island
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
116 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical marine, moderated by southeast trade winds; annual rainfall averages about 3 m; rainy season (November to April), dry season (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 Mountain 964 m
Natural resources:
pumice, pumicite
Land use:
arable land: 10% permanent crops: 15% other: 75% (2005)
Irrigated land:
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:
64,827 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 34.4% (male 11,337/female 10,946) 15-64 years: 61.8% (male 20,335/female 19,728) 65 years and over: 3.8% (male 1,161/female 1,320) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 22.8 years male: 22.7 years female: 23 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.236% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
23.66 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
4.13 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-7.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 10.46 deaths/1,000 live births male: 13.69 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.47 years male: 70.55 years female: 76.56 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.35 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Nationality:
noun: American Samoan(s) (US nationals) adjective: American Samoan
Ethnic groups:
native Pacific islander 91.6%, Asian 2.8%, white 1.1%, mixed 4.2%, other 0.3% (2000 census)
Religions:
Christian Congregationalist 50%, Roman Catholic 20%, Protestant and other 30%
Languages:
Samoan 90.6% (closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages), English 2.9%, Tongan 2.4%, other Pacific islander 2.1%, other 2% note: most people are bilingual (2000 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 98% female: 97% (1980 est.)
Education expenditures:
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:
Capital:
name: Pago Pago geographic coordinates: 14 16 S, 170 42 W time difference: UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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 2 June 1966, effective 1 July 1967
Legal system:
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
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 Togiola TULAFONO (since 7 April 2003) cabinet: Cabinet made up of 12 department directors elections: under the US Constitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such as American Samoa, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; however, they may vote in Democratic and Republican presidential primary elections; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 4 and 18 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2012) election results: Togiola TULAFONO reelected governor; percent of vote - Togiola TULAFONO 56.5%, Afoa Moega LUTU 43.5%
Legislative branch:
bicameral Fono or Legislative Assembly consists of the House of Representatives (21 seats; 20 members 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 to serve four-year terms) elections: House of Representatives - last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2010); Senate - last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2012) 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 note: American Samoa elects one nonvoting representative to the US House of Representatives; election last held on 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2010); results - Eni F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA reelected as delegate
Judicial branch:
High Court (chief justice and associate justices are appointed by the US Secretary of the Interior)
Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party [Oreta M. TOGAFAU]; Republican Party [Tautai A. F.
FAALEVAO]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Population Pressure LAS (addresses the growing population pressures)
International organization participation:
Interpol (subbureau), IOC, SPC, UPU
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 fly 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 war club known as a "Fa'alaufa'i" (upper; left talon), and a coconut fiber fly whisk known as a "Fue" (lower; right talon); the combination of symbols broadly mimics that seen on the US Great Seal and reflects the relationship between the United States and American Samoa
Economy
American Samoa
Economy - overview:
American Samoa has 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 commerce. 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 is a promising developing sector. note: as a territory of the US, American Samoa does not treat the US as an external trade partner
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$510.1 million (2003 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$333.8 million (2005)
GDP - real growth rate:
3% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$5,800 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Labor force:
17,630 (2005)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 34% industry: 33% services: 33% (1990)
Unemployment rate:
29.8% (2005)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $121 million (37% in local revenue and 63% in US grants) expenditures: $127 million (FY96/97)
Fiscal year:
1 October - 30 September
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Agriculture - products:
bananas, coconuts, vegetables, taro, breadfruit, yams, copra, pineapples, papayas; dairy products, livestock
Industries:
tuna canneries (largely supplied by foreign fishing vessels), handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate:
Electricity - production:
180 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
167.4 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
4,053 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
4,066 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Exports:
$445.6 million (FY04 est.)
Exports - commodities:
canned tuna 93% (2004 est.)
Exports - partners:
Indonesia 28.2%, India 22.3%, Australia 15.3%, Japan 11.2%, NZ 7.1% (2006)
Imports:
$308.8 million (FY04 est.)
Imports - commodities:
materials for canneries 56%, food 8%, petroleum products 7%, machinery and parts 6% (2004 est.)
Imports - partners:
Australia 66%, Samoa 13.8%, NZ 10.8% (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
important financial support from the US, more than $40 million in 1994
Debt - external:
Currency (code):
US dollar (USD)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
the US dollar is used
Communications
American Samoa
Telephones - main lines in use:
10,400 (2004)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
2,200 (2004)
Telephone system:
general assessment: NA domestic: good telex, telegraph, facsimile, and cellular telephone services; domestic satellite system with 1 Comsat earth station international: country code - 1-684; satellite earth station - 1 (Intelsat-Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2005)
Radios:
57,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (2006)
Televisions:
14,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.as
Internet hosts:
1,923 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)
Internet users:
Transportation
American Samoa
Airports:
3 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 221 km (2007)
Ports and terminals:
Pago Pago
Military
American Samoa
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 806 female: 781 (2008 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the US
Transnational Issues
American Samoa
Disputes - international:
Tokelau periodically asserts claims to American Samoa's Swains
Island (Olohega), such as in its 2006 draft independence constitution
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Andorra
Introduction
Andorra
Background:
For 715 years, from 1278 to 1993, Andorrans lived under a unique co-principality, ruled by French and Spanish leaders (from 1607 onward, the French chief of state and the Spanish bishop of Urgel). In 1993, this feudal system was modified with the titular heads of state retained, but the government transformed into a parliamentary democracy. Long isolated and impoverished, mountainous Andorra 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:
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 468 sq km land: 468 sq km water: 0 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: 2.13% permanent crops: 0% other: 97.87% (2005)
Irrigated land:
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: Biodiversity, Desertification, 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:
82,627 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 15.5% (male 6,606/female 6,192) 15-64 years: 72.5% (male 31,313/female 28,563) 65 years and over: 12% (male 4,906/female 5,047) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 38.9 years male: 39.2 years female: 38.6 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.899% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
10.59 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
5.59 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
13.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female total population: 1.08 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 3.68 deaths/1,000 live births male: 3.76 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 82.67 years male: 80.35 years female: 85.14 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.32 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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, Portuguese
Literacy:
definition: NA total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100%
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 11 years male: 11 years female: 11 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
2.3% of GDP (2006)
Government
Andorra
Country name:
conventional long form: Principality of Andorra conventional short form: Andorra local long form: Principat d'Andorra local short form: Andorra
Government type:
parliamentary democracy (since March 1993) that retains as its chiefs 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:
name: Andorra la Vella geographic coordinates: 42 30 N, 1 31 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
7 parishes (parroquies, singular - parroquia); Andorra la Vella, Canillo, Encamp, Escaldes-Engordany, La Massana, Ordino, Sant Julia de Loria
Independence:
1278 (formed under the joint suzerainty of the French Count of Foix and the Spanish Bishop of Urgel)
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, effective 28 April 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 Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007); represented by Philippe MASSONI (since 26 July 2002) and Spanish Coprince Bishop Joan Enric VIVES i SICILIA (since 12 May 2003); represented by Nemesi MARQUES i OSTE (since 30 July 2003) head of government: Executive Council President Albert PINTAT SANTOLARIA (since 27 May 2005) cabinet: Executive Council or Govern designated by the Executive Council president elections: Executive Council president elected by the General Council and formally appointed by the coprinces for a four-year term; election last held 24 April 2005 (next to be held in April-May 2009) election results: Albert PINTAT SANTOLARIA elected executive council president; percent of General Council vote - NA
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 seven parishes; to serve four-year terms) elections: last held on 24 April 2005 (next to be held in March-April 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - PLA 41.2%, PS 38.1%, CDA-S21 11%, other 9.7%; seats by party - PLA 14, PS 12, CDA-S21 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:
Andorran Democratic Center Party (formerly Democratic Party or PD) and Century 21 or CDA and S21 [Enric TARRADO]; Liberal Party of Andorra or PLA [Albert PINTAT SANTOLARIA] (formerly Liberal Union or UL); Social Democratic Party or PS [Jaume BARTUMEU CASSANY] (formerly part of National Democratic Group or AND)
Political pressure groups and leaders:
International organization participation:
CE, FAO, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, OIF,
OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, Union Latina, UNWTO, WCO, WHO, WIPO,
WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Carles FONT-ROSSELL chancery: 2 United Nations Plaza, 25th Floor, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 750-8064 FAX: [1] (212) 750-6630
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: Paseo Reina Elisenda de Montcada, 23, 08034 Barcelona, Spain; telephone: [34] (93) 280-2227; FAX: [34] (93) 280-6175
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 note: 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 more than 80% of GDP. An estimated 11.6 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 partial "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):
$2.77 billion (2005)
GDP (official exchange rate):
GDP - real growth rate:
3.5% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$38,800 (2005)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Labor force:
42,420 (2005)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 0.3% industry: 20.3% services: 79.4% (2005)
Unemployment rate:
0% (1996 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $333.5 million expenditures: $386.6 million (2005)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.2% (2005)
Agriculture - products:
small quantities of rye, wheat, barley, oats, vegetables; sheep
Industries:
tourism (particularly skiing), cattle raising, timber, banking, tobacco, furniture
Industrial production growth rate:
Electricity - production:
NA kWh
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
Electricity - production by source:
Exports:
$148.7 million f.o.b. (2005)
Exports - commodities:
tobacco products, furniture
Imports:
$1.879 billion (2005)
Imports - commodities:
consumer goods, food, electricity
Economic aid - recipient:
$0
Debt - external:
Currency (code):
euro (EUR)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003)
Communications
Andorra
Telephones - main lines in use:
37,200 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
68,500 (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: NA domestic: modern system with microwave radio relay connections between exchanges international: country code - 376; 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 hosts:
23,368 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)
Internet users:
58,900 (2007)
Transportation
Andorra
Roadways:
total: 270 km
Military
Andorra
Military branches:
no regular military forces, Police Service of Andorra
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 18,685 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 14,976 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 412 female: 395 (2008 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of France and Spain
Transnational Issues
Andorra
Disputes - international:
none
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Angola
Introduction
Angola
Background:
Angola is rebuilding its country after the end of a 27-year civil war in 2002. Fighting between the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), led by Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS, and the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), led by Jonas SAVIMBI, followed independence from Portugal in 1975. Peace seemed imminent in 1992 when Angola held national elections, but UNITA renewed fighting after being beaten by the MPLA at the polls. Up to 1.5 million lives may have been lost - and 4 million people displaced - in the quarter century of fighting. SAVIMBI's death in 2002 ended UNITA's insurgency and strengthened the MPLA's hold on power. President DOS SANTOS has announced legislative elections will be held in September 2008, with presidential elections planned for sometime in 2009.
Geography
Angola
Location:
Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Namibia and Democratic Republic of the Congo
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 1,246,700 sq km land: 1,246,700 sq km water: 0 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:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
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: 2.65% permanent crops: 0.23% other: 97.12% (2005)
Irrigated land:
800 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
184 cu km (1987)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.35 cu km/yr (23%/17%/60%) per capita: 22 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
the province of Cabinda is an exclave, separated from the rest of the country by the Democratic Republic of the Congo
People
Angola
Population:
12,531,357 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 43.6% (male 2,760,264/female 2,707,665) 15-64 years: 53.6% (male 3,416,914/female 3,302,552) 65 years and over: 2.7% (male 151,609/female 192,353) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 18 years male: 18 years female: 18 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.136% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
44.09 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
24.44 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
1.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 182.31 deaths/1,000 live births male: 194.38 deaths/1,000 live births female: 169.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 37.92 years male: 36.99 years female: 38.9 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
6.2 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
3.9% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
240,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
21,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria, African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2008)
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: 67.4% male: 82.9% female: 54.2% (2001 est.)
Education expenditures:
2.4% of GDP (2005)
Government
Angola
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Angola conventional short form: Angola local long form: Republica de Angola local short form: Angola former: People's Republic of Angola
Government type:
republic; multiparty presidential regime
Capital:
name: Luanda geographic coordinates: 8 50 S, 13 14 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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:
adopted by People's Assembly 25 August 1992
Legal system:
based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law; modified to accommodate political pluralism and increased use of free markets; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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); Antonio Paulo KASSOMA was named prime minister by MPLA on 26 September 2008 cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by universal ballot for a five-year term (eligible for a second consecutive or discontinuous term) under the 1992 constitution; President 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 in 2009) election results: Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS 49.6%, Jonas SAVIMBI 40.1%, making a run-off election necessary; the run-off was not held because SAVIMBI's National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) repudiated the results of the first election; the civil war resumed leaving DOS SANTOS in his current position as the president
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (220 seats; members elected by proportional vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 5-6 September 2008 (next to be held in September 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - MPLA 81.6%, UNITA 10.4%, PRS 3.2%, ND 1.2%, FNLA 1.1%, other 2.5%; seats by party - MPLA 191, UNITA 16, PRS 8, ND 2, FNLA 3
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court and separate provincial courts (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 between Ngola KABANGU and Lucas NGONDA]; National Union for the Total Independence of Angola or UNITA (largest opposition party) [Isaias SAMAKUVA]; Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola or MPLA (ruling party in power since 1975) [Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS]; Social Renewal Party or PRS [Eduardo KUANGANA] note: about a dozen minor parties participated in the 1992 elections but only won a few seats; they and more than 100 other smaller parties 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]
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, CPLP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory),
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,
ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer),
OPEC, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU,
WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Josefina Perpetua Pitra DIAKITE chancery: 2108 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 785-1156 FAX: [1] (202) 785-1258 consulate(s) general: Houston, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Dan MOZENA embassy: number 32 Rua Houari Boumedienne (in the Miramar area of Luanda), Luanda mailing address: international mail: Caixa Postal 6468, Luanda; pouch: US Embassy Luanda, US Department of State, 2550 Luanda Place, Washington, DC 20521-2550 telephone: [244] (222) 64-1000 FAX: [244] (222) 64-1232
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's high growth rate is driven by its oil sector, with record oil prices and rising petroleum production. Oil production and its supporting activities contribute about 85% of GDP. Increased oil production supported growth averaging more than 15% per year from 2004 to 2007. A postwar reconstruction boom and resettlement of displaced persons has led to high rates of growth in construction and agriculture as well. Much of the country's infrastructure is still damaged or undeveloped from the 27-year-long civil war. Remnants of the conflict such as widespread land mines still mar the countryside even though an apparently durable peace was established after the death of rebel leader Jonas SAVIMBI in February 2002. Subsistence agriculture provides the main livelihood for most of the people, but half of the country's food must still be imported. In 2005, the government started using a $2 billion line of credit, since increased to $7 billion, from China to rebuild Angola's public infrastructure, and several large-scale projects were completed in 2006. Angola also has large credit lines from Brazil, Portugal, Germany, Spain, and the EU. The central bank in 2003 implemented an exchange rate stabilization program using foreign exchange reserves to buy kwanzas out of circulation. This policy became more sustainable in 2005 because of strong oil export earnings; it has significantly reduced inflation. Although consumer inflation declined from 325% in 2000 to under 13% in 2007, the stabilization policy has put pressure on international net liquidity. Angola became a member of OPEC in late 2006 and in late 2007 was assigned a production quota of 1.9 million barrels a day, somewhat less than the 2-2.5 million bbl Angola's government had wanted. To fully take advantage of its rich national resources - gold, diamonds, extensive forests, Atlantic fisheries, and large oil deposits - Angola will need to implement government reforms, increase transparency, and reduce corruption. The government has rejected a formal IMF monitored program, although it continues Article IV consultations and ad hoc cooperation. Corruption, especially in the extractive sectors, and the negative effects of large inflows of foreign exchange, are major challenges facing Angola.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$95.46 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$61.36 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
16.7% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$7,800 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 9.5% industry: 65.8% services: 24.6% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
7.148 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 85% industry and services: 15% (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate:
extensive unemployment and underemployment affecting more than half the population (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line:
70% (2003 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Investment (gross fixed):
9.1% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $20.18 billion expenditures: $15.53 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
12% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
12.2% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
19.57% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
17.7% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$4.153 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$7.216 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.385 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
bananas, sugarcane, coffee, sisal, corn, cotton, manioc (tapioca), tobacco, vegetables, plantains; livestock; forest products; fish
Industries:
petroleum; diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, feldspar, bauxite, uranium, and gold; cement; basic metal products; fish processing; food processing, brewing, tobacco products, sugar; textiles; ship repair
Industrial production growth rate:
23.9% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
3.513 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
3.084 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 36.4% hydro: 63.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
1.91 million bbl/day (2008 est.)
Oil - consumption:
55,640 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
1.23 million bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
19,550 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
9.035 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
680 million cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
680 million cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
269.8 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
$13.58 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$45.03 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
crude oil, diamonds, refined petroleum products, gas, coffee, sisal, fish and fish products, timber, cotton
Exports - partners:
US 32.1%, China 32%, France 5.9%, Taiwan 5.3%, South Africa 4.5% (2007)
Imports:
$12.29 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and electrical equipment, vehicles and spare parts; medicines, food, textiles, military goods
Imports - partners:
Portugal 19.7%, US 10.9%, China 10.5%, Brazil 10.3%, South Africa 6.6%, France 6.3%, UK 4.6%, Germany 4.3% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$441.8 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$11.2 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$8.357 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$17.23 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$227 million (2006 est.)
Currency (code):
kwanza (AOA)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
kwanza (AOA) per US dollar - 76.6 (2007), 80.4 (2006), 88.6 (2005), 83.541 (2004), 74.606 (2003)
Communications
Angola
Telephones - main lines in use:
98,200 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
3.307 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: system inadequate; fewer than one fixed-line per 100 persons; combined fixed line and mobile telephone density exceeded 25 telephones per 100 persons in 2007 domestic: state-owned telecom had monopoly for fixed-lines until 2005; demand outstripped capacity, prices were high, and services poor; Telecom Namibia, through an Angolan company, became the first private licensed operator in Angola's fixed-line telephone network; Angola Telecom established mobile-cellular service in Luanda in 1993 and the network has been extended to larger towns; a privately-owned, mobile-cellular service provider began operations in 2001 international: country code - 244; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and Asia; satellite earth stations - 29 (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 21, FM 6, shortwave 7 (2001)
Radios:
815,000 (2000)
Television broadcast stations:
6 (2000)
Televisions:
196,000 (2000)
Internet country code:
.ao
Internet hosts:
3,562 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)
Internet users:
100,000 (2007)
Transportation
Angola
Airports:
232 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 31 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 201 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: 69 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 234 km; liquid petroleum gas 85 km; oil 896 km; oil/gas/water 5 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 2,761 km narrow gauge: 2,638 km 1.067-m gauge; 123 km 0.600-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 51,429 km paved: 5,349 km unpaved: 46,080 km (2001)
Waterways:
1,300 km (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 6 by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 1 (Spain 1) registered in other countries: 6 (Bahamas 6) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Cabinda, Lobito, Luanda, Namibe
Military
Angola
Military branches:
Angolan Armed Forces (FAA): Army, Navy (Marinha de Guerra, MdG),
Angolan National Air Force (FANA) (2007)
Military service age and obligation:
17 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 2 years plus time for training (2001)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,856,492 females age 16-49: 2,755,864 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,430,658 females age 16-49: 1,371,689 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 142,791 female: 139,539 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
5.7% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Angola
Disputes - international:
Cabindan separatists continue to return to the Angolan exclave from exile in neighboring states and Europe since the 2006 ceasefire and peace agreement
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 12,615 (Democratic Republic of Congo) IDPs: 61,700 (27-year civil war ending in 2002; 4 million IDPs already have returned) (2007)
Illicit drugs:
used as a transshipment point for cocaine destined for Western Europe and other African states, particularly South Africa
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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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, islands between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic
Ocean, east of Puerto Rico
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 102 sq km land: 102 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
about half the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
61 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 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) (2005)
Irrigated land:
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:
14,108 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 24.8% (male 1,795/female 1,706) 15-64 years: 67.6% (male 4,569/female 4,970) 65 years and over: 7.6% (male 510/female 558) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 32.3 years male: 31.3 years female: 33.4 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.332% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
13.11 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
4.39 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
14.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 3.54 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.01 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 80.53 years male: 78.01 years female: 83.12 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.75 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Nationality:
noun: Anguillan(s) adjective: Anguillan
Ethnic groups:
black (predominant) 90.1%, mixed, mulatto 4.6%, white 3.7%, other 1.5% (2001 census)
Religions:
Anglican 29%, Methodist 23.9%, other Protestant 30.2%, Roman Catholic 5.7%, other Christian 1.7%, other 5.2%, none or unspecified 4.3% (2001 census)
Languages:
English (official)
Literacy:
definition: age 12 and over can read and write total population: 95% male: 95% female: 95% (1984 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 11 years male: 11 years female: 11 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
4% of GDP (2005)
Government
Anguilla
Country name:
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Anguilla
Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK
Government type:
Capital:
name: The Valley geographic coordinates: 18 13 N, 63 03 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Independence:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
National holiday:
Anguilla Day, 30 May (1967)
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 Andrew N. GEORGE (since 10 July 2006) 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 elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed chief minister by the governor
Legislative branch:
unicameral House of Assembly (11 seats; 7 members elected by direct popular vote, 2 ex officio members, and 2 appointed; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 21 February 2005 (next to be held in 2010) election results: percent of vote by party - AUF 38.9%, AUM 19.4%, ANSA 19.2%, APP 9.5%, independents 13%; seats by party - AUF 4, ANSA 2, AUM 1
Judicial branch:
High Court (judge provided by Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court)
Political parties and leaders:
Anguilla United Front or AUF [Osbourne FLEMING, Victor BANKS] (a
coalition of the Anguilla Democratic Party or ADP and the Anguilla
National Alliance or ANA); Anguilla United Movement or AUM [Hubert
HUGHES]; Anguilla Progressive Party or APP [Roy ROGERS]; Anguilla
Strategic Alternative or ANSA [Edison BAIRD]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
International organization participation:
Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, UPU, WFTU
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 has spurred the growth of the construction sector, contributing 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):
$108.9 million (2004 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$108.9 million (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
10.2% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$8,800 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 4% industry: 18% services: 78% (2002 est.)
Labor force:
6,049 (2001)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture/fishing/forestry/mining 4%, manufacturing 3%, construction 18%, transportation and utilities 10%, commerce 36%, services 29% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate:
8% (2002)
Population below poverty line:
23% (2002)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $22.8 million expenditures: $22.5 million (2000 est.)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.3% (2006 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
6.5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
9.76% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$23.57 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$470.1 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$447.7 million (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
small quantities of tobacco, vegetables; cattle raising
Industries:
tourism, boat building, offshore financial services
Industrial production growth rate:
3.1% (1997 est.)
Electricity - production:
NA kWh
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: NA hydro: NA nuclear: NA other: NA
Current account balance:
-$42.87 million (2003 est.)
Exports:
$13 million (2006)
Exports - commodities:
lobster, fish, livestock, salt, concrete blocks, rum
Exports - partners:
UK, US, Puerto Rico, Saint-Martin (2006)
Imports:
$143 million (2006)
Imports - commodities:
fuels, foodstuffs, manufactures, chemicals, trucks, textiles
Imports - partners:
US, Puerto Rico, UK (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
$9 million (2004 est.)
Debt - external:
$8.8 million (1998)
Currency (code):
East Caribbean dollar (XCD)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7 (2007), 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003) note: fixed rate since 1976
Communications
Anguilla
Telephones - main lines in use:
6,200 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
1,800 (2002)
Telephone system:
general assessment: NA domestic: modern internal telephone system international: country code - 1-264; landing point for the East Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) submarine cable with links to 13 other islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin Islands to Trinidad; microwave radio relay to island of Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2004)
Radios:
3,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (1997)
Televisions:
1,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.ai
Internet hosts:
205 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
16 (2000)
Internet users:
3,000 (2002)
Transportation
Anguilla
Airports:
3 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 175 km paved: 82 km unpaved: 93 km (2004)
Ports and terminals:
Blowing Point, Road Bay
Military
Anguilla
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 3,538 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,929 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 103 female: 103 (2008 est.)
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 18 December, 2008
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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 a range of year-round and seasonal stations, camps, and refuges to support scientific research in Antarctica. Seven have made territorial claims, but not all countries recognize 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:
Map references:
Antarctic Region
Area:
total: 14 million sq km land: 14 million sq km (280,000 sq km ice-free, 13.72 million sq km ice-covered) (est.) note: fifth-largest continent, following Asia, Africa, North America, and South America, but larger than Australia and the subcontinent of Europe
Area - comparative:
slightly less than 1.5 times the size of the US
Land boundaries:
0 km note: see entry on Disputes - international
Coastline:
17,968 km
Maritime claims:
Australia, Chile, and Argentina claim Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) rights or similar over 200 nm extensions seaward from their continental claims, but like the claims themselves, these zones are not accepted by other countries; 21 of 28 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%) (2005)
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 passing 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 both permanent and summer-only staffed research stations note: 28 nations, all signatory to the Antarctic Treaty, operate through their National Antarctic Program a number of seasonal-only (summer) and year-round research stations on the continent and its nearby islands south of 60 degrees south latitude (the region covered by the Antarctic Treaty); these stations' population of persons doing and supporting science or engaged in the management and protection of the Antarctic region 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; peak summer (December-February) population - 4,219 total; Argentina 667, Australia 200, Brazil 40, Bulgaria 15, Chile 237, China 70, Czech Republic 20, Ecuador 26, Finland 20, France 100, France and Italy jointly 45, Germany 90, India 65, Italy 90, Japan 125, South Korea 70, NZ 85, Norway 44, Peru 28, Poland 40, Romania 3, Russia 429, South Africa 80, Spain 28, Sweden 20, Ukraine 24, UK 205, US 1,293, Uruguay 60 (2007-2008); winter (June-August) station population - 1,088 total; Argentina 176, Australia 62, Brazil 12, Chile 96, China 29, France 26, France and Italy jointly 13, Germany 9, India 25, Italy 2, Japan 40, South Korea 18, NZ 10, Norway 7, Poland 12, Russia 148, South Africa 10, Ukraine 12, UK 37, US 337, Uruguay 9 (2008); research stations operated within the Antarctic Treaty area (south of 60 degrees south latitude) by National Antarctic Programs: year-round stations - 38 total; Argentina 6, Australia 3, Brazil 1, Chile 4, China 2, France 1, France and Italy jointly 1, Germany 1, India 1, Japan 1, South Korea 1, NZ 1, Norway 1, Poland 1, Russia 5, South Africa 1, Ukraine 1, UK 2, US 3, Uruguay 1 (2008); a range of seasonal-only (summer) stations, camps, and refuges - Argentina, Australia, Bulgaria, Brazil, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, UK, US, and Uruguay (2007-2008); 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 (March 2008 est.)
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 30th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting was held in Delhi, India in April/May 2007; at these periodic meetings, decisions are made by consensus (not by vote) of all consultative member nations; at the end of 2007, there were 46 treaty member nations: 28 consultative and 18 non-consultative; consultative (decision-making) members include the seven nations that claim portions of Antarctica as national territory (some claims overlap) and 21 non-claimant 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 (with respect to their own nationals and operations) in accordance with their own national laws; the years in parentheses indicate when a consultative member-nation acceded to the Treaty and when it was accepted as a consultative member, while no date indicates the country was an original 1959 treaty signatory; claimant nations are - Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, NZ, Norway, and the UK. Nonclaimant consultative nations are - Belgium, Brazil (1975/1983), Bulgaria (1978/1998) China (1983/1985), Ecuador (1987/1990), Finland (1984/1989), Germany (1979/1981), India (1983/1983), Italy (1981/1987), Japan, South Korea (1986/1989), Netherlands (1967/1990), Peru (1981/1989), Poland (1961/1977), Russia, South Africa, Spain (1982/1988), Sweden (1984/1988), Ukraine (1992/2004), Uruguay (1980/1985), and the US; non-consultative members, with year of accession in parentheses, are - Austria (1987), Belarus (2006), Canada (1988), Colombia (1989), Cuba (1984), Czech Republic (1962/1993), Denmark (1965), Estonia (2001), Greece (1987), Guatemala (1991), Hungary (1984), North Korea (1987), Papua New Guinea (1981), Romania (1971), Slovakia (1962/1993), Switzerland (1990), Turkey (1996), and Venezuela (1999); note - Czechoslovakia acceded to the Treaty in 1962 and separated into the Czech Republic and Slovakia in 1993; 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 six specific annexes: 1) environmental impact assessment, 2) conservation of Antarctic fauna and flora, 3) waste disposal and waste management, 4) prevention of marine pollution, 5) area protection and management and 6) liability arising from environmental emergencies; it prohibits all activities relating to mineral resources except scientific research; a permanent Antarctic Treaty Secretariat was established in 2004 in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Legal system:
Antarctica is administered through meetings of the consultative member nations; decisions from these meetings are carried out by these member nations (with respect to their own nationals and operations) in accordance with their own national laws; US law, including certain criminal offenses by or against US nationals, such as murder, may apply extraterritorially; 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: the taking of native mammals or birds; the introduction of nonindigenous 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, Room 5805, 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: (703) 292-8030, or visit their website at www.nsf.gov; more generally, access to the Antarctic Treaty area, that is to all areas between 60 and 90 degrees south latitude, is subject to a number of relevant legal instruments and authorization procedures adopted by the states party to the Antarctic Treaty
Economy
Antarctica
Economy - overview:
Fishing off the coast and tourism, both based abroad, account for Antarctica's limited economic activity. Antarctic fisheries in 2005-06 (1 July-30 June) reported landing 128,081 metric tons (estimated fishing from the area covered by the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), which extends slightly beyond the Antarctic Treaty area). Unregulated fishing, particularly of Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides), is a serious problem. The CCAMLR determines the recommended catch limits for marine species. A total of 36,460 tourists visited the Antarctic Treaty area in the 2006-07 Antarctic summer, up from the 30,877 visitors the previous year (estimates provided to the Antarctic Treaty by the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO); this does not include passengers on overflights). Nearly all of them were passengers on commercial (nongovernmental) ships and several yachts that make trips during the summer. Most tourist trips last approximately two weeks.
Communications
Antarctica
Telephones - main lines in use:
0; note - information for US bases only (2001)
Telephone system:
general assessment: local systems at some research stations domestic: commercial cellular networks operating in a small number of locations international: country code - none allocated; via satellite (including mobile Inmarsat and Iridium systems) to and from all research stations, ships, aircraft, and most field parties (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
FM 2, shortwave 1 (information for US bases only); note - many research stations have a local FM radio station (2007)
Radios:
Television broadcast stations:
1 (cable system with 6 channels; American Forces Antarctic Network-McMurdo - 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 hosts:
7,748 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
Transportation
Antarctica
Airports:
27 (2008)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 27 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 6 (2008)
Heliports:
53 note: all year-round and seasonal stations operated by National Antarctic Programs stations have some kind of helicopter landing facilities, prepared (helipads) or unprepared (2007)
Ports and terminals:
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), and 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; relevant legal instruments and authorization procedures adopted by the states parties to the Antarctic Treaty regulating access to the Antarctic Treaty area, to all areas between 60 and 90 degrees of latitude south, have to be complied with (see "Legal System"); The Hydrographic Committee on Antarctica (HCA), a special hydrographic commission of International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), is responsible for hydrographic surveying and nautical charting matters in Antarctic Treaty area; it coordinates and facilitates provision of accurate and appropriate charts and other aids to navigation in support of safety of navigation in region; membership of HCA is open to any IHO Member State whose government has acceded to the Antarctic Treaty and which contributes resources and/or data to IHO Chart coverage of the area; members of HCA are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, China, Ecuador, France, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, NZ, Norway, Russia, South Africa, Spain, UK, and US (2007)
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:
the Antarctic Treaty freezes, and most states do not recognize, the land and maritime territorial claims made by Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway, and the United Kingdom (some overlapping) for three-fourths of the continent; the US and Russia reserve the right to make claims; no claims have been made in the sector between 90 degrees west and 150 degrees west; the International Whaling Commission created a sancturary around the entire continent to deter catches by countries claiming to conduct scientific whaling; Australia has established a similar preserve in the waters around its territorial claim
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Antigua and Barbuda
Introduction
Antigua and Barbuda
Background:
The Siboney were the first to inhabit the islands of Antigua and Barbuda in 2400 B.C., but Arawak Indians populated the islands when COLUMBUS landed on his second voyage in 1493. Early settlements by the Spanish and French were succeeded by the English who formed a colony in 1667. Slavery, established to run the sugar plantations on Antigua, was abolished in 1834. The islands became an independent state within the British Commonwealth of Nations in 1981.
Geography
Antigua and Barbuda
Location:
Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic
Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 442.6 sq km (Antigua 280 sq km; Barbuda 161 sq km) land: 442.6 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Redonda, 1.6 sq km
Area - comparative:
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
153 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Climate:
tropical maritime; 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: 18.18% permanent crops: 4.55% other: 77.27% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Total renewable water resources:
0.1 cu km (2000)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.005 cu km/yr (60%/20%/20%) per capita: 63 cu m/yr (1990)
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, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
Antigua has a deeply indented shoreline with many natural harbors and beaches; Barbuda has a large western harbor
People
Antigua and Barbuda
Population:
84,522 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 27.2% (male 11,670/female 11,318) 15-64 years: 66.3% (male 26,138/female 29,859) 65 years and over: 6.6% (male 2,408/female 3,129) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 29.5 years male: 28 years female: 30.8 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.305% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
16.78 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
6.14 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
2.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.88 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 17.49 deaths/1,000 live births male: 20.21 deaths/1,000 live births female: 14.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.25 years male: 72.33 years female: 76.26 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.08 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Nationality:
noun: Antiguan(s), Barbudan(s) adjective: Antiguan, Barbudan
Ethnic groups:
black 91%, mixed 4.4%, white 1.7%, other 2.9% (2001 census)
Religions:
Anglican 25.7%, Seventh Day Adventist 12.3%, Pentecostal 10.6%,
Moravian 10.5%, Roman Catholic 10.4%, Methodist 7.9%, Baptist 4.9%,
Church of God 4.5%, other Christian 5.4%, other 2%, none or
unspecified 5.8% (2001 census)
Languages:
English (official), local dialects
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has completed five or more years of schooling total population: 85.8% male: NA% female: NA% (2003 est.)
Education expenditures:
3.9% of GDP (2002)
Government
Antigua and Barbuda
Country name:
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Antigua and Barbuda
Government type:
constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of government
Capital:
name: Saint John's geographic coordinates: 17 07 N, 61 51 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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 Louisse LAKE-TACK (since 17 July 2007) head of government: Prime Minister Winston Baldwin SPENCER (since 24 March 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general chosen by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (17 seats; members appointed by the governor general) and the House of Representatives (17 seats; members are elected by proportional representation to serve five-year terms) elections: House of Representatives - last held 23 March 2004 (next to be held in 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ALP 4, UPP 13
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); member Caribbean Court of Justice
Political parties and leaders:
Antigua Labor Party or ALP [Lester Bryant BIRD]; Barbudans for a Better Barbuda [Ordrick SAMUEL]; Barbuda People's Movement or BPM [Thomas H. FRANK]; Barbuda People's Movement for Change [Arthur NIBBS]; United Progressive Party or UPP [Baldwin SPENCER] (a coalition of three parties - Antigua Caribbean Liberation Movement or ACLM, Progressive Labor Movement or PLM, United National Democratic Party or UNDP)
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, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU,
ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU,
WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Deborah Mae LOVELL chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 362-5122 FAX: [1] (202) 362-5225 consulate(s) general: Miami
Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Antigua and Barbuda; 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:
Antigua has a relatively high GDP per capita in comparison to most other Caribbean nations. It has experienced solid growth since 2003, driven by a construction boom in hotels and housing that which should wind down in 2008. Tourism continues to dominate the economy, accounting for more than half of GDP. 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. 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 slightly more than one-third of tourist arrivals. Since taking office in 2004, the SPENCER government has adopted an ambitious fiscal reform program, but will continue to be saddled by its debt burden with a debt-to-GDP ratio exceeding 100%.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.526 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.089 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
6.1% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$18,300 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3.8% industry: 22% services: 74.3% (2002 est.)
Labor force:
30,000 (1991)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 7% industry: 11% services: 82% (1983)
Unemployment rate:
11% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $123.7 million expenditures: $145.9 million (2000 est.)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.5% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
6.5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
10.44% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$294.8 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$902 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.002 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
cotton, fruits, vegetables, bananas, coconuts, cucumbers, mangoes, sugarcane; livestock
Industries:
tourism, construction, light manufacturing (clothing, alcohol, household appliances)
Industrial production growth rate:
Electricity - production:
105 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
97.65 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
4,109 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
157.7 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
4,556 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
$-211 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$84.3 million (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
petroleum products, bedding, handicrafts, electronic components, transport equipment, food and live animals
Exports - partners:
Spain 34%, Germany 20.7%, Italy 7.7%, Singapore 5.8%, UK 4.9% (2006)
Imports:
$522.8 million (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
food and live animals, machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, oil
Imports - partners:
US 21.1%, China 16.4%, Germany 13.3%, Singapore 12.7%, Spain 6.5% (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
$7.23 million (2005)
Debt - external:
$359.8 million (June 2006)
Currency (code):
East Caribbean dollar (XCD)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7 (2007), 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003) note: fixed rate since 1976
Communications
Antigua and Barbuda
Telephones - main lines in use:
37,500 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
110,200 (2006)
Telephone system:
general assessment: NA domestic: good automatic telephone system international: country code - 1-268; landing point for the East Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) submarine cable with links to 13 other islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin Islands to Trinidad; satellite earth stations - 2; tropospheric scatter to Saba (Netherlands Antilles) and Guadeloupe (2007)
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 hosts:
2,215 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
16 (2000)
Internet users:
60,000 (2007)
Transportation
Antigua and Barbuda
Airports:
3 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 1,165 km paved: 384 km unpaved: 781 km (2002)
Merchant marine:
total: 1,146 by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 50, cargo 651, carrier 4, chemical tanker 5, container 392, liquefied gas 12, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 9, roll on/roll off 20 foreign-owned: 1,113 (Australia 1, Colombia 2, Cyprus 18, Denmark 19, Estonia 23, France 1, Germany 941, Greece 3, Iceland 12, Italy 1, Latvia 13, Lithuania 5, Netherlands 20, NZ 2, Norway 8, Poland 2, Russia 4, Slovenia 6, Sweden 1, Switzerland 8, Turkey 6, UK 9, US 8) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Saint John's
Military
Antigua and Barbuda
Military branches:
Royal Antigua and Barbuda Defense Force (2007)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 19,560 females age 16-49: 18,977 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 15,591 females age 16-49: 15,542 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 744 female: 742 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
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 an offshore financial center
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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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:
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, on average, is about 3 meters thick, although pressure ridges may be three times that thickness; 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
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 terminals:
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:
the littoral states are engaged in various stages of demonstrating the limits of their continental shelves beyond 200 nautical miles from their declared baselines in accordance with Article 76, paragraph 8, of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea; record summer melting of sea ice in the Arctic has restimulated interest in maritime shipping lanes and sea floor exploration
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Argentina
Introduction
Argentina
Background:
In 1816, the United Provinces of the Rio Plata declared their independence from Spain. After Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay went their separate ways, the area that remained became Argentina. The country's population and culture were heavily shaped by immigrants from throughout Europe, but most particularly Italy and Spain, which provided the largest percentage of newcomers from 1860 to 1930. Up until about the mid-20th century, much of Argentina's history was dominated by periods of internal political conflict between Federalists and Unitarians and between civilian and military factions. After World War II, an era 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 has persisted despite numerous challenges, the most formidable of which was a severe economic crisis in 2001-02 that led to violent public protests and the resignation of several interim presidents. The economy has recovered strongly since bottoming out in 2002.
Geography
Argentina
Location:
Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between
Chile and Uruguay
Geographic coordinates:
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: 9,861 km border countries: Bolivia 832 km, Brazil 1,261 km, Chile 5,308 km, Paraguay 1,880 km, Uruguay 580 km
Coastline:
4,989 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
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: Laguna del Carbon -105 m (located between Puerto San Julian and Comandante Luis Piedra Buena in the province of Santa Cruz) highest point: Cerro Aconcagua 6,960 m (located in the northwestern corner of the province of Mendoza)
Natural resources:
fertile plains of the pampas, lead, zinc, tin, copper, iron ore, manganese, petroleum, uranium
Land use:
arable land: 10.03% permanent crops: 0.36% other: 89.61% (2005)
Irrigated land:
15,500 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
814 cu km (2000)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 29.19 cu km/yr (17%/9%/74%) per capita: 753 cu m/yr (2000)
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, 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); diverse geophysical landscapes range from tropical climates in the north to tundra in the far south; Cerro Aconcagua is the Western Hemisphere's tallest mountain, while Laguna del Carbon is the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere
People
Argentina
Population:
40.482 million (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 25.8% (male 5,341,642/female 5,095,325) 15-64 years: 63.5% (male 12,807,458/female 12,884,745) 65 years and over: 10.8% (male 1,784,652/female 2,568,176) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 29.7 years male: 28.8 years female: 30.8 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.068% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
18.11 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
7.43 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 11.78 deaths/1,000 live births male: 13.12 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.36 years male: 73.11 years female: 79.77 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.37 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.7% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
130,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
1,500 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A water contact disease: leptospirosis (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Argentine(s) adjective: Argentine
Ethnic groups:
white (mostly Spanish and Italian) 97%, mestizo (mixed white and Amerindian ancestry), Amerindian, or other non-white groups 3%
Religions:
nominally Roman Catholic 92% (less than 20% practicing), Protestant 2%, Jewish 2%, other 4%
Languages:
Spanish (official), Italian, English, German, French
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.2% male: 97.2% female: 97.2% (2001 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 15 years male: 14 years female: 16 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
3.8% of GDP (2004)
Government
Argentina
Country name:
conventional long form: Argentine Republic conventional short form: Argentina local long form: Republica Argentina local short form: Argentina
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Buenos Aires geographic coordinates: 34 36 S, 58 40 W time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in October; ends third Saturday in March; note - a new policy of daylight saving time was initiated by the government on 30 December 2007
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: the US does not recognize any claims to Antarctica
Independence:
9 July 1816 (from Spain)
National holiday:
Revolution Day, 25 May (1810)
Constitution:
1 May 1853; amended many times starting in 1860
Legal system:
mixture of US and West European legal systems; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Cristina FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER (since 10 December 2007); Vice President Julio COBOS (since 10 December 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Cristina FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER (since 10 December 2007); Vice President Julio COBOS (since 10 December 2007) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 28 October 2007 (next election to be held in 2011) election results: Cristina FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER elected president; percent of vote - Cristina FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER 45%, Elisa CARRIO 23%, Roberto LAVAGNA 17%, Alberto Rodriguez SAA 8%
Legislative branch:
bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate (72 seats; members are elected by direct vote; presently one-third of the members elected every two years to serve six-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies (257 seats; members are elected by direct vote; one-half of the members elected every two years to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 28 October 2007 (next to be held in 2009); Chamber of Deputies - last held last held 28 October 2007 (next to be held in 2009) election results: Senate - percent of vote by bloc or party - NA; seats by bloc or party - FV 12, UCR 4, CC 4, other 4; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by bloc or party - NA; seats by bloc or party - FV 5, UCR 10, PJ 10, PRO 6, CC 16, FJ 2, other 31; note - Senate and Chamber of Deputies seating reflect the number of replaced senators and deputies, rather than the whole Senate and Chamber of Deputies
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (the nine Supreme Court judges are appointed by the president with approval of the Senate) note: the Supreme Court currently has two unfilled vacancies, and the Argentine Congress is considering a bill to reduce the number of Supreme Court judges to five
Political parties and leaders:
Coalicion Civica (a broad coalition loosely affiliated with Elisa CARRIO); Front for Victory or FV (a broad coalition, including elements of the UCR and numerous provincial parties) [Cristina FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER]; Interbloque Federal or IF (a broad coalition of approximately 12 parties including PRO); Justicialist Front or FJ; Justicialist Party or PJ (Peronist umbrella political organization); Radical Civic Union or UCR [Gerardo MORALES]; Republican Proposal or PRO (including Federal Recreate Movement or RECREAR [Ricardo LOPEZ MURPHY] and Commitment for Change or CPC [Mauricio MACRI]); Socialist Party or PS [Ruben GIUSTINIANI]; Union For All [Patricia BULLRICH]; several provincial parties
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Argentine Association of Pharmaceutical Labs (CILFA); Argentine Industrial Union (manufacturers' association); Argentine Rural Confederation or CRA (small to medium landowners' association); Argentine Rural Society (large landowners' association); Central of Argentine Workers or CTA (a radical union for employed and unemployed workers); General Confederation of Labor or CGT (Peronist-leaning umbrella labor organization); Roman Catholic Church other: business organizations; Peronist-dominated labor movement; Piquetero groups (popular protest organizations that can be either pro or anti-government); students
International organization participation:
AfDB (nonregional members), Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, CAN
(associate), FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur,
MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NSG, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN,
UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina
(observer), UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO,
ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Hector Marcos TIMERMAN chancery: 1600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 238-6400 FAX: [1] (202) 332-3171 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Earl Anthony WAYNE embassy: Avenida Colombia 4300, C1425GMN Buenos Aires mailing address: international mail: use embassy street address; APO address: US Embassy Buenos Aires, Unit 4334, APO AA 34034 telephone: [54] (11) 5777-4533 FAX: [54] (11) 5777-4240
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. Although one of the world's wealthiest countries 100 years ago, Argentina suffered during most of the 20th century from recurring economic crises, persistent fiscal and current account deficits, high inflation, mounting external debt, and capital flight. A severe depression, growing public and external indebtedness, and a bank run culminated in 2001 in the most serious economic, social, and political crisis in the country's turbulent history. Interim President Adolfo RODRIGUEZ SAA declared a default - the largest in history - on the government's foreign debt in December of that year, and abruptly resigned only a few days after taking office. His successor, Eduardo DUHALDE, announced an end to the peso's decade-long 1-to-1 peg to the US dollar in early 2002. The economy bottomed out that year, with real GDP 18% smaller than in 1998 and almost 60% of Argentines under the poverty line. Real GDP rebounded to grow by an average 9% annually over the subsequent five years, taking advantage of previously idled industrial capacity and labor, an audacious debt restructuring and reduced debt burden, excellent international financial conditions, and expansionary monetary and fiscal policies. Inflation, however, reached double-digit levels in 2006 and the government of President Nestor KIRCHNER responded with "voluntary" price agreements with businesses, as well as export taxes and restraints. Multi-year price freezes on electricity and natural gas rates for residential users stoked consumption and kept private investment away, leading to restrictions on industrial use and blackouts in 2007.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$526.4 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$260 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
8.7% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$13,100 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 9.5% industry: 34% services: 56.5% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
16.03 million note: urban areas only (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 1% industry: 23% services: 76% (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate:
8.5% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
23.4% (January-June 2007)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1% highest 10%: 35% (January-March 2007)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
49 (2006)
Investment (gross fixed):
24.2% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $48.99 billion expenditures: $61.23 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
56.1% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
8.8% official rate; actual rate may be double the official rate (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
11.05% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$33.93 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$45.92 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$72.55 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
sunflower seeds, lemons, soybeans, grapes, corn, tobacco, peanuts, tea, wheat; livestock
Industries:
food processing, motor vehicles, consumer durables, textiles, chemicals and petrochemicals, printing, metallurgy, steel
Industrial production growth rate:
7.5% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
109.4 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
97.72 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
2.628 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
10.27 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 52.2% hydro: 40.8% nuclear: 6.7% other: 0.2% (2001)
Oil - production:
790,800 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
525,100 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
339,900 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
23,380 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
2.587 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
44.8 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
44.1 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
2.6 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
1.9 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
446 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
$7.438 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$55.78 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
soybeans and derivatives, petroleum and gas, vehicles, corn, wheat
Exports - partners:
Brazil 19.1%, China 9.4%, US 7.9%, Chile 7.6% (2007)
Imports:
$42.53 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery, motor vehicles, petroleum and natural gas, organic chemicals, plastics
Imports - partners:
Brazil 34.6%, US 12.6%, China 12%, Germany 5% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$99.66 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$46.12 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$135.8 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$65.31 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$26.26 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$79.73 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
Argentine peso (ARS)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Argentine pesos (ARS) per US dollar - 3.1105 (2007), 3.0543 (2006), 2.9037 (2005), 2.9233 (2004), 2.9006 (2003)
Communications
Argentina
Telephones - main lines in use:
9.5 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
40.402 million (2007)
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 telecommunications technology; fiber-optic cable trunk lines are being installed between all major cities; major networks are entirely digital and the availability of telephone service is improving; fixed-line telephone density is gradually increasing reaching nearly 25 lines per 100 people in 2007; mobile telephone subscribership has been increasing rapidly and has reached a level of 100 telephones per 100 persons 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; broadband services are gaining ground international: country code - 54; landing point for the Atlantis-2, UNISUR, and South America-1 optical submarine cable systems that provide links to Europe, Africa, South and Central America, and US; satellite earth stations - 112; 2 international gateways near Buenos Aires (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 260 (includes 10 inactive stations), FM (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 hosts:
3.813 million (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
33 (2000)
Internet users:
9.309 million (2007)
Transportation
Argentina
Airports:
1,272 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 154 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 26 1,524 to 2,437 m: 65 914 to 1,523 m: 50 under 914 m: 9 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1,118 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 44 914 to 1,523 m: 515 under 914 m: 556 (2007)
Heliports:
1 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 28,657 km; liquid petroleum gas 41 km; oil 5,607 km; refined products 3,052 km; unknown (oil/water) 13 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 31,902 km broad gauge: 20,858 km 1.676-m gauge (141 km electrified) standard gauge: 2,885 km 1.435-m gauge (26 km electrified) narrow gauge: 7,922 km 1.000-m gauge; 237 km 0.750-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 231,374 km paved: 69,412 km (includes 734 km of expressways) unpaved: 161,962 km (2004)
Waterways:
11,000 km (2006)
Merchant marine:
total: 46 by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 9, chemical tanker 2, container 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 24, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 14 (Brazil 1, Chile 7, Spain 2, UK 4) registered in other countries: 19 (Liberia 3, Panama 8, Paraguay 5, Uruguay 3) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Arroyo Seco, Bahia Blanca, Buenos Aires, La Plata, Punta Colorada,
Rosario, San Lorenzo-San Martin
Military
Argentina
Military branches:
Argentine Army (Ejercito Argentino), Navy of the Argentine Republic
(Armada Republica; includes naval aviation and naval infantry),
Argentine Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Argentina, FAA) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18-24 years of age for voluntary military service (18-21 requires parental permission); no conscription (2001)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 10,029,488 females age 16-49: 9,889,002 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 8,352,147 females age 16-49: 8,366,781 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 348,310 female: 332,944 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.3% of GDP (2005 est.)
Military - note:
the Argentine military is a well-organized force constrained by the country's prolonged economic hardship; the country has recently experienced a strong recovery, and the military is implementing a modernization plan aimed at making the ground forces lighter and more responsive (2008)
Transnational Issues
Argentina
Disputes - international:
Argentina continues to assert its claims to the UK-administered Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas), South Georgia, and the South Sandwich Islands in its constitution, forcibly occupying the Falklands in 1982, but in 1995 agreed no longer to seek settlement by force; territorial claim in Antarctica partially overlaps UK and Chilean claims; unruly region at convergence of Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay borders is locus of money laundering, smuggling, arms and illegal narcotics trafficking, and fundraising for extremist organizations; uncontested dispute between Brazil and Uruguay over Braziliera/Brasiliera Island in the Quarai/Cuareim River leaves the tripoint with Argentina in question; in 2006, Argentina went to the ICJ to protest, on environmental grounds, the construction of two pulp mills in Uruguay on the Uruguay River, which forms the boundary; both parties presented their pleadings in 2007 with Argentina's reply in January and Uruguay's rejoinder in July 2008; the joint boundary commission, established by Chile and Argentina in 2001 has yet to map and demarcate the delimited boundary in the inhospitable Andean Southern Ice Field (Campo de Hielo Sur)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Argentina is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor; most victims are trafficked within the country, from rural to urban areas; child sex tourism is a problem; foreign women and children, primarily from Paraguay, Brazil, and the Dominican Republic, are trafficked to Argentina for commercial sexual exploitation; Argentine women and girls are also trafficked to neighboring countries, Mexico, and Western Europe for sexual exploitation; a significant number of Bolivians, Peruvians, and Paraguayans are trafficked into the country for forced labor in sweatshops, agriculture, and as domestic servants tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - despite some progress, Argentina remains on the Tier 2 Watch List for the third consecutive year for its failure to show evidence of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking, particularly in terms of providing adequate assistance to victims and curbing official complicity with trafficking activity, especially on the provincial and local levels; the Argentine Congress has demonstrated progress by enacting much-needed and first-ever federal anti-trafficking legislation (2008)
Illicit drugs:
a transshipment country for cocaine headed for Europe; some money-laundering activity, especially in the Tri-Border Area; law enforcement corruption; a source for precursor chemicals; increasing domestic consumption of drugs in urban centers, especially cocaine base and synthetic drugs
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Armenia
Introduction
Armenia
Background:
Armenia prides itself on being the first nation to formally adopt Christianity (early 4th century). Despite periods of autonomy, over the centuries Armenia came under the sway of various empires including the Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Persian, and Ottoman. During World War I in the western portion of Armenia, Ottoman Turkey instituted a policy of forced resettlement coupled with other harsh practices that resulted in an estimated 1 million Armenian deaths. The eastern area of Armenia was ceded by the Ottomans to Russia in 1828; this portion declared its independence in 1918, but was conquered by the Soviet Red Army in 1920. Armenian leaders remain preoccupied by the long conflict with Muslim 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. Turkey imposed an economic blockade on Armenia and closed the common border because of the Armenian separatists' control of Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding areas.
Geography
Armenia
Location:
Southwestern Asia, east of Turkey
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Asia
Area:
total: 29,743 sq km land: 28,454 sq km water: 1,289 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, bauxite
Land use:
arable land: 16.78% permanent crops: 2.01% other: 81.21% (2005)
Irrigated land:
2,860 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
10.5 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 2.95 cu km/yr (30%/4%/66%) per capita: 977 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts
Environment - current issues:
soil pollution from toxic chemicals such as DDT; the energy crisis of the 1990s 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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, 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:
2,968,586 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 18.7% (male 296,401/female 259,594) 15-64 years: 70.3% (male 975,438/female 1,111,989) 65 years and over: 11% (male 128,398/female 196,766) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 31.1 years male: 28.4 years female: 34 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
-0.077% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
12.53 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
8.34 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-4.95 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.15 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.14 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.88 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female total population: 0.89 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 20.94 deaths/1,000 live births male: 25.82 deaths/1,000 live births female: 15.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.4 years male: 68.79 years female: 76.55 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.35 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
2,600 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Armenian(s) adjective: Armenian
Ethnic groups:
Armenian 97.9%, Yezidi (Kurd) 1.3%, Russian 0.5%, other 0.3% (2001 census)
Religions:
Armenian Apostolic 94.7%, other Christian 4%, Yezidi (monotheist with elements of nature worship) 1.3%
Languages:
Armenian 97.7%, Yezidi 1%, Russian 0.9%, other 0.4% (2001 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.4% male: 99.7% female: 99.2% (2001 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 11 years male: 11 years female: 12 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
3.2% of GDP (2001)
Government
Armenia
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Armenia conventional short form: Armenia local long form: Hayastani Hanrapetut'yun local short form: Hayastan former: Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic, Armenian Republic
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Yerevan geographic coordinates: 40 10 N, 44 30 E time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
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; amendments adopted through a nationwide referendum 27 November 2005
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 Serzh SARGSIAN (since 9 April 2008) head of government: Prime Minister Tigran SARGSIAN (since 9 April 2008) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 19 February 2008 (next to be held February 2013); prime minister appointed by the president based on majority or plurality support in parliament; the prime minister and Council of Ministers must resign if the National Assembly refuses to accept their program election results: Serzh SARGSIAN elected president; percent of vote - Serzh SARGSIAN 52.9%, Levon TER-PETROSSIAN 21.5%, Artur BAGHDASARIAN 16.7%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (Parliament) or Azgayin Zhoghov (131 seats; members elected by popular vote, 90 members elected by party list and 41 by direct vote; to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 12 May 2007 (next to be held in the spring of 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - HHK 33.9%, Prosperous Armenia 15.1%, ARF (Dashnak) 13.2%, Rule of Law 7.1%, Heritage Party 6%, other 24.7%; seats by party - HHK 64, Prosperous Armenia 18, ARF (Dashnak) 16, Rule of Law 9, Heritage Party 7, independent 17
Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court; Court of Cassation (Appeals Court)
Political parties and leaders:
Armenian National Movement or ANM [Ararat ZURABYAN]; Armenian
People's Party [Tigran KARAPETYAN]; Armenian Ramkavar Azadagan Party
Alliance or HRAK (includes former Dashink Party, National Revival
Party, and Ramkavar Liberal Party); Armenian Revolutionary
Federation ("Dashnak" Party) or ARF [Hrant MARKARYAN]; Heritage
Party [Raffi HOVHANNISYAN]; National Democratic Party [Shavarsh
KOCHARIAN]; National Democratic Union or NDU [Vazgen MANUKIAN];
National Unity Party [Artashes GEGHAMYAN]; People's Party of Armenia
[Stepan DEMIRCHYAN]; Prosperous Armenia [Gagik TSAROUKYAN]; Republic
Party [Aram SARKISYAN]; Republican Party of Armenia or HHK [Serzh
SARGSIAN]; Rule of Law Party (Orinats Yerkir) [Artur BAGHDASARIAN];
Union of Constitutional Rights [Hrant KHACHATURYAN]; United Labor
Party [Gurgen ARSENYAN]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Aylentrank (Impeachment) [Nikol PASHINYAN]; Yerkrapah Union [Manvel
GRIGORIAN]
International organization participation:
ACCT (observer), ADB, BSEC, CE, CIS, CSTO, EAEC (observer), EAPC,
EBRD, FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU,
MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OIF (associate member), OPCW,
OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Tatoul MARKARIAN chancery: 2225 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 319-1976 FAX: [1] (202) 319-2982 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Marie L. YOVANOVITCH embassy: 1 American Ave., Yerevan 0082 mailing address: American Embassy Yerevan, US Department of State, 7020 Yerevan Place, Washington, DC 20521-7020 telephone: [374](10) 464-700 FAX: [374](10) 464-742
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, and orange
Economy
Armenia
Economy - overview:
Since the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991, Armenia has made progress in implementing many economic reforms including privatization, price reforms, and prudent fiscal policies. The conflict with Azerbaijan over the ethnic Armenian-dominated region of Nagorno-Karabakh contributed to a severe economic decline in the early 1990s. By 1994, however, the Armenian Government launched an ambitious IMF-sponsored economic liberalization program that resulted in positive growth rates. Economic growth has averaged over 13% in recent years. Armenia has managed to reduce poverty, slash inflation, stabilize its currency, and privatize most small- and medium-sized enterprises. Under the old Soviet central planning system, Armenia developed a modern industrial sector, supplying machine tools, textiles, and other manufactured goods to sister republics, in exchange for raw materials and energy. Armenia has since switched to small-scale agriculture and away from the large agroindustrial complexes of the Soviet era. Nuclear power plants built at Metsamor in the 1970s were closed following the 1988 Spitak Earthquake, though they sustained no damage. One of the two reactors was re-opened in 1995, but the Armenian government is under international pressure to close it due to concerns that the Soviet era design lacks important safeguards. Metsamor provides 40 percent of the country's electricity - hydropower accounts for about one-fourth. Economic ties with Russia remain close, especially in the energy sector. The electricity distribution system was privatized in 2002 and bought by Russia's RAO-UES in 2005. Construction of a pipeline to deliver natural gas from Iran to Armenia is halfway completed and is scheduled to be commissioned by January 2009. Armenia has some mineral deposits (copper, gold, bauxite). Pig iron, unwrought copper, and other nonferrous metals are Armenia's highest valued exports. Armenia's severe trade imbalance has been offset somewhat by international aid, remittances from Armenians working abroad, and foreign direct investment. Armenia joined the WTO in January 2003. The government made some improvements in tax and customs administration in recent years, but anti-corruption measures will be more difficult to implement. Despite strong economic growth, Armenia's unemployment rate remains high. Armenia will need to pursue additional economic reforms in order to improve its economic competitiveness and to build on recent improvements in poverty and unemployment, especially given its economic isolation from two of its nearest neighbors, Turkey and Azerbaijan.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$17.17 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$7.974 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
13.7% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$5,800 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 17.2% industry: 36.4% services: 46.4% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
1.2 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 46.2% industry: 15.6% services: 38.2% (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate:
7.1% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
26.5% (2006 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 41.3% (2004)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
37 (2006)
Investment (gross fixed):
33.6% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $1.666 billion expenditures: $1.735 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.4% (2007 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
17.52% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$1.507 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$765.2 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.256 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
fruit (especially grapes), vegetables; livestock
Industries:
diamond-processing, metal-cutting machine tools, forging-pressing machines, electric motors, tires, knitted wear, hosiery, shoes, silk fabric, chemicals, trucks, instruments, microelectronics, jewelry manufacturing, software development, food processing, brandy
Industrial production growth rate:
3.2% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
5.544 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
4.539 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
322.6 million kWh; note - exports an unknown quantity to Georgia; includes exports to Nagorno-Karabakh region in Azerbaijan (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
400.6 million kWh; note - imports an unknown quantity from Iran (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 42.3% hydro: 27% nuclear: 30.7% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
41,090 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
44,670 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
2.05 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
2.05 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006)
Current account balance:
-$571.4 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$1.2 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
pig iron, unwrought copper, nonferrous metals, diamonds, mineral products, foodstuffs, energy
Exports - partners:
Russia 17.5%, Germany 14.7%, Netherlands 13.5%, Belgium 8.7%, Georgia 7.6%, US 6.6%, Switzerland 4.3%, Bulgaria 4.1%, Ukraine 4% (2007)
Imports:
$2.807 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
natural gas, petroleum, tobacco products, foodstuffs, diamonds
Imports - partners:
Russia 15.1%, Ukraine 7.7%, Kazakhstan 7.4%, Germany 6.8%, China 6%,
France 4.6%, US 4.5%, Iraq 4.3% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
ODA, $180 million (2007)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$1.657 billion (December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$1.372 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$42.8 million (2005)
Currency (code):
dram (AMD)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
drams (AMD) per US dollar - 344.06 (2007), 414.69 (2006), 457.69 (2005), 533.45 (2004), 578.76 (2003)
Communications
Armenia
Telephones - main lines in use:
603,900 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
1,185,400 (2006)
Telephone system:
general assessment: telecommunications investments have made major inroads in modernizing and upgrading the outdated telecommunications network inherited from the Soviet era; now 100% privately owned and undergoing modernization and expansion; mobile-cellular services monopoly terminated in late 2004 and a second provider began operations in mid-2005 domestic: reliable modern landline and mobile-cellular services are available across Yerevan in major cities and towns; significant but ever-shrinking gaps remain in mobile-cellular coverage in rural areas international: country code - 374; 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, through the Moscow international switch, and by satellite to the rest of the world; satellite earth stations - 3 (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 9, FM 16, shortwave 1 (2006)
Radios:
850,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
48 (private television stations alongside 2 public networks; major Russian channels widely available) (2006)
Televisions:
825,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.am
Internet hosts:
26,081 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
9 (2001)
Internet users:
172,800 (2006)
Transportation
Armenia
Airports:
12 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 10 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 2,036 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 839 km broad gauge: 839 km 1.520-m gauge (828 km electrified) note: some lines are out of service (2006)
Roadways:
total: 7,700 km paved: 7,700 km (includes 1,561 km of expressways) (2006)
Military
Armenia
Military branches:
Armed Forces: Ground Forces, Nagorno-Karabakh Self Defense Force
(NKSDF), Air Force and Air Defense (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18-27 years of age for voluntary or compulsory military service; 2-year conscript service obligation (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 809,576 females age 16-49: 870,864 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 637,776 females age 16-49: 729,846 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 30,548 female: 29,170 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
6.5% of GDP (FY01)
Transnational Issues
Armenia
Disputes - international:
Armenia supports ethnic Armenian secessionists in Nagorno-Karabakh and since the early 1990s, has militarily occupied 16% of Azerbaijan - Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) continues to mediate dispute; over 800,000 mostly ethnic Azerbaijanis were driven from the occupied lands and Armenia; about 230,000 ethnic Armenians were driven from their homes in Azerbaijan into Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh; Azerbaijan seeks transit route through Armenia to connect to Naxcivan exclave; border with Turkey remains closed over Nagorno-Karabakh dispute; ethnic Armenian groups in Javakheti region of Georgia seek greater autonomy; Armenians continue to emigrate, primarily to Russia, seeking employment
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 113,295 (Azerbaijan) IDPs: 8,400 (conflict with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh, majority have returned home since 1994 ceasefire) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Armenia is primarily a source country for women and girls trafficked to the UAE and Turkey for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation; Armenian men and women are trafficked to Turkey and Russia for the purpose of forced labor tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Armenia is placed on the Tier 2 Watch List for a fourth consecutive year; its efforts to increase compliance with the minimum standards were assessed based on its commitments to undertake future actions, particularly in the areas of improving victim protection and assistance; while the government elevated anti-trafficking responsibilities to the ministerial level, adopted a new National Action Plan, and drafted a National Referral Mechanism, it has yet to show tangible progress in identifying and protecting victims or in tackling trafficking complicity of government officials; the Armenian Government made some notable improvements in its anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts, but it failed to demonstrate evidence of investigations, prosecutions, convictions, and sentences of officials complicit in trafficking (2008)
Illicit drugs:
illicit cultivation of small amount of cannabis for domestic consumption; minor transit point for illicit drugs - mostly opium and hashish - moving from Southwest Asia to Russia and to a lesser extent the rest of Europe
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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:
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 193 sq km land: 193 sq km water: 0 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: 10.53% permanent crops: 0% other: 89.47% (2005)
Irrigated land:
0.01 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
hurricanes; lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt and is rarely threatened
Environment - current issues:
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:
101,541 note: estimate based on a revision of the base population, fertility, and mortality numbers, as well as a revision of 1985-1999 migration estimates from outmigration to inmigration, which is assumed to continue into the future; the new results are consistent with the 2000 census (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 19.4% (male 9,933/female 9,747) 15-64 years: 70.3% (male 34,123/female 37,228) 65 years and over: 10.4% (male 4,189/female 6,321) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 37.6 years male: 35.8 years female: 39.3 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.501% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
12.81 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
7.65 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
9.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female total population: 0.9 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 14.26 deaths/1,000 live births male: 18.92 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.06 years male: 72.03 years female: 78.14 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.85 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Nationality:
noun: Aruban(s) adjective: Aruban; Dutch
Ethnic groups:
mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80%, other 20%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 80.8%, Protestant 9%, other (includes Hindu, Muslim,
Confucian, Jewish) 5.6%, none or unspecified 4.6%
Languages:
Papiamento (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect) 66.3%, Spanish 12.6%, English (widely spoken) 7.7%, Dutch (official) 5.8%, other 2.2%, unspecified or unknown 5.3% (2000 census)
Literacy:
definition: NA total population: 97.3% male: 97.5% female: 97.1% (2000 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 14 years male: 13 years female: 14 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
4.8% of GDP (2005)
Government
Aruba
Country name:
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Aruba
Dependency status:
member country 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:
name: Oranjestad geographic coordinates: 12 31 N, 70 02 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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 (1976)
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 Fredis REFUNJOL (since 11 May 2004) head of government: Prime Minister Nelson O. ODUBER (since 30 October 2001) cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten 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 in 2005 (next to be held by 2009) election results: Nelson O. ODUBER elected prime minister; percent of legislative vote - NA
Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislature or Staten (21 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 23 September 2005 (next to be held in 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - MEP 43%, AVP 32%, MPA 7%, RED 7%, PDR 6%, OLA 4%, PPA 2%; seats by party - MEP 11, AVP 8, MPA 1, RED 1
Judicial branch:
Common Court of Justice of Aruba (judges are appointed by the monarch)
Political parties and leaders:
Aliansa/Aruban Social Movement or MSA [Robert WEVER]; Aruban Liberal Organization or OLA [Glenbert CROES]; Aruban Patriotic Movement or MPA [Monica ARENDS-KOCK]; Aruban Patriotic Party or PPA [Benny NISBET]; Aruban People's Party or AVP [Mike EMAN]; People's Electoral Movement Party or MEP [Nelson O. ODUBER]; Real Democracy or PDR [Andin BIKKER]; RED [Rudy LAMPE]; Workers Political Platform or PTT [Gregorio WOLFF]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: environmental groups
International organization participation:
Caricom (observer), ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITUC, UNESCO (associate), UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCL, WFTU, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands); note - Mr. Henry BAARH, Minister Plenipotentiary for Aruba at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Aruba; the Consul General to Netherlands Antilles is accredited to Aruba
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. Over 1.5 million tourists per year visit Aruba, with 75% of those from the US. Construction continues to boom, with hotel capacity five times the 1985 level. In addition, the country's oil refinery reopened in 1993, providing a major source of employment, foreign exchange earnings, and growth. Tourist arrivals have rebounded strongly following a dip after the 11 September 2001 attacks. The island experiences only a brief low season, and hotel occupancy in 2004 averaged 80%, compared to 68% throughout the rest of the Caribbean. The government has made cutting the budget and trade deficits a high priority.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$2.258 billion (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$2.258 billion (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2.4% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$21,800 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 0.4% industry: 33.3% services: 66.3% (2002 est.)
Labor force:
41,500 (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% note: most employment is in wholesale and retail trade and repair, followed by hotels and restaurants; oil refining
Unemployment rate:
6.9% (2005 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $507.9 million expenditures: $577.9 million (2005 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
46.3% of GDP (2005)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.4% (2005)
Central bank discount rate:
5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
11.01% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$640.9 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$792.9 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.348 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
aloes; livestock; fish
Industries:
tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining
Industrial production growth rate:
Electricity - production:
800 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
744 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
2,356 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
7,102 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
233,300 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
238,200 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006)
Exports:
$124 million f.o.b.; note - includes oil reexports (2006)
Exports - commodities:
live animals and animal products, art and collectibles, machinery and electrical equipment, transport equipment
Exports - partners:
Panama 29.7%, Colombia 17%, Netherlands Antilles 13.2%, US 11.3%,
Venezuela 10.9%, Netherlands 9.2% (2007)
Imports:
$1.054 billion f.o.b. (2006)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and electrical equipment, crude oil for refining and reexport, chemicals; foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
US 54.6%, Netherlands 12%, UK 4.7% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$11.3 million (2004)
Debt - external:
$478.6 million (2005 est.)
Currency (code):
Aruban guilder/florin (AWG)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Aruban guilders/florins (AWG) per US dollar - NA (2007), 1.79 (2006), 1.79 (2005), 1.79 (2004), 1.79 (2003)
Communications
Aruba
Telephones - main lines in use:
38,700 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
105,700 (2006)
Telephone system:
general assessment: modern fully automatic telecommunications system domestic: increased competition through privatization; 3 wireless service providers are now licensed international: country code - 297; landing site for the PAN-AM submarine telecommunications cable system that extends from the US Virgin Islands through Aruba to Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, and the west coast of South America; extensive interisland microwave radio relay links (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 16, shortwave 0 (2004)
Radios:
50,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (1997)
Televisions:
20,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.aw
Internet hosts:
17,661 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
Internet users:
24,000 (2007)
Transportation
Aruba
Airports:
1 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2007)
Ports and terminals:
Barcadera, Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas
Military
Aruba
Military branches:
no regular indigenous military forces; the Netherlands maintains a detachment of marines, a frigate, and an amphibious combat detachment in the neighboring Netherlands Antilles (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 24,585 females age 16-49: 25,742 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 20,173 females age 16-49: 21,062 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 705 female: 719 (2008 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Transnational Issues
Aruba
Disputes - international:
none
Illicit drugs:
transit point for US- and Europe-bound narcotics with some accompanying money-laundering activity; relatively high percentage of population consumes cocaine
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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, became a marine reserve in 2000.
Geography
Ashmore and Cartier Islands
Location:
Southeastern Asia, islands in the Indian Ocean, midway between northwestern Australia and Timor island
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Southeast Asia
Area:
total: 5 sq km land: 5 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Ashmore Reef (West, Middle, and East Islets) and Cartier Island
Area - comparative:
about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
74.1 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
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) (2005)
Irrigated land:
0 sq km
Natural hazards:
surrounded by shoals and reefs that can pose maritime hazards
Environment - current issues:
illegal killing of protected wildlife by traditional Indonesian fisherman, as well as fishing by non-traditional Indonesian vessels, are ongoing problems
Geography - note:
Ashmore Reef National Nature Reserve established in August 1983;
Cartier Island Marine Reserve established in 2000
People
Ashmore and Cartier Islands
Population:
no indigenous inhabitants note: Indonesian fishermen are allowed access to the lagoon and fresh water at Ashmore Reef's West Island; access to East and Middle Islands is by permit only
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 Attorney-General's Department
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
Ports and terminals:
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
Transnational Issues
Ashmore and Cartier Islands
Disputes - international:
as the closest Australian territory to Indonesia, these islands became the target of human traffickers for the landing of illegal immigrants; in 2001, the Australian government removed these islands from the Australian Migration Zone making illegal arrivals ineligible for temporary visas and entry into Australia
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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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 Saint Lawrence Seaway (Canada-US) are important strategic access waterways. The decision by the International Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 to delimit a fifth world ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the Atlantic Ocean south of 60 degrees south latitude.
Geography
Atlantic Ocean
Location:
body of water between Africa, Europe, the Southern Ocean, and the Western Hemisphere
Geographic coordinates:
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, Labrador
Sea, 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
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, 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 terminals:
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; the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial waters of littoral states and offshore Atlantic waters as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships, particularly in the Gulf of Guinea off West Africa, the east coast of Brazil, and the Caribbean Sea; numerous commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargoes stolen; crews have been robbed and stores or cargoes stolen
Transnational Issues
Atlantic Ocean
Disputes - international:
some maritime disputes (see littoral states)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Australia
Introduction
Australia
Background:
Aboriginal settlers arrived on the continent from Southeast Asia about 40,000 years before the first Europeans began exploration in the 17th century. No formal territorial claims were made until 1770, when Capt. James COOK took possession in the name of Great Britain. Six colonies were created in the late 18th and 19th centuries; they federated and became the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901. The new country took advantage of its natural resources to rapidly develop agricultural and manufacturing industries and to make a major contribution to the British effort in World Wars I and II. In recent decades, Australia has transformed itself into an internationally competitive, advanced market economy. It boasted one of the OECD's fastest growing economies during the 1990s, a performance due in large part to economic reforms adopted in the 1980s. Long-term concerns include climate-change issues such as the depletion of the ozone layer and more frequent droughts, and management and conservation of coastal areas, especially the Great Barrier Reef.
Geography
Australia
Location:
Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific
Ocean
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total: 7,686,850 sq km land: 7,617,930 sq km water: 68,920 sq km note: includes Lord Howe Island and Macquarie Island
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than the US contiguous 48 states
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
25,760 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
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, gold, silver, uranium, nickel, tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas, petroleum note: Australia is the world's largest net exporter of coal accounting for 29% of global coal exports
Land use:
arable land: 6.15% (includes about 27 million hectares of cultivated grassland) permanent crops: 0.04% other: 93.81% (2005)
Irrigated land:
25,450 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
398 cu km (1995)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 24.06 cu km/yr (15%/10%/75%) per capita: 1,193 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, 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: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
world's smallest continent but sixth-largest country; population concentrated along the eastern and southeastern coasts; the invigorating sea breeze known as the "Fremantle Doctor" affects the city of Perth on the west coast, and is one of the most consistent winds in the world
People
Australia
Population:
21,007,310 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 18.8% (male 2,022,151/female 1,919,002) 15-64 years: 67.9% (male 7,233,555/female 7,038,722) 65 years and over: 13.3% (male 1,266,166/female 1,527,714) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 37.1 years male: 36.4 years female: 37.9 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.221% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
12.55 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
6.68 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
6.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.83 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.82 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.15 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 81.53 years male: 79.16 years female: 84.02 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.78 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
14,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Australian(s) adjective: Australian
Ethnic groups:
white 92%, Asian 7%, aboriginal and other 1%
Religions:
Catholic 26.4%, Anglican 20.5%, other Christian 20.5%, Buddhist 1.9%, Muslim 1.5%, other 1.2%, unspecified 12.7%, none 15.3% (2001 Census)
Languages:
English 79.1%, Chinese 2.1%, Italian 1.9%, other 11.1%, unspecified 5.8% (2001 Census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 20 years male: 20 years female: 21 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
4.5% of GDP (2005)
Government
Australia
Country name:
conventional long form: Commonwealth of Australia conventional short form: Australia
Government type:
federal parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: Canberra geographic coordinates: 35 17 S, 149 13 E time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in October; ends last Sunday in March note: Australia is divided into three time zones
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, Macquarie Island
Independence:
1 January 1901 (federation of UK colonies)
National holiday:
Australia Day, 26 January (1788); ANZAC Day (commemorated as the
anniversary of the landing of troops of the Australian and New
Zealand Army Corps during World War I at Gallipoli, Turkey), 25
April (1915)
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 of Australia ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Quentin BRYCE (since 5 September 2008) head of government: Prime Minister Kevin RUDD (since 3 December 2007); Deputy Prime Minister Julia GILLARD (since 3 December 2007) cabinet: prime minister nominates, from among members of Parliament, candidates who are subsequently sworn in by the governor general to serve as government ministers elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is sworn in as prime minister by the governor general
Legislative branch:
bicameral Federal Parliament consists of the Senate (76 seats; 12 members from each of the six states and 2 from each of the two mainland territories; one-half of state members are elected every three years by popular vote to serve six-year terms while all territory members are elected every three years) and the House of Representatives (150 seats; members elected by popular preferential vote to serve terms of up to three-years; no state can have fewer than 5 representatives) elections: Senate - last held 24 November 2007 (next to be held no later than 2010); House of Representatives - last held 24 November 2007 (next to be called no later than 2010) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Liberal Party-National Party coalition 37, Australian Labor Party 32, Australian Greens 5, Family First Party 1, other 1; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Australian Labor Party 83, Liberal Party 55, National Party 10, independents 2
Judicial branch:
High Court (the chief justice and six other justices are appointed by the governor general)
Political parties and leaders:
Australian Democrats [Lyn ALLISON]; Australian Greens [Bob BROWN];
Australian Labor Party [Kevin RUDD]; Country Liberal Party [Jodeen
CARNEY]; Family First Party [Steve FIELDING]; Liberal Party [Malcolm
TURNBULL]; The Nationals [Warren TRUSS]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: business groups; environmental groups; social groups; trade unions
International organization participation:
ADB, ANZUS, APEC, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group,
BIS, C, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
IEA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,
ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, Paris
Club, PCA, PIF, SAARC (observer), Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Dennis J. RICHARDSON chancery: 1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 797-3000 FAX: [1] (202) 797-3168 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Robert D. McCALLUM, Jr. embassy: Moonah Place, Yarralumla, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2600 mailing address: APO AP 96549 telephone: [61] (02) 6214-5600 FAX: [61] (02) 6214-5970 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 known as the Commonwealth or Federation Star, representing the federation of the colonies of Australia in 1901; the star depicts one point for each of the six original states and one representing all of Australia's internal and external territories; on the fly 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 an enviable, strong economy with a per capita GDP on par with the four dominant West European economies. Robust business and consumer confidence and high export prices for raw materials and agricultural products are fueling the economy, particularly in mining states. Australia's emphasis on reforms, low inflation, a housing market boom, and growing ties with China have been key factors behind the economy's 16 solid years of expansion. Drought, robust import demand, and a strong currency have pushed the trade deficit up in recent years, while infrastructure bottlenecks and a tight labor market are constraining growth in export volumes and stoking inflation. Australia's budget has been in surplus since 2002 due to strong revenue growth.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$773 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$908.8 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
4.3% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$37,300 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3% industry: 26.4% services: 70.6% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
10.95 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 3.6% industry: 21.2% services: 75.2% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate:
4.4% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2% highest 10%: 25.4% (1994)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
30.5 (2006)
Investment (gross fixed):
27.3% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $321.9 billion expenditures: $315.8 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June
Public debt:
15.6% of GDP note: the Commonwealth government eliminated its net debt in 2006, but continues a gross debt issue to support the market for risk-free securities (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.3% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
10.02% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$298.5 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$667.2 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.312 trillion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
wheat, barley, sugarcane, fruits, cattle, sheep, poultry
Industries:
mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food processing, chemicals, steel
Industrial production growth rate:
4.1% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
244.2 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
220 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 90.8% hydro: 8.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0.9% (2001)
Oil - production:
600,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Oil - consumption:
966,200 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - exports:
337,400 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
615,000 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
1.5 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
43.62 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
29.4 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
19.91 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
5.689 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
849.5 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
-$56.78 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$142.1 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
coal, iron ore, gold, meat, wool, alumina, wheat, machinery and transport equipment
Exports - partners:
Japan 18.9%, China 14.2%, South Korea 8%, US 6%, NZ 5.6%, India 5.5%, UK 4.2% (2007)
Imports:
$160 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, computers and office machines, telecommunication equipment and parts; crude oil and petroleum products
Imports - partners:
China 15.5%, US 12.8%, Japan 9.6%, Singapore 5.6%, Germany 5.2%, UK 4.3%, Thailand 4.2% (2007)
Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $2.123 billion (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$26.91 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$826.4 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$315 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$280.6 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$804.1 billion (2005)
Currency (code):
Australian dollar (AUD)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - 1.2137 (2007), 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003)
Communications
Australia
Telephones - main lines in use:
9.76 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
21.26 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: excellent domestic and international service domestic: domestic satellite system; significant use of radiotelephone in areas of low population density; rapid growth of mobile cellular telephones international: country code - 61; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 optical telecommunications submarine cable with links to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; the Southern Cross fiber optic submarine cable provides links to New Zealand and the United States; satellite earth stations - 19 (10 Intelsat - 4 Indian Ocean and 6 Pacific Ocean, 2 Inmarsat - Indian and Pacific Ocean regions, 2 Globalstar, 5 other) (2007)
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 hosts:
11.134 million (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
571 (2002)
Internet users:
11.24 million (2007)
Transportation
Australia
Airports:
461 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 317 over 3,047 m: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 12 1,524 to 2,437 m: 138 914 to 1,523 m: 143 under 914 m: 13 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 144 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 109 under 914 m: 16 (2007)
Heliports:
1 (2007)
Pipelines:
condensate/gas 469 km; gas 26,719 km; liquid petroleum gas 240 km; oil 3,720 km; oil/gas/water 110 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 38,550 km broad gauge: 3,727 km 1.600-m gauge standard gauge: 20,519 km 1.435-m gauge (1,877 km electrified) narrow gauge: 14,074 km 1.067-m gauge (2,453 km electrified) dual gauge: 230 km dual gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 812,972 km paved: 341,448 km unpaved: 471,524 km (2004)
Waterways:
2,000 km (mainly used for recreation on Murray and Murray-Darling river systems) (2006)
Merchant marine:
total: 50 by type: bulk carrier 12, cargo 5, chemical tanker 1, container 1, liquefied gas 4, passenger 7, passenger/cargo 7, petroleum tanker 8, roll on/roll off 5 foreign-owned: 24 (Canada 9, France 1, Germany 2, Japan 1, Netherlands 2, Norway 1, Singapore 1, UK 5, US 2) registered in other countries: 28 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Belize 1, Bermuda 1, Dominica 2, Fiji 1, Marshall Islands 1, NZ 1, Panama 4, Singapore 12, Tonga 1, US 1, Vanuatu 2) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Brisbane, Dampier, Fremantle, Gladstone, Hay Point, Melbourne,
Newcastle, Port Hedland, Port Kembla, Port Walcott, Sydney
Military
Australia
Military branches:
Australian Defense Force (ADF): Australian Army, Royal Australian
Navy, Royal Australian Air Force, Special Operations Command (2006)
Military service age and obligation:
17 years of age for voluntary military service (with parental consent); no conscription; women allowed to serve in Army combat units in non-combat support roles (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 4,999,988 females age 16-49: 4,870,043 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 4,137,176 females age 16-49: 4,022,588 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 144,934 female: 137,511 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
2.4% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Australia
Disputes - international:
Timor-Leste and Australia agreed in 2005 to defer the disputed portion of the boundary for fifty years and to split hydrocarbon revenues evenly outside the Joint Petroleum Development Area covered by the 2002 Timor Sea Treaty; dispute with Timor-Leste hampers creation of a revised maritime boundary with Indonesia in the Timor Sea; regional states continue to express concern over Australia's 2004 declaration of a 1,000-nautical mile-wide maritime identification zone; Australia asserts land and maritime claims to Antarctica; in 2004 Australia submitted its claims to Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) to extend its continental margins covering over 3.37 million square kilometers, expanding its seabed roughly thirty percent more than its claimed exclusive economic zone; since 2003, Australia has led the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) to maintain civil and political order and reinforce regional security
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; major consumer of cocaine and amphetamines
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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 that same year declared the country's "perpetual neutrality" as a condition for Soviet military withdrawal. The Soviet Union's collapse in 1991 and Austria's entry into the European Union in 1995 have altered the meaning of this neutrality. A prosperous, democratic country, Austria entered the EU Economic and Monetary Union in 1999.
Geography
Austria
Location:
Central Europe, north of Italy and Slovenia
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 83,870 sq km land: 82,444 sq km water: 1,426 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 and some snow in lowlands and snow in mountains; moderate 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:
oil, coal, lignite, timber, iron ore, copper, zinc, antimony, magnesite, tungsten, graphite, salt, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 16.59% permanent crops: 0.85% other: 82.56% (2005)
Irrigated land:
40 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
84 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 3.67 cu km/yr (35%/64%/1%) per capita: 448 cu m/yr (1999)
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-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 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, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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:
8,205,533 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 14.8% (male 621,326/female 592,131) 15-64 years: 67.5% (male 2,783,531/female 2,753,389) 65 years and over: 17.7% (male 599,415/female 855,741) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 41.7 years male: 40.7 years female: 42.8 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.064% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
8.66 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
9.91 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
1.88 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.48 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.48 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.36 years male: 76.46 years female: 82.41 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.38 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.3% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
10,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 100 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Austrian(s) adjective: Austrian
Ethnic groups:
Austrians 91.1%, former Yugoslavs 4% (includes Croatians, Slovenes, Serbs, and Bosniaks), Turks 1.6%, German 0.9%, other or unspecified 2.4% (2001 census)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 73.6%, Protestant 4.7%, Muslim 4.2%, other 3.5%, unspecified 2%, none 12% (2001 census)
Languages:
German (official nationwide) 88.6%, Turkish 2.3%, Serbian 2.2%, Croatian (official in Burgenland) 1.6%, other (includes Slovene, official in Carinthia, and Hungarian, official in Burgenland) 5.3% (2001 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: NA female: NA
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 15 years male: 15 years female: 16 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
5.4% of GDP (2005)
Government
Austria
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Austria conventional short form: Austria local long form: Republik Oesterreich local short form: Oesterreich
Government type:
federal republic
Capital:
name: Vienna geographic coordinates: 48 12 N, 16 22 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
9 states (Bundeslaender, singular - Bundesland); Burgenland,
Kaernten (Carinthia), Niederoesterreich (Lower Austria),
Oberoesterreich (Upper Austria), Salzburg, Steiermark (Styria),
Tirol (Tyrol), Vorarlberg, Wien (Vienna)
Independence:
976 (Margravate of Austria established); 17 September 1156 (Duchy of Austria founded); 11 August 1804 (Austrian Empire proclaimed); 12 November 1918 (republic proclaimed)
National holiday:
National Day, 26 October (1955); note - commemorates the passage of the law on permanent neutrality
Constitution:
1920; revised 1929; reinstated 1 May 1945; note - during the period 1 May 1934-1 May 1945 there was a fascist (corporative) constitution in place
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:
16 years of age; universal; note - reduced from 18 years of age in 2007
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Heinz FISCHER (SPOe) (since 8 July 2004) head of government: Chancellor Werner FAYMANN (SPOe) (since 2 December 2008); Vice Chancellor Josef PROELL (OeVP) (since 2 December 2008) 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 (eligible for a second term); presidential election last held 25 April 2004 (next to be held in April 2010); chancellor formally chosen by the president but determined by the coalition parties forming a parliamentary majority; vice chancellor chosen by the president on the advice of the chancellor election results: Heinz FISCHER elected president; percent of vote - Heinz FISCHER 52.4%, Benita FERRERO-WALDNER 47.6% note: government coalition - SPOe and OeVP
Legislative branch:
bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung consists of Federal Council or Bundesrat (62 seats; members chosen by state parliaments with each state receiving 3 to 12 members according to its population; members serve a five- or six-year term) and the National Council or Nationalrat (183 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: National Council - last held 28 September 2008 (next to be held by September 2013) election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - SPOe 29.3%, OeVP 26%, FPOe 17.5%, BZOe 10.7%, Greens 10.4%, other 6.1%; seats by party - SPOe 57, OeVP 51, FPOe 34, BZOe 21, Greens 20
Judicial branch:
Supreme Judicial Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Administrative Court or Verwaltungsgerichtshof; Constitutional Court or Verfassungsgerichtshof
Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for the Future of Austria or BZOe [Stefan PETZNER];
Austrian People's Party or OeVP [Wilhelm MOLTERER]; Freedom Party of
Austria or FPOe [Heinz Christian STRACHE]; Social Democratic Party
of Austria or SPOe [Werner FAYMANN]; The Greens [Alexander VAN DER
BELLEN]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Austrian Trade Union Federation or OeGB (nominally independent but primarily Social Democratic); Federal Economic Chamber; OeVP-oriented Association of Austrian Industrialists or IV; Roman Catholic Church, including its chief lay organization, Catholic Action other: three composite leagues of the Austrian People's Party or OeVP representing business, labor, farmers, and other nongovernment organizations in the areas of environment and human rights
International organization participation:
ACCT (observer), ADB (nonregional members), AfDB (nonregional
members), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI, CERN,
EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G-9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM
(guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE,
Paris Club, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, SECI (observer), UN,
UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UNWTO,
UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Deputy Chief of Mission Andreas Riecken chancery: 3524 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008-3035 telephone: [1] (202) 895-6700 FAX: [1] (202) 895-6750 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador David F. GIRARD-DICARLO embassy: Boltzmanngasse 16, A-1090, Vienna mailing address: use embassy street 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. The Austrian economy also benefits greatly from strong commercial relations, especially in the banking and insurance sectors, with central, eastern, and southeastern Europe. The economy features a large service sector, a sound industrial sector, and a small, but highly developed agricultural sector. Membership in the EU has drawn an influx of foreign investors attracted by Austria's access to the single European market and proximity to the new EU economies. The outgoing government has successfully pursued a comprehensive economic reform program, aimed at streamlining government and creating a more competitive business environment, further strengthening Austria's attractiveness as an investment location. It has implemented effective pension reforms; however, lower taxes in 2005-06 led to a small budget deficit in 2006 and 2007. Boosted by strong exports, growth nevertheless reached 3.3% in both 2006 and 2007, although the economy may slow in 2008 because of the strong euro, high oil prices, and problems in international financial markets. To meet increased competition - especially from new EU members and Central European countries - Austria will need to continue restructuring, emphasizing knowledge-based sectors of the economy, and encouraging greater labor flexibility and greater labor participation by its aging population.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$322 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$373.9 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.1% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$39,300 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1.6% industry: 30.3% services: 68% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
3.566 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 3% industry: 27% services: 70% (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate:
4.4% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
5.9% (2004)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.3% highest 10%: 22.5% (2004)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
26 (2005)
Investment (gross fixed):
20.6% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $177.5 billion expenditures: $179.9 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
59.1% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.2% (2007 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
6.3% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
NA note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the Euro Area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 15 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi money circulating within their own borders
Stock of quasi money:
Stock of domestic credit:
$599.5 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
grains, potatoes, sugar beets, wine, fruit; dairy products, cattle, pigs, poultry; lumber
Industries:
construction, machinery, vehicles and parts, food, metals, chemicals, lumber and wood processing, paper and paperboard, communications equipment, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
5.7% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
59.31 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
62.35 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
15.51 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
22.13 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 29.3% hydro: 67.2% nuclear: 0% other: 3.5% (2001)
Oil - production:
24,920 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
289,400 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - exports:
46,300 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
313,500 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
50 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
1.848 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
8.436 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
2.767 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
9.658 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
16.14 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
$12.03 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$162.1 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, paper and paperboard, metal goods, chemicals, iron and steel, textiles, foodstuffs
Exports - partners:
Germany 29.8%, Italy 8.8%, US 4.9%, Switzerland 4.3% (2007)
Imports:
$160.3 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, metal goods, oil and oil products; foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
Germany 45.5%, Italy 7.1%, Switzerland 5%, Netherlands 4.3% (2007)
Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $1.498 billion (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$18.22 billion (2006 est.)
Debt - external:
$752.5 billion (30 June 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$222.9 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$208.1 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$126.3 billion (2005)
Currency (code):
euro (EUR)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003)
Communications
Austria
Telephones - main lines in use:
3.374 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
9.768 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: highly developed and efficient domestic: fixed-line subscribership has been in decline since the mid-1990s with mobile-cellular subscribership eclipsing it by the late 1990s; the fiber-optic net is very extensive; all telephone applications and Internet services are available international: country code - 43; satellite earth stations - 15; in addition, there are about 600 VSATs (very small aperture terminals) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 65 (plus several hundred repeaters), shortwave 1 (2001)
Radios:
6.08 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
10 (plus more than 1,000 repeaters) (2001)
Televisions:
4.25 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.at
Internet hosts:
2.806 million (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
37 (2000)
Internet users:
4.277 million (2007)
Transportation
Austria
Airports:
55 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 25 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 15 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 30 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 26 (2007)
Heliports:
1 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 2,722 km; oil 663 km; refined products 157 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 6,383 km standard gauge: 5,924 km 1.435-m gauge (3,772 km electrified) narrow gauge: 371 km 1.000-m gauge; 88 km 0.760-m gauge (25 km electrified) (2006)
Roadways:
total: 107,262 km paved: 107,262 km (includes 1,677 km of expressways) (2006)
Waterways:
358 km (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 4 by type: cargo 2, container 2 foreign-owned: 2 (Netherlands 2) registered in other countries: 4 (Cyprus 1, Malta 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Enns, Krems, Linz, Vienna
Military
Austria
Military branches:
Land Forces (KdoLdSK), Air Forces (KdoLuSK)
Military service age and obligation:
18-35 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age for male or female voluntary service; service obligation 7 months of training, followed by an 8-year reserve obligation (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,986,411 females age 16-49: 1,944,834 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,617,385 females age 16-49: 1,583,886 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 50,869 female: 48,246 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.9% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
Austria
Disputes - international:
while threats of international legal action never materialized in 2007, 915,220 Austrians, with the support of the newly elected Freedom Party, signed a petition in January 2008, demanding that Austria block the Czech Republic's accession to the EU unless Prague closes its nuclear power plant in Temelin, bordering Austria
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and South American cocaine destined for Western Europe; increasing consumption of European-produced synthetic drugs
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Azerbaijan
Introduction
Azerbaijan
Background:
Azerbaijan - a nation with a majority-Turkic and majority-Muslim population - was briefly independent from 1918 to 1920; it regained its independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Despite a 1994 cease-fire, Azerbaijan has yet to resolve its conflict with Armenia over the Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh enclave (largely Armenian populated). Azerbaijan has lost 16% of its territory and must support some 600,000 internally displaced persons as a result of the conflict. Corruption is ubiquitous, and the government has been accused of authoritarianism. Although the poverty rate has been reduced in recent years, the promise of widespread wealth from development of Azerbaijan's energy sector remains largely unfulfilled.
Geography
Azerbaijan
Location:
Southwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and
Russia, with a small European portion north of the Caucasus range
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Asia
Area:
total: 86,600 sq km land: 86,100 sq km water: 500 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
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 (713 km)
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, bauxite
Land use:
arable land: 20.62% permanent crops: 2.61% other: 76.77% (2005)
Irrigated land:
14,550 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
30.3 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 17.25 cu km/yr (5%/28%/68%) per capita: 2,051 cu m/yr (2000)
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, soil, and water pollution; soil pollution results from oil spills, from the use of DDT pesticide, and from toxic defoliants used in the production of cotton
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, 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:
8,177,717 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 24.6% (male 1,061,318/female 947,607) 15-64 years: 68.6% (male 2,753,277/female 2,855,406) 65 years and over: 6.8% (male 208,293/female 351,816) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 27.9 years male: 26.3 years female: 29.7 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.723% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
17.52 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
8.32 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-1.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.14 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.12 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 (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 56.43 deaths/1,000 live births male: 62.09 deaths/1,000 live births female: 49.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 66.31 years male: 62.2 years female: 71 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.05 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1,400 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 100 (2001 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Azerbaijani(s) adjective: Azerbaijani
Ethnic groups:
Azeri 90.6%, Dagestani 2.2%, Russian 1.8%, Armenian 1.5%, other 3.9% (1999 census) 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) 90.3%, Lezgi 2.2%, Russian 1.8%, Armenian 1.5%, other 3.3%, unspecified 1% (1999 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.8% male: 99.5% female: 98.2% (1999 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 11 years male: 11 years female: 11 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
2.1% of GDP (2006)
Government
Azerbaijan
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Azerbaijan conventional short form: Azerbaijan local long form: Azarbaycan Respublikasi local short form: Azarbaycan former: Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Baku (Baki, Baky) geographic coordinates: 40 23 N, 49 52 E time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
59 rayons (rayonlar; rayon - singular), 11 cities (saharlar; sahar -
singular), 1 autonomous republic (muxtar respublika)
rayons: Abseron Rayonu, Agcabadi Rayonu, Agdam Rayonu, Agdas Rayonu,
Agstafa Rayonu, Agsu Rayonu, Astara Rayonu, Balakan Rayonu, Barda
Rayonu, Beylaqan Rayonu, Bilasuvar Rayonu, Cabrayil Rayonu,
Calilabad Rayonu, Daskasan Rayonu, Davaci Rayonu, Fuzuli Rayonu,
Gadabay Rayonu, Goranboy Rayonu, Goycay Rayonu, Haciqabul Rayonu,
Imisli Rayonu, Ismayilli Rayonu, Kalbacar Rayonu, Kurdamir Rayonu,
Lacin Rayonu, Lankaran Rayonu, Lerik Rayonu, Masalli Rayonu,
Neftcala Rayonu, Oguz Rayonu, Qabala Rayonu, Qax Rayonu, Qazax
Rayonu, Qobustan Rayonu, Quba Rayonu, Qubadli Rayonu, Qusar Rayonu,
Saatli Rayonu, Sabirabad Rayonu, Saki Rayonu, Salyan Rayonu, Samaxi
Rayonu, Samkir Rayonu, Samux Rayonu, Siyazan Rayonu, Susa Rayonu,
Tartar Rayonu, Tovuz Rayonu, Ucar Rayonu, Xacmaz Rayonu, Xanlar
Rayonu, Xizi Rayonu, Xocali Rayonu, Xocavand Rayonu, Yardimli
Rayonu, Yevlax Rayonu, Zangilan Rayonu, Zaqatala Rayonu, Zardab
Rayonu
cities: Ali Bayramli Sahari, Baki Sahari, Ganca Sahari, Lankaran
Sahari, Mingacevir Sahari, Naftalan Sahari, Saki Sahari, Sumqayit
Sahari, Susa Sahari, Xankandi Sahari, Yevlax Sahari
autonomous republic: Naxcivan Muxtar Respublikasi
Independence:
30 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday:
Founding of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan, 28 May (1918)
Constitution:
adopted 12 November 1995
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 Ilham ALIYEV (since 31 October 2003) head of government: Prime Minister Artur RASIZADE (since 4 November 2003); First Deputy Prime Minister Yaqub EYYUBOV (since June 2006) 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 (eligible for a second term); election last held 15 October 2008 (next to be held in October 2013); prime minister and first deputy prime minister appointed by the president and confirmed by the National Assembly election results: Ilham ALIYEV reelected president; percent of vote - Ilham ALIYEV 88.7%, Igbal AGHAZADE 2.9%, five other candidates with smaller percentages note: several political parties boycotted the election due to unfair conditions; OSCE observers concluded that the election did not meet international standards
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Milli Mejlis (125 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 6 November 2005 (next to be held in November 2010) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Yeni 58, Azadliq coalition 8, CSP 2, Motherland 2, other parties with single seats 9, independents 42, undetermined 4
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:
Azadliq (Freedom) coalition (Popular Front Party, Liberal Party,
Citizens' Development Party); Azerbaijan Democratic Party or ADP
[Sardar JALALOGLU]; Azerbaijan Democratic Reforms Party (ADRP) Youth
Movement [Ramin HAJILI]; Azerbaijan Popular Front or APF, now split
in two [Ali KARIMLI, leader of "Reform" APF party; Mirmahmud
MIRALI-OGLU, leader of "Classic" APF party]; Azerbaijan Public Forum
[Eldar NAMAZOV]; Citizens' Development Party [Ali ALIYEV]; Civil
Solidarity Party or CSP [Sabir RUSTAMKHANLY]; Dalga Youth Movement
[Vafa JAFAROVA]; Green Party [Mais GULALIYEV and Tarana MAMMADOVA];
Hope (Umid) Party [Iqbal AGAZADE]; Ireli Youth Movement [Jeyhun
OSMANLI, Roya TALIBOVA, Farhad MAMMADOV, Elnara GARIBOVA, Elnur
MAMMADOV, Ziya ALIYEV]; Justice Party [Ilyas ISMAILOV]; Liberal
Party of Azerbaijan [Lala Shovkat HACIYEVA]; Magam Youth Movement
[Emin HUSEYNOV]; Motherland Party [Fazail AGAMALI]; Musavat
(Equality) [Isa GAMBAR, chairman]; Musavat Party Youth Movement
[Elnur MAMMADLI]; National Democratic Party or Grey Wolves
(Nationalist, Pan-Turkic) [Iskender HAMIDOV]; Open Society Party
[Rasul GULIYEV, in exile in the US]; Party for National Independence
of Azerbaijan or PNIA [Ayaz RUSTAMOV]; Popular Front Party Youth
Movement [Seymur KHAZIYEV]; Social Democratic Party of Azerbaijan or
SDP [Araz ALIZADE and Ayaz MUTALIBOV (in exile)]; Turkish
Nationalist Party [Vugar BAYTURAN]; United Azerbaijan Party [Karrar
ABILOV]; United Azerbaijan National Unity Party [Hajibaba AZIMOV];
United Party [Tahir KARIMLI]; Yeni (New) Azerbaijan Party [President
Ilham ALIYEV]; Yeni Azerbaijan Party Youth Movement [Ramil HASANOV];
Yox (No) Youth Movement [Ali ISMAYILOV]
note: opposition parties regularly factionalize and form new parties;
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Armenian Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (self-proclaimed); Karabakh Liberation Organization; Sadval, Lezgin movement; Talysh independence movement; Union of Pro-Azerbaijani Forces or UPAF
International organization participation:
ADB, BSEC, CE, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GCTU, GUAM, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS
(observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Yashar ALIYEV chancery: 2741 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 337-3500 FAX: [1] (202) 337-5911 Consulate(s) general: Los Angeles
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Anne E. DERSE embassy: 83 Azadlig Prospecti, Baku AZ1007 mailing address: American Embassy Baku, US Department of State, 7050 Baku Place, Washington, DC 20521-7050 telephone: [994] (12) 4980-335 through 337 FAX: [994] (12) 4656-671
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 high economic growth in 2006 and 2007 is attributable to large and growing oil exports. 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 committed $60 billion to long-term 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. A consortium of Western oil companies began pumping 1 million barrels a day from a large offshore field in early 2006, through a $4 billion pipeline it built from Baku to Turkey's Mediterranean port of Ceyhan. By 2010 revenues from this project will double the country's current GDP. 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. Several other obstacles impede Azerbaijan's economic progress: the need for stepped up foreign investment in the non-energy sector, the continuing conflict with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, pervasive corruption, and elevated inflation. 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 oil and gas pipelines in the region, and Azerbaijan's ability to manage its energy wealth.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$64.66 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$31.32 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
23.4% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$8,000 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 6.2% industry: 63.3% services: 30.5% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
5.243 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 41% industry: 7% services: 52% (2001)
Unemployment rate:
1% official rate (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
24% (2005 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.1% highest 10%: 29.5% (2001)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
36.5 (2001)
Investment (gross fixed):
20% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $6.755 billion expenditures: $8.572 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
6.7% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
16.7% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
13% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
19.13% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$4.261 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$2.593 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$5.726 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
cotton, grain, rice, grapes, fruit, vegetables, tea, tobacco; cattle, pigs, sheep, goats
Industries:
petroleum and natural gas, petroleum products, oilfield equipment; steel, iron ore; cement; chemicals and petrochemicals; textiles
Industrial production growth rate:
25% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
23.8 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
27.5 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - exports:
800 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
500 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 89.7% hydro: 10.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
1.099 million bbl/day (2008 est.)
Oil - consumption:
160,000 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - exports:
795,600 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - imports:
4,267 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
7 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
9.77 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
9.77 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2005)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
849.5 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
$9.019 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$21.27 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
oil and gas 90%, machinery, cotton, foodstuffs
Exports - partners:
Turkey 17.4%, Italy 15.5%, Russia 8.7%, Iran 7.2%, Indonesia 6.4%,
Israel 6.1%, Georgia 5.7%, US 4.8%, France 4.3% (2007)
Imports:
$6.045 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, oil products, foodstuffs, metals, chemicals
Imports - partners:
Russia 17.6%, Turkey 10.9%, Germany 8.2%, Ukraine 8.2%, UK 7.2%,
Japan 5.2%, China 4.9%, US 4.7% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
ODA, $223.4 million (2005 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$4.273 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$2.439 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$7.829 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$4.912 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
Azerbaijani manat (AZN)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Azerbaijani manats (AZN) per US dollar - 0.8581 (2007), 0.8934 (2006), 4,727.1 (2005), 4,913.48 (2004), 4,910.73 (2003) note: on 1 January 2006 Azerbaijan revalued its currency, with 5,000 old manats equal to 1 new manat
Communications
Azerbaijan
Telephones - main lines in use:
1.254 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
4.3 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: inadequate; requires considerable expansion and modernization; teledensity of 15 main lines per 100 persons is low; mobile-cellular penetration is increasing and is currently about 50 telephones per 100 persons domestic: fixed-line telephony and a broad range of other telecom services are controlled by a state-owned telecommunications monopoly and growth has been stagnant; more competition exists in the mobile-cellular market with three providers in 2006; satellite service connects Baku to a modern switch in its exclave of Naxcivan international: country code - 994; the old Soviet system of cable and microwave is still serviceable; satellite earth stations - 2 (2007)
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 hosts:
6,995 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)
Internet users:
1.036 million (2007)
Transportation
Azerbaijan
Airports:
35 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 27 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 7 (2007)
Heliports:
1 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 3,857 km; oil 2,436 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 2,122 km broad gauge: 2,122 km 1.520-m gauge (1,278 km electrified) (2006)
Roadways:
total: 59,141 km paved: 29,210 km unpaved: 29,931 km (2004)
Merchant marine:
total: 89 by type: cargo 26, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 9, petroleum tanker 46, roll on/roll off 3, specialized tanker 3 registered in other countries: 3 (Malta 2, Panama 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Baku (Baki)
Military
Azerbaijan
Military branches:
Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
men between 18 and 35 are liable for military service; 18 years of age for voluntary military service; length of military service is 18 months and 12 months for university graduates (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,278,888 females age 16-49: 2,291,770 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,696,167 females age 16-49: 1,923,556 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 94,402 female: 89,686 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
2.6% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
Azerbaijan
Disputes - international:
Armenia supports ethnic Armenian secessionists in Nagorno-Karabakh and since the early 1990s has militarily occupied 16% of Azerbaijan; over 800,000 mostly ethnic Azerbaijanis were driven from the occupied lands and Armenia; about 230,000 ethnic Armenians were driven from their homes in Azerbaijan into Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh; Azerbaijan seeks transit route through Armenia to connect to Naxcivan exclave; Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) continues to mediate dispute; Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia have ratified Caspian seabed delimitation treaties based on equidistance, while Iran continues to insist on an even one-fifth allocation and challenges Azerbaijan's hydrocarbon exploration in disputed waters; bilateral talks continue with Turkmenistan on dividing the seabed and contested oilfields in the middle of the Caspian; Azerbaijan and Georgia continue to discuss the alignment of their boundary at certain crossing areas
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 2,400 (Russia) IDPs: 580,000-690,000 (conflict with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Azerbaijan is primarily a source and transit country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor; women and some children from Azerbaijan are trafficked to Turkey and the UAE for the purpose of sexual exploitation; men and boys are trafficked to Russia for the purpose of forced labor; Azerbaijan serves as a transit country for victims from Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Moldova trafficked to Turkey and the UAE for sexual exploitation tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Azerbaijan is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in persons, particularly efforts to investigate, prosecute, and punish traffickers; to address complicity among law enforcement personnel; and to adequately identify and protect victims in Azerbaijan; the government has yet to develop a much-needed mechanism to identify potential trafficking victims and refer them to safety and care; poor treatment of trafficking victims in courtrooms continues to be a problem (2008)
Illicit drugs:
limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for CIS consumption; small government eradication program; transit point for Southwest Asian opiates bound for Russia and to a lesser extent the rest of Europe
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Bahamas, The
Introduction
Bahamas, The
Background:
Lucayan Indians inhabited the islands when Christopher COLUMBUS first set foot in the New World on San Salvador in 1492. British settlement of the islands began in 1647; the islands became a colony in 1783. 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 Europe, 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, northeast of Cuba
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 13,940 sq km land: 10,070 sq km water: 3,870 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Connecticut
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
3,542 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 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: 0.58% permanent crops: 0.29% other: 99.13% (2005)
Irrigated land:
10 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
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, 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:
307,451 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 26.4% (male 40,608/female 40,506) 15-64 years: 66.9% (male 101,150/female 104,457) 65 years and over: 6.7% (male 8,472/female 12,258) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 28.4 years male: 27.6 years female: 29.2 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.57% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
17.06 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
9.22 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-2.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 23.67 deaths/1,000 live births male: 28.89 deaths/1,000 live births female: 18.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 65.72 years male: 62.5 years female: 69 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.13 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
3% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
5,600 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Bahamian(s) adjective: Bahamian
Ethnic groups:
black 85%, white 12%, Asian and Hispanic 3%
Religions:
Baptist 35.4%, Anglican 15.1%, Roman Catholic 13.5%, Pentecostal 8.1%, Church of God 4.8%, Methodist 4.2%, other Christian 15.2%, none or unspecified 2.9%, other 0.8% (2000 census)
Languages:
English (official), Creole (among Haitian immigrants)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 95.6% male: 94.7% female: 96.5% (2003 est.)
Education expenditures:
3.6% of GDP (2000)
Government
Bahamas, The
Country name:
conventional long form: Commonwealth of The Bahamas conventional short form: The Bahamas
Government type:
constitutional parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: Nassau geographic coordinates: 25 05 N, 77 21 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November
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 Arthur D. HANNA (since 1 February 2006) head of government: Prime Minister Hubert A. INGRAHAM (since 4 May 2007) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the prime minister's recommendation elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; the prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (16 seats; members appointed by the governor general upon the advice of the prime minister and the opposition leader to serve five-year terms) and the House of Assembly (41 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms); the government may dissolve the Parliament and call elections at any time elections: last held 2 May 2007 (next to be held by May 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - FNM 49.86%, PLP 47.02%; seats by party - FNM 23, PLP 18
Judicial branch:
Privy Council in London; Courts of Appeal; Supreme (lower) Court;
Magistrates' Courts
Political parties and leaders:
Free National Movement or FNM [Hubert INGRAHAM]; Progressive Liberal
Party or PLP [Perry CHRISTIE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Friends of the Environment other: trade unions
International organization participation:
ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory),
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ITSO, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory),
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Cornelius A. SMITH chancery: 2220 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 319-2660 FAX: [1] (202) 319-2668 consulate(s) general: Miami, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ned L. SIEGEL embassy: 42 Queen Street, Nassau, New Providence mailing address: local or express mail address: P. O. Box N-8197, Nassau; US Department of State, 3370 Nassau Place, Washington, DC 20521-3370 telephone: [1] (242) 322-1181, 328-2206 (after hours) FAX: [1] (242) 328-2206
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 one of the wealthiest Caribbean countries with an economy heavily dependent on tourism and offshore banking. Tourism together with tourism-driven construction and manufacturing accounts for approximately 60% of GDP and directly or indirectly employs half of the archipelago's labor force. Steady growth in tourism receipts and a boom in construction of new hotels, resorts, and residences had led to solid GDP growth in recent years, but tourist arrivals have been on the decline since 2006. Financial services constitute the second-most important sector of the Bahamian economy and, when combined with business services, account for about 36% of GDP. However, since December 2000, when the government enacted new regulations on the financial sector, many international businesses have left The Bahamas. Manufacturing and agriculture combined 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. Tourism, in turn, depends on growth in the US, the source of more than 80% of the visitors.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$8.553 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$6.586 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2.8% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$28,000 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3% industry: 7% services: 90% (2001 est.)
Labor force:
181,900 (2006)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 5%, industry 5%, tourism 50%, other services 40% (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate:
7.6% (2006 est.)
Population below poverty line:
9.3% (2004)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: 27% (2000)
Budget:
revenues: $1.03 billion expenditures: $1.03 billion (FY04/05)
Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.4% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
5.25% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
5.5% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$1.274 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$4.324 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$7.395 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
citrus, vegetables; poultry
Industries:
tourism, banking, cement, oil transshipment, salt, rum, aragonite, pharmaceuticals, spiral-welded steel pipe
Industrial production growth rate:
Electricity - production:
2.05 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
1.793 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
26,830 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
transshipments of 38,740 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
69,780 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$1.442 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$674 million (2006)
Exports - commodities:
mineral products and salt, animal products, rum, chemicals, fruit and vegetables
Exports - partners:
US 20.4%, Singapore 15.5%, Spain 14.5%, Poland 14.3%, Germany 6.6%,
Guatemala 5.7%, Switzerland 5.2% (2007)
Imports:
$2.401 billion (2006)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, mineral fuels; food and live animals
Imports - partners:
US 26.7%, South Korea 14.1%, Japan 13.5%, Italy 7.5%, Singapore 5.2%, Venezuela 4.5%, Spain 4.3% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$4.78 million (2004)
Debt - external:
$342.6 million (2004 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
Bahamian dollar (BSD)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Bahamian dollars (BSD) per US dollar - 1 (2007), 1 (2006), 1 (2005), 1 (2004), 1 (2003)
Communications
Bahamas, The
Telephones - main lines in use:
132,900 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
374,000 (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: modern facilities domestic: totally automatic system; highly developed; the Bahamas Domestic Submarine Network links 14 of the islands and is designed to satisfy increasing demand for voice and broadband internet services international: country code - 1-242; landing point for the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) fiber-optic submarine cable that provides links to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth stations - 2 (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 3, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2006)
Radios:
215,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
2 (2006)
Televisions:
67,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.bs
Internet hosts:
41 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
19 (2000)
Internet users:
120,000 (2007)
Transportation
Bahamas, The
Airports:
62 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 24 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 7 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 38 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 22 (2007)
Heliports:
1 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 2,717 km paved: 1,560 km unpaved: 1,133 km (2002)
Merchant marine:
total: 1,223 by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 210, cargo 226, carrier 2, chemical tanker 88, combination ore/oil 12, container 65, liquefied gas 77, passenger 109, passenger/cargo 35, petroleum tanker 209, refrigerated cargo 119, roll on/roll off 16, specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 51 foreign-owned: 1,150 (Angola 6, Belgium 15, Bermuda 12, Brazil 2, Canada 84, China 10, Croatia 1, Cuba 1, Cyprus 25, Denmark 67, Finland 9, France 30, Germany 44, Greece 209, Hong Kong 30, Iceland 1, Indonesia 2, Ireland 2, Isle of Man 1, Italy 4, Japan 87, Jordan 2, Kenya 1, Malaysia 13, Monaco 15, Montenegro 2, Netherlands 9, Nigeria 2, Norway 189, Poland 17, Russia 4, Saudi Arabia 16, Singapore 17, Slovenia 1, South Africa 1, Spain 14, Sweden 4, Switzerland 1, Thailand 5, Trinidad and Tobago 1, Turkey 8, UAE 23, UK 56, US 106, Venezuela 1) registered in other countries: 12 (Bolivia 1, Panama 9, Peru 1, Portugal 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Freeport, Nassau, South Riding Point
Military
Bahamas, The
Military branches:
Royal Bahamian Defense Force: Land Force, Navy, Air Wing (2007)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 80,200 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 50,282 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 3,016 female: 3,024 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.5% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Bahamas, The
Disputes - international:
disagrees with the US on the alignment the northern axis of a potential maritime boundary; continues to monitor and interdict drug dealers and Haitian and Cuban refugees in Bahamian waters
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for US and Europe; offshore financial center
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Bahrain
Introduction
Bahrain
Background:
In 1783, the al-Khalifa family captured Bahrain from the Persians. In order to secure these holdings, it entered into a series of treaties with the UK during the 19th century that made Bahrain a British protectorate. The archipelago attained its independence in 1971. 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. Facing declining oil reserves, Bahrain has turned to petroleum processing and refining and has transformed itself into an international banking center. King HAMAD bin Isa al-Khalifa, after coming to power in 1999, pushed economic and political reforms to improve relations with the Shia community. Shia political societies participated in 2006 parliamentary and municipal elections. Al Wifaq, the largest Shia political society, won the largest number of seats in the elected chamber of the legislature. However, Shi'a discontent has resurfaced in recent years with street demonstrations and occasional low-level violence.
Geography
Bahrain
Location:
Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Middle East
Area:
total: 665 sq km land: 665 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
3.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
161 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 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: 2.82% permanent crops: 5.63% other: 91.55% (2005)
Irrigated land:
40 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
0.1 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.3 cu km/yr (40%/3%/57%) per capita: 411 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
close to primary Middle Eastern petroleum sources; strategic location in Persian Gulf, through which much of the Western world's petroleum must transit to reach open ocean
People
Bahrain
Population:
718,306 note: includes 235,108 non-nationals (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 26.4% (male 95,709/female 93,747) 15-64 years: 69.8% (male 288,957/female 212,706) 65 years and over: 3.8% (male 14,224/female 12,963) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 29.9 years male: 33 years female: 26.4 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.337% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
17.26 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
4.29 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.36 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.1 male(s)/female total population: 1.25 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 15.64 deaths/1,000 live births male: 18.27 deaths/1,000 live births female: 12.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.92 years male: 72.41 years female: 77.5 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.53 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
fewer than 600 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Bahraini(s) adjective: Bahraini
Ethnic groups:
Bahraini 62.4%, non-Bahraini 37.6% (2001 census)
Religions:
Muslim (Shia and Sunni) 81.2%, Christian 9%, other 9.8% (2001 census)
Languages:
Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 86.5% male: 88.6% female: 83.6% (2001 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 15 years male: 14 years female: 16 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
3.9% of GDP (1991)
Government
Bahrain
Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Bahrain conventional short form: Bahrain local long form: Mamlakat al Bahrayn local short form: Al Bahrayn former: Dilmun
Government type:
constitutional monarchy
Capital:
name: Manama geographic coordinates: 26 14 N, 50 34 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
5 governorates; Asamah, Janubiyah, Muharraq, Shamaliyah, Wasat note: each governorate administered by an appointed governor
Independence:
15 August 1971 (from UK)
National holiday:
National Day, 16 December (1971); note - 15 August 1971 was the date of independence from the UK, 16 December 1971 was the date of independence from British protection
Constitution:
adopted 14 February 2002
Legal system:
based on Islamic law and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
20 years of age; universal
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 1971); Deputy Prime Ministers ALI bin Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa, MUHAMMAD bin Mubarak al-Khalifa, Jawad al-ARAIDH cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch elections: the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch
Legislative branch:
bicameral legislature consists of the Consultative Council (40 members appointed by the King) and the Council of Representatives or Chamber of Deputies (40 seats; members directly elected to serve four-year terms) elections: Council of Representatives - last held November-December 2006 (next election to be held in 2010) election results: Council of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - al Wifaq (Shia) 17, al Asala (Sunni Salafi) 5, al Minbar (Sunni Muslim Brotherhood) 7, independents 11; note - seats by party as of February 2007 - al Wifaq 17, al Asala 8, al Minbar 7, al Mustaqbal (Moderate Sunni pro-government) 4, unassociated independents (all Sunni) 3, independent affiliated with al Wifaq (Sunni oppositionist) 1
Judicial branch:
High Civil Appeals Court
Political parties and leaders:
political parties prohibited but political societies were legalized per a July 2005 law
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Shia activists; Sunni Islamist legislators other: several small leftist and other groups are active
International organization participation:
ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt
(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA,
NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU,
WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Houda Ezra Ibrahim NUNU chancery: 3502 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 342-1111 FAX: [1] (202) 362-2192 consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador J. Adam ERELI embassy: Building #979, Road 3119 (next to Al-Ahli Sports Club), Block 331, Zinj District, Manama mailing address: PSC 451, Box 660, FPO AE 09834-5100; international mail: American Embassy, Box 26431, Manama telephone: [973] 1724-2700 FAX: [973] 1727-0547
Flag description:
red, the traditional color for flags of Persian Gulf states, with a white serrated band (five white points) on the hoist side; the five points represent the five pillars of Islam
Economy
Bahrain
Economy - overview:
With its highly developed communication and transport facilities, Bahrain is home to numerous multinational firms with business in the Gulf. Petroleum production and refining account for over 60% of Bahrain's export receipts, over 70% of government revenues, and 11% of GDP (exclusive of allied industries), underpinning Bahrain's strong economic growth in recent years. Aluminum is Bahrain's second major export after oil. Other major segments of Bahrain's economy are the financial and construction sectors. Bahrain is focused on Islamic banking and is competing on an international scale with Malaysia as a worldwide banking center. Bahrain is actively pursuing the diversification and privatization of its economy to reduce the country's dependence on oil. As part of this effort, in August 2006 Bahrain and the US implemented a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), the first FTA between the US and a Gulf state. Continued strong growth hinges on Bahrain's ability to acquire new natural gas supplies as feedstock to support its expanding petrochemical and aluminum industries. Unemployment, especially among the young, and the depletion of oil and underground water resources are long-term economic problems.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$24.01 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$19.66 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
6.7% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$33,900 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 0.3% industry: 43.6% services: 56% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
437,000 note: 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 1% industry: 79% services: 20% (1997 est.)
Unemployment rate:
15% (2005 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Investment (gross fixed):
22.3% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $5.418 billion expenditures: $4.968 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
31.2% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.3% (2007 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
8.35% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$4.169 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$10.63 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$10.32 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
fruit, vegetables; poultry, dairy products; shrimp, fish
Industries:
petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, iron pelletization, fertilizers, Islamic and offshore banking, insurance, ship repairing, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
5.2% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
9.233 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
8.742 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
48,610 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
32,830 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
238,900 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
221,500 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
124.6 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
11.33 billion cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
11.33 billion cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
92.03 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
$2.907 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$13.79 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
petroleum and petroleum products, aluminum, textiles
Exports - partners:
Saudi Arabia 3.5%, US 2.5%, UAE 2.5% (2007)
Imports:
$10.93 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
crude oil, machinery, chemicals
Imports - partners:
Saudi Arabia 37.7%, Japan 7.2%, US 6.2%, Germany 4.7%, UK 4.5%, UAE 4.2%, China 4.1% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$103.9 million (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$4.101 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$7.858 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$13.31 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$7.72 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$21.12 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
Bahraini dinar (BHD)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Bahraini dinars (BHD) per US dollar - 0.376 (2007), 0.376 (2006), 0.376 (2005), 0.376 (2004), 0.376 (2003)
Communications
Bahrain
Telephones - main lines in use:
194,200 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.116 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: modern system domestic: modern fiber-optic integrated services; digital network with rapidly growing use of mobile-cellular telephones international: country code - 973; landing point for the Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) submarine cable network that provides links to Asia, Middle East, Europe, and US; tropospheric scatter to Qatar and UAE; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; satellite earth station - 1 (2007)
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 hosts:
2,621 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)
Internet users:
250,000 (2007)
Transportation
Bahrain
Airports:
3 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Heliports:
1 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 20 km; oil 52 km (2007)
Roadways:
total: 3,498 km paved: 2,768 km unpaved: 730 km (2003)
Merchant marine:
total: 9 by type: bulk carrier 4, container 4, petroleum tanker 1 foreign-owned: 6 (Kuwait 5, UAE 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Mina' Salman, Sitrah
Military
Bahrain
Military branches:
Bahrain Defense Forces (BDF): Ground Force (includes Air Defense),
Naval Force, Air Force, National Guard
Military service age and obligation:
17 years of age for voluntary military service; 15 years of age for NCOs, technicians, and cadets; no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 210,938 females age 16-49: 170,471 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 171,536 females age 16-49: 142,714 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 6,543 female: 6,429 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
4.5% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Bahrain
Disputes - international:
none
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Bahrain is a destination country for men and women trafficked for the purposes of involuntary servitude and commercial sexual exploitation; men and women from Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia migrate voluntarily to Bahrain to work as laborers or domestic servants where some face conditions of involuntary servitude such as unlawful withholding of passports, restrictions on movements, non-payment of wages, threats, and physical or sexual abuse; women from Thailand, Morocco, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia are trafficked to Bahrain for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Bahrain is on the Tier 2 Watch List for failing to show evidence of increased efforts to combat human trafficking, particularly efforts that enforce laws against trafficking in persons, and that prevent the punishment of victims of trafficking; during 2007, Bahrain passed a comprehensive law prohibiting all forms of trafficking in persons; the government also established a specialized anti-trafficking unit within the Ministry of Interior to investigate trafficking crimes; however, the government did not report any prosecutions or convictions for trafficking offenses during 2007, despite reports of a substantial problem of involuntary servitude and sex trafficking (2008)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Bangladesh
Introduction
Bangladesh
Background:
Europeans began to set up trading posts in the area of Bangladesh in the 16th century; eventually the British came to dominate the region and it became part of British India. In 1947, West Pakistan and East Bengal (both primarily Muslim) separated from India (largely Hindu) and jointly became the new country of Pakistan. East Bengal became East Pakistan in 1955, but the awkward arrangement of a two-part country with its territorial units separated by 1,600 km left the Bengalis marginalized and dissatisfied. East Pakistan seceded from its union with West Pakistan in 1971 and was renamed Bangladesh. A military-backed caretaker regime suspended planned parliamentary elections in January 2007 in an effort to reform the political system and root out corruption; the regime has pledged new democratic elections by the end of 2008. 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:
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:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 18 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: up to the outer limits of the continental margin
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: 55.39% permanent crops: 3.08% other: 41.53% (2005)
Irrigated land:
47,250 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
1,210.6 cu km (1999)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 79.4 cu km/yr (3%/1%/96%) per capita: 560 cu m/yr (2000)
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; waterborne 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, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, 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:
153,546,896 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 33.4% (male 26,364,370/female 24,859,792) 15-64 years: 63.1% (male 49,412,903/female 47,468,013) 65 years and over: 3.5% (male 2,912,321/female 2,529,502) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 22.8 years male: 22.8 years female: 22.9 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.022% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
28.86 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
8 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.15 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 57.45 deaths/1,000 live births male: 58.44 deaths/1,000 live births female: 56.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 63.21 years male: 63.14 years female: 63.28 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.08 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
13,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
650 (2001 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria are high risks in some locations water contact disease: leptospirosis animal contact disease: rabies note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Bangladeshi(s) adjective: Bangladeshi
Ethnic groups:
Bengali 98%, other 2% (includes 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: 43.1% male: 53.9% female: 31.8% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 8 years male: 8 years female: 8 years (2004)
Education expenditures:
2.7% of GDP (2005)
Government
Bangladesh
Country name:
conventional long form: People's Republic of Bangladesh conventional short form: Bangladesh local long form: Gana Prajatantri Banladesh local short form: Banladesh former: East Bengal, East Pakistan
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: Dhaka geographic coordinates: 23 43 N, 90 24 E time difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
6 divisions; Barisal, Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna, Rajshahi, 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; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Iajuddin AHMED (since 6 September 2002) note: the country has a caretaker government until a general election is held; Iajuddin AHMED remains as President and Minister of Defense, and all other Cabinet portfolios are held by Caretaker Advisers (CAs); the Chief CA, Fakhruddin AHMED, is roughly equivalent to a prime minister elections: president elected by National Parliament for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election scheduled for 16 September 2002 was not held since Iajuddin AHMED was the only presidential candidate; he was sworn in on 6 September 2002 (next election NA); following legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins the most seats is usually appointed prime minister by the president election results: Iajuddin AHMED declared president-elect by the Election Commission; he ran unopposed as president; percent of National Parliament vote - NA
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Parliament or Jatiya Sangsad; 300 seats elected by popular vote from single territorial constituencies; members serve five-year terms; note - parliament not in session during the extended caretaker regime elections: last held 1 October 2001 (the scheduled January 2007 election has been postponed until 29 December 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - BNP and alliance partners 41%, AL 40%, other 19%; seats by party - BNP 193, AL 58, JI 17, JP (Ershad faction) 14, IOJ 2, JP (Manzur) 4, other 12; note - the election of October 2001 brought to power a majority BNP government aligned with three other smaller parties - JI, IOJ, and Jatiya Party (Manzur)
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 [Manjurul A. KHAN]; Bangladesh Nationalist Party or BNP [Khaleda
ZIA]; Islami Oikya Jote or IOJ [Mufti Fazlul Haq AMINI];
Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh or JIB [Matiur Rahman NIZAMI]; Jatiya
Party or JP (Ershad faction) [Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD]; Jatiya Party
(Manzur faction) [Naziur Rahman MANZUR]; Liberal Democratic Party or
LDP [Badrudozza CHOWDHURY and Oli AHMED]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Advocacy to End Gender-based Violence through the MoWCA (Ministry of Women's and Children's Affairs) other: environmentalists; Islamist groups; religious leaders; teachers; union leaders
International organization participation:
ADB, ARF, BIMSTEC, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt
(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT,
MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO,
UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador M. Humayun KABIR chancery: 3510 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 244-0183 FAX: [1] (202) 244-7830/2771 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador James F. MORIARTY embassy: Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka 1212 mailing address: G. P. O. Box 323, Dhaka 1000 telephone: [880] (2) 885-5500 FAX: [880] (2) 882-3744
Flag description:
green field with a large red disk shifted slightly to the hoist side of center; the red disk represents the rising sun and the sacrifice to achieve independence; the green field symbolizes the lush vegetation of Bangladesh
Economy
Bangladesh
Economy - overview:
The economy has grown 5-6% over the past few years despite inefficient state-owned enterprises, delays in exploiting natural gas resources, insufficient power supplies, and slow implementation of economic reforms. Bangladesh remains a poor, overpopulated, and inefficiently-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. Garment exports and remittances from Bangladeshis working overseas, mainly in the Middle East and East Asia, fuel economic growth.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$208.3 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$72.42 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
6.3% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,400 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 19% industry: 28.7% services: 52.3% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
69.4 million note: extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Oman, Qatar, and Malaysia; workers' remittances estimated at $4.8 billion in 2005-06. (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 63% industry: 11% services: 26% (FY95/96)
Unemployment rate:
2.5% (includes underemployment) (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
45% (2004 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.7% highest 10%: 27.9% (2000)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
33.4 (2000)
Investment (gross fixed):
24.3% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $7.01 billion expenditures: $9.464 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June
Public debt:
37.4% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
9.1% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
16% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$8.444 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$32.4 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$40.15 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
rice, jute, tea, wheat, sugarcane, potatoes, tobacco, pulses, oilseeds, spices, fruit; beef, milk, poultry
Industries:
cotton textiles, jute, garments, tea processing, paper newsprint, cement, chemical fertilizer, light engineering, sugar
Industrial production growth rate:
8.4% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
22.78 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
21.37 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 93.7% hydro: 6.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
6,746 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
89,940 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
1,351 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
83,220 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
28 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
15.7 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
15.7 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
141.6 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
$804.7 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$12.45 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
garments, jute and jute goods, leather, frozen fish and seafood
Exports - partners:
US 23%, Germany 13%, UK 9.1%, France 5.5%, Belgium 4% (2007)
Imports:
$16.67 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, chemicals, iron and steel, textiles, foodstuffs, petroleum products, cement
Imports - partners:
China 15%, India 14.3%, Kuwait 8.3%, Singapore 6.2%, Hong Kong 4.2% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$1.321 billion (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$5.278 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$21.23 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$4.971 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$104 million (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$3.61 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
taka (BDT)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
taka (BDT) per US dollar - 69.893 (2007), 69.031 (2006), 64.328 (2005), 59.513 (2004), 58.15 (2003)
Communications
Bangladesh
Telephones - main lines in use:
1.187 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
34.37 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: inadequate for a modern country; fixed-line telephone density remains less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone subscribership has been increasing rapidly and is approaching 25 per 100 persons domestic: modernizing; introducing digital systems; trunk systems include VHF and UHF microwave radio relay links, and some fiber-optic cable in cities international: country code - 880; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-4 fiber-optic submarine cable system that provides links to Europe, the Middle East, and Asia; satellite earth stations - 6; international radiotelephone communications and landline service to neighboring countries (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 15, FM 13, shortwave 2 (2006)
Radios:
6.15 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
15 (1999)
Televisions:
770,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.bd
Internet hosts:
1,440 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
10 (2000)
Internet users:
500,000 (2007)
Transportation
Bangladesh
Airports:
16 (2007)
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 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 2,644 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 2,768 km broad gauge: 946 km 1.676-m gauge narrow gauge: 1,822 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 239,226 km paved: 22,726 km unpaved: 216,500 km (2003)
Waterways:
8,370 km note: includes up to 3,060 km main cargo routes; network reduced to 5,200 km in dry season (2006)
Merchant marine:
total: 40 by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 27, container 5, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 4 foreign-owned: 1 (China 1) registered in other countries: 10 (Comoros 2, Honduras 1, Malta 2, Panama 2, Singapore 2, Togo 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Chittagong, Mongla Port
Transportation - note:
the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial waters of Bangladesh as high risk for armed robbery against ships; numerous commercial vessels have been attacked both at anchor and while underway; crews have been robbed and stores or cargoes stolen
Military
Bangladesh
Military branches:
Bangladesh Defense Force: Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Navy,
Bangladesh Air Force (Bangladesh Biman Bahini, BAF) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
16 years of age for voluntary military service; 17 years of age for officers (both with parental consent); conscription legally possible in emergency, but has never been implemented (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 41,199,340 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 31,968,168 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 1,311,850 female: 1,246,012 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.5% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Bangladesh
Disputes - international:
discussions with India remain stalled to delimit a small section of river boundary, exchange territory for 51 small Bangladeshi exclaves in India and 111 small Indian exclaves in Bangladesh, allocate divided villages, and stop illegal cross-border trade, migration, violence, and transit of terrorists through the porous border; Bangladesh protests India's fencing and walling off high-traffic sections of the porous boundary; a joint Bangladesh-India boundary commission resurveyed and reconstructed 92 missing pillars in 2007; dispute with India over New Moore/South Talpatty/Purbasha Island in the Bay of Bengal deters maritime boundary delimitation; after 21 years, Bangladesh resumes talks with Burma on delimiting a maritime boundary
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 26,268 (Burma) IDPs: 65,000 (land conflicts, religious persecution) (2007)
Illicit drugs:
transit country for illegal drugs produced in neighboring countries
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Barbados
Introduction
Barbados
Background:
The island was uninhabited when first settled by the British in 1627. Slaves worked the sugar plantations established on the island until 1834 when slavery was abolished. The economy remained heavily dependent on sugar, rum, and molasses production through most of the 20th century. The gradual introduction of social and political reforms in the 1940s and 1950s led to complete independence from the UK in 1966. In the 1990s, tourism and manufacturing surpassed the sugar industry in economic importance.
Geography
Barbados
Location:
Caribbean, island in the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 431 sq km land: 431 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
97 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 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: 37.21% permanent crops: 2.33% other: 60.46% (2005)
Irrigated land:
50 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
0.1 cu km (2003)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.09 cu km/yr (33%/44%/22%) per capita: 333 cu m/yr (2000)
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: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
easternmost Caribbean island
People
Barbados
Population:
281,968 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 19.3% (male 27,270/female 27,193) 15-64 years: 71.7% (male 99,357/female 102,683) 65 years and over: 9% (male 9,856/female 15,609) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 35.4 years male: 34.2 years female: 36.4 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.36% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
12.48 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
8.58 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 11.05 deaths/1,000 live births male: 12.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.21 years male: 71.2 years female: 75.24 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.65 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.5% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
2,500 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 200 (2003 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 63.4% (Anglican 28.3%, Pentecostal 18.7%, Methodist 5.1%, other 11.3%), Roman Catholic 4.2%, other Christian 7%, other 4.8%, none or unspecified 20.6% (2008 est.)
Languages:
English
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 99.7% male: 99.7% female: 99.7% (2002 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 13 years male: 13 years female: 14 years (2001)
Education expenditures:
6.9% of GDP (2005)
Government
Barbados
Country name:
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Barbados
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: Bridgetown geographic coordinates: 13 06 N, 59 37 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
11 parishes and 1 city*; Bridgetown*, Christ Church, Saint Andrew, Saint George, Saint James, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Lucy, Saint Michael, Saint Peter, Saint Philip, Saint Thomas
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; 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 Sir Clifford Straughn HUSBANDS (since 1 June 1996) head of government: Prime Minister David THOMPSON (since 16 January 2008) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; the prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (21 seats; members appointed by the governor general - 12 on the advice of the Prime Minister, 2 on the advice of the opposition leader, and 7 at his discretion) and the House of Assembly (30 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: House of Assembly - last held 15 January 2008 (next to be called in 2013) election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - DLP 52.5%, BLP 47.3%; seats by party - DLP 20, BLP 10
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Judicature (judges are appointed by the Service
Commissions for the Judicial and Legal Services); Caribbean Court of
Justice is the highest court of appeal
Political parties and leaders:
Barbados Labor Party or BLP [Mia MOTTLEY]; Democratic Labor Party or
DLP [David THOMPSON]; People's Empowerment Party or PEP [David
COMISSIONG]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Barbados Secondary Teachers' Union or BSTU [Patrick FROST]; Barbados
Union of Teachers or BUT [Herbert GITTENS]; Congress of Trade Unions
and Staff Associations of Barbados or CTUSAB, (includes the BWU,
NUPW, BUT, and BSTU) [Leroy TROTMAN]; Barbados Workers Union or BWU
[Leroy TROTMAN]; Clement Payne Labor Union [David COMISSIONG];
National Union of Public Workers [Joseph GODDARD]
International organization participation:
ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITSO, ITU,
ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Michael Ian KING chancery: 2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-9200 FAX: [1] (202) 332-7467 consulate(s) general: Miami, New York consulate(s): Los Angeles
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Mary M. OURISMAN embassy: U.S. Embassy, Wildey Business Park, Wildey, St. Michael BB 14006 mailing address: P. O. Box 302, Bridgetown BB 11000; CMR 1014, APO AA 34055 telephone: [1] (246) 227-4399 FAX: [1] (246) 431-0179
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 was dependent on sugarcane cultivation and related activities. However, production in recent years has diversified into light industry and tourism, with about three-quarters of GDP and 80% of exports being attributed to services. Growth has rebounded since 2003, bolstered by increases in construction projects and tourism revenues - reflecting its success in the higher-end segment. The country enjoys one of the highest per capita incomes in the region and an investment grade rating which benefits from its political stability and stable institutions. Offshore finance and information services are important foreign exchange earners and thrive from having the same time zone as eastern US financial centers and a relatively highly educated workforce. The government continues its efforts to reduce unemployment, to encourage direct foreign investment, and to privatize remaining state-owned enterprises.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$5.31 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$3.739 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
4.3% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$18,900 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 6% industry: 16% services: 78% (2000 est.)
Labor force:
128,500 (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 10% industry: 15% services: 75% (1996 est.)
Unemployment rate:
10.7% (2003 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $847 million (including grants) expenditures: $886 million (2000 est.)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.5% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
12% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
10.8% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$1.478 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$2.717 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$3.533 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
sugarcane, vegetables, cotton
Industries:
tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export
Industrial production growth rate:
-3.2% (2000 est.)
Electricity - production:
1.003 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
939.9 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
1,111 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
8,674 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
1,750 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
10,710 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
2.2 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
29.17 million cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
29.17 million cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
141.6 million cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
-$254 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$385 million (2006)
Exports - commodities:
manufactures, sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and beverages, chemicals, electrical components
Exports - partners:
Trinidad and Tobago 15.5%, Jamaica 13.5%, UK 9.4%, US 9.3%, Brazil 8.3%, Saint Lucia 7.2%, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4.5% (2007)
Imports:
$1.586 billion (2006)
Imports - commodities:
consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construction materials, chemicals, fuel, electrical components
Imports - partners:
US 30.5%, Trinidad and Tobago 27.6%, UK 6.5% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$2.07 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$620 million (2007)
Debt - external:
$668 million (2003)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$5.513 billion (2005)
Currency (code):
Barbadian dollar (BBD)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Barbadian dollars (BBD) per US dollar - NA (2007), 2 (2006), 2 (2005), 2 (2004), 2 (2003)
Communications
Barbados
Telephones - main lines in use:
134,900 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
237,100 (2006)
Telephone system:
general assessment: fixed-line teledensity of roughly 50 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone density of about 85 per 100 persons domestic: island-wide automatic telephone system international: country code - 1-246; landing point for the East Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) submarine cable with links to 13 other islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin Islands to Trinidad; satellite earth stations - 1 (Intelsat -Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Trinidad and Saint Lucia (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 6, shortwave 0 (2004)
Radios:
237,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (plus 2 cable channels) (2004)
Televisions:
76,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.bb
Internet hosts:
104 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
19 (2000)
Internet users:
160,000 (2005)
Transportation
Barbados
Airports:
1 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 1,600 km paved: 1,600 km (2004)
Merchant marine:
total: 85 by type: bulk carrier 15, cargo 50, chemical tanker 7, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 6, roll on/roll off 2 foreign-owned: 80 (Canada 9, Greece 12, India 1, Iran 2, Lebanon 1, Norway 38, Sweden 7, Syria 1, UK 9) registered in other countries: 1 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Bridgetown
Military
Barbados
Military branches:
Royal Barbados Defense Force: Troops Command, Barbados Coast Guard (2007)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service (younger requires parental consent); no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 75,265 females age 16-49: 75,389 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 58,556 females age 16-49: 58,143 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 2,157 female: 2,155 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.5% of GDP (2006 est.)
Military - note:
the Royal Barbados Defense Force includes a land-based Troop Command and a small Coast Guard; the primary role of the land element is to defend the island against external aggression; the Command consists of a single, part-time battalion with a small regular cadre that is deployed throughout the island; it increasingly supports the police in patrolling the coastline to prevent smuggling and other illicit activities (2007)
Transnational Issues
Barbados
Disputes - international:
Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago abide by the April 2006 Permanent Court of Arbitration decision delimiting a maritime boundary and limiting catches of flying fish in Trinidad and Tobago's exclusive economic zone; joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea
Illicit drugs:
one of many Caribbean transshipment points for narcotics bound for Europe and the US; offshore financial center
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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. Although Belarus agreed to a framework to carry out the accord, serious implementation has yet to take place. Since his election in July 1994 as the country's first president, Alexandr LUKASHENKO has steadily consolidated his power through authoritarian means. Government restrictions on freedom of speech and the press, peaceful assembly, and religion continue.
Geography
Belarus
Location:
Eastern Europe, east of Poland
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 207,600 sq km land: 207,600 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Kansas
Land boundaries:
total: 3,306 km border countries: Latvia 171 km, Lithuania 680 km, Poland 605 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: 26.77% permanent crops: 0.6% other: 72.63% (2005)
Irrigated land:
1,310 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
58 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 2.79 cu km/yr (23%/47%/30%) per capita: 286 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
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-Sulfur 85, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
landlocked; glacial scouring accounts for the flatness of Belarusian terrain and for its 11,000 lakes
People
Belarus
Population:
9,685,768 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 14.4% (male 717,885/female 677,254) 15-64 years: 70.9% (male 3,333,699/female 3,531,920) 65 years and over: 14.7% (male 459,627/female 965,383) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 38.4 years male: 35.4 years female: 41.3 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
-0.393% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
9.62 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
13.92 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
0.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.48 male(s)/female total population: 0.87 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.53 deaths/1,000 live births male: 7.56 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.34 years male: 64.63 years female: 76.4 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.23 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.3% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
15,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
1,000 (2001 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Belarusian(s) adjective: Belarusian
Ethnic groups:
Belarusian 81.2%, Russian 11.4%, Polish 3.9%, Ukrainian 2.4%, other 1.1% (1999 census)
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: 99.6% male: 99.8% female: 99.4% (1999 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 15 years male: 14 years female: 15 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
6.1% of GDP (2006)
Government
Belarus
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Belarus conventional short form: Belarus local long form: Respublika Byelarus' local short form: Byelarus' former: Belorussian (Byelorussian) Soviet Socialist Republic
Government type:
republic in name, although in fact a dictatorship
Capital:
name: Minsk geographic coordinates: 53 54 N, 27 34 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
6 provinces (voblastsi, singular - voblasts') and 1 municipality* (horad); Brest, Homyel', Horad Minsk*, Hrodna, Mahilyow, Minsk, Vitsyebsk note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers
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:
15 March 1994; revised by national referendum of 24 November 1996 giving the presidency greatly expanded powers and became effective 27 November 1996; revised again 17 October 2004 removing presidential term limits
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 Aleksandr LUKASHENKO (since 20 July 1994) head of government: Prime Minister Sergey SIDORSKIY (since 19 December 2003); First Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir SEMASHKO (since December 2003) cabinet: Council of Ministers 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, Aleksandr LUKASHENKO extended his term to 2001 via a November 1996 referendum; subsequent election held 9 September 2001; an October 2004 referendum ended presidential term limits and allowed the president to run in a third election, which was held on 19 March 2006; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president election results: Aleksandr LUKASHENKO reelected president; percent of vote - Aleksandr LUKASHENKO 82.6%, Aleksandr MILINKEVICH 6%, Aleksandr KOZULIN 2.3%; note - election marred by electoral fraud
Legislative branch:
bicameral National Assembly or Natsionalnoye Sobranie consists of the Council of the Republic or Soviet Respubliki (64 seats; 56 members elected by regional councils and eight members appointed by the president, to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Representatives or Palata Predstaviteley (110 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Palata Predstaviteley - last held 28 September 2008 (next to be held fall of 2012); international observers widely denounced the elections as flawed and undemocratic based on massive government falsification; pro-LUKASHENKO candidates won all 110 seats election results: Soviet Respubliki - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; Palata Predstaviteley - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA
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:
pro-government parties: Agrarian Party or AP [Mikhail SHIMANSKY]; Belarusian Communist Party or KPB; Belarusian Patriotic Movement (Belarusian Patriotic Party) or BPR [Nikolay ULAKHOVICH, chairman]; Liberal Democratic Party of Belarus [Sergey GAYDUKEVICH]; Party of Labor and Justice [Viktor SOKOLOV]; Social-Sports Party [Vladimir ALEXANDROVICH] opposition parties: Belarusian Christian Democracy Party (unregistered) [Pavel SEVERINETS]; Belarusian Party of Communists or PKB [Sergey KALYAKIN]; Belarusian Party of Labor (unregistered) [Aleksandr BUKHVOSTOV, Leonid LEMESHONAK]; Belarusian Popular Front or BPF [Vintsyuk VYACHORKA]; Belarusian Social-Democratic Gramada [Stanislav SHUSHKEVICH]; Belarusian Social Democratic Party Hramada (People's Assembly) or BSDPH [Aleksandr KOZULIN; Anatoliy LEVKOVICH, acting]; Green Party [Oleg GROMYKO]; Party of Freedom and Progress (unregistered) [Vladimir NOVOSYAD]; United Civic Party or UCP [Anatoliy LEBEDKO]; Women's Party "Nadezhda" [Valentina MATUSEVICH, chairperson] other opposition includes: Christian Conservative BPF [Zyanon PAZNIAK]; Ecological Party of Greens [Mikhail KARTASH]; Party of Popular Accord [Sergey YERMAKK]; Republican Party [Vladimir BELAZOR]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Assembly of Pro-Democratic NGOs [Sergey MATSKEVICH]; Belarusian
Congress of Democratic Trade Unions [Aleksandr YAROSHUK]; Belarusian
Helsinki Committee [Tatiana PROTKO]; Belarusian Organization of
Working Women [Irina ZHIKHAR]; Charter 97 [Andrey SANNIKOV]; For
Freedom (unregistered) [Aleksandr MILINKEVICH]; Lenin Communist
Union of Youth (youth wing of the Belarusian Party of Communists or
PKB); National Strike Committee of Entrepreneurs [Aleksandr
VASILYEV, Valery LEVONEVSKY]; Partnership NGO [Nikolay ASTREYKA];
Perspektiva kiosk watchdog NGO [Anatol SHUMCHENKO]; Vyasna [Ales
BYALATSKY]; Women's Independent Democratic Movement [Ludmila
PETINA]; Youth Front (Malady Front) [Dmitriy DASHKEVICH, Sergey
BAKHUN]; Zubr youth group [Vladimir KOBETS]
International organization participation:
BSEC (observer), CEI, CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMSO, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
(observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Mikhail KHVOSTOV chancery: 1619 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 986-1604 FAX: [1] (202) 986-1805 consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Jonathan MOORE embassy: 46 Starovilenskaya Street, Minsk 220002 mailing address: PSC 78, Box B Minsk, APO 09723 telephone: [375] (17) 210-12-83, 217-7347, 217-7348 FAX: [375] (17) 234-7853
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 Belarusian national ornamentation 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 enterprises. Since 2005, the government has re-nationalized a number of private companies. In addition, businesses have been subject to pressure by 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. A wide range of redistributive policies has helped those at the bottom of the ladder; the Gini coefficient is among the lowest in the world. Because of these restrictive economic policies, Belarus has had trouble attracting foreign investment. Nevertheless, GDP growth has been strong in recent years, reaching nearly 7% in 2007, despite the roadblocks of a tough, centrally directed economy with a high, but decreasing, rate of inflation. Belarus receives heavily discounted oil and natural gas from Russia and much of Belarus' growth can be attributed to the re-export of Russian oil at market prices. Trade with Russia - by far its largest single trade partner - decreased in 2007, largely as a result of a change in the way the Value Added Tax (VAT) on trade was collected. Russia has introduced an export duty on oil shipped to Belarus, which will increase gradually through 2009, and a requirement that Belarusian duties on re-exported Russian oil be shared with Russia - 80% will go to Russia in 2008, and 85% in 2009. Russia also increased Belarusian natural gas prices from $47 per thousand cubic meters (tcm) to $100 per tcm in 2007, and plans to increase prices gradually to world levels by 2011. Russia's recent policy of bringing energy prices for Belarus to world market levels may result in a slowdown in economic growth in Belarus over the next few years. Some policy measures, including tightening of fiscal and monetary policies, improving energy efficiency, and diversifying exports, have been introduced, but external borrowing has been the main mechanism used to manage the growing pressures on the economy.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$103.5 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$44.77 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
8.2% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$10,600 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 8.7% industry: 40.6% services: 50.6% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
4.3 million (31 December 2005)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 14% industry: 34.7% services: 51.3% (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate:
1.6% officially registered unemployed; large number of underemployed workers (2005)
Population below poverty line:
27.1% (2003 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.4% highest 10%: 23.5% (2002)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
29.7 (2002)
Investment (gross fixed):
30.8% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $20.75 billion expenditures: $20.87 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
8.4% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
10% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
8.58% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$4.065 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$6.823 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$12.16 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
grain, potatoes, vegetables, sugar beets, flax; beef, milk
Industries:
metal-cutting machine tools, tractors, trucks, earthmovers, motorcycles, televisions, synthetic fibers, fertilizer, textiles, radios, refrigerators
Industrial production growth rate:
5% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
29.91 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
30.43 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
5.789 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - imports:
10.15 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 99.5% hydro: 0.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0.4% (2001)
Oil - production:
33,700 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
179,700 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
256,400 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - imports:
394,100 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - proved reserves:
198 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
164 million cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
21.76 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
21.6 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
2.832 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
-$2.876 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$24.47 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, mineral products, chemicals, metals, textiles, foodstuffs
Exports - partners:
Russia 36.5%, Netherlands 17.8%, UK 6.3%, Ukraine 6.1%, Poland 5%,
Latvia 4.1% (2007)
Imports:
$28.32 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
mineral products, machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs, metals
Imports - partners:
Russia 59.9%, Germany 7.6%, Ukraine 5.4% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$53.76 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$4.266 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$7.347 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
Belarusian ruble (BYB/BYR)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Belarusian rubles (BYB/BYR) per US dollar - 2,145 (2007), 2,144.6 (2006), 2,150 (2005), 2,160.26 (2004), 2,051.27 (2003)
Communications
Belarus
Telephones - main lines in use:
3.672 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
5.96 million (2006)
Telephone system:
general assessment: Belarus lags behind its neighbors in upgrading telecommunications infrastructure; state-owned Beltelcom is the sole provider of fixed-line local and long distance service; fixed-line teledensity of roughly 35 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone density of about 60 per 100 persons; modernization of the network progressing with roughly two-thirds of switching equipment now digital domestic: fixed-line penetration is improving although rural areas continue to be underserved; 3 GSM wireless networks are experiencing rapid growth; strict government controls on telecommunications technologies international: country code - 375; 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); 3 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 (2007)
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 hosts:
68,118 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
23 (2002)
Internet users:
6 million (2007)
Transportation
Belarus
Airports:
67 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 36 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 22 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 7 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 31 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 27 (2007)
Heliports:
1 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 5,250 km; oil 1,528 km; refined products 1,730 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 5,512 km broad gauge: 5,497 km 1.520-m gauge (874 km electrified) standard gauge: 15 km 1.435 m (2006)
Roadways:
total: 94,797 km paved: 84,028 km unpaved: 10,769 km (2005)
Waterways:
2,500 km (use limited by location on perimeter of country and by shallowness) (2003)
Ports and terminals:
Mazyr
Military
Belarus
Military branches:
Belarus Armed Forces: Land Force, Air and Air Defense Force (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18-27 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 18 months (2005)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,491,643 females age 16-49: 2,528,779 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,727,974 females age 16-49: 2,093,106 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 64,232 female: 60,788 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.4% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
Belarus
Disputes - international:
Boundary demarcated with Latvia and Lithuania in 2006; 1997 boundary delimitation treaty with Ukraine remains unratified over unresolved financial claims, preventing demarcation and diminishing border security
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; a small and lightly regulated financial center; new anti-money-laundering legislation does not meet international standards; few investigations or prosecutions of money-laundering activities
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Belgium
Introduction
Belgium
Background:
Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830; it was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. The country 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:
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 30,528 sq km land: 30,278 sq km water: 250 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:
66.5 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: geographic coordinates define outer limit continental shelf: median line with neighbors
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:
construction materials, silica sand, carbonates
Land use:
arable land: 27.42% permanent crops: 0.69% other: 71.89% note: includes Luxembourg (2005)
Irrigated land:
400 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
20.8 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 7.44 cu km/yr (13%/85%/1%) per capita: 714 cu m/yr (1998)
Natural hazards:
flooding is a threat along rivers and 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: urbanization, dense transportation network, industry, extensive animal breeding and crop cultivation; air and water pollution also have repercussions for neighboring countries; uncertainties regarding federal and regional responsibilities (now resolved) had slowed progress in tackling environmental challenges
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
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, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
crossroads of Western Europe; most West European capitals within 1,000 km of Brussels, the seat of both the European Union and NATO
People
Belgium
Population:
10,403,951 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.3% (male 864,287/female 828,435) 15-64 years: 66.3% (male 3,476,802/female 3,416,383) 65 years and over: 17.5% (male 751,745/female 1,066,299) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 41.4 years male: 40.2 years female: 42.7 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.106% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
10.22 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
10.38 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
1.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.5 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.06 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.07 years male: 75.9 years female: 82.38 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.65 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
10,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 100 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Belgian(s) adjective: Belgian
Ethnic groups:
Fleming 58%, Walloon 31%, mixed or other 11%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 75%, other (includes Protestant) 25%
Languages:
Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less than 1%, legally bilingual (Dutch and French)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 16 years male: 16 years female: 16 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
6% of GDP (2004)
Government
Belgium
Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Belgium conventional short form: Belgium local long form: Royaume de Belgique/Koninkrijk Belgie local short form: Belgique/Belgie
Government type:
federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy
Capital:
name: Brussels geographic coordinates: 50 50 N, 4 20 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
10 provinces (French: provinces, singular - province; Dutch: provincies, singular - provincie) and 3 regions* (French: regions; Dutch: gewesten); Brussels* (Bruxelles) capital region; Flanders* region (five provinces): Antwerpen (Antwerp), Limburg, Oost-Vlaanderen (East Flanders), Vlaams-Brabant (Flemish Brabant), West-Vlaanderen (West Flanders); Wallonia* region (five provinces): Brabant Wallon (Walloon Brabant), Hainaut, Liege, Luxembourg, Namur 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
Independence:
4 October 1830 (a provisional government declared independence from the Netherlands); 21 July 1831 (King LEOPOLD I ascended to the throne)
National holiday:
21 July (1831) ascension to the Throne of King LEOPOLD I
Constitution:
7 February 1831; amended many times; revised 14 July 1993 to create a federal state
Legal system:
based on 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 Yves LETERME (20 March 2008) cabinet: Council of Ministers are formally appointed by the monarch elections: the monarchy is hereditary and constitutional; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch and then approved by parliament
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 10 June 2007 (next to be held no later than June 2011) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - CDV/N-VA 19.4%, Open VLD 12.4%, MR 12.3%, VB 11.9%, PS 10.2%, SP.A-Spirit 10%, CDH 5.9%, Ecolo 5.8%, Groen! 3.6%, Dedecker List 3.4%, FN 2.3%, other 2.8%; seats by party - CDV/N-VA 9, Open VLD 5, MR 6, VB 5, PS 4, SP.A-Spririt 4, CDH 2, Ecolo 2, Groen! 1, Dedecker List 1, FN 1 (note - there are also 31 indirectly elected senators); Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - CDV/N-VA 18.5%, MR 12.5%, VB 12%, Open VLD 11.8%, PS 10.9%, SP.A-Spirit 10.3%, CDH 6.1%, Ecolo 5.1%, Dedecker List 4%, Groen! 4%, FN 2%, other 2.8%; seats by party - CDV/N-VA 30, MR 23, VB 17, Open VLD 18, PS 20, SP.A-Spirit 14, CDH 10, Ecolo 8, Dedecker List 5, Groen! 4, FN 1 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
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
government; candidacies have to be submitted by the High Justice
Council)
Political parties and leaders:
Flemish parties: Christian Democratic and Flemish or CDV [Marianne
THYSSEN]; Dedecker List [Jean-Marie DEDECKER]; Flemish Liberals and
Democrats or Open VLD [Bart SOMERS]; Groen! [Mieke VOGELS] (formerly
AGALEV, Flemish Greens); New Flemish Alliance or N-VA [Bart DE
WEVER]; Social Progressive Alternative or SP.A [Caroline GENNEZ];
VlaamsProgressieven (Flemish Progressives) or VP [Bettina GEYSEN] -
formerly Spirit; Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest) or VB [Bruno
VALKENIERS]
Francophone parties: Ecolo (Francophone Greens) [Jean-Michel JAVAUX,
Isabelle DURANT, Claude BROUIR]; Humanist and Democratic Center or
CDH [Joelle MILQUET]; National Front or FN [Daniel HUYGENS]; Reform
Movement or MR [Didier REYNDERS]; Socialist Party or PS [Elio DI
RUPO]; other minor parties
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Christian, Socialist, and Liberal Trade Unions; Federation of Belgian Industries other: 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, ADB (nonregional members), AfDB (nonregional members),
Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA,
EU, FAO, G-9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS
(observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, Schengen
Convention, SECI (observer), UN, UN Security Council (temporary),
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WADB
(nonregional), WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Dominique STRUYE DE SWIELANDE chancery: 3330 Garfield Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-6900 FAX: [1] (202) 333-3079 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York consulate(s): Atlanta
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Sam FOX embassy: 27 Boulevard du Regent [Regentlaan], 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 note: 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. Roughly three-quarters of its trade is with other EU countries. Public debt is more than 85% of GDP. On the positive side, the government has succeeded in balancing its budget, and income distribution is relatively equal. Belgium began circulating the euro currency in January 2002. Economic growth in 2001-03 dropped sharply because of the global economic slowdown, with moderate recovery in 2004-07. Economic growth and foreign direct investment are expected to slow down in 2008, due to credit tightening, falling consumer and business confidence, and above average inflation. However, with the successful negotiation of the 2008 budget and devolution of power within the government, political tensions seem to be easing and could lead to an improvement in the economic outlook for 2008.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$376.5 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$453.6 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2.8% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$36,200 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1.1% industry: 24.5% services: 74.4% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
4.94 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 2% industry: 25% services: 73% (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate:
7.5% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
15.2% (2007 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.4% highest 10%: 28.4% (2006)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
28 (2005)
Investment (gross fixed):
21.3% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $220.1 billion expenditures: $221 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
84.6% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.8% (2007 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
6.98% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
NA note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the Euro Area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 15 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi money circulating within their own borders
Stock of quasi money:
Stock of domestic credit:
$767.7 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef, veal, pork, milk
Industries:
engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, transportation equipment, scientific instruments, processed food and beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass, petroleum
Industrial production growth rate:
2.8% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
82.94 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
85.54 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
9.035 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
15.78 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 38.4% hydro: 0.6% nuclear: 59.3% other: 1.8% (2001)
Oil - production:
8,671 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
628,500 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - exports:
528,700 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
1.119 million bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
17.39 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
17.34 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006)
Current account balance:
$3.282 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$322.2 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, metals and metal products, foodstuffs
Exports - partners:
Germany 19.5%, France 16.7%, Netherlands 11.9%, UK 7.6%, US 5.7%,
Italy 5.2% (2007)
Imports:
$323.2 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs, transportation equipment, oil products
Imports - partners:
Germany 17.7%, Netherlands 17.6%, France 11.2%, UK 6.2%, US 5.4%,
Ireland 4.9%, China 4.1% (2007)
Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $1.978 billion (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$16.51 billion (2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$1.313 trillion (30 June 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$678.2 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$540.1 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$422.7 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
euro (EUR)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003)
Communications
Belgium
Telephones - main lines in use:
4.668 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
10.23 million (2007)
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: country code - 32; landing point for a number of submarine cables that provide links to Europe, the Middle East, and Asia; satellite earth stations - 7 (Intelsat - 3) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 7, FM 79, 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 hosts:
3.841 million (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
61 (2000)
Internet users:
5.22 million (2007)
Transportation
Belgium
Airports:
43 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 27 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 9 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 15 (2007)
Heliports:
1 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 1,562 km; oil 158 km; refined products 535 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 3,536 km standard gauge: 3,536 km 1.435-m gauge (2,950 km electrified) (2006)
Roadways:
total: 152,256 km paved: 119,079 km (includes 1,763 km of expressways) unpaved: 33,177 km (2006)
Waterways:
2,043 km (1,528 km in regular commercial use) (2006)
Merchant marine:
total: 79 by type: bulk carrier 20, cargo 9, chemical tanker 1, container 6, liquefied gas 20, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 11, roll on/roll off 10 foreign-owned: 6 (Denmark 4, France 2) registered in other countries: 111 (Bahamas 15, Cyprus 2, France 6, Gibraltar 2, Greece 16, Hong Kong 3, Liberia 4, Luxembourg 7, Malta 15, Mozambique 2, Netherlands 2, Netherlands Antilles 1, Panama 2, Portugal 1, Portugal 7, Russia 4, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 8, Sierra Leone 1, Singapore 8, Vanuatu 4) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Antwerp, Gent, Liege, Zeebrugge
Military
Belgium
Military branches:
Belgian Armed Forces: Land Operations Command, Naval Operations
Command, Air Operations Command (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription suspended (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,407,128 females age 16-49: 2,340,039 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,973,167 females age 16-49: 1,915,990 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 64,659 female: 61,881 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.3% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
Belgium
Disputes - international:
none
Illicit drugs:
growing producer of synthetic drugs and cannabis; 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; despite a strengthening of legislation, the country remains vulnerable to money laundering related to narcotics, automobiles, alcohol, and tobacco; significant domestic consumption of ecstasy
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Belize
Introduction
Belize
Background:
Belize was the site of several Mayan city states until their decline at the end of the first millennium A.D. The British and Spanish disputed the region in the 17th and 18th centuries; it formally became the colony of British Honduras in 1854. Territorial disputes between the UK and Guatemala delayed the independence of Belize until 1981. Guatemala refused to recognize the new nation until 1992. Tourism has become the mainstay of the economy. Current concerns include an unsustainable foreign debt, high unemployment, growing involvement in the South American drug trade, growing urban crime, and increasing incidences of HIV/AIDS.
Geography
Belize
Location:
Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and
Mexico
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 22,966 sq km land: 22,806 sq km water: 160 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:
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 negotiating a definitive agreement on territorial differences with Guatemala exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
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: Doyle's Delight 1,160 m
Natural resources:
arable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 3.05% permanent crops: 1.39% other: 95.56% (2005)
Irrigated land:
30 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
18.6 cu km (2000)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.15 cu km/yr (7%/73%/20%) per capita: 556 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling 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:
301,270 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 38.4% (male 58,987/female 56,674) 15-64 years: 58.1% (male 88,521/female 86,450) 65 years and over: 3.5% (male 5,095/female 5,543) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 20.1 years male: 20 years female: 20.3 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.207% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
27.84 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
5.77 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA (2008 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: 0.92 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 23.65 deaths/1,000 live births male: 26.35 deaths/1,000 live births female: 20.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 68.19 years male: 66.39 years female: 70.08 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.44 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
2.4% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
3,600 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 200 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria water contact disease: leptospirosis (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Belizean(s) adjective: Belizean
Ethnic groups:
mestizo 48.7%, Creole 24.9%, Maya 10.6%, Garifuna 6.1%, other 9.7% (2000 census)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 49.6%, Protestant 27% (Pentecostal 7.4%, Anglican 5.3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 5.2%, Mennonite 4.1%, Methodist 3.5%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.5%), other 14%, none 9.4% (2000)
Languages:
Spanish 46%, Creole 32.9%, Mayan dialects 8.9%, English 3.9% (official), Garifuna 3.4% (Carib), German 3.3%, other 1.4%, unknown 0.2% (2000 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 76.9% male: 76.7% female: 77.1% (2000 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 13 years male: 13 years female: 13 years (2004)
Education expenditures:
5.3% of GDP (2004)
Government
Belize
Country name:
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Belize former: British Honduras
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: Belmopan geographic coordinates: 17 15 N, 88 46 W time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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; 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 Colville YOUNG, Sr. (since 17 November 1993) head of government: Prime Minister Dean BARROW (since 8 February 2008); Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar VEGA (since 12 February 2008) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister
Legislative branch:
bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (12 seats; members appointed by the governor general - 6 on the advice of the prime minister, 3 on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and 1 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; to serve five-year terms) and the House of Representatives (31 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: House of Representatives - last held 6 February 2008 (next to be held in 2013) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UDP 25, PUP 6
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Judicature (the chief justice is appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister); Court of Appeal
Political parties and leaders:
National Alliance for Belizean Rights or NABR; National Reform Party
or NRP [Cornelius DUECK]; People's National Party or PNP [Wil
MAHEIA]; People's United Party or PUP [Said MUSA]; United Democratic
Party or UDP [Dean BARROW]; Vision Inspired by the People or VIP
[Paul MORGAN]; We the People Reform Movement or WTP [Hipolito
BAUTISTA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Society for the Promotion of Education and Research or SPEAR
[Gustavo PERERA]; Association of Concerned Belizeans or ACB [David
VASQUEZ]; National Trade Union Congress of Belize or NTUC/B [Rene
GOMEZ]
International organization participation:
ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, ITUC,
LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Nestor MENDEZ chancery: 2535 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-9636 FAX: [1] (202) 332-6888 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Robert J. DIETER embassy: Floral Park Road, Belmopan City, Cayo District mailing address: P.O. Box 497, Belmopan City, Cayo District, Belize telephone: [501] 822-4011 FAX: [501] 822-4012
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:
In this small, essentially private-enterprise economy, tourism is the number one foreign exchange earner followed by exports of marine products, citrus, cane sugar, bananas, and garments. The government's expansionary monetary and fiscal policies, initiated in September 1998, led to sturdy GDP growth averaging nearly 4% in 1999-2007. Oil discoveries in 2006 bolstered the economic growth in 2006 and 2007. Major concerns continue to be the sizable trade deficit and unsustainable foreign debt. In February 2007, the government restructured nearly all of its public external commercial debt, which will reduce interest payments and relieve liquidity concerns. A key short-term objective remains the reduction of poverty with the help of international donors.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$2.444 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.274 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2.2% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$7,900 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 21.3% industry: 13.7% services: 65% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
113,000 note: shortage of skilled labor and all types of technical personnel (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 22.5% industry: 15.2% services: 62.3% (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate:
9.4% (2006)
Population below poverty line:
33.5% (2002 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Investment (gross fixed):
19.7% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $307 million expenditures: $344 million (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.3% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
12% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
14.33% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$323.9 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$549 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$877.6 million (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
bananas, cacao, citrus, sugar; fish, cultured shrimp; lumber; garments
Industries:
garment production, food processing, tourism, construction, oil
Industrial production growth rate:
0.5% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
213.5 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
193.3 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 59.9% hydro: 40.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
3,000 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
7,000 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
1,960 bbl/day (2006)
Oil - imports:
7,122 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
6.7 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$43 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$429 million f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
sugar, bananas, citrus, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood
Exports - partners:
US 28.7%, UK 16.3%, Thailand 5.8%, Cote d'Ivoire 5.4%, Finland 4.2%,
Spain 4% (2007)
Imports:
$642 million f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods; fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals; food, beverages, tobacco
Imports - partners:
US 31.2%, Mexico 13.6%, Cuba 8.5%, Guatemala 8%, Russia 4.6% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$12.91 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$109 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$1.2 billion (June 2005 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
Belizean dollar (BZD)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Belizean dollars (BZD) per US dollar - 2 (2007), 2 (2006), 2 (2005), 2 (2004), 2 (2003)
Communications
Belize
Telephones - main lines in use:
33,900 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
118,300 (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: above-average system; fixed-line teledensity of 12 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone density of about 40 per 100 persons domestic: trunk network depends primarily on microwave radio relay international: country code - 501; landing point for the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) fiber-optic telecommunications submarine cable that provides links to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth station - 8 (Intelsat - 2, unknown - 6) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 16, shortwave 0 (2006)
Radios:
133,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
5 (2006)
Televisions:
41,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.bz
Internet hosts:
2,751 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)
Internet users:
32,000 (2007)
Transportation
Belize
Airports:
44 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 40 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 27 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 3,007 km paved: 575 km unpaved: 2,432 km (2006)
Waterways:
825 km (navigable only by small craft) (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 216 by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 32, cargo 152, chemical tanker 2, container 1, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 9, refrigerated cargo 12, roll on/roll off 5, specialized tanker 1 foreign-owned: 178 (Australia 1, China 71, Croatia 2, Cyprus 1, Estonia 6, Greece 1, Iceland 2, Italy 3, Japan 8, South Korea 1, Latvia 12, Norway 3, Peru 1, Russia 31, Singapore 2, Spain 1, Turkey 15, Ukraine 7, UAE 5, UK 5) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Belize City, Big Creek
Military
Belize
Military branches:
Belize Defense Force (BDF): Army, BDF Air Wing, BDF Volunteer Guard (2007)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; laws allow for conscription only if volunteers are insufficient; conscription has never been implemented; volunteers typically outnumber available positions by 3:1 (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 74,605 females age 16-49: 72,926 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 54,627 females age 16-49: 53,500 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 3,580 female: 3,449 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.4% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Belize
Disputes - international:
OAS-initiated Agreement on the Framework for Negotiations and Confidence Building Measures saw cooperation in repatriation of Guatemalan squatters and other areas, but Guatemalan land and maritime claims in Belize and the Caribbean Sea remain unresolved; the Line of Adjacency created under the 2002 Differendum serves in lieu of the contiguous international boundary to control squatting in the sparsely inhabited rain forests of Belize's border region; Honduras claims Belizean-administered Sapodilla Cays in its constitution but agreed to a joint ecological park under the Differendum
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for cocaine; small-scale illicit producer of cannabis, primarily for local consumption; money-laundering activity related to narcotics trafficking and offshore sector
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Benin
Introduction
Benin
Background:
Present day Benin was the site of Dahomey, a prominent West African kingdom that rose in the 15th century. The territory became a French Colony in 1872 and achieved independence on 1 August 1960, as the Republic of Benin. A succession of military governments ended in 1972 with the rise to power of Mathieu KEREKOU and the establishment of a government based on Marxist-Leninist principles. A move to representative government began in 1989. Two years later, free elections ushered in former Prime Minister Nicephore SOGLO as president, marking the first successful transfer of power in Africa from a dictatorship to a democracy. KEREKOU was returned to power by elections held in 1996 and 2001, though some irregularities were alleged. KEREKOU stepped down at the end of his second term in 2006 and was succeeded by Thomas YAYI Boni, a political outsider and independent. YAYI has begun a high profile fight against corruption and has strongly promoted accelerating Benin's economic growth.
Geography
Benin
Location:
Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria and
Togo
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 112,620 sq km land: 110,620 sq km water: 2,000 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: 23.53% permanent crops: 2.37% other: 74.1% (2005)
Irrigated land:
120 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
25.8 cu km (2001)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.13 cu km/yr (32%/23%/45%) per capita: 15 cu m/yr (2001)
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling 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:
8,532,547 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 45.5% (male 1,978,897/female 1,901,005) 15-64 years: 51.9% (male 2,195,667/female 2,236,458) 65 years and over: 2.6% (male 91,213/female 129,307) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 17.1 years male: 16.7 years female: 17.6 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
3.01% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
39.8 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
9.69 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 66.2 deaths/1,000 live births male: 69.68 deaths/1,000 live births female: 62.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 58.56 years male: 57.42 years female: 59.76 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.58 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.9% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
68,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
5,800 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Beninese (singular and plural) adjective: Beninese
Ethnic groups:
Fon and related 39.2%, Adja and related 15.2%, Yoruba and related 12.3%, Bariba and related 9.2%, Peulh and related 7%, Ottamari and related 6.1%, Yoa-Lokpa and related 4%, Dendi and related 2.5%, other 1.6% (includes Europeans), unspecified 2.9% (2002 census)
Religions:
Christian 42.8% (Catholic 27.1%, Celestial 5%, Methodist 3.2%, other Protestant 2.2%, other 5.3%), Muslim 24.4%, Vodoun 17.3%, other 15.5% (2002 census)
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: 34.7% male: 47.9% female: 23.3% (2002 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 7 years male: 9 years female: 6 years (2001)
Education expenditures:
4.4% of GDP (2004)
Government
Benin
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Benin conventional short form: Benin local long form: Republique du Benin local short form: Benin former: Dahomey
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Porto-Novo (official capital) geographic coordinates: 6 29 N, 2 37 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) note: Cotonou (seat of government)
Administrative divisions:
12 departments; Alibori, Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Collines, Kouffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou
Independence:
1 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday:
National Day, 1 August (1960)
Constitution:
adopted by referendum 2 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 Thomas YAYI Boni (since 6 April 2006); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Thomas YAYI Boni (since 6 April 2006) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); runoff election held 19 March 2006 (next to be held in March 2011) election results: Thomas YAYI Boni elected president; percent of vote - Thomas YAYI Boni 74.5%, Adrien HOUNGBEDJI 25.5%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (83 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 31 March 2007 (next to be held by March 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FCBE 35, ADD 20, PRD 10, other and independents 18
Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle; Supreme Court or
Cour Supreme; High Court of Justice
Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for Dynamic Democracy or ADD; Alliance of Progress Forces
or AFP; African Movement for Democracy and Progress or MADEP [Sefou
FAGBOHOUN]; Benin Renaissance or RB [Rosine SOGLO]; Democratic
Renewal Party or PRD [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI]; Force Cowrie for an
Emerging Benin or FCBE; Impulse for Progress and Democracy or IPD
[Theophile NATA]; Key Force or FC [Lazare SÈHOUÉTO]; Movement for
the People's Alternative or MAP [Olivier CAPO-CHICHI]; Rally for
Democracy and Progress or RDP [Dominique HOUNGNINOU]; Social
Democrat Party or PSD [Bruno AMOUSSOU]; Union for the Relief or UPR
[Issa SALIFOU]; Union for Democracy and National Solidarity or UDS
[Sacca LAFIA]
note: approximately 20 additional minor parties
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: economic groups; environmentalists; political groups; teachers' unions and other educational groups
International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA,
MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional),
WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Cyrille Segbe OGUIN chancery: 2124 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 232-6656 FAX: [1] (202) 265-1996
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Gayleatha B. BROWN embassy: Rue Caporal Bernard Anani, Cotonou mailing address: 01 B. P. 2012, Cotonou telephone: [229] 21-30-06-50 FAX: [229] 21-30-03-84
Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red (bottom) 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 has averaged around 5% in the past seven years, but rapid population growth has 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. Specific projects to improve the business climate by reforms to the land tenure system, the commercial justice system, and the financial sector were included in Benin's $307 million Millennium Challenge Account grant signed in February 2006. The 2001 privatization policy continues in telecommunications, water, electricity, and agriculture though the government annulled the privatization of Benin's state cotton company in November 2007 after the discovery of irregularities in the bidding process. The Paris Club and bilateral creditors have eased the external debt situation, with Benin benefiting from a G8 debt reduction announced in July 2005, while pressing for more rapid structural reforms. An insufficient electrical supply continues to adversely affect Benin's economic growth though the government recently has taken steps to increase domestic power production.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$12 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$5.433 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
4.5% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,400 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 33.2% industry: 14.5% services: 52.3% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
5.38 million (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate:
Population below poverty line:
37.4% (2007 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.1% highest 10%: 29% (2003)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
36.5 (2003)
Investment (gross fixed):
19.3% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $959.2 million expenditures: $1.211 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.3% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
4.25% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Stock of money:
$1.324 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$627.2 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$520.6 million (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil, peanuts, cashews; livestock
Industries:
textiles, food processing, construction materials, cement
Industrial production growth rate:
4.5% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
120 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
595 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
590 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 14.2% hydro: 85.8% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
9,232 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - exports:
6,484 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
16,830 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - proved reserves:
8 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
1.133 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
-$441 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$586 million f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
cotton, cashews, shea butter, textiles, palm products, seafood
Exports - partners:
China 24.7%, India 8.2%, Niger 6.6%, Togo 5.4%, Nigeria 5.3%,
Belgium 4.6% (2007)
Imports:
$1.085 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products
Imports - partners:
China 44.5%, France 8.2%, US 6.5%, Thailand 6.3%, Malaysia 4.8% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$374.7 million (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$1.209 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$1.2 billion (2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 493.51 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003) note: since 1 January 1999, the XOF franc has been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF francs per euro
Communications
Benin
Telephones - main lines in use:
110,300 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.895 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: inadequate; fixed-line network characterized by aging, deteriorating equipment with fixed-line teledensity stuck at 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone subscribership is increasing domestic: system of open-wire, microwave radio relay, and cellular connections; multiple mobile-cellular providers international: country code - 229; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and Asia; satellite earth stations - 7 (Intelsat-Atlantic Ocean) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 34, shortwave 1 (2007)
Radios:
660,000 (2000)
Television broadcast stations:
6 (2007)
Televisions:
66,000 (2000)
Internet country code:
.bj
Internet hosts:
848 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
4 (2002)
Internet users:
150,000 (2007)
Transportation
Benin
Airports:
5 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
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 (2007)
Railways:
total: 758 km narrow gauge: 758 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 16,000 km paved: 1,400 km unpaved: 14,600 km (2006)
Waterways:
150 km (on River Niger along northern border) (2005)
Ports and terminals:
Cotonou
Military
Benin
Military branches:
Benin Armed Forces (FAB): Army (l'Arme de Terre), Benin Navy (Forces
Navales Beninois, FNB), Benin People's Air Force (Force Aerienne
Populaire de Benin, FAPB) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
21 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; in practice, volunteers may be taken at the age of 18; both sexes are eligible for military service; conscript tour of duty - 18 months (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,908,457 females age 16-49: 1,882,421 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,173,742 females age 16-49: 1,162,113 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 97,543 female: 94,008 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.7% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Benin
Disputes - international:
in September 2007, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) intervened to attempt to resolve the dispute over two villages along the Benin-Burkina Faso border that remain from 2005 ICJ decision; much of Benin-Niger boundary, including tripoint with Nigeria, remains undemarcated; in 2005, Nigeria ceded thirteen villages to Benin, but border relations remain strained by rival cross-border gang clashes; talks continue between Benin and Togo on funding the Adjrala hydroelectric dam on the Mona River
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 9,444 (Togo) (2007)
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point used by Nigerian traffickers for narcotics destined for Western Europe; vulnerable to money laundering due to poorly enforced financial regulations
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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. Although a referendum on independence from the UK was soundly defeated in 1995, the present government has reopened debate on the issue.
Geography
Bermuda
Location:
North America, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, east of
South Carolina (US)
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
North America
Area:
total: 53.3 sq km land: 53.3 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
about one-third the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
103 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 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: 20% permanent crops: 0% other: 80% (55% developed, 45% rural/open space) (2005)
Irrigated land:
Natural hazards:
hurricanes (June to November)
Environment - current issues:
sustainable development
Geography - note:
consists of about 138 coral islands and islets with ample rainfall, but no rivers or freshwater lakes; some land was leased by US Government from 1941 to 1995
People
Bermuda
Population:
66,536 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 18% (male 6,055/female 5,954) 15-64 years: 69.1% (male 22,795/female 23,189) 65 years and over: 12.8% (male 3,728/female 4,815) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 41 years male: 40.1 years female: 41.8 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.546% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
11.15 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
7.98 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
2.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 7.87 deaths/1,000 live births male: 9.31 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.3 years male: 76.15 years female: 80.48 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.88 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.297% (2005)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
163 (2005)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
392 (2005)
Nationality:
noun: Bermudian(s) adjective: Bermudian
Ethnic groups:
black 54.8%, white 34.1%, mixed 6.4%, other races 4.3%, unspecified 0.4% (2000 census)
Religions:
Anglican 23%, Roman Catholic 15%, African Methodist Episcopal 11%, other Protestant 18%, other 12%, unaffiliated 6%, unspecified 1%, none 14% (2000 census)
Languages:
English (official), Portuguese
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 98% female: 99% (2005 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 13 years male: 13 years female: 14 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
1.2% of GDP (2006)
Government
Bermuda
Country name:
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Bermuda former: Somers Islands
Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK
Government type:
parliamentary; self-governing territory
Capital:
name: Hamilton geographic coordinates: 32 17 N, 64 47 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November
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 and 2003
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 Richard GOZNEY (since 12 December 2007) head of government: Premier Ewart BROWN (since 30 October 2006); Deputy Premier Paula COX cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the premier, appointed by the governor elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed premier by the governor
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (11 seats; members appointed by the governor, the premier, and the opposition) and the House of Assembly (36 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve up to five-year terms) elections: last general election held 18 December 2007 (next to be held not later than 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 52.5%, UBP 47.3%; seats by party - PLP 22, UBP 14
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrate Courts
Political parties and leaders:
Progressive Labor Party or PLP [Ewart BROWN]; United Bermuda Party or UBP [Kim SWAN]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Bermuda Employer's Union [Eddie SAINTS]; Bermuda Industrial Union or
BIU [Derrick BURGESS]; Bermuda Public Services Union or BPSU [Ed
BALL]; Bermuda Union of Teachers [Michael CHARLES]
International organization participation:
Caricom (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ITUC, UPU, WCO, WFTU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Consul General Gregory W. SLAYTON consulate(s) general: Crown Hill, 16 Middle Road, Devonshire DVO3 mailing address: P. O. Box HM325, Hamilton HMBX; American Consulate General Hamilton, US 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 the third highest per capita income in the world, more than 50% higher than that of the US. Its economy is primarily based on providing financial services for international business and luxury facilities for tourists. A number of reinsurance companies relocated to the island following the 11 September 2001 attacks and again after Hurricane Katrina in August 2005, contributing to the expansion of an already robust international business sector. Bermuda's tourism industry - which derives over 80% of its visitors from the US - continues to struggle but remains the island's number two industry. Most capital equipment and food must be imported. Bermuda's industrial sector is small, although construction continues to be important; the average cost of a house in June 2003 had risen to $976,000. Agriculture is limited with only 20% of the land being arable.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$4.5 billion (2004 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
GDP - real growth rate:
4.6% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$69,900 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1% industry: 10% services: 89% (2002 est.)
Labor force:
38,360 (2004)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture and fishing 3%, laborers 17%, clerical 19%, professional and technical 21%, administrative and managerial 15%, sales 7%, services 19% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate:
2.1% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:
19% (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $738 million expenditures: $665 million (FY04/05)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.8% (November 2005)
Agriculture - products:
bananas, vegetables, citrus, flowers; dairy products, honey
Industries:
international business, tourism, light manufacturing
Industrial production growth rate:
Electricity - production:
675.6 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
619.8 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
4,566 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
4,378 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Exports:
$763 million (2006)
Exports - commodities:
reexports of pharmaceuticals
Exports - partners:
Spain 13.8%, Germany 11.7%, Switzerland 8.8%, Denmark 6.6%, UK 6% (2007)
Imports:
$1.162 billion (2006)
Imports - commodities:
clothing, fuels, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, chemicals, food and live animals
Imports - partners:
South Korea 36.4%, US 15.7%, Germany 13.2%, Italy 11.8% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$90,000 (2004)
Debt - external:
$160 million (FY99/00)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$2.125 billion (2005)
Currency (code):
Bermudian dollar (BMD)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Bermudian dollars (BMD) per US dollar - 1.0000 (fixed rate pegged to the US dollar)
Communications
Bermuda
Telephones - main lines in use:
57,700 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
60,100 (2006)
Telephone system:
general assessment: good domestic: fully automatic digital telephone system; fiber optic trunk lines international: country code - 1-441; landing point for the Atlantica-1 telecommunications submarine cable that extends from the US to Brazil; satellite earth stations - 3 (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 5, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2005)
Radios:
82,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
3 (2005)
Televisions:
66,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.bm
Internet hosts:
1,628 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
20 (2000)
Internet users:
48,000 (2007)
Transportation
Bermuda
Airports:
1 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 447 km paved: 447 km note: public roads - 225 km; private roads - 222 km (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 137 by type: bulk carrier 23, chemical tanker 3, container 22, liquefied gas 33, passenger 24, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 18, refrigerated cargo 9 foreign-owned: 115 (Australia 1, China 10, France 1, Germany 22, Greece 9, Hong Kong 4, Ireland 1, Israel 3, Japan 2, Nigeria 11, Norway 5, Sweden 20, UK 3, US 23) registered in other countries: 50 (Bahamas 12, Marshall Islands 4, Philippines 34) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Hamilton, Saint George
Military
Bermuda
Military branches:
Bermuda Regiment (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18-23 years of age; eligible men required to register for conscription as needed into the Bermuda Regiment, which is largely voluntary; term of service 39 months (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 15,623 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 12,682 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 426 female: 445 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.11% of GDP (2005 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues
Bermuda
Disputes - international:
none
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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 to British India. 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 over 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. In March 2005, King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK unveiled the government's draft constitution - which would introduce major democratic reforms - and pledged to hold a national referendum for its approval. In December 2006, the King abdicated the throne to his son, Jigme Khesar Namgyel WANGCHUCK, in order to give him experience as head of state before the democratic transition. In early 2007, India and Bhutan renegotiated their treaty to allow Bhutan greater autonomy in conducting its foreign policy, although Thimphu continues to coordinate policy decisions in this area with New Delhi. In July 2007, seven ministers of Bhutan's ten-member cabinet resigned to join the political process, and the cabinet acted as a caretaker regime until democratic elections for seats to the country's first parliament were completed in March 2008. The king ratified the country's first constitution in July 2008.
Geography
Bhutan
Location:
Southern Asia, between China and India
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Asia
Area:
total: 47,000 sq km land: 47,000 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
about one-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 carbonate
Land use:
arable land: 2.3% permanent crops: 0.43% other: 97.27% (2005)
Irrigated land:
400 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
95 cu km (1987)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.43 cu km/yr (5%/1%/94%) per capita: 199 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes 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:
682,321 note: the Factbook population estimate is consistent with the first modern census of Bhutan, conducted in 2005; previous Factbook population estimates for this country, which were on the order of three times the total population reported here, were based on Bhutanese government publications that did not include the census (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 30.8% (male 107,360/female 103,093) 15-64 years: 63.7% (male 231,323/female 203,649) 65 years and over: 5.4% (male 19,561/female 17,335) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 23.5 years male: 24.1 years female: 22.8 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.301% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
20.56 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
7.54 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.14 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.13 male(s)/female total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 51.92 deaths/1,000 live births male: 53.1 deaths/1,000 live births female: 50.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 65.53 years male: 64.75 years female: 66.35 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.48 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
fewer than 100 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria water contact disease: leptospirosis (2008)
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: 47% male: 60% female: 34% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 10 years male: 11 years female: 10 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
7% of GDP (2005)
Government
Bhutan
Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Bhutan conventional short form: Bhutan local long form: Druk Gyalkhap local short form: Druk Yul
Government type:
in transition to constitutional monarchy; special treaty relationship with India
Capital:
name: Thimphu geographic coordinates: 27 29 N, 89 36 E time difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
20 districts (dzongkhag, singular and plural); Bumthang, Chhukha,
Chirang, Daga, Gasa, Geylegphug, Ha, Lhuntshi, Mongar, Paro,
Pemagatsel, Punakha, Samchi, Samdrup Jongkhar, Shemgang, Tashigang,
Tashi Yangtse, Thimphu, Tongsa, Wangdi Phodrang
Independence:
1907 (became a unified kingdom under its first hereditary king)
National holiday:
National Day (Ugyen WANGCHUCK became first hereditary king), 17
December (1907)
Constitution:
ratified 23 July 2008
Legal system:
based on Indian law and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: King Jigme Khesar Namgyel WANGCHUCK (since 14 December 2006); note - King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK abdicated the throne on 14 December 2006 and his son immediately succeeded him head of government: Prime Minister Jigme THINLEY (since 9 April 2008) 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 elections: the monarch is hereditary, but democratic reforms in July 1998 grant the National Assembly authority to remove the monarch with two-thirds vote; election of a new National Assembly occurred in March 2008; the leader of the majority party is nominated as the prime minister
Legislative branch:
new bicameral Parliament consists of the non-partisan National Council (25 seats; 20 members elected by each of the 20 electoral districts (dzongkhags) for four-year terms and 5 members nominated by the King); and the National Assembly (47 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote for five-year terms) elections: National Council elections last held on 31 December 2007 and 29 January 2008 (next to be held by December 2012); National Assembly elections last held on 24 March 2008 (next to be held by March 2013) election results: National Council - NA; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - DPT 67%, PDP 33%; seats by party - DPT 45, PDP 2
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Appeal (the monarch); High Court (judges appointed by the monarch); note - the draft constitution establishes a Supreme Court, which will serve as chief court of appeal
Political parties and leaders:
Bhutan Peace and Prosperity Party (Druk Phuensum Tshogpa) or DPT
[Jigme THINLEY]; People's Democratic Party or PDP [Sangay NGEDUP]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
United Front for Democracy (exiled) other: Buddhist clergy; ethnic Nepalese organizations leading militant antigovernment campaign; Indian merchant community
International organization participation:
ADB, BIMSTEC, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IMF,
Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, NAM,
OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none; note - the Permanent Mission to the UN for Bhutan has consular jurisdiction in the US; address: 763 First Avenue, New York, NY 10017; telephone [1] (212) 682-2268; FAX [1] (212) 661-0551 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, which provide the main livelihood for more than 60% 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 and dependence on India's financial assistance. 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. Model education, social, and environment programs 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. For example, the government, in its cautious expansion of the tourist sector, encourages visits by upscale, environmentally conscientious tourists. Detailed controls and uncertain policies in areas such as industrial licensing, trade, labor, and finance continue to hamper foreign investment. Hydropower exports to India had a major impact on growth in 2007.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$3.359 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.308 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
22.4% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$5,200 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 22.3% industry: 37.9% services: 39.8% (2006)
Labor force:
NA note: major shortage of skilled labor
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 63% industry: 6% services: 31% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate:
2.5% (2004)
Population below poverty line:
31.7% (2003)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $272 million expenditures: $350 million note: the government of India finances nearly three-fifths of Bhutan's budget expenditures (2005)
Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June
Public debt:
81.4% of GDP (2004)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.9% (2007 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
14% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$381.1 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$220.3 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$169.9 million (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
rice, corn, root crops, citrus, foodgrains; dairy products, eggs
Industries:
cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages, calcium carbide, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
9.3% (1996 est.)
Electricity - production:
4.475 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
528.8 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - exports:
3.644 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
11 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 0.1% hydro: 99.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
1,250 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
1,152 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
$116 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$350 million f.o.b. (2006)
Exports - commodities:
electricity (to India), cardamom, gypsum, timber, handicrafts, cement, fruit, precious stones, spices
Exports - partners:
India 58.6%, Hong Kong 30.1%, Bangladesh 7.3% (2007)
Imports:
$320 million c.i.f. (2006)
Imports - commodities:
fuel and lubricants, grain, aircraft, machinery and parts, vehicles, fabrics, rice
Imports - partners:
India 74.5%, Japan 7.4%, Sweden 3.2% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$941.2 million; note - substantial aid from India (2006)
Debt - external:
$713.3 million (2006)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
ngultrum (BTN); Indian rupee (INR)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
ngultrum (BTN) per US dollar - 41.487 (2007), 45.279 (2006), 44.101 (2005), 45.317 (2004), 46.583 (2003) note: the ngultrum is pegged to the Indian rupee
Communications
Bhutan
Telephones - main lines in use:
29,900 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
149,400 (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: urban towns and district headquarters have telecommunications services domestic: very low teledensity; domestic service is very poor especially in rural areas; wireless service available since 2003 international: country code - 975; international telephone and telegraph service via landline and microwave relay through India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 9, shortwave 1 (2007)
Radios:
37,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (2007)
Televisions:
11,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.bt
Internet hosts:
9,046 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
Internet users:
40,000 (2007)
Transportation
Bhutan
Airports:
2 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 8,050 km paved: 4,991 km unpaved: 3,059 km (2003)
Military
Bhutan
Military branches:
Royal Bhutan Army (includes Royal Bodyguard and Royal Bhutan Police) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 190,104 females age 16-49: 167,289 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 146,063 females age 16-49: 131,193 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 7,847 female: 7,530 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
Bhutan
Disputes - international:
Bhutan cooperates with India to expel Indian Nagaland separatists; lacking any treaty describing the boundary, Bhutan and China continue negotiations to establish a common boundary alignment to resolve territorial disputes arising from substantial cartographic discrepancies, the largest of which lie in Bhutan's northwest and along the Chumbi salient
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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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 countercoups. Democratic civilian rule was established in 1982, but leaders have faced difficult problems of deep-seated poverty, social unrest, and illegal drug production. In December 2005, Bolivians elected Movement Toward Socialism leader Evo MORALES president - by the widest margin of any leader since the restoration of civilian rule in 1982 - after he ran on a promise to change the country's traditional political class and empower the nation's poor majority. However, since taking office, his controversial strategies have exacerbated racial and economic tensions between the Amerindian populations of the Andean west and the non-indigenous communities of the eastern lowlands.
Geography
Bolivia
Location:
Central South America, southwest of Brazil
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
South America
Area:
total: 1,098,580 sq km land: 1,084,390 sq km water: 14,190 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly less than three times the size of Montana
Land boundaries:
total: 6,940 km border countries: Argentina 832 km, Brazil 3,423 km, Chile 860 km, Paraguay 750 km, Peru 1,075 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: 2.78% permanent crops: 0.19% other: 97.03% (2005)
Irrigated land:
1,320 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
622.5 cu km (2000)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 1.44 cu km/yr (13%/7%/81%) per capita: 157 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note:
landlocked; shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake (elevation 3,805 m), with Peru
People
Bolivia
Population:
9,247,816 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 33.5% (male 1,580,887/female 1,519,960) 15-64 years: 61.8% (male 2,800,457/female 2,912,375) 65 years and over: 4.7% (male 192,701/female 241,436) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 22.6 years male: 21.9 years female: 23.3 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.383% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
22.31 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
7.35 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-1.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 49.09 deaths/1,000 live births male: 52.54 deaths/1,000 live births female: 45.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 66.53 years male: 63.86 years female: 69.33 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.67 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
4,900 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 500 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and yellow fever water contact disease: leptospirosis (2008)
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) 5%
Languages:
Spanish 60.7% (official), Quechua 21.2% (official), Aymara 14.6% (official), foreign languages 2.4%, other 1.2% (2001 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 86.7% male: 93.1% female: 80.7% (2001 census)
Education expenditures:
6.4% of GDP (2003)
Government
Bolivia
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Bolivia conventional short form: Bolivia local long form: Republica de Bolivia local short form: Bolivia
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: La Paz (administrative capital) geographic coordinates: 16 30 S, 68 09 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) note: Sucre (constitutional capital)
Administrative divisions:
9 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Beni, Chuquisaca, Cochabamba, 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; possible referendum on new constitution to be held in 2008
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 Juan Evo MORALES Ayma (since 22 January 2006); Vice President Alvaro GARCIA Linera (since 22 January 2006); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Juan Evo MORALES Ayma (since 22 January 2006); Vice President Alvaro GARCIA Linera (since 22 January 2006) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held 18 December 2005 (next to be held in 2010) election results: Juan Evo MORALES Ayma elected president; percent of vote - Juan Evo MORALES Ayma 53.7%; Jorge Fernando QUIROGA Ramirez 28.6%; Samuel DORIA MEDINA Arana 7.8%; Michiaki NAGATANI Morishit 6.5%; Felipe QUISPE Huanca 2.2%; Guildo ANGULA Cabrera 0.7%
Legislative branch:
bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (27 seats; members are elected by proportional representation from party lists to serve five-year terms) and Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (130 seats; 70 members are directly elected from their districts and 60 are elected by proportional representation from party lists to serve five-year terms) elections: Chamber of Senators and Chamber of Deputies - last held 18 December 2005 (next to be held in 2010) election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PODEMOS 13, MAS 12, UN 1, MNR 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MAS 73, PODEMOS 43, UN 8, MNR 6
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); Constitutional Tribunal (five primary or titulares and five alternate or suplente magistrates appointed by Congress; to rule on constitutional issues); National Electoral Court (six members elected by Congress, Supreme Court, the President, and the political party with the highest vote in the last election for 4-year terms)
Political parties and leaders:
Free Bolivia Movement or MBL [Franz BARRIOS]; Movement Toward
Socialism or MAS [Juan Evo MORALES Ayma]; Movement Without Fear or
MSM [Juan DEL GRANADO]; National Revolutionary Movement or MNR
[Mirta QUEVEDO]; National Unity [Samuel DORIA MEDINA Arana]; Poder
Democratico Nacional or PODEMOS [Jorge Fernando QUIROGA Ramirez];
Social Alliance [Rene JOAQUINO]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Sole Confederation of Campesino Workers of Bolivia or CSUTCB other: Cocalero groups; indigenous organizations; labor unions
International organization participation:
CAN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent),
ITSO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINURCAT,
MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNASUR,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI,
UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Erika DUENAS chancery: 3014 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-4410 FAX: [1] (202) 328-3712 consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Oklahoma City, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington, DC
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Krishna URS embassy: Avenida Arce 2780, Casilla 425, La Paz mailing address: P. O. Box 425, La Paz; APO AA 34032 telephone: [591] (2) 216-8000 FAX: [591] (2) 216-8111
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green with the coat of arms centered on the yellow band note: similar to the flag of Ghana, which has a large black five-pointed star centered in the yellow band
Economy
Bolivia
Economy - overview:
Bolivia is one of the poorest and least developed countries in Latin America. Following a disastrous economic crisis during the early 1980s, reforms spurred private investment, stimulated economic growth, and cut poverty rates in the 1990s. The period 2003-05 was characterized by political instability, racial tensions, and violent protests against plans - subsequently abandoned - to export Bolivia's newly discovered natural gas reserves to large northern hemisphere markets. In 2005, the government passed a controversial hydrocarbons law that imposed significantly higher royalties and required foreign firms then operating under risk-sharing contracts to surrender all production to the state energy company, which was made the sole exporter of natural gas. The law also required that the state energy company regain control over the five companies that were privatized during the 1990s - a process that is still underway. In 2006, higher earnings for mining and hydrocarbons exports pushed the current account surplus to about 12% of GDP and the government's higher tax take produced a fiscal surplus after years of large deficits. Debt relief from the G8 - announced in 2005 - also has significantly reduced Bolivia's public sector debt burden. Private investment as a share of GDP, however, remains among the lowest in Latin America, and inflation reached double-digit levels in 2007.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$39.75 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$13.19 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
4.6% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$4,400 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 14.5% industry: 30.5% services: 55% (2006 est.)
Labor force:
4.377 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 40% industry: 17% services: 43% (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate:
7.5% in urban areas; widespread underemployment (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
60% (2006 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 0.3% highest 10%: 47.2% (2002)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
59.2 (2006)
Investment (gross fixed):
16.1% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $5.723 billion expenditures: $5.495 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
46.3% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
8.7% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
6.5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
12.86% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$3.032 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$4.729 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$4.759 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
soybeans, coffee, coca, cotton, corn, sugarcane, rice, potatoes; timber
Industries:
mining, smelting, petroleum, food and beverages, tobacco, handicrafts, clothing
Industrial production growth rate:
1.1% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
5.668 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
5.092 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 44.4% hydro: 54% nuclear: 0% other: 1.5% (2001)
Oil - production:
61,790 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
31,500 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - exports:
18,500 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - imports:
8,600 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - proved reserves:
465 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
14.7 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
3 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
11.7 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
750.4 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
$1.796 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$4.49 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
natural gas, soybeans and soy products, crude petroleum, zinc ore, tin
Exports - partners:
Brazil 46%, US 9.8%, Japan 7.6%, Argentina 5.8%, South Korea 4.8%,
Peru 4.1% (2007)
Imports:
$3.249 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
petroleum products, plastics, paper, aircraft and aircraft parts, prepared foods, automobiles, insecticides, soybeans
Imports - partners:
Brazil 29.9%, Argentina 16.2%, Chile 10.5%, US 9.8%, Peru 8.1% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$582.9 million (2005 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$5.318 billion (31 October 2007)
Debt - external:
$4.495 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$6.88 billion (31 December 2004)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$2.2 billion (2005)
Currency (code):
boliviano (BOB)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
bolivianos (BOB) per US dollar - 7.8616 (2007), 8.0159 (2006), 8.0661 (2005), 7.9363 (2004), 7.6592 (2003)
Communications
Bolivia
Telephones - main lines in use:
678,200 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
3.254 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: privatization begun in 1995; reliability has steadily improved; new subscribers face bureaucratic difficulties; most telephones are concentrated in La Paz and other cities; mobile-cellular telephone use expanding rapidly; fixed-line teledensity of 7 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone density of 35 per 100 persons 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: country code - 591; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)
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 hosts:
68,428 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
9 (2000)
Internet users:
1 million (2007)
Transportation
Bolivia
Airports:
1,061 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 16 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1,045 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 57 914 to 1,523 m: 183 under 914 m: 800 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 4,860 km; liquid petroleum gas 47 km; oil 2,475 km; refined products 1,589 km; unknown (oil/water) 247 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 3,504 km narrow gauge: 3,504 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 62,479 km paved: 3,749 km unpaved: 58,730 km (2004)
Waterways:
10,000 km (commercially navigable) (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 23 by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 11, carrier 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 7, refrigerated cargo 1, specialized tanker 1 foreign-owned: 7 (Bahamas 1, China 1, Iran 1, Singapore 1, Syria 2, Taiwan 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Puerto Aguirre (inland port on the Paraguay/Parana waterway at the Bolivia/Brazil border); Bolivia has free port privileges in maritime ports in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Paraguay
Military
Bolivia
Military branches:
Bolivian Armed Forces: Bolivian Army (Ejercito Boliviano), Bolivian
Navy (Armada Boliviana; includes marines), Bolivian Air Force
(Fuerza Aerea Boliviana, FAB) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for 12-month compulsory military service; when annual number of volunteers falls short of goal, compulsory recruitment is effected, including conscription of boys as young as 14; 15-19 years of age for voluntary premilitary service, provides exemption from further military service (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,295,746 females age 16-49: 2,366,828 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,600,219 females age 16-49: 1,815,514 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 107,051 female: 103,620 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.9% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Bolivia
Disputes - international:
Chile and Peru rebuff Bolivia's reactivated claim to restore the Atacama corridor, ceded to Chile in 1884, but Chile offers instead unrestricted but not sovereign maritime access through Chile for Bolivian natural gas and other commodities; an accord placed the long-disputed Isla Suárez/Ilha de Guajará-Mirim, a fluvial island on the Río Mamoré, under Bolivian administration in 1958, but sovereignty remains in dispute
Illicit drugs:
world's third-largest cultivator of coca (after Colombia and Peru) with an estimated 29,500 hectares under cultivation in 2007, a slight increase over 2006; third largest producer of cocaine, estimated at 120 metric tons of potential pure cocaine in 2007; transit country for Peruvian and Colombian cocaine destined for Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Europe; cultivation generally increasing since 2000, despite eradication and alternative crop programs; weak border controls; some money-laundering activity related to narcotics trade, especially along the borders with Brazil and Paraguay; major cocaine consumption (2007)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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 initialed a peace agreement that brought to a halt three years of interethnic civil strife (the final agreement was signed in Paris on 14 December 1995). The Dayton Peace Accords retained Bosnia and Herzegovina's international boundaries and created a joint multi-ethnic and democratic government charged with conducting foreign, diplomatic, 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 most government functions. The Office of the High Representative (OHR) was established to oversee the implementation of the civilian aspects of the agreement. 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 was to deter renewed hostilities. European Union peacekeeping troops (EUFOR) replaced SFOR in December 2004; their mission is to maintain peace and stability throughout the country. EUFOR's mission changed from peacekeeping to civil policing in October 2007, with its presence reduced from nearly 7,000 to 2,500 troops.
Geography
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Location:
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Croatia
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 51,209.2 sq km land: 51,197 sq km water: 12.2 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than West Virginia
Land boundaries:
total: 1,538 km border countries: Croatia 932 km, Montenegro 249 km, Serbia 357 km
Coastline:
20 km
Maritime claims:
no data available
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 ore, bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, cobalt, manganese, nickel, clay, gypsum, salt, sand, forests, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 19.61% permanent crops: 1.89% other: 78.5% (2005)
Irrigated land:
30 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
37.5 cu km (2003)
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; deforestation
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, 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 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:
4,590,310 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 14.7% (male 347,679/female 326,091) 15-64 years: 70.6% (male 1,634,053/female 1,606,341) 65 years and over: 14.7% (male 277,504/female 398,642) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 39.4 years male: 38.2 years female: 40.5 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.666% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
8.82 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
8.54 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
6.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 9.34 deaths/1,000 live births male: 10.71 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.33 years male: 74.74 years female: 82.19 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.24 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
900 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
100 (2001 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Bosnian(s), Herzegovinian(s) adjective: Bosnian, Herzegovinian
Ethnic groups:
Bosniak 48%, Serb 37.1%, Croat 14.3%, other 0.6% (2000) note: Bosniak has replaced Muslim as an ethnic term in part to avoid confusion with the religious term Muslim - an adherent of Islam
Religions:
Muslim 40%, Orthodox 31%, Roman Catholic 15%, other 14%
Languages:
Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.7% male: 99% female: 94.4% (2000 est.)
Education expenditures:
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 former: People's Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Government type:
emerging federal democratic republic
Capital:
name: Sarajevo geographic coordinates: 43 52 N, 18 25 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
2 first-order administrative divisions and 1 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; the district remains under international supervision
Independence:
1 March 1992 (from Yugoslavia; referendum for independence completed 1 March 1992; independence declared 3 March 1992)
National holiday:
National Day, 25 November (1943)
Constitution:
the Dayton Agreement, signed 14 December 1995 in Paris, included a new constitution now in force; note - each of the entities also has its own constitution
Legal system:
based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age, universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Chairman of the Presidency Nebojsa RADMANOVIC (chairman since 6 November 2008; presidency member since 1 October 2006 - Serb); other members of the three-member presidency rotating (every eight months): Haris SILAJDZIC (presidency member since 1 October 2006 - Bosniak); and Zeljko KOMSIC (presidency member since 1 October 2006 - Croat) head of government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers Nikola SPIRIC (since 11 January 2007) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the council chairman; approved by the National House of Representatives elections: the three members of the presidency (one Bosniak, one Croat, one Serb) are elected by popular vote for a four-year term (eligible for a second term, but then ineligible for four years); the chairmanship rotates every eight months and resumes where it left off following each national election; election last held 1 October 2006 (next to be held in 2010); the chairman of the Council of Ministers is appointed by the presidency and confirmed by the National House of Representatives election results: percent of vote - Nebojsa RADMANOVIC with 53.3% of the votes for the Serb seat; Zeljko KOMSIC received 39.6% of the votes for the Croat seat; Haris SILAJDZIC received 62.8% of the votes for the Bosniak seat note: President of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina: Borjana KRISTO (since 21 February 2007); Vice Presidents Spomenka MICIC (since NA 2007) and Mirsad KEBO (since NA 2007); President of the Republika Srpska: Rajko KUSMANOVIC (since 28 December 2007)
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliamentary Assembly or Skupstina consists of the national House of Representatives or Predstavnicki Dom (42 seats, 28 seats allocated for the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and 14 seats for the Republika Srpska; members elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation, 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 elections: national House of Representatives - elections last held 1 October 2006 (next to be held in 2010); House of Peoples - last constituted in January 2003 (next to be constituted in 2007) election results: national House of Representatives - percent of vote by party/coalition - NA; seats by party/coalition - SDA 9, SBH 8, SNSD 7, SDP 5, SDS 3, HDZ-BH 3, HDZ1990 2, other 5; House of Peoples - percent of vote by party/coalition - NA; seats by party/coalition - NA note: the Bosniak/Croat Federation has a bicameral legislature that consists of a House of Representatives (98 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); elections last held 1 October 2006 (next to be held in October 2010); percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party/coalition - SDA 28, SBH 24, SDP 17, HDZ-BH 8, HDZ100 7, other 14; and a House of Peoples (58 seats - 17 Bosniak, 17 Croat, 17 Serb, 7 other); last constituted December 2002; the Republika Srpska has a National Assembly (83 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); elections last held 1 October 2006 (next to be held in the fall of 2010); percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party/coalition - SNSD 41, SDS 17, PDP 8, DNS 4, SBH 4, SPRS 3, SDA 3, other 3; as a result of the 2002 constitutional reform process, a 28-member Republika Srpska Council of Peoples (COP) was established in the Republika Srpska National Assembly including eight Croats, eight Bosniaks, eight Serbs, and four members of the smaller communities
Judicial branch:
BH 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); BH State Court (consists of nine judges and three divisions - Administrative, Appellate and Criminal - having jurisdiction over cases related to state-level law and appellate jurisdiction over cases initiated in the entities); a War Crimes Chamber opened in March 2005 note: 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:
Alliance of Independent Social Democrats or SNSD [Milorad DODIK];
Bosnian Party or BOSS [Mirnes AJANOVIC]; Civic Democratic Party or
GDS [Ibrahim SPAHIC]; Croat Christian Democratic Union of Bosnia and
Herzegovina or HKDU [Marin TOPIC]; Croat Party of Rights or HSP
[Zvonko JURISIC]; Croat Peasants Party or HSS [Marko TADIC];
Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina or HDZ-BH
[Dragan COVIC]; Croatian Democratic Union 1990 or HDZ1990 [Bozo
LJUBIC]; Croatian Democratic Union 100 or HDZ100; Croatian Peoples
Union [Milenko BRKIC]; Democratic National Union or DNZ [Rifet
DOLIC]; Democratic Peoples Alliance or DNS [Marko PAVIC]; Liberal
Democratic Party or LDS [Rasim KADIC]; New Croat Initiative or NHI
[Kresimir ZUBAK]; Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina or SBH [Haris
SILAJDZIC]; Party for Democratic Action or SDA [Sulejman TIHIC];
Party of Democratic Progress or PDP [Mladen IVANIC]; Serb Democratic
Party or SDS [Mladen BOSIC]; Serb Radical Party of the Republika
Srpska or SRS-RS [Milanko MIHAJLICA]; Serb Radical Party-Dr.
Vojislav Seselj or SRS-VS [Radislav KANJERIC]; Social Democratic
Party of BIH or SDP [Zlatko LAGUMDZIJA]; Social Democratic Union or
SDU [Sejfudin TOKIC]; Socialist Party of Republika Srpska or SPRS
[Petar DJOKIC]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: displaced persons associations; student councils; war veterans
International organization participation:
BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,
ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM (observer), OAS (observer),
OIC (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Bisera TURKOVIC chancery: 2109 E Street NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 337-1500 FAX: [1] (202) 337-1502 consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Charles L. ENGLISH embassy: Alipasina 43, 71000 Sarajevo mailing address: use embassy 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
Economy
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Economy - overview:
Bosnia and Herzegovina ranked next to 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. The private sector is growing and foreign investment is slowly increasing, but government spending, at nearly 40% of adjusted GDP, remains unreasonably high. The interethnic warfare in Bosnia caused production to plummet by 80% from 1992 to 1995 and unemployment to soar. With an uneasy peace in place, output recovered in 1996-99 at high percentage rates from a low base; but output growth slowed in 2000-02. Part of the lag in output was made up in 2003-07 when GDP growth exceeded 5% per year. National-level statistics are limited and do not capture the large share of black market activity. The konvertibilna marka (convertible mark or BAM)- the national currency introduced in 1998 - is pegged to the euro, and confidence in the currency and the banking sector has increased. Implementing privatization, however, has been slow, particularly in the Federation, although more successful in the Republika Srpska. Banking reform accelerated in 2001 as all the Communist-era payments bureaus were shut down; foreign banks, primarily from Western Europe, now control most of the banking sector. A sizeable current account deficit and high unemployment rate remain the two most serious macroeconomic problems. On 1 January 2006 a new value-added tax (VAT) went into effect. The VAT has been successful in capturing much of the gray market economy and has developed into a significant and predictable source of revenues for all layers of government. Bosnia and Herzegovina became a full member of the Central European Free Trade Agreement in September 2007. The country receives substantial reconstruction assistance and humanitarian aid from the international community but will have to prepare for an era of declining assistance.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$27.7 billion note: Bosnia has a large informal sector that could also be as much as 50% of official GDP (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$14.78 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
6% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$6,100 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 10.2% industry: 23.9% services: 66% (2006 est.)
Labor force:
1.026 million (2001)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Unemployment rate:
45.5% official rate; grey economy may reduce actual unemployment to 25-30% (31 December 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:
25% (2004 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.9% highest 10%: 21.4% (2001)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
26.2 (2001)
Budget:
revenues: $7.094 billion expenditures: $7.137 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
34% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.6% (2007 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
7.17% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$5.13 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$5.597 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$8.895 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
wheat, corn, fruits, vegetables; livestock
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:
6.7% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
12.84 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
8.501 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
5.123 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - imports:
3.015 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 53.5% hydro: 46.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
27,590 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
27,370 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
400 million cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2005)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006)
Current account balance:
-$1.939 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$4.243 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
metals, clothing, wood products
Exports - partners:
Croatia 21%, Slovenia 16.5%, Italy 16.1%, Germany 13.3%, Austria 9.6%, Hungary 5.7% (2007)
Imports:
$9.947 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
Croatia 24.7%, Slovenia 13.3%, Germany 13.1%, Italy 10.4%, Austria 7%, Turkey 6.5%, Hungary 5.4% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$546.1 million (2005 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$4.525 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$6.734 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
konvertibilna marka (convertible mark) (BAM)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
konvertibilna markas (BAM) per US dollar - 1.4419 (2007), 1.5576 (2006), 1.5727 (2005), 1.5752 (2004), 1.7329 (2003) note: the convertible mark is pegged to the euro
Communications
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Telephones - main lines in use:
1.065 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
2.45 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: post-war reconstruction of the telecommunications network, aided by a internationally sponsored program under ERBD, resulted in sharp increases in the number of main telephone lines available; mobile cellular subscribership has been increasing rapidly domestic: fixed-line teledensity roughly 25 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone density exceeds 50 per 100 persons international: country code - 387; no satellite earth stations (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 8, FM 16, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios:
940,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
33 (plus 277 repeaters) (September 1995)
Televisions:
Internet country code:
.ba
Internet hosts:
56,032 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
3 (2000)
Internet users:
1.055 million (2007)
Transportation
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Airports:
28 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 3 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 20 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 12 (2007)
Heliports:
5 (2007)
Railways:
total: 608 km standard gauge: 608 km 1.435-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 21,846 km paved: 11,425 km (4,714 km of interurban roads) unpaved: 10,421 km (2006)
Waterways:
Sava River (northern border) open to shipping but use limited (2006)
Ports and terminals:
Bosanska Gradiska, Bosanski Brod, Bosanski Samac, and Brcko (all inland waterway ports on the Sava), Orasje
Military
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Military branches:
Bosnia and Herzegovina Armed Forces (OSBiH): Army of Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Air and Air Defense Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina
(Zrakoplovstvo i Protuzracna Obrana, ZPO) (2007)
Military service age and obligation:
17 years of age for voluntary military service in the Federation and in the Republika Srpska; conscription abolished January 2006; 4-month service obligation (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,212,007 females age 16-49: 1,170,645 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 996,225 females age 16-49: 962,927 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 30,246 female: 28,189 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
4.5% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Disputes - international:
sections along the Drina River remain in dispute between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia; discussions continue with Croatia on several small disputed sections of the boundary related to maritime access that hinder final ratification of the 1999 border agreement
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 7,269 (Croatia) IDPs: 131,600 (Bosnian Croats, Serbs, and Muslims displaced in 1992-95 war) (2007)
Illicit drugs:
increasingly a transit point for heroin being trafficked to Western Europe; minor transit point for marijuana; remains highly vulnerable to money-laundering activity given a primarily cash-based and unregulated economy, weak law enforcement, and instances of corruption
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Botswana
Introduction
Botswana
Background:
Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name upon independence in 1966. Four decades of uninterrupted civilian leadership, progressive social policies, and significant capital investment have created one of the most dynamic economies in Africa. Mineral extraction, principally diamond mining, dominates economic activity, though tourism is a growing sector due to the country's conservation practices and extensive nature preserves. Botswana has one of the world's highest known rates of HIV/AIDS infection, but also one of Africa's most progressive and comprehensive programs for dealing with the disease.
Geography
Botswana
Location:
Southern Africa, north of South Africa
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 600,370 sq km land: 585,370 sq km water: 15,000 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: 0.65% permanent crops: 0.01% other: 99.34% (2005)
Irrigated land:
10 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
14.7 cu km (2001)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.19 cu km/yr (41%/18%/41%) per capita: 107 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, 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:
1,842,323 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 35.2% (male 329,418/female 318,160) 15-64 years: 60.9% (male 566,239/female 556,286) 65 years and over: 3.9% (male 29,165/female 43,055) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 21.2 years male: 21 years female: 21.4 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.434% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
22.96 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
14.02 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
5.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa and Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 44.01 deaths/1,000 live births male: 44.94 deaths/1,000 live births female: 43.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 50.16 years male: 51.28 years female: 49.02 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.66 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
37.3% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
350,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
33,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria (2008)
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:
Christian 71.6%, Badimo 6%, other 1.4%, unspecified 0.4%, none 20.6% (2001 census)
Languages:
Setswana 78.2%, Kalanga 7.9%, Sekgalagadi 2.8%, English 2.1% (official), other 8.6%, unspecified 0.4% (2001 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 81.2% male: 80.4% female: 81.8% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 12 years male: 12 years female: 12 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
8.7% of GDP (2007)
Government
Botswana
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Botswana conventional short form: Botswana local long form: Republic of Botswana local short form: Botswana former: Bechuanaland
Government type:
parliamentary republic
Capital:
name: Gaborone geographic coordinates: 24 45 S, 25 55 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
9 districts and 5 town councils*; Central, Francistown*, Gaborone*, Ghanzi, Jwaneng*, Kgalagadi, Kgatleng, Kweneng, Lobatse*, Northeast, Northwest, Selebi-Pikwe*, Southeast, 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; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Seretse Khama Ian KHAMA (since 1 April 2008); Vice President Mompati MERAFHE (since 1 April 2008); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Seretse Khama Ian KHAMA (since 1 April 2008); Vice President Mompati MERAFHE (since 1 April 2008) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president indirectly elected for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 20 October 2004 (next to be held in October 2009); vice president appointed by the president election results: Festus G. MOGAE elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 52%
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the House of Chiefs (a largely advisory 15-member body with 8 permanent members consisting of the chiefs of the principal tribes, and 7 non-permanent members serving 5-year terms, consisting of 4 elected subchiefs and 3 members selected by the other 12 members) and the National Assembly (63 seats, 57 members are directly elected by popular vote, 4 are appointed by the majority party, and 2, the President and Attorney-General, serve as ex-officio members; members serve five-year terms) elections: National Assembly elections last held 30 October 2004 (next to be held in October 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - BDP 51.7%, BNF 26.1%, BCP 16.6%, other 5%; seats by party - BDP 44, BNF 12, BCP 1
Judicial branch:
High Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrates' Courts (one in each district)
Political parties and leaders:
Botswana Alliance Movement or BAM [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO];
Botswana Congress Party or BCP [Otlaadisa KOOSALETSE]; Botswana
Democratic Party or BDP [Festus G. MOGAE]; Botswana National Front
or BNF [Otswoletse MOUPO]; Botswana Peoples Party or BPP; MELS
Movement of Botswana or MELS; New Democratic Front or NDF
note: a number of minor parties joined forces in 1999 to form the
BAM but did not capture any parliamentary seats - includes the
United Action Party [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO]; the Independence
Freedom Party or IFP [Motsamai MPHO]; the Botswana Progressive Union
[D. K. KWELE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
First People of the Kalahari (Bushman organization); Pitso Ya Ba
Tswana; Society for the Promotion of Ikalanga Language (Kalanga
elites)
other: diamond mining companies
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU,
ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS,
UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Lapologang Caesar LEKOA chancery: 1531-1533 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 244-4990 FAX: [1] (202) 244-4164
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen J. NOLAN embassy: Embassy Enclave (off Khama Crescent), Gaborone mailing address: Embassy Enclave, P. O. Box 90, Gaborone telephone: [267] 395-3982 FAX: [267] 395-6947
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 economic growth rates since independence in 1966, though growth slowed to 4.7% annually in 2006-07. 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 nearly $15,000 in 2007. Two major investment services rank Botswana as the best credit risk in Africa. Diamond mining has fueled much of the expansion and currently accounts for more than one-third of GDP and for 70-80% of export earnings. Tourism, financial services, 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 was 23.8% in 2004, but unofficial estimates place it closer to 40%. HIV/AIDS infection rates are the second highest in the world and threaten Botswana's impressive economic gains. An expected leveling off in diamond mining production overshadows long-term prospects.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$26.04 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$12.31 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
4.8% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$14,300 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1.6% industry: 51.5% (including 36% mining) services: 46.9% (2006 est.)
Labor force:
288,400 formal sector employees (2004)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Unemployment rate:
7.5% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
30.3% (2003)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
63 (1993)
Investment (gross fixed):
19.2% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $4.741 billion expenditures: $3.816 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Public debt:
5.4% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
7.1% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
14.5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
16.22% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$1.026 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$4.336 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
Agriculture - products:
livestock, sorghum, maize, millet, beans, sunflowers, groundnuts
Industries:
diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash; livestock processing; textiles
Industrial production growth rate:
4.2% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
979 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
2.574 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
1.959 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
11,640 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
14,500 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
$1.973 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$5.025 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
diamonds, copper, nickel, soda ash, meat, textiles
Exports - partners:
European Free Trade Association (EFTA) 87%, Southern African Customs
Union (SACU) 7%, Zimbabwe 4% (2006)
Imports:
$3.403 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, machinery, electrical goods, transport equipment, textiles, fuel and petroleum products, wood and paper products, metal and metal products
Imports - partners:
Southern African Customs Union (SACU) 74%, EFTA 17%, Zimbabwe 4% (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
$70.89 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$9.79 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$408 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$3.947 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
pula (BWP)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
pulas (BWP) per US dollar - 6.2035 (2007), 5.8447 (2006), 5.1104 (2005), 4.6929 (2004), 4.9499 (2003)
Communications
Botswana
Telephones - main lines in use:
136,900 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.427 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: the system is expanding with the growth of mobile-cellular service and participation in regional development; system is fully digital with fiber-optic cables linking the major population centers in the east; fixed-line connections declined in recent years and now stand at roughly 8 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone density currently is about 80 per 100 persons domestic: small system of open-wire lines, microwave radio relay links, and a few radiotelephone communication stations; mobile-cellular service is growing fast international: country code - 267; international calls are made via satellite, using international direct dialing; 2 international exchanges; digital microwave radio relay links to Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 8, FM 13, shortwave 4 (2001)
Radios:
252,720 (2000)
Television broadcast stations:
2 (1 state-owned, 1 private)
Televisions:
31,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.bw
Internet hosts:
6,374 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
11 (2001)
Internet users:
80,000 (2007)
Transportation
Botswana
Airports:
85 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 74 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 54 under 914 m: 17 (2007)
Railways:
total: 888 km narrow gauge: 888 km 1.067-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 25,798 km paved: 8,410 km unpaved: 17,388 km (2005)
Military
Botswana
Military branches:
Botswana Defense Force: Ground Forces, Air Wing (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 is the apparent age of voluntary military service; the official qualifications for determining minimum age are unknown (2001)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 487,853 females age 16-49: 464,278 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 290,093 females age 16-49: 257,700 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 23,007 female: 22,551 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
3.3% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Botswana
Disputes - international:
Botswana still struggles to seal its border from thousands of Zimbabweans who flee economic collapse and political persecution; Namibia has long supported, and in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objections to, plans between Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi River at Kazungula crossing, thereby de facto recognizing the short, but not clearly delimited, Botswana-Zambia boundary
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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, Norway designated Bouvet Island and the adjacent territorial waters a nature reserve. Since 1977, it has run an automated meteorological station on the island.
Geography
Bouvet Island
Location:
island in the South Atlantic Ocean, southwest of the Cape of Good Hope (South Africa)
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Antarctic Region
Area:
total: 49 sq km land: 49 sq km water: 0 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) (2005)
Irrigated land:
0 sq km
Natural hazards:
Environment - current issues:
Geography - note:
covered by glacial ice; declared a nature reserve Norway
People
Bouvet Island
Population:
uninhabited
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
Internet hosts:
6 (2008)
Communications - note:
automatic meteorological station
Transportation
Bouvet Island
Ports and terminals:
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 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Brazil
Introduction
Brazil
Background:
Following three centuries under the rule of Portugal, Brazil became an independent nation in 1822 and a republic in 1889. By far the largest and most populous country in South America, Brazil overcame more than half a century of military intervention in the governance of the country when in 1985 the military regime peacefully ceded power to civilian rulers. Brazil continues to pursue industrial and agricultural growth and development of its interior. Exploiting vast natural resources and a large labor pool, it is today South America's leading economic power and a regional leader. Highly unequal income distribution and crime remain pressing problems.
Geography
Brazil
Location:
Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
South America
Area:
total: 8,511,965 sq km land: 8,456,510 sq km water: 55,455 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
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than the US
Land boundaries:
total: 16,885 km border countries: Argentina 1,261 km, Bolivia 3,423 km, Colombia 1,644 km, French Guiana 730 km, Guyana 1,606 km, Paraguay 1,365 km, Peru 2,995 km, Suriname 593 km, Uruguay 1,068 km, Venezuela 2,200 km
Coastline:
7,491 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin
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: 6.93% permanent crops: 0.89% other: 92.18% (2005)
Irrigated land:
29,200 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
8,233 cu km (2000)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 59.3 cu km/yr (20%/18%/62%) per capita: 318 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
largest country in South America; shares common boundaries with every South American country except Chile and Ecuador
People
Brazil
Population:
196,342,592 note: Brazil conducted a census in August 2000, which reported a population of 169,799,170; that figure was about 3.3% lower than projections by the US Census Bureau, and 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 27% (male 26,986,909/female 25,961,947) 15-64 years: 66.8% (male 64,939,225/female 66,157,812) 65 years and over: 6.3% (male 5,182,987/female 7,113,707) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 28.3 years male: 27.5 years female: 29 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.228% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
18.72 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
6.35 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.73 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 23.33 deaths/1,000 live births male: 26.95 deaths/1,000 live births female: 19.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.71 years male: 68.15 years female: 75.45 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.22 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.7% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
660,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
15,000 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Brazilian(s) adjective: Brazilian
Ethnic groups:
white 53.7%, mulatto (mixed white and black) 38.5%, black 6.2%, other (includes Japanese, Arab, Amerindian) 0.9%, unspecified 0.7% (2000 census)
Religions:
Roman Catholic (nominal) 73.6%, Protestant 15.4%, Spiritualist 1.3%, Bantu/voodoo 0.3%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.2%, none 7.4% (2000 census)
Languages:
Portuguese (official and most widely spoken language); note - less common languages include Spanish (border areas and schools), German, Italian, Japanese, English, and a large number of minor Amerindian languages
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 88.6% male: 88.4% female: 88.8% (2004 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 14 years male: 14 years female: 15 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
4% of GDP (2004)
Government
Brazil
Country name:
conventional long form: Federative Republic of Brazil conventional short form: Brazil local long form: Republica Federativa do Brasil local short form: Brasil
Government type:
federal republic
Capital:
name: Brasilia geographic coordinates: 15 47 S, 47 55 W time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins third Sunday in October; ends third Sunday in February note: Brazil is divided into four time zones, including one for the Fernando de Noronha Islands
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; note - military conscripts do not vote
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Luiz Inacio "LULA" DA SILVA (since 1 January 2003); Vice President Jose ALENCAR (since 1 January 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Luiz Inacio "LULA" DA SILVA (since 1 January 2003); Vice President Jose ALENCAR (since 1 January 2003) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a single four-year term; election last held 1 October 2006 with runoff 29 October 2006 (next to be held 3 October 2010 and, if necessary, 31 October 2010) election results: Luiz Inacio "LULA" DA SILVA (PT) reelected president - 60.83%, Geraldo ALCKMIN (PSDB) 39.17%
Legislative branch:
bicameral National Congress or Congresso Nacional consists of the Federal Senate or Senado Federal (81 seats; 3 members from each state and federal district elected according to the principle of majority to serve eight-year terms; one-third and two-thirds elected every four years, alternately) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara dos Deputados (513 seats; members are elected by proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: Federal Senate - last held 1 October 2006 for one-third of the Senate (next to be held in October 2010 for two-thirds of the Senate); Chamber of Deputies - last held 1 October 2006 (next to be held in October 2010) election results: Federal Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PFL 6, PSDB 5, PMDB 4, PTB 3, PT 2, PDT 1, PSB 1, PL 1, PPS 1, PRTB 1, PP 1, PCdoB 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PMDB 89, PT 83, PFL 65, PSDB 65, PP 42, PSB 27, PDT 24, PL 23, PTB 22, PPS 21, PCdoB 13, PV 13, PSC 9, other 17; note - as of 1 January 2008: Federal Senate - seats by party - PMDB 20, DEM (formerly PFL) 14, PSDB 13, PT 12, PTB 6, PDT 5, PR 4, PRB 2, PSB 2, PCdoB 1, PP 1, PSOL 1; Chamber of Deputies - seats by party - PMDB 90, PT 83, PSDB 64, DEM (formerly PFL) 62, PP 41, PR 34, PSB 28, PDT 23, PTB 21, PPS 17, PV 13, PCdoB 13, PSC 7, PAN 4, PSOL 3, PMN 3, PTC 3, PHS 2, PTdoB 1, PRB 1
Judicial branch:
Supreme Federal Tribunal or STF (11 ministers are appointed for life by the president and confirmed by the Senate); Higher Tribunal of Justice; Regional Federal Tribunals (judges are appointed for life); note - though appointed "for life," judges, like all federal employees, have a mandatory retirement age of 70
Political parties and leaders:
Brazilian Democratic Movement Party or PMDB [Federal Deputy Michel
TEMER]; Brazilian Labor Party or PTB [Roberto JEFFERSON]; Brazilian
Renewal Labor Party or PRTB [Jose Levy FIDELIX da Cruz]; Brazilian
Republican Party or PRB [Vitor Paulo Araujo DOS SANTOS]; Brazilian
Social Democracy Party or PSDB [Senator Sergio GUERRA]; Brazilian
Socialist Party or PSB [Governor Eduardo Henrique Accioly CAMPOS];
Christian Labor Party or PTC [Daniel TOURINHO]; Communist Party of
Brazil or PCdoB [Jose Renato RABELO]; Democratic Labor Party or PDT
[Carlos Roberto LUPI]; the Democrats or DEM (formerly Liberal Front
Party or PFL) [Federal Deputy Rodrigo MAIA]; Freedom and Socialism
Party or PSOL [Heloisa HELENA]; Green Party or PV [Jose Luiz de
Franca PENNA]; Humanist Party of Solidarity or PHS [Paulo Roberto
MATOS]; Labor Party of Brazil or PTdoB [Luis Henrique de Oliveira
RESENDE]; Liberal Front Party or PFL (now known as the Democrats or
DEM); National Mobilization Party or PMN [Oscar Noronha FILHO];
Party of the Republic or PR [Sergio TAMER]; Popular Socialist Party
or PPS [Federal Deputy Fernando CORUJA]; Progressive Party or PP
[Francisco DORNELLES]; Social Christian Party or PSC [Vitor Jorge
Abdala NOSSEIS]; Workers' Party or PT [Ricardo Jose Ribeiro BERZOINI]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Landless Workers' Movement or MST other: labor unions and federations; large farmers' associations; religious groups including evangelical Christian churches and the Catholic Church
International organization participation:
AfDB (nonregional members), BIS, CAN (associate), CPLP, FAO, G-15,
G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO,
ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINURCAT, MINURSO, MINUSTAH,
NAM (observer), NSG, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNMIS,
UNMIT, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Antonio de Aguiar PATRIOTA chancery: 3006 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 238-2700 FAX: [1] (202) 238-2827 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Clifford M. SOBEL embassy: Avenida das Nacoes, Quadra 801, Lote 3, Distrito Federal Cep 70403-900, Brasilia mailing address: Unit 3500, APO AA 34030 telephone: [55] (61) 3312-7000 FAX: [55] (61) 3225-9136 consulate(s) general: Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo 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:
Characterized by 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. Having weathered 2001-03 financial turmoil, capital inflows are regaining strength and the currency has resumed appreciating. The appreciation has slowed export volume growth, but since 2004, Brazil's growth has yielded increases in employment and real wages. The resilience in the economy stems from commodity-driven current account surpluses, and sound macroeconomic policies that have bolstered international reserves to historically high levels, reduced public debt, and allowed a significant decline in real interest rates. A floating exchange rate, an inflation-targeting regime, and a tight fiscal policy are the three pillars of the economic program. From 2003 to 2007, Brazil ran record trade surpluses and recorded its first current account surpluses since 1992. Productivity gains coupled with high commodity prices contributed to the surge in exports. Brazil improved its debt profile in 2006 by shifting its debt burden toward real denominated and domestically held instruments. "LULA" DA SILVA restated his commitment to fiscal responsibility by maintaining the country's primary surplus during the 2006 election. Following his second inauguration, "LULA" DA SILVA announced a package of further economic reforms to reduce taxes and increase investment in infrastructure. The government's goal of achieving strong growth while reducing the debt burden is likely to create inflationary pressures.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.849 trillion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.314 trillion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.4% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$9,500 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 5.5% industry: 28.7% services: 65.8% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
99.23 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 20% industry: 14% services: 66% (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate:
9.3% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
31% (2005)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 0.9% highest 10%: 44.8% (2004)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
56.7 (2005)
Investment (gross fixed):
17.6% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $244 billion expenditures: $219.9 billion (FY07)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
45.1% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.6% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
17.85% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
43.72% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$131.1 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$792.8 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.377 trillion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
coffee, soybeans, wheat, rice, corn, sugarcane, cocoa, citrus; beef
Industries:
textiles, shoes, chemicals, cement, lumber, iron ore, tin, steel, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, other machinery and equipment
Industrial production growth rate:
4.9% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
437.3 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
402.2 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - exports:
2.034 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
40.47 billion kWh; note - supplied by Paraguay (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 8.3% hydro: 82.7% nuclear: 4.4% other: 4.6% (2001)
Oil - production:
2.277 million bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
2.372 million bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - exports:
481,100 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
648,800 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
12.18 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
9.8 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
19.8 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
10 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
347.7 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
$1.712 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$160.6 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
transport equipment, iron ore, soybeans, footwear, coffee, autos
Exports - partners:
US 16.1%, Argentina 9.2%, China 6.8%, Netherlands 5.6%, Germany 4.6% (2007)
Imports:
$120.6 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery, electrical and transport equipment, chemical products, oil, automotive parts, electronics
Imports - partners:
US 15.7%, China 10.5%, Argentina 8.6%, Germany 7.2%, Nigeria 4.4% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$191.9 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$180.3 billion (31 December 2007)
Debt - external:
$229.4 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$248.9 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$107.1 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$711.1 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
real (BRL)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
reals (BRL) per US dollar - 1.85 (2007 est.), 2.1761 (2006), 2.4344 (2005), 2.9251 (2004), 3.0771 (2003)
Communications
Brazil
Telephones - main lines in use:
39.4 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
120.98 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: good working system; fixed-line connections have remained relatively stable in recent years and stand at about 20 per 100 persons; less expensive mobile cellular technology is a major driver in expanding telephone service to the low-income segment of the population with mobile-cellular telephone density reaching nearly 65 per 100 persons domestic: extensive microwave radio relay system and a domestic satellite system with 64 earth stations; mobile-cellular usage has more than tripled in the past 5 years international: country code - 55; landing point for a number of submarine cables that provide direct links to South and Central America, the Caribbean, the US, Africa, and Europe; 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 (2007)
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 hosts:
9.573 million (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
50 (2000)
Internet users:
50 million (2007)
Transportation
Brazil
Airports:
4,263 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 718 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 25 1,524 to 2,437 m: 167 914 to 1,523 m: 467 under 914 m: 52 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 3,545 1,524 to 2,437 m: 83 914 to 1,523 m: 1,555 under 914 m: 1,907 (2007)
Heliports:
16 (2007)
Pipelines:
condensate/gas 244 km; gas 12,070 km; liquid petroleum gas 351 km; oil 5,214 km; refined products 4,410 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 29,295 km broad gauge: 4,932 km 1.600-m gauge (939 km electrified) standard gauge: 194 km 1.440-m gauge narrow gauge: 23,773 km 1.000-m gauge (581 km electrified) dual gauge: 396 km 1.000 m and 1.600-m gauges (three rails) (78 km electrified) (2006)
Roadways:
total: 1,751,868 km paved: 96,353 km unpaved: 1,655,515 km (2004)
Waterways:
50,000 km (most in areas remote from industry and population) (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 136 by type: bulk carrier 19, cargo 22, carrier 1, chemical tanker 7, container 11, liquefied gas 12, passenger/cargo 12, petroleum tanker 45, roll on/roll off 7 foreign-owned: 25 (Chile 1, Denmark 2, Germany 6, Greece 1, Mexico 1, Norway 5, Spain 9) registered in other countries: 8 (Argentina 1, Bahamas 2, Ghana 1, Liberia 3, Marshall Islands 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Guaiba, Ilha Grande, Paranagua, Rio Grande, Santos, Sao Sebastiao,
Tubarao
Transportation - note:
the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Atlantic Ocean as a significant risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; numerous commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; crews have been robbed and stores or cargoes stolen
Military
Brazil
Military branches:
Brazilian Army, Brazilian Navy (Marinha do Brasil (MB), includes
Naval Air and Marine Corps (Corpo de Fuzileiros Navais)), Brazilian
Air Force (Forca Aerea Brasileira, FAB) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
21-45 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 9 to 12 months; 17-45 years of age for voluntary service; an increasing percentage of the ranks are "long-service" volunteer professionals; women were allowed to serve in the armed forces beginning in early 1980s when the Brazilian Army became the first army in South America to accept women into career ranks; women serve in Navy and Air Force only in Women's Reserve Corps (2001)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 52,449,957 females age 16-49: 52,375,921 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 39,263,710 females age 16-49: 44,109,056 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 1,666,791 female: 1,608,363 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
2.6% of GDP (2006 est.)
Transnational Issues
Brazil
Disputes - international:
unruly region at convergence of Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay borders is locus of money laundering, smuggling, arms and illegal narcotics trafficking, and fundraising for extremist organizations; uncontested boundary dispute with Uruguay over Isla Brasilera at the confluence of the Quarai/Cuareim and Invernada rivers, that form a tripoint with Argentina; the Itaipú Dam reservoir covers over a once contested section of Brazil-Paraguay boundary west of Guaira Falls on the Rio Parana; an accord placed the long-disputed Isla Suárez/Ilha de Guajará-Mirim, a fluvial island on the Río Mamoré, under Bolivian administration in 1958, but sovereignty remains in dispute
Illicit drugs:
second-largest consumer of cocaine in the world; illicit producer of cannabis; trace amounts of coca cultivation in the Amazon region, used for domestic consumption; government has a large-scale eradication program to control cannabis; important transshipment country for Bolivian, Colombian, and Peruvian cocaine headed for 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; illicit narcotics proceeds earned in Brazil are often laundered through the financial system; significant illicit financial activity in the Tri-Border Area
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@British Indian Ocean Territory
Introduction
British Indian Ocean Territory
Background:
Formerly administered as part of the British Crown Colony of Mauritius, the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) was established as an overseas territory of the UK in 1965. A number of the islands of the territory were later 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. Between 1967 and 1973, former agricultural workers, earlier residents in the islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius, but also to the Seychelles. Negotiations between 1971 and 1982 resulted in the establishment of a trust fund by the British Government as compensation for the displaced islanders, known as Chagossians. Beginning in 1998, the islanders pursued a series of lawsuits against the British Government seeking further compensation and the right to return to the territory. In 2006 and 2007, British court rulings invalidated the immigration policies contained in the 2004 BIOT Constitution Order that had excluded the islanders from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia. In 2008, the House of Lords, as the final court of appeal in the UK, ruled in favor of the British Goverment by overturning the lower court rulings and finding no right of return on the part of the Chagossians.
Geography
British Indian Ocean Territory
Location:
archipelago in the Indian Ocean, south of India, about halfway between Africa and Indonesia
Geographic coordinates:
6 00 S, 71 30 E; note - Diego Garcia 7 20 S, 72 25 E
Map references:
Political Map of the World
Area:
total: 54,400 sq km land: 60 sq km; Diego Garcia 44 sq km water: 54,340 sq km note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago of 55 islands
Area - comparative:
land area is about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
698 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds
Terrain:
flat and low (most areas do not exceed two 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: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)
Irrigated land:
0 sq km
Natural hazards:
Environment - current issues:
Geography - note:
archipelago of 55 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 in the 1960s and 1970s; in November 2000 they were granted the right of return by a British High Court ruling, though no timetable has been set; in November 2004, approximately 4,000 UK and US military personnel and civilian contractors were living on the island of Diego Garcia
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 Colin ROBERTS (since July 2008); Administrator Joanne YEADON (since December 2007); note - both reside in the UK and are represented by the officer commanding British Forces on Diego Garcia cabinet: NA elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and administrator appointed by the monarch
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 a joint UK-US military facility is located. Construction projects and various services needed to support the military installation are performed 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 native Ilois return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing. The territory earns foreign exchange by selling fishing licenses and postage stamps.
Electricity - production:
NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military
Electricity - consumption:
NA kWh
Currency (code):
US Dollar (USD)
Communications
British Indian Ocean Territory
Telephones - main lines in use:
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: country code (Diego Garcia) - 246; international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:
Television broadcast stations:
1 (1997)
Televisions:
Internet country code:
.io
Internet hosts:
89 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)
Transportation
British Indian Ocean Territory
Airports:
1 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2007)
Roadways:
note: short section of paved road between port and airfield on Diego Garcia
Ports and terminals:
Diego Garcia
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 claims the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia; in 2001, the former inhabitants of the Chagos Archipelago, evicted in 1967 and 1973 and now residing chiefly in Mauritius, were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation; in May 2007, the UK Court of Appeals upheld the May 2006 High Court of London judgment reversing the UK government's 2004 Orders of Council that banned habitation on the islands; a small group of Chagossians visited Diego Garcia in April 2006; repatriation is complicated by the exclusive US military lease of Diego Garcia that restricts access to the largest viable island in the chain
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@British Virgin Islands
Introduction
British Virgin Islands
Background:
First inhabited by Arawak and later by Carib Indians, the Virgin
Islands were settled by the Dutch in 1648 and then annexed by the
English in 1672. The islands were part of the British colony of the
Leeward Islands from 1872-1960; they were granted autonomy in 1967.
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:
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 153 sq km land: 153 sq km water: 0 sq km note: comprised of 16 inhabited and more than 20 uninhabited islands; includes the islands of Tortola, Anegada, Virgin Gorda, Jost van Dyke
Area - comparative:
about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
80 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 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:
Land use:
arable land: 20% permanent crops: 6.67% other: 73.33% (2005)
Irrigated land:
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:
24,041 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 20% (male 2,432/female 2,366) 15-64 years: 74.4% (male 9,178/female 8,715) 65 years and over: 5.6% (male 697/female 653) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 32 years male: 32.1 years female: 31.9 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.88% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
14.72 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
4.37 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
8.44 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.07 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 15.2 deaths/1,000 live births male: 17.23 deaths/1,000 live births female: 13.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.07 years male: 75.88 years female: 78.32 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.71 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Nationality:
noun: British Virgin Islander(s) adjective: British Virgin Islander
Ethnic groups:
black 83.4%, white 7%, mixed 5.4%, Indian 3.4%, other 0.8% (1991 census)
Religions:
Protestant 86% (Methodist 33%, Anglican 17%, Church of God 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6%, Baptist 4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2%, other 15%), Roman Catholic 10%, other 2%, none 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%
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 17 years male: 15 years female: 19 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
3.7% of GDP (2006)
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:
Capital:
name: Road Town geographic coordinates: 18 27 N, 64 37 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Independence:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
National holiday:
Territory Day, 1 July (1956)
Constitution:
13 June 2007
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 David PEAREY (since 18 April 2006) head of government: Premier Ralph T. O'NEAL (since 23 August 2007) cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from members of the House of Assembly elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed premier by the governor
Legislative branch:
unicameral House of Assembly (13 elected seats and 1 non-voting ex officio member in the attorney general; members are elected by direct popular vote, 1 member from each of nine electoral districts, 4 at-large members; members serve four-year terms) elections: last held 20 August 2007 (next to be held in 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - VIP 45.2%, NDP 39.6%, independent 15.2%; seats by party - VIP 10, NDP 2, independent 1
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:
The Family Support Network; The Women's Desk other: environmentalists
International organization participation:
Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WFTU
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 820,000 tourists, mainly from the US, visited the islands in 2005. 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, made 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 US dollar as its currency since 1959.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$853.4 million (2004 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$839.7 million (2003)
GDP - real growth rate:
1% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$38,500 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1.8% industry: 6.2% services: 92% (1996 est.)
Labor force:
12,770 (2004)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 0.6% industry: 40% services: 59.4% (2005)
Unemployment rate:
3.6% (1997)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $204.7 million expenditures: $180.4 million (2004)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2% (2005)
Agriculture - products:
fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish
Industries:
tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore financial center
Industrial production growth rate:
Electricity - production:
45 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
41.85 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
650 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
649.8 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
$134.3 million (1999)
Exports:
$25.3 million (2002)
Exports - commodities:
rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand
Exports - partners:
Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US (2006)
Imports:
$187 million (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:
building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery
Imports - partners:
Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
Debt - external:
$36.1 million (1997)
Currency (code):
US dollar (USD)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
the US dollar is used
Communications
British Virgin Islands
Telephones - main lines in use:
11,700 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
8,000 (2002)
Telephone system:
general assessment: worldwide telephone service domestic: NA international: country code - 1-284; connected via submarine cable to Bermuda; the East Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) submarine cable provides connectivity to 13 other islands in the eastern Caribbean (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004)
Radios:
9,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (plus 1 cable company) (1997)
Televisions:
4,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.vg
Internet hosts:
465 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
16 (2000)
Internet users:
4,000 (2002)
Transportation
British Virgin Islands
Airports:
3 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 200 km paved: 200 km (2007)
Merchant marine:
registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Road Town
Military
British Virgin Islands
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 7,101 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 5,921 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 184 female: 179 (2008 est.)
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; large offshore financial center makes it vulnerable to money laundering
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Brunei
Introduction
Brunei
Background:
The Sultanate of Brunei's influence peaked 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. The same family has ruled Brunei for over six centuries. Brunei benefits from extensive petroleum and natural gas fields, the source of one of the highest per capita GDPs in Asia.
Geography
Brunei
Location:
Southeastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and Malaysia
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Southeast Asia
Area:
total: 5,770 sq km land: 5,270 sq km water: 500 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Delaware
Land boundaries:
total: 381 km border countries: Malaysia 381 km
Coastline:
161 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or to median line
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: 2.08% permanent crops: 0.87% other: 97.05% (2005)
Irrigated land:
10 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
8.5 cu km (1999)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.09 per capita: 243 cu m/yr (1994)
Natural hazards:
typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are rare
Environment - current issues:
seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, 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 within Malaysia
People
Brunei
Population:
381,371 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 27.2% (male 53,400/female 50,333) 15-64 years: 69.6% (male 132,895/female 132,391) 65 years and over: 3.2% (male 5,927/female 6,425) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 27.5 years male: 27.5 years female: 27.5 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.785% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
18.39 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
3.28 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
2.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 12.69 deaths/1,000 live births male: 15.19 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.52 years male: 73.32 years female: 77.83 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.94 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
fewer than 200 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Bruneian(s) adjective: Bruneian
Ethnic groups:
Malay 66.3%, Chinese 11.2%, indigenous 3.4%, other 19.1% (2004 est.)
Religions:
Muslim (official) 67%, Buddhist 13%, Christian 10%, other (includes indigenous beliefs) 10%
Languages:
Malay (official), English, Chinese
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.7% male: 95.2% female: 90.2% (2001 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 14 years male: 14 years female: 14 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
5.2% of GDP (2000)
Government
Brunei
Country name:
conventional long form: Brunei Darussalam conventional short form: Brunei local long form: Negara Brunei Darussalam local short form: Brunei
Government type:
constitutional sultanate
Capital:
name: Bandar Seri Begawan geographic coordinates: 4 53 N, 114 56 E time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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 Sharia law supersedes civil law in a number of areas; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age for village elections; universal
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) 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: none; the monarch is hereditary
Legislative branch:
Legislative Council met on 25 September 2004 for first time in 20 years with 21 members appointed by the Sultan; passed constitutional amendments calling for a 45-seat council with 15 elected members; Sultan dissolved council on 1 September 2005 and appointed a new council with 29 members as of 2 September 2005; council met in March 2006 and in March 2007 elections: last held in March 1962 (date of next election NA)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court - chief justice and judges are sworn in by monarch for three-year terms; Judicial Committee of Privy Council in London is final court of appeal for civil cases; Sharia courts deal with Islamic laws (2006)
Political parties and leaders:
National Development Party or NDP [YASSIN Affendi] note: Brunei National Solidarity Party or PPKB [Abdul LATIF bin Chuchu] and People's Awareness Party or PAKAR [Awang Haji MAIDIN bin Haji Ahmad] were deregistered; parties are small and have limited activity
Political pressure groups and leaders:
International organization participation:
ADB, APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN, C, EAS, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent),
ITSO, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Angela SHIM chancery: 3520 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 237-1838 FAX: [1] (202) 885-0560
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador William E. TODD embassy: Third Floor, Teck Guan Plaza, Jalan Sultan, Bandar Seri Begawan, BS8811 mailing address: PSC 470 (BSB), FPO AP 96507; P.O. Box 2991, Bandar Seri Begawan BS8675, Negara Brunei Darussalam telephone: [673] 222-0384 FAX: [673] 222-5293
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:
Brunei has a small well-to-do economy that encompasses a mixture of foreign and domestic entrepreneurship, government regulation, welfare measures, and village tradition. Crude oil and natural gas production account for just over half of GDP and more than 90% of exports. Per capita GDP is among the highest in Asia, and substantial income from overseas investment supplements income from domestic production. The government provides for all medical services and free education through the university level and subsidizes rice and housing. Brunei's leaders are concerned that steadily increased integration in the world economy will undermine internal social cohesion. 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):
$19.64 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$12.39 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
0.4% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$51,000 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 0.9% industry: 71.6% services: 27.5% (2005 est.)
Labor force:
180,400 (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 2.9% industry: 61.1% services: 36% (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate:
4% (2006)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $3.765 billion expenditures: $4.815 billion (2004 est.)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
0.4% (2007 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
5.5% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$2.674 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$4.258 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$2.38 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
rice, vegetables, fruits; chickens, water buffalo, cattle, goats, eggs
Industries:
petroleum, petroleum refining, liquefied natural gas, construction
Industrial production growth rate:
1.8% (2005 est.)
Electricity - production:
3.1 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
2.924 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
180,500 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
13,200 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
200,000 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
304 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
1.1 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
13.8 billion cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
3.99 billion cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
9.4 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
390.8 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
$7.101 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$6.767 billion f.o.b. (2006)
Exports - commodities:
crude oil, natural gas, refined products, clothing
Exports - partners:
Japan 32.8%, Indonesia 24.4%, Australia 13.4%, South Korea 12.2%, US 5.5% (2007)
Imports:
$2 billion c.i.f. (2006)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, chemicals
Imports - partners:
UK 46.4%, Singapore 19.5%, Malaysia 11.3% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$770,000 (2004)
Debt - external:
$0 (2005)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
Bruneian dollar (BND)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Bruneian dollars (BND) per US dollar - NA (2007), 1.5886 (2006), 1.6644 (2005), 1.6902 (2004), 1.7422 (2003)
Communications
Brunei
Telephones - main lines in use:
79,200 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
339,800 (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: service throughout the country is excellent; international service is good to Southeast Asia, Middle East, Western Europe, and the US domestic: every service available international: country code - 673; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 optical telecommunications submarine cable that provides links to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; the Asia-America Gateway submarine cable network, scheduled for completion by late 2008, will provide new links to Asia and the US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 2 (transmitting on 18 different frequencies), shortwave 0 (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) station transmits two FM signals with English and Nepali service) (2006)
Radios:
329,000 (1998)
Television broadcast stations:
4 (includes 2 UHF stations broadcasting a subscription service) (2006)
Televisions:
201,900 (1998)
Internet country code:
.bn
Internet hosts:
14,950 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)
Internet users:
199,532 (2007)
Transportation
Brunei
Airports:
2 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
Heliports:
3 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 672 km; oil 463 km (2007)
Roadways:
total: 3,650 km paved: 2,819 km unpaved: 831 km (2005)
Waterways:
209 km (navigable by craft drawing less than 1.2 m) (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 8 by type: liquefied gas 8 foreign-owned: 1 (UK 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Lumut, Muara, Seria
Military
Brunei
Military branches:
Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF): Royal Brunei Land Forces, Royal Brunei Navy, Royal Brunei Air Force (Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.) for voluntary military service; non-Malays are ineligible to serve (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 108,356 females age 16-49: 110,153 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 91,297 females age 16-49: 93,228 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 3,223 female: 3,182 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
4.5% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Brunei
Disputes - international:
Brunei and Malaysia agreed in September 2008 to resolve their offshore and deepwater seabed dispute, resume hydrocarbon exploration, and renounce any territorial claims on land; Brunei established an exclusive economic fishing zone encompassing Louisa Reef in the southern Spratly Islands in 1984, but makes no public territorial claim to the offshore reefs; the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has eased tensions in the Spratly Islands but falls short of a legally binding "code of conduct" desired by several of the disputants
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 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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. Northern Bulgaria attained autonomy in 1878 and all of Bulgaria became independent from the Ottoman Empire in 1908. Having fought on the losing side in both World Wars, Bulgaria 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. The country joined NATO in 2004 and the EU in 2007.
Geography
Bulgaria
Location:
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Romania and
Turkey
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 110,910 sq km land: 110,550 sq km water: 360 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Tennessee
Land boundaries:
total: 1,808 km border countries: Greece 494 km, Macedonia 148 km, Romania 608 km, Serbia 318 km, Turkey 240 km
Coastline:
354 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
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: 29.94% permanent crops: 1.9% other: 68.16% (2005)
Irrigated land:
5,880 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
19.4 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 6.92 cu km/yr (3%/78%/19%) per capita: 895 cu m/yr (2003)
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-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
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, Marine Dumping,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key land routes from Europe to Middle East and Asia
People
Bulgaria
Population:
7,262,675 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 13.8% (male 514,238/female 489,608) 15-64 years: 68.6% (male 2,449,812/female 2,532,845) 65 years and over: 17.6% (male 520,962/female 755,210) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 41.1 years male: 38.9 years female: 43.4 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
-0.813% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
9.58 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
14.3 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-3.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 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: 0.92 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 18.51 deaths/1,000 live births male: 22 deaths/1,000 live births female: 14.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.83 years male: 69.22 years female: 76.66 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.4 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
346 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
100 (2001 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Bulgarian(s) adjective: Bulgarian
Ethnic groups:
Bulgarian 83.9%, Turk 9.4%, Roma 4.7%, other 2% (including
Macedonian, Armenian, Tatar, Circassian) (2001 census)
Religions:
Bulgarian Orthodox 82.6%, Muslim 12.2%, other Christian 1.2%, other 4% (2001 census)
Languages:
Bulgarian 84.5%, Turkish 9.6%, Roma 4.1%, other and unspecified 1.8% (2001 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.2% male: 98.7% female: 97.7% (2001 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 14 years male: 13 years female: 14 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
4.5% of GDP (2005)
Government
Bulgaria
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Bulgaria conventional short form: Bulgaria local long form: Republika Balgariya local short form: Balgariya
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: Sofia geographic coordinates: 42 41 N, 23 19 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
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 (as an autonomous principality within the Ottoman Empire); 22 September 1908 (complete independence from the Ottoman Empire)
National holiday:
Liberation Day, 3 March (1878)
Constitution:
adopted 12 July 1991
Legal system:
civil and criminal law based on Roman law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
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: Prime Minister Sergei STANISHEV (since 16 August 2005); Deputy Prime Ministers Ivaylo KALFIN, Daniel VULCHEV, and Emel ETEM (since 16 August 2005) and Meglena PLUGCHIEVA (since 25 April 2008) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and elected by the National Assembly elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 22 and 29 October 2006 (next to be held in 2011); chairman of the Council of Ministers (prime minister) nominated by the president and elected by the National Assembly; deputy prime ministers nominated by the prime minister and elected by the National Assembly election results: Georgi PARVANOV reelected president; percent of vote - Georgi PARVANOV 77.3%, Volen SIDEROV 22.7%; Sergei STANISHEV elected prime minister, result of legislative vote - 168 to 67
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Narodno Sobranie (240 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 25 June 2005 (next to be held in June 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - CfB 31.1%, NMS2 19.9%, MRF 12.7%, ATAKA 8.2%, UDF 7.7%, DSB 6.5%, BPU 5.2%, other 8.7%; seats by party - CfB 83, NMS2 53, MRF 33, UDF 20, ATAKA 17, DSB 17, BPU 13, independents 4; note - seats by party as of January 2008 - CfB 82, NMS2 36, MRF 34, Bulgarian New Democracy 16, DSB 16, UDF 16, BPU 13, ATAKA 11, independents 16
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:
ATAKA (Attack Coalition) (coalition of parties headed by the Attack
National Union); Attack National Union [Volen SIDEROV]; Bulgarian
Agrarian National Union-People's Union or BANU [Anastasia MOZER];
Bulgarian New Democracy [Borislav RALCHEV]; Bulgarian People's Union
or BPU (coalition of UFD, IMRO, and BANU); Bulgarian Socialist Party
or BSP [Sergei STANISHEV]; Citizens for the European Development of
Bulgaria or GERB [Tsvetan TSVETANOV]; Coalition for Bulgaria or CfB
(coalition of parties dominated by BSP) [Sergei STANISHEV];
Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria or DSB [Ivan KOSTOV]; Internal
Macedonian Revolutionary Organization or IMRO [Krasimir
KARAKACHANOV]; Movement for Rights and Freedoms or MRF [Ahmed
DOGAN]; National Movement for Stability and Progress or NMSS [Simeon
SAXE-COBURG-GOTHA] (formerly National Movement Simeon II or NMS2);
New Time [Emil KOSHLUKOV]; Union of Democratic Forces or UDF [Petar
STOYANOV]; Union of Free Democrats or UFD [Stefan SOFIYANSKI];
United Democratic Forces or UtDF (a coalition of center-right
parties dominated by UDF)
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria or CITUB; Podkrepa Labor Confederation other: numerous regional, ethnic, and national interest groups with various agendas
International organization participation:
ACCT, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU
(new member), FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU,
ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE,
PCA, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL,
WCO, WEU (associate affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Latechezar PETKOV chancery: 1621 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 387-0174 FAX: [1] (202) 234-7973 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Nancy McELDOWNEY embassy: 16 Kozyak Street, Sofia 1407 mailing address: American Embassy Sofia, US Department of State, 5740 Sofia Place, Washington, DC 20521-5740 telephone: [359] (2) 937-5100 FAX: [359] (2) 937-5320
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of white (top), green, and red note: the national emblem, formerly on the hoist side of the white stripe, has been removed
Economy
Bulgaria
Economy - overview:
Bulgaria, a former communist country that entered the EU on 1 January 2007, has experienced strong growth since a major economic downturn in 1996. Successive governments have demonstrated commitment to economic reforms and responsible fiscal planning, but have failed so far to rein in rising inflation and large current account deficits. Bulgaria has averaged more than 6% growth since 2004, attracting significant amounts of foreign direct investment, but corruption in the public administration, a weak judiciary, and the presence of organized crime remain significant challenges.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$86.71 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$39.61 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
6.2% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$11,800 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 6.2% industry: 32.3% services: 61.5% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
2.593 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 8.5% industry: 33.6% services: 57.9% (2nd qtr. 2006 est.)
Unemployment rate:
7.7% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
14.1% (2003 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 25.4% (2005)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
31.6 (2005)
Investment (gross fixed):
29.8% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $16.84 billion expenditures: $15.35 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
10.5% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
9.8% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
4.58% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
10% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$15.58 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$17.03 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$25.18 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
vegetables, fruits, tobacco, wine, wheat, barley, sunflowers, sugar beets; livestock
Industries:
electricity, gas, water; food, beverages, tobacco; machinery and equipment, base metals, chemical products, coke, refined petroleum, nuclear fuel
Industrial production growth rate:
14% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
43.15 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
30.5 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
7.534 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
3.054 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 47.8% hydro: 8.1% nuclear: 44.1% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
3,661 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
109,600 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
50,530 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - imports:
158,400 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - proved reserves:
15 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
5.6 billion cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
5.179 billion cu m (2005)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
5.663 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
-$8.53 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$18.44 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
clothing, footwear, iron and steel, machinery and equipment, fuels
Exports - partners:
Turkey 11.5%, Germany 10.3%, Italy 10.2%, Greece 9.1%, Belgium 6.2%,
Romania 4.9% (2007)
Imports:
$28.67 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment; metals and ores; chemicals and plastics; fuels, minerals, and raw materials
Imports - partners:
Russia 12.3%, Germany 12.3%, Italy 8.7%, Ukraine 7.2%, Turkey 6.9%,
Greece 6.2%, Romania 4.5%, Austria 4.3% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$742 million (2005-06 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$17.38 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$34.88 billion (30 June 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$33.91 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$559 million (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$10.32 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
lev (BGN)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
leva (BGN) per US dollar - 1.4366 (2007), 1.5576 (2006), 1.5741 (2005), 1.5751 (2004), 1.7327 (2003)
Communications
Bulgaria
Telephones - main lines in use:
2.3 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
9.897 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: an extensive but antiquated telecommunications network inherited from the Soviet era; quality has improved; the Bulgaria Telecommunications Company's fixed-line monopoly terminated in 2005 when alternative fixed-line operators were given access to its network; a drop in fixed-line connections in recent years has been more than offset by a sharp increase in mobile-cellular telephone use fostered by multiple service providers; the number of cellular telephone subscriptions now exceeds the population domestic: 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: country code - 359; submarine cable provides connectivity to Ukraine and Russia; a combination submarine cable and land fiber-optic system provides connectivity to Italy, Albania, and Macedonia; satellite earth stations - 3 (1 Intersputnik in the Atlantic Ocean region, 2 Intelsat in the Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions) (2007)
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 hosts:
513,470 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
200 (2001)
Internet users:
1.899 million (2007)
Transportation
Bulgaria
Airports:
214 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 131 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 18 1,524 to 2,437 m: 15 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 95 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 83 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 72 (2007)
Heliports:
4 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 2,500 km; oil 339 km; refined products 156 km (2007)
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 (2006)
Roadways:
total: 40,231 km paved: 39,587 km (includes 331 km of expressways) unpaved: 644 km (2005)
Waterways:
470 km (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 74 by type: bulk carrier 37, cargo 14, chemical tanker 5, container 6, liquefied gas 2, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 1 foreign-owned: 65 (Germany 63, Ireland 1, Russia 1) registered in other countries: 31 (Comoros 2, Malta 5, Panama 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 15, Slovakia 6) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Burgas, Varna
Military
Bulgaria
Military branches:
Bulgarian Armed Forces: Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Bulgarian Air
Forces (Bulgarski Voennovazdyshni Sily, BVVS) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18-27 years of age for voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 9 months; as of May 2006, 67% of the Bulgarian Army comprised of professional soldiers; conscription ended as of 1 January 2008; Air and Air Defense Forces and Naval Forces became fully professional at the end of 2006 (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,701,979 females age 16-49: 1,691,092 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,364,029 females age 16-49: 1,401,348 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 39,477 female: 37,339 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
2.6% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
Bulgaria
Disputes - international:
none
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; some money laundering of drug-related proceeds through financial institutions
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Burkina Faso
Introduction
Burkina Faso
Background:
Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta) achieved independence from France in 1960. Repeated military coups during the 1970s and 1980s were followed by multiparty elections in the early 1990s. Current President Blaise COMPAORE came to power in a 1987 military coup and has won every election since then. Burkina Faso's high population density and limited natural resources result in poor economic prospects for the majority of its citizens. Recent unrest in Cote d'Ivoire and northern Ghana has hindered the ability of several hundred thousand seasonal Burkinabe farm workers to find employment in neighboring countries.
Geography
Burkina Faso
Location:
Western Africa, north of Ghana
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 274,200 sq km land: 273,800 sq km water: 400 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, phosphates, pumice, salt
Land use:
arable land: 17.66% permanent crops: 0.22% other: 82.12% (2005)
Irrigated land:
250 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
17.5 cu km (2001)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.8 cu km/yr (13%/1%/86%) per capita: 60 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
landlocked savanna cut by the three principal rivers of the Black, Red, and White Voltas
People
Burkina Faso
Population:
15,264,735 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 46.3% (male 3,549,034/female 3,521,684) 15-64 years: 51.1% (male 3,885,124/female 3,922,198) 65 years and over: 2.5% (male 154,476/female 232,219) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 16.7 years male: 16.5 years female: 16.9 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
3.109% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
44.68 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
13.59 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA (2008 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 (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 86.02 deaths/1,000 live births male: 93.68 deaths/1,000 live births female: 78.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 52.55 years male: 50.67 years female: 54.49 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
6.34 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
4.2% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
300,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
29,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Burkinabe (singular and plural) adjective: Burkinabe
Ethnic groups:
Mossi over 40%, other approximately 60% (includes Gurunsi, Senufo,
Lobi, Bobo, Mande, and Fulani)
Religions:
Muslim 50%, indigenous beliefs 40%, 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: 21.8% male: 29.4% female: 15.2% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 5 years male: 5 years female: 4 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
4.2% of GDP (2006)
Government
Burkina Faso
Country name:
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Burkina Faso local long form: none local short form: Burkina Faso former: Upper Volta, Republic of Upper Volta
Government type:
parliamentary republic
Capital:
name: Ouagadougou geographic coordinates: 12 22 N, 1 31 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
45 provinces; Bale, Bam, Banwa, Bazega, Bougouriba, Boulgou,
Boulkiemde, Comoe, Ganzourgou, Gnagna, Gourma, Houet, Ioba, Kadiogo,
Kenedougou, Komondjari, Kompienga, Kossi, Koulpelogo, Kouritenga,
Kourweogo, Leraba, Loroum, Mouhoun, Nahouri, Namentenga, Nayala,
Noumbiel, Oubritenga, Oudalan, Passore, Poni, Sanguie, Sanmatenga,
Seno, Sissili, Soum, Sourou, Tapoa, Tuy, Yagha, Yatenga, Ziro,
Zondoma, Zoundweogo
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; last amended January 2002
Legal system:
based on French civil law system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Blaise COMPAORE (since 15 October 1987) head of government: Prime Minister Tertius ZONGO (since 4 June 2007) 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 (eligible for a second term); election last held 13 November 2005 (next to be held in 2010); in April 2000, the constitution was amended reducing the presidential term from seven to five years, enforceable as of 2005; prime minister appointed by the president with the consent of the legislature election results: Blaise COMPAORE reelected president; percent of popular vote - Blaise COMPAORE 80.3%, Benewende Stanislas SANKARA 4.9%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (111 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: National Assembly election last held 6 May 2007 (next to be held in May 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CDP 73, ADF-RDA 14, UPR 5, UNIR-MS 4, CFD-B 3, UPS 2, PDP-PS 2, RDB 2, PDS 2, PAREN 1, PAI 1, RPC 1, UDPS 1
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Appeals Court
Political parties and leaders:
African Democratic Rally-Alliance for Democracy and Federation or
ADF-RDA [Gilbert OUEDRAOGO]; Citizen's Popular Rally or RPC [Antoine
QUARE]; Coalition of Democratic Forces of Burkina or CFD-B [Amadou
Diemdioda DICKO]; Congress for Democracy and Progress or CDP [Roch
Marc-Christian KABORE]; Movement for Tolerance and Progress or MTP
[Nayabtigungou Congo KABORE]; Party for African Independence or PAI
[Philippe OUEDRAOGO]; Party for Democracy and Progress/Socialist
Party or PDP/PS [Ali LANKOANDE]; Party for Democracy and Socialism
or PDS [Felix SOUBEIGA]; Party for National Rebirth or PAREN [Oumar
DJIGUIMDE]; Rally for the Development of Burkina or RDB [Antoine
KARGOUGOU]; Rally of Ecologists of Burkina Faso or RDEB [Ram
OUEDRAGO]; Republican Party for Integration and Solidarity or PARIS
[Cyril GOUNGOUNGA]; Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS
[Fidele HIEN]; Union for Rebirth - Sankarist Movement or UNIR-MS
[Benewende STANISLAS]; Union for the Republic or UPR [Toussaint Abel
COULIBALY]; Union of Sankarist Parties or UPS [Ernest Nongma
OUEDRAOGO]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Burkinabe General Confederation of Labor or CGTB [Tole SAGNON]; Burkinabe Movement for Human Rights or MBDHP [Chrysigone ZOUGMORE]; Group of 14 February [Benewende STANISLAS]; National Confederation of Burkinabe Workers or CNTB [Laurent OUEDRAOGO]; National Organization of Free Unions or ONSL [Paul KABORE] other: watchdog/political action groups throughout the country in both organizations and communities
International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA,
MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UN Security Council
(temporary), UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIS, UNOCI,
UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Paramanga Ernest YONLI chancery: 2340 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-5577 FAX: [1] (202) 667-1882
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jeanine E. JACKSON embassy: 602 Avenue Raoul Follereau, Koulouba, Secteur 4 mailing address: 01 B. P. 35, Ouagadougou 01; pouch mail - US Department of State, 2440 Ouagadougou Place, Washington, DC 20521-2440 telephone: [226] 50-30-67-23 FAX: [226] 50-30-38-90
Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a yellow five-pointed star in the center note: 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 few natural resources and a weak industrial base. About 90% of the population is engaged in subsistence agriculture, which is vulnerable to periodic drought. Cotton is the main cash crop and the government has joined with three other cotton producing countries in the region - Mali, Niger, and Chad - to lobby in the World Trade Organization for fewer subsidies to producers in other competing countries. Since 1998, Burkina Faso has embarked upon a gradual but successful privatization of state-owned enterprises. Having revised its investment code in 2004, Burkina Faso hopes to attract foreign investors. Thanks to this new code and other legislation favoring the mining sector, the country has seen an upswing in gold exploration and production. While the bitter internal crisis in neighboring Cote d'Ivoire is beginning to be resolved, it is still having a negative effect on Burkina Faso's trade and employment. In 2007 higher costs for energy and imported foodstuffs, as well as low cotton prices, dampened a GDP growth rate that had averaged 6% in the last 10 years. Burkina Faso received a Millennium Challenge Account threshold grant to improve girls' education at the primary school level, and appears likely to receive a grant in the areas of infrastructure, agriculture, and land reform.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$17.41 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$6.977 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
4.2% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,200 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 29.7% industry: 19.4% services: 50.9% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
5 million note: a large part of the male labor force migrates annually to neighboring countries for seasonal employment (2003)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 90% industry and services: 10% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate:
77% (2004)
Population below poverty line:
46.4% (2004)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 32.2% (2004)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
39.5 (2007)
Investment (gross fixed):
21.1% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $1.415 billion expenditures: $1.847 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
-0.2% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
4.25% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Stock of money:
$1.051 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$663 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$905.1 million (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
cotton, peanuts, shea nuts, sesame, sorghum, millet, corn, rice; livestock
Industries:
cotton lint, beverages, agricultural processing, soap, cigarettes, textiles, gold
Industrial production growth rate:
5.2% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
611.6 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
509.3 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 69.9% hydro: 30.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
8,470 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
8,446 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$706 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$617 million f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
cotton, livestock, gold
Exports - partners:
China 29.6%, Singapore 15.7%, Thailand 7.2%, Ghana 6.4%, Niger 4.8% (2007)
Imports:
$1.296 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
capital goods, foodstuffs, petroleum
Imports - partners:
Cote d'Ivoire 25.8%, France 20.6%, Togo 7.1% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$659.6 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$1.029 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$1.33 billion (2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 493.51 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003) note: since 1 January 1999, the XOF franc has been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF francs per euro
Communications
Burkina Faso
Telephones - main lines in use:
94,800 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.611 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: services only fair; in 2006 the government sold a 51 percent stake in the national telephone company and ultimately plans to retain only a 23 percent stake in the company; fixed-line connections stand at less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular usage, fostered by multiple providers, is increasing rapidly from a low base domestic: microwave radio relay, open-wire, and radiotelephone communication stations international: country code - 226; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 26, shortwave 3
Radios:
394,020 (2000)
Television broadcast stations:
3 (1 national, 2 private)
Televisions:
131,340 (2002)
Internet country code:
.bf
Internet hosts:
116 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2002)
Internet users:
80,000 (2006)
Transportation
Burkina Faso
Airports:
33 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 31 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 17 (2007)
Railways:
total: 622 km narrow gauge: 622 km 1.000-m gauge note: another 660 km of this railway extends into Cote D'Ivoire (2006)
Roadways:
total: 92,495 km paved: 3,857 km unpaved: 88,638 km (2004)
Military
Burkina Faso
Military branches:
Army, Air Force of Burkina Faso (Force Aerienne de Burkina Faso,
FABF), National Gendarmerie (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory military service; 20 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 3,364,288 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,115,948 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 176,358 female: 173,856 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.2% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Burkina Faso
Disputes - international:
in September 2007, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) intervened to attempt to resolve the dispute over two villages along the Benin-Burkina Faso border that remain from 2005 ICJ decision; in recent years citizens and rogue security forces rob and harass local populations on both sides of the poorly-defined Burkina Faso-Niger border; despite the presence of over 9,000 UN forces (UNOCI) in Cote d'Ivoire since 2004, ethnic conflict continues to spread into neighboring states who can no longer send their migrant workers to work in Ivorian cocoa plantations
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Burma
Introduction
Burma
Background:
Britain conquered Burma over a period of 62 years (1824-1886) and incorporated it into its Indian Empire. Burma was administered as a province of India until 1937 when it became a separate, self-governing colony; independence from the Commonwealth was attained in 1948. Gen. NE WIN dominated the government from 1962 to 1988, first as military ruler, then as self-appointed president, and later as political kingpin. Despite multiparty legislative elections in 1990 that resulted in the main opposition party - the National League for Democracy (NLD) - winning a landslide victory, the ruling junta refused to hand over power. NLD leader and Nobel Peace Prize recipient AUNG SAN SUU KYI, who was under house arrest from 1989 to 1995 and 2000 to 2002, was imprisoned in May 2003 and subsequently transferred to house arrest. After Burma's ruling junta in August 2007 unexpectedly increased fuel prices, tens of thousands of Burmese marched in protest, led by prodemocracy activists and Buddhist monks. In late September 2007, the government brutally suppressed the protests, killing at least 13 people and arresting thousands for participating in the demonstrations. Since then, the regime has continued to raid homes and monasteries and arrest persons suspected of participating in the pro-democracy protests. The junta appointed Labor Minister AUNG KYI in October 2007 as liaison to AUNG SAN SUU KYI, who remains under house arrest and virtually incommunicado with her party and supporters.
Geography
Burma
Location:
Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Bangladesh and Thailand
Geographic coordinates:
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:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
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, marble, limestone, precious stones, natural gas, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 14.92% permanent crops: 1.31% other: 83.77% (2005)
Irrigated land:
18,700 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
1,045.6 cu km (1999)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 33.23 cu km/yr (1%/1%/98%) per capita: 658 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, 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:
strategic location near major Indian Ocean shipping lanes
People
Burma
Population:
47,758,180 note: estimates for this country take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 25.7% (male 6,236,484/female 6,038,576) 15-64 years: 68.9% (male 16,300,380/female 16,627,045) 65 years and over: 5.4% (male 1,098,344/female 1,457,352) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 27.8 years male: 27.2 years female: 28.4 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.8% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
17.23 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
9.23 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 49.12 deaths/1,000 live births male: 55.53 deaths/1,000 live births female: 42.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 62.94 years male: 60.73 years female: 65.28 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.92 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.2% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
330,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
20,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria water contact disease: leptospirosis animal contact disease: rabies note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2008)
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:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 89.9% male: 93.9% female: 86.4% (2006 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 8 years male: 8 years female: 8 years (2001)
Education expenditures:
1.2% of GDP (2001)
Government
Burma
Country name:
conventional long form: Union of Burma conventional short form: Burma local long form: Pyidaungzu Myanma Naingngandaw (translated by the US Government as Union of Myanma and by the Burmese as Union of Myanmar) local short form: Myanma Naingngandaw 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 junta
Capital:
name: Rangoon (Yangon) geographic coordinates: 16 48 N, 96 09 E time difference: UTC+6.5 (11.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) note: Nay Pyi Taw is administrative capital
Administrative divisions:
7 divisions (taing-myar, singular - taing) and 7 states (pyi ne-myar, singular - pyi ne) divisions: Ayeyarwady, Bago, Magway, Mandalay, Sagaing, Tanintharyi, Yangon states: Chin, Kachin, Kayah, Kayin, Mon, Rakhine, Shan
Independence:
4 January 1948 (from UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 4 January (1948); Union Day, 12 February (1947)
Constitution:
30 May 2008
Legal system:
based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) Sr. Gen. THAN SHWE (since 23 April 1992) head of government: Prime Minister, Lt. Gen THEIN SEIN (since 24 October 2007) cabinet: Cabinet is overseen by SPDC; military junta assumed power 18 September 1988 under name State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) elections: none
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 allowed by junta to convene (junta has announced plans to hold elections in 2010) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NLD 392 (opposition), SNLD 23 (opposition), NUP 10 (pro-government), 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, AUNG SAN SUU KYI];
National Unity Party or NUP (pro-regime) [TUN YE]; Shan
Nationalities League for Democracy or SNLD [HKUN HTUN OO]; and other
smaller parties
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Ethnic Nationalities Council or ENC (based in Thailand); Federation of Trade Unions-Burma or FTUB (exile trade union and labor advocates); National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma or NCGUB (self-proclaimed government in exile) ["Prime Minister" Dr. SEIN WIN] consists of individuals, some legitimately elected to the People's Assembly in 1990 (the group fled to a border area and joined insurgents in December 1990 to form parallel government in exile); Kachin Independence Organization or KIO; Karen National Union or KNU; Karenni National People's Party or KNPP; National Council-Union of Burma or NCUB (exile coalition of opposition groups); United Wa State Army or UWSA; Union Solidarity and Development Association or USDA (pro-regime, a social and political mass-member organization) [HTAY OO, general secretary]; 88 Generation Students (pro-democracy movement) [MIN KO NAING] other: several Shan factions
International organization participation:
ADB, APT, ARF, ASEAN, BIMSTEC, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO
(correspondent), ITU, NAM, OPCW (signatory), SAARC (observer), UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires MYINT LWIN chancery: 2300 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-3344 FAX: [1] (202) 332-4351 consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Larry M. DINGER embassy: 110 University Avenue, Kamayut Township, Rangoon mailing address: Box B, APO AP 96546 telephone: [95] (1) 536-509, 535-756, 538-038 FAX: [95] (1) 650-306
Flag description:
red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing 14, white, five-pointed stars encircling a cogwheel containing a stalk of rice; the 14 stars represent the seven administrative divisions and seven states
Economy
Burma
Economy - overview:
Burma, a resource-rich country, suffers from pervasive government controls, inefficient economic policies, and rural poverty. The junta took steps in the early 1990s to liberalize the economy after decades of failure under the "Burmese Way to Socialism," but those efforts stalled, and some of the liberalization measures were rescinded. Despite Burma's increasing oil and gas revenue, socio-economic conditions have deteriorated due to the regime's mismanagement of the economy. Lacking monetary or fiscal stability, the economy suffers from serious macroeconomic imbalances - including rising inflation, fiscal deficits, multiple official exchange rates that overvalue the Burmese kyat, a distorted interest rate regime, unreliable statistics, and an inability to reconcile national accounts to determine a realistic GDP figure. Most overseas development assistance ceased after the junta began to suppress the democracy movement in 1988 and subsequently refused to honor the results of the 1990 legislative elections. In response to the government of Burma's attack in May 2003 on AUNG SAN SUU KYI and her convoy, the US imposed new economic sanctions in August 2003 including a ban on imports of Burmese products and a ban on provision of financial services by US persons. Further, a poor investment climate hampers attracting outside investment slowing the inflow of foreign exchange. The most productive sectors will continue to be in extractive industries, especially oil and gas, mining, and timber with the latter especially causing environmental degradation. Other areas, such as manufacturing and services, are struggling with inadequate infrastructure, unpredictable import/export policies, deteriorating health and education systems, and endemic corruption. A major banking crisis in 2003 shuttered the country's 20 private banks and disrupted the economy. As of 2007, the largest private banks operated under tight restrictions limiting the private sector's access to formal credit. Moreover, the September 2007 crackdown on prodemocracy demonstrators, including thousands of monks, further strained the economy as the tourism industry, which directly employs about 500,000 people, suffered dramatic declines in foreign visitor levels. In November 2007, the European Union announced new sanctions banning investment and trade in Burmese gems, timber and precious stones, while the United States expanded its sanctions list to include more Burmese government and military officials and their family members, as well as prominent regime business cronies, their family members, and associated companies. Official statistics are inaccurate. Published statistics on foreign trade are greatly understated because of the size of the black market and unofficial border trade - often estimated to be as large as the official economy. Though the Burmese government has good economic relations with its neighbors, better investment and business climates and an improved political situation are needed to promote serious foreign investment, exports, and tourism.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$91.13 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$13.53 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.8% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,900 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 42.4% industry: 18.9% services: 38.7% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
29.26 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 70% industry: 7% services: 23% (2001)
Unemployment rate:
5.2% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
32.7% (2007 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 32.4% (1998)
Investment (gross fixed):
13.1% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: NA expenditures: NA (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
35% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
12% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
17% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$598 billion note: This number reflects the vastly overvalued official exchange rate of 5.38 kyat per dollar. At the unofficial black market rate of 1305 kyat per dollar, the stock of kyats would equal only US$2.465 billion and Burma's velocity of money (the number of times money turns over in the course of a year) would be six, in line with the velocity of money for other countries in the region. (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$216.9 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$887.7 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
rice, pulses, beans, sesame, groundnuts, sugarcane; hardwood; fish and fish products
Industries:
agricultural processing; wood and wood products; copper, tin, tungsten, iron; cement, construction materials; pharmaceuticals; fertilizer; natural gas; garments, jade and gems
Industrial production growth rate:
9% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
5.961 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
4.289 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 44.5% hydro: 43.4% nuclear: 0% other: 12.1% (2002)
Oil - production:
21,900 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
43,140 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
5,000 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - imports:
22,180 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - proved reserves:
50 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
12.6 billion cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
3.62 billion cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
9.9 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
283.2 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
$1.427 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$6.122 billion f.o.b. note: official export figures are grossly underestimated due to the value of timber, gems, narcotics, rice, and other products smuggled to Thailand, China, and Bangladesh (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
natural gas, wood products, pulses, beans, fish, rice, clothing, jade and gems
Exports - partners:
Thailand 44.3%, India 14.5%, China 7.1%, Japan 5.7% (2007)
Imports:
$2.942 billion f.o.b. note: import figures are grossly underestimated due to the value of consumer goods, diesel fuel, and other products smuggled in from Thailand, China, Malaysia, and India (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
fabric, petroleum products, fertilizer, plastics, machinery, transport equipment; cement, construction materials, crude oil; food products, edible oil
Imports - partners:
China 33.7%, Thailand 19.1%, Singapore 15.5%, South Korea 5.8%,
Indonesia 5.2%, Malaysia 4.2% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$144.7 million (2005 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$2.262 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$7.022 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
kyat (MMK)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
kyats (MMK) per US dollar - 1,296 (2007), 1,280 (2006), 5.761 (2005), 5.7459 (2004), 6.0764 (2003) note: unofficial exchange rates ranged in 2004 from 815 kyat/US dollar to nearly 970 kyat/US dollar, and by yearend 2005, the unofficial exchange rate was 1,075 kyat/US dollar; data shown for 2003-05 are official exchange rates
Communications
Burma
Telephones - main lines in use:
503,900 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
214,200 (2006)
Telephone system:
general assessment: meets minimum requirements for local and intercity service for business and government domestic: system barely capable of providing basic service; cellular phone system is grossly underdeveloped with a subscribership base of less than 1 per 100 persons international: country code - 95; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 optical telecommunications submarine cable that provides links to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 2, Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and ShinSat (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 3 (2007)
Radios:
4.2 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
4 (2008)
Televisions:
320,000 (2000)
Internet country code:
.mm
Internet hosts:
108 (2008)
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:
40,000 (2007)
Transportation
Burma
Airports:
86 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 25 over 3,047 m: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 61 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 32 (2007)
Heliports:
4 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 2,790 km; oil 558 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 3,955 km narrow gauge: 3,955 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 27,000 km paved: 3,200 km unpaved: 23,800 km (2006)
Waterways:
12,800 km (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 24 by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 17, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 3, specialized tanker 1 foreign-owned: 3 (Cyprus 1, Germany 1, Japan 1) registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Moulmein, Rangoon, Sittwe
Military
Burma
Military branches:
Myanmar Armed Forces (Tatmadaw): Army, Navy, Air Force (Tatmadaw
Lay) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service for both sexes; forced conscription of children, although officially prohibited, reportedly continues (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 13,402,788 females age 16-49: 13,437,042 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 9,031,046 females age 16-49: 9,396,547 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 423,809 female: 415,843 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
2.1% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
Burma
Disputes - international:
over half of Burma's population consists of diverse ethnic groups who have substantial numbers of kin in neighboring countries; Thailand must deal with Karen and other ethnic refugees, asylum seekers, and rebels, as well as illegal cross-border activities from Burma; Thailand is studying the feasibility of jointly constructing the Hatgyi Dam on the Salween River near the border with Burma; citing environmental, cultural, and social concerns, China is reconsidering construction of 13 dams on the Salween River but energy-starved Burma with backing from Thailand remains intent on building five hydro-electric dams downstream, despite identical regional and international protests; India seeks cooperation from Burma to keep Indian Nagaland separatists, such as the United Liberation Front of Assam, from hiding in remote Burmese Uplands; after 21 years, Bangladesh resumes talks with Burma on delimiting a maritime boundary in January 2008
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 503,000 (government offensives against ethnic insurgent groups near the eastern borders; most IDPs are ethnic Karen, Karenni, Shan, Tavoyan, and Mon) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Burma is a source country for women, children, and men trafficked for the purpose of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation; Burmese women and children are trafficked to East and Southeast Asia for commercial sexual exploitation, domestic servitude, and forced labor; Burmese children are subjected to conditions of forced labor in Thailand as hawkers, beggars, and for work in shops, agriculture, fish processing, and small-scale industries; women are trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation to Malaysia and China; some trafficking victims transit Burma from Bangladesh to Malaysia and from China to Thailand; internal trafficking occurs primarily from villages to urban centers and economic hubs for labor in industrial zones, agricultural estates, and commercial sexual exploitation; military and civilian officials continue to use a significant amount of forced labor; ethnic insurgent groups also used compulsory labor of adults and unlawful recruitment of children; the military junta's gross economic mismanagement, human rights abuses, and its policy of using forced labor are the top causal factors for Burma's significant trafficking problem tier rating: Tier 3 - Burma does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; military and civilian officials remain directly involved in significant acts of forced labor and unlawful conscription of child soldiers (2008)
Illicit drugs:
remains world's second-largest producer of illicit opium with an estimated production in 2008 of 340 metric tons, an increase of 26%, and cultivation in 2008 was 22,500 hectares, a 4% increase from 2007; production in the United Wa State Army's areas of greatest control remains low; Shan state is the source of 94% of poppy cultivation; lack of government will 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; currently under Financial Action Task Force countermeasures due to continued failure to address its inadequate money-laundering controls (2008)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Burundi
Introduction
Burundi
Background:
Burundi's first democratically elected president was assassinated in October 1993 after only 100 days in office, triggering widespread ethnic violence between Hutu and Tutsi factions. More than 200,000 Burundians perished during the conflict that spanned almost a dozen years. Hundreds of thousands of Burundians were internally displaced or became refugees in neighboring countries. An internationally brokered power-sharing agreement between the Tutsi-dominated government and the Hutu rebels in 2003 paved the way for a transition process that led to an integrated defense force, established a new constitution in 2005, and elected a majority Hutu government in 2005. The new government, led by President Pierre NKURUNZIZA, signed a South African brokered ceasefire with the country's last rebel group in September of 2006 but still faces many challenges.
Geography
Burundi
Location:
Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 27,830 sq km land: 25,650 sq km water: 2,180 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; two wet seasons (February to May and September to November), and two dry seasons (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: Heha 2,670 m
Natural resources:
nickel, uranium, rare earth oxides, peat, cobalt, copper, platinum, vanadium, arable land, hydropower, niobium, tantalum, gold, tin, tungsten, kaolin, limestone
Land use:
arable land: 35.57% permanent crops: 13.12% other: 51.31% (2005)
Irrigated land:
210 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
3.6 cu km (1987)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.29 cu km/yr (17%/6%/77%) per capita: 38 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
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:
8,691,005 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 46.3% (male 2,021,320/female 1,998,502) 15-64 years: 51.2% (male 2,210,157/female 2,240,921) 65 years and over: 2.5% (male 87,600/female 132,505) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 16.7 years male: 16.4 years female: 17 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
3.443% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
41.72 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
12.91 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
5.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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 (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 60.77 deaths/1,000 live births male: 67.6 deaths/1,000 live births female: 53.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 51.71 years male: 50.86 years female: 52.6 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
6.4 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
6% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
250,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
25,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Burundian(s) adjective: Burundian
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: 59.3% male: 67.3% female: 52.2% (2000 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 7 years male: 8 years female: 7 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
5.1% of GDP (2005)
Government
Burundi
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Burundi conventional short form: Burundi local long form: Republique du Burundi/Republika y'u Burundi local short form: Burundi former: Urundi
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Bujumbura geographic coordinates: 3 22 S, 29 21 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
17 provinces; Bubanza, Bujumbura Mairie, Bujumbura Rurale, 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:
28 February 2005; ratified by popular referendum
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 NKURUNZIZA (since 26 August 2005); First Vice President Yves SAVINGUVU - Tutsi (since 9 November 2007); Second Vice President Gabriel NTISEZERANA - Hutu (since 9 February 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Pierre NKURUNZIZA (since 26 August 2005); First Vice President Yves SAVINGUVU - Tutsi (since 9 November 2007); Second Vice President Gabriel NTISEZERANA - Hutu (since 9 February 2007) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by president elections: the president is elected by popular vote to a five-year term (eligible for a second term); note - the constitution adopted in February 2005 permits the post-transition president to be elected by a two-thirds majority of the parliament; vice presidents nominated by the president, endorsed by parliament election results: Pierre NKURUNZIZA was elected president by the parliament by a vote of 151 to 9; note - the constitution adopted in February 2005 permits the post-transition president to be elected by a two-thirds majority of the legislature
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Parlement, consists of a National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (minimum 100 seats, 60% Hutu and 40% Tutsi with at least 30% being women; additional seats appointed by a National Independent Electoral Commission to ensure ethnic representation; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and a Senate (54 seats; 34 members elected by indirect vote to serve five-year terms, with remaining seats assigned to ethnic groups and former chiefs of state) elections: National Assembly - last held 4 July 2005 (next to be held in 2010); Senate - last held 29 July 2005 (next to be held in 2010) election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - CNDD-FDD 58.6%, FRODEBU 21.7%, UPRONA 7.2%, CNDD 4.1%, MRC-Rurenzangemero 2.1%, others 6.2%; seats by party - CNDD-FDD 59, FRODEBU 25, UPRONA 10, CNDD 4, MRC-Rurenzangemero 2; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CNDD-FDD 30, FRODEBU 3, CNDD 1
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Constitutional Court; High Court of
Justice (composed of the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court)
Political parties and leaders:
governing parties: Burundi Democratic Front or FRODEBU [Leonce NGENDAKUMANA]; National Council for the Defense of Democracy - Front for the Defense of Democracy or CNDD-FDD [Jeremie NGENDAKUMANA]; Unity for National Progress or UPRONA [Aloys RUBUKA] note: a multiparty system was introduced after 1998, included are: National Council for the Defense of Democracy or CNDD [Leonard NYANGOMA]; National Resistance Movement for the Rehabilitation of the Citizen or MRC-Rurenzangemero [Epitace BANYAGANAKANDI]; Party for National Redress or PARENA [Jean-Baptiste BAGAZA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Observatoire de lutte contre la corruption et les malversations economiques or OLUCOME [Gabriel RUFYIRI] (anti-corruption pressure group) other: Hutu and Tutsi militias (loosely organized)
International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, COMESA, EAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
IPU, ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNAMID,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Celestin NIYONGABO chancery: Suite 212, 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 342-2574 FAX: [1] (202) 342-2578
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Patricia Newton MOLLER embassy: Avenue des Etats-Unis, Bujumbura mailing address: B. P. 1720, Bujumbura telephone: [257] 223454 FAX: [257] 222926
Flag description:
divided by a white diagonal cross into red panels (top and bottom) and green panels (hoist side and fly 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 more than 90% of the population dependent on subsistence agriculture. Economic growth depends on coffee and tea exports, which account for 90% of foreign exchange earnings. The ability to pay for imports, therefore, rests primarily on weather conditions and international coffee and tea prices. The Tutsi minority, 14% of the population, dominates the government and the coffee trade at the expense of the Hutu majority, 85% of the population. An ethnic-based war that lasted for over a decade resulted in more than 200,000 deaths, forced more than 48,000 refugees into Tanzania, and displaced 140,000 others internally. Only one in two children go to school, and approximately one in 15 adults has HIV/AIDS. Food, medicine, and electricity remain in short supply. Burundi's GDP grew around 5% annually in 2006-07. Political stability and the end of the civil war have improved aid flows and economic activity has increased, but underlying weaknesses - a high poverty rate, poor education rates, a weak legal system, and low administrative capacity - risk undermining planned economic reforms. Burundi will continue to remain heavily dependent on aid from bilateral and multilateral donors; the delay of funds after a corruption scandal cut off bilateral aid in 2007 reduced government's revenues and its ability to pay salaries.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$2.907 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.001 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.6% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$300 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 33.7% industry: 20.9% services: 45.4% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
2.99 million (2002)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 93.6% industry: 2.3% services: 4.1% (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate:
Population below poverty line:
68% (2002 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.7% highest 10%: 32.8% (1998)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
42.4 (1998)
Investment (gross fixed):
24.4% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $264.2 million expenditures: $335.4 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
8.3% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
10.12% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
16.84% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$208.7 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$141 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$342 million (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
coffee, cotton, tea, corn, sorghum, sweet potatoes, bananas, manioc (tapioca); beef, milk, hides
Industries:
light consumer goods such as blankets, shoes, soap; assembly of imported components; public works construction; food processing
Industrial production growth rate:
6.4% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
87 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
120.9 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
40 million kWh; note - supplied by the Democratic Republic of the Congo (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 0.6% hydro: 99.4% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
2,956 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
2,635 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$101 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$44 million f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
coffee, tea, sugar, cotton, hides
Exports - partners:
Germany 31.3%, Pakistan 6.8%, Belgium 5.8%, Sweden 4.3%, Rwanda 4.3%, France 4.2%, Sudan 4% (2007)
Imports:
$272 million f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
capital goods, petroleum products, foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
Saudi Arabia 17%, Kenya 11.4%, Belgium 8.7%, France 6.1%, Uganda 5.4%, Germany 5.4%, India 4.8%, Pakistan 4.2% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$365 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$177.1 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$1.2 billion (2003)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
Burundi franc (BIF)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Burundi francs (BIF) per US dollar - 1,065 (2007), 1,030 (2006), 1,138 (2005), 1,100.91 (2004), 1,082.62 (2003)
Communications
Burundi
Telephones - main lines in use:
35,000 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
250,000 (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: primitive system; telephone density one of the lowest in the world; fixed-line connections stand at well less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular usage is increasing but remains at a meager 3 per 100 persons domestic: sparse system of open-wire, radiotelephone communications, and low-capacity microwave radio relay international: country code - 257; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2007)
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 hosts:
162 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)
Internet users:
60,000 (2006)
Transportation
Burundi
Airports:
8 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 3 (2007)
Heliports:
1 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 12,322 km paved: 1,286 km unpaved: 11,036 km (2004)
Waterways:
mainly on Lake Tanganyika (2005)
Ports and terminals:
Bujumbura
Military
Burundi
Military branches:
National Defense Force (Forces de Defense Nationales, FDN): Army (includes Naval Detachment and Air Wing), Gendarmerie (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
16 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; children as young as 10 years of age have been conscripted into the armed forces; the enrollment of children is still not prohibited (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,878,544 females age 16-49: 1,851,676 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,083,899 females age 16-49: 1,062,488 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 98,105 female: 98,533 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
5.9% of GDP (2006 est.)
Transnational Issues
Burundi
Disputes - international:
Burundi and Rwanda dispute sections of border on the Akanyaru/Kanyaru and the Kagera/Nyabarongo rivers, which have changed course since the 1960s, when the boundary was delimited; cross-border conflicts among Tutsi, Hutu, other ethnic groups, associated political rebels, armed gangs, and various government forces persist in the Great Lakes region
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 9,849 (Democratic Republic of the
Congo)
IDPs: 100,000 (armed conflict between government and rebels; most
IDPs in northern and western Burundi) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Burundi is a source country for children trafficked for the purposes of child soldiering, domestic servitude, and commercial sexual exploitation; a small number of Burundian children may be trafficked internally for domestic servitude or commercial sexual exploitation; in early 2008, Burundian children were allegedly trafficked to Uganda, via Rwanda, for agricultural labor and commercial sexual exploitation tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Burundi is on the Tier 2 Watch List for the second consecutive year for its failure to provide sufficient evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in persons in 2007; the government's inability to provide adequate protective services to children accused of association with armed groups and to conduct anti-trafficking law enforcement activities continue to be causes for concern; Burundi has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Cambodia
Introduction
Cambodia
Background:
Most Cambodians consider themselves to be Khmers, descendants of the Angkor Empire that extended over much of Southeast Asia and reached its zenith between the 10th and 13th centuries. Attacks by the Thai and Cham (from present-day Vietnam) weakened the empire, ushering in a long period of decline. The king placed the country under French protection in 1863 and it became part of French Indochina in 1887. Following Japanese occupation in World War II, Cambodia gained full independence from France in 1953. In April 1975, after a five-year struggle, Communist Khmer Rouge forces captured Phnom Penh and evacuated all cities and towns. At least 1.5 million Cambodians died from execution, forced hardships, or starvation during the Khmer Rouge regime under POL POT. A December 1978 Vietnamese invasion drove the Khmer Rouge into the countryside, began a 10-year Vietnamese occupation, and touched off almost 13 years of civil war. The 1991 Paris Peace Accords mandated democratic elections and a ceasefire, which was not fully respected by the Khmer Rouge. UN-sponsored elections in 1993 helped restore some semblance of normalcy under a coalition government. Factional fighting in 1997 ended the first coalition government, but a second round of national elections in 1998 led to the formation of another coalition government and renewed political stability. The remaining elements of the Khmer Rouge surrendered in early 1999. Some of the remaining Khmer Rouge leaders are awaiting trial by a UN-sponsored tribunal for crimes against humanity. Elections in July 2003 were relatively peaceful, but it took one year of negotiations between contending political parties before a coalition government was formed. In October 2004, King SIHANOUK abdicated the throne due to illness and his son, Prince Norodom SIHAMONI, was selected to succeed him. Local elections were held in Cambodia in April 2007, and there was little in the way of pre-election violence that preceded prior elections. National elections are scheduled for July 2008.
Geography
Cambodia
Location:
Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, between Thailand,
Vietnam, and Laos
Geographic coordinates:
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:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 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:
oil and gas, timber, gemstones, iron ore, manganese, phosphates, hydropower potential
Land use:
arable land: 20.44% permanent crops: 0.59% other: 78.97% (2005)
Irrigated land:
2,700 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
476.1 cu km (1999)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 4.08 cu km/yr (1%/0%/98%) per capita: 290 cu m/yr (2000)
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, most of the population does not have access to potable water; declining fish stocks because of illegal fishing and overfishing
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note:
a land of paddies and forests dominated by the Mekong River and Tonle Sap
People
Cambodia
Population:
14,241,640 note: estimates for this country take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 33.2% (male 2,389,668/female 2,338,838) 15-64 years: 63.2% (male 4,372,480/female 4,627,895) 65 years and over: 3.6% (male 193,338/female 319,421) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 21.7 years male: 21 years female: 22.5 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.752% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
25.68 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
8.16 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 56.59 deaths/1,000 live births male: 63.76 deaths/1,000 live births female: 49.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 61.69 years male: 59.65 years female: 63.83 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.08 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
2.6% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
170,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
15,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, Japanese encephalitis, and malaria note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2008)
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: 73.6% male: 84.7% female: 64.1% (2004 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 10 years male: 10 years female: 9 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
1.7% of GDP (2004)
Government
Cambodia
Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Cambodia conventional short form: Cambodia local long form: Preahreacheanachakr Kampuchea (phonetic pronunciation) local short form: Kampuchea former: Khmer Republic, Democratic Kampuchea, People's Republic of Kampuchea, State of Cambodia
Government type:
multiparty democracy under a constitutional monarchy
Capital:
name: Phnom Penh geographic coordinates: 11 33 N, 104 55 E time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
20 provinces (khaitt, singular and plural) and 4 municipalities* (krong, singular and plural) provinces: Banteay Mean Cheay, Batdambang, Kampong Cham, Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Spoe, Kampong Thum, Kampot, Kandal, Kaoh Kong, Krachen, Mondol Kiri, Otdar Mean Cheay, Pouthisat, Preah Vihear, Prey Veng, Rotanah Kiri, Siem Reab, Stoeng Treng, Svay Rieng, Takev municipalities: Keb, Pailin, Phnum Penh (Phnom Penh), Preah Seihanu (Sihanoukville)
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; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: King Norodom SIHAMONI (since 29 October 2004) head of government: Prime Minister HUN SEN (since 14 January 1985) [co-prime minister from 1993 to 1997]; Permanent Deputy Prime Minister MEN SAM AN (since 25 September 2008); Deputy Prime Ministers SAR KHENG (since 3 February 1992); SOK AN, TEA BANH, HOR NAMHONG, NHEK BUNCHHAY (since 16 July 2004); BIN CHHIN (since 5 September 2007); KEAT CHHON, YIM CHHAI LY (since 25 September 2008) cabinet: Council of Ministers in theory appointed by the monarch; in practice named by the prime minister elections: the monarch is chosen by a Royal Throne Council; following legislative elections, a member of the majority party or majority coalition is named prime minister by the Chairman of the National Assembly and appointed by the king
Legislative branch:
bicameral, consists of the National Assembly (123 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Senate (61 seats; 2 members appointed by the monarch, 2 elected by the National Assembly, and 57 elected by parliamentarians and commune councils; members serve five-year terms) elections: National Assembly - last held 27 July 2008 (next to be held in July 2013); Senate - last held 22 January 2006 (next to be held in January 2011) election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - CPP 58%, SRP 22%, others 20%; seats by party - CPP 90, SRP 26, others 7; Senate - percent of vote by party - CPP 69%, FUNCINPEC 21%, SRP 10%; seats by party - CPP 45, FUNCINPEC 10, SRP 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:
Cambodian People's Party or CPP [CHEA SIM]; National United Front
for an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful, and Cooperative Cambodia or
FUNCINPEC [KEV PUT REAKSMEI]; Norodom Ranariddh Party or NRP
[Norodom RANARIDDH]; Sam Rangsi Party or SRP [SAM RANGSI]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Cambodian Freedom Fighters or CFF; Partnership for Transparency Fund or PTF (anti-corruption organization); Students Movement for Democracy; The Committee for Free and Fair Elections or Comfrel other: human rights organizations; vendors
International organization participation:
ACCT, ADB, APT, ARF, ASEAN, EAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO
(subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires MENG EANG NAY chancery: 4530 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 telephone: [1] (202) 726-7742 FAX: [1] (202) 726-8381
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Carol A. RODLEY embassy: #1, Street 96, Sangkat Wat Phnom, Khan Daun Penh, Phnom Penh mailing address: Box P, APO AP 96546 telephone: [855] (23) 728-000 FAX: [855] (23) 728-600
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 note: only national flag to incorporate an actual building in its design
Economy
Cambodia
Economy - overview:
From 2001 to 2004, the economy grew at an average rate of 6.4%, driven largely by an expansion in the garment sector and tourism. The US and Cambodia signed a Bilateral Textile Agreement, which gave Cambodia a guaranteed quota of US textile imports and established a bonus for improving working conditions and enforcing Cambodian labor laws and international labor standards in the industry. With the January 2005 expiration of a WTO Agreement on Textiles and Clothing, Cambodia-based textile producers were forced to compete directly with lower-priced producing countries such as China and India. Better-than-expected garment sector performance led to more than 9% growth in 2007. Its vibrant garment industry employs more than 350,000 people and contributes more than 70% of Cambodia's exports. The Cambodian government has committed itself to a policy supporting high labor standards in an attempt to maintain buyer interest. In 2005, exploitable oil and natural gas deposits were found beneath Cambodia's territorial waters, representing a new revenue stream for the government if commercial extraction begins. Mining also is attracting significant investor interest, particularly in the northeastern parts of the country, and the government has said opportunities exist for mining bauxite, gold, iron and gems. In 2006, a US-Cambodia bilateral Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) was signed and the first round of discussions took place in early 2007. The tourism industry continues to grow rapidly, with foreign arrivals reaching 2 million in 2007. In 2007 the government signed a joint venture agreement with two companies to form a new national airline. The long-term development of the economy remains a daunting challenge. The Cambodian government is working with bilateral and multilateral donors, including the World Bank and IMF, to address the country's many pressing needs. The major economic challenge for Cambodia over the next decade will be fashioning an economic environment in which the private sector can create enough jobs to handle Cambodia's demographic imbalance. More than 50% of the population is less than 21 years old. The population lacks education and productive skills, particularly in the poverty-ridden countryside, which suffers from an almost total lack of basic infrastructure.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$26.19 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$8.604 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
10.1% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,900 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 31% industry: 26% services: 43% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
7 million (2003 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 75% industry: NA% services: NA%
Unemployment rate:
2.5% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line:
35% (2004)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 34.8% (2004)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
41.7 (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
19.2% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $1.015 billion expenditures: $1.168 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.9% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
5.25% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$513.6 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$2.309 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.131 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
rice, rubber, corn, vegetables, cashews, tapioca
Industries:
tourism, garments, rice milling, fishing, wood and wood products, rubber, cement, gem mining, textiles
Industrial production growth rate:
15% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
1.163 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
1.178 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
110 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 65% hydro: 35% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
3,736 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
3,618 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
Current account balance:
-$506.3 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$4.089 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
clothing, timber, rubber, rice, fish, tobacco, footwear
Exports - partners:
US 58.1%, Germany 7.3%, UK 5.2%, Canada 4.6%, Vietnam 4.5% (2007)
Imports:
$5.424 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
petroleum products, cigarettes, gold, construction materials, machinery, motor vehicles, pharmaceutical products
Imports - partners:
Thailand 23.1%, Vietnam 16.9%, China 15%, Hong Kong 10.4%, Singapore 7.5%, Taiwan 7.2%, South Korea 4.8% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$698.2 million pledged in grants and concession loans for 2007 by international donors (2007)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$2.143 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$3.89 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
riel (KHR)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
riels (KHR) per US dollar - 4,006 (2007), 4,103 (2006), 4,092.5 (2005), 4,016.25 (2004), 3,973.33 (2003)
Communications
Cambodia
Telephones - main lines in use:
37,500 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
2.583 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: mobile-phone systems are widely used in urban areas to bypass deficiencies in the fixed-line network; fixed-line connections stand at well less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular usage, aided by increasing competition among service providers, is increasing and stands at nearly 20 per 100 persons domestic: adequate landline and/or cellular service in Phnom Penh and other provincial cities; mobile-phone coverage is rapidly expanding in rural areas international: country code - 855; 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) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 17, shortwave NA (2003)
Radios:
1.34 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
9 (including 2 TV relay stations with French and Vietnamese broadcasts); excludes 18 regional relay stations (2006)
Televisions:
94,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.kh
Internet hosts:
1,230 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)
Internet users:
70,000 (2007)
Transportation
Cambodia
Airports:
17 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Heliports:
1 (2007)
Railways:
total: 602 km narrow gauge: 602 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 38,257 km paved: 2,406 km unpaved: 35,851 km (2004)
Waterways:
2,400 km (mainly on Mekong River) (2005)
Merchant marine:
total: 626 by type: bulk carrier 41, cargo 530, carrier 3, chemical tanker 10, container 8, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 11, refrigerated cargo 15, roll on/roll off 1, vehicle carrier 1 foreign-owned: 467 (Canada 2, China 193, Cyprus 7, Egypt 13, Gabon 1, Greece 3, Hong Kong 8, Indonesia 2, Japan 1, South Korea 22, Latvia 1, Lebanon 8, Netherlands 1, Romania 1, Russia 83, Singapore 4, Syria 48, Taiwan 1, Turkey 26, Ukraine 34, UAE 2, US 6) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Phnom Penh, Kampong Saom (Sihanoukville)
Military
Cambodia
Military branches:
Royal Cambodian Armed Forces: Royal Cambodian Army, Royal Khmer
Navy, Royal Cambodian Air Force (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
conscription law of October 2006 requires all males between 18-30 to register for military service; 18-month service obligation (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 3,759,034 females age 16-49: 3,784,333 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,581,045 females age 16-49: 2,676,075 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 185,959 female: 182,558 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
3% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
Cambodia
Disputes - international:
Cambodia and Thailand dispute sections of boundary with missing boundary markers and claims of Thai encroachments into Cambodian territory; maritime boundary with Vietnam is hampered by unresolved dispute over sovereignty of offshore islands; Thailand accuses Cambodia of obstructing inclusion of Thai areas near Preah Vihear temple ruins, awarded to Cambodia by ICJ decision in 1962, as part of a planned UN World Heritage site
Illicit drugs:
narcotics-related corruption reportedly involving some in the government, military, and police; limited methamphetamine production; vulnerable to money laundering due to its cash-based economy and porous borders
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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 a slow movement toward democratic reform, political power remains firmly in the hands of President Paul BIYA.
Geography
Cameroon
Location:
Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Equatorial
Guinea and Nigeria
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 475,440 sq km land: 469,440 sq km water: 6,000 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: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 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 4,095 m (on Mt. Cameroon)
Natural resources:
petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 12.54% permanent crops: 2.52% other: 84.94% (2005)
Irrigated land:
260 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
285.5 cu km (2003)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.99 cu km/yr (18%/8%/74%) per capita: 61 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
volcanic activity with periodic releases of poisonous gases from Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun volcanoes
Environment - current issues:
waterborne diseases are prevalent; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; poaching; overfishing
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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:
18,467,692 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 41.1% (male 3,826,232/female 3,757,859) 15-64 years: 55.7% (male 5,164,338/female 5,122,817) 65 years and over: 3.2% (male 274,821/female 321,625) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 19 years male: 18.9 years female: 19.2 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.218% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
34.59 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
12.41 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA (2008 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 (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 64.57 deaths/1,000 live births male: 69.39 deaths/1,000 live births female: 59.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 53.3 years male: 52.54 years female: 54.08 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
4.41 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
6.9% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
560,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
49,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis animal contact disease: rabies (2008)
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: 67.9% male: 77% female: 59.8% (2001 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 9 years male: 10 years female: 8 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
3.3% of GDP (2006)
Government
Cameroon
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Cameroon conventional short form: Cameroon local long form: Republique du Cameroun/Republic of Cameroon local short form: Cameroun/Cameroon former: French Cameroon, British Cameroon, Federal Republic of Cameroon, United Republic of Cameroon
Government type:
republic; multiparty presidential regime
Capital:
name: Yaounde geographic coordinates: 3 52 N, 11 31 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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, adopted 2 June 1972; revised January 1996
Legal system:
based on French civil law system, with common law influence; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
20 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982) head of government: Prime Minister Ephraim INONI (since 8 December 2004) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from proposals submitted by the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 11 October 2004 (next to be held by October 2011); prime minister appointed by the president election results: President Paul BIYA reelected; percent of vote - Paul BIYA 70.9%, John FRU NDI 17.4%, Adamou Ndam NJOYA 4.5%, Garga Haman ADJI 3.7%
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 22 July 2007 (next to be held in 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RDCP 140, SDF 14, UDC 4, UNDP 4, MP 1, vacant 17; note - vacant seats will be determined in a yet to be scheduled by-election after the Supreme Court nullified results in five districts 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 six substitute judges, elected by the National Assembly)
Political parties and leaders:
Cameroonian Democratic Union or UDC [Adamou Ndam NJOYA]; Cameroon
People's Democratic Movement or RDPC [Paul BIYA]; Movement for the
Defense of the Republic or MDR [Dakole DAISSALA]; Movement for the
Liberation and Development of Cameroon or MLDC [Marcel YONDO];
National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP [Maigari BELLO
BOUBA]; Progressive Movement or MP; Social Democratic Front or SDF
[John FRU NDI]; Union of Peoples of Cameroon or UPC [Augustin
Frederic KODOCK]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Human Rights Defense Group [Albert MUKONG, president]; Southern
Cameroon National Council [Ayamba Ette OTUN]
International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, C, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO,
ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph FOE-ATANGANA chancery: 2349 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-8790 FAX: [1] (202) 387-3826
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Janet E. GARVEY embassy: Avenue Rosa Parks, Yaounde mailing address: P. O. Box 817, Yaounde; pouch: American Embassy, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2520 telephone: [237] 2220 15 00; Consular: [237] 2220 16 03 FAX: [237] 2220 16 00 Ext. 4531; Consular FAX: [237] 2220 17 52 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 note: uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
Economy
Cameroon
Economy - overview:
Because of its modest 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, privatization, and poverty reduction programs. In January 2001, the Paris Club agreed to reduce Cameroon's debt of $1.3 billion by $900 million; debt relief now totals $1.26 billion. International oil and cocoa prices have a significant impact on the economy.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$40.24 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$20.65 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2.7% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,200 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 43.9% industry: 15.8% services: 40.3% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
6.674 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 70% industry: 13% services: 17% (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate:
30% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line:
48% (2000 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 35.4% (2001)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
44.6 (2001)
Investment (gross fixed):
17.3% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $4.179 billion expenditures: $3.297 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June
Public debt:
15.5% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.1% (2007 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
15% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$2.616 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$1.698 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.3 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
coffee, cocoa, cotton, rubber, bananas, oilseed, grains, root starches; livestock; timber
Industries:
petroleum production and refining, aluminum production, food processing, light consumer goods, textiles, lumber, ship repair
Industrial production growth rate:
3.5% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
3.903 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
3.323 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 2.7% hydro: 97.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
87,400 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Oil - consumption:
24,500 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
108,800 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
50,750 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
200 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
20 million cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
20 million cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
135.1 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
-$325 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$3.827 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
crude oil and petroleum products, lumber, cocoa beans, aluminum, coffee, cotton
Exports - partners:
Spain 19.8%, Italy 15.7%, France 11.7%, South Korea 9.4%,
Netherlands 6.1%, US 5.7% (2007)
Imports:
$3.714 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery, electrical equipment, transport equipment, fuel, food
Imports - partners:
France 23.4%, Nigeria 12.8%, China 9%, Belgium 5.8%, US 4% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$413.8 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$2.932 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$2.554 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 493.51 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003)
Communications
Cameroon
Telephones - main lines in use:
130,700 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
4.536 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: fixed-line connections stand at less than 1 per 100 persons; equipment is old and outdated, and connections with many parts of the country are unreliable; mobile-cellular usage, in part a reflection of the poor condition and general inadequacy of the fixed-line network, increased more than 6-fold between 2002 and 2007 reaching a subscribership base of 25 per 100 persons domestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter international: country code - 237; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and Asia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 3 (2001)
Radios:
2.27 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (2001)
Televisions:
450,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.cm
Internet hosts:
69 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2002)
Internet users:
370,000 (2006)
Transportation
Cameroon
Airports:
45 (2007)
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 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 34 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 20 under 914 m: 8 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 27 km; liquid petroleum gas 5 km; oil 1,110 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 987 km narrow gauge: 987 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 50,000 km paved: 5,000 km unpaved: 45,000 km (2004)
Waterways:
navigation mainly on Benue River; limited during rainy season (2005)
Ports and terminals:
Douala, Limboh Terminal
Military
Cameroon
Military branches:
Cameroon Armed Forces: Army, Navy (includes naval infantry), Air
Force (Armee de l'Air du Cameroun, AAC) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; the government makes periodic calls for volunteers (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 4,321,175 females age 16-49: 4,228,625 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,567,428 females age 16-49: 2,498,990 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 212,205 female: 207,545 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.3% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Cameroon
Disputes - international:
Joint Border Commission with Nigeria reviewed 2002 ICJ ruling on the entire boundary and bilaterally resolved differences, including June 2006 Greentree Agreement that immediately ceded sovereignty of the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon with a full phase-out of Nigerian control and patriation of residents in 2008; Cameroon and Nigeria agree on maritime delimitation in March 2008; sovereignty dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon over an island at the mouth of the Ntem River; only Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty, which also includes the Chad-Niger and Niger-Nigeria boundaries
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 20,000-30,000 (Chad); 3,000 (Nigeria); 24,000 (Central African Republic) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Cameroon is a source, transit, and destination country for women and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation; most victims are children trafficked within country, with girls primarily trafficked for domestic servitude and sexual exploitation; both boys and girls are also trafficked within Cameroon for forced labor in sweatshops, bars, restaurants, and on tea and cocoa plantations; children are trafficked into Cameroon from neighboring states for forced labor in agriculture, fishing, street vending, and spare-parts shops; Cameroon is a transit country for children trafficked between Gabon and Nigeria, and from Nigeria to Saudi Arabia; it is a source country for women transported by sex-trafficking rings to Europe tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Cameroon is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking in 2007, particularly in terms of efforts to prosecute and convict trafficking offenders; while Cameroon reported some arrests of traffickers, none of them were prosecuted or punished; the government does not identify trafficking victims among vulnerable populations nor does it monitor the number of victims it intercepts (2008)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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. Canada faces the political challenges of meeting public demands for quality improvements in health care and education services, as well as responding to separatist concerns in predominantly francophone Quebec. Canada also aims to develop its diverse energy resources while maintaining its commitment to the environment.
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:
Map references:
North America
Area:
total: 9,984,670 sq km land: 9,093,507 sq km water: 891,163 sq km
Area - comparative:
somewhat larger than the US
Land boundaries:
total: 8,893 km border countries: US 8,893 km (includes 2,477 km with Alaska)
Coastline:
202,080 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
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, diamonds, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, petroleum, natural gas, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 4.57% permanent crops: 0.65% other: 94.78% (2005)
Irrigated land:
7,850 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
3,300 cu km (1985)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 44.72 cu km/yr (20%/69%/12%) per capita: 1,386 cu m/yr (1996)
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-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, 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, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note:
second-largest country in world (after Russia); strategic location between Russia and US via north polar route; approximately 90% of the population is concentrated within 160 km of the US border
People
Canada
Population:
33,212,696 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.3% (male 2,780,491/female 2,644,276) 15-64 years: 68.8% (male 11,547,354/female 11,300,639) 65 years and over: 14.9% (male 2,150,991/female 2,788,945) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 40.1 years male: 39 years female: 41.2 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.83% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
10.29 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
7.61 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
5.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 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: 0.98 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 5.08 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 81.16 years male: 78.65 years female: 83.81 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.57 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.3% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
56,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
1,500 (2003 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 42.6%, Protestant 23.3% (including United Church 9.5%, Anglican 6.8%, Baptist 2.4%, Lutheran 2%), other Christian 4.4%, Muslim 1.9%, other and unspecified 11.8%, none 16% (2001 census)
Languages:
English (official) 59.3%, French (official) 23.2%, other 17.5%
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 17 years male: 17 years female: 17 years (2004)
Education expenditures:
5.2% of GDP (2002)
Government
Canada
Country name:
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Canada
Government type:
constitutional monarchy that is also a parliamentary democracy and a federation
Capital:
name: Ottawa geographic coordinates: 45 25 N, 75 42 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November note: Canada is divided into six time zones
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 (union of British North American colonies); 11 December 1931 (recognized by UK)
National holiday:
Canada Day, 1 July (1867)
Constitution:
made up of unwritten and written acts, customs, judicial decisions, and traditions; the written part of the constitution consists of the Constitution Act of 29 March 1867, which created a federation of four provinces, and the Constitution Act of 17 April 1982, which transferred formal control over the constitution from Britain to Canada, and added a Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms as well as procedures for constitutional amendments
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 Michaelle JEAN (since 27 September 2005) head of government: Prime Minister Stephen HARPER (since 6 February 2006) cabinet: Federal Ministry chosen by the prime minister usually from among the members of his own party sitting in Parliament elections: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister for a five-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition in the House of Commons is automatically designated prime minister by the governor general
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat (105 seats; members appointed by the governor general with the advice of the prime minister and serve until reaching 75 years of age) and the House of Commons or Chambre des Communes (308 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote to serve a maximum of five-year terms starting in 2009 elections) elections: House of Commons - last held 14 October 2008 (next to be held 19 October 2009) election results: House of Commons - percent of vote by party - Conservative Party 37.6%, Liberal Party 26.2%, New Democratic Party 18.2%, Bloc Quebecois 10%, Greens 6.8%, other 1%; seats by party - Conservative Party 143, Liberal Party 76, New Democratic Party 37, Bloc Quebecois 50, other 1
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]; Conservative Party of Canada
[Stephen HARPER] (a merger of the Canadian Alliance and the
Progressive Conservative Party); Green Party [Elizabeth MAY];
Liberal Party [Stephane DION]; New Democratic Party [Jack LAYTON]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: agricultural sector; automobile industry; business groups; chemical industry; commercial banks; communications sector; energy industry; environmentalists; public administration groups; steel industry; trade unions
International organization participation:
ACCT, ADB (nonregional members), AfDB (nonregional members), APEC,
Arctic Council, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS,
C, CDB, CE (observer), EAPC, EBRD, ESA (cooperating state), FAO,
G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,
ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAFTA, NAM (guest),
NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PIF
(partner), SECI (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO,
UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNMIS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Michael WILSON chancery: 501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001 telephone: [1] (202) 682-1740 FAX: [1] (202) 682-7701 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Tucson consulate(s): Anchorage, Houston, Philadelphia, Princeton (New Jersey), Raleigh, San Jose (California)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador David H. WILKINS embassy: 490 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 1G8 mailing address: P. O. Box 5000, Ogdensburgh, NY 13669-0430; P.O. Box 866, Station B, Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5T1 telephone: [1] (613) 688-5335 FAX: [1] (613) 688-3082 consulate(s) general: Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec, Toronto, Vancouver, Winnipeg
Flag description:
two vertical bands of red (hoist and fly side, half width), with white square between them; an 11-pointed red maple leaf is centered in the white square; the official colors of Canada are red and white
Economy
Canada
Economy - overview:
As an affluent, high-tech industrial society in the trillion-dollar class, Canada resembles the US in its market-oriented economic system, pattern of production, and affluent 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 the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) (which includes Mexico) touched off a dramatic increase in trade and economic integration with the US. Given its great natural resources, skilled labor force, and modern capital plant, Canada enjoys solid economic prospects. Top-notch fiscal management has produced consecutive balanced budgets since 1997, although public debate continues over the equitable distribution of federal funds to the Canadian provinces. Exports account for roughly a third of GDP. Canada enjoys a substantial trade surplus with its principal trading partner, the US, which absorbs 80% of Canadian exports each year. Canada is the US's largest foreign supplier of energy, including oil, gas, uranium, and electric power. During 2007, Canada enjoyed good economic growth, moderate inflation, and the lowest unemployment rate in more than three decades.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.271 trillion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.432 trillion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2.7% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$38,600 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2.1% industry: 28.8% services: 69.1% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
17.95 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 2%, manufacturing 13%, construction 6%, services 76%, other 3% (2006)
Unemployment rate:
6% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
10.8%; note - this figure is the Low Income Cut-Off (LICO), a calculation that results in higher figures than found in many comparable economies; Canada does not have an official poverty line (2005)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 24.8% (2000)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
32.1 (2005)
Investment (gross fixed):
22.6% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $569.3 billion expenditures: $556.2 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Public debt:
64.2% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.1% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
4.5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
6.1% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$391.6 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$1.381 trillion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$2.382 trillion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
wheat, barley, oilseed, tobacco, fruits, vegetables; dairy products; forest products; fish
Industries:
transportation equipment, chemicals, processed and unprocessed minerals, food products, wood and paper products, fish products, petroleum and natural gas
Industrial production growth rate:
0.3% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
612.6 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
530 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
50.12 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
19.66 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 28% hydro: 57.9% nuclear: 12.9% other: 1.3% (2001)
Oil - production:
3.425 million bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
2.371 million bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - exports:
2.225 million bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
1.229 million bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
178.6 billion bbl note: includes oil sands (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
187 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
92.9 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
107.3 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
13.2 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
1.648 trillion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
$12.67 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$431.1 billion f.o.b. (2007 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 78.9%, UK 2.8%, China 2.1% (2007)
Imports:
$386.4 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, crude oil, chemicals, electricity, durable consumer goods
Imports - partners:
US 54.1%, China 9.4%, Mexico 4.2% (2007)
Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $3.9 billion (2007)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$41.08 billion (2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$758.6 billion (30 June 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$527.4 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$514.7 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$1.481 trillion (2005)
Currency (code):
Canadian dollar (CAD)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Canadian dollars (CAD) per US dollar - 1.0724 (2007), 1.1334 (2006), 1.2118 (2005), 1.301 (2004), 1.4011 (2003)
Communications
Canada
Telephones - main lines in use:
21 million (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
18.749 million (2006)
Telephone system:
general assessment: excellent service provided by modern technology domestic: domestic satellite system with about 300 earth stations international: country code - 1; submarine cables provide links to the US and Europe; satellite earth stations - 7 (5 Intelsat - 4 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean, and 2 Intersputnik - Atlantic Ocean region) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 245, FM 582, shortwave 6 (2004)
Radios:
32.3 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
80 (plus many repeaters) (1997)
Televisions:
21.5 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.ca
Internet hosts:
5.119 million (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
760 (2000 est.)
Internet users:
28 million (2007)
Transportation
Canada
Airports:
1,343 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 509 over 3,047 m: 18 2,438 to 3,047 m: 16 1,524 to 2,437 m: 149 914 to 1,523 m: 248 under 914 m: 78 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 834 1,524 to 2,437 m: 68 914 to 1,523 m: 356 under 914 m: 410 (2007)
Heliports:
11 (2007)
Pipelines:
crude and refined oil 23,564 km; liquid petroleum gas 74,980 km (2006)
Railways:
total: 48,068 km standard gauge: 48,068 km 1.435-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 1,042,300 km paved: 415,600 km (includes 17,000 km of expressways) unpaved: 626,700 km (2006)
Waterways:
636 km note: Saint Lawrence Seaway of 3,769 km, including the Saint Lawrence River of 3,058 km, shared with United States (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 175 by type: bulk carrier 60, cargo 13, carrier 1, chemical tanker 10, combination ore/oil 1, container 2, passenger 6, passenger/cargo 64, petroleum tanker 12, roll on/roll off 6 foreign-owned: 17 (Germany 3, Netherlands 1, Norway 3, US 10) registered in other countries: 206 (Australia 9, Bahamas 84, Barbados 9, Cambodia 2, Cyprus 2, Denmark 1, Honduras 1, Hong Kong 44, Liberia 7, Malta 1, Marshall Islands 6, Norway 7, Norway 3, Panama 18, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Spain 1, Spain 3, Taiwan 2, Vanuatu 5) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Fraser River Port, Halifax, Hamilton, Montreal, Port-Cartier, Quebec
City, Saint John (New Brunswick), Sept-Isles, Vancouver
Military
Canada
Military branches:
Canadian Forces: Land Forces Command (LFC), Maritime Command (MARCOM), Air Command (AIRCOM), Canada Command (homeland security) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
17 years of age for male and female voluntary military service (with parental consent); 16 years of age for reserve and military college applicants; Canadian citizenship or permanent residence status required; maximum 34 years of age; service obligation 3-9 years (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 8,072,010 females age 16-49: 7,813,462 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 6,646,281 females age 16-49: 6,417,924 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 227,435 female: 215,556 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.1% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
Canada
Disputes - international:
managed maritime boundary disputes with the US at Dixon Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and the Gulf of Maine including the disputed Machias Seal Island and North Rock; Canada, the US, and other countries dispute the status of the Northwest Passage; US works closely with Canada to intensify security measures for monitoring and controlling legal and illegal movement of people, transport, and commodities across the international border; sovereignty dispute with Denmark over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between Ellesmere Island and Greenland; commencing the collection of technical evidence for submission to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf in support of claims for continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles from its declared baselines in the Arctic, as stipulated in Article 76, paragraph 8, of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic drug market and export to US; use of hydroponics technology permits growers to plant large quantities of high-quality marijuana indoors; increasing ecstasy production, some of which is destined for the US; vulnerable to narcotics money laundering because of its mature financial services sector
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Cape Verde
Introduction
Cape Verde
Background:
The uninhabited islands were discovered and colonized by the Portuguese in the 15th century; Cape Verde subsequently became a trading center for African slaves and later an important coaling and resupply stop for whaling and transatlantic shipping. Following independence in 1975, and a tentative interest in unification with Guinea-Bissau, a one-party system was established and maintained until multi-party elections were held in 1990. Cape Verde continues to exhibit one of Africa's most stable democratic governments. Repeated droughts during the second half of the 20th century caused significant hardship and prompted heavy emigration. As a result, Cape Verde's expatriate population is greater than its domestic one. Most Cape Verdeans have both African and Portuguese antecedents.
Geography
Cape Verde
Location:
Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Senegal
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Political Map of the World
Area:
total: 4,033 sq km land: 4,033 sq km water: 0 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 contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 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, clay, gypsum
Land use:
arable land: 11.41% permanent crops: 0.74% other: 87.85% (2005)
Irrigated land:
30 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
0.3 cu km (1990)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.02 cu km/yr (7%/2%/91%) per capita: 39 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring dust; volcanically and seismically active
Environment - current issues:
soil erosion; deforestation due to demand for wood used as fuel; water shortages; desertification; environmental damage has threatened several species of birds and reptiles; illegal beach sand extraction; overfishing
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, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands 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:
426,998 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 36.1% (male 77,533/female 76,489) 15-64 years: 57.4% (male 120,208/female 125,009) 65 years and over: 6.5% (male 10,226/female 17,533) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 20.6 years male: 19.9 years female: 21.5 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.595% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
23.95 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
6.26 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-11.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.58 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 42.55 deaths/1,000 live births male: 48.66 deaths/1,000 live births female: 36.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.33 years male: 67.99 years female: 74.76 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.17 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.035% (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: 76.6% male: 85.8% female: 69.2% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 12 years male: 11 years female: 12 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
6.3% of GDP (2006)
Government
Cape Verde
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Cape Verde conventional short form: Cape Verde local long form: Republica de Cabo Verde local short form: Cabo Verde
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Praia geographic coordinates: 14 55 N, 23 31 W time difference: UTC-1 (4 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
17 municipalities (concelhos, singular - concelho); Boa Vista,
Brava, Maio, Mosteiros, Paul, Praia, Porto Novo, Ribeira Grande,
Sal, Santa Catarina, Santa Cruz, Sao Domingos, Sao Filipe, Sao
Miguel, Sao Nicolau, Sao Vicente, Tarrafal
Independence:
5 July 1975 (from Portugal)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 5 July (1975)
Constitution:
25 September 1992; a major revision on 23 November 1995 substantially increased the powers of the president; a 1999 revision created the position of national ombudsman (Provedor de Justica)
Legal system:
based on the legal system of Portugal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Pedro Verona 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 (eligible for a second term); election last held 12 February 2006 (next to be held in February 2011); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly and appointed by the president election results: Pedro PIRES reelected president; percent of vote - Pedro PIRES (PAICV) 51.2%, Carlos VIEGA (MPD) 48.8%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (72 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 22 January 2006 (next to be held in January 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - PAICV 52.3%, MPD 44%, UCID 2.7%; seats by party - PAICV 41, MPD 29, UCID 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]; Democratic Renovation
Party or PRD [Victor FIDALGO]; Democratic and Independent Cape
Verdean Union or UCID [Antonio MONTEIRO]; Movement for Democracy or
MPD [Agostinho LOPES]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Dr.
Eurico MONTEIRO]; Party of Work and Solidarity or PTS [Isaias
RODRIGUES]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Joao ALEM]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: environmentalists; political pressure groups
International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CPLP, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Fatima Lima VEIGA chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 965-6820 FAX: [1] (202) 965-1207 consulate(s) general: Boston
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Marianne M. MYLES embassy: Rua Abilio Macedo n6, Praia mailing address: C. P. 201, Praia telephone: [238] 2-60-89-00 FAX: [238] 2-61-13-55
Flag description:
five unequal horizontal bands; the top-most band of blue - equal to one half the width of the flag - is followed by three bands of white, red, and white, each equal to 1/12 of the width, and a bottom stripe of blue equal to one quarter of the flag width; a circle of 10, yellow, five-pointed stars, each representing one of the islands, is centered on the red stripe and positioned 3/8 of the length of the flag from the hoist side
Economy
Cape Verde
Economy - overview:
This island economy 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, tourism, and public services accounting for about three-fourths of GDP. Although nearly 70% of the population lives in rural areas, the share of food production in GDP is low. 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 are aimed at developing the private sector and attracting foreign investment to diversify the economy. Future prospects depend heavily on the maintenance of aid flows, the encouragement of tourism, remittances, and the momentum of the government's development program. Cape Verde became a member of the WTO in July 2008.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.603 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.428 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
6.9% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$3,200 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 9.3% industry: 16.7% services: 74% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
120,600 (1990)
Unemployment rate:
21% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line:
30% (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Investment (gross fixed):
37% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $436.1 million expenditures: $449.7 million (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.4% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
8.5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
10.55% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$574 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$689 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.049 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
bananas, corn, beans, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, coffee, peanuts; fish
Industries:
food and beverages, fish processing, shoes and garments, salt mining, ship repair
Industrial production growth rate:
7.5% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
47 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
43.71 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
2,117 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
1,785 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$132.6 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$76.5 million f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
fuel, shoes, garments, fish, hides
Exports - partners:
Spain 37.2%, Portugal 29.9%, Morocco 7%, US 6.6% (2007)
Imports:
$743.6 million f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, industrial products, transport equipment, fuels
Imports - partners:
Portugal 40.7%, Netherlands 10.9%, France 6.5%, Spain 5.6%, Cote d'Ivoire 4.9%, Brazil 4.7%, Italy 4.7% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$160.6 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$398 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$325 million (2002)
Currency (code):
Cape Verdean escudo (CVE)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Cape Verdean escudos (CVE) per US dollar - 81.235 (2007), 87.946 (2006), 88.67 (2005), 88.808 (2004), 97.703 (2003)
Communications
Cape Verde
Telephones - main lines in use:
71,600 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
148,000 (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: effective system, extensive modernization from 1996-2000 following partial privatization in 1995 domestic: major service provider is Cabo Verde Telecom (CVT); fiber-optic ring, completed in 2001, links all islands providing Internet access and ISDN services; cellular service introduced in 1998; broadband services launched in 2004 international: country code - 238; landing point for the Atlantis-2 fiber-optic transatlantic telephone cable that provides links to South America, Senegal, and Europe; HF radiotelephone to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 22 (plus 12 repeaters), shortwave 0 (2001)
Radios:
100,000 (2002 est.)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (plus 7 repeaters) (2001)
Televisions:
15,000 (2002 est.)
Internet country code:
.cv
Internet hosts:
20 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2002)
Internet users:
37,000 (2007)
Transportation
Cape Verde
Airports:
8 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 8 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 1,350 km paved: 932 km unpaved: 418 km (2000)
Merchant marine:
total: 8 by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo 5 foreign-owned: 2 (Spain 1, UK 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Porto Grande
Military
Cape Verde
Military branches:
People's Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARP): Army, Coast Guard (includes maritime air wing) (2007)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.) for selective compulsory military service; 14-month conscript service obligation (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 103,650 females age 16-49: 103,553 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 83,082 females age 16-49: 88,832 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 5,566 female: 5,441 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.7% of GDP (2005)
Transnational Issues
Cape Verde
Disputes - international:
none
Illicit drugs:
used as a transshipment point for Latin American cocaine destined for Western Europe; the lack of a well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a money-laundering center
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Cayman Islands
Introduction
Cayman Islands
Background:
The Cayman Islands were colonized from Jamaica by the British during the 18th and 19th centuries, and were administered by Jamaica after 1863. In 1959, the islands became a territory within the Federation of the West Indies, but when the Federation dissolved in 1962, the Cayman Islands chose to remain a British dependency.
Geography
Cayman Islands
Location:
Caribbean, three-island group (Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, Little Cayman) in Caribbean Sea, 240 km south of Cuba and 268 km northwest of Jamaica
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 262 sq km land: 262 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
160 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 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 (Cayman Brac) 43 m
Natural resources:
fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism
Land use:
arable land: 3.85% permanent crops: 0% other: 96.15% (2005)
Irrigated land:
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:
47,862 note: most of the population lives on Grand Cayman (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 19.9% (male 4,774/female 4,759) 15-64 years: 71.1% (male 16,594/female 17,434) 65 years and over: 9% (male 2,022/female 2,279) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 37.8 years male: 37.4 years female: 38.2 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.449% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
12.43 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
4.83 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
16.88 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: major destination for Cubans trying to migrate to the US (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 7.1 deaths/1,000 live births male: 8.16 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 80.32 years male: 77.68 years female: 83 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.89 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Nationality:
noun: Caymanian(s) adjective: Caymanian
Ethnic groups:
mixed 40%, white 20%, black 20%, expatriates of various ethnic groups 20%
Religions:
Church of God 26%, United Church 11.8% (Presbyterian and Congregational), Roman Catholic 11%, Baptist 8.7%, Seventh Day Adventist 8.2%, Anglican 5.7%, Pentacostal 5.3%, other Christian 2.7%, non-denominational 5.8%, other 3.8%, none 9.8%, unspecified 1.1% (1999 census)
Languages:
English 95%, Spanish 3.2%, other 1.8% (1999 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98% (1970 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 13 years male: 12 years female: 13 years (2001)
Education expenditures:
2.8% of GDP (2005)
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:
name: George Town (on Grand Cayman) geographic coordinates: 19 18 N, 81 23 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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 1962, 1972, and 1994
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); represented by Governor Stuart JACK (since 23 November 2005) head of government: Leader of Government Business Kurt TIBBETTS (since 18 May 2005) cabinet: Executive Council (three members appointed by the governor, four members elected by the Legislative Assembly) elections: the monarch is hereditary; the governor is appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or coalition is appointed by the governor Leader of Government Business
Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Assembly (18 seats; 3 appointed members from the Executive Council and 15 elected by popular vote; to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 11 May 2005 (next to be held in 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PPM 9, UDP 5, independent 1
Judicial branch:
Summary Court; Grand Court; Cayman Islands Court of Appeal
Political parties and leaders:
United Democratic Party or UDP [McKeeva BUSH]; People's Progressive Movement or PPM [Kurt TIBBETTS]; note - no national teams (loose groupings of political organizations) were formed for the 2000 elections
Political pressure groups and leaders:
National Trust other: environmentalists
International organization participation:
Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WFTU
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 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 68,000 companies were registered in the Cayman Islands as of 2003, including almost 500 banks, 800 insurers, and 5,000 mutual funds. 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 2.1 million in 2003, with about half 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):
$1.939 billion (2004 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
GDP - real growth rate:
0.9% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$43,800 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1.4% industry: 3.2% services: 95.4% (1994 est.)
Labor force:
23,450 (2004)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 1.4% industry: 12.6% services: 86% (1995)
Unemployment rate:
4.4% (2004)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $423.8 million expenditures: $392.6 million (2004)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.4% (2004)
Agriculture - products:
vegetables, fruit; livestock; turtle farming
Industries:
tourism, banking, insurance and finance, construction, construction materials, furniture
Industrial production growth rate:
Electricity - production:
546.1 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
546.1 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
2,767 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
2,818 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Exports:
$2.52 million (2004)
Exports - commodities:
turtle products, manufactured consumer goods
Exports - partners:
mostly US (2006)
Imports:
$866.9 million (2004)
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, manufactured goods
Imports - partners:
US, Netherlands Antilles, Japan (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
$390,000 (2004)
Debt - external:
$70 million (1996)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$130 million (2005)
Currency (code):
Caymanian dollar (KYD)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Caymanian dollars (KYD) per US dollar - NA (2007), 0.8496 (2006)
Communications
Cayman Islands
Telephones - main lines in use:
38,000 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
33,800 (2004)
Telephone system:
general assessment: reasonably good system domestic: liberalization of telecom market in 2003; introduction of competition in the mobile-cellular market in 2004 international: country code - 1-345; landing point for the MAYA-1 submarine telephone cable network that provides links to the US and parts of Central and South America; submarine cable provides connectivity to Jamaica; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (2004)
Radios:
36,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
4 with cable system (2004)
Televisions:
7,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.ky
Internet hosts:
4,648 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
16 (2000)
Internet users:
22,000 (2007)
Transportation
Cayman Islands
Airports:
3 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 785 km paved: 785 km (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 109 by type: bulk carrier 30, cargo 2, chemical tanker 42, petroleum tanker 15, refrigerated cargo 10, roll on/roll off 3, vehicle carrier 7 foreign-owned: 107 (Denmark 3, Germany 15, Greece 16, Italy 4, Japan 13, Norway 1, Singapore 10, UK 3, US 42) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Cayman Brac, George Town
Military
Cayman Islands
Military branches:
no regular military forces; Royal Cayman Islands Police Force (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 11,790 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 9,577 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 336 female: 336 (2008 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues
Cayman Islands
Disputes - international:
none
Illicit drugs:
offshore financial center; vulnerable to drug transshipment to the US and Europe
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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 - civilian rule was established in 1993 and lasted for one decade. President Ange-Felix PATASSE's civilian government was plagued by unrest, and in March 2003 he was deposed in a military coup led by General Francois BOZIZE, who established a transitional government. Though the government has the tacit support of civil society groups and the main parties, a wide field of candidates contested the municipal, legislative, and presidential elections held in March and May of 2005 in which General BOZIZE was affirmed as president. The government still does not fully control the countryside, where pockets of lawlessness persist. Unrest in neighboring nations, Chad, Sudan, and the DRC, continues to affect stability in the Central African Republic as well.
Geography
Central African Republic
Location:
Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 622,984 sq km land: 622,984 sq km water: 0 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: 3.1% permanent crops: 0.15% other: 96.75% (2005)
Irrigated land:
20 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
144.4 cu km (2003)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.03 cu km/yr (80%/16%/4%) per capita: 7 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are common
Environment - current issues:
tap water is not potable; poaching has diminished the country's reputation as one of the last great wildlife refuges; desertification; deforestation
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note:
landlocked; almost the precise center of Africa
People
Central African Republic
Population:
4,444,330 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 41.3% (male 922,053/female 911,601) 15-64 years: 54.6% (male 1,206,121/female 1,221,158) 65 years and over: 4.1% (male 71,597/female 111,800) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 18.7 years male: 18.4 years female: 19 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.509% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
33.13 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
18.04 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA (2008 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: 0.64 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 82.13 deaths/1,000 live births male: 88.84 deaths/1,000 live births female: 75.23 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 44.22 years male: 44.14 years female: 44.29 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
4.23 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
13.5% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
260,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
23,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2008)
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: 48.6% male: 64.8% female: 33.5% (2000 est.)
Education expenditures:
1.4% of GDP (2006)
Government
Central African Republic
Country name:
conventional long form: Central African Republic conventional short form: none local long form: Republique Centrafricaine local short form: none former: Ubangi-Shari, Central African Empire abbreviation: CAR
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Bangui geographic coordinates: 4 22 N, 18 35 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
14 prefectures (prefectures, singular - prefecture), 2 economic prefectures* (prefectures economiques, singular - prefecture economique), and 1 commune**; Bamingui-Bangoran, Bangui**, Basse-Kotto, Haute-Kotto, Haut-Mbomou, Kemo, Lobaye, Mambere-Kadei, Mbomou, Nana-Grebizi*, Nana-Mambere, Ombella-Mpoko, Ouaka, Ouham, Ouham-Pende, Sangha-Mbaere*, Vakaga
Independence:
13 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday:
Republic Day, 1 December (1958)
Constitution:
ratified by popular referendum 5 December 2004; effective 27 December 2004
Legal system:
based on French law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Francois BOZIZE (since 15 March 2003 coup) head of government: Prime Minister Faustin-Archange TOUADERA (since 22 January 2008) cabinet: Council of Ministers elections: under the new constitution, the president elected to a five-year term (eligible for a second term); elections last held 13 March and 8 May 2005 (next to be held in 2010); prime minister appointed by the political party with a parliamentary majority election results: Francois BOZIZE elected president; percent of second round balloting - Francois BOZIZE (KNK) 64.6%, Martin ZIGUELE (MLPC) 35.4%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (105 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 13 March 2005 and 8 May 2005 (next to be held in 2010) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - KNK 42, MLPC 11, RDC 8, PSD 4, FPP 2, ADP 2, LONDO 1, independents 34, other 1
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 Rally 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]; Londo Association or LONDO; Movement for
Democracy and Development or MDD [David DACKO]; Movement for the
Liberation of the Central African People or MLPC [Ange-Felix
PATASSE] (the party of deposed president); National Convergence or
KNK; 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:
Monam (combating gender-base violence)
International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITSO,
ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC (observer), OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Emmanuel TOUABOY chancery: 1618 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-7800 FAX: [1] (202) 332-9893
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Frederick B. COOK embassy: Avenue David Dacko, Bangui mailing address: B. P. 924, Bangui telephone: [236] 61 02 00 FAX: [236] 61 44 94 note: the embassy is currently operating with a minimal staff
Flag description:
four equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, green, and yellow with a vertical red band in center; a yellow five-pointed star to 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 more than half of GDP. Timber has accounted for about 16% of export earnings and the diamond industry, for 40%. 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. Factional fighting between the government and its opponents remains a drag on economic revitalization. Distribution of income is extraordinarily unequal. Grants from France and the international community can only partially meet humanitarian needs.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$3.007 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.714 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
4% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$700 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 55% industry: 20% services: 25% (2001 est.)
Labor force:
1.857 million (2006)
Unemployment rate:
8% (23% for Bangui) (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line:
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)
Budget:
revenues: $250 million expenditures: $273 million (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
0.9% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
5.25% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
15% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$218.3 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$47.58 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$320.2 million (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco, manioc (tapioca), yams, millet, corn, bananas; timber
Industries:
gold and diamond mining, logging, brewing, textiles, footwear, assembly of bicycles and motorcycles
Industrial production growth rate:
3% (2002)
Electricity - production:
110 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
102.3 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 19.8% hydro: 80.2% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
2,322 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
2,057 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006)
Current account balance:
-$77 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$146.7 million f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco
Exports - partners:
Belgium 22.7%, Indonesia 19.3%, Italy 7.7%, France 7.1%, Spain 6.9%,
Democratic Republic of the Congo 6.8%, China 4.9%, Turkey 4.7% (2007)
Imports:
$237.3 million f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
food, textiles, petroleum products, machinery, electrical equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals
Imports - partners:
France 16.6%, Netherlands 13%, Cameroon 9.7%, US 6.3% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
ODA, $95.29 million; note - traditional budget subsidies from France (2005 est.)
Debt - external:
$1.153 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 481.8 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003)
Communications
Central African Republic
Telephones - main lines in use:
12,000 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
130,000 (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: limited telephone service; fixed-line connections for well less than 1 per 100 persons coupled with mobile-cellular usage of only about 3 per 100 persons; most fixed-line and cellular telephone services are concentrated in Bangui domestic: network consists principally of microwave radio relay and low-capacity, low-powered radiotelephone communication international: country code - 236; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2001)
Radios:
283,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (2001)
Televisions:
18,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.cf
Internet hosts:
21 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2002)
Internet users:
13,000 (2006)
Transportation
Central African Republic
Airports:
51 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 48 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 24 under 914 m: 13 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 24,307 km (2000)
Waterways:
2,800 km (primarily on the Oubangui and Sangha rivers) (2006)
Ports and terminals:
Bangui, Nola, Salo, Nzinga
Military
Central African Republic
Military branches:
Central African Armed Forces (Forces Armees Centrafricaines, FACA):
Ground Forces, General Directorate of Gendarmerie Inspection (DGIG),
Military Air Service, National Police (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; 2-year conscript service obligation (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,032,828 females age 16-49: 999,330 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 534,141 females age 16-49: 495,303 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 54,655 female: 54,420 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.1% of GDP (2006 est.)
Transnational Issues
Central African Republic
Disputes - international:
periodic skirmishes over water and grazing rights among related pastoral populations along the border with southern Sudan persist
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 7,900 (Sudan); 3,700 (Democratic
Republic of the Congo); note - UNHCR resumed repatriation of
Southern Sudanese refugees in 2006
IDPs: 197,000 (ongoing unrest following coup in 2003) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Central African Republic is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation; the majority of victims are children trafficked within the country for sexual exploitation, domestic servitude, street vending, and forced agricultural, mine, market and restaurant labor; to a lesser extent, children are trafficked from the Central African Republic to Cameroon, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of Congo; rebels conscript children into armed forces within the country tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Central African Republic is on the Tier 2 Watch List for the third consecutive year for its failure to show evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in 2007; efforts to address trafficking through vigorous law enforcement measures and victim protection efforts were minimal, though awareness about trafficking appeared to be increasing in the country; the government does not actively investigate cases, work to identify trafficking victims among vulnerable populations, or rescue and provide care to victims; the government has not taken measures to reduce demand for commercial sex acts (2008)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Chad
Introduction
Chad
Background:
Chad, part of France's African holdings until 1960, endured three decades of civil warfare as well as invasions by Libya before a semblance of peace was finally restored in 1990. The government eventually drafted a democratic constitution, and held flawed presidential elections in 1996 and 2001. In 1998, a rebellion broke out in northern Chad, which has sporadically flared up despite several peace agreements between the government and the rebels. In 2005, new rebel groups emerged in western Sudan and made probing attacks into eastern Chad, despite signing peace agreements in December 2006 and October 2007. Power remains in the hands of an ethnic minority. In June 2005, President Idriss DEBY held a referendum successfully removing constitutional term limits and won another controversial election in 2006. Sporadic rebel campaigns continued throughout 2006 and 2007, and the capital experienced a significant rebel threat in early 2008.
Geography
Chad
Location:
Central Africa, south of Libya
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 1.284 million sq km land: 1,259,200 sq km water: 24,800 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, uranium, natron, kaolin, fish (Lake Chad), gold, limestone, sand and gravel, salt
Land use:
arable land: 2.8% permanent crops: 0.02% other: 97.18% (2005)
Irrigated land:
300 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
43 cu km (1987)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.23 cu km/yr (17%/0%/83%) per capita: 24 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Hazardous Wastes, 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:
10,111,337 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 47% (male 2,408,638/female 2,346,984) 15-64 years: 50.1% (male 2,317,406/female 2,746,104) 65 years and over: 2.9% (male 123,561/female 168,644) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 16.4 years male: 15.2 years female: 17.5 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.195% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
41.61 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
16.39 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-3.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.84 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 100.36 deaths/1,000 live births male: 106.48 deaths/1,000 live births female: 94 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 47.43 years male: 46.4 years female: 48.5 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.43 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
4.8% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
200,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
18,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Chadian(s) adjective: Chadian
Ethnic groups:
Sara 27.7%, Arab 12.3%, Mayo-Kebbi 11.5%, Kanem-Bornou 9%, Ouaddai 8.7%, Hadjarai 6.7%, Tandjile 6.5%, Gorane 6.3%, Fitri-Batha 4.7%, other 6.4%, unknown 0.3% (1993 census)
Religions:
Muslim 53.1%, Catholic 20.1%, Protestant 14.2%, animist 7.3%, other 0.5%, unknown 1.7%, atheist 3.1% (1993 census)
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: 25.7% male: 40.8% female: 12.8% (2000 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 6 years male: 7 years female: 4 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
1.9% of GDP (2005)
Government
Chad
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Chad conventional short form: Chad local long form: Republique du Tchad/Jumhuriyat Tshad local short form: Tchad/Tshad
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: N'Djamena geographic coordinates: 12 06 N, 15 02 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
18 regions (regions, singular - region); Batha,
Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti, Chari-Baguirmi, Guera, Hadjer-Lamis, Kanem,
Lac, Logone Occidental, Logone Oriental, Mandoul, Mayo-Kebbi Est,
Mayo-Kebbi Ouest, Moyen-Chari, Ouaddai, Salamat, Tandjile, Ville de
N'Djamena, Wadi Fira
Independence:
11 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 11 August (1960)
Constitution:
passed by referendum 31 March 1996; a June 2005 referendum removed constitutional term limits
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 Itno (since 4 December 1990) head of government: Prime Minister Youssof Saleh ABBAS (since 16 April 2008) cabinet: Council of State, members appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister 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 3 May 2006 (next to be held by May 2011); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY Itno reelected president; percent of vote - Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY 64.7%, Delwa Kassire KOUMAKOYE 15.1%, Albert Pahimi PADACKE 7.8%, Mahamat ABDOULAYE 7.1%, Brahim KOULAMALLAH 5.3%; note - a June 2005 national referendum altered the constitution removing presidential term limits and permitting Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY Itno to run for reelection
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (155 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); note - the 1996 constitution called for a Senate that has never been formed elections: National Assembly - last held 21 April 2002 (next to be held by 2009); note - legislative elections, originally scheduled for 2006, were first delayed by National Assembly action and subsequently by an accord, signed in August 2007, between government and opposition parties election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MPS 110, RDP 12, FAR 9, RNDP 5, UNDR 5, URD 3, other 11
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Criminal Courts; Magistrate Courts
Political parties and leaders:
Federation Action for the Republic or FAR [Ngarledjy YORONGAR];
National Rally for Development and Progress or RNDP [Delwa Kassire
KOUMAKOYE]; National Union for Democracy and Renewal or UNDR [Saleh
KEBZABO]; Party for Liberty and Development or PLD [Ibni Oumar
Mahamat SALEH]; Patriotic Salvation Movement or MPS [Mahamat Saleh
AHMAT, chairman]; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Lol
Mahamat CHOUA]; Union for Renewal and Democracy or URD [Gen. Wadal
Abdelkader KAMOUGUE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
rebel groups
International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC,
ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Mahamat Adam BECHIR chancery: 2002 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 462-4009 FAX: [1] (202) 265-1937
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Louis NIGRO embassy: Avenue Felix Eboue, N'Djamena mailing address: B. P. 413, N'Djamena telephone: [235] 251-62-11, [235] 251-70-09, [235] 251-77-59 FAX: [235] 251-56-54
Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red note: 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 continue to be boosted by major foreign direct investment projects in the oil sector that began in 2000. At least 80% of Chad's population relies on subsistence farming and livestock raising for its livelihood. Chad's economy has long been handicapped by its landlocked 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 has been investing $3.7 billion to develop oil reserves - estimated at 1 billion barrels - in southern Chad. Chinese companies are also expanding exploration efforts and plan to build a refinery. The nation's total oil reserves have been estimated to be 1.5 billion barrels. Oil production came on stream in late 2003. Chad began to export oil in 2004. Cotton, cattle, and gum arabic provide the bulk of Chad's non-oil export earnings.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$15.26 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$7.095 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
1.3% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,500 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 21.5% industry: 47.8% services: 30.6% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
3.747 million (2006)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 80% (subsistence farming, herding, and fishing) industry and services: 20% (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate:
Population below poverty line:
80% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Investment (gross fixed):
11.4% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $1.864 billion expenditures: $1.749 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
5.25% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
15% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$874.5 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$55.23 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$82.81 million (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
cotton, sorghum, millet, peanuts, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca); cattle, sheep, goats, camels
Industries:
oil, cotton textiles, meatpacking, brewing, natron (sodium carbonate), soap, cigarettes, construction materials
Industrial production growth rate:
2% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
95 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
88.35 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
156,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Oil - consumption:
1,352 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
176,700 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
1,492 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
1.5 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$171 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$4.201 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
oil, cattle, cotton, gum arabic
Exports - partners:
US 89.5%, Japan 3.7%, China 3.4% (2007)
Imports:
$1.158 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transportation equipment, industrial goods, foodstuffs, textiles
Imports - partners:
France 20.4%, Cameroon 16.1%, US 10.9%, China 10%, Germany 7.5%,
Saudi Arabia 4.4% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
ODA, $379.8 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$969 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$1.6 billion (2005 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$4.5 billion (2006 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 480.1 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003)
Communications
Chad
Telephones - main lines in use:
13,000 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
918,400 (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: primitive system with high costs and low telephone density; fixed-line connections for only about 1 per 1000 persons coupled with mobile-cellular usage of only about 9 per 100 persons domestic: fair system of radiotelephone communication stations international: country code - 235; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 5 (2001)
Radios:
1.67 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (2001)
Televisions:
10,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.td
Internet hosts:
5 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2002)
Internet users:
60,000 (2006)
Transportation
Chad
Airports:
55 (2007)
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 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 48 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 21 under 914 m: 11 (2007)
Pipelines:
oil 250 km (2007)
Roadways:
total: 33,400 km paved: 267 km unpaved: 33,133 km (2002)
Waterways:
Chari and Legone rivers are navigable only in wet season (2006)
Military
Chad
Military branches:
Armed Forces: Chadian National Army (Armee Nationale du Tchad, ANT), Chadian Air Force (Force Aerienne Tchadienne, FAT), Gendarmerie (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
20 years of age for conscripts, with 3-year service obligation; 18 years of age for volunteers; no minimum age restriction for volunteers with consent from a guardian; women are subject to 1 year of compulsory military or civic service at age of 21 (2004)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,906,545 females age 16-49: 2,258,758 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,066,565 females age 16-49: 1,279,318 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 116,824 female: 117,831 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
4.2% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Chad
Disputes - international:
since 2003, Janjawid armed militia and the Sudanese military have driven hundreds of thousands of Darfur residents into Chad; Chad remains an important mediator in the Sudanese civil conflict, reducing tensions with Sudan arising from cross-border banditry; Chadian Aozou rebels reside in southern Libya; only Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty, which also includes the Chad-Niger and Niger-Nigeria boundaries
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 234,000 (Sudan); 54,200 (Central African Republic) IDPs: 178,918 (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Chad is a source, transit, and destination country for children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation; the majority of children are trafficked within Chad for involuntary domestic servitude, forced cattle herding, forced begging, forced labor in petty commerce or the fishing industry, or for commercial sexual exploitation; to a lesser extent, Chadian children are also trafficked to Cameroon, the Central African Republic, and Nigeria for cattle herding; children may also be trafficked from Cameroon and the Central African Republic to Chad's oil producing regions for sexual exploitation tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Chad is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking in 2007; Chad was destabilized during 2007 by civil conflict leading to a declared state of emergency in February 2008, and a steady influx of refugees fleeing Sudan and the Central African Republic; the government demonstrated insufficient overall efforts to combat trafficking; Chad has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Chile
Introduction
Chile
Background:
Prior to the coming of the Spanish in the 16th century, northern Chile was under Inca rule while Araucanian Indians (also known as Mapuches) inhabited central and southern Chile. Although Chile declared its independence in 1810, decisive victory over the Spanish was not achieved until 1818. In the War of the Pacific (1879-83), Chile defeated Peru and Bolivia and won its present northern regions. It was not until the 1880s that the Araucanian Indians were completely subjugated. A three-year-old Marxist government of Salvador ALLENDE was overthrown in 1973 by a military coup led by Augusto PINOCHET, who ruled until a freely elected president was installed in 1990. Sound economic policies, maintained consistently since the 1980s, have contributed to steady growth, reduced poverty rates by over half, and have helped secure the country's commitment to democratic and representative government. Chile has increasingly assumed regional and international leadership roles befitting its status as a stable, democratic nation.
Geography
Chile
Location:
Southern South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between
Argentina and Peru
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
South America
Area:
total: 756,950 sq km land: 748,800 sq km water: 8,150 sq km note: includes Easter Island (Isla de Pascua) and Isla Sala y Gomez
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana
Land boundaries:
total: 6,339 km border countries: Argentina 5,308 km, Bolivia 860 km, Peru 171 km
Coastline:
6,435 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200/350 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: 2.62% permanent crops: 0.43% other: 96.95% (2005)
Irrigated land:
19,000 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
922 cu km (2000)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 12.55 cu km/yr (11%/25%/64%) per capita: 770 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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:
16,454,143 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 23.6% (male 1,987,962/female 1,899,489) 15-64 years: 67.6% (male 5,556,867/female 5,563,666) 65 years and over: 8.8% (male 602,789/female 843,370) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 31.1 years male: 30.1 years female: 32.1 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.905% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
14.82 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
5.77 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA (2008 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: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 7.9 deaths/1,000 live births male: 8.7 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.15 years male: 73.88 years female: 80.59 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.95 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.3% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
26,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
1,400 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Chilean(s) adjective: Chilean
Ethnic groups:
white and white-Amerindian 95.4%, Mapuche 4%, other indigenous groups 0.6% (2002 census)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 70%, Evangelical 15.1%, Jehovah's Witness 1.1%, other
Christian 1%, other 4.6%, none 8.3% (2002 census)
Languages:
Spanish (official), Mapudungun, German, English
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 95.7% male: 95.8% female: 95.6% (2002 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 14 years male: 14 years female: 14 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
3.2% of GDP (2006)
Government
Chile
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Chile conventional short form: Chile local long form: Republica de Chile local short form: Chile
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Santiago geographic coordinates: 33 27 S, 70 40 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in October; ends second Sunday in March
Administrative divisions:
15 regions (regiones, singular - region); Aisen del General Carlos Ibanez del Campo, Antofagasta, Araucania, Arica y Parinacota, Atacama, Biobio, Coquimbo, Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins, Los Lagos, Los Rios, 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 1989, 1991, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2003, and 2005
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 - in June 2005, Chile completed overhaul of its criminal justice system to a new, US-style adversarial system
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Michelle BACHELET Jeria (since 11 March 2006); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Michelle BACHELET Jeria (since 11 March 2006) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a single four-year term; election last held 11 December 2005, with runoff election held 15 January 2006 (next to be held in December 2009) election results: Michelle BACHELET Jeria elected president; percent of vote - Michelle BACHELET Jeria 53.5%; Sebastian PINERA Echenique 46.5%
Legislative branch:
bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate or Senado (38 seats; members elected by popular vote to 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) elections: Senate - last held 11 December 2005 (next to be held in December 2009); Chamber of Deputies - last held 11 December 2005 (next to be held in December 2009) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CPD 20 (PDC 6, PS 8, PPD 3, PRSD 3), APC 17 (UDI 9, RN 8), independent 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CPD 65 (PDC 21, PPD 22, PS 15, PRSD 7), APC 54 (UDI 34, RN 20), independent 1; note - as of 8 January 2008: Senate - seats by party - CPD 18, (PDC 5, PS 8, PPD 2, PRSD 3), APC 16 (UDI 9, RN 7), independent 4; Chamber of Deputies - seats by party - CPD 57 (PDC 16, PPD 19, PS 15, PRSD 7), APC 53 (UDI 33, RN 20), independent 10.
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 every three years by the 20-member court); Constitutional Tribunal
Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for Chile (Alianza) or APC (including National Renewal or
RN [Carlos LARRAIN Pena] and Independent Democratic Union or UDI
[Hernan LARRAIN Fernandez]); Coalition of Parties for Democracy
(Concertacion) or CPD (including Christian Democratic Party or PDC
[Soledad ALVEAR], Socialist Party or PS [Camilo ESCALONA Medina],
Party for Democracy or PPD [Sergio BITAR Chacra], Radical Social
Democratic Party or PRSD [Jose Antonio GOMEZ Urrutia]); Communist
Party or PC [Guillermo TEILLIER]; Humanist Party [Marilen CABRERA
Olmos]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Roman Catholic Church; United Labor Central or CUT includes trade unionists from the country's five largest labor confederations other: revitalized university student federations at all major universities
International organization participation:
APEC, BIS, CAN (associate), FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES,
LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW,
PCA, RG, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina,
UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Mariano FERNANDEZ chancery: 1732 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 785-1746 FAX: [1] (202) 887-5579 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Paul E. SIMONS embassy: Avenida Andres Bello 2800, Las Condes, Santiago mailing address: APO AA 34033 telephone: [56] (2) 330-3000 FAX: [56] (2) 330-3710, 330-3160
Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; 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 representing a guide to progress and honor; blue symbolizes the sky, white is for the snow-covered Andes, and red represents the blood spilled to achieve independence note: design was influenced by 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. Between 2000 and 2007 growth ranged between 2%-6%. Throughout these years Chile maintained a low rate of inflation with GDP growth coming from high copper prices, solid export earnings (particularly forestry, fishing, and mining), and growing domestic consumption. President BACHELET in 2006 established an Economic and Social Stabilization Fund to hold excess copper revenues so that social spending can be maintained during periods of copper shortfalls. This fund probably surpassed $20 billion at the end of 2007. Chile continues to attract foreign direct investment, but most foreign investment goes into gas, water, electricity and mining. Unemployment has exhibited a downward trend over the past two years, dropping to 7.8% and 7.0% at the end of 2006 and 2007, respectively. Chile deepened its longstanding commitment to trade liberalization with the signing of a free trade agreement with the US, which took effect on 1 January 2004. Chile claims to have more bilateral or regional trade agreements than any other country. It has 57 such agreements (not all of them full free trade agreements), including with the European Union, Mercosur, China, India, South Korea, and Mexico.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$232.8 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$163.8 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.1% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$14,300 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 4.8% industry: 51.2% services: 44% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
7.167 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 13.6% industry: 23.4% services: 63% (2003)
Unemployment rate:
7% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
18.2% (2005)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.4% highest 10%: 45% (2003)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
54.9 (2003)
Investment (gross fixed):
20.6% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $44.96 billion expenditures: $30.51 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
4.1% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.4% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
6% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
8.67% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$16.6 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$80.42 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$127.1 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
grapes, apples, pears, onions, wheat, corn, oats, peaches, garlic, asparagus, beans; beef, poultry, wool; fish; timber
Industries:
copper, other minerals, foodstuffs, fish processing, iron and steel, wood and wood products, transport equipment, cement, textiles
Industrial production growth rate:
11.1% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
50.37 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
45.52 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
1.628 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 47% hydro: 51.5% nuclear: 0% other: 1.4% (2001)
Oil - production:
11,610 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
253,000 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
32,500 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
222,900 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - proved reserves:
150 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
1.8 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
4.2 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
2.4 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
97.97 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
$7.2 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$67.64 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
copper, fruit, fish products, paper and pulp, chemicals, wine
Exports - partners:
China 14.8%, US 12.5%, Japan 10.5%, Netherlands 5.8%, South Korea 5.7%, Italy 5.1%, Brazil 5% (2007)
Imports:
$43.99 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, electrical and telecommunications equipment, industrial machinery, vehicles, natural gas
Imports - partners:
US 16.7%, China 11.2%, Brazil 10.3%, Argentina 9.9% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$0 (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$16.84 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$57.6 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$91.49 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$24.68 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$174.6 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
Chilean peso (CLP)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Chilean pesos (CLP) per US dollar - 526.25 (2007), 530.29 (2006), 560.09 (2005), 609.37 (2004), 691.43 (2003)
Communications
Chile
Telephones - main lines in use:
3.379 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
13.955 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: privatization begun in 1988; most advanced telecommunications infrastructure in South America; modern system based on extensive microwave radio relay facilities; fixed-line connections have dropped in recent years as mobile-cellular usage continues to increase, reaching a level of 85 telephones per 100 persons domestic: extensive microwave radio relay links; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations international: country code - 56; submarine cables provide links to the US and to Central and South America; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 180 (8 inactive), FM 64, shortwave 17 (1 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 hosts:
847,215 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
7 (2000)
Internet users:
5.57 million (2007)
Transportation
Chile
Airports:
358 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 79 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 22 914 to 1,523 m: 25 under 914 m: 19 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 279 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 49 under 914 m: 216 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 2,550 km; gas/liquid petroleum gas 42 km; liquid petroleum gas 539 km; oil 1,002 km; refined products 757 km; unknown (oil/water) 97 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 6,585 km broad gauge: 2,831 km 1.676-m gauge (1,317 km electrified) narrow gauge: 3,754 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 80,505 km paved: 16,745 km (includes 2,414 km of expressways) unpaved: 63,760 km (2004)
Merchant marine:
total: 44 by type: bulk carrier 9, cargo 7, chemical tanker 8, container 1, liquefied gas 2, passenger 4, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 7, roll on/roll off 1, vehicle carrier 3 registered in other countries: 40 (Argentina 7, Brazil 1, Cyprus 1, Isle of Man 6, Marshall Islands 4, Norway 2, Panama 12, Singapore 6, Venezuela 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Coronel, Huasco, Lirquen, Puerto Ventanas, San Antonio, San Vicente,
Valparaiso
Military
Chile
Military branches:
Army of the Nation, Chilean Navy (Armada de Chile, includes naval
air, marine corps, and Maritime Territory and Merchant Marine
Directorate (Directemar)), Chilean Air Force (Fuerza Aerea de Chile,
FACh), Carabineros Corps (Cuerpo de Carabineros) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18-45 years of age for voluntary male and female military service, although the right to compulsory recruitment is retained; service obligation - 12 months for Army, 22 months for Navy and Air Force (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 4,242,912 females age 16-49: 4,182,509 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 3,542,448 females age 16-49: 3,500,059 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 147,518 female: 141,139 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
2.7% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Chile
Disputes - international:
Chile and Peru rebuff Bolivia's reinvigorated claim to restore the Atacama corridor, ceded to Chile in 1884, but Chile has offered instead unrestricted but not sovereign maritime access through Chile to Bolivian gas and other commodities; Chile rejects Peru's unilateral legislation to change its latitudinal maritime boundary with Chile to an equidistance line with a southwestern axis favoring Peru, in October 2007, Peru took its maritime complaint with Chile to the ICJ; territorial claim in Antarctica (Chilean Antarctic Territory) partially overlaps Argentine and British claims; the joint boundary commission, established by Chile and Argentina in 2001, has yet to map and demarcate the delimited boundary in the inhospitable Andean Southern Ice Field (Campo de Hielo Sur)
Illicit drugs:
transshipment country for cocaine destined for Europe and the region; economic prosperity and increasing trade have made Chile more attractive to traffickers seeking to launder drug profits, especially through the Iquique Free Trade Zone, but a recent anti-money-laundering law improves controls; imported precursors passed on to Bolivia; domestic cocaine consumption is rising, making Chile a significant consumer of cocaine
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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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, the country was beset by civil unrest, major famines, military defeats, and foreign occupation. After World War II, the Communists under MAO Zedong established an autocratic socialist system 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 and other leaders focused on market-oriented economic development and by 2000 output had quadrupled. For much of the population, living standards have improved dramatically and the room for personal choice has expanded, yet political controls remain tight.
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:
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: 22,117 km border countries: Afghanistan 76 km, Bhutan 470 km, Burma 2,185 km, India 3,380 km, Kazakhstan 1,533 km, North Korea 1,416 km, Kyrgyzstan 858 km, Laos 423 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 regional borders: Hong Kong 30 km, Macau 0.34 km
Coastline:
14,500 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
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
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: 14.86% permanent crops: 1.27% other: 83.87% (2005)
Irrigated land:
545,960 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
2,829.6 cu km (1999)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 549.76 cu km/yr (7%/26%/68%) per capita: 415 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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:
1,330,044,544 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 20.1% (male 142,085,665/female 125,300,391) 15-64 years: 71.9% (male 491,513,378/female 465,020,030) 65 years and over: 8% (male 50,652,480/female 55,472,661) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 33.6 years male: 33.1 years female: 34.2 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.629% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
13.71 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
7.03 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.11 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.13 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 21.16 deaths/1,000 live births male: 19.43 deaths/1,000 live births female: 23.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.18 years male: 71.37 years female: 75.18 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.77 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
840,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
44,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever, Japanese encephalitis, and malaria water contact disease: leptospirosis animal contact disease: rabies note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Chinese (singular and plural) adjective: Chinese
Ethnic groups:
Han Chinese 91.5%, Zhuang, Manchu, Hui, Miao, Uyghur, Tujia, Yi, Mongol, Tibetan, Buyi, Dong, Yao, Korean, and other nationalities 8.5% (2000 census)
Religions:
Daoist (Taoist), Buddhist, Christian 3%-4%, Muslim 1%-2% note: officially atheist (2002 est.)
Languages:
Standard Chinese or Mandarin (Putonghua, based on the Beijing dialect), Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghainese), 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: 90.9% male: 95.1% female: 86.5% (2000 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 11 years male: 11 years female: 11 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
1.9% of GDP (1999)
Government
China
Country name:
conventional long form: People's Republic of China conventional short form: China local long form: Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo local short form: Zhongguo abbreviation: PRC
Government type:
Communist state
Capital:
name: Beijing geographic coordinates: 39 55 N, 116 23 E time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) note: despite its size, all of China falls within one time zone
Administrative divisions:
23 provinces (sheng, singular and plural), 5 autonomous regions (zizhiqu, singular and plural), and 4 municipalities (shi, singular and plural) provinces: Anhui, Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guizhou, Hainan, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Jilin, Liaoning, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan, Yunnan, Zhejiang; (see note on Taiwan) autonomous regions: Guangxi, Nei Mongol, Ningxia, Xinjiang Uygur, Xizang (Tibet) municipalities: Beijing, Chongqing, Shanghai, Tianjin 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); 1 January 1912 (Manchu Dynasty replaced by a Republic); 1 October 1949 (People's Republic established)
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:
based on civil law system; derived from Soviet and continental civil code legal principles; legislature retains power to interpret statutes; constitution ambiguous on judicial review of legislation; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003); Vice President XI Jinping (since 15 March 2008) head of government: Premier WEN Jiabao (since 16 March 2003); Executive Vice Premier LI Keqiang (17 March 2008), Vice Premier HUI Liangyu (since 17 March 2003), Vice Premier ZHANG Deijiang (since 17 March 2008), and Vice Premier WANG Qishan (since 17 March 2008) cabinet: State Council appointed by National People's Congress (NPC) elections: president and vice president elected by National People's Congress for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); elections last held 15-17 March 2008 (next to be held in mid-March 2013); premier nominated by president, confirmed by National People's Congress election results: HU Jintao elected president by National People's Congress with a total of 2,963 votes; XI Jinping elected vice president with a total of 2,919 votes
Legislative branch:
unicameral National People's Congress or Quanguo Renmin Daibiao Dahui (2,987 seats; members elected by municipal, regional, and provincial people's congresses, and People's Liberation Army to serve five-year terms) elections: last held December 2007-February 2008; date of next election - NA election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - 2,987
Judicial branch:
Supreme People's Court (judges appointed by the National People's Congress); Local People's Courts (comprise higher, intermediate, and basic courts); Special People's Courts (primarily military, maritime, railway transportation, and forestry courts)
Political parties and leaders:
Chinese Communist Party or CCP [HU Jintao]; eight registered small parties controlled by CCP
Political pressure groups and leaders:
the China Democracy Party; the Falungong spiritual movement note: no substantial political opposition groups exist, although the government has identified the organizations listed above as subversive groups
International organization participation:
ADB, AfDB (nonregional members), APEC, APT, Arctic Council (observer), ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIS, CDB, EAS, FAO, G-24 (observer), G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), SCO, UN, UN Security Council, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNOCI, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador ZHOU Wenzhong chancery: 2300 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 328-2500 FAX: [1] (202) 328-2582 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Clark T. RANDT, Jr. embassy: 55 An Jia Lou Lu, 100600 Beijing mailing address: PSC 461, Box 50, FPO AP 96521-0002 telephone: [86] (10) 8531-3000 FAX: [86] (10) 8531-3300 consulate(s) general: Chengdu, Guangzhou, Hong Kong and Macau, 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:
China's economy during the last quarter century has changed from a centrally planned system that was largely closed to international trade to a more market-oriented economy that has a rapidly growing private sector and is a major player in the global economy. Reforms started in the late 1970s with the phasing out of collectivized agriculture, and expanded to include the gradual liberalization of prices, fiscal decentralization, increased autonomy for state enterprises, the foundation of a diversified banking system, the development of stock markets, the rapid growth of the non-state sector, and the opening to foreign trade and investment. China has generally implemented reforms in a gradualist or piecemeal fashion, including the sale of minority shares in four of China's largest state banks to foreign investors and refinements in foreign exchange and bond markets in 2005. After keeping its currency tightly linked to the US dollar for years, China in July 2005 revalued its currency by 2.1% against the US dollar and moved to an exchange rate system that references a basket of currencies. Cumulative appreciation of the renminbi against the US dollar since the end of the dollar peg reached 15% in January 2008. The restructuring of the economy and resulting efficiency gains have contributed to a more than tenfold increase in GDP since 1978. Measured on a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis, China in 2007 stood as the second-largest economy in the world after the US, although in per capita terms the country is still lower middle-income. Annual inflows of foreign direct investment in 2007 rose to $75 billion. By the end of 2007, more than 5,000 domestic Chinese enterprises had established direct investments in 172 countries and regions around the world. The Chinese government faces several economic development challenges: (a) to sustain adequate job growth for tens of millions of workers laid off from state-owned enterprises, migrants, and new entrants to the work force; (b) to reduce corruption and other economic crimes; and (c) to contain environmental damage and social strife related to the economy's rapid transformation. Economic development has been more rapid in coastal provinces than in the interior, and approximately 200 million rural laborers have relocated to urban areas to find work. One demographic consequence of the "one child" policy is that China is now one of the most rapidly aging countries in the world. Deterioration in the environment - notably air pollution, soil erosion, and the steady fall of the water table, especially in the north - is another long-term problem. China continues to lose arable land because of erosion and economic development. In 2007 China intensified government efforts to improve environmental conditions, tying the evaluation of local officials to environmental targets, publishing a national climate change policy, and establishing a high level leading group on climate change, headed by Premier WEN Jiabao. The Chinese government seeks to add energy production capacity from sources other than coal and oil as its double-digit economic growth increases demand. Chinese energy officials in 2007 agreed to purchase five third generation nuclear reactors from Western companies. More power generating capacity came on line in 2006 as large scale investments - including the Three Gorges Dam across the Yangtze River - were completed.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$7.099 trillion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$3.251 trillion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
11.9% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$5,400 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 11.3% industry: 48.6% services: 40.1% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
800.7 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 43% industry: 25% services: 32% (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate:
4% unemployment in urban areas; substantial unemployment and underemployment in rural areas (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
8% note: 21.5 million rural population live below the official "absolute poverty" line (approximately $90 per year); and an additional 35.5 million rural population above that but below the official "low income" line (approximately $125 per year) (2006 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 34.9% (2004)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
47 (2007)
Investment (gross fixed):
42.7% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $674.3 billion expenditures: $651.6 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
18.4% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.8% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
3.33% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
7.47% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$2.09 trillion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$3.437 trillion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$4.653 trillion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
rice, wheat, potatoes, corn, peanuts, tea, millet, barley, apples, cotton, oilseed; pork; fish
Industries:
mining and ore processing, iron, steel, aluminum, and other metals, coal; machine building; armaments; textiles and apparel; petroleum; cement; chemicals; fertilizers; consumer products, including footwear, toys, and electronics; food processing; transportation equipment, including automobiles, rail cars and locomotives, ships, and aircraft; telecommunications equipment, commercial space launch vehicles, satellites
Industrial production growth rate:
13.4% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
3.256 trillion kWh (2007)
Electricity - consumption:
2.859 trillion kWh (2006)
Electricity - exports:
14.04 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
4.771 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 80.2% hydro: 18.5% nuclear: 1.2% other: 0.1% (2001)
Oil - production:
3.725 million bbl/day (2008 est.)
Oil - consumption:
7.578 million bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - exports:
79,060 bbl/day (2007)
Oil - imports:
3.19 million bbl/day (2007)
Oil - proved reserves:
16 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
69.27 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
70.51 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
2.69 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
3.92 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
2.265 trillion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
$371.8 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$1.22 trillion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
machinery, electrical products, data processing equipment, apparel, textile, steel, mobile phones
Exports - partners:
US 19.1%, Hong Kong 15.1%, Japan 8.4%, South Korea 4.6%, Germany 4% (2007)
Imports:
$904.6 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, oil and mineral fuels, plastics, LED screens, data processing equipment, optical and medical equipment, organic chemicals, steel, copper
Imports - partners:
Japan 14%, South Korea 10.9%, Taiwan 10.5%, US 7.3%, Germany 4.7% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$1.641 billion (FY07)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$1.534 trillion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$363 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$758.9 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$93.75 billion ( 2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$4.477 trillion (31 December 2007 est.)
Currency (code):
Renminbi (RMB); note - also referred to by the unit yuan (CNY)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Renminbi yuan (RMB) per US dollar - 7.61 (2007), 7.97 (2006), 8.1943 (2005), 8.2768 (2004), 8.277 (2003)
Communications
China
Telephones - main lines in use:
365.4 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
547.286 million (2007)
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; nonetheless, by the end of 2006, more than 95% of China's villages had been connected to the telephone network; China continues to develop its telecommunications infrastructure, and is partnering with foreign providers to expand its global reach; 3 of China's 6 major telecommunications operators are part of an international consortium which, in December 2006, signed an agreement with Verizon Business to build the first next-generation fiber optic submarine cable system directly linking the US mainland and China domestic: interprovincial fiber-optic trunk lines and cellular telephone systems have been installed; mobile-cellular subscribership is increasing rapidly; the number of Internet users reached 253 million in 2008; a domestic satellite system with 55 earth stations is in place international: country code - 86; a number of submarine cables provide connectivity to Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and the US; satellite earth stations - 7 (5 Intelsat - 4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean; 1 Intersputnik - Indian Ocean region; and 1 Inmarsat - Pacific and Indian Ocean regions) (2007)
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 hosts:
14.306 million (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
3 (2000)
Internet users:
253 million (2008)
Transportation
China
Airports:
467 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 403 over 3,047 m: 58 2,438 to 3,047 m: 128 1,524 to 2,437 m: 130 914 to 1,523 m: 20 under 914 m: 67 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 64 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 26 (2007)
Heliports:
35 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 26,344 km; oil 17,240 km; refined products 6,106 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 75,438 km standard gauge: 75,438 km 1.435-m gauge (20,151 km electrified) (2005)
Roadways:
total: 1,930,544 km paved: 1,575,571 km (includes 41,005 km of expressways) unpaved: 354,973 km (2005)
Waterways:
124,000 km navigable (2006)
Merchant marine:
total: 1,826 by type: barge carrier 4, bulk carrier 451, cargo 689, carrier 2, chemical tanker 69, combination ore/oil 1, container 162, liquefied gas 44, passenger 8, passenger/cargo 83, petroleum tanker 244, refrigerated cargo 33, roll on/roll off 10, specialized tanker 9, vehicle carrier 17 foreign-owned: 20 (Ecuador 1, Greece 2, Hong Kong 12, Indonesia 1, Japan 2, South Korea 1, Norway 1) registered in other countries: 1,441 (Bahamas 10, Bangladesh 1, Belize 71, Bermuda 10, Bolivia 1, Cambodia 193, Cyprus 10, France 5, Georgia 10, Germany 2, Honduras 3, Hong Kong 324, India 1, Indonesia 2, Kiribati 15, South Korea 1, Liberia 11, Malta 12, Marshall Islands 7, Mongolia 1, Norway 36, Panama 532, Philippines 4, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 94, Sierra Leone 15, Singapore 14, Thailand 1, Tuvalu 16, unknown 39) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Dalian, Guangzhou, Ningbo, Qingdao, Qinhuangdao, Shanghai, Shenzhen,
Tianjin
Military
China
Military branches:
People's Liberation Army (PLA): Ground Forces, Navy (includes marines and naval aviation), Air Force (includes airborne forces), and Second Artillery Corps (strategic missile force); People's Armed Police (PAP); PLA Reserve Force (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18-22 years of age for selective compulsory military service, with 24-month service obligation; no minimum age for voluntary service (all officers are volunteers); 18-19 years of age for women high school graduates who meet requirements for specific military jobs (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 375,009,345 females age 16-49: 354,314,328 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 313,321,639 females age 16-49: 295,951,438 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 10,760,380 female: 9,710,032 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
4.3% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
China
Disputes - international:
continuing talks and confidence-building measures work toward reducing tensions over Kashmir that nonetheless remains militarized with portions under the de facto administration of China (Aksai Chin), India (Jammu and Kashmir), and Pakistan (Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas); India does not recognize Pakistan's ceding historic Kashmir lands to China in 1964; China and India continue their security and foreign policy dialogue started in 2005 related to the dispute over most of their rugged, militarized boundary, regional nuclear proliferation, and other matters; China claims most of India's Arunachal Pradesh to the base of the Himalayas; lacking any treaty describing the boundary, Bhutan and China continue negotiations to establish a common boundary alignment to resolve territorial disputes due to cartographic discrepancies; Chinese maps show an international boundary symbol off the coasts of the littoral states of the South China Seas, where China has interrupted Vietnamese hydrocarbon exploration; China asserts sovereignty over the Spratly Islands together with Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" eased tensions in the Spratly's but is not the legally binding "code of conduct" sought by some parties; Vietnam and China continue to expand construction of facilities in the Spratly's and in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord on marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands; China occupies some of the Paracel Islands also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; China and Taiwan continue to reject both Japan's claims to the uninhabited islands of Senkaku-shoto (Diaoyu Tai) and Japan's unilaterally declared equidistance line in the East China Sea, the site of intensive hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation; certain islands in the Yalu and Tumen rivers are in dispute with North Korea; North Korea and China seek to stem illegal migration to China by North Koreans, fleeing privations and oppression, by building a fence along portions of the border and imprisoning North Koreans deported by China; China and Russia have demarcated the once disputed islands at the Amur and Ussuri confluence and in the Argun River in accordance with their 2004 Agreement; China and Tajikistan have begun demarcating the revised boundary agreed to in the delimitation of 2002; the decade-long demarcation of the China-Vietnam land boundary is expected to be completed by the end of 2008, while the maritime boundary delimitation and fisheries agreements in the Gulf of Tonkin, ratified in June 2004, have been implemented; citing environmental, cultural, and social concerns, China has reconsidered construction of 13 dams on the Salween River, but energy-starved Burma, with backing from Thailand, remains intent on building five hydro-electric dams downstream despite regional and international protests; Chinese and Hong Kong authorities met in March 2008 to resolve ownership and use of lands recovered in Shenzhen River channelization, including 96-hectare Lok Ma Chau Loop; Hong Kong developing plans to reduce 2,000 out of 2,800 hectares of its restricted Closed Area by 2010
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 300,897 (Vietnam); estimated 30,000-50,000 (North Korea) IDPs: 90,000 (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: China is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of sexual exploitation and forced labor; the majority of trafficking in China occurs within the country's borders, but there is also considerable international trafficking of Chinese citizens to Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and North America; Chinese women are lured abroad through false promises of legitimate employment, only to be forced into commercial sexual exploitation, largely in Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, and Japan; women and children are trafficked to China from Mongolia, Burma, North Korea, Russia, and Vietnam for forced labor, marriage, and prostitution; some North Korean women and children seeking to leave their country voluntarily cross the border into China and are then sold into prostitution, marriage, or forced labor tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - China is on the Tier 2 Watch List for the fourth consecutive year for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking, particularly in terms of punishment of trafficking crimes and the protection of Chinese and foreign victims of trafficking; victims are sometimes punished for unlawful acts that were committed as a direct result of their being trafficked, such as violations of prostitution or immigration/emigration controls; the Chinese Government continued to treat North Korean victims of trafficking solely as economic migrants, routinely deporting them back to horrendous conditions in North Korea; additional challenges facing the Chinese Government include the enormous size of its trafficking problem and the significant level of corruption and complicity in trafficking by some local government officials (2008)
Illicit drugs:
major transshipment point for heroin produced in the Golden Triangle region of Southeast Asia; growing domestic drug abuse problem; source country for chemical precursors, despite new regulations on its large chemical industry
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Christmas Island
Introduction
Christmas Island
Background:
Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the island was annexed and settlement began 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:
Map references:
Southeast Asia
Area:
total: 135 sq km land: 135 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
138.9 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical with a wet season (December to April) and dry season; 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% (mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national park) (2005)
Irrigated land:
Natural hazards:
the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard
Environment - current issues:
loss of rainforest; impact of phosphate mining
Geography - note:
located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean
People
Christmas Island
Population:
1,402 (July 2007 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate:
0% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
NA (2008 est.)
Death rate:
NA (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
Infant mortality rate:
total: NA male: NA female: NA (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: NA male: NA female: NA (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
NA (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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:
Government
Christmas Island
Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island conventional short form: Christmas Island
Dependency status:
non-self governing territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Attorney-General's Department
Government type:
Capital:
name: The Settlement geographic coordinates: 10 25 S, 105 43 E time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
none (territory of Australia)
Independence:
none (territory of Australia)
National holiday:
Australia Day, 26 January (1788)
Constitution:
Christmas Island Act of 1958-59 (1 October 1958) as amended by the
Territories Law Reform Act of 1992
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 Neil LUCAS (since 30 January 2006) elections: 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 four-year terms) elections: held every two years with half the members standing for election; last held 20 October 2007 (next to be held in 2009) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 9
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:
territorial flag; divided diagonally from upper hoist to lower fly; the upper triangle is green with a yellow image of the Golden Bosun Bird superimposed, while the lower triangle is blue with the Southern Cross constellation, representing Australia, superimposed; a centered yellow disk displays a green map of the island note: the flag of Australia is used for official purposes
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, but closed in 1998. The Australian Government in 2001 agreed to support the creation of a commercial space-launching site on the island, expected to begin operations in the near future.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
Labor force:
Budget:
revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA
Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June
Agriculture - products:
Industries:
tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: NA hydro: NA nuclear: NA other: NA
Exports:
Exports - commodities:
phosphate
Exports - partners:
Australia, NZ (2006)
Imports:
Imports - commodities:
consumer goods
Imports - partners:
principally Australia (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
Currency (code):
Australian dollar (AUD)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - 1.2137 (2007), 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003)
Communications
Christmas Island
Telephones - main lines in use:
Telephone system:
general assessment: service provided by the Australian network domestic: GSM mobile telephone service replaced older analog system in February 2005 international: country code - 61-8; satellite earth station - 1 (Intelsat provides telephone and telex service) (2005)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2006)
Radios:
1,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
0 (TV broadcasts received via satellite from mainland Australia) (2006)
Televisions:
600 (1997)
Internet country code:
.cx
Internet hosts:
1,821 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)
Internet users:
464 (2001)
Transportation
Christmas Island
Airports:
1 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 140 km paved: 30 km unpaved: 110 km (2007)
Ports and terminals:
Flying Fish Cove
Military
Christmas Island
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of Australia
Transnational Issues
Christmas Island
Disputes - international:
none
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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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:
Map references:
Political Map of the World
Area:
total: 6 sq km land: 6 sq km water: 0 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:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical; humid, average temperature 20-32 degrees C, wet season (May to 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) (2005)
Irrigated land:
0 sq km
Natural hazards:
Environment - current issues:
Geography - note:
reef 12 km in circumference
People
Clipperton Island
Population:
uninhabited
Government
Clipperton Island
Country name:
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Clipperton Island local long form: none local short form: Ile Clipperton former: sometimes called Ile de la Passion
Dependency status:
possession of France; administered directly by the Minister of Overseas France
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
Ports and terminals:
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 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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. From the 1820s to 1978, members of the CLUNIE-ROSS family controlled the islands and the copra produced from local coconuts. Annexed by the UK in 1857, the Cocos Islands 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, southwest of Indonesia, about halfway from Australia to Sri Lanka
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Southeast Asia
Area:
total: 14 sq km land: 14 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the two main islands of West Island and Home Island
Area - comparative:
about 24 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
26 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 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% (2005)
Irrigated land:
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; site of a World War I naval battle in November 1914 between the Australian light cruiser HMAS Sydney and the German raider SMS Emden; after being heavily damaged in the engagement, the Emden was beached by her captain on North Keeling Island
People
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Population:
596 (July 2007 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate:
0% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
NA (2008 est.)
Death rate:
NA (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: NA male: NA female: NA (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: NA male: NA female: NA (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
NA (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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
Literacy:
Government
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands conventional short form: Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Dependency status:
non-self governing territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Attorney-General's Department
Government type:
Capital:
name: West Island geographic coordinates: 12 10 S, 96 50 E time difference: UTC+6.5 (11.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
none (territory of Australia)
Independence:
none (territory of Australia)
National holiday:
Australia Day, 26 January (1788)
Constitution:
Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955 (23 November 1955) as amended by the Territories Law Reform Act of 1992
Legal system:
based upon the laws of Australia and local laws
Suffrage:
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by the Australian governor general head of government: Administrator (nonresident) Neil LUCAS (since 30 January 2006) cabinet: NA elections: the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia
Legislative branch:
unicameral Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council (7 seats) elections: held every two years with half the members standing for election; last held in May 2007 (next to be held in May 2009)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court
Political parties and leaders:
none
Political pressure groups and leaders:
The Cocos Islands Youth Support Centre
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):
Labor force:
Labor force - by occupation:
note: 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
Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June
Agriculture - products:
vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts
Industries:
copra products and tourism
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: NA hydro: NA nuclear: NA other: NA
Exports:
Exports - commodities:
copra
Exports - partners:
Australia (2006)
Imports:
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
Australia (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
Currency (code):
Australian dollar (AUD)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - 1.2137 (2007), 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003)
Communications
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Telephones - main lines in use:
287 (1992)
Telephone system:
general assessment: connected within Australia's telecommunication system; a local mobile-cellular network is in operation domestic: NA international: country code - 61; telephone, telex, and facsimile communications with Australia and elsewhere via satellite; satellite earth station - 1 (Intelsat) (2001)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2004)
Radios:
300 (1992)
Television broadcast stations:
4 (2007)
Televisions:
Internet country code:
.cc
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)
Internet users:
Transportation
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Airports:
1 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 22 km paved: 10 km unpaved: 12 km (2006)
Ports and terminals:
Port Refuge
Military
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of Australia; the territory has a five-person police force
Transnational Issues
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Disputes - international:
none
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Colombia
Introduction
Colombia
Background:
Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others are Ecuador and Venezuela). A 40-year conflict between government forces and anti-government insurgent groups and illegal paramilitary groups - both heavily funded by the drug trade - escalated during the 1990s. The insurgents lack the military or popular support necessary to overthrow the government, and violence has been decreasing since about 2002, but insurgents continue attacks against civilians and large swaths of the countryside are under guerrilla influence. More than 32,000 former paramilitaries had demobilized by the end of 2006 and the United Self Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) as a formal organization had ceased to function. Still, some renegades continued to engage in criminal activities. The Colombian Government has stepped up efforts to reassert government control throughout the country, and now has a presence in every one of its administrative departments. However, 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:
Map references:
South America
Area:
total: 1,138,910 sq km land: 1,038,700 sq km water: 100,210 sq km note: includes Isla de Malpelo, Roncador Cay, and Serrana Bank
Area - comparative:
slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Land boundaries:
total: 6,309 km border countries: Brazil 1,644 km, Ecuador 590 km, Panama 225 km, Peru 1,800 km, Venezuela 2,050 km
Coastline:
3,208 km (Caribbean Sea 1,760 km, North Pacific Ocean 1,448 km)
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
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: 2.01% permanent crops: 1.37% other: 96.62% (2005)
Irrigated land:
9,000 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
2,132 cu km (2000)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 10.71 cu km/yr (50%/4%/46%) per capita: 235 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note:
only South American country with coastlines on both the North Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea
People
Colombia
Population:
45,013,672 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 29.4% (male 6,688,530/female 6,531,768) 15-64 years: 65.1% (male 14,292,647/female 15,017,204) 65 years and over: 5.5% (male 1,072,644/female 1,410,881) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 26.8 years male: 25.9 years female: 27.8 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.405% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
19.86 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
5.54 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 19.51 deaths/1,000 live births male: 23.18 deaths/1,000 live births female: 15.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.54 years male: 68.71 years female: 76.5 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.49 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.7% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
190,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
3,600 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and yellow fever water contact disease: leptospirosis (2008)
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%, other 10%
Languages:
Spanish
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.8% male: 92.9% female: 92.7% (2004 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 12 years male: 12 years female: 13 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
4.7% of GDP (2006)
Government
Colombia
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Colombia conventional short form: Colombia local long form: Republica de Colombia local short form: Colombia
Government type:
republic; executive branch dominates government structure
Capital:
name: Bogota geographic coordinates: 4 36 N, 74 05 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
32 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1 capital district* (distrito capital); Amazonas, Antioquia, Arauca, Atlantico, 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; amended many times
Legal system:
based on Spanish law; a new criminal code modeled after US procedures was enacted into law in 2004 and reached full implemention in January 2008; judicial review of executive and legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Alvaro URIBE Velez (since 7 August 2002); Vice President Francisco SANTOS (since 7 August 2002); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Alvaro URIBE Velez (since 7 August 2002); Vice President Francisco SANTOS (since 7 August 2002) cabinet: Cabinet consists of a coalition of the three largest parties that supported President URIBE's reelection - the PSUN, PC, and CR - and independents elections: president and vice president elected by popular vote for a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 28 May 2006 (next to be held in May 2010) election results: President Alvaro URIBE Velez reelected president; percent of vote - Alvaro URIBE Velez 62%, Carlos GAVIRIA Diaz 22%, Horacio SERPA Uribe 12%, other 4%
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: Senate - last held 12 March 2006 (next to be held in March 2010); House of Representatives - last held 12 March 2006 (next to be held in March 2010) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PSUN 20, PC 18, PL 18, CR 15, PDI 10, other parties 21; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PL 35, PSUN 33, PC 29, CR 20, PDA 8, other parties 41
Judicial branch:
four roughly coequal, supreme judicial organs; Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (highest court of criminal law; judges are selected by their peers from the nominees of the Superior Judicial Council for eight-year terms); Council of State (highest court of administrative law; judges are selected from the nominees of the Superior Judicial Council 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); Superior Judicial Council (administers and disciplines the civilian judiciary; resolves jurisdictional conflicts arising between other courts; members are elected by three sister courts and Congress for eight-year terms)
Political parties and leaders:
Colombian Conservative Party or PC [Efrain Jose CEPEDA Sarabia]; Alternative Democratic Pole or PDA [Carlos GAVIRIA Diaz]; Liberal Party or PL [Cesar GAVIRIA Trujillo]; Radical Change or CR [German VARGAS Lleras]; Social National Unity Party or U Party [Carlos GARCIA Orjuela] note: Colombia has 15 formally recognized political parties, and numerous unofficial parties that did not meet the vote threshold in the March 2006 legislative elections required for recognition
Political pressure groups and leaders:
National Liberation Army or ELN; Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC note: two largest insurgent groups active in Colombia
International organization participation:
BCIE, CAN, Caricom (observer), CDB, FAO, G-3, G-24, G-77, IADB,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES,
LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG,
UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU,
WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Carolina BARCO Isakson chancery: 2118 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 387-8338 FAX: [1] (202) 232-8643 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Washington, DC
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador William R. BROWNFIELD embassy: Calle 24 Bis No. 48-50, Bogota, D.C. mailing address: Carrera 45 No. 24B-27, Bogota, D.C. telephone: [57] (1) 315-0811 FAX: [57] (1) 315-2197
Flag description:
three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double-width), blue, and red note: 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 has experienced positive growth over the past five years despite a serious armed conflict. In fact, 2007 is regarded by policy makers and the private sector as one of the best economic years in recent history, after 2005. The economy continues to improve in part because of austere government budgets, focused efforts to reduce public debt levels, an export-oriented growth strategy, improved domestic security, and high commodity prices. Ongoing economic problems facing President URIBE include reforming the pension system, reducing high unemployment, and funding new exploration to offset declining oil production. The government's economic reforms and democratic security strategy, coupled with increased investment, have engendered a growing sense of confidence in the economy. However, the business sector continues to be concerned about failure of the US Congress to approve the signed FTA.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$327.7 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$171.6 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
8.2% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$7,400 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 11.5% industry: 36% services: 52.5% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
20.5 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 22.7% industry: 18.7% services: 58.5% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate:
11.2% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
49.2% (2005)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 7.9% highest 10%: 34.3% (2004)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
53.8 (2005)
Investment (gross fixed):
22.5% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $63.69 billion expenditures: $64.96 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
52.8% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.5% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
11.5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
15.38% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$21.81 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$27.25 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$85.34 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
coffee, cut flowers, bananas, rice, tobacco, corn, sugarcane, cocoa beans, oilseed, vegetables; forest products; shrimp
Industries:
textiles, food processing, oil, clothing and footwear, beverages, chemicals, cement; gold, coal, emeralds
Industrial production growth rate:
9.8% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
51.83 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
39.58 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
876.7 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
39.4 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 26% hydro: 72.7% nuclear: 0% other: 1.3% (2001)
Oil - production:
550,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Oil - consumption:
265,400 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
276,100 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
12,480 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
1.506 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
7.22 billion cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
7.22 billion cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
122.9 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
-$5.862 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$30.58 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
petroleum, coffee, coal, nickel, emeralds, apparel, bananas, cut flowers
Exports - partners:
US 35.4%, Venezuela 17.4%, Ecuador 4.3% (2007)
Imports:
$31.17 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
industrial equipment, transportation equipment, consumer goods, chemicals, paper products, fuels, electricity
Imports - partners:
US 26.2%, China 10.1%, Mexico 9.3%, Brazil 7.3%, Venezuela 4.2% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$511.1 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$20.95 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$41.39 billion (30 June 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$56.19 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$10.38 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$56.2 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
Colombian peso (COP)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Colombian pesos (COP) per US dollar - 2,013.8 (2007), 2,358.6 (2006), 2,320.75 (2005), 2,628.61 (2004), 2,877.65 (2003)
Communications
Colombia
Telephones - main lines in use:
7.936 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
33.941 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: modern system in many respects; telecommunications sector liberalized during the 1990s; multiple providers of both fixed-line and mobile-cellular services; fixed-line connections stand at about 18 per 100 persons; mobile cellular usage is about 75 per 100 persons; competition among cellular service providers is resulting in falling local and international calling rates and contributing to the steep decline in the market share of fixed line services domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system; domestic satellite system with 41 earth stations; fiber-optic network linking 50 cities international: country code - 57; submarine cables provide links to the US, parts of the Caribbean, and Central and South America; satellite earth stations - 10 (6 Intelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 3 fully digitalized international switching centers) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 454, FM 34, shortwave 27 (1999)
Radios:
21 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
60 (1997)
Televisions:
4.59 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.co
Internet hosts:
1.554 million (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
18 (2000)
Internet users:
12.1 million (2007)
Transportation
Colombia
Airports:
934 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 103 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 39 914 to 1,523 m: 42 under 914 m: 12 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 831 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 34 914 to 1,523 m: 216 under 914 m: 580 (2007)
Heliports:
2 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 4,329 km; oil 6,140 km; refined products 3,145 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 3,304 km standard gauge: 150 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 3,154 km 0.914-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 164,257 km (2005)
Waterways:
18,000 km (2006)
Merchant marine:
total: 17 by type: cargo 13, petroleum tanker 3, specialized tanker 1 registered in other countries: 6 (Antigua and Barbuda 2, Panama 4) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Barranquilla, Buenaventura, Cartagena, Santa Marta, Turbo
Military
Colombia
Military branches:
National Army (Ejercito Nacional), National Navy (Armada Nacional,
includes Naval Aviation, Naval Infantry (Infanteria de Marina,
Colmar), and Coast Guard), Colombian Air Force (Fuerza Aerea de
Colombia, FAC) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18-24 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; service obligation - 18 months (2004)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 11,478,109 females age 16-49: 11,809,279 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 8,056,336 females age 16-49: 9,919,952 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 442,403 female: 433,192 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
3.4% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
Colombia
Disputes - international:
in December 2007, ICJ allocates San Andres, Providencia, and Santa Catalina islands to Colombia under 1928 Treaty but does not rule on 82°W meridian as maritime boundary with Nicaragua; managed dispute with Venezuela over maritime boundary and Venezuelan-administered Los Monjes Islands near the Gulf of Venezuela; Colombian-organized illegal narcotics, guerrilla, and paramilitary activities penetrate all neighboring borders and have caused Colombian citizens to flee mostly into neighboring countries; Colombia, Honduras, Nicaragua, Jamaica, and the US assert various claims to Bajo Nuevo and Serranilla Bank
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 1.8-3.5 million (conflict between government and illegal armed groups and drug traffickers) (2007)
Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of coca, opium poppy, and cannabis; world's leading coca cultivator with 167,000 hectares in coca cultivation in 2007, a 6% increase over 2006, producing a potential of 535 metric tons of pure cocaine; the world's largest producer of coca derivatives; supplies cocaine to most of the US market and the great majority of other international drug markets; in 2007, aerial eradication dispensed herbicide to treat over 153,000 hectares with another 67,000 hectares manually eradicated, but aggressive replanting on the part of coca growers means Colombia remains a key producer; a significant portion of non-US narcotics proceeds are either laundered or invested in Colombia through the black market peso exchange; important supplier of heroin to the US market; opium poppy cultivation is estimated to have fallen 25% between 2006 and 2007 with a corresponding estimated 27% decline in the yield of pure heroin to 1.9 metric tons; (2007)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Comoros
Introduction
Comoros
Background:
Comoros has endured more than 20 coups or attempted coups since gaining independence from France in 1975. In 1997, the islands of Anjouan and Moheli declared independence from Comoros. In 1999, military chief Col. AZALI seized power in a bloodless coup, and helped negotiate the 2000 Fomboni Accords power-sharing agreement in which the federal presidency rotates among the three islands, and each island maintains its own local government. AZALI won the 2002 Presidential election, and each island in the archipelago elected its own president. AZALI stepped down in 2006 and President SAMBI took office. Since 2006, Anjouan's President Mohamed BACAR has refused to work effectively with the Union presidency. In 2007, BACAR effected Anjouan's de-facto secession from the Union, refusing to step down in favor of fresh Anjouanais elections when Comoros' other islands held legitimate elections in July. The African Union (AU) initially attempted to resolve the political crisis by applying sanctions and a naval blockade on Anjouan, but in March 2008, AU and Comoran soldiers seized the island. The move was generally welcomed by the island's inhabitants.
Geography
Comoros
Location:
Southern Africa, group of islands at the northern mouth of the
Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way between northern
Madagascar and northern Mozambique
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 2,170 sq km land: 2,170 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
340 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 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 Karthala 2,360 m
Natural resources:
Land use:
arable land: 35.87% permanent crops: 23.32% other: 40.81% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Total renewable water resources:
1.2 cu km (2003)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.01 cu km/yr (48%/5%/47%) per capita: 13 cu m/yr (1999)
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, 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:
important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel
People
Comoros
Population:
731,775 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 42.4% (male 155,662/female 154,520) 15-64 years: 54.6% (male 197,178/female 202,231) 65 years and over: 3% (male 10,203/female 11,981) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 18.7 years male: 18.5 years female: 19 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.803% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
35.78 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
7.76 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA (2008 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: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 68.58 deaths/1,000 live births male: 76.65 deaths/1,000 live births female: 60.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 63.1 years male: 60.72 years female: 65.55 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
4.9 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.12% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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: 56.5% male: 63.6% female: 49.3% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 8 years male: 9 years female: 7 years (2004)
Education expenditures:
3.8% of GDP (2002)
Government
Comoros
Country name:
conventional long form: Union of the Comoros conventional short form: Comoros local long form: Union des Comores local short form: Comores
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Moroni geographic coordinates: 11 42 S, 43 14 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
3 islands and 4 municipalities*; Grande Comore, Anjouan, Domoni*, Fomboni*, Moheli, Moroni*, Mutsamudu*
Independence:
6 July 1975 (from France)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 6 July (1975)
Constitution:
23 December 2001
Legal system:
French and Islamic law in a new consolidated code; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI (since 26 May 2006) head of government: President Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI (since 26 May 2006) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: as defined by the 2001 constitution, the presidency rotates every four years among the elected presidents from the three main islands in the Union; election last held 14 May 2006 (next to be held by May 2010); prime minister appointed by the president; note - the post of prime minister has been vacant since May 2002 election results: Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI elected president; percent of vote - Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI 58.0%, Ibrahim HALIDI 28.3%, Mohamed DJAANFAMI 13.7%
Legislative branch:
unicameral Assembly of the Union (33 seats; 15 deputies are selected by the individual islands' local assemblies and 18 by universal suffrage; to serve for five years); elections: last held 18 and 25 April 2004 (next to be held in 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CdIA 12, CRC 6; note - 15 additional seats are filled by deputies from local island assemblies
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:
Convention for the Renewal of the Comoros or CRC [AZALI Assowmani];
Camp of the Autonomous Islands or CdIA (a coalition of parties
organized by the islands' presidents in opposition to the Union
President); Front National pour la Justice or FNJ [Ahmed RACHID]
(Islamic party in opposition); Mouvement pour la Democratie et le
Progress or MDP-NGDC [Abbas DJOUSSOUF]; Parti Comorien pour la
Democratie et le Progress or PCDP [Ali MROUDJAE]; Rassemblement
National pour le Development or RND [Omar TAMOU, Abdoulhamid
AFFRAITANE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: environmentalists
International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AMF, AU, COMESA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, InOC,
Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Representative to the US and Ambassador to the UN Mohamed TOIHIRI chancery: Mission to the US, 866 United Nations Plaza, Suite 418, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 750-1637
Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Comoros; the ambassador to Madagascar 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 Mahore (Mayotte - territorial collectivity of France, but claimed by Comoros) note: 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 - which is hampered by internal political disputes - is struggling to upgrade education and technical training, privatize commercial and industrial enterprises, improve health services, diversify exports, promote tourism, and reduce the high population growth rate. The political problems caused the economy to contract in 2007. Remittances from 150,000 Comorans abroad help supplement GDP.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.262 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$442 million (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
-1% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,100 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 40% industry: 4% services: 56% (2001 est.)
Labor force:
144,500 (1996 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 80% industry and services: 20% (1996 est.)
Unemployment rate:
20% (1996 est.)
Population below poverty line:
60% (2002 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $27.6 million expenditures: $NA (2001 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
5.36% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
10.5% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$76.68 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$23.39 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$45.09 million (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
vanilla, cloves, ylang-ylang, perfume essences, copra, coconuts, bananas, cassava (tapioca)
Industries:
fishing, tourism, perfume distillation
Industrial production growth rate:
-2% (1999 est.)
Electricity - production:
20 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
18.6 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 90.6% hydro: 9.4% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
712.3 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
755.4 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
$8 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$32 million f.o.b. (2006)
Exports - commodities:
vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), cloves, copra
Exports - partners:
Turkey 38%, France 27.5%, Singapore 9.2%, Saudi Arabia 4.1% (2007)
Imports:
$143 million f.o.b. (2006)
Imports - commodities:
rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods, petroleum products, cement, transport equipment
Imports - partners:
France 18.2%, UAE 10.8%, South Africa 8.5%, Pakistan 7.2%, Kenya 5.7%, China 5.4%, India 5% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$25.23 million (2005 est.)
Debt - external:
$232 million (2000 est.)
Currency (code):
Comoran franc (KMF)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Comoran francs (KMF) per US dollar - 361.4 (2007), 391.8 (2006), 395.6 (2005), 396.21 (2004), 435.9 (2003) note: the Comoran franc is pegged to the euro at a rate of 491.9677 Comoran francs per euro
Communications
Comoros
Telephones - main lines in use:
19,100 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
40,000 (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: sparse system of microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone communication stations; fixed-line connections only about 3 per 100 persons; mobile cellular usage about 5 per 100 persons domestic: HF radiotelephone communications and microwave radio relay international: country code - 269; HF radiotelephone communications to Madagascar and Reunion
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)
Radios:
90,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
Televisions:
1,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.km
Internet hosts:
8 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)
Internet users:
21,000 (2006)
Transportation
Comoros
Airports:
4 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 880 km paved: 673 km unpaved: 207 km (2002)
Merchant marine:
total: 136 by type: bulk carrier 15, cargo 87, carrier 2, chemical tanker 5, container 2, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 9, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 8, specialized tanker 1 foreign-owned: 68 (Bangladesh 2, Bulgaria 2, Cyprus 1, Greece 6, India 2, Kenya 1, Kuwait 1, Lebanon 4, Norway 1, Pakistan 4, Philippines 1, Russia 12, Saudi Arabia 1, Singapore 1, Syria 4, Turkey 8, Ukraine 8, UAE 7, US 2) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Mayotte, Mutsamudu
Military
Comoros
Military branches:
National Development Army (AND): Comoran Security Force; Comoran
Federal Police (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 167,850 females age 16-49: 167,362 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 121,550 females age 16-49: 131,015 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 7,901 female: 7,894 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
2.8% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Comoros
Disputes - international:
claims French-administered Mayotte and challenges France's and Madagascar's claims to Banc du Geyser, a drying reef in the Mozambique Channel; in May 2008, African Union forces are called in to assist the Comoros military recapture Anjouan Island from rebels who seized it in 2001
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Introduction
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Background:
Established as a Belgian colony in 1908, the Republic of the Congo gained its independence in 1960, but its early years were marred by political and social instability. Col. Joseph MOBUTU seized power and declared himself president in a November 1965 coup. He subsequently changed his name - to MOBUTU Sese Seko - as well as that of the country - to Zaire. MOBUTU retained his position for 32 years through several sham elections, as well as through the use of brutal force. Ethnic strife and civil war, touched off by a massive inflow of refugees in 1994 from fighting in Rwanda and Burundi, led in May 1997 to the toppling of the MOBUTU regime by a rebellion backed by Rwanda and Uganda and fronted by Laurent KABILA. He renamed the country the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), but in August 1998 his regime was itself challenged by a second insurrection again backed by Rwanda and Uganda. Troops from Angola, Chad, Namibia, Sudan, and Zimbabwe intervened to support KABILA's regime. A cease-fire was signed in July 1999 by the DRC, Congolese armed rebel groups, Angola, Namibia, Rwanda, Uganda, and Zimbabwe but sporadic fighting continued. Laurent KABILA was assassinated in January 2001 and his son, Joseph KABILA, was named head of state. In October 2002, the new president was successful in negotiating the withdrawal of Rwandan forces occupying eastern Congo; two months later, the Pretoria Accord was signed by all remaining warring parties to end the fighting and establish a government of national unity. A transitional government was set up in July 2003. Joseph KABILA as president and four vice presidents represented the former government, former rebel groups, the political opposition, and civil society. The transitional government held a successful constitutional referendum in December 2005 and elections for the presidency, National Assembly, and provincial legislatures in 2006. KABILA was inaugurated president in December 2006. The National Assembly was installed in September 2006. Its president, Vital KAMERHE, was chosen in December. Provincial assemblies were constituted in early 2007, and elected governors and national senators in January 2007.
Geography
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Location:
Central Africa, northeast of Angola
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 2,345,410 sq km land: 2,267,600 sq km water: 77,810 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly less than one-fourth the size of the US
Land boundaries:
total: 10,730 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 459 km, Uganda 765 km, Zambia 1,930 km
Coastline:
37 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: boundaries with neighbors
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, niobium, tantalum, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, uranium, coal, hydropower, timber
Land use:
arable land: 2.86% permanent crops: 0.47% other: 96.67% (2005)
Irrigated land:
110 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
1,283 cu km (2001)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.36 cu km/yr (53%/17%/31%) per capita: 6 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Geography - note:
straddles equator; has 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:
66,514,504 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 47.1% (male 15,711,817/female 15,594,449) 15-64 years: 50.4% (male 16,672,399/female 16,875,468) 65 years and over: 2.5% (male 674,766/female 985,607) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 16.3 years male: 16.1 years female: 16.5 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
3.236% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
43 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
11.88 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
1.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 83.11 deaths/1,000 live births male: 91.14 deaths/1,000 live births female: 74.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 53.98 years male: 52.22 years female: 55.8 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
6.28 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
4.2% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1.1 million (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
100,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria, plague, and African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) water contact disease: schistosomiasis animal contact disease: rabies (2008)
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 (includes 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: 67.2% male: 80.9% female: 54.1% (2001 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 9 years male: 10 years female: 8 years (2003)
Education expenditures:
Government
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Country name:
conventional long form: Democratic Republic of the Congo conventional short form: none local long form: Republique Democratique du Congo local short form: none former: Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Congo/Leopoldville, Congo/Kinshasa, Zaire abbreviation: DRC
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Kinshasa geographic coordinates: 4 19 S, 15 18 E time difference: UTC+1 (six hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
10 provinces (provinces, singular - province) and 1 city* (ville); Bandundu, Bas-Congo, Equateur, Kasai-Occidental, Kasai-Oriental, Katanga, Kinshasa*, Maniema, Nord-Kivu, Orientale, Sud-Kivu note: according to the Constitution adopted in December 2005, the current administrative divisions will be subdivided into 26 new provinces by 2009
Independence:
30 June 1960 (from Belgium)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 30 June (1960)
Constitution:
18 February 2006
Legal system:
a new constitution was adopted by referendum 18 December 2005; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Joseph KABILA (since 17 January 2001); note - following the assassination of his father, Joseph KABILA succeeded to the presidency which he retained through the 2003-06 transition; he was subsequently elected president in October 2006 head of government: Prime Minister Adolphe MUZITO (since 10 October 2008) cabinet: Ministers of State appointed by the president elections: under the new constitution the president is elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); elections last held 30 July 2006 and 29 October 2006 (next to be held in 2011); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Joseph KABILA elected president; percent of vote (second round) - Joseph KABILA 58%, Jean-Pierre BEMBA Gombo 42% note: Joseph KABILA succeeded his father, Laurent Desire KABILA, following the latter's assassination in January 2001; negotiations with rebel leaders led to the establishment of a transitional government in July 2003 with free elections held on 30 July 2006 and 29 October 2006 confirming Joseph KABILA as president
Legislative branch:
bicameral legislature consists of a National Assembly (500 seats; 61 members elected by majority vote in single-member constituencies, 439 members elected by open list proportional-representation in multi-member constituencies; to serve five-year terms) and a Senate (108 seats; members elected by provincial assemblies to serve five-year terms) elections: National Assembly - last held 30 July 2006 (next to be held in 2011); Senate - last held 19 January 2007 (next to be held by 2012) election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PPRD 111, MLC 64, PALU 34, MSR 27, FR 26, RCD 15, independents 63, others 160 (includes 63 political parties that won 10 or fewer seats); Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PPRD 22, MLC 14, FR 7, RCD 7, PDC 6, CDC 3, MSR 3, PALU 2, independents 26, others 18 (political parties that won a single seat)
Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court; Appeals Court or Cour de Cassation; Council of State; High Military Court; plus civil and military courts and tribunals
Political parties and leaders:
Christian Democrat Party or PDC [Jose ENDUNDO]; Congolese Rally for
Democracy or RCD [Azarias RUBERWA]; Convention of Christian
Democrats or CDC; Forces of Renewal or FR [Mbusa NYAMWISI]; Movement
for the Liberation of the Congo or MLC [Jean-Pierre BEMBA]; People's
Party for Reconstruction and Democracy or PPRD [Joseph KABILA];
Social Movement for Renewal or MSR [Pierre LUMBI]; Unified Lumumbist
Party or PALU [Antoine GIZENGA]; Union for Democracy and Social
Progress or UDPS [Etienne TSHISEKEDI]; Union of Mobutuist Democrats
or UDEMO [MOBUTU Nzanga]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
MONUC - UN organization working with the government; FARDC (Forces
Armees de la Republique du Congo) - Army of the Democratic Republic
of the Congo which commits atrocities on citizens; FDLA (Forces
Democratiques de Liberation du Rwanda) - Rwandan militia group
International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, COMESA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (suspended), ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF,
OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL,
WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Faida MITIFU chancery: 1800 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009: note - Consular Office at 1726 M Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 234-7690, 7691 FAX: [1] (202) 234-2609
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador William GARVELINK embassy: 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa mailing address: Unit 31550, APO AE 09828 telephone: [243] (81) 225-5872 FAX: [243] (81) 301-0561
Flag description:
sky blue field divided diagonally from the lower hoist corner to upper fly corner by a red stripe bordered by two narrow yellow stripes; a yellow, five-pointed star appears in the upper hoist corner
Economy
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Economy - overview:
The economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo - a nation endowed with vast potential wealth - is slowly recovering from two decades of decline. Conflict, which began in August 1998, dramatically reduced national output and government revenue, increased external debt, and resulted in the deaths of more than 3.5 million people from violence, famine, and disease. Foreign businesses curtailed operations due to uncertainty about the outcome of the conflict, lack of infrastructure, and the difficult operating environment. Conditions began to improve in late 2002 with the withdrawal of a large portion of the invading foreign troops. The transitional government reopened relations with international financial institutions and international donors, and President KABILA has begun implementing reforms, although progress is slow and the International Monetary Fund curtailed their program for the DRC at the end of March 2006 because of fiscal overruns. Much economic activity still occurs in the informal sector, and is not reflected in GDP data. Renewed activity in the mining sector, the source of most export income, boosted Kinshasa's fiscal position and GDP growth. Government reforms and improved security may lead to increased government revenues, outside budget assistance, and foreign direct investment, although an uncertain legal framework, corruption, and a lack of transparency in government policy are continuing long-term problems.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$19.03 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$10.14 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
7% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$300 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 55% industry: 11% services: 34% (2000 est.)
Labor force:
15 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Unemployment rate:
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $700 million expenditures: $2 billion (2006 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
16.7% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
5.25% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Stock of money:
$597 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$677.9 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$559.5 million (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber, tea, quinine, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, bananas, root crops, corn, fruits; wood products
Industries:
mining (diamonds, gold, copper, cobalt, coltan zinc), mineral processing, consumer products (including textiles, footwear, cigarettes, processed foods and beverages), cement, commercial ship repair
Industrial production growth rate:
Electricity - production:
7.243 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
5.158 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
1.799 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - imports:
6 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 1.8% hydro: 98.2% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
22,160 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
10,460 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
19,820 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
8,220 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - proved reserves:
180 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
991.1 million cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
-$402 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$1.587 billion f.o.b. (2006)
Exports - commodities:
diamonds, copper, crude oil, coffee, cobalt
Exports - partners:
Belgium 23.6%, China 21.7%, US 9.8%, Finland 9.1%, Brazil 9.1%,
France 6.8%, Zambia 6% (2007)
Imports:
$2.263 billion f.o.b. (2006)
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, mining and other machinery, transport equipment, fuels
Imports - partners:
South Africa 22.5%, Belgium 10.3%, Zambia 8.9%, Zimbabwe 7.5%,
France 6.8%, Kenya 6.3%, US 4.1%, Cote d'Ivoire 4.1% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$1.828 billion (2005)
Debt - external:
$10 billion (2006 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
Congolese franc (CDF)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Congolese francs (CDF) per US dollar - NA (2007), 464.69 (2006), 437.86 (2005), 401.04 (2004), 405.34 (2003)
Communications
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Telephones - main lines in use:
9,700 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
6.592 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: inadequate; state-owned fixed-line operator has been unable to expand fixed-line connections and there are now fewer than 10,000 connections - less than 1 per 1000 persons; given the backdrop of a wholly inadequate fixed-line infrastructure, the use of cellular services has surged and subscribership in 2007 reached 6.6 million - 10 per 100 persons domestic: barely adequate wire and microwave radio relay service in and between urban areas; domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations international: country code - 243; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)
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 hosts:
3,211 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2001)
Internet users:
230,400 (2007)
Transportation
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Airports:
237 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 26 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 17 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 211 1,524 to 2,437 m: 17 914 to 1,523 m: 95 under 914 m: 99 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 62 km; oil 71 km (2007)
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 (2006)
Roadways:
total: 153,497 km paved: 2,794 km unpaved: 150,703 km (2004)
Waterways:
15,000 km (2005)
Merchant marine:
total: 1 by type: petroleum tanker 1 foreign-owned: 1 (Congo, Republic of the 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Banana, Boma, Bukavu, Bumba, Goma, Kalemie, Kindu, Kinshasa,
Kisangani, Matadi, Mbandaka
Military
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Military branches:
Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Forces
d'Armees de la Republique Democratique du Congo, FARDC): Army,
National Navy (La Marine Nationale), Congolese Air Force (Force
Aerienne Congolaise, FAC) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18-45 years of age for military service
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 14,101,263 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 8,562,989 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 783,762 female: 780,922 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
2.5% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Disputes - international:
heads of the Great Lakes states and UN pledged in 2004 to abate tribal, rebel, and militia fighting in the region, including northeast Congo, where the UN Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), organized in 1999, maintains over 16,500 uniformed peacekeepers; members of Uganda's Lords Resistance Army forces continue to seek refuge in Congo's Garamba National Park as peace talks with the Uganda government evolve; the location of the boundary in the broad Congo River with the Republic of the Congo is indefinite except in the Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool area; Uganda and DROC dispute Rukwanzi island in Lake Albert and other areas on the Semliki River with hydrocarbon potential; boundary commission continues discussions over Congolese-administered triangle of land on the right bank of the Lunkinda river claimed by Zambia near the DROC village of Pweto
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 132,295 (Angola); 37,313 (Rwanda); 17,777 (Burundi); 13,904 (Uganda); 6,181 (Sudan); 5,243 (Republic of Congo) IDPs: 1.4 million (fighting between government forces and rebels since mid-1990s; most IDPs are in eastern provinces) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Democratic Republic of the Congo is a source and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation; much of this trafficking occurs within the country's unstable eastern provinces and is perpetrated by armed groups outside government control tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Democratic Republic of the Congo is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in persons in 2007; while some significant initial advances were noted, the government's capacity to apprehend, convict, or imprison traffickers remained weak; the government lacks sufficient financial, technical, and human resources to effectively address not only trafficking crimes, but also to provide basic levels of security in some parts of the country (2008)
Illicit drugs:
one of Africa's biggest producers of cannabis, but mostly for domestic consumption; while rampant corruption and inadequate supervision leaves the banking system vulnerable to money laundering, the lack of a well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a money-laundering center
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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 took office in 1992. A brief civil war in 1997 restored former Marxist President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO, and ushered in a period of ethnic and political unrest. Southern-based rebel groups agreed to a final peace accord in March 2003, but the calm is tenuous and refugees continue to present a humanitarian crisis. The Republic of Congo was once one of Africa's largest petroleum producers, but with declining production it will need new offshore oil finds to sustain its oil earnings over the long term.
Geography
Congo, Republic of the
Location:
Western Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and Gabon
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 342,000 sq km land: 341,500 sq km water: 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); persistent 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, gold, magnesium, natural gas, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 1.45% permanent crops: 0.15% other: 98.4% (2005)
Irrigated land:
20 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
832 cu km (1987)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.03 cu km/yr (59%/29%/12%) per capita: 8 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, 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:
3,903,318 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 46.1% (male 906,345/female 894,568) 15-64 years: 51% (male 989,126/female 1,002,682) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 45,560/female 65,037) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 16.7 years male: 16.5 years female: 17 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.696% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
41.76 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
12.28 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-2.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 81.29 deaths/1,000 live births male: 86.9 deaths/1,000 live births female: 75.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 53.74 years male: 52.52 years female: 55 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.92 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
4.9% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
90,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
9,700 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria and African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) animal contact disease: rabies (2008)
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%
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 is the most widespread)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 83.8% male: 89.6% female: 78.4% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 9 years male: 10 years female: 8 years (2003)
Education expenditures:
1.9% of GDP (2005)
Government
Congo, Republic of the
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of the Congo conventional short form: Congo (Brazzaville) local long form: Republique du Congo local short form: none former: Middle Congo, Congo/Brazzaville, Congo
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Brazzaville geographic coordinates: 4 15 S, 15 17 E time difference: UTC+1 (six hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
10 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 commune*; Bouenza, Brazzaville*, Cuvette, Cuvette-Ouest, Kouilou, Lekoumou, Likouala, Niari, Plateaux, Pool, Sangha
Independence:
15 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 15 August (1960)
Constitution:
approved by referendum 20 January 2002
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 Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 25 October 1997, following the civil war in which he toppled elected president Pascal LISSOUBA); head of government: Prime Minister Isidore MVOUBA (since 7 January 2005) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 10 March 2002 (next to be held in 2009) election results: Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO reelected president; percent of vote - Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO 89.4%, Joseph Kignoumbi Kia MBOUNGOU 2.7%
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (66 seats; members are elected by indirect vote to serve five-year terms) and the National Assembly (137 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 11 July 2002 (next to be held in July 2008); National Assembly - last held 24 June and 5 August 2007 (next to be held in 2012) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FDU 56, other 10; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PCT 46, MCDDI 11, UPADS 11, MAR 5, MSD 5, independents 37, other 22
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme
Political parties and leaders:
Action Movement for Renewal or MAR; Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development or MCDDI [Michel MAMPOUYA]; Congolese Labour Party or PCT; Movement for Solidarity and Development or MSD; 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 or UDR; United Democratic Forces or FDU [Sebastian EBAO]; many less important parties
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, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,
ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Serge MOMBOULI chancery: 4891 Colorado Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20011 telephone: [1] (202) 726-5500 FAX: [1] (202) 726-1860
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Allan EASTHAM embassy: Boulevard de la Revolution, BDEAC Building, 4th Floor, Brazzaville; note - a new embassy is expected to open in 2009 mailing address: B.P. 1015, Brazzaville telephone: [242] 281-1481, [242] 281-3368; note - until the new embassy in Brazzaville becomes operational, some duties will still be handled in the US embassy in Kinshasha, Democratic Republic of the Congo
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 note: uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
Economy
Congo, Republic of the
Economy - overview:
The economy is a mixture of subsistence agriculture, an industrial sector based largely on oil, and 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 through oil-backed loans that have contributed to a growing debt burden and chronic revenue shortfalls. Economic reform efforts have been undertaken with the support of international organizations, notably the World Bank and the IMF. However, 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. 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. The current administration presides over an uneasy internal peace and faces difficult economic challenges of stimulating recovery and reducing poverty. Recovery of oil prices has boosted the economy's GDP and near-term prospects. In March 2006, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) treatment for Congo.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$12.86 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$7.657 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
-1.6% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$3,400 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 5.6% industry: 57.1% services: 37.3% (2006 est.)
Labor force:
Unemployment rate:
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Investment (gross fixed):
40.4% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $3.295 billion expenditures: $2.444 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.7% (2007 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
15% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$1.4 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$204.3 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
Agriculture - products:
cassava (tapioca), sugar, rice, corn, peanuts, vegetables, coffee, cocoa; forest products
Industries:
petroleum extraction, cement, lumber, brewing, sugar, palm oil, soap, flour, cigarettes
Industrial production growth rate:
-12% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
444 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
564 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
411 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 0.3% hydro: 99.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
261,000 bbl/day
Oil - consumption:
7,677 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
230,200 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - imports:
1,702 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
1.6 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
180 million cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
180 million cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
90.61 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
-$1.491 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$5.8 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
petroleum, lumber, plywood, sugar, cocoa, coffee, diamonds
Exports - partners:
US 41%, China 36.5%, Taiwan 3.6% (2007)
Imports:
$2.634 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
capital equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
France 18.1%, South Korea 14.7%, China 12.6%, Italy 10.3%, India 4.7%, US 4.2% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$1.449 billion (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$2.206 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$5 billion (2000 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 483.6 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003)
Communications
Congo, Republic of the
Telephones - main lines in use:
15,900 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.334 million (2007)
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; fixed-line infrastructure inadequate providing less than 1 connection per 100 persons; in the absence of an adequate fixed line infrastructure, mobile-cellular subscribership has surged reaching 35 per 100 persons domestic: primary network consists of microwave radio relay and coaxial cable international: country code - 242; 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 (2001)
Televisions:
33,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.cg
Internet hosts:
5 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)
Internet users:
70,000 (2006)
Transportation
Congo, Republic of the
Airports:
31 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 5 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 26 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 9 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 89 km; liquid petroleum gas 4 km; oil 758 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 894 km narrow gauge: 894 km 1.067-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 17,289 km paved: 864 km unpaved: 16,425 km (2004)
Waterways:
1,125 km (commercially navigable on Congo and Oubanqui rivers) (2006)
Merchant marine:
registered in other countries: 1 (Congo, Democratic Republic of the 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Brazzaville, Djeno, Impfondo, Ouesso, Oyo, Pointe-Noire
Military
Congo, Republic of the
Military branches:
Congolese Armed Forces (Forces Armees Congolaises, FAC): Army, Navy,
Congolese Air Force (Armee de l'Air Congolaise), Gendarmerie,
Special Presidential Security Guard (GSSP) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; women allowed to serve (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 842,771 females age 16-49: 833,624 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 519,296 females age 16-49: 509,564 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 45,671 female: 45,248 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
3.1% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Congo, Republic of the
Disputes - international:
the location of the boundary in the broad Congo River with the Democratic Republic of the Congo is indefinite except in the Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool area
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 46,341 (Democratic Republic of Congo);
6,564 (Rwanda)
IDPs: 48,000 (multiple civil wars since 1992; most IDPs are ethnic
Lari) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Republic of the Congo is a source and destination country for children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation; girls are trafficked from rural areas within the country for commercial sexual exploitation, forced street vending, and domestic servitude; children are trafficked from other African countries for domestic servitude, forced market vending, and forced labor in the fishing industry tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Republic of the Congo is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to show evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in persons in 2007; struggling to recover from six years of civil conflict that ended in 2003, the Republic of the Congo's capacity to address trafficking is handicapped; the government neither monitors its borders for trafficking activity nor provides specialized anti-trafficking training for law enforcement officials; the government does not encourage victims to assist in trafficking investigations or prosecutions, and has not taken measures to reduce demand for commercial sex acts in the Republic of the Congo (2008)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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 half way between Hawaii and New Zealand
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total: 236.7 sq km land: 236.7 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
1.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
120 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Climate:
tropical oceanic; moderated by trade winds; a dry season from April to November and a more humid season from December to March
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:
Land use:
arable land: 16.67% permanent crops: 8.33% other: 75% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Natural hazards:
typhoons (November to March)
Environment - current issues:
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:
the northern Cook Islands are seven low-lying, sparsely populated, coral atolls; the southern Cook Islands, where most of the population lives, consist of eight elevated, fertile, volcanic isles, including the largest, Rarotonga, at 67 sq km
People
Cook Islands
Population:
12,271 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: (male 1,834/female 1,624) 15-64 years: (male 3,973/female 3,747) 65 years and over: (male 542/female 551)
Median age:
total: 29.8 years male: 29 years female: 30.4 years (2001 census)
Population growth rate:
NA (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
16.71 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
NA (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2001 census)
Infant mortality rate:
total: NA male: NA female: NA (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: NA male: NA female: NA (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.1 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Nationality:
noun: Cook Islander(s) adjective: Cook Islander
Ethnic groups:
Cook Island Maori (Polynesian) 87.7%, part Cook Island Maori 5.8%, other 6.5% (2001 census)
Religions:
Cook Islands Christian Church 55.9%, Roman Catholic 16.8%,
Seventh-Day Adventists 7.9%, Church of Latter Day Saints 3.8%, other
Protestant 5.8%, other 4.2%, unspecified 2.6%, none 3% (2001 census)
Languages:
English (official), Maori
Literacy:
definition: NA total population: 95% male: NA% female: NA%
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 10 years male: 10 years female: 10 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
0.2% of GDP (2001)
People - note:
2001 census counted a resident population of 15,017
Government
Cook Islands
Country name:
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Cook Islands former: Harvey Islands
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:
name: Avarua geographic coordinates: 21 12 S, 159 46 W time difference: UTC-10 (5 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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 9 February 2001); New Zealand High Commissioner Brian DONNELLY (since 21 February 2008), representative of New Zealand head of government: Prime Minister Jim MARURAI (since 14 December 2004); Deputy Prime Minister Terepai MAOATE (since 9 August 2005) cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister; collectively responsible to Parliament elections: the monarch is hereditary; the UK representative is appointed by the monarch; the New Zealand high commissioner is appointed by the New Zealand Government; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition usually becomes prime minister
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consisting of a Legislative Assembly (or lower house) (24 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and a House of Ariki (or upper house) made up of traditional leaders note: the House of Ariki advises on traditional matters and maintains considerable influence but has no legislative powers elections: last held 26 September 2006 (next to be held by 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - Demo 51.9%, CIP 45.5%, independent 2.7%; seats by party - Demo 15, CIP 8, independent 1
Judicial branch:
High Court
Political parties and leaders:
Cook Islands Party or CIP [Henry PUNA]; Democratic Party or Demo
[Dr. Terepai MAOATE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Reform Conference (lobby for political system changes) other: various groups lobbying for political change
International organization participation:
ACP, ADB, FAO, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IMSO, IOC, ITUC, OPCW,
PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UNESCO, UPU, 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, employing about one-third of the working population, provides the economic base with major exports made up of copra and citrus fruit. Black pearls are the Cook Islands' leading export. 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):
$183.2 million (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$183.2 million (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
0.1% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$9,100 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 15.1% industry: 9.6% services: 75.3% (2004)
Labor force:
6,820 (2001)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 29% industry: 15% services: 56% (1995)
Unemployment rate:
13.1% (2005)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $70.95 million expenditures: $69.05 million (FY05/06)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.1% (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products:
copra, citrus, pineapples, tomatoes, beans, pawpaws, bananas, yams, taro, coffee; pigs, poultry
Industries:
fruit processing, tourism, fishing, clothing, handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate:
1% (2002)
Electricity - production:
30 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
27.9 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
463.7 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
475.5 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
$26.67 million (2005)
Exports:
$5.222 million (2005)
Exports - commodities:
copra, papayas, fresh and canned citrus fruit, coffee; fish; pearls and pearl shells; clothing
Exports - partners:
Australia 34%, Japan 27%, NZ 25%, US 8% (2006)
Imports:
$81.04 million (2005)
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, textiles, fuels, timber, capital goods
Imports - partners:
NZ 61%, Fiji 19%, US 9%, Australia 6% (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
$13.1 million; note - New Zealand continues to furnish the greater part (1995)
Debt - external:
$141 million (1996 est.)
Currency (code):
NZ dollar (NZD)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
NZ dollars (NZD) per US dollar - 1.3811 (2007), 1.5408 (2006), 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003)
Communications
Cook Islands
Telephones - main lines in use:
6,200 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
1,500 (2002)
Telephone system:
general assessment: Telecom Cook Islands offers international direct dialing, Internet, email, fax, and Telex domestic: 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: country code - 682; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)
Radios:
14,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (outer islands receive satellite broadcasts) (2004)
Televisions:
4,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.ck
Internet hosts:
2,234 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
3 (2000)
Internet users:
3,600 (2002)
Transportation
Cook Islands
Airports:
9 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 320 km paved: 33 km unpaved: 287 km (2003)
Merchant marine:
total: 26 by type: cargo 14, chemical tanker 1, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 8, roll on/roll off 2 foreign-owned: 17 (Latvia 1, Lithuania 1, NZ 1, Nigeria 1, Norway 5, Sweden 8) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Avatiu
Military
Cook Islands
Military branches:
no regular military forces; National Police Department (2007)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 157 female: 133 (2008 est.)
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 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Coral Sea Islands
Introduction
Coral Sea Islands
Background:
Scattered over more than three-quarters of a 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 the Willis Islets. 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:
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total: less than 3 sq km land: less than 3 sq km water: 0 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
Area - comparative:
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
3,095 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 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:
Land use:
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (mostly grass or scrub cover) (2005)
Irrigated land:
0 sq km
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 on Willis Island (July 2007 est.)
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 Australian Attorney-General's Department
Legal system:
the laws of Australia, where applicable, apply
Executive branch:
administered from Canberra by the Australian Attorney-General's Department
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
Ports and terminals:
none; offshore anchorage only
Military
Coral Sea Islands
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of Australia
Transnational Issues
Coral Sea Islands
Disputes - international:
none
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Costa Rica
Introduction
Costa Rica
Background:
Although explored by the Spanish early in the 16th century, initial attempts at colonizing Costa Rica proved unsuccessful due to a combination of factors, including: disease from mosquito-infested swamps, brutal heat, resistance by natives, and pirate raids. It was not until 1563 that a permanent settlement of Cartago was established in the cooler, fertile central highlands. The area remained a colony for some two and a half centuries. In 1821, Costa Rica became one of several Central American provinces that jointly declared their independence from Spain. Two years later it joined the United Provinces of Central America, but this federation disintegrated in 1838, at which time Costa Rica proclaimed its sovereignty and independence. Since the late 19th century, only two brief periods of violence have marred the country's democratic development. Although it still maintains a large agricultural sector, Costa Rica has expanded its economy to include strong technology and tourism industries. The standard of living is relatively high. Land ownership is widespread.
Geography
Costa Rica
Location:
Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North
Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 51,100 sq km land: 50,660 sq km water: 440 sq km note: includes Isla del Coco
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:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 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 including over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m
Natural resources:
hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 4.4% permanent crops: 5.87% other: 89.73% (2005)
Irrigated land:
1,080 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
112.4 cu km (2000)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 2.68 cu km/yr (29%/17%/53%) per capita: 619 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: 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:
4,195,914 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 27.2% (male 584,782/female 557,952) 15-64 years: 66.8% (male 1,416,456/female 1,384,692) 65 years and over: 6% (male 116,461/female 135,571) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 27.1 years male: 26.7 years female: 27.6 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.388% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
17.71 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
4.31 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
0.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 9.01 deaths/1,000 live births male: 9.92 deaths/1,000 live births female: 8.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.4 years male: 74.79 years female: 80.14 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.17 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.6% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
12,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
900 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A vectorborne diseases: dengue fever (2008)
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%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.3%, other Protestant 0.7%, other 4.8%, none 3.2%
Languages:
Spanish (official), English
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 94.9% male: 94.7% female: 95.1% (2000 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 12 years male: 12 years female: 12 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
4.9% of GDP (2004)
Government
Costa Rica
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Costa Rica conventional short form: Costa Rica local long form: Republica de Costa Rica local short form: Costa Rica
Government type:
democratic republic
Capital:
name: San Jose geographic coordinates: 9 56 N, 84 05 W time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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 Oscar ARIAS Sanchez (since 8 May 2006); First Vice President Laura CHINCHILLA (since 8 May 2006); Second Vice President (vacant); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Oscar ARIAS Sanchez (since 8 May 2006); First Vice President Laura CHINCHILLA (since 8 May 2006); Second Vice President (vacant) cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president elections: president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a single four-year term; election last held 5 February 2006 (next to be held in February 2010) election results: Oscar ARIAS Sanchez elected president; percent of vote - Oscar ARIAS Sanchez (PLN) 40.9%; Otton SOLIS (PAC) 39.8%, Otto GUEVARA Guth (PML) 8%, Ricardo TOLEDO (PUSC) 3%
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 5 February 2006 (next to be held in February 2010) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PLN 25, PAC 17, PML 6, PUSC 5, PASE 1, PFA 1, PRN 1, PUN 1
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (22 justices are elected for renewable eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly)
Political parties and leaders:
Authentic Member from Heredia [Jose SALAS]; Citizen Action Party or
PAC [Epsy CAMPBELL Barr]; Costa Rican Renovation Party or PRC
[Gerardo Justo OROZCO Alvarez]; Democratic Force Party or PFD [Marco
NUNEZ Gonzalez]; General Union Party or PUGEN [Carlos Alberto
FERNANDEZ Vega]; Homeland First or PP [Juan Jose VARGAS Fallas];
Independent Worker Party or PIO [Jose Alberto CUBERO Carmona];
Libertarian Movement Party or PML [Otto GUEVARA Guth]; National
Christian Alliance Party or ANC [Juan Carlos CHAVEZ Mora]; National
Integration Party or PIN [Walter MUNOZ Cespedes]; National
Liberation Party or PLN [Francisco Antonio PACHECO Fernandez];
National Patriotic Party or PPN [Daniel Enrique REYNOLDS Vargas];
National Restoration Party or PRN [Fabio Enrique DELGADO Hernandez];
National Union Party or PUN [Arturo ACOSTA Mora]; Nationalist
Democratic Alliance or ADN [Jose Miguel VILLALOBOS Umana]; Patriotic
Union or UP [Jose Miguel CORRALES Bolanos]; Social Christian Unity
Party or PUSC [Luis FISHMAN Zonzinski]; Union for Change Party or
UPC [Antonio ALVAREZ Desanti]; United Leftist Coalition or IU
[Humberto VARGAS Carbonel]
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); Costa Rican Exporter's Chamber or CADEXCO; Costa Rican Solidarity Movement; Costa Rican Union of Private Sector Enterprises or UCCAEP [Rafael CARRILLO]; Federation of Public Service Workers or FTSP; National Association for Economic Development or ANFE; National Association of Educators or ANDE; National Association of Public and Private Employees or ANEP [Albino VARGAS]; Rerum Novarum or CTRN (PLN affiliate) [Gilbert BROWN]
International organization participation:
BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO,
ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS,
OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Tomas DUENAS chancery: 2114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 234-2945 FAX: [1] (202) 265-4795 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Tampa (temporarily closed), Washington, DC consulate(s): San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Peter CIANCHETTE embassy: Calle 120 Avenida O, Pavas, San Jose mailing address: APO AA 34020 telephone: [506] 519-2000 FAX: [506] 519-2305
Flag description:
five horizontal bands of blue (top), white, red (double width), white, and blue, with the coat of arms in a white elliptical disk on the hoist side of the red band; above the coat of arms a light blue ribbon contains the words, AMERICA CENTRAL, and just below it near the top of the coat of arms is a white ribbon with the words, REPUBLICA COSTA RICA
Economy
Costa Rica
Economy - overview:
Costa Rica's basically stable economy depends on tourism, agriculture, and electronics exports. Poverty has remained around 20% for nearly 20 years, and the strong social safety net that had been put into place by the government has eroded due to increased financial constraints on government expenditures. Immigration from Nicaragua has increasingly become a concern for the government. The estimated 300,000-500,000 Nicaraguans estimated to be in Costa Rica legally and illegally are an important source of (mostly unskilled) labor, but also place heavy demands on the social welfare system. Foreign investors remain attracted by the country's political stability and high education levels, as well as the fiscal incentives offered in the free-trade zones. Exports have become more diversified in the past 10 years due to the growth of the high-tech manufacturing sector, which is dominated by the microprocessor industry. Tourism continues to bring in foreign exchange, as Costa Rica's impressive biodiversity makes it a key destination for ecotourism. The government continues to grapple with its large internal and external deficits and sizable internal debt. Reducing inflation remains a difficult problem because of rising import prices, labor market rigidities, and fiscal deficits. Tax and public expenditure reforms will be necessary to close the budget gap. In October 2007, a national referendum voted in favor of the US-Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA).
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$45.77 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$26.24 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
6.8% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$11,100 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 8.6% industry: 29.4% services: 62.1% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
1.92 million note: this official estimate excludes Nicaraguans living in Costa Rica (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 14% industry: 22% services: 64% (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate:
4.6% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
16% (2006 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1% highest 10%: 37.4% (2003)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
49.8 (2003)
Investment (gross fixed):
21.6% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $3.976 billion expenditures: $3.808 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
46.6% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
9.4% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
17% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
12.8% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$4.504 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$2.87 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$12.91 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
bananas, pineapples, coffee, melons, ornamental plants, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes; beef; timber
Industries:
microprocessors, food processing, medical equipment, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products
Industrial production growth rate:
7.3% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
8.521 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
7.779 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
39.55 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
203.2 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 1.5% hydro: 81.9% nuclear: 0% other: 16.6% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - consumption:
45,600 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
2,115 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
43,110 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$1.499 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$9.268 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
bananas, pineapples, coffee, melons, ornamental plants, sugar; seafood; electronic components, medical equipment
Exports - partners:
US 25.7%, China 14.1%, Netherlands 10.9%, UK 6.3%, Mexico 5% (2007)
Imports:
$12.26 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum, construction materials
Imports - partners:
US 41%, Mexico 6.1%, Venezuela 5.7%, Japan 5.4%, China 5.1%, Brazil 4.3% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$29.51 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$4.114 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$7.416 billion (30 June 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$8.53 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$490 million (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$1.478 billion (2005)
Currency (code):
Costa Rican colon (CRC)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Costa Rican colones (CRC) per US dollar - 519.53 (2007), 511.3 (2006), 477.79 (2005), 437.91 (2004), 398.66 (2003)
Communications
Costa Rica
Telephones - main lines in use:
1.437 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.503 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: good domestic telephone service in terms of breadth of coverage; restricted cellular telephone service; state-run monopoly provider is struggling with the demand for new lines, resulting in long waiting times domestic: point-to-point and point-to-multi-point microwave, fiber-optic, and coaxial cable link rural areas; Internet service is available international: country code - 506; landing point for the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) fiber-optic telecommunications submarine cable and the MAYA-1 submarine cable that provide links to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US; connected to Central American Microwave System; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 65, FM 51, shortwave 19 (2002)
Radios:
980,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
20 (plus 43 repeaters) (2002)
Televisions:
525,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.cr
Internet hosts:
16,440 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
3 (of which only one is legal) (2000)
Internet users:
1.5 million (2007)
Transportation
Costa Rica
Airports:
151 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 36 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 21 under 914 m: 11 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 115 914 to 1,523 m: 19 under 914 m: 96 (2007)
Pipelines:
refined products 242 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 278 km narrow gauge: 278 km 1.067-m gauge note: none of the railway network is in use (2007)
Roadways:
total: 35,330 km paved: 8,621 km unpaved: 26,709 km (2004)
Waterways:
730 km (seasonally navigable by small craft) (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 1 by type: passenger/cargo 1 (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Caldera, Puerto Limon
Military
Costa Rica
Military branches:
no regular military forces; Ministry of Public Security, Government, and Police (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,134,205 females age 16-49: 1,095,763 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 958,013 females age 16-49: 925,727 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 40,767 female: 38,899 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.4% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Costa Rica
Disputes - international:
the ICJ has given Costa Rica until January 2008 to reply and Nicaragua until July 2008 to rejoin before rendering its decision on the navigation, security, and commercial rights of Costa Rican vessels on the Río San Juan over which Nicaragua retains sovereignty
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 9,699-11,500 (Colombia) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Costa Rica is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor; women and girls from neighboring states, Russia, Uzbekistan, and the Philippines are trafficked into the country for sexual exploitation; Costa Rica also serves as a transit point for victims trafficked to North America and Europe; the government identifies child sex tourism as a serious problem; men, women, and children are also trafficked within the country for forced labor in fishing and construction, and as domestic servants tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Costa Rica is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking, particularly in terms of its failure to improve its inadequate assistance to victims; while Costa Rican officials recognize human trafficking as a serious problem, the lack of a stronger response by the government is of concern (2008)
Illicit drugs:
transshipment country for cocaine and heroin from South America; illicit production of cannabis in remote areas; domestic cocaine consumption, particularly crack cocaine, is rising; significant consumption of amphetamines
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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 West African states, but did not protect it from political turmoil. In December 1999, a military coup - the first ever in Cote d'Ivoire's history - overthrew the government. Junta leader Robert GUEI blatantly rigged elections held in late 2000 and declared himself the winner. Popular protest forced him to step aside and brought Laurent GBAGBO into power. Ivorian dissidents and disaffected members of the military launched a failed coup attempt in September 2002. Rebel forces claimed the northern half of the country, and in January 2003 were granted ministerial positions in a unity government under the auspices of the Linas-Marcoussis Peace Accord. President GBAGBO and rebel forces resumed implementation of the peace accord in December 2003 after a three-month stalemate, but issues that sparked the civil war, such as land reform and grounds for citizenship, remained unresolved. In March 2007 President GBAGBO and former New Force rebel leader Guillaume SORO signed the Ouagadougou Political Agreement. As a result of the agreement, SORO joined GBAGBO's government as Prime Minister and the two agreed to reunite the country by dismantling the zone of confidence separating North from South, integrate rebel forces into the national armed forces, and hold elections. Several thousand French and UN troops remain in Cote d'Ivoire to help the parties implement their commitments and to support the peace process.
Geography
Cote d'Ivoire
Location:
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Ghana and Liberia
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 322,460 sq km land: 318,000 sq km water: 4,460 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:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm
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, gold, nickel, tantalum, silica sand, clay, cocoa beans, coffee, palm oil, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 10.23% permanent crops: 11.16% other: 78.61% (2005)
Irrigated land:
730 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
81 cu km (2001)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.93 cu km/yr (24%/12%/65%) per capita: 51 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling 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:
20,179,602 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 40.9% (male 4,161,238/female 4,092,593) 15-64 years: 56.3% (male 5,790,503/female 5,568,621) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 285,116/female 281,531) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 19 years male: 19.2 years female: 18.9 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.156% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
32.73 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
11.17 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 69.76 deaths/1,000 live births male: 77.06 deaths/1,000 live births female: 62.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 54.64 years male: 53.95 years female: 55.35 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
4.23 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
7% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
570,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
47,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever water contact: schistosomiasis animal contact disease: rabies note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Ivoirian(s) adjective: Ivoirian
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 14,000 French) (1998)
Religions:
Muslim 38.6%, Christian 32.8%, indigenous 11.9%, none 16.7% (2008 est) 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: 48.7% male: 60.8% female: 38.6% (2000 est.)
Education expenditures:
4.6% of GDP (2001)
Government
Cote d'Ivoire
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Cote d'Ivoire conventional short form: Cote d'Ivoire local long form: Republique de Cote d'Ivoire local short form: Cote d'Ivoire note: pronounced coat-div-whar former: Ivory Coast
Government type:
republic; multiparty presidential regime established 1960 note: the government is currently operating under a power-sharing agreement mandated by international mediators
Capital:
name: Yamoussoukro geographic coordinates: 6 49 N, 5 17 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) note: although Yamoussoukro has been the official capital since 1983, Abidjan remains the commercial and administrative center; the US, like other countries, maintains its Embassy in Abidjan
Administrative divisions:
19 regions; Agneby, Bafing, Bas-Sassandra, Denguele, Dix-Huit
Montagnes, Fromager, Haut-Sassandra, Lacs, Lagunes, Marahoue,
Moyen-Cavally, Moyen-Comoe, N'zi-Comoe, Savanes, Sud-Bandama,
Sud-Comoe, Vallee du Bandama, Worodougou, Zanzan
Independence:
7 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 7 August (1960)
Constitution:
approved by referendum 23 July 2000
Legal system:
based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review in the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Laurent GBAGBO (since 26 October 2000) head of government: Prime Minister Guillaume SORO (since 4 April 2007) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president; note - under the current power-sharing agreement the prime minister and the president share the authority to appoint ministers elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (no term limits); election last held 26 October 2000 (next to be held 30 November 2008; elections were to be held in 2005 but have been repeatedly postponed by the government; the UN Security Council has extended the government's mandate); 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 in November 2008 after the government postponed the elections in 2005 and 2006) 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 note: a Senate that was scheduled to be created in the October 2006 elections never took place
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:
Citizen's Democratic Union or UDCY [Theodore MEL EG]; Democratic
Party of Cote d'Ivoire or PDCI [Henri Konan BEDIE]; Ivorian Popular
Front or FPI [Pascale Affi N'GUESSAN]; Ivorian Worker's Party or PIT
[Francis WODIE]; Opposition Movement of the Future or MFA [Innocent
Augustin ANAKY]; Rally of the Republicans or RDR [Alassane
OUATTARA]; Union for Democracy and Peace in Cote d'Ivoire or UDPCI
[Toikeuse MABRI]; over 144 smaller registered parties
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Federation of University and High School Students of Cote d'Ivoire
or FESCI [Serges KOFFI]; Rally of Houphouetists for Democracy and
Peace or RHDP [Alphonse DJEDJE MADY]; Young Patriots [Charles BLE
GOUDE]
International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC,
OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO,
UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Yao Charles KOFFI chancery: 3421 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 797-0300 FAX: [1] (202) 244-3088
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Wanda L. NESBITT embassy: Cocody Riviera Golf 01, Abidjan mailing address: B. P. 1712, Abidjan 01 telephone: [225] 22 49 40 00 FAX: [225] 22 49 43 32
Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of orange (hoist side), white, and green note: 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 the world's largest producer and exporter of cocoa beans and a significant producer and exporter of coffee and palm oil. Consequently, the economy is highly sensitive to fluctuations in international prices for these products, and, to a lesser extent, in climatic conditions. Despite government attempts to diversify the economy, it is still heavily dependent on agriculture and related activities, engaging roughly 68% of the population. Since 2006, oil and gas production have become more important engines of economic activity than cocoa. According to IMF statistics, earnings from oil and refined products were $1.3 billion in 2006, while cocoa-related revenues were $1 billion during the same period. Cote d'Ivoire's offshore oil and gas production has resulted in substantial crude oil exports and provides sufficient natural gas to fuel electricity exports to Ghana, Togo, Benin, Mali and Burkina Faso. Oil exploration by a number of consortiums of private companies continues offshore, and President GBAGBO has expressed hope that daily crude output could reach 200,000 barrels per day (b/d) by the end of the decade. Since the end of the civil war in 2003, political turmoil has continued to damage the economy, resulting in the loss of foreign investment and slow economic growth. GDP grew by 1.8% in 2006 and 1.7% in 2007. Per capita income has declined by 15% since 1999.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$32.85 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$19.6 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
1.6% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,700 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 28.1% industry: 21.5% services: 50.5% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
6.907 million (68% agricultural) (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 68% industry and services: NA (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate:
unemployment may have climbed to 40-50% as a result of the civil war
Population below poverty line:
42% (2006 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2% highest 10%: 34% (2002)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
44.6 (2002)
Investment (gross fixed):
8.8% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $3.884 billion expenditures: $4.106 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
75.2% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.9% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
4.25% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Stock of money:
$4.451 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$1.915 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$4.404 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
coffee, cocoa beans, bananas, palm kernels, corn, rice, manioc (tapioca), sweet potatoes, sugar, cotton, rubber; timber
Industries:
foodstuffs, beverages; wood products, oil refining, truck and bus assembly, textiles, fertilizer, building materials, electricity, ship construction and repair
Industrial production growth rate:
-1.8% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
5.274 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
3.177 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
1.066 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 61.9% hydro: 38.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
54,400 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Oil - consumption:
25,950 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
84,940 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
71,850 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
100 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
1.3 billion cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
1.3 billion cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
28.32 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
-$146 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$8.476 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
cocoa, coffee, timber, petroleum, cotton, bananas, pineapples, palm oil, fish
Exports - partners:
Germany 9.7%, Nigeria 9.2%, Netherlands 8.4%, France 7.3%, US 7%,
Burkina Faso 4.4% (2007)
Imports:
$5.932 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
fuel, capital equipment, foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
Nigeria 31.1%, France 16.7%, China 7.3% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
ODA, $60 million (2007 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$2.519 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$13.79 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$4.155 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 481.83 (2007), 522.89 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003) note: since 1 January 1999, the XOF franc has been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF francs per euro
Communications
Cote d'Ivoire
Telephones - main lines in use:
730,000 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
7.05 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: well developed by African standards; telecommunications sector privatized in late 1990s and operational fixed-lines have more than quadrupled since that time; with multiple cellular service providers competing in the market, cellular usage has increased sharply to roughly 40 per 100 persons domestic: open-wire lines and microwave radio relay; 90% digitalized international: country code - 225; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and Asia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 3 (1998)
Radios:
2.26 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
14 (1998)
Televisions:
1.09 million (2000)
Internet country code:
.ci
Internet hosts:
5,569 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
5 (2001)
Internet users:
300,000 (2006)
Transportation
Cote d'Ivoire
Airports:
34 (2007)
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 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 27 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 5 (2007)
Pipelines:
condensate 102 km; gas 245 km; oil 112 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 660 km narrow gauge: 660 km 1.000 meter gauge note: an additional 622 km of this railroad extends into Burkina Faso (2006)
Roadways:
total: 80,000 km paved: 6,500 km unpaved: 73,500 km note: includes intercity and urban roads; another 20,000 km of dirt roads are in poor condition and 150,000 km of dirt roads are impassable (2006)
Waterways:
980 km (navigable rivers, canals, and numerous coastal lagoons) (2006)
Ports and terminals:
Abidjan, Espoir, San-Pedro
Military
Cote d'Ivoire
Military branches:
Cote d'Ivoire Defense and Security Forces (FDSC): Army, Navy, Air
Force (2006)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 4,369,735 females age 16-49: 4,287,042 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,393,104 females age 16-49: 2,381,607 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 234,032 female: 230,799 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.6% of GDP (2005 est)
Transnational Issues
Cote d'Ivoire
Disputes - international:
despite the presence of over 9,000 UN forces (UNOCI) in Cote d'Ivoire since 2004, ethnic conflict still leaves displaced hundreds of thousands of Ivorians in and out of the country as well as driven out migrants from neighboring states who worked in Ivorian cocoa plantations; the March 2007 peace deal between Ivorian rebels and the government brought significant numbers of rebels out of hiding in neighboring states
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 25,615 (Liberia) IDPs: 709,000 (2002 coup; most IDPs are in western regions) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
Cote d'Ivoire is a source, transit, and destination country for women and children trafficked for forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation; trafficking within the country is more prevalent than international trafficking and the majority of victims are children; women and girls are trafficked from northern areas to southern cities for domestic servitude, restaurant labor, and sexual exploitation; boys are trafficked internally for agricultural and service labor and transnationally for forced labor in agriculture, mining, construction, and in the fishing industry; women and girls are trafficked to and from other West and Central African countries for domestic servitude and forced street vending tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Cote d'Ivoire is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking in 2007, particularly with regard to its law enforcement efforts and protection of sex trafficking victims; in addition, Ivoirian law does not prohibit all forms of trafficking, and Cote d'Ivoire has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)
Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for local consumption; utility as a narcotic transshipment point to Europe reduced by ongoing political instability; while rampant corruption and inadequate supervision leave the banking system vulnerable to money laundering, the lack of a developed financial system limits the country's utility as a major money-laundering center
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Croatia
Introduction
Croatia
Background:
The lands that today comprise Croatia were part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until the close of World War I. In 1918, the Croats, Serbs, and Slovenes formed a kingdom known after 1929 as Yugoslavia. Following World War II, Yugoslavia became a federal 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:
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 56,542 sq km land: 56,414 sq km water: 128 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than West Virginia
Land boundaries:
total: 1,982 km border countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina 932 km, Hungary 329 km, Serbia 241 km, Montenegro 25 km, Slovenia 455 km
Coastline:
5,835 km (mainland 1,777 km, islands 4,058 km)
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
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, gypsum, natural asphalt, silica, mica, clays, salt, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 25.82% permanent crops: 2.19% other: 71.99% (2005)
Irrigated land:
110 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
105.5 cu km (1998)
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-Sulfur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants
Geography - note:
controls most land routes from Western Europe to Aegean Sea and Turkish Straits; most Adriatic Sea islands lie off the coast of Croatia - some 1,200 islands, islets, ridges, and rocks
People
Croatia
Population:
4,491,543 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 15.8% (male 363,551/female 345,132) 15-64 years: 67.2% (male 1,501,949/female 1,517,962) 65 years and over: 17% (male 295,229/female 467,720) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 40.8 years male: 38.9 years female: 42.6 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
-0.043% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
9.64 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
11.66 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
1.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.63 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.49 deaths/1,000 live births male: 6.51 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.13 years male: 71.49 years female: 78.97 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.41 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
200 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 10 (2001 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A vectorborne diseases: tickborne encephalitis note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Croat(s), Croatian(s) adjective: Croatian
Ethnic groups:
Croat 89.6%, Serb 4.5%, other 5.9% (including Bosniak, Hungarian,
Slovene, Czech, and Roma) (2001 census)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 87.8%, Orthodox 4.4%, other Christian 0.4%, Muslim 1.3%, other and unspecified 0.9%, none 5.2% (2001 census)
Languages:
Croatian 96.1%, Serbian 1%, other and undesignated 2.9% (including
Italian, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, and German) (2001 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.1% male: 99.3% female: 97.1% (2001 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 14 years male: 13 years female: 14 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
4.5% of GDP (2004)
Government
Croatia
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Croatia conventional short form: Croatia local long form: Republika Hrvatska local short form: Hrvatska former: People's Republic of Croatia, Socialist Republic of Croatia
Government type:
presidential/parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: Zagreb geographic coordinates: 45 48 N, 16 00 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
20 counties (zupanije, zupanija - singular) and 1 city* (grad -
singular); Bjelovarsko-Bilogorska, Brodsko-Posavska,
Dubrovacko-Neretvanska (Dubrovnik-Neretva), Istarska (Istria),
Karlovacka, Koprivnicko-Krizevacka, Krapinsko-Zagorska,
Licko-Senjska (Lika-Senj), Medimurska, Osjecko-Baranjska,
Pozesko-Slavonska (Pozega-Slavonia), Primorsko-Goranska,
Sibensko-Kninska, Sisacko-Moslavacka, Splitsko-Dalmatinska
(Split-Dalmatia), Varazdinska, Viroviticko-Podravska,
Vukovarsko-Srijemska, Zadarska, Zagreb*, Zagrebacka
Independence:
25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 8 October (1991); note - 25 June 1991 was the day the Croatian Parliament voted for independence; following a three-month moratorium to allow the European Community to solve the Yugoslav crisis peacefully, Parliament adopted a decision on 8 October 1991 to sever constitutional relations with Yugoslavia
Constitution:
adopted on 22 December 1990; revised 2000, 2001
Legal system:
based on Austro-Hungarian law system with Communist law influences; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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 Ivo SANADER (since 9 December 2003); Deputy Prime Ministers Jadranka KOSOR (since 23 December 2003) and Damir POLANCEC (since 15 February 2005), Djurdja ADLESIC (since 12 January 2008), Slobodan UZELAC (since 12 January 2008) cabinet: Council of Ministers named by the prime minister and approved by the parliamentary Assembly elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 16 January 2005 (next to be held in January 2010); the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president and then approved by the Assembly election results: Stjepan MESIC reelected president; percent of vote - Stjepan MESIC 66%, Jadranka KOSOR 34% in the second round
Legislative branch:
unicameral Assembly or Sabor (153 seats; members elected from party lists by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 25 November 2007 (next to be held in November 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; number of seats by party - HDZ 66, SDP 56, HNS 7, HSS 6, HDSSB 3, IDS 3, SDSS 3, other 9
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 Assembly
Political parties and leaders:
Croatian Democratic Congress of Slavonia and Baranja or HDSSB
[Vladimir SISLJAGIC]; Croatian Democratic Union or HDZ [Ivo
SANADER]; Croatian Party of the Right or HSP [Anto DJAPIC]; Croatian
Peasant Party or HSS [Josip FRISCIC]; Croatian Pensioner Party or
HSU [Vladimir JORDAN]; Croatian People's Party or HNS [Vesna PUSIC];
Croatian Social Liberal Party or HSLS [Djurdja ADLESIC]; Independent
Democratic Serb Party or SDSS [Vojislav STANIMIROVIC]; Istrian
Democratic Assembly or IDS [Ivan JAKOVCIC]; Social Democratic Party
of Croatia or SDP [Zoran MILANOVIC]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: human rights groups
International organization participation:
ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI,
EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO,
ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS
(observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SECI, UN, UN
Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO,
UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOGIP, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Kolinda GRABAR-KITAROVIC chancery: 2343 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 588-5899 FAX: [1] (202) 588-8936 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Robert A. BRADTKE embassy: 2 Thomas Jefferson Street, 10010 Zagreb mailing address: use street address telephone: [385] (1) 661-2200 FAX: [385] (1) 661-2373
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue superimposed by the Croatian coat of arms (red and white checkered)
Economy
Croatia
Economy - overview:
Once one of the wealthiest of the Yugoslav republics, Croatia's economy suffered badly during the 1991-95 war as output collapsed and the country missed the early waves of investment in Central and Eastern Europe that followed the fall of the Berlin Wall. Since 2000, however, Croatia's economic fortunes have begun to improve slowly, with moderate but steady GDP growth between 4% and 6% led by a rebound in tourism and credit-driven consumer spending. Inflation over the same period has remained tame and the currency, the kuna, stable. Nevertheless, difficult problems still remain, including a stubbornly high unemployment rate, a growing trade deficit and uneven regional development. The state retains a large role in the economy, as privatization efforts often meet stiff public and political resistance. While macroeconomic stabilization has largely been achieved, structural reforms lag because of deep resistance on the part of the public and lack of strong support from politicians. The EU accession process should accelerate fiscal and structural reform.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$69.59 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$51.36 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.7% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$15,500 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 7.2% industry: 31.7% services: 61.2% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
1.749 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 2.7% industry: 32.8% services: 64.5% (2004)
Unemployment rate:
11.8% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
11% (2003)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.4% highest 10%: 24.5% (2003 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
29 (2001)
Investment (gross fixed):
30.1% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $22.56 billion expenditures: $23.92 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
47.8% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.5% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
9% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
9.33% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$11.61 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$31.86 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$45.7 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
wheat, corn, sugar beets, sunflower seed, barley, alfalfa, clover, olives, citrus, grapes, soybeans, potatoes; livestock, dairy products
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:
5.3% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
12.41 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
15.57 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
3.306 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - imports:
8.374 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 33.6% hydro: 66% nuclear: 0% other: 0.4% (2001)
Oil - production:
23,620 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
101,800 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
43,680 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
112,200 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
79.15 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
1.58 billion cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
2.73 billion cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
1.103 billion cu m (2005)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
28.54 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
-$4.85 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$12.62 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
transport equipment, textiles, chemicals, foodstuffs, fuels
Exports - partners:
Italy 19.3%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 13.9%, Germany 10.2%, Slovenia 8.4%, Austria 6.2% (2007)
Imports:
$25.99 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery, transport and electrical equipment; chemicals, fuels and lubricants; foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
Italy 16.1%, Germany 14.4%, Russia 10.1%, China 6.2%, Slovenia 6%,
Austria 5.3% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
ODA, $125.4 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$13.67 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$46.3 billion (30 June 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$23.13 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$3.161 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$29.01 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
kuna (HRK)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
kuna (HRK) per US dollar - 5.3735 (2007), 5.8625 (2006), 5.9473 (2005), 6.0358 (2004), 6.7035 (2003)
Communications
Croatia
Telephones - main lines in use:
1.825 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
5.035 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: the telecommunications network has improved steadily since the mid-1990s; the number of fixed telephone lines holding steady at about 40 per 100 persons; the number of cellular telephone subscriptions exceeds the population domestic: more than 90 percent of local lines are digital international: country code - 385; 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 2 fiber-optic trunk connections with Slovenia and a fiber-optic trunk line from Rijeka to Split and Dubrovnik; the ADRIA-1 submarine cable provides connectivity to Albania and Greece (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 16, FM 98, shortwave 5 (1999)
Radios:
1.51 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
36 (plus 321 repeaters) (1995)
Televisions:
1.22 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.hr
Internet hosts:
1.111 million (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
9 (2000)
Internet users:
1.995 million (2007)
Transportation
Croatia
Airports:
68 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 23 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 9 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 45 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 37 (2007)
Heliports:
2 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 1,556 km; oil 583 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 2,726 km standard gauge: 2,726 km 1.435-m gauge (1,199 km electrified) (2006)
Roadways:
total: 28,788 km (includes 877 km of expressways) (2006)
Waterways:
785 km (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 80 by type: bulk carrier 25, cargo 11, chemical tanker 3, passenger/cargo 30, petroleum tanker 8, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 2 registered in other countries: 30 (Bahamas 1, Belize 2, Liberia 2, Malta 9, Marshall Islands 6, Panama 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 7) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Omisalj, Ploce, Rijeka, Sibenik, Vukovar (on Danube)
Military
Croatia
Military branches:
Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia (Oruzane Snage Republike Hrvatske, OSRH), consists of five major commands directly subordinate to a General Staff: Ground Forces (Hrvatska Kopnena Vojska, HKoV), Naval Forces (Hrvatska Ratna Mornarica, HRM), Air Force (Hrvatsko Ratno Zrakoplovstvo, HRZ), Joint Education and Training Command, Logistics Command; Military Police Force supports each of the three Croatian military forces (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18-27 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age with consent for voluntary service; 6-month conscript service obligation; full conversion to professional military service by 2010 (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,035,712 females age 16-49: 1,037,896 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 771,323 females age 16-49: 855,937 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 27,500 female: 25,893 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
2.39% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
Croatia
Disputes - international:
dispute remains with Bosnia and Herzegovina over several small disputed sections of the boundary related to maritime access that hinders ratification of the 1999 border agreement; the Croatia-Slovenia land and maritime boundary agreement, which would have ceded most of Pirin Bay and maritime access to Slovenia and several villages to Croatia, remains un-ratified and in dispute; Slovenia also protests Croatia's 2003 claim to an exclusive economic zone in the Adriatic; as a European Union peripheral state, Slovenia imposed a hard border Schengen regime with non-member Croatia in December 2007
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 2,900-7,000 (Croats and Serbs displaced in 1992-95 war) (2007)
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 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Cuba
Introduction
Cuba
Background:
The native Amerindian population of Cuba began to decline after the European discovery of the island by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1492 and following its development as a Spanish colony during the next several centuries. Large numbers of African slaves were imported to work the coffee and sugar plantations, and Havana became the launching point for the annual treasure fleets bound for Spain from Mexico and Peru. Spanish rule, marked initially by neglect, became increasingly repressive, provoking an independence movement and occasional rebellions that were harshly suppressed. It was US intervention during the Spanish-American War in 1898 that finally overthrew Spanish rule. The subsequent Treaty of Paris established Cuban independence, which was granted in 1902 after a three-year transition period. Fidel CASTRO led a rebel army to victory in 1959; his iron rule held the subsequent regime together for nearly five decades. He stepped down as president in February 2008 in favor of his younger brother Raul CASTRO. Cuba's Communist revolution, with Soviet support, was exported throughout Latin America and Africa during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The country is now slowly recovering from a severe economic downturn in 1990, following the withdrawal of former Soviet subsidies, worth $4 billion to $6 billion annually. Cuba portrays its difficulties as the result of the US embargo in place since 1961. Illicit migration to the US - using homemade rafts, alien smugglers, air flights, or via the southwest border - is a continuing problem. The US Coast Guard intercepted 2,864 individuals attempting to cross the Straits of Florida in fiscal year 2006.
Geography
Cuba
Location:
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic
Ocean, 150 km south of Key West, Florida
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 110,860 sq km land: 110,860 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Land boundaries:
total: 29 km border countries: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay 29 km note: Guantanamo Naval Base is leased by the US and remains part of Cuba
Coastline:
3,735 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 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, chromium, copper, salt, timber, silica, petroleum, arable land
Land use:
arable land: 27.63% permanent crops: 6.54% other: 65.83% (2005)
Irrigated land:
8,700 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
38.1 cu km (2000)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 8.2 cu km/yr (19%/12%/69%) per capita: 728 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
the east coast is subject to hurricanes from August to November (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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, 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
Geography - note:
largest country in Caribbean and westernmost island of the Greater Antilles
People
Cuba
Population:
11,423,952 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 18.5% (male 1,088,311/female 1,030,499) 15-64 years: 70.5% (male 4,029,381/female 4,025,154) 65 years and over: 10.9% (male 569,002/female 681,605) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 36.8 years male: 36.1 years female: 37.5 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.251% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
11.27 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
7.19 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-1.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 5.93 deaths/1,000 live births male: 6.64 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.27 years male: 75.02 years female: 79.64 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.6 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
3,300 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 200 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A vectorborne diseases: dengue fever (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Cuban(s) adjective: Cuban
Ethnic groups:
white 65.1%, mulatto and mestizo 24.8%, black 10.1% (2002 census)
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 total population: 99.8% male: 99.8% female: 99.8% (2002 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 16 years male: 15 years female: 17 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
9.1% of GDP (2006)
People - note:
illicit emigration is a continuing problem; Cubans attempt to depart the island and enter the US using homemade rafts, alien smugglers, direct flights, or falsified visas; Cubans also use non-maritime routes to enter the US including direct flights to Miami and over-land via the southwest border
Government
Cuba
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Cuba conventional short form: Cuba local long form: Republica de Cuba local short form: Cuba
Government type:
Communist state
Capital:
name: Havana geographic coordinates: 23 07 N, 82 21 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
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); not acknowledged by the Cuban Government as a day of independence
National holiday:
Triumph of the Revolution, 1 January (1959)
Constitution:
24 February 1976; amended July 1992 and June 2002
Legal system:
based on Spanish civil law and influenced by American legal concepts, 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 Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (president since 24 February 2008); First Vice President of the Council of State and First Vice President of the Council of Ministers Gen. Jose Ramon MACHADO Ventura (since 24 February 2008); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President of the Council of State and President of the Council of Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (president since 24 February 2008); First Vice President of the Council of State and First Vice President of the Council of Ministers Gen. Jose Ramon MACHADO Ventura (since 24 February 2008) cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the president of the Council of State and appointed by the National Assembly or the 31-member Council of State, elected by the Assembly to act on its behalf when it is not in session elections: president and vice presidents elected by the National Assembly for a term of five years; election last held 24 February 2008 (next to be held in 2013) election results: Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz elected president; percent of legislative vote - 100%; Gen. Jose Ramon MACHADO Ventura elected vice president; percent of legislative vote - 100%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly of People's Power or Asemblea Nacional del Poder Popular (number of seats in the National Assembly is based on population; 614 seats; members elected directly from slates approved by special candidacy commissions to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 20 January 2008 (next to be held in January 2013) election results: Cuba's Communist Party is the only legal party, and officially sanctioned candidates run unopposed
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:
Cuban Communist Party or PCC [Fidel CASTRO Ruz, first secretary]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Human Rights Watch; National Association of Small Farmers
International organization participation:
ACP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMO,
IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAES,
LAIA, NAM, OAS (excluded from formal participation since 1962),
OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNITAR,
UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none; note - Cuba has an Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy, headed by Principal Officer Jorge BOLANOS Suarez; address: Cuban Interests Section, Swiss Embassy, 2630 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009; telephone: [1] (202) 797-8518; FAX: [1] (202) 797-8521
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none; note - the US has an Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy, headed by Chief of Mission Jonathan D. FARRAR; address: USINT, Swiss Embassy, Calzada between L and M Streets, Vedado, Havana; telephone: [53] (7) 833-3551 through 3559 (operator assistance required); FAX: [53] (7) 833-1653; protecting power in Cuba is Switzerland
Flag description:
five equal horizontal bands of blue (top, center, and bottom) alternating with white; a red equilateral triangle based on the hoist side bears a white, five-pointed star in the center
Economy
Cuba
Economy - overview:
The government continues to balance the need for economic loosening against a desire for firm political control. It has rolled back limited reforms undertaken in the 1990s to increase enterprise efficiency and alleviate serious shortages of food, consumer goods, and services. The average Cuban's standard of living remains at a lower level than before the downturn of the 1990s, which was caused by the loss of Soviet aid and domestic inefficiencies. Since late 2000, Venezuela has been providing oil on preferential terms, and it currently supplies about 100,000 barrels per day of petroleum products. Cuba has been paying for the oil, in part, with the services of Cuban personnel in Venezuela, including some 20,000 medical professionals. In 2007, high metals prices continued to boost Cuban earnings from nickel and cobalt production. Havana continued to invest in the country's energy sector to mitigate electrical blackouts that had plagued the country since 2004.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$125.5 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$45.58 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
6.5% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$11,000 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 5.2% industry: 25% services: 69.8% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
4.956 million note: state sector 78%, non-state sector 22% (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 20% industry: 19.4% services: 60.6% (2005)
Unemployment rate:
1.8% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Investment (gross fixed):
13.1% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $41.84 billion expenditures: $43.9 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
36.8% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.1% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Stock of money:
Stock of quasi money:
Stock of domestic credit:
Agriculture - products:
sugar, tobacco, citrus, coffee, rice, potatoes, beans; livestock
Industries:
sugar, petroleum, tobacco, construction, nickel, steel, cement, agricultural machinery, pharmaceuticals
Industrial production growth rate:
2.5% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
16.97 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
14.02 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 93.9% hydro: 0.6% nuclear: 0% other: 5.4% (2001)
Oil - production:
61,300 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Oil - consumption:
203,500 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2006)
Oil - imports:
123,200 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
124 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
1.058 billion cu m (2006)
Natural gas - consumption:
1.058 billion cu m (2006)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
70.79 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
$240 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$3.734 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
sugar, nickel, tobacco, fish, medical products, citrus, coffee
Exports - partners:
China 27.5%, Canada 26.9%, Netherlands 11.1%, Spain 4.7% (2007)
Imports:
$10.08 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
petroleum, food, machinery and equipment, chemicals
Imports - partners:
Venezuela 29.6%, China 13.4%, Spain 10.4%, Canada 6%, US 5.1% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$87.8 million (2005 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$4.247 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$16.79 billion (convertible currency); another $15-20 billion owed to Russia (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$11.24 billion (2006 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$4.138 billion (2006 est.)
Currency (code):
Cuban peso (CUP) and Convertible peso (CUC)
Currency code:
CUP (nonconvertible Cuban peso) and CUC (convertible Cuban peso)
Exchange rates:
Cuban pesos (CUP) per US dollar - 0.9259 (2007), 0.9231 (2006) note: Cuba has two currencies in circulation: the Cuban peso (CUP) and the convertible peso (CUC); in April 2005 the official exchange rate changed from $1 per CUC to $1.08 per CUC (0.93 CUC per $1), both for individuals and enterprises; individuals can buy 24 Cuban pesos (CUP) for each CUC sold, or sell 25 Cuban pesos for each CUC bought; enterprises, however, must exchange CUP and CUC at a 1:1 ratio.
Communications
Cuba
Telephones - main lines in use:
1.043 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
198,300 (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: greater investment beginning in 1994 and the establishment of a new Ministry of Information Technology and Communications in 2000 has resulted in improvements in the system; wireless service is expensive and must be paid in convertible pesos which effectively limits mobile cellular subscribership domestic: national fiber-optic system under development; 95% of switches digitized by end of 2006; fixed telephone line density remains low, at less than 10 per 100 inhabitants; domestic cellular service expanding but remains at only about 2 per 100 persons international: country code - 53; fiber-optic cable laid to but not linked to US network; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) (2007)
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 hosts:
3,664 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
5 (2001)
Internet users:
1.31 million note: private citizens are prohibited from buying computers or accessing the Internet without special authorization; foreigners may access the Internet in large hotels but are subject to firewalls; some Cubans buy illegal passwords on the black market or take advantage of public outlets to access limited email and the government-controlled "intranet" (2007)
Transportation
Cuba
Airports:
165 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 70 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 31 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 95 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 71 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 49 km; oil 230 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 4,226 km standard gauge: 4,226 km 1.435-m gauge (140 km electrified) note: an additional 7,742 km of track is used by sugar plantations; about 65% of this track is standard gauge; the rest is narrow gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 60,858 km paved: 29,820 km (includes 638 km of expressway) unpaved: 31,038 km (2000)
Waterways:
240 km (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 11 by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 3, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 2 foreign-owned: 1 (Spain 1) registered in other countries: 13 (Bahamas 1, Cyprus 1, Netherlands Antilles 1, Panama 10) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Cienfuegos, Havana, Matanzas
Military
Cuba
Military branches:
Revolutionary Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias, FAR):
Revolutionary Army (ER; includes Territorial Militia Troops, MTT),
Revolutionary Navy (Marina de Guerra Revolucionaria, MGR; includes
Marine Corps), Revolutionary Air and Air Defense Force (DAAFAR),
Youth Labor Army (EJT) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
17-28 years of age for compulsory military service; 2-year service obligation; both sexes subject to military service (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 3,094,388 females age 16-49: 3,024,876 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,543,044 females age 16-49: 2,481,823 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 79,945 female: 76,014 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
3.8% of GDP (2006 est.)
Military - note:
the collapse of the Soviet Union deprived the Cuban Army of its major economic and logistic support, and had a significant impact on equipment numbers and serviceability; the army remains well trained and professional in nature; while the lack of replacement parts for its existing equipment and the current severe shortage of fuel have increasingly affected operational capabilities, Cuba remains able to offer considerable resistance to any regional power (2008)
Transnational Issues
Cuba
Disputes - international:
US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased to US and only mutual agreement or US abandonment of the facility can terminate the lease
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Cuba is principally a source country for women and children trafficked within the country for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation and possibly for forced labor; the country is a destination for sex tourism, including child sex tourism, which is a problem in many areas of the country; some Cuban nationals willingly migrate to the United States, but are subsequently exploited for forced labor by their smugglers; Cuba is also a transit point for the smuggling of migrants from China, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Lebanon, and other nations to the United States and Canada tier rating: Tier 3 - Cuba does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; exact information about trafficking in Cuba is difficult to obtain because the government does not acknowledge or condemn human trafficking as a problem in Cuba; tangible efforts to prosecute offenders, protect victims, or prevent human trafficking activity do not appear to have been made during 2007; Cuba has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)
Illicit drugs:
territorial waters and air space serve as transshipment zone for US- and European-bound drugs; established the death penalty for certain drug-related crimes in 1999
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Cyprus
Introduction
Cyprus
Background:
A former British colony, Cyprus became independent in 1960 following years of resistance to British rule. Tensions between the Greek Cypriot majority and Turkish Cypriot minority came to a head in December 1963, when violence broke out in the capital of Nicosia. Despite the deployment of UN peacekeepers in 1964, sporadic intercommunal violence continued forcing most Turkish Cypriots into enclaves throughout the island. In 1974, a Greek Government-sponsored attempt to seize control of Cyprus was met by military intervention from Turkey, which soon controlled more than a third of the island. In 1983, the Turkish-held area declared itself the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" (TRNC), but it is recognized only by Turkey. The latest two-year round of UN-brokered talks - between the leaders of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities to reach an agreement to reunite the divided island - ended when the Greek Cypriots rejected the UN settlement plan in an April 2004 referendum. The entire island entered the EU on 1 May 2004, although the EU acquis - the body of common rights and obligations - applies only to the areas under direct government control, and is suspended in the areas administered by Turkish Cypriots. However, individual Turkish Cypriots able to document their eligibility for Republic of Cyprus citizenship legally enjoy the same rights accorded to other citizens of European Union states. The election of a new Cypriot president in 2008 served as the impetus for the UN to encourage both the Turkish and Cypriot Governments to reopen unification negotiations.
Geography
Cyprus
Location:
Middle East, island in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Turkey
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Middle East
Area:
total: 9,250 sq km (of which 3,355 sq km are in north Cyprus) land: 9,240 sq km water: 10 sq km
Area - comparative:
about 0.6 times the size of Connecticut
Land boundaries:
total: 150.4 km (approximately) border sovereign base areas: Akrotiri 47.4 km, Dhekelia 103 km (approximately)
Coastline:
648 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
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: Mount Olympus 1,951 m
Natural resources:
copper, pyrites, asbestos, gypsum, timber, salt, marble, clay earth pigment
Land use:
arable land: 10.81% permanent crops: 4.32% other: 84.87% (2005)
Irrigated land:
400 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
0.4 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.21 cu km/yr (27%/1%/71%) per capita: 250 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily and Sardinia)
People
Cyprus
Population:
792,604 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 19.5% (male 78,922/female 75,523) 15-64 years: 68.5% (male 275,223/female 267,798) 65 years and over: 12% (male 41,592/female 53,546) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 35.3 years male: 34.3 years female: 36.4 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.522% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
12.56 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
7.76 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
0.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.75 deaths/1,000 live births male: 8.34 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.15 years male: 75.75 years female: 80.67 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.79 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
fewer than 1,000 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Nationality:
noun: Cypriot(s) adjective: Cypriot
Ethnic groups:
Greek 77%, Turkish 18%, other 5% (2001)
Religions:
Greek Orthodox 78%, Muslim 18%, other (includes Maronite and
Armenian Apostolic) 4%
Languages:
Greek, Turkish, English
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.6% male: 98.9% female: 96.3% (2001 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 14 years male: 13 years female: 14 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
6.3% of GDP (2004)
Government
Cyprus
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Cyprus conventional short form: Cyprus local long form: Kypriaki Dimokratia/Kibris Cumhuriyeti local short form: Kypros/Kibris note: the Turkish Cypriot community, which administers the northern part of the island, refers to itself as the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" (TRNC)
Government type:
republic note: a separation 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 that followed a Greek junta-supported 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), which is recognized only by Turkey
Capital:
name: Nicosia (Lefkosia) geographic coordinates: 35 10 N, 33 22 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
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 Lefkosia (Nicosia)
Independence:
16 August 1960 (from UK); note - Turkish Cypriots proclaimed self-rule on 13 February 1975 and independence in 1983, but these proclamations are only recognized by Turkey
National holiday:
Independence Day, 1 October (1960); note - Turkish Cypriots celebrate 15 November (1983) as Independence Day
Constitution:
16 August 1960 note: from December 1963, the Turkish Cypriots no longer participated in the government; negotiations to create the basis for a new or revised constitution to govern the island and for better relations between Greek and Turkish Cypriots have been held intermittently since the mid-1960s; in 1975, following the 1974 Turkish intervention, Turkish Cypriots created their own constitution and governing bodies within the "Turkish Federated State of Cyprus," which became the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC)" when the Turkish Cypriots declared their independence in 1983; a new constitution for the "TRNC" passed by referendum on 5 May 1985, although the "TRNC" remains unrecognized by any country other than Turkey
Legal system:
based on English common law, with civil law modifications; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Dimitris CHRISTOFIAS (since 28 February 2008); 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 Dimitris CHRISTOFIAS (since 28 February 2008) 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 17 and 24 February 2008 (next to be held in February 2013) election results: Dimitris CHRISTOFIAS elected president; percent of vote (first round) - Ioannis KASOULIDIS 33.5%, Dimitris CHRISTOFIAS 33.3%, Tassos PAPADOPOULOS 31.8%; (second round) Dimitris CHRISTOFIAS 53.4%, Ioannis KASOULIDIS 46.6% note: Mehmet Ali TALAT became "president" of the "TRNC", 24 April 2005, after "presidential" elections on 17 April 2005; results - Mehmet Ali TALAT 55.6%, Dervis EROGLU 22.7%; Ferdi Sabit SOYER is "TRNC prime minister" and heads the Council of Ministers (cabinet) in coalition with "Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister" Turgay AVCI
Legislative branch:
unicameral - area under government control: 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); area administered by Turkish Cypriots: Assembly of the Republic or Cumhuriyet Meclisi (50 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: area under government control: last held 21 May 2006 (next to be held 2011); area administered by Turkish Cypriots: last held 14 December 2003 (next to be held in 2008) election results: area under government control: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - AKEL 31.1%, DISY 30.3%, DIKO 17.9%, EDEK 8.9%, EURO.KO 5.8%, Greens 2.0%; seats by party - AKEL (Communist) 18, DISY 18, DIKO 11, EDEK 5, EURO.KO 3, Greens 1; area administered by Turkish Cypriots: Assembly of the Republic - percent of vote by party - CTP 35.8%, UBP 32.3%, Peace and Democratic Movement 13.4%, DP 12.3%; seats by party - CTP 19, UBP 18, Peace and Democratic Movement 6, DP 7; note - "TRNC" seats by party as of September 2006 - CTP 25, OP 3, UBP 13, DP 6, BDH 1, independents 2
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are appointed jointly by the president and
vice president)
note: there is also a Supreme Court in the area administered by
Turkish Cypriots
Political parties and leaders:
area under government control: Democratic Party or DIKO [Marios
KAROYIAN]; Democratic Rally or DISY [Nikos ANASTASIADHIS]; European
Democracy or EURO.DI [Prodromos PRODROMOU] (evolved from For Europe
which merged with New Horizons); European Party or EURO.KO [Demetris
SYLLOURIS]; Fighting Democratic Movement or ADIK [Dinos
MIKHAILIDIS]; Green Party of Cyprus [George PERDIKIS]; Movement for
Social Democrats or EDEK [Yannakis OMIROU]; Political Movement of
Hunters [Michalis PAFITANIS]; Progressive Party of the Working
People or AKEL (Communist Party) [Dimitris CHRISTOFIAS]; United
Democrats or EDI [Michalis PAPAPETROU]
area administered by Turkish Cypriots: Communal Liberation Party or
TKP [Huseyin ANGOLEMLI]; Cyprus Socialist Party or KSP [Kazim
ONGEN]; Democratic Party or DP [Serder DENKTASH]; Freedom and Reform
Party or OP [Turgay AVCI]; National Unity Party or UBP [Tahsin
ERTUGRULOGLU]; Nationalist Justice Party or MAP [Ata TEPE]; New
Party or YP [Huseyin TURAN]; Our Party or BP [Okyay SADIKOGLU];
Patriotic Unity Movement or YBH [Oguz OZEN]; Peace and Democratic
Movement or BDH [Mustafa AKINCI]; Renewal Progress Party or YAP
[Ertugrul HASIPOGLU]; Republican Turkish Party or CTP [Ferdi Sabit
SOYER]; United Cyprus Party or BKP [Isset IZCAN]
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, CE, EBRD, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICCt, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer),
OIF (associate member), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Andreas KAKOURIS chancery: 2211 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 462-5772, 462-0873 FAX: [1] (202) 483-6710 consulate(s) general: New York note: representative of the Turkish Cypriot community in the US is Hilmi AKIL; office at 1667 K Street NW, Washington, DC; telephone [1] (202) 887-6198
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Frank C. URBANCIC, Jr. embassy: corner of Metochiou and Ploutarchou Streets, 2407 Engomi, Nicosia mailing address: P. O. Box 24536, 1385 Nicosia telephone: [357] (22) 393939 FAX: [357] (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: the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" flag has a white field with narrow horizontal red stripes positioned a small distance from the top and bottom edges between which is centered a red crescent and a red five-pointed star
Economy
Cyprus
Economy - overview:
The area of the Republic of Cyprus under government control has a market economy dominated by the service sector, which accounts for 78% of GDP. Tourism, financial services, and real estate are the most important sectors. Erratic growth rates over the past decade reflect the economy's reliance on tourism, which often fluctuates with political instability in the region and economic conditions in Western Europe. Nevertheless, the economy in the area under government control grew by an average of 3.6% per year during the period of 2000-06, well above the EU average. Cyprus joined the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM2) in May 2005 and adopted the euro as its national currency on 1 January 2008. An aggressive austerity program in the preceding years, aimed at paving the way for the euro, helped turn a soaring fiscal deficit (6.3% in 2003) into a surplus of 1.5% in 2007. As in the area administered by Turkish Cypriots, water shortages are a perennial problem; a few desalination plants are now on line. After 10 years of drought, the country received substantial rainfall from 2001-04 alleviating immediate concerns. Rainfall in 2005 and 2006, however, was well below average, making water rationing a necessity in 2007.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$21.4 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$21.3 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
4.4% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$27,100 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2.7% industry: 19.2% services: 78% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
393,000 (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 8.5% industry: 20.5% services: 71% (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate:
3.9% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
29 (2005)
Investment (gross fixed):
20.8% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues:: $9.996 billion expenditures:: $9.304 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
59.6% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.4% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
6.74% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$4.094 billion note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the Euro Area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 15 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi money circulating within their own borders (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$43.93 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$52.09 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
citrus, vegetables, barley, grapes, olives, vegetables; poultry, pork, lamb; dairy, cheese
Industries:
tourism, food and beverage processing, cement and gypsum production, ship repair and refurbishment, textiles, light chemicals, metal products, wood, paper, stone, and clay products
Industrial production growth rate:
3.8% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
4.52 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
4.151 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Oil - consumption:
57,830 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
55,970 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006)
Current account balance:
-$2.144 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$1.495 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
citrus, potatoes, pharmaceuticals, cement, and clothing
Exports - partners:
Greece 21.1%, UK 14.3%, Germany 6.6% (2007)
Imports:
$7.84 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
consumer goods, petroleum and lubricants, intermediate goods, machinery, transport equipment
Imports - partners:
Greece 17.7%, Italy 10.2%, UK 9.6%, Germany 9.4%, Israel 6.5%,
France 5.4%, China 5.3%, Netherlands 4.1% (2007)
Economic aid - donor:
$25.9 million (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
$15 million (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$6.507 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$26.97 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$13.36 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$5.419 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$48.2 billion (2005)
Currency (code):
Cypriot pound (CYP); euro (EUR) after 1 January 2008
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Cypriot pounds (CYP) per US dollar -: 0.4286 (2007), 0.4586 (2006), 0.4641 (2005), 0.4686 (2004), 0.5174 (2003)
Economy of the area administered by Turkish Cypriots:
Economy - overview: The Turkish Cypriot economy has roughly 30% of the per capita GDP of the south, and economic growth tends to be volatile, given the north's relative isolation, bloated public sector, reliance on the Turkish lira, and small market size. Agriculture and services, together, employ more than half of the work force. The Turkish Cypriot economy grew around 10.6% in 2006, fueled by growth in the construction and education sectors, as well as increased employment of Turkish Cypriots in the area under government control. GDP declined about 2.0% in 2007. The Turkish Cypriots are heavily dependent on transfers from the Turkish Government. Ankara directly finances around one-third of the "TRNC's" budget. Aid from Turkey has exceeded $400 million annually in recent years. GDP (purchasing power parity): $1.865 billion (2006 est.) GDP - real growth rate: -2% (2007 est.) GDP - per capita: $11,800 (2006 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 8.6%, industry: 22.5%, services: 69.1% (2006 est.) Labor force: 95,030 (2007 est.) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 14.5%, industry: 29%, services: 56.5% (2004) Unemployment rate: 9.4% (2005 est.) Population below poverty line: %NA Inflation rate: 11.4% (2006) Budget: revenues: $2.5 billion, expenditures: $2.5 billion (2006) Agriculture - products: citrus fruit, dairy, potatoes, grapes, olives, poultry, lamb Industries: foodstuffs, textiles, clothing, ship repair, clay, gypsum, copper, furniture Industrial production growth rate: -0.3% (2007 est.) Electricity production: 998.9 million kWh (2005) Electricity consumption: 797.9 million kWh (2005) Exports: $68.1 million, f.o.b. (2007 est.) Export - commodities: citrus, dairy, potatoes, textiles Export - partners: Turkey 40%; direct trade between the area administered by Turkish Cypriots and the area under government control remains limited Imports: $1.2 billion, f.o.b. (2007 est.) Import - commodities: vehicles, fuel, cigarettes, food, minerals, chemicals, machinery Import - partners: Turkey 60%; direct trade between the area administered by Turkish Cypriots and the area under government control remains limited Economic aid - recipient: under a July 2006 agreement, Turkey plans to provide the area administered by Turkish Cypriots 1.875 billion YTL ($1.3 billion) over three years (600 million YTL in 2006, 625 million YTL in 2007 and 650 million YTL in 2008); Turkey has forgiven most past aid; additionally, the EU pledged financial assistance of Euro 259 million ($388 million) in 2004, which is yet to be disbursed. Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $NA Debt - external: $NA Currency (code): Turkish new lira (YTL) Exchange rates: Turkish new lira per US dollar: 1.319 (2007) 1.4286 (2006) 1.3436 (2005) 1.4255 (2004) 1.5009 (2003)
Communications
Cyprus
Telephones - main lines in use:
area under government control: 376,000 (2007); area administered by Turkish Cypriots: 86,228 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
area under government control: 962,200 (2007); area administered by Turkish Cypriots: 147,522 (2002)
Telephone system:
general assessment: excellent in both area under government control and area administered by Turkish Cypriots domestic: open-wire, fiber-optic cable, and microwave radio relay international: country code - 357 (area administered by Turkish Cypriots uses the country code of Turkey - 90); a number of submarine cables, including the SEA-ME-WE-3, combine to provide connectivity to Western Europe, the Middle East, and Asia; tropospheric scatter; satellite earth stations - 8 (3 Intelsat - 1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean, 2 Eutelsat, 2 Intersputnik, and 1 Arabsat)
Radio broadcast stations:
area under government control: AM 5, FM 76, shortwave 0 area administered by Turkish Cypriots: AM 1, FM 20, shortwave 1 (2004)
Radios:
Greek Cypriot area: 310,000 (1997); Turkish Cypriot area: 56,450 (1994)
Television broadcast stations:
area under government control: 8 area administered by Turkish Cypriots: 2 (plus 4 relay) (2004)
Televisions:
Greek Cypriot area: 248,000 (1997); Turkish Cypriot area: 52,300 (1994)
Internet country code:
.cy
Internet hosts:
143,099 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
6 (2000)
Internet users:
380,000 (2007)
Transportation
Cyprus
Airports:
16 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 13 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2007)
Heliports:
10 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 14,630 km (area under government control: 12,280 km; area administered by Turkish Cypriots: 2,350 km) paved: area under government control: 7,979 km (includes 257 km of expressways); area administered by Turkish Cypriots: 1,370 km unpaved: area under government control: 4,301 km; area administered by Turkish Cypriots: 980 km (2006)
Merchant marine:
total: 858 by type: bulk carrier 295, cargo 182, chemical tanker 63, container 193, liquefied gas 10, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 24, petroleum tanker 58, refrigerated cargo 10, roll on/roll off 12, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 5 foreign-owned: 690 (Austria 1, Belgium 2, Canada 2, Chile 1, China 10, Cuba 1, Denmark 4, Estonia 5, Germany 189, Greece 259, Hong Kong 2, India 2, Iran 10, Ireland 3, Israel 4, Italy 7, Japan 21, South Korea 1, Latvia 1, Lebanon 1, Netherlands 22, Norway 18, Philippines 1, Poland 18, Portugal 1, Russia 50, Singapore 3, Slovenia 4, Spain 6, Sweden 2, Syria 2, Ukraine 4, UAE 9, UK 19, US 5) registered in other countries: 256 (Antigua and Barbuda 18, Bahamas 25, Belize 1, Burma 1, Cambodia 7, Comoros 1, Georgia 1, Germany 2, Gibraltar 1, Greece 7, Liberia 63, Malta 31, Marshall Islands 37, Netherlands 8, Netherlands Antilles 21, Panama 19, Poland 1, Russia 2, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Samoa 1, Singapore 1, Tonga 1, Turkey 2, UK 2, unknown 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
area under government control: Larnaca, Limassol, Vasilikos; area administered by Turkish Cypriots: Famagusta, Kyrenia
Military
Cyprus
Military branches:
Republic of Cyprus: Greek Cypriot National Guard (Ethniki Forea, EF; includes air and naval elements); northern Cyprus: Turkish Cypriot Security Force (GKK) (2007)
Military service age and obligation:
Greek Cypriot National Guard (GCNG): 18-50 years of age for compulsory military service for all Greek Cypriot males; 17 years of age for voluntary service; females are not conscripted; age of military eligibility 17 to 50; length of normal service is 25 months with a minimum of 3 months (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
Greek Cypriot National Guard (GCNG): males age 16-49: 199,767 females age 16-49: 190,665 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
Greek Cypriot National Guard (GCNG): males age 16-49: 165,042 females age 16-49: 158,869 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 6,482 female: 6,208 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
3.8% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
Cyprus
Disputes - international:
hostilities in 1974 divided the island into two de facto autonomous entities, the internationally recognized Cypriot Government and a Turkish-Cypriot community (north Cyprus); the 1,000-strong UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) has served in Cyprus since 1964 and maintains the buffer zone between north and south; on 1 May 2004, Cyprus entered the European Union still divided, with the EU's body of legislation and standards (acquis communitaire) suspended in the north; Turkey protests Cypriot Government creating hydrocarbon blocks and maritime boundary with Lebanon in March 2007
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 210,000 (both Turkish and Greek Cypriots; many displaced for over 30 years) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Cyprus is primarily a destination country for a large number of women trafficked from Eastern and Central Europe, the Philippines, and the Dominican Republic for the purpose of sexual exploitation; traffickers continued to fraudulently recruit victims for work as dancers in cabarets and nightclubs on short-term "artiste" visas, for work in pubs and bars on employment visas, or for illegal work on tourist or student visas tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Cyprus is on the Tier 2 Watch List for a third consecutive year for failure to show evidence of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking during 2007; although Cyprus passed a new trafficking law and opened a government trafficking shelter, these efforts are outweighed by its failure to show tangible and critically needed progress in the areas of law enforcement, victim protection, and the prevention of trafficking (2008)
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; despite a strengthening of anti-money-laundering legislation, remains vulnerable to money laundering; reporting of suspicious transactions in offshore sector remains weak
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Czech Republic
Introduction
Czech Republic
Background:
Following the First World War, the closely related Czechs and Slovaks of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire merged to form Czechoslovakia. During the interwar years, the new country's leaders were frequently preoccupied with meeting the demands of other ethnic minorities within the republic, most notably the Sudeten Germans and the Ruthenians (Ukrainians). After World War II, a truncated 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 Communist 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. The Czech Republic joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004.
Geography
Czech Republic
Location:
Central Europe, southeast of Germany
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 78,866 sq km land: 77,276 sq km water: 1,590 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than South Carolina
Land boundaries:
total: 1,989 km border countries: Austria 362 km, Germany 815 km, Poland 615 km, Slovakia 197 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: 38.82% permanent crops: 3% other: 58.18% (2005)
Irrigated land:
240 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
16 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 1.91 cu km/yr (41%/57%/2%) per capita: 187 cu m/yr (2002)
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; efforts to bring industry up to EU code should improve domestic pollution
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, 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, Wetlands,
Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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:
10,220,911 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 13.8% (male 723,521/female 684,786) 15-64 years: 71.2% (male 3,653,679/female 3,619,872) 65 years and over: 15.1% (male 604,419/female 934,634) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 39.8 years male: 38.2 years female: 41.6 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
-0.082% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
8.89 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
10.69 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
0.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.65 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 3.83 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.17 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.62 years male: 73.34 years female: 80.08 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.23 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
2,500 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 10 (2001 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Czech(s) adjective: Czech
Ethnic groups:
Czech 90.4%, Moravian 3.7%, Slovak 1.9%, other 4% (2001 census)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 26.8%, Protestant 2.1%, other 3.3%, unspecified 8.8%, unaffiliated 59% (2001 census)
Languages:
Czech 94.9%, Slovak 2%, other 2.3%, unidentified 0.8% (2001 census)
Literacy:
definition: NA total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 15 years male: 15 years female: 15 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
4.4% of GDP (2004)
Government
Czech Republic
Country name:
conventional long form: Czech Republic conventional short form: Czech Republic local long form: Ceska Republika local short form: Cesko
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: Prague geographic coordinates: 50 05 N, 14 28 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
13 regions (kraje, singular - kraj) and 1 capital city* (hlavni mesto); Jihocesky (South Bohemia), Jihomoravsky (South Moravia), Karlovarsky, Kralovehradecky, Liberecky, Moravskoslezsky (Moravia-Silesia), Olomoucky, Pardubicky, Plzensky (Pilsen), Praha (Prague)*, Stredocesky (Central Bohemia), Ustecky, Vysocina, Zlinsky
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 KLAUS (since 7 March 2003) head of government: Prime Minister Mirek TOPOLANEK (since 9 January 2007); Deputy Prime Ministers Petr NECAS (since 9 January 2007), Martin BURSIK (since 9 January 2007), and Alexandr VONDRA (since 9 January 2007) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); last successful election held 15 February 2008 (after earlier elections held 8 and 9 February 2008 were inconclusive; next election to be held in February 2013); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Vaclav KLAUS reelected president on 15 February 2008; Vaclav KLAUS 141 votes, Jan SVEJNAR 111 votes (third round; combined votes of both chambers of parliament)
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 in two rounds 17-18 and 24-25 October 2008 (next to be held in October 2010); Chamber of Deputies - last held 2-3 June 2006 (next to be held by June 2010) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ODS 35, CSSD 29, KDU-CSL 7, others 8, independents 2; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - ODS 35.4%, CSSD 32.3%, KSCM 12.8%, KDU-CSL 7.2%, Greens 6.3%, other 6%; seats by party - ODS 81, CSSD 74, KSCM 26, KDU-CSL 13, Greens 6; note - seats by party as of December 2007 - ODS 81, CSSD 72, KSCM 26, KDU-CSL 13, Greens 6, unaffiliated 2 (former CSSD members)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; chairman and deputy chairmen are appointed by the president for a 10-year term
Political parties and leaders:
Association of Independent Candidates-European Democrats or SNK-ED
[Helmut DOHNALEK]; Christian Democratic Union-Czechoslovak People's
Party or KDU-CSL [Jiri CUNEK]; Civic Democratic Party or ODS [Mirek
TOPOLANEK]; Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia or KSCM [Vojtech
FILIP]; Czech Social Democratic Party or CSSD [Jiri PAROUBEK]; Union
of Freedom-Democratic Union or US-DEU [Jan CERNY]; Green Party
[Martin BURSIK]; Independent Democrats (NEZDEM) [Vladimir ZELEZNY];
Party of Open Society (SOS) [Pavel NOVACEK]; Path of Change [Jiri
LOBKOWITZ]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions or CMKOS [Milan STECH]
International organization participation:
ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI,
CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA (cooperating state), EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA,
MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF
(observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate),
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Petr KOLAR chancery: 3900 Spring of Freedom Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 274-9100 FAX: [1] (202) 966-8540 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Richard W. GRABER embassy: Trziste 15, 118 01 Prague 1 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [420] 257 022 000 FAX: [420] 257 022 809
Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side note: identical to the flag of the former Czechoslovakia
Economy
Czech Republic
Economy - overview:
The Czech Republic is one of the most stable and prosperous of the post-Communist states of Central and Eastern Europe. Growth in 2000-07 was supported by exports to the EU, primarily to Germany, and a strong recovery of foreign and domestic investment. Domestic demand is playing an ever more important role in underpinning growth as the availability of credit cards and mortgages increases. The current account deficit has declined to around 3.3% of GDP as demand for automotive and other products from the Czech Republic remains strong in the European Union. Rising inflation from higher food and energy prices are a risk to balanced economic growth. Significant increases in social spending in the run-up to June 2006 elections prevented, the government from meeting its goal of reducing its budget deficit to 3% of GDP in 2007. Negotiations on pension and additional healthcare reforms are continuing without clear prospects for agreement and implementation. Intensified restructuring among large enterprises, improvements in the financial sector, and effective use of available EU funds should strengthen output growth. The pro-business Civic Democratic Party-led government approved reforms in 2007 designed to cut spending on some social welfare benefits and reform the tax system with the aim of eventually reducing the budget deficit to 2.3% of GDP by 2010. Parliamentary approval for any additional reforms could prove difficult, however, because of the parliament's even split. The government withdrew a 2010 target date for euro adoption and instead aims to meet the eurozone criteria around 2012.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$251 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$175.3 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
6.6% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$24,500 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2.7% industry: 38.7% services: 58.6% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
5.36 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 4.1% industry: 37.6% services: 58.3% (2003)
Unemployment rate:
6.6% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 4.3% highest 10%: 22.4% (1996)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
26 (2005)
Investment (gross fixed):
24.1% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $72.1 billion expenditures: $74.98 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
26% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.9% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
3.5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
5.79% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$84.43 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$58.77 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$103.9 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
wheat, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, poultry
Industries:
metallurgy, machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, glass, armaments
Industrial production growth rate:
9.8% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
82.88 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
61.52 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
26.36 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
10.2 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 76.1% hydro: 2.9% nuclear: 20% other: 1% (2001)
Oil - production:
13,530 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
207,400 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - exports:
27,360 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
224,600 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
15 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
172 million cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
8.622 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
402 million cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
8.628 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
3.964 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
-$4.534 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$122.3 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment 52%, raw materials and fuel 9%, chemicals 5% (2003)
Exports - partners:
Germany 30.7%, Slovakia 8.7%, Poland 5.9%, France 5.4%, UK 5.1%,
Italy 4.9%, Austria 4.6% (2007)
Imports:
$116.6 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment 46%, raw materials and fuels 15%, chemicals 10% (2003)
Imports - partners:
Germany 31.8%, Netherlands 6.7%, Slovakia 6.4%, Poland 6.3%, Austria 5.1%, China 5.1%, Russia 4.5%, Italy 4.4%, France 4.1% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$278.7 million in available EU structural adjustment and cohesion funds (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$34.59 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$74.7 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$86.75 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$6.058 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$48.6 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
Czech koruna (CZK)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
koruny (CZK) per US dollar - 20.53 (2007), 22.596 (2006), 23.957 (2005), 25.7 (2004), 28.209 (2003)
Communications
Czech Republic
Telephones - main lines in use:
2.888 million (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
13.075 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: privatization and modernization of the Czech telecommunication system got a late start but is advancing steadily; access to the fixed-line telephone network expanded throughout the 1990s but the number of fixed line connections has been dropping since then; mobile telephone usage increased sharply beginning in the mid-1990s and the number of cellular telephone subscriptions now greatly exceeds the population domestic: virtually all exchanges now digital; existing copper subscriber systems 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: country code - 420; satellite earth stations - 6 (2 Intersputnik - Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions, 1 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 1 Globalstar) (2007)
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 hosts:
2.434 million (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
more than 300 (2000)
Internet users:
4.4 million (2007)
Transportation
Czech Republic
Airports:
122 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 45 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 18 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 77 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 26 under 914 m: 50 (2007)
Heliports:
1 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 7,010 km; oil 547 km; refined products 94 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 9,597 km standard gauge: 9,597 km 1.435-m gauge (3,041 km electrified) (2006)
Roadways:
total: 128,512 km paved: 128,512 km (includes 657 km of expressways) (2007)
Waterways:
664 km (principally on Elbe, Vltava, Oder, and other navigable rivers, lakes, and canals) (2006)
Merchant marine:
registered in other countries: 1 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Decin, Prague, Usti nad Labem
Military
Czech Republic
Military branches:
Army of the Czech Republic (ACR): Joint Forces Command (includes
Army and Air Forces), Support and Training Forces Command (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18-28 years of age for voluntary and 19-28 for compulsory military service (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,522,383 females age 16-49: 2,425,095 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,100,789 females age 16-49: 2,018,101 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 63,124 female: 59,786 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.46% of GDP (2007 est.)
Transnational Issues
Czech Republic
Disputes - international:
while threats of international legal action never materialized in 2007, 915,220 Austrians, with the support of the popular Freedom Party, signed a petition in January 2008, demanding that Austria block the Czech Republic's accession to the EU unless Prague closes its controversial Soviet-style nuclear plant in Temelin, bordering Austria
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; susceptible to money laundering related to drug trafficking, organized crime; significant consumer of ecstasy
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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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. It joined NATO in 1949 and the EEC (now the EU) in 1973. However, the country has opted out of certain elements of the European Union's Maastricht Treaty, including the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), European defense cooperation, and issues concerning certain justice and home 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:
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 43,094 sq km land: 42,394 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
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:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
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, chalk, stone, gravel and sand
Land use:
arable land: 52.59% permanent crops: 0.19% other: 47.22% (2005)
Irrigated land:
4,490 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
6.1 cu km (2003)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.67 cu km/yr (32%/26%/42%) per capita: 123 cu m/yr (2002)
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-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 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, Marine Dumping,
Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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:
5,484,723 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 18.4% (male 516,735/female 490,532) 15-64 years: 65.9% (male 1,818,681/female 1,796,753) 65 years and over: 15.7% (male 374,388/female 487,634) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 40.3 years male: 39.4 years female: 41.2 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.295% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
10.71 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
10.25 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
2.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.4 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.44 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.13 years male: 75.8 years female: 80.59 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.74 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
5,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 100 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Dane(s) adjective: Danish
Ethnic groups:
Scandinavian, Inuit, Faroese, German, Turkish, Iranian, Somali
Religions:
Evangelical Lutheran 95%, other Christian (includes 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: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 17 years male: 16 years female: 17 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
8.3% of GDP (2005)
Government
Denmark
Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Denmark conventional short form: Denmark local long form: Kongeriget Danmark local short form: Danmark
Government type:
constitutional monarchy
Capital:
name: Copenhagen geographic coordinates: 55 40 N, 12 35 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October note: applies to continental Denmark only, not to the North Atlantic components
Administrative divisions:
metropolitan Denmark - 5 regions (regioner, singular - region); Hovedstaden, Midtjylland, Nordjylland, Sjaelland, Syddanmark note: an extensive local government reform merged 271 municipalities into 98 and 13 counties into five regions, effective 1 January 2007
Independence:
first organized as a unified state in 10th century; in 1849 became a constitutional monarchy
National holiday:
none designated; Constitution Day, 5 June (1849) is generally viewed as the National Day
Constitution:
5 June 1953 constitution allowed 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: Council of State appointed by the monarch elections: the monarch is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch
Legislative branch:
unicameral People's Assembly or Folketinget (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 unless the Folketinget is dissolved earlier) elections: last held 13 November 2007 (next to be held in 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - Liberal Party 26.2%, Social Democrats 25.5%, Danish People's Party 13.9%, Socialist People's Party 13.0%, Conservative People's Party 10.4%, Social Liberal Party 5.1%, New Alliance 2.8%, Red-Green Alliance 2.2%, other 0.9%; seats by party - Liberal Party 46, Social Democrats 45, Danish People's Party 25, Socialist People's Party 23, Conservative People's Party 18, Social Liberal Party 9, New Alliance 5, Red-Green Alliance 4; note - does not include the two seats from Greenland and the two seats from the Faroe Islands
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the monarch for life)
Political parties and leaders:
Christian Democrats [Bjarne Hartung KIRKEGAARD] (was Christian
People's Party); Conservative Party [Bendt BENDTSEN] (sometimes
known as Conservative People's Party); Danish People's Party [Pia
KJAERSGAARD]; Liberal Party [Anders Fogh RASMUSSEN]; New Alliance
[Naser KHADER]; Red-Green Unity List (Alliance) [collective
leadership] (bloc includes Left Socialist Party, Communist Party of
Denmark, Socialist Workers' Party); Social Democratic Party [Helle
THORNING-SCHMIDT]; Social Liberal Party [Margrethe VESTAGER];
Socialist People's Party [Villy SOEVNDAL]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Danish Free Press Society (freedom of speech); Danish National Socialist Movement or DNSB [Jonni HANSEN] (neo-Nazi organization) other: human rights groups
International organization participation:
ADB (nonregional members), AfDB (nonregional members), Arctic
Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA,
EU, FAO, G-9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,
ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS
(observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG,
UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Friis Arne PETERSEN chancery: 3200 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 234-4300 FAX: [1] (202) 328-1470 consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador James P. CAIN embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds Alle 24, 2100 Copenhagen mailing address: PSC 73, APO AE 09716 telephone: [45] 33 41 71 00 FAX: [45] 35 43 02 23
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; the banner is referred to as the Dannebrog (Danish flag) note: the shifted design element was subsequently adopted by the other Nordic countries of Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden
Economy
Denmark
Economy - overview:
The Danish economy has in recent years undergone strong expansion fueled primarily by private consumption growth, but also supported by exports and investments. 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. Unemployment is low and capacity constraints are limiting growth potential. Denmark is a net exporter of food and energy and enjoys a comfortable balance of payments surplus. Government objectives include streamlining the bureaucracy and further privatization of state assets. 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 Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), but so far Denmark has decided not to join 15 other EU members in the euro. Nonetheless, the Danish krone remains pegged to the euro. Economic growth gained momentum in 2004 and the upturn continued through 2007. The controversy over caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad printed in a Danish newspaper in September 2005 led to boycotts of some Danish exports to the Muslim world, especially exports of dairy products, but the boycotts did not have a significant impact on the overall Danish economy. Because of high GDP per capita, welfare benefits, a low Gini index, and political stability, the Danish living standards are among the highest in the world. A major long-term issue will be the sharp decline in the ratio of workers to retirees.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$203.3 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$311.9 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
1.7% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$37,200 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1.3% industry: 25.7% services: 73% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
2.86 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 3% industry: 21% services: 76% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate:
2.8% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2% highest 10%: 24% (2000 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
24 (2005)
Investment (gross fixed):
22.9% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $170.6 billion expenditures: $156.8 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
26% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.7% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
4% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Stock of money:
$148.7 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$81.64 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$684.7 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
barley, wheat, potatoes, sugar beets; pork, dairy products; fish
Industries:
iron, steel, nonferrous metals, chemicals, food processing, machinery and transportation equipment, textiles and clothing, electronics, construction, furniture and other wood products, shipbuilding and refurbishment, windmills, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment
Industrial production growth rate:
0.5% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
36.99 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
34.68 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
11.38 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
10.43 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 82.7% hydro: 0.1% nuclear: 0% other: 17.3% (2001)
Oil - production:
313,800 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
190,600 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - exports:
320,000 bbl/day (2006)
Oil - imports:
164,000 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - proved reserves:
1.188 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
9.223 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
4.555 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
4.517 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
70.51 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
$4.279 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$101.2 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
machinery and instruments, meat and meat products, dairy products, fish, pharmaceuticals, furniture, windmills
Exports - partners:
Germany 17.4%, Sweden 14.5%, UK 8%, US 6.1%, Norway 5.7%, France 4.8%, Netherlands 4.8% (2007)
Imports:
$102 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, raw materials and semimanufactures for industry, chemicals, grain and foodstuffs, consumer goods
Imports - partners:
Germany 21.6%, Sweden 14.4%, Netherlands 7.1%, Norway 6%, China 5.4%, UK 5.3%, Italy 4.1%, France 4% (2007)
Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $2.236 billion (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$34.32 billion (2006 est.)
Debt - external:
$492.6 billion (30 June 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$149.7 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$166.6 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$178 billion (2005)
Currency (code):
Danish krone (DKK)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Danish kroner (DKK) per US dollar - 5.4797 (2007), 5.9468 (2006), 5.9969 (2005), 5.9911 (2004), 6.5877 (2003)
Communications
Denmark
Telephones - main lines in use:
2.824 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
6.243 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: excellent telephone and telegraph services domestic: buried and submarine cables and microwave radio relay form trunk network, 4 cellular mobile communications systems international: country code - 45; a series of fiber-optic submarine cables link Denmark with Canada, Faroe Islands, Germany, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and UK; satellite earth stations - 18 (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
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 hosts:
3.642 million (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
13 (2000)
Internet users:
3.5 million (2007)
Transportation
Denmark
Airports:
91 (2007)
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 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 63 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 60 (2007)
Pipelines:
condensate 11 km; gas 4,073 km; oil 617 km; oil/gas/water 2 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 2,644 km standard gauge: 2,644 km 1.435-m gauge (636 km electrified) (2007)
Roadways:
total: 72,362 km paved: 72,362 km (includes 1,032 km of expressways) (2006)
Waterways:
400 km (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 327 by type: bulk carrier 8, cargo 63, carrier 2, chemical tanker 78, container 84, liquefied gas 2, passenger/cargo 42, petroleum tanker 29, refrigerated cargo 7, roll on/roll off 8, specialized tanker 4 foreign-owned: 26 (Canada 1, Germany 1, Germany 9, Greece 4, Iceland 2, Norway 3, Sweden 6) registered in other countries: 534 (Antigua and Barbuda 19, Bahamas 67, Belgium 4, Brazil 2, Cayman Islands 3, Cyprus 4, Egypt 1, Estonia 1, France 2, Germany 1, Gibraltar 7, Hong Kong 24, Isle of Man 29, Italy 3, Jamaica 2, Liberia 12, Lithuania 5, Luxembourg 1, Malta 30, Marshall Islands 10, Mexico 2, Netherlands 29, Netherlands Antilles 2, Norway 25, Panama 40, Portugal 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 16, Singapore 87, South Africa 1, Spain 1, Spain 1, Sweden 4, Togo 1, UAE 1, UK 62, US 31, Venezuela 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Aalborg, Aarhus, Copenhagen, Ensted, Esbjerg, Fredericia, Kalundborg
Military
Denmark
Military branches:
Defense Command: Army Operational Command, Admiral Danish Fleet,
Island Command Greenland, Tactical Air Command, Home Guard (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscripts serve an initial training period that varies from 4 to 12 months according to specialization; reservists are assigned to mobilization units following completion of their conscript service; women eligible to volunteer for military service (2004)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,235,067 females age 16-49: 1,215,418 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,012,716 females age 16-49: 996,436 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 36,561 female: 34,603 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.5% of GDP (2006; 1.28% 2007 est.)
Transnational Issues
Denmark
Disputes - international:
Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe
Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm; Faroese continue
to study proposals for full independence; sovereignty dispute with
Canada over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between Ellesmere
Island and Greenland
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Dhekelia
Introduction
Dhekelia
Background:
By terms of the 1960 Treaty of Establishment that created the independent Republic of Cyprus, the UK retained full sovereignty and jurisdiction over two areas of almost 254 square kilometers - Akrotiri and Dhekelia. The larger of these is the Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area, which is also referred to as the Eastern Sovereign Base Area.
Geography
Dhekelia
Location:
Eastern Mediterranean, on the southeast coast of Cyprus near
Famagusta
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Middle East
Area:
total: 130.8 sq km note: area surrounds three Cypriot enclaves
Area - comparative:
about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
total: 103 km (approximately) border countries: Cyprus 103 km (approximately)
Coastline:
27.5 km
Climate:
temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters
Environment - current issues:
netting and trapping of small migrant songbirds in the spring and autumn
Geography - note:
British extraterritorial rights also extended to several small off-post sites scattered across Cyprus; of the Sovereign Base Area land 60% is privately owned and farmed, 20% is owned by the Ministry of Defense, and 20% is SBA Crown land
People
Dhekelia
Population:
approximately 15,700 live on the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia including 7,700 Cypriots, 3,600 Service and UK Based Contract personnel, and 4,400 dependents
Languages:
English, Greek
Government
Dhekelia
Country name:
conventional long form: Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area conventional short form: Dhekelia
Dependency status:
a special form of UK overseas territory; administered by an administrator who is also the Commander, British Forces Cyprus
Capital:
name: Episkopi Cantonment (base administrative center for Akrotiri and Dhekelia); located in Akrotiri geographic coordinates: 34 40 N, 32 51 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Constitution:
Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia Order in Council 1960, effective 16 August 1960, functions as a basic legal document
Legal system:
the Sovereign Base Area Administration has its own court system to deal with civil and criminal matters; laws applicable to the Cypriot population are, as far as possible, the same as the laws of the Republic of Cyprus
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Administrator Air Vice-Marshal Richard LACEY (since 26 April 2006); note - reports to the British Ministry of Defense elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the administrator is appointed by the monarch
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Flag description:
the flag of the UK is used
Economy
Dhekelia
Economy - overview:
Economic activity is limited to providing services to the military and their families located in Dhekelia. All food and manufactured goods must be imported.
Industries:
none
Currency (code):
euro (EUR) adopted 1 January 2008; note - the Cypriot pound (CYP) formerly used
Exchange rates:
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.4286 (2007), 0.46019 (2006), 0.4641 (2005), 0.4686 (2004), 0.5174 (2003)
Communications
Dhekelia
Radio broadcast stations:
AM NA, FM 1 (located in Akrotiri), shortwave NA (British Forces
Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides Radio 1 and Radio 2 service to
Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia) (2006)
Television broadcast stations:
0 (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides multi-channel satellite service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia) (2006)
Military
Dhekelia
Military - note:
includes Dhekelia Garrison and Ayios Nikolaos Station connected by a roadway
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Djibouti
Introduction
Djibouti
Background:
The French Territory of the Afars and the Issas became Djibouti in 1977. Hassan Gouled APTIDON installed an authoritarian one-party state and proceeded to serve as president until 1999. Unrest among the Afars minority during the 1990s led to a civil war that ended in 2001 following the conclusion of a peace accord between Afar rebels and the Issa-dominated government. In 1999, Djibouti's first multi-party presidential elections resulted in the election of Ismail Omar GUELLEH; he was re-elected to a second and final term in 2005. Djibouti occupies a strategic geographic location at the mouth of the Red Sea and serves as an important transshipment location for goods entering and leaving the east African highlands. The present leadership favors close ties to France, which maintains a significant military presence in the country, but also has strong ties with the US. Djibouti hosts the only US military base in sub-Saharan Africa and is a front-line state in the global war on terrorism.
Geography
Djibouti
Location:
Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, between
Eritrea and Somalia
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 23,000 sq km land: 22,980 sq km water: 20 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:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
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, gold, clay, granite, limestone, marble, salt, diatomite, gypsum, pumice, petroleum
Land use:
arable land: 0.04% permanent crops: 0% other: 99.96% (2005)
Irrigated land:
10 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
0.3 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.02 cu km/yr (84%/0%/16%) per capita: 25 cu m/yr (2000)
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; limited arable land; desertification; endangered species
Environment - international agreements:
party to: 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:
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:
506,221 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 43.3% (male 110,089/female 109,331) 15-64 years: 53.1% (male 139,164/female 129,614) 65 years and over: 3.6% (male 9,068/female 8,955) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 18.2 years male: 18.6 years female: 17.7 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.945% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
38.61 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
19.16 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 99.13 deaths/1,000 live births male: 106.65 deaths/1,000 live births female: 91.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 43.31 years male: 41.89 years female: 44.77 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.14 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
2.9% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
9,100 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
690 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Djiboutian(s) adjective: Djiboutian
Ethnic groups:
Somali 60%, Afar 35%, other 5% (includes French, Arab, Ethiopian, and Italian)
Religions:
Muslim 94%, Christian 6%
Languages:
French (official), Arabic (official), Somali, Afar
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 67.9% male: 78% female: 58.4% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 4 years male: 5 years female: 4 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
8.4% of GDP (2006)
Government
Djibouti
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Djibouti conventional short form: Djibouti local long form: Republique de Djibouti/Jumhuriyat Jibuti local short form: Djibouti/Jibuti former: French Territory of the Afars and Issas, French Somaliland
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Djibouti geographic coordinates: 11 35 N, 43 09 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
6 districts (cercles, singular - cercle); Ali Sabieh, Arta, Dikhil, Djibouti, Obock, Tadjourah
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; accepts ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ismail Omar GUELLEH (since 8 May 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed Dileita DILEITA (since 4 March 2001) cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 8 April 2005 (next to be held by April 2011); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Ismail Omar GUELLEH reelected president; percent of vote - Ismail Omar GUELLEH 100%
Legislative branch:
unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (65 seats; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms) elections: last held 8 February 2008 (next to be held 2013) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats - UMP (coalition of parties associated with President Ismail Omar GUELLAH) 65
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]; Djibouti Development
Party or PDD [Mohamed Daoud CHEHEM]; Front pour la Restauration de
l'Unite Democratique or FRUD [Ali Mohamed DAOUD]; People's Progress
Assembly or RPP [Ismail Omar GUELLEH] (governing party); Peoples
Social Democratic Party or PPSD [Moumin Bahdon FARAH]; Republican
Alliance for Democracy or ARD; Union for a Presidential Majority or
UMP (a coalition of parties including RPP, FRUD, PND, and PPSD);
Union for Democracy and Justice or UDJ
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Union for Presidential Majority UMP (coalition includes RPP, FRUD, PPSD and PND); Union for Democratic Changeover or UAD (opposition coalition includes ARD, MRDD, and UDJ)
International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Roble OLHAYE Oudine chancery: Suite 515, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 331-0270 FAX: [1] (202) 331-0302
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador James C. SWAN 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 the Horn of Africa. Two-thirds of Djibouti's inhabitants live in the capital city; the remainder are 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. Imports and exports from landlocked neighbor Ethiopia represent 85% of port activity at Djibouti's container terminal. Djibouti 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 nearly 60% continues to be a major problem. While inflation is not a concern, due to the fixed tie of the Djiboutian franc to the US dollar, the artificially high value of the Djiboutian franc adversely affects Djibouti's balance of payments. Per capita consumption dropped an estimated 35% between 1999 and 2006 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.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.738 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$841 million (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.2% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,300 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3.2% industry: 14.9% services: 81.9% (2006)
Labor force:
282,000 (2000)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Unemployment rate:
59% in urban areas, 83% in rural areas (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
42% (2007 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $135 million expenditures: $182 million (1999 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5% (2007 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Stock of money:
$380 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$284.1 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$224.7 million (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
fruits, vegetables; goats, sheep, camels, animal hides
Industries:
construction, agricultural processing
Industrial production growth rate:
3% (1996 est.)
Electricity - production:
250 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
232.5 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
12,170 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
19.18 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
11,810 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$212 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$340 million f.o.b. (2006)
Exports - commodities:
reexports, hides and skins, coffee (in transit)
Exports - partners:
Somalia 66.4%, Ethiopia 21.5%, Yemen 3.4% (2007)
Imports:
$1.555 billion f.o.b. (2006)
Imports - commodities:
foods, beverages, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum products
Imports - partners:
Saudi Arabia 21%, India 18.1%, China 9.4%, Ethiopia 4.7%, Malaysia 4.6%, Japan 4.2% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$78.6 million (2005)
Debt - external:
$428 million (2006)
Currency (code):
Djiboutian franc (DJF)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Djiboutian francs (DJF) per US dollar - 177.71 (2007), 174.75 (2006), 177.72 (2005), 177.72 (2004), 177.72 (2003)
Communications
Djibouti
Telephones - main lines in use:
10,800 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
45,000 (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: telephone facilities in the city of Djibouti are adequate, as are the microwave radio relay connections to outlying areas of the country domestic: microwave radio relay network; mobile cellular coverage is primarily limited to the area in and around Djibouti city international: country code - 253; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 optical telecommunications submarine cable with links to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 2 (1 Intelsat - Indian Ocean and 1 Arabsat); Medarabtel regional microwave radio relay telephone network (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2001)
Radios:
52,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (2001)
Televisions:
28,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.dj
Internet hosts:
161 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)
Internet users:
11,000 (2006)
Transportation
Djibouti
Airports:
13 (2007)
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 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 3 (2007)
Railways:
total: 100 km (Djibouti segment of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway) narrow gauge: 100 km 1.000-m gauge note: railway under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia but remains largely inoperable (2006)
Roadways:
total: 3,065 km paved: 1,226 km unpaved: 1,839 km (2000)
Ports and terminals:
Djibouti
Transportation - note:
the International Maritime Bureau reports offshore waters in the Gulf of Aden are high risk for piracy; numerous vessels, including commercial shipping and pleasure craft, have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; crew, passengers, and cargo are held for ransom
Military
Djibouti
Military branches:
Djibouti National Army (includes Navy and Air Force)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; 16-25 years of age for voluntary military training; no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 111,274 females age 16-49: 105,168 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 54,460 females age 16-49: 51,684 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 5,618 female: 5,609 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
3.8% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Djibouti
Disputes - international:
Djibouti maintains economic ties and border accords with "Somaliland" leadership while maintaining some political ties to various factions in Somalia; Kuwait is chief investor in the 2008 restoration and upgrade of the Ethiopian-Djibouti rail link
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 8,642 (Somalia) (2007)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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. Some 3,000 Carib Indians still living on Dominica are the only pre-Columbian population remaining in the eastern Caribbean.
Geography
Dominica
Location:
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic
Ocean, about half way between Puerto Rico and Trinidad and Tobago
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 754 sq km land: 754 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
148 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
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: 6.67% permanent crops: 21.33% other: 72% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Total renewable water resources:
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.02 cu km/yr per capita: 213 cu m/yr (1996)
Natural hazards:
flash floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes can be expected during the late summer months
Environment - current issues:
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, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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:
72,514 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 24.7% (male 9,175/female 8,762) 15-64 years: 65.1% (male 24,192/female 22,995) 65 years and over: 10.2% (male 3,178/female 4,212) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 29.4 years male: 29 years female: 29.8 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.196% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
15.73 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
8.32 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-5.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 14.12 deaths/1,000 live births male: 19 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9.01 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.33 years male: 72.39 years female: 78.41 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.1 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Nationality:
noun: Dominican(s) adjective: Dominican
Ethnic groups:
black 86.8%, mixed 8.9%, Carib Amerindian 2.9%, white 0.8%, other 0.7% (2001 census)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 61.4%, Seventh Day Adventist 6%, Pentecostal 5.6%,
Baptist 4.1%, Methodist 3.7%, Church of God 1.2%, Jehovah's
Witnesses 1.2%, other Christian 7.7%, Rastafarian 1.3%, other or
unspecified 1.6%, none 6.1% (2001 census)
Languages:
English (official), French patois
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 94% male: 94% female: 94% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 13 years male: 13 years female: 14 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
5% of GDP (1999)
Government
Dominica
Country name:
conventional long form: Commonwealth of Dominica conventional short form: Dominica
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: Roseau geographic coordinates: 15 18 N, 61 24 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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; accepts ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Nicholas J. O. LIVERPOOL (since October 2003) head of government: Prime Minister Roosevelt SKERRIT (since 8 January 2004) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister elections: president elected by the House of Assembly for a five-year term; election last held 1 October 2003 (next to be held in October 2008); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Nicholas LIVERPOOL elected president; percent of legislative vote - NA%
Legislative branch:
unicameral House of Assembly (30 seats; 9 members appointed, 21 elected by popular vote; to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 5 May 2005 (next to be held by 5 August 2010); note - tradition dictates that the election will be held within five years of the last election, but technically it is five years from the first seating of parliament (12 May 2005) plus a 90-day grace period election results: percent of vote by party - DLP 52.1%, UWP 43.6%, DFP 3.2%, other 1.1%; seats by party - DLP 12, UWP 8, independent 1
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 [Roosevelt SKERRIT]; Dominica United Workers Party or
UWP [Earl WILLIAMS]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Dominica Liberation Movement or DLM (a small leftist party)
International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU,
ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); note - Judith Ann ROLLE (Charge d'Affaires) chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 364-6781 FAX: [1] (202) 364-6791 consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Dominica; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Dominica
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 and international economic developments. Tourism has increased as the government seeks to promote Dominica as an "ecotourism" destination. In 2003, the government began a comprehensive restructuring of the economy - including elimination of price controls, privatization of the state banana company, and tax increases - to address Dominica's economic and financial crisis of 2001-02 and to meet IMF targets. This restructuring paved the way for the current economic recovery - real growth for 2006 reached a two-decade high - and will help to reduce the debt burden, which remains at about 100% of GDP. In order to diversify the island's production base, the government is attempting to develop an offshore financial sector and is researching Dominica's capability to export geothermal energy.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$648 million (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$311 million (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
0.9% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$9,000 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 17.7% industry: 32.8% services: 49.5% (2004 est.)
Labor force:
25,000 (2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 40% industry: 32% services: 28% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate:
23% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line:
30% (2002 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $73.9 million expenditures: $84.4 million (2001)
Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.7% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
6.5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
9.17% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$73.71 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$269.1 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$193.1 million (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
bananas, citrus, mangoes, root crops, coconuts, cocoa; forest and fishery potential not exploited
Industries:
soap, coconut oil, tourism, copra, furniture, cement blocks, shoes
Industrial production growth rate:
-10% (1997 est.)
Electricity - production:
90 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
83.7 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 47.1% hydro: 52.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
850.5 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
669.6 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$72 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$94 million f.o.b. (2006)
Exports - commodities:
bananas, soap, bay oil, vegetables, grapefruit, oranges
Exports - partners:
China 24.4%, Jamaica 10.3%, Antigua and Barbuda 10.1%, Guyana 8.5%,
UK 8.2%, Trinidad and Tobago 5.5%, Saint Lucia 4.6%, Saint Kitts &
Nevis 4% (2007)
Imports:
$296 million f.o.b. (2006)
Imports - commodities:
manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, food, chemicals
Imports - partners:
US 24.1%, China 21.2%, Trinidad and Tobago 13.2%, Japan 11.1% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$15.17 million (2005 est.)
Debt - external:
$213 million (2004)
Currency (code):
East Caribbean dollar (XCD)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7 (2007), 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003)
Communications
Dominica
Telephones - main lines in use:
21,000 (2004)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
41,800 (2004)
Telephone system:
general assessment: NA domestic: fully automatic network international: country code - 1-767; landing point for the East Caribbean Fiber Optic System (ECFS) submarine cable with links to 13 other islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin Islands to Trinidad; microwave radio relay and SHF radiotelephone links to Martinique and Guadeloupe; VHF and UHF radiotelephone links to Saint Lucia
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 0 (2003)
Radios:
46,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (2004)
Televisions:
6,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.dm
Internet hosts:
29 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
16 (2000)
Internet users:
26,500 (2006)
Transportation
Dominica
Airports:
2 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 780 km paved: 393 km unpaved: 387 km (2000)
Merchant marine:
total: 53 by type: bulk carrier 14, cargo 27, chemical tanker 3, petroleum tanker 5, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 1, vehicle carrier 1 foreign-owned: 47 (Australia 2, Estonia 7, Greece 10, India 2, Latvia 1, Norway 1, Russia 3, Saudi Arabia 2, Singapore 7, Syria 2, Turkey 5, Ukraine 4, UAE 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Portsmouth, Roseau
Military
Dominica
Military branches:
no regular military forces; Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force (includes Coast Guard) (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 18,584 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 15,648 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 756 female: 713 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
Transnational Issues
Dominica
Disputes - international:
Dominica is the only Caribbean state to challenge Venezuela's sovereignty claim over Aves Island and joins the other island nations in challenging whether the feature sustains human habitation, a criterion under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which permits Venezuela to extend its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and continental shelf claims over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe; minor cannabis producer; anti-money-laundering enforcement is weak, making the country particularly vulnerable to money laundering
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Dominican Republic
Introduction
Dominican Republic
Background:
Explored and claimed by Christopher COLUMBUS on his first voyage in 1492, the island of Hispaniola became a springboard for Spanish conquest of the Caribbean and the American mainland. In 1697, Spain recognized French dominion over the western third of the island, which in 1804 became Haiti. The remainder of the island, by then known as Santo Domingo, sought to gain its own independence in 1821, but was conquered and ruled by the Haitians for 22 years; it finally attained independence as the Dominican Republic in 1844. In 1861, the Dominicans voluntarily returned to the Spanish Empire, but two years later they launched a war that restored independence in 1865. A legacy of unsettled, mostly non-representative rule followed, capped by the dictatorship of Rafael Leonidas TRUJILLO from 1930-61. Juan BOSCH was elected president in 1962, but was deposed in a military coup in 1963. In 1965, the United States led an intervention in the midst of a civil war sparked by an uprising to restore BOSCH. In 1966, Joaquin BALAGUER defeated BOSCH in an election to become president. BALAGUER maintained a tight grip on power for most of the next 30 years when international reaction to flawed elections forced him to curtail his term in 1996. Since then, regular competitive elections have been held in which opposition candidates have won the presidency. Former President (1996-2000) Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna won election to a second term in 2004 following a constitutional amendment allowing presidents to serve more than one term.
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:
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:
measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines territorial sea: 6 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
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: 22.49% permanent crops: 10.26% other: 67.25% (2005)
Irrigated land:
2,750 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
21 cu km (2000)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 3.39 cu km/yr (32%/2%/66%) per capita: 381 cu m/yr (2000)
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
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note:
shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti
People
Dominican Republic
Population:
9,507,133 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 31.8% (male 1,537,981/female 1,482,546) 15-64 years: 62.4% (male 3,029,349/female 2,905,471) 65 years and over: 5.8% (male 255,898/female 295,888) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 24.7 years male: 24.6 years female: 24.8 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.495% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
22.65 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
5.3 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-2.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 26.93 deaths/1,000 live births male: 29.01 deaths/1,000 live births female: 24.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.39 years male: 71.61 years female: 75.24 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.78 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.7% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
88,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
7,900 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria water contact disease: leptospirosis (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Dominican(s) adjective: Dominican
Ethnic groups:
mixed 73%, white 16%, black 11%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 95%, other 5%
Languages:
Spanish
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 87% male: 86.8% female: 87.2% (2002 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 12 years male: 12 years female: 13 years (2004)
Education expenditures:
3.6% of GDP (2006)
Government
Dominican Republic
Country name:
conventional long form: Dominican Republic conventional short form: The Dominican local long form: Republica Dominicana local short form: La Dominicana
Government type:
democratic republic
Capital:
name: Santo Domingo geographic coordinates: 18 28 N, 69 54 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
31 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 district*
(distrito); Azua, Bahoruco, Barahona, Dajabon, Distrito Nacional*,
Duarte, El Seibo, Elias Pina, 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, San Cristobal, San Jose de Ocoa, San Juan, San
Pedro de Macoris, Sanchez Ramirez, Santiago, Santiago Rodriguez,
Santo Domingo, Valverde
Independence:
27 February 1844 (from Haiti)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 27 February (1844)
Constitution:
28 November 1966; amended 25 July 2002
Legal system:
based on French civil codes; Criminal Procedures Code modified in 2004 to include important elements of an accusatory system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age, universal and compulsory; married persons regardless of age; note - members of the armed forces and national police cannot vote
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16 August 2004); Vice President Rafael ALBURQUERQUE de Castro (since 16 August 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16 August 2004); Vice President Rafael ALBURQUERQUE de Castro (since 16 August 2004) cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the president elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second consecutive term); election last held 16 May 2008 (next to be held in May 2012) election results: Leonel FERNANDEZ reelected president; percent of vote - Leonel FERNANDEZ 53.6%, Miguel VARGAS 41%, Amable ARISTY less than 5%
Legislative branch:
bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate or Senado (32 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Camara de Diputados (178 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 16 May 2006 (next to be held in May 2010); House of Representatives - last held 16 May 2006 (next to be held in May 2010) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PLD 22, PRD 6, PRSC 4; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PLD 96, PRD 60, PRSC 22
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are appointed by the National Judicial Council comprised of the president, the leaders of both chambers of congress, the president of the Supreme Court, and an additional non-governing party congressional representative)
Political parties and leaders:
Dominican Liberation Party or PLD [Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna];
Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD [Ramon ALBURQUERQUE]; National
Progressive Front [Vincent CASTILLO, Pelegrin CASTILLO]; Social
Christian Reformist Party or PRSC [Enrique ANTUN]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Citizen Participation Group (Participacion Ciudadania); Collective of Popular Organizations or COP; Foundation for Institution-Building and Justice (FINJUS)
International organization participation:
ACP, BCIE, Caricom (observer), FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (suspended), ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC,
LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory),
PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCL,
WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Flavio Dario ESPINAL Jacobo chancery: 1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-6280 FAX: [1] (202) 265-8057 consulate(s) general: Anchorage, Boston, Chicago, Mayaguez (Puerto Rico), Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador P. Robert FANNIN embassy: corner of Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo Navarro, Santo Domingo mailing address: Unit 5500, APO AA 34041-5500 telephone: [1] (809) 221-2171 FAX: [1] (809) 686-7437
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 featuring a shield supported by an olive branch (left) and a palm branch (right) is at the center of the cross; above the shield a blue ribbon displays the motto, DIOS, PATRIA, LIBERTAD (God, Fatherland, Liberty), and below the shield, REPUBLICA DOMINICANA appears on a red ribbon
Economy
Dominican Republic
Economy - overview:
The Dominican Republic has enjoyed strong GDP growth since 2005, with double digit growth in 2006. In 2007, exports were bolstered by the nearly 50% increase in nickel prices; however, prices are expected to fall in 2008, contributing to a slowdown in GDP growth for the year. 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 economy is highly dependent upon the US, the source of nearly three-fourths of exports, and remittances represent about a tenth of GDP, equivalent to almost half of exports and three-quarters of tourism receipts. With the help of strict fiscal targets agreed to in the 2004 renegotiation of an IMF standby loan, President FERNANDEZ has stabilized the country's financial situation, lowering inflation to less than 6%. A fiscal expansion is expected for 2008 prior to the elections in May and for Tropical Storm Noel reconstruction. Although the economy is growing at a respectable rate, high unemployment and underemployment remains an important challenge. The country suffers from marked income inequality; the poorest half of the population receives less than one-fifth of GNP, while the richest 10% enjoys nearly 40% of national income. The Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) came into force in March 2007, which should boost investment and exports and reduce losses to the Asian garment industry.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$61.67 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$36.4 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
8.5% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$6,600 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 11.7% industry: 23.8% services: 64.4% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
4.027 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 17% industry: 24.3% services: 58.7% (1998 est.)
Unemployment rate:
15.6% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
42.2% (2004)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.4% highest 10%: 41.1% (2004)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
51.6 (2004)
Investment (gross fixed):
18.8% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $7.423 billion expenditures: $7.259 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
41% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6.1% (2007 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
15.83% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$4.074 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$5.631 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$15.92 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
sugarcane, coffee, cotton, cocoa, tobacco, rice, beans, potatoes, corn, bananas; cattle, pigs, dairy products, beef, eggs
Industries:
tourism, sugar processing, ferronickel and gold mining, textiles, cement, tobacco
Industrial production growth rate:
2.4% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
13.37 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
11.81 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 92% hydro: 7.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0.4% (2001)
Oil - production:
12 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - consumption:
117,300 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
116,600 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
250 million cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
239.8 million cu m (2005)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$2.231 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$7.237 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
ferronickel, sugar, gold, silver, coffee, cocoa, tobacco, meats, consumer goods
Exports - partners:
US 66.4%, Belgium 3.7%, Finland 3.2% (2007)
Imports:
$13.82 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals and pharmaceuticals
Imports - partners:
US 46%, Venezuela 8.1%, Mexico 5.9%, Colombia 4.7% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$76.99 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$2.562 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$10.21 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$12.75 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$59 million (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
Dominican peso (DOP)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Dominican pesos (DOP) per US dollar - 33.113 (2007), 33.406 (2006), 30.409 (2005), 42.12 (2004), 30.831 (2003)
Communications
Dominican Republic
Telephones - main lines in use:
907,000 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
5.513 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: relatively efficient system based on island-wide microwave radio relay network domestic: fixed telephone line density is about 10 per 100 persons; multiple providers of mobile cellular service with a subscribership of roughly 60 per 100 persons international: country code - 1-809; landing point for the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) fiber-optic telecommunications submarine cable that provides links to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and US; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 120, FM 56, shortwave 4 (1998)
Radios:
1.44 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
25 (2003)
Televisions:
770,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.do
Internet hosts:
105,546 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
24 (2000)
Internet users:
1.677 million (2007)
Transportation
Dominican Republic
Airports:
34 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 15 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 19 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 11 (2007)
Railways:
total: 517 km standard gauge: 375 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 142 km 0.762-m gauge note: additional 1,226 km operated by sugar companies in 1.076 m, 0.889 m, and 0.762-m gauges (2006)
Roadways:
total: 19,705 km paved: 9,872 km unpaved: 9,833 km (2002)
Merchant marine:
total: 1 by type: cargo 1 registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Boca Chica, Caucedo, Puerto Plata, Rio Haina, Santo Domingo
Military
Dominican Republic
Military branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Dominicana, FAD) (2007)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,440,203 females age 16-49: 2,326,694 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,020,490 females age 16-49: 1,883,875 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 96,971 female: 93,116 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.8% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Dominican Republic
Disputes - international:
Haitian migrants cross the porous border into the Dominican Republic to find work; illegal migrants from the Dominican Republic cross the Mona Passage each year to Puerto Rico to find better work
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: the Dominican Republic is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor; a large number of Dominican women are trafficked into prostitution and sexual exploitation in Western Europe, Australia, Central and South America, and Caribbean destinations; a significant number of women, boys, and girls are trafficked within the country for sexual exploitation and domestic servitude tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - for a second consecutive year, the Dominican Republic is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to show evidence of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking, particularly in terms of not adequately investigating and prosecuting public officials who may be complicit with trafficking activity, and inadequate government efforts to protect trafficking victims; the government has taken measures to reduce demand for commercial sex acts with children through criminal prosecutions (2008)
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; substantial money laundering activity; Colombian narcotics traffickers favor the Dominican Republic for illicit financial transactions; significant amphetamine consumption
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Ecuador
Introduction
Ecuador
Background:
What is now Ecuador formed part of the northern Inca Empire until the Spanish conquest in 1533. Quito became a seat of Spanish colonial government in 1563 and part of the Viceroyalty of New Granada in 1717. The territories of the Viceroyalty - New Granada (Colombia), Venezuela, and Quito - gained their independence between 1819 and 1822 and formed a federation known as Gran Colombia. When Quito withdrew in 1830, the traditional name was changed in favor of the "Republic of the Equator." 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. Although Ecuador marked 25 years of civilian governance in 2004, the period has been marred by political instability. Protests in Quito have contributed to the mid-term ouster of Ecuador's last three democratically elected Presidents. In 2007, a Constituent Assembly was elected to draft a new constitution; Ecuador's twentieth since gaining independence.
Geography
Ecuador
Location:
Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator, between Colombia and Peru
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
South America
Area:
total: 283,560 sq km land: 276,840 sq km water: 6,720 sq km note: includes Galapagos Islands
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:
territorial sea: 200 nm continental shelf: 100 nm from 2,500-m isobath
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: 5.71% permanent crops: 4.81% other: 89.48% (2005)
Irrigated land:
8,650 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
432 cu km (2000)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 16.98 cu km/yr (12%/5%/82%) per capita: 1,283 cu m/yr (2000)
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 Amazon Basin and Galapagos Islands
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, 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:
13,927,650 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 32.1% (male 2,274,986/female 2,189,437) 15-64 years: 62.7% (male 4,355,909/female 4,381,141) 65 years and over: 5.2% (male 340,861/female 385,316) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 24.2 years male: 23.7 years female: 24.7 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.935% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
21.54 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
4.21 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-7.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 21.35 deaths/1,000 live births male: 25.61 deaths/1,000 live births female: 16.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.81 years male: 73.94 years female: 79.84 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.59 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.3% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
21,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
1,700 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and yellow fever water contact disease: leptospirosis (2008)
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%, other 5%
Languages:
Spanish (official), Amerindian languages (especially Quechua)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 91% male: 92.3% female: 89.7% (2001 census)
Education expenditures:
1% of GDP (2001)
Government
Ecuador
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Ecuador conventional short form: Ecuador local long form: Republica del Ecuador local short form: Ecuador
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Quito geographic coordinates: 0 13 S, 78 30 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
24 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, Santa Elena, Santo Domingo de los
Tsachilas, 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 Rafael CORREA Delgado (since 15 January 2007); Vice President Lenin MORENO Garces (since 15 January 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Rafael CORREA Delgado (since 15 January 2007); Vice President Lenin MORENO Garces (since 15 January 2007) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: the president and vice president are elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a four-year term (may not serve consecutive terms); election last held 15 October 2006 with a runoff election on 26 November 2006 (next to be held in October 2010) election results: Rafael CORREA Delgado elected president; percent of vote - Rafael CORREA Delgado 56.7%; Alvaro NOBOA 43.3%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (100 seats; members are elected through a party-list proportional representation system to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 15 October 2006 (next to be held in October 2010) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PRIAN 28; PSP 24; PSC 13; ID 7; PRE 6; MUPP-NP 6; RED 5; UDC 5; other 6; note - defections by members of National Congress are commonplace, resulting in frequent changes in the numbers of seats held by the various parties; as of 29 November 2007, Congress is on indefinite recess while a Constituent Assembly is convened
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (according to the Constitution, new justices are elected by the full Supreme Court; in December 2004, however, Congress successfully replaced the entire court via a simple-majority resolution)
Political parties and leaders:
Alianza PAIS Movement [Rafael Vicente CORREA Delgado]; Christian
Democratic Union or UDC [Diego ORDONEZ Guerrero]; Democratic Left or
ID [Andres PAEZ Benalcazar]; Ethical and Democratic Network or RED
[Leon ROLDOS]; Institutional Renewal and National Action Party or
PRIAN [Alvaro NOBOA]; Pachakutik Plurinational Unity Movement - New
Country or MUPP-NP [Jorge GUAMAN]; Patriotic Society Party or PSP
[Lucio GUTIERREZ Borbua]; Popular Democratic Movement or MPD [Ciro
GUZMAN Aldaz]; Roldosist Party or PRE [Abdala BUCARAM Ortiz,
director]; Social Christian Party or PSC [Pascual DEL CIOPPO];
Socialist Party - Broad Front or PS-FA [Gustavo AYALA Cruz]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador or CONAIE
[Marlon SANTI, 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]
International organization participation:
CAN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO,
ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINURCAT,
MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, RG, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU,
WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Luis Benigno GALLEGOS Chiriboga chancery: 2535 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 234-7200 FAX: [1] (202) 667-3482 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Jersey City (New Jersey), Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Washington, DC
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Heather HODGES embassy: Avenida Avigiras E12-170 y Avenida Eloy Alfaro, Quito mailing address: Avenida Guayacanes N52-205 y Avenida Avigiras telephone: [593] (2) 398-5000 FAX: [593] (2) 398-5100 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 is substantially dependent on its petroleum resources, which have accounted for more than half of the country's export earnings and one-fourth of public sector revenues in recent years. In 1999/2000, Ecuador suffered a severe economic crisis, with GDP contracted by more than 6%, with a significant increase in poverty. The banking system also collapsed, and Ecuador defaulted on its external debt later that year. In March 2000, Congress approved a series of structural reforms that also provided for the adoption of the US dollar as legal tender. Dollarization stabilized the economy, and positive growth returned in the years that followed, helped by high oil prices, remittances, and increased non-traditional exports. From 2002-06 the economy grew 5.5%, the highest five-year average in 25 years. The poverty rate declined but remained high at 38% in 2006. In 2006 the government of Alfredo PALACIO (2005-07) seized the assets of Occidental Petroleum for alleged contract violations and imposed a windfall revenue tax on foreign oil companies, leading to the suspension of free trade negotiations with the US. These measures, combined with chronic underinvestment in the state oil company, Petroecuador, led to a drop in petroleum production in 2007. PALACIO's successor, Rafael CORREA, raised the specter of debt default - but Ecuador has paid its debt on time. He also decreed a higher windfall revenue tax on private oil companies, then sought to renegotiate their contracts to overcome the debilitating effect of the tax. This generated economic uncertainty; private investment has dropped and economic growth has slowed significantly.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$98.71 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$44.18 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$7,200 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 6.7% industry: 35.1% services: 58.2% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
4.51 million (urban) (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 8% industry: 24% services: 68% (2001)
Unemployment rate:
8.8% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
38.3% (2006)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2% highest 10%: 35% note: data for urban households only (October 2006)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
46 note: data are for urban households (2006)
Investment (gross fixed):
21.9% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $13.46 billion expenditures: planned $11.96 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
33.1% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.3% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
10.72% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
12.08% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$4.395 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$7.974 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$8.926 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
bananas, coffee, cocoa, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca), plantains, sugarcane; cattle, sheep, pigs, beef, pork, dairy products; balsa wood; fish, shrimp
Industries:
petroleum, food processing, textiles, wood products, chemicals
Industrial production growth rate:
1.4% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
14.84 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
12.9 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
38.53 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - imports:
861 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 81% hydro: 19% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
511,600 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
160,500 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
421,700 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - imports:
47,060 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
4.517 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
280 million cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
280 million cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
9.369 billion cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
$1.064 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$14.37 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
petroleum, bananas, cut flowers, shrimp, cacao, coffee, hemp, wood, fish
Exports - partners:
US 41.9%, Peru 8.5%, Chile 4.9%, Russia 4.8%, Colombia 4.7% (2007)
Imports:
$12.76 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
industrial materials, fuels and lubricants, nondurable consumer goods
Imports - partners:
US 23.7%, Colombia 10.3%, China 7.6%, Brazil 5.3%, Japan 4.3% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$209.5 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$3.521 billion (30 November 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$17.12 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$16.31 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$1.456 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$4.04 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
US dollar (USD)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
the US dollar is used; the sucre was eliminated in 2000
Communications
Ecuador
Telephones - main lines in use:
1.805 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
10.086 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: generally elementary but being expanded domestic: fixed-line services provided by three state-owned enterprises; plans to transfer the state-owned operators to private ownership have repeatedly failed; fixed-line density stands at about 13 per 100 persons; mobile cellular use has surged and has a subscribership of nearly 75 per 100 persons international: country code - 593; landing point for the PAN-AM submarine telecommunications cable that provides links to the west coast of South America, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, and extending onward to Aruba and the US Virgin Islands in the Caribbean; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 392, FM 35, shortwave 29 (2001)
Radios:
5 million (2001)
Television broadcast stations:
7 (plus 14 repeaters) (2000)
Televisions:
2.5 million (2001)
Internet country code:
.ec
Internet hosts:
45,404 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
31 (2001)
Internet users:
1.549 million (2006)
Transportation
Ecuador
Airports:
406 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 104 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 17 914 to 1,523 m: 26 under 914 m: 54 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 302 914 to 1,523 m: 34 under 914 m: 268 (2007)
Heliports:
1 (2007)
Pipelines:
extra heavy crude oil 578 km; gas 71 km; oil 1,389 km; refined products 1,185 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 966 km narrow gauge: 966 km 1.067-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 43,670 km paved: 6,472 km unpaved: 37,198 km (2006)
Waterways:
1,500 km (most inaccessible) (2006)
Merchant marine:
total: 37 by type: cargo 1, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas 1, passenger 8, petroleum tanker 24, refrigerated cargo 1, specialized tanker 1 foreign-owned: 1 (US 1) registered in other countries: 5 (China 1, Panama 4) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Esmeraldas, Guayaquil, Manta, Puerto Bolivar
Military
Ecuador
Military branches:
Army, Navy (includes Naval Infantry, Naval Aviation, Coast Guard),
Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Ecuatoriana, FAE) (2007)
Military service age and obligation:
20 years of age for selective conscript military service; 12-month service obligation (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 3,536,602 females age 16-49: 3,559,188 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 3,030,664 females age 16-49: 3,037,892 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 144,821 female: 139,091 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
2.8% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Ecuador
Disputes - international:
organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia penetrate across Ecuador's shared border, which thousands of Colombians also cross to escape the violence in their home country
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 11,526 (Colombia); note - UNHCR estimates as many as 250,000 Columbians are seeking asylum in Ecuador, many of whom do not register as refugees for fear of deportation (2007)
Illicit drugs:
significant transit country for cocaine originating in Colombia and Peru, with over half of the US-bound cocaine passing through Ecuadorian Pacific waters; importer of precursor chemicals used in production of illicit narcotics; attractive location for cash-placement by drug traffickers laundering money because of dollarization and weak anti-money-laundering regime; increased activity on the northern frontier by trafficking groups and Colombian insurgents
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Egypt
Introduction
Egypt
Background:
The regularity and richness of the annual Nile River flood, coupled with semi-isolation provided by deserts to the east and west, allowed for the development of one of the world's great civilizations. A unified kingdom arose circa 3200 B.C., and a series of dynasties ruled in Egypt for the next three millennia. The last native dynasty fell to the Persians in 341 B.C., who in turn were replaced by the Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines. It was the Arabs who introduced Islam and the Arabic language in the 7th century and who ruled for the next six centuries. A local military caste, the Mamluks took control about 1250 and continued to govern after the conquest of Egypt by the Ottoman Turks in 1517. Following the completion of the Suez Canal in 1869, Egypt became an important world transportation hub, but also fell heavily into debt. Ostensibly to protect its investments, Britain seized control of Egypt's government in 1882, but nominal allegiance to the Ottoman Empire continued until 1914. Partially independent from the UK in 1922, Egypt acquired full sovereignty with the overthrow of the British-backed monarchy in 1952. 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 meet the demands of Egypt's growing population 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, and the Red Sea north of Sudan, and includes the Asian Sinai Peninsula
Geographic coordinates:
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:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
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: 2.92% permanent crops: 0.5% other: 96.58% (2005)
Irrigated land:
34,220 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
86.8 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 68.3 cu km/yr (8%/6%/86%) per capita: 923 cu m/yr (2000)
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; 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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
controls Sinai Peninsula, only land bridge between Africa and remainder of Eastern Hemisphere; controls Suez Canal, a 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:
81,713,520 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 31.8% (male 13,292,961/female 12,690,711) 15-64 years: 63.5% (male 26,257,440/female 25,627,390) 65 years and over: 4.7% (male 1,636,560/female 2,208,455) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 24.5 years male: 24.1 years female: 24.9 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.682% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
22.12 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
5.09 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 28.36 deaths/1,000 live births male: 30.06 deaths/1,000 live births female: 26.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.85 years male: 69.3 years female: 74.52 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.72 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
12,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
700 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever water contact disease: schistosomiasis note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Egyptian(s) adjective: Egyptian
Ethnic groups:
Egyptian 99.6%, other 0.4% (2006 census)
Religions:
Muslim (mostly Sunni) 90%, Coptic 9%, other Christian 1%
Languages:
Arabic (official), English and French widely understood by educated classes
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 71.4% male: 83% female: 59.4% (2005 est.)
Education expenditures:
4.2% of GDP (2006)
Government
Egypt
Country name:
conventional long form: Arab Republic of Egypt conventional short form: Egypt local long form: Jumhuriyat Misr al-Arabiyah local short form: Misr former: United Arab Republic (with Syria)
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Cairo geographic coordinates: 30 03 N, 31 15 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Friday in April; ends last Thursday in September
Administrative divisions:
26 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Ad Daqahliyah, Al
Bahr al Ahmar (Red Sea), Al Buhayrah (El Beheira), Al Fayyum (El
Faiyum), Al Gharbiyah, Al Iskandariyah (Alexandria), Al Isma'iliyah
(Ismailia), Al Jizah (Giza), Al Minufiyah (El Monofia), Al Minya, Al
Qahirah (Cairo), Al Qalyubiyah, Al Wadi al Jadid (New Valley), As
Suways (Suez), Ash Sharqiyah, Aswan, Asyut, Bani Suwayf (Beni Suef),
Bur Sa'id (Port Said), Dumyat (Damietta), Janub Sina' (South Sinai),
Kafr ash Shaykh, Matruh (Western Desert), Qina (Qena), Shamal Sina'
(North Sinai), Suhaj (Sohag)
Independence:
28 February 1922 (from UK)
National holiday:
Revolution Day, 23 July (1952)
Constitution:
11 September 1971; amended 22 May 1980, 25 May 2005, and 26 March 2007
Legal system:
based on Islamic and civil law (particularly 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 Mohamed Hosni MUBARAK (since 14 October 1981) head of government: Prime Minister Ahmed Mohamed NAZIF (since 9 July 2004) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for six-year term (no term limits); note - a national referendum in May 2005 approved a constitutional amendment that changed the presidential election to a multicandidate popular vote; previously the president was nominated by the People's Assembly and the nomination was validated by a national, popular referendum; last referendum held 26 September 1999; first election under terms of constitutional amendment held 7 September 2005; next election scheduled for 2011 election results: Hosni MUBARAK reelected president; percent of vote - Hosni MUBARAK 88.6%, Ayman NOUR 7.6%, Noman GOMAA 2.9%
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 that traditionally functions only in a consultative role but 2007 constitutional amendments could grant the Council new powers (264 seats; 176 elected by popular vote, 88 appointed by the president; members serve six-year terms; mid-term elections for half of the elected members) elections: People's Assembly - three-phase voting - last held 7 and 20 November, 1 December 2005;(next to be held November-December 2010); Advisory Council - last held June 2007 (next to be held May-June 2010) election results: People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NDP 311, NWP 6, Tagammu 2, Tomorrow Party 1, independents 112 (12 seats to be determined by rerun elections, 10 seats appointed by President); Advisory Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NDP 84, Tagammu 1, independents 3
Judicial branch:
Supreme Constitutional Court
Political parties and leaders:
National Democratic Party or NDP (governing party) [Mohamed Hosni MUBARAK]; National Progressive Unionist Grouping or Tagammu [Rifaat EL-SAID]; New Wafd Party or NWP [Mahmoud ABAZA]; Tomorrow Party [Moussa Mustafa MOUSSA] note: formation of political parties must be approved by the government; only parties with representation in elected bodies are listed
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Muslim Brotherhood (technically illegal) note: despite a constitutional ban against religious-based parties and political activity, the technically illegal Muslim Brotherhood constitutes Hosni MUBARAK's potentially most significant political opposition
International organization participation:
ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, BSEC (observer), CAEU, COMESA, EBRD, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, MINURCAT, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (designate) Sameh SHOUKRY chancery: 3521 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 895-5400 FAX: [1] (202) 244-4319 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, New York, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Margaret SCOBEY embassy: 8 Kamal El Din Salah St., Garden City, Cairo mailing address: Unit 64900, Box 15, APO AE 09839-4900; 5 Tawfik Diab Street, Garden City, Cairo telephone: [20] (2) 2797-3300 FAX: [20] (2) 2797-3200
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black; the national emblem (a gold Eagle of Saladin facing the hoist side with a shield superimposed on its chest above a scroll bearing the name of the country in Arabic) centered in the white band; design is based on the Arab Liberation flag and similar to the flag of Syria, which has two green stars in the white band, Iraq, which has an Arabic inscription centered in the white band, and Yemen, which has a plain white band
Economy
Egypt
Economy - overview:
Occupying the northeast corner of the African continent, Egypt is bisected by the highly fertile Nile valley, where most economic activity takes place. In the last 30 years, the government has reformed the highly centralized economy it inherited from President Gamel Abdel NASSER. In 2005, Prime Minister Ahmed NAZIF's government reduced personal and corporate tax rates, reduced energy subsidies, and privatized several enterprises. The stock market boomed, and GDP grew about 5% per year in 2005-06, and topped 7% in 2007. Despite these achievements, the government has failed to raise living standards for the average Egyptian, and has had to continue providing subsidies for basic necessities. The subsidies have contributed to a sizeable budget deficit - roughly 7.5% of GDP in 2007 - and represent a significant drain on the economy. Foreign direct investment has increased significantly in the past two years, but the NAZIF government will need to continue its aggressive pursuit of reforms in order to sustain the spike in investment and growth and begin to improve economic conditions for the broader population. Egypt's export sectors - particularly natural gas - have bright prospects.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$405.4 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$127.9 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
7.1% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$5,000 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 13.8% industry: 38.1% services: 48% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
22.1 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 32% industry: 17% services: 51% (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate:
9.1% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
20% (2005 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.7% highest 10%: 29.5% (2000)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
34.4 (2001)
Investment (gross fixed):
21.2% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $35.05 billion expenditures: $44.83 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June
Public debt:
105.8% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
9.5% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
9% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
12.51% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$27.6 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$102.6 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$113.9 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
cotton, rice, corn, wheat, beans, fruits, vegetables; cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats
Industries:
textiles, food processing, tourism, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, hydrocarbons, construction, cement, metals, light manufactures
Industrial production growth rate:
7.5% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
109.1 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
96.2 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
557 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - imports:
208 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 81% hydro: 19% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
664,000 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
652,700 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
204,700 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - imports:
140,000 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
3.7 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
47.5 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
31.8 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
15.7 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
1.656 trillion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
$500.9 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$24.45 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
crude oil and petroleum products, cotton, textiles, metal products, chemicals
Exports - partners:
US 9.7%, Italy 9.5%, Spain 7.6%, Syria 5.5%, Saudi Arabia 4.9%, UK 4.2% (2007)
Imports:
$44.95 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, wood products, fuels
Imports - partners:
US 11.7%, China 9.7%, Italy 6.4%, Germany 6.3%, Saudi Arabia 4.7%,
Russia 4.3% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
ODA, $925.9 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$31.37 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$29.2 billion (30 June 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$48.46 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$1.295 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$93.48 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
Egyptian pound (EGP)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Egyptian pounds (EGP) per US dollar - 5.67 (2007), 5.725 (2006), 5.78 (2005), 6.1962 (2004), 5.8509 (2003)
Communications
Egypt
Telephones - main lines in use:
11.229 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
30.065 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: large system; underwent extensive upgrading during 1990s and is reasonably modern; Telecom Egypt, the landline monopoly, has been increasing service availability and in 2007 fixed-line density stood at 14 per 100 persons; as of 2007 there were three mobile-cellular networks and service is expanding rapidly domestic: principal centers at Alexandria, Cairo, Al Mansurah, Ismailia, Suez, and Tanta are connected by coaxial cable and microwave radio relay international: country code - 20; landing point for both the SEA-ME-WE-3 and SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable networks; linked to the international submarine cable FLAG (Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe); satellite earth stations - 4 (2 Intelsat - Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean, 1 Arabsat, and 1 Inmarsat); tropospheric scatter to Sudan; microwave radio relay to Israel; a participant in Medarabtel (2007)
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 hosts:
175,342 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
50 (2000)
Internet users:
8.62 million (2007)
Transportation
Egypt
Airports:
88 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 72 over 3,047 m: 15 2,438 to 3,047 m: 36 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 under 914 m: 5 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 16 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 7 (2007)
Heliports:
3 (2007)
Pipelines:
condensate 483 km; condensate/gas 74 km; gas 6,466 km; liquid petroleum gas 957 km; oil 5,518 km; oil/gas/water 37 km; refined products 895 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 5,063 km standard gauge: 5,063 km 1.435-m gauge (62 km electrified) (2006)
Roadways:
total: 92,370 km paved: 74,820 km unpaved: 17,550 km (2004)
Waterways:
3,500 km note: includes Nile River, Lake Nasser, Alexandria-Cairo Waterway, and numerous smaller canals in delta; Suez Canal (193.5 km including approaches) navigable by oceangoing vessels drawing up to 17.68 m (2006)
Merchant marine:
total: 67 by type: bulk carrier 11, cargo 28, container 2, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 13, roll on/roll off 9 foreign-owned: 10 (Denmark 1, Greece 8, Lebanon 1) registered in other countries: 58 (Cambodia 13, Georgia 12, Honduras 3, North Korea 1, Malta 1, Moldova 1, Panama 17, Saint Kitts and Nevis 2, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3, Saudi Arabia 1, Sierra Leone 3, Togo 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Ayn Sukhnah, Alexandria, Damietta, El Dekheila, Sidi Kurayr, Suez
Military
Egypt
Military branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Command
Military service age and obligation:
18-30 years of age for male conscript military service; service obligation 12-36 months, followed by a 9-year reserve obligation (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 21,247,777 females age 16-49: 20,406,408 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 18,153,158 females age 16-49: 17,405,837 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 825,300 female: 786,590 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
3.4% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
Egypt
Disputes - international:
while Sudan retains claim to the Hala'ib Triangle north of the 1899 Treaty boundary along the 22nd Parallel, both states withdrew their military presence in the 1990s and Egypt has invested in and effectively administers the area; Egypt no longer shows its administration of the Bir Tawil trapezoid in Sudan on its maps; Gazan breaches in the security wall with Egypt in January 2008 highlight difficulties in monitoring the Sinai border
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 60,000 - 80,000 (Iraq); 70,198 (Palestinian Territories); 12,157 (Sudan) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Egypt is a transit country for women trafficked from Eastern European countries to Israel for sexual exploitation, and is a source for children trafficked within the country for commercial sexual exploitation and domestic servitude, although the extent to which children are trafficked internally is unknown; children were also recruited for domestic and agricultural work; some of these children face conditions of involuntary servitude, such as restrictions on movement, non-payment of wages, threats, and physical or sexual abuse tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Egypt is on the Tier 2 Watch List for the third year in a row because it did not provide evidence of increasing efforts to investigate and prosecute traffickers; however, in July 2007, the government established the "National Coordinating Committee to Combat and Prevent Trafficking in Persons," which improved inter-governmental coordination on anti-trafficking initiatives; Egypt made no discernible efforts to punish trafficking crimes in 2007 and the Egyptian penal code does not prohibit all forms of trafficking; Egypt did not increase its services to trafficking victims during the reporting period (2008)
Illicit drugs:
transit point for cannabis, heroin, and opium moving to Europe, Israel, and North Africa; transit stop for Nigerian drug couriers; concern as money laundering site due to lax enforcement of financial regulations
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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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:
Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between
Guatemala and Honduras
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 21,040 sq km land: 20,720 sq km water: 320 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: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 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: 31.37% permanent crops: 11.88% other: 56.75% (2005)
Irrigated land:
450 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
25.2 cu km (2001)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 1.28 cu km/yr (25%/16%/59%) per capita: 186 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes 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, 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:
7,066,403 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 35.8% (male 1,291,147/female 1,237,453) 15-64 years: 59% (male 1,987,671/female 2,179,620) 65 years and over: 5.2% (male 162,100/female 208,412) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 22.2 years male: 21.1 years female: 23.4 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.679% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
25.72 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
5.53 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-3.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 22.19 deaths/1,000 live births male: 25.06 deaths/1,000 live births female: 19.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.06 years male: 68.45 years female: 75.84 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.04 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.7% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
29,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
2,200 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever water contact disease: leptospirosis (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Salvadoran(s) adjective: Salvadoran
Ethnic groups:
mestizo 90%, white 9%, Amerindian 1%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 57.1%, Protestant 21.2%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.9%,
Mormon 0.7%, other religions 2.3%, none 16.8% (2003 est.)
Languages:
Spanish, Nahua (among some Amerindians)
Literacy:
definition: age 10 and over can read and write total population: 80.2% male: 82.8% female: 77.7% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 12 years male: 12 years female: 12 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
3.1% of GDP (2006)
Government
El Salvador
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of El Salvador conventional short form: El Salvador local long form: Republica de El Salvador local short form: El Salvador
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: San Salvador geographic coordinates: 13 42 N, 89 12 W time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
14 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Ahuachapan,
Cabanas, Chalatenango, Cuscatlan, La Libertad, La Paz, La Union,
Morazan, San Miguel, San Salvador, San Vicente, Santa Ana,
Sonsonate, Usulutan
Independence:
15 September 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Constitution:
20 December 1983
Legal system:
based on civil and Roman law with traces of 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 Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez (since 1 June 2004); Vice President Ana Vilma Albanez DE ESCOBAR (since 1 June 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez (since 1 June 2004); Vice President Ana Vilma Albanez DE ESCOBAR (since 1 June 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held 21 March 2004 (next to be held in March 2009) election results: Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez elected president; percent of vote - Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez 57.7%, Schafik HANDAL 35.6%, Hector SILVA 3.9%, other 2.8%
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 2006 (next to be held in March 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ARENA 34, FMLN 32, PCN 10, PDC 6, CD 2
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (15 judges are selected by the
Legislative Assembly; the 15 judges are assigned to four Supreme
Court chambers - constitutional, civil, penal, and administrative
conflict)
Political parties and leaders:
Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Rodolfo PARKER]; Democratic
Convergence or CD [Ruben ZAMORA] (formerly United Democratic Center
or CDU); Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front or FMLN [Medardo
GONZALEZ]; National Conciliation Party or PCN [Ciro CRUZ ZEPEDA];
National Republican Alliance or ARENA [Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez];
Popular Social Christian Party or PPSC [Rene AGUILUZ]; Revolutionary
Democratic Front or FDR [Julio Cesar HERNANDEZ Carcamo]
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, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO
(correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (observer),
OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union
Latina, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Rene Antonio LEON Rodriguez chancery: 1400 16th Street, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 265-9671 FAX: [1] (202) 234-3763 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Elizabeth (New Jersey), Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York (2), Nogales (Arizona), Santa Ana (California), San Francisco, Washington (DC), Woodbridge (Virginia), Woodstock (Georgia)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Charles L. GLAZER embassy: Final Boulevard Santa Elena Sur, Antiguo Cuscatlan, La Libertad, San Salvador mailing address: Unit 3116, APO AA 34023; 3450 San Salvador Place, Washington, DC 20521-3450 telephone: [503] 2501-2999 FAX: [503] 2501-2150
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:
The smallest country in Central America, El Salvador has the third largest economy, but growth has been modest in recent years. Robust growth in non-traditional exports have offset declines in the maquila exports, while remittances and external aid offset the trade deficit from high oil prices and strong import demand for consumer and intermediate goods. El Salvador leads the region in remittances per capita with inflows equivalent to nearly all export income. Implementation in 2006 of the Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), which El Salvador was the first to ratify, has strengthened an already positive export trend. With the adoption of the US dollar as its currency in 2001, El Salvador lost control over monetary policy and must concentrate on maintaining a disciplined fiscal policy. The current government has pursued economic diversification, with some success in promoting textile production, international port services, and tourism through tax incentives. It is committed to opening the economy to trade and investment, and has embarked on a wave of privatizations extending to telecom, electricity distribution, banking, and pension funds. In late 2006, the government and the Millennium Challenge Corporation signed a five-year, $461 million compact to stimulate economic growth and reduce poverty in the country's northern region through investments in education, public services, enterprise development, and transportation infrastructure.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$41.63 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$20.37 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
4.7% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$6,000 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 10.8% industry: 30.8% services: 58.4% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
2.913 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 19% industry: 23% services: 58% (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate:
6.2% official rate; but the economy has much underemployment (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
30.7% (2006 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 0.7% highest 10%: 38.8% (2002)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
52.4 (2002)
Investment (gross fixed):
16.1% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $3.659 billion expenditures: $3.709 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
37.3% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.6% (2007 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Stock of money:
$1.802 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$764.1 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$9.729 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
coffee, sugar, corn, rice, beans, oilseed, cotton, sorghum; beef, dairy products; shrimp
Industries:
food processing, beverages, petroleum, chemicals, fertilizer, textiles, furniture, light metals
Industrial production growth rate:
3.4% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
5.338 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
4.426 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - exports:
8.64 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
11.08 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 44% hydro: 30.9% nuclear: 0% other: 25.1% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - consumption:
44,330 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
4,963 bbl/day (2006)
Oil - imports:
45,210 bbl/day (2006)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$1.119 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$4.035 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
offshore assembly exports, coffee, sugar, shrimp, textiles, chemicals, electricity
Exports - partners:
US 51%, Guatemala 13.6%, Honduras 11.2%, Nicaragua 5.5% (2007)
Imports:
$8.108 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
raw materials, consumer goods, capital goods, fuels, foodstuffs, petroleum, electricity
Imports - partners:
US 35.7%, Mexico 9.8%, Guatemala 8.5%, China 4.7% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$267.6 million of which $55 million from US (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$2.199 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$9.574 billion (December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$5.918 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$384 million (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$3.623 billion (2005)
Currency (code):
US dollar (USD)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
the US dollar became El Salvador's currency in 2001
Communications
El Salvador
Telephones - main lines in use:
1.08 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
6.137 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: multiple mobile-cellular service providers are expanding services rapidly and in 2007 mobile-cellular density stood at nearly 90 per 100 persons; growth in fixed-line services has slowed in the face of mobile-cellular competition domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system international: country code - 503; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave System (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 52, FM 144, shortwave 0 (2005)
Radios:
2.75 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
5 (1997)
Televisions:
600,000 (1990)
Internet country code:
.sv
Internet hosts:
11,434 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
4 (2000)
Internet users:
700,000 (2006)
Transportation
El Salvador
Airports:
65 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 61 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 48 (2007)
Heliports:
1 (2007)
Railways:
total: 562 km narrow gauge: 562 km 0.914-m gauge note: railways not in operation since 2005 because of disuse and high costs that led to a lack of maintenance (2007)
Roadways:
total: 10,886 km paved: 2,827 km (includes 327 km of expressways) unpaved: 8,059 km (2000)
Waterways:
Rio Lempa partially navigable for small craft (2007)
Ports and terminals:
Acajutla, Puerto Cutuco
Military
El Salvador
Military branches:
Salvadoran Army (ES), Salvadoran Navy (FNES), Salvadoran Air Force
(Fuerza Aerea Salvadorena, FAS) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for selective compulsory military service; 16 years of age for voluntary service; service obligation - 8 months, but 11 months for officers and NCOs (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,634,816 females age 16-49: 1,775,474 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,168,406 females age 16-49: 1,519,375 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 73,915 female: 71,252 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
5% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
El Salvador
Disputes - international:
International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on the delimitation of "bolsones" (disputed areas) along the El Salvador-Honduras boundary, in 1992, with final agreement by the parties in 2006 after an Organization of American States (OAS) survey and a further ICJ ruling in 2003; the 1992 ICJ ruling advised a tripartite resolution to a maritime boundary in the Gulf of Fonseca advocating Honduran access to the Pacific; El Salvador continues to claim tiny Conejo Island, not identified in the ICJ decision, off Honduras in the Gulf of Fonseca
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for cocaine; small amounts of marijuana produced for local consumption; significant use of cocaine
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Equatorial Guinea
Introduction
Equatorial Guinea
Background:
Equatorial Guinea gained independence in 1968 after 190 years of Spanish rule. This tiny country, composed of a mainland portion plus five inhabited islands, is one of the smallest on the African continent. President Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO has ruled the country since 1979 when he seized power in a coup. Although nominally a constitutional democracy since 1991, the 1996 and 2002 presidential elections - as well as the 1999 and 2004 legislative elections - were widely seen as flawed. The president exerts almost total control over the political system and has discouraged political opposition. Equatorial Guinea has experienced rapid economic growth due to the discovery of large offshore oil reserves, and in the last decade has become Sub-Saharan Africa's third largest oil exporter. Despite the country's economic windfall from oil production resulting in a massive increase in government revenue in recent years, there have been few improvements in the population's living standards.
Geography
Equatorial Guinea
Location:
Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Cameroon and
Gabon
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 28,051 sq km land: 28,051 sq km water: 0 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:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 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:
petroleum, natural gas, timber, gold, bauxite, diamonds, tantalum, sand and gravel, clay
Land use:
arable land: 4.63% permanent crops: 3.57% other: 91.8% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Total renewable water resources:
26 cu km (2001)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.11 cu km/yr (83%/16%/1%) per capita: 220 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
insular and continental regions widely separated
People
Equatorial Guinea
Population:
616,459 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 42% (male 131,696/female 127,253) 15-64 years: 53.8% (male 162,458/female 169,445) 65 years and over: 4.2% (male 11,394/female 14,213) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 18.9 years male: 18.3 years female: 19.5 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.732% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
37.04 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
9.72 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 83.75 deaths/1,000 live births male: 84.85 deaths/1,000 live births female: 82.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 61.23 years male: 60.36 years female: 62.13 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.16 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
3.4% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
5,900 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
370 (2001 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Equatorial Guinean(s) or Equatoguinean(s) adjective: Equatorial Guinean or Equatoguinean
Ethnic groups:
Fang 85.7%, Bubi 6.5%, Mdowe 3.6%, Annobon 1.6%, Bujeba 1.1%, other 1.4% (1994 census)
Religions:
nominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic, pagan practices
Languages:
Spanish 67.6% (official), other 32.4% (includes French (official),
Fang, Bubi) (1994 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 87% male: 93.4% female: 80.5% (2000 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 10 years male: 10 years female: 9 years (2000)
Education expenditures:
0.6% of GDP (2003)
Government
Equatorial Guinea
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Equatorial Guinea conventional short form: Equatorial Guinea local long form: Republica de Guinea Ecuatorial/Republique de Guinee equatoriale local short form: Guinea Ecuatorial/Guinee equatoriale former: Spanish Guinea
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Malabo geographic coordinates: 3 45 N, 8 47 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
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) head of government: Prime Minister Ignacio Milan TANG (since 8 July 2008); cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (no term limits); election last held 15 December 2002 (next to be held in December 2009); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president election results: Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO reelected president; percent of vote - Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO 97.1%, Celestino Bonifacio BACALE 2.2%; elections marred by widespread fraud
Legislative branch:
unicameral House of People's Representatives or Camara de Representantes del Pueblo (100 seats; members directly elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 25 April 2004 (next to be held 4 May 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDGE 98, CPDS 2 note: Parliament has little power since the constitution vests all executive authority in the president
Judicial branch:
Supreme Tribunal
Political parties and leaders:
Convergence Party for Social Democracy or CPDS [Placido MICO 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 [Avelino MOCACHE]; Popular Union or UP
Political pressure groups and leaders:
ASODEGUE (Madrid-based pressure group for democratic reform); Global
Witness (anti-corruption)
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, CPLP (associate), FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD,
ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Purificacion ANGUE ONDO chancery: 2020 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 518-5700 FAX: [1] (202) 518-5252
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) embassy: K-3, Carreterade Aeropuerto, al lado de Restaurante El Paraiso, Malabo; note - relocated embassy is opened for limited functions; inquiries should continue to be directed to the US Embassy in Yaounde, Cameroon mailing address: B.P. 817, Yaounde, Cameroon; US Embassy Yaounde, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2520 telephone: [237] 2220-1500 FAX: [237] 2220-1572
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 trying to agree on a "shadow" fiscal management program with the World Bank and IMF. Government officials and their family members own most businesses. Undeveloped natural resources include titanium, iron ore, manganese, uranium, and alluvial gold. Growth remained strong in 2007, led by oil.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$15.54 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$10.49 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
12.4% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$28,200 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2.9% industry: 92.2% services: 4.8% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
Unemployment rate:
30% (1998 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Investment (gross fixed):
37.9% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $4.963 billion expenditures: $2.494 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
1.6% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
5.25% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
15% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$835.2 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$174.5 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
Agriculture - products:
coffee, cocoa, rice, yams, cassava (tapioca), bananas, palm oil nuts; livestock; timber
Industries:
petroleum, fishing, sawmilling, natural gas
Industrial production growth rate:
10.1% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
27 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
25.11 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 94.3% hydro: 5.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
368,500 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
918.3 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
375,400 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
1,070 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
1.1 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
1.3 billion cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
1.3 billion cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
36.81 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
$415 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$9.904 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
petroleum, methanol, timber, cocoa
Exports - partners:
US 20.6%, China 18.8%, Spain 13.9%, Taiwan 13.4%, France 7.5%, Japan 6.5%, Portugal 6.4% (2007)
Imports:
$3.083 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
petroleum sector equipment, other equipment
Imports - partners:
US 19.6%, Spain 13.7%, Cote d'Ivoire 11.9%, France 9.6%, China 7.7%,
Italy 6.6%, UK 6.4%, Netherlands 4.1% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$39 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$3.846 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$338 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Currency (code):
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 481.83 (2007), 522.4 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003)
Communications
Equatorial Guinea
Telephones - main lines in use:
10,000 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
220,000 (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: digital fixed-line network in most major urban areas and good mobile coverage domestic: fixed-line density is about 2 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular subscribership has been increasing and in 2007 stood at about 40 percent of the population international: country code - 240; international communications from Bata and Malabo to African and European countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 5 (2001)
Radios:
180,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (2001)
Televisions:
4,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.gq
Internet hosts:
9 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2002)
Internet users:
8,000 (2006)
Transportation
Equatorial Guinea
Airports:
5 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2007)
Pipelines:
condensate 42 km; condensate/gas 5 km; gas 80 km; oil 54 km (2007)
Roadways:
total: 2,880 km (2000)
Merchant marine:
total: 1 by type: cargo 1 (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Bata, Malabo
Military
Equatorial Guinea
Military branches:
National Guard (Guardia Nacional (Army), with Coast Guard (Navy) and
Air Wing) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.) for compulsory military service (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 136,725 females age 16-49: 138,018 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 101,712 females age 16-49: 104,381 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 6,784 female: 6,543 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.1% of GDP (2006 est.)
Transnational Issues
Equatorial Guinea
Disputes - international:
in 2002, ICJ ruled on an equidistance settlement of Cameroon-Equatorial Guinea-Nigeria maritime boundary in the Gulf of Guinea, but a dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon over an island at the mouth of the Ntem River and imprecisely defined maritime coordinates in the ICJ decision delay final delimitation; UN urges Equatorial Guinea and Gabon to resolve the sovereignty dispute over Gabon-occupied Mbane and lesser islands and to create a maritime boundary in the hydrocarbon-rich Corisco Bay
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Equatorial Guinea is primarily a destination country for children trafficked for the purpose of forced labor and possibly for the purpose of sexual exploitation; children have been trafficked from nearby countries for domestic servitude, market labor, ambulant vending, and possibly sexual exploitation; women may also be trafficked to Equatorial Guinea from Cameroon, Benin, other neighboring countries, and China for sexual exploitation tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Equatorial Guinea is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking, particularly in the areas of prosecuting and convicting trafficking offenders and failing to formalize mechanisms to provide assistance to victims; although the government made some effort to enforce laws against child labor exploitation, it failed to report any trafficking prosecutions or convictions in 2007; the government continued to lack shelters or formal procedures for providing care to victims (2008)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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 in December 2000. Eritrea currently hosts a UN peacekeeping operation that is monitoring a 25 km-wide Temporary Security Zone (TSZ) on the border with Ethiopia. An international commission, organized to resolve the border dispute, posted its findings in 2002. However, both parties have been unable to reach agreement on implementing the decision. On 30 November 2007, the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission remotely demarcated the border by coordinates and dissolved itself, leaving Ethiopia still occupying several tracts of disputed territory, including the town of Badme. Eritrea accepted the EEBC's "virtual demarcation" decision and called on Ethiopia to remove its troops from the TSZ which it states is Eritrean territory. Ethiopia has not accepted the virtual demarcation decision.
Geography
Eritrea
Location:
Eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Djibouti and Sudan
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 121,320 sq km land: 121,320 sq km water: 0 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 (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, heaviest June to September); semiarid in western hills and lowlands
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: 4.78% permanent crops: 0.03% other: 95.19% (2005)
Irrigated land:
210 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
6.3 cu km (2001)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.3 cu km/yr (3%/0%/97%) per capita: 68 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection 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:
5,502,026 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 43% (male 1,188,496/female 1,178,520) 15-64 years: 53.4% (male 1,437,653/female 1,502,449) 65 years and over: 3.5% (male 89,634/female 105,274) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 18.3 years male: 17.9 years female: 18.7 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.631% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
34.94 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
8.63 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA (2008 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: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 44.34 deaths/1,000 live births male: 50.09 deaths/1,000 live births female: 38.42 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 61.38 years male: 59.35 years female: 63.46 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
4.84 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
2.7% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
60,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
6,300 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Eritrean(s) adjective: Eritrean
Ethnic groups:
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, Arabic, Tigre and Kunama, Tigrinya, other Cushitic languages
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 58.6% male: 69.9% female: 47.6% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 5 years male: 6 years female: 4 years (2004)
Education expenditures:
2.4% of GDP (2006)
Government
Eritrea
Country name:
conventional long form: State of Eritrea conventional short form: Eritrea local long form: Hagere Ertra local short form: Ertra former: Eritrea Autonomous Region in Ethiopia
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; ISAIAS Afworki 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 were scheduled in December 2001, but were postponed indefinitely; currently the sole legal party is the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ)
Capital:
name: Asmara (Asmera) geographic coordinates: 15 20 N, 38 56 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
6 regions (zobatat, singular - zoba); Anseba, Debub (Southern), Debubawi K'eyih Bahri (Southern Red Sea), Gash Barka, Ma'akel (Central), Semenawi Keyih Bahri (Northern Red Sea)
Independence:
24 May 1993 (from Ethiopia)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 24 May (1993)
Constitution:
a 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; government also issues unilateral proclamations setting laws and policies; also relies on customary and post-independence-enacted laws and, for civil cases involving Muslims, Islamic law; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President ISAIAS Afworki (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: President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June 1993) cabinet: State Council is the collective executive authority; members appointed by the president elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); the most recent and only election held 8 June 1993 (next election date uncertain as the National Assembly did not hold a presidential election in December 2001 as anticipated) election results: ISAIAS Afworki elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - ISAIAS Afworki 95%, other 5%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (150 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms) 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 indefinitely
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 [ISAIAS Afworki] (the only party recognized by the government); note - a National Assembly committee drafted a law on political parties in January 2001, but the full National Assembly has yet to debate or vote on it
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Eritrean Democratic Party (EDP) [HAGOS, Mesfin]; Eritrean Islamic Jihad or EIJ (includes Eritrean Islamic Jihad Movement or EIJM also known as the Abu Sihel Movement); Eritrean Islamic Salvation or EIS (also known as the Arafa Movement); Eritrean Liberation Front or ELF [ABDULLAH Muhammed]; Eritrean National Alliance or ENA (a coalition including EIJ, EIS, ELF, and a number of ELF factions) [HERUY Tedla Biru]; Eritrean Public Forum or EPF [ARADOM Iyob]
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (observer), ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, LAS (observer), MIGA,
NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador GHIRMAI Ghebremariam chancery: 1708 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 319-1991 FAX: [1] (202) 319-1304 consulate(s) general: Oakland (California)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ronald MCMULLEN embassy: 179 Ala 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 in 1993, Eritrea has faced the economic problems of a small, desperately poor country, accentuated by the recent implementation of restrictive economic policies. Eritrea has a command economy under the control of the sole political party, the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ). 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 fell to zero in 1999 and to -12.1% 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. Since the war ended, the government has maintained a firm grip on the economy, expanding the use of the military and party-owned businesses to complete Eritrea's development agenda. The government strictly controls the use of foreign currency, limiting access and availability. Few private enterprises remain in Eritrea. Eritrea's economy is heavily dependent on taxes paid by members of the diaspora. Erratic rainfall and the delayed demobilization of agriculturalists from the military continue to interfere with agricultural production, and Eritrea's recent harvests have not been able to meet the food needs of the country. The government continues to place its hope for additional revenue on the development of several international mining projects. Despite difficulties for international companies in working with the Eritrean government, a Canadian mining company signed a contract with the GSE in 2007 and plans to begin mineral extraction in 2010. Eritrea also anticipates opening a free trade zone at the port of Massawa in 2008. Eritrea's economic future depends upon its ability to master social problems such as illiteracy, unemployment, and low skills, and more importantly, on the government's willingness to support a true market economy.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$3.619 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.316 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
1.3% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$800 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 17.5% industry: 23.2% services: 59.3% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 80% industry and services: 20% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate:
Population below poverty line:
50% (2004 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Investment (gross fixed):
19.1% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $234.6 million expenditures: $471.4 million (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
17% (2007 est.)
Stock of money:
$749.1 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$932.9 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.711 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
sorghum, lentils, vegetables, corn, cotton, tobacco, sisal; livestock, goats; fish
Industries:
food processing, beverages, clothing and textiles, light manufacturing, salt, cement
Industrial production growth rate:
2% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
253 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
216 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
5,186 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
54.74 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
4,924 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$205 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$12 million f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
livestock, sorghum, textiles, food, small manufactures
Exports - partners:
Italy 34.4%, China 16.2%, Sudan 15.2%, France 9.4%, Saudi Arabia 5.2%, Australia 4.4% (2007)
Imports:
$573 million f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery, petroleum products, food, manufactured goods
Imports - partners:
Saudi Arabia 19.1%, Italy 15.1%, China 11.1%, Turkey 8.3%, Germany 7.2%, Ukraine 5.1% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$355.2 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$23 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$311 million (2000 est.)
Currency (code):
nakfa (ERN)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
nakfa (ERN) per US dollar - 15.5 (2007), 15.4 (2006), 14.5 (2005), 13.788 (2004), 13.878 (2003) note: the official exchange rate is 15 nakfa to the dollar
Communications
Eritrea
Telephones - main lines in use:
37,500 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
70,000 (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: inadequate; combined fixed-line and mobile cellular subscribership is only about 2 per 100 persons domestic: inadequate; most telephones are in Asmara; government is seeking international tenders to improve the system (2002) international: country code - 291; note - international connections exist
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM NA, shortwave 2 (2000)
Radios:
345,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
2 (2006)
Televisions:
1,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.er
Internet hosts:
1,074 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
5 (2001)
Internet users:
120,000 (2007)
Transportation
Eritrea
Airports:
18 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 4 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 14 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2007)
Heliports:
1 (2007)
Railways:
total: 306 km narrow gauge: 306 km 0.950-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 4,010 km paved: 874 km unpaved: 3,136 km (2000)
Merchant marine:
total: 5 by type: cargo 2, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1 (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Assab, Massawa
Military
Eritrea
Military branches:
Eritrean Armed Forces: Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18-40 years of age for male and female voluntary and compulsory military service; 16-month conscript service obligation (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,108,836 females age 16-49: 1,096,120 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 715,531 females age 16-49: 731,511 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 60,490 female: 60,639 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
6.3% of GDP (2006 est.)
Transnational Issues
Eritrea
Disputes - international:
Eritrea and Ethiopia agreed to abide by 2002 Ethiopia-Eritrea Boundary Commission's (EEBC) delimitation decision but, neither party responded to the revised line detailed in the November 2006 EEBC Demarcation Statement; UN Peacekeeping Mission to Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), which has monitored the 25-km-wide Temporary Security Zone in Eritrea since 2000, is extended for six months in 2007 despite Eritrean restrictions on its operations and reduced force of 17,000; Sudan accuses Eritrea of supporting eastern Sudanese rebel groups
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 32,000 (border war with Ethiopia from 1998-2000; most IDPs are near the central border region) (2007)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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 - an action never recognized by the US - 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. It joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.
Geography
Estonia
Location:
Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland, between Latvia and Russia
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 45,226 sq km land: 43,211 sq km water: 2,015 sq km note: includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than New Hampshire and Vermont combined
Land boundaries:
total: 633 km border countries: Latvia 343 km, Russia 290 km
Coastline:
3,794 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: limits fixed in coordination with neighboring states
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: 12.05% permanent crops: 0.35% other: 87.6% (2005)
Irrigated land:
40 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
21.1 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 1.41 cu km/yr (56%/39%/5%) per capita: 1,060 cu m/yr (2002)
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 80% less than in 1980; the amount of unpurified wastewater discharged to water bodies in 2000 was one-20th the level of 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-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, 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:
the mainland terrain is flat, boggy, and partly wooded; offshore lie more than 1,500 islands
People
Estonia
Population:
1,307,605 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 14.9% (male 100,143/female 94,450) 15-64 years: 67.5% (male 420,896/female 462,072) 65 years and over: 17.6% (male 76,171/female 153,873) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 39.6 years male: 36.2 years female: 43.2 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
-0.632% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
10.28 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
13.35 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-3.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.5 male(s)/female total population: 0.84 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 7.45 deaths/1,000 live births male: 8.62 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.56 years male: 67.16 years female: 78.3 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.42 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
7,800 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 200 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A vectorborne disease: tickborne encephalitis (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Estonian(s) adjective: Estonian
Ethnic groups:
Estonian 67.9%, Russian 25.6%, Ukrainian 2.1%, Belarusian 1.3%, Finn 0.9%, other 2.2% (2000 census)
Religions:
Evangelical Lutheran 13.6%, Orthodox 12.8%, other Christian (including Methodist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal) 1.4%, unaffiliated 34.1%, other and unspecified 32%, none 6.1% (2000 census)
Languages:
Estonian (official) 67.3%, Russian 29.7%, other 2.3%, unknown 0.7% (2000 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.8% male: 99.8% female: 99.8% (2000 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 16 years male: 15 years female: 17 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
5.1% of GDP (2004)
Government
Estonia
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Estonia conventional short form: Estonia local long form: Eesti Vabariik local short form: Eesti former: Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic
Government type:
parliamentary republic
Capital:
name: Tallinn geographic coordinates: 59 26 N, 24 43 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
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:
20 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 24 February (1918); note - 24 February 1918 was
the date Estonia declared its independence from Soviet Russia; 20
August 1991 was the date it declared its independence from the
Soviet Union
Constitution:
adopted 28 June 1992
Legal system:
based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal for all Estonian citizens
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Toomas Hendrik ILVES (since 9 October 2006) head of government: Prime Minister Andrus ANSIP (since 12 April 2005) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister, approved by Parliament elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); if a candidate 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 23 September 2006 (next to be held in the fall of 2011); prime minister nominated by the president and approved by Parliament election results: Toomas Hendrik ILVES elected president on 23 September 2006 by a 345-member electoral assembly; ILVES received 174 votes to incumbent Arnold RUUTEL's 162; remaining 9 ballots left blank or invalid
Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Riigikogu (101 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 4 March 2007 (next to be held in March 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - Estonian Reform Party 27.8%, Center Party of Estonia 26.1%, Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica 17.9%, Social Democratic Party 10.6%, Estonian Greens 7.1%, Estonian People's Union 7.1%, other 5%; seats by party - Estonian Reform Party 31, Center Party 29, Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica 19, Social Democratic Party 10, Estonian Greens 6, Estonian People's Union 6
Judicial branch:
National Court (chairman appointed by Parliament for life)
Political parties and leaders:
Center Party of Estonia (Keskerakond) [Edgar SAVISAAR]; Estonian
Greens (Rohelised) [Marek STRANDBERG]; Estonian People's Union
(Rahvaliit) [Villu REILJAN]; Estonian Reform Party (Reformierakond)
[Andrus ANSIP]; Estonian United Russian People's Party or EUVRP
[Yevgeniy TOMBERG]; Social Democratic Party (formerly People's Party
Moodukad or Moderates) [Ivari PADAR]; Union of Pro Patria and Res
Publica (Isamaa je Res Publica Liit) [Mart LAAR]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Nochnoy Dozor/Night Watch anti-fascist movement (leader Alexander
KOROBOV)
International organization participation:
Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO,
NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNITAR, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate
partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Vaino REINART chancery: 2131 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 588-0101 FAX: [1] (202) 588-0108 consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Stanley Davis PHILLIPS embassy: Kentmanni 20, 15099 Tallinn mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [372] 668-8100 FAX: [372] 668-8265
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, a 2004 European Union entrant, has a modern market-based economy and one of the highest per capita income levels in Central Europe. The economy benefits from strong electronics and telecommunications sectors and strong trade ties with Finland, Sweden, and Germany. The current government has pursued relatively sound fiscal policies, resulting in balanced budgets and low public debt. In 2007, however, a large current account deficit and rising inflation put pressure on Estonia's currency, which is pegged to the euro, highlighting the need for growth in export-generating industries.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$28.69 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$21.28 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
7.1% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$21,800 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3% industry: 28.5% services: 68.5% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
687,000 (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 11% industry: 20% services: 69% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate:
4.7% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
5% (2003)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 27.6% (2003)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
34 (2005)
Investment (gross fixed):
31.9% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $7.854 billion expenditures: $7.171 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
3.4% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6.6% (2007 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
6.46% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$7.158 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$4.253 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$21.35 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
potatoes, vegetables; livestock and dairy products; fish
Industries:
engineering, electronics, wood and wood products, textiles; information technology, telecommunications
Industrial production growth rate:
7.7% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
9.158 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
7.331 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
3.179 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
400 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 99.8% hydro: 0.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0.2% (2001)
Oil - production:
7,430 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
30,440 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
7,000 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
28,170 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
1.48 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
1.48 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$3.771 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$11.08 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment 33%, wood and paper 15%, textiles 14%, food products 8%, furniture 7%, metals, chemical products (2001)
Exports - partners:
Finland 17.9%, Sweden 13.2%, Latvia 11.4%, Russia 8.9%, Lithuania 5.8%, Germany 5.2%, US 4.1% (2007)
Imports:
$14.75 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment 33.5%, chemical products 11.6%, textiles 10.3%, foodstuffs 9.4%, transportation equipment 8.9% (2001)
Imports - partners:
Finland 15.9%, Germany 12.8%, Sweden 10.1%, Russia 10%, Latvia 7.6%,
Lithuania 6.9%, Poland 4.5% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$135.5 million (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$3.27 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$24.82 billion (30 June 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$16.59 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$5.873 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$5.963 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
Estonian kroon (EEK)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
krooni (EEK) per US dollar - 11.535 (2007), 12.473 (2006), 12.584 (2005), 12.596 (2004), 13.856 (2003) note: the krooni is pegged to the euro
Communications
Estonia
Telephones - main lines in use:
495,500 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.982 million (2007)
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 widely available; schools and libraries are connected to the Internet, a large percentage of the population files income-tax returns online, and online voting was used for the first time in the 2005 local elections domestic: a wide range of high quality voice, data, and Internet services is available throughout the country international: country code - 372; fiber-optic cables to Finland, Sweden, Latvia, and Russia provide worldwide packet-switched service; 2 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 hosts:
645,495 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
38 (2001)
Internet users:
780,000 (2007)
Transportation
Estonia
Airports:
19 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 12 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 7 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 3 (2007)
Heliports:
1 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 859 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 968 km broad gauge: 968 km 1.520 m/1.524-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 57,016 km paved: 12,926 km (includes 99 km of expressways) unpaved: 44,090 km (2005)
Waterways:
320 km (2006)
Merchant marine:
total: 29 by type: cargo 5, passenger/cargo 21, petroleum tanker 2, chemical tanker 1 foreign-owned: 4 (Denmark 1, Germany 1, Norway 2) registered in other countries: 85 (Antigua and Barbuda 23, Belize 6, Cyprus 5, Dominica 7, Finland 2, Latvia 2, Liberia 1, Malta 11, Norway 1, Panama 5, Saint Kitts and Nevis 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 16, Sweden 2, Vanuatu 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Kuivastu, Kunda, Muuga, Tallinn, Virtsu
Military
Estonia
Military branches:
Estonian Defense Forces: Land Force, Navy, Air Force (Eesti
Ohuvagi), Volunteer Defense League (Kaitseliit, KL) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
compulsory military service for men between 19 and 28; conscription lasts 11 months for junior NCOs and reserve platoon leaders; reserve officers and designated specialists have a different conscript service obligation; Estonia has committed to retaining conscription for men up to 2010 and, unlike Latvia and Lithuania, has no plan to transition to a contract armed forces; 17 years of age for volunteers; reserve commitment up to the age of 60 (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 306,273 females age 16-49: 317,852 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 218,448 females age 16-49: 264,187 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 8,322 female: 7,846 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
2% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
Estonia
Disputes - international:
Russia recalled its signature to the 1996 technical border agreement with Estonia in 2005, rather than concede to Estonia's appending prepared a unilateral declaration referencing Soviet occupation and territorial losses; Russia demands better accommodation of Russian-speaking population in Estonia; Estonian citizen groups continue to press for realignment of the boundary based on the 1920 Tartu Peace Treaty that would bring the now divided ethnic Setu people and parts of the Narva region within Estonia; as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Estonia must implement the strict Schengen border rules with Russia
Illicit drugs:
growing producer of synthetic drugs; increasingly important transshipment zone for cannabis, cocaine, opiates, and synthetic drugs since joining the European Union and the Schengen Accord; potential money laundering related to organized crime and drug trafficking is a concern, as is possible use of the gambling sector to launder funds; major use of opiates and ecstasy
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Ethiopia
Introduction
Ethiopia
Background:
Unique among African countries, the ancient Ethiopian monarchy maintained its freedom from colonial rule with the exception of the 1936-41 Italian occupation during World War II. 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 in 1991 by a coalition of rebel forces, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). A constitution was adopted in 1994, and Ethiopia's first multiparty elections were held in 1995. A border war with Eritrea late in the 1990s ended with a peace treaty in December 2000. The Eritrea-Ethiopia Border Commission in November 2007 remotely demarcated the border by geographical coordinates, but final demarcation of the boundary on the ground is currently on hold because of Ethiopian objections to an international commission's finding requiring it to surrender territory considered sensitive to Ethiopia.
Geography
Ethiopia
Location:
Eastern Africa, west of Somalia
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 1,127,127 sq km land: 1,119,683 sq km water: 7,444 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 4,533 m
Natural resources:
small reserves of gold, platinum, copper, potash, natural gas, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 10.01% permanent crops: 0.65% other: 89.34% (2005)
Irrigated land:
2,900 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
110 cu km (1987)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 5.56 cu km/yr (6%/0%/94%) per capita: 72 cu m/yr (2002)
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea
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 by water volume, rises in T'ana Hayk (Lake Tana) in northwest Ethiopia; three major crops are believed to have originated in Ethiopia: coffee, grain sorghum, and castor bean
People
Ethiopia
Population:
82,544,840 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 46% (male 18,922,334/female 19,017,593) 15-64 years: 51.4% (male 20,749,002/female 21,656,509) 65 years and over: 2.7% (male 947,323/female 1,252,077) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 16.9 years male: 16.6 years female: 17.2 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
3.212% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
43.97 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
11.83 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA note: repatriation of Ethiopian refugees residing in Sudan is expected to continue for several years; some Sudanese, Somali, and Eritrean refugees, who fled to Ethiopia from the fighting or famine in their own countries, continue to return to their homes (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 82.64 deaths/1,000 live births male: 94.08 deaths/1,000 live births female: 70.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 54.99 years male: 52.54 years female: 57.51 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
6.17 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
4.4% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1.5 million (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
120,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis animal contact disease: rabies water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Ethiopian(s) adjective: Ethiopian
Ethnic groups:
Oromo 32.1%, Amara 30.1%, Tigraway 6.2%, Somalie 5.9%, Guragie 4.3%,
Sidama 3.5%, Welaita 2.4%, other 15.4% (1994 census)
Religions:
Christian 60.8% (Orthodox 50.6%, Protestant 10.2%), Muslim 32.8%, traditional 4.6%, other 1.8% (1994 census)
Languages:
Amarigna 32.7%, Oromigna 31.6%, Tigrigna 6.1%, Somaligna 6%,
Guaragigna 3.5%, Sidamigna 3.5%, Hadiyigna 1.7%, other 14.8%,
English (major foreign language taught in schools) (1994 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 42.7% male: 50.3% female: 35.1% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 8 years male: 8 years female: 7 years (2007)
Education expenditures:
6% of GDP (2006)
Government
Ethiopia
Country name:
conventional long form: Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia conventional short form: Ethiopia local long form: Ityop'iya Federalawi Demokrasiyawi Ripeblik local short form: Ityop'iya former: Abyssinia, Italian East Africa abbreviation: FDRE
Government type:
federal republic
Capital:
name: Addis Ababa geographic coordinates: 9 02 N, 38 42 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
9 ethnically based states (kililoch, singular - kilil) and 2 self-governing administrations* (astedaderoch, singular - astedader); Adis Abeba* (Addis Ababa), Afar, Amara (Amhara), Binshangul Gumuz, Dire Dawa*, Gambela Hizboch (Gambela Peoples), Hareri Hizb (Harari People), Oromiya (Oromia), Sumale (Somali), Tigray, Ye Debub Biheroch Bihereseboch na Hizboch (Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples)
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 8 December 1994, effective 22 August 1995
Legal system:
based on civil law; currently transitional mix of national and regional courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President GIRMA Woldegiorgis (since 8 October 2001) head of government: Prime Minister MELES Zenawi (since August 1995) cabinet: Council of Ministers as provided for in the December 1994 constitution; 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 (eligible for a second term); election last held 9 October 2007 (next to be held in October 2013); prime minister designated by the party in power following legislative elections election results: GIRMA Woldegiorgis elected president; percent of vote by the House of People's Representatives - 79%
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the House of Federation (or upper chamber responsible for interpreting the constitution and federal-regional issues) (108 seats; members are chosen by state assemblies to serve five-year terms) and the House of People's Representatives (or lower chamber responsible for passing legislation) (547 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote from single-member districts to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 15 May 2005 (next to be held in 2010) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats by party - EPRDF 327, CUD 109, UEDF 52, SPDP 23, OFDM 11, BGPDUF 8, ANDP 8, independent 1, others 6, undeclared 2 note: some seats still remain vacant as detained opposition MPs did not take their seats
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; Benishangul Gumuz People's
Democratic Unity Front or BGPDUF [Mulualem BESSE]; Coalition for
Unity and Democratic Party or CUDP [AYELE Chamisso] (awarded to
AYELE by the National Electoral Board on 11 January 2008, but AYELE
has virtually no support among former CUD MPs, other CUD MPs must
now be affiliated with their original CUD-precursor parties);
Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front or EPRDF [MELES
Zenawi] (an alliance of Amhara National Democratic Movement or ANDM,
Oromo People's Democratic Organization or OPDO, the South Ethiopian
People's Democratic Front or SEPDF, and Tigrayan Peoples' Liberation
Front or TPLF); Gurage Nationalities' Democratic Movement or GNDM;
Oromo Federalist Democratic Movement or OFDM [BULCHA Demeksa]; Omoro
People's Congress or OPC [IMERERA Gudina]; Somali People's
Democratic Party or SPDP; United Ethiopian Democratic Forces or UEDF
[BEYENE Petros]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Ethiopian People's Patriotic Front or EPPF; Ogaden National
Liberation Front or ONLF; Oromo Liberation Front or OLF [DAOUD Ibsa]
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM
(observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN,
UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Samuel ASSEFA chancery: 3506 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 364-1200 FAX: [1] (202) 587-0195 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles consulate(s): New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Donald Y. YAMAMOTO embassy: Entoto Street, Addis Ababa mailing address: P. O. Box 1014, Addis Ababa telephone: [251] 11-517-40-00 FAX: [251] 11-517-40-01
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, accounting for almost half of GDP, 60% of exports, and 80% of total employment. The agricultural sector suffers from frequent drought and poor cultivation practices. Coffee is critical to the Ethiopian economy with exports of some $350 million in 2006, but historically low prices have seen many farmers switching to qat to supplement income. The war with Eritrea in 1998-2000 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, and in December 2005 the IMF voted to forgive Ethiopia's debt to the body. Under Ethiopia's constitution, the state 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. Drought struck again late in 2002, leading to a 3.3% decline in GDP in 2003. Normal weather patterns helped agricultural and GDP growth recover during 2004-07.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$56.05 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$19.43 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
11.1% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$700 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 47% industry: 13.2% services: 39.8% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
27.27 million (1999)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 80% industry: 8% services: 12% (1985)
Unemployment rate:
Population below poverty line:
38.7% (FY05/06 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.9% highest 10%: 25.5% (2000)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
30 (2000)
Investment (gross fixed):
25.9% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $3.231 billion expenditures: $3.785 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
8 July - 7 July
Public debt:
44.5% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
17.2% (2007 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
7% (31 December 2006)
Stock of money:
$3.651 billion (31 December 2006)
Stock of quasi money:
$3.258 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$6.694 billion (31 December 2006)
Agriculture - products:
cereals, pulses, coffee, oilseed, cotton, sugarcane, potatoes, qat, cut flowers; hides, cattle, sheep, goats; fish
Industries:
food processing, beverages, textiles, leather, chemicals, metals processing, cement
Industrial production growth rate:
11% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
3.268 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
2.941 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 1.3% hydro: 97.6% nuclear: 0% other: 1.2% (2001)
Oil - production:
7.334 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
30,450 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
29,820 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
428,000 bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
24.92 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
-$826.8 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$1.288 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
coffee, qat, gold, leather products, live animals, oilseeds
Exports - partners:
Germany 8.2%, Saudi Arabia 7%, US 6.9%, Djibouti 6.6%, China 6.5%,
Italy 6.5%, Japan 5.9%, Netherlands 4.8% (2007)
Imports:
$5.165 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
food and live animals, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, machinery, motor vehicles, cereals, textiles
Imports - partners:
Saudi Arabia 17%, China 15.9%, India 7.8%, Italy 5.1% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$1.6 billion (FY05/06)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$1.294 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$2.621 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
birr (ETB)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
birr (ETB) per US dollar - 8.96 (2007), 8.69 (2006), 8.68 (2005), 8.6356 (2004), 8.5997 (2003) note: since 24 October 2001, exchange rates are determined on a daily basis via interbank transactions regulated by the Central Bank
Communications
Ethiopia
Telephones - main lines in use:
880,100 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.208 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: inadequate telephone system; the number of fixed lines and mobile telephones is increasing from a very small base; combined fixed and mobile-cellular teledensity is only about 2 per 100 persons domestic: open-wire; microwave radio relay; radio communication in the HF, VHF, and UHF frequencies; 2 domestic satellites provide the national trunk service international: country code - 251; 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) (2001)
Televisions:
682,000 (2002)
Internet country code:
.et
Internet hosts:
128 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2002)
Internet users:
291,000 (2007)
Transportation
Ethiopia
Airports:
84 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 15 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 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 69 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 29 under 914 m: 21 (2007)
Railways:
total: 699 km (Ethiopian segment of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railroad) narrow gauge: 699 km 1.000-m gauge note: railway under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia but remains largely inoperable (2006)
Roadways:
total: 36,469 km paved: 6,980 km unpaved: 29,489 km (2004)
Merchant marine:
total: 9 by type: cargo 8, roll on/roll off 1 (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Ethiopia is landlocked and uses ports of Djibouti in Djibouti and
Berbera in Somalia
Military
Ethiopia
Military branches:
Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF): Ground Forces, Ethiopian Air Force (ETAF) (2008) note: Ethiopia is landlocked and has no navy; following the secession of Eritrea, Ethiopian naval facilities remained in Eritrean possession
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; theoretically, no compulsory military service, but the military can conduct call-ups when necessary and compliance is compulsory (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 17,666,967 females age 16-49: 17,530,211 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 10,060,775 females age 16-49: 9,854,710 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 887,061 female: 896,048 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
3% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Ethiopia
Disputes - international:
Eritrea and Ethiopia agreed to abide by the 2002 Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission's (EEBC) delimitation decision, but neither party responded to the revised line detailed in the November 2006 EEBC Demarcation Statement; UN Peacekeeping Mission to Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), which has monitored the 25-km-wide Temporary Security Zone in Eritrea since 2000, is extended for six months in 2007 despite Eritrean restrictions on its operations and reduced force of 17,000; the undemarcated former British administrative line has little meaning as a political separation to rival clans within Ethiopia's Ogaden and southern Somalia's Oromo region; Ethiopian forces invaded southern Somalia and routed Islamist Courts from Mogadishu in January 2007; "Somaliland" secessionists provide port facilities in Berbera and trade ties to landlocked Ethiopia; civil unrest in eastern Sudan has hampered efforts to demarcate the porous boundary with Ethiopia
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 66,980 (Sudan); 16,576 (Somalia); 13,078 (Eritrea) IDPs: 200,000 (border war with Eritrea from 1998-2000, ethnic clashes in Gambela, and ongoing Ethiopian military counterinsurgency in Somali region; most IDPs are in Tigray and Gambela Provinces) (2007)
Illicit drugs:
transit hub for heroin originating in Southwest and Southeast Asia and destined for Europe, 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); the lack of a well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a money laundering center
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@European Union
Introduction
European Union
Preliminary statement:
The evolution of the European Union (EU) from a regional economic agreement among six neighboring states in 1951 to today's supranational organization of 27 countries across the European continent stands as an unprecedented phenomenon in the annals of history. Dynastic unions for territorial consolidation were long the norm in Europe. On a few occasions even country-level unions were arranged - the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Austro-Hungarian Empire were examples - but for such a large number of nation-states to cede some of their sovereignty to an overarching entity is truly unique. Although the EU is not a federation in the strict sense, it is far more than a free-trade association such as ASEAN, NAFTA, or Mercosur, and it has many of the attributes associated with independent nations: its own flag, anthem, founding date, and currency, as well as an incipient common foreign and security policy in its dealings with other nations. In the future, many of these nation-like characteristics are likely to be expanded. Thus, inclusion of basic intelligence on the EU has been deemed appropriate as a new, separate entity in The World Factbook. However, because of the EU's special status, this description is placed after the regular country entries.
Background:
Following the two devastating World Wars of the first half of the 20th century, a number of European leaders in the late 1940s became convinced that the only way to establish a lasting peace was to unite the two chief belligerent nations - France and Germany - both economically and politically. In 1950, the French Foreign Minister Robert SCHUMAN proposed an eventual union of all Europe, the first step of which would be the integration of the coal and steel industries of Western Europe. The following year the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) was set up when six members, Belgium, France, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands, signed the Treaty of Paris. The ECSC was so successful that within a few years the decision was made to integrate other parts of the countries' economies. In 1957, the Treaties of Rome created the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom), and the six member states undertook to eliminate trade barriers among themselves by forming a common market. In 1967, the institutions of all three communities were formally merged into the European Community (EC), creating a single Commission, a single Council of Ministers, and the European Parliament. Members of the European Parliament were initially selected by national parliaments, but in 1979 the first direct elections were undertaken and they have been held every five years since. In 1973, the first enlargement of the EC took place with the addition of Denmark, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. The 1980s saw further membership expansion with Greece joining in 1981 and Spain and Portugal in 1986. The 1992 Treaty of Maastricht laid the basis for further forms of cooperation in foreign and defense policy, in judicial and internal affairs, and in the creation of an economic and monetary union - including a common currency. This further integration created the European Union (EU). In 1995, Austria, Finland, and Sweden joined the EU, raising the membership total to 15. A new currency, the euro, was launched in world money markets on 1 January 1999; it became the unit of exchange for all of the EU states except the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Denmark. In 2002, citizens of the 12 euro-area countries began using the euro banknotes and coins. Ten new countries joined the EU in 2004 - Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia - and in 2007 Bulgaria and Romania joined, bringing the current membership to 27. In order to ensure that the EU can continue to function efficiently with an expanded membership, the Treaty of Nice (in force as of 1 February 2003) set forth rules streamlining the size and procedures of EU institutions. An effort to establish an EU constitution, begun in October 2004, failed to attain unanimous ratification. A new effort, undertaken in June 2007, calls for the creation of an Intergovernmental Conference to form a political agreement, known as the Reform Treaty, which is to serve as a constitution. Unlike the constitution, however, the Reform Treaty would amend existing treaties rather than replace them.
Geography
European Union
Location:
Europe between the North Atlantic Ocean in the west and Russia,
Belarus, and Ukraine to the east
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 4,324,782 sq km
Area - comparative:
less than one-half the size of the US
Land boundaries:
total: 12,440.8 km border countries: Albania 282 km, Andorra 120.3 km, Belarus 1,050 km, Croatia 999 km, Holy See 3.2 km, Liechtenstein 34.9 km, Macedonia 394 km, Moldova 450 km, Monaco 4.4 km, Norway 2,348 km, Russia 2,257 km, San Marino 39 km, Serbia 945 km, Switzerland 1,811 km, Turkey 446 km, Ukraine 1,257 km note: data for European Continent only
Coastline:
65,992.9 km
Maritime claims:
Climate:
cold temperate; potentially subarctic in the north to temperate; mild wet winters; hot dry summers in the south
Terrain:
fairly flat along the Baltic and Atlantic coast; mountainous in the central and southern areas
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Lammefjord, Denmark -7 m; Zuidplaspolder, Netherlands -7 m highest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 m; note - situated on the border between France and Italy
Natural resources:
iron ore, natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, lead, zinc, bauxite, uranium, potash, salt, hydropower, arable land, timber, fish
Land use:
arable land: NA permanent crops: NA other: NA
Irrigated land:
168,050 sq km (2003 est.)
Natural hazards:
flooding along coasts; avalanches in mountainous area; earthquakes in the south; volcanic eruptions in Italy; periodic droughts in Spain; ice floes in the Baltic
Environment - current issues:
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 82, Tropical Timber 94 signed but not ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds
People
European Union
Population:
491,018,683 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 15.7% (male 37,208,905/female 35,254,445) 15-64 years: 67.2% (male 155,807,769/female 153,690,235) 65 years and over: 17.1% (male 32,592,595/female 46,273,197) (2008 est.)
Median age:
note - see individual country entries of member states
Population growth rate:
0.11% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
10.25 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
10.39 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
1.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.38 deaths/1,000 live births male: 7.23 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.49 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.32 years male: 74 years female: 80.84 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.5 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
note - see individual country entries of member states
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
note - see individual country entries of member states
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
note - see individual country entries of member states
Religions:
Roman Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, Muslim, Jewish
Languages:
Bulgarian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, Gaelic, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovene, Spanish, Swedish note: only official languages are listed; German, the major language of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, is the most widely spoken mother tongue - over 19% of the EU population; English is the most widely spoken language - about 49% of the EU population is conversant with it (2007)
Government
European Union
Union name:
conventional long form: European Union abbreviation: EU
Political structure:
a hybrid intergovernmental and supranational organization
Capital:
name: Brussels (Belgium), Strasbourg (France), Luxembourg geographic coordinates: 50 50 N, 4 20 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October note: the Council of the European Union meets in Brussels, Belgium, the European Parliament meets in Brussels and Strasbourg, France, and the Court of Justice of the European Communities meets in Luxembourg
Member states:
27 countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, UK; note - Canary Islands (Spain), Azores and Madeira (Portugal), French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Reunion (France) are sometimes listed separately even though they are legally a part of Spain, Portugal, and France; candidate countries: Croatia, Macedonia, Turkey
Independence:
7 February 1992 (Maastricht Treaty signed establishing the EU); 1 November 1993 (Maastricht Treaty entered into force)
National holiday:
Europe Day 9 May (1950); note - a Union-wide holiday, the day that
Robert SCHUMAN proposed the creation of the European Coal and Steel
Community to achieve an organized Europe
Constitution:
based on a series of treaties: the Treaty of Paris, which set up the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) in 1951; the Treaties of Rome, which set up the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) in 1957; the Single European Act in 1986; the Treaty on European Union (Maastricht) in 1992; the Treaty of Amsterdam in 1997; and the Treaty of Nice in 2003; note - a new draft Constitutional Treaty, signed on 29 October 2004 in Rome, gave member states two years for ratification either by parliamentary vote or national referendum before it was scheduled to take effect on 1 November 2006; defeat in French and Dutch referenda in May-June 2005 dealt a severe setback to the ratification process; in June 2007, the European Council agreed on a clear and concise mandate for an Intergovernmental Conference to form a political agreement and put it into legal form; this agreement, known as the Reform Treaty, would have served as a constitution and was presented to the European Council in October 2007 for individual country ratification; it was rejected by Irish voters in June 2008, again stalling the ratification process
Legal system:
comparable to the legal systems of member states; first supranational law system
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of union: President of the European Commission Jose Manuel DURAO BARROSO (since 22 November 2004) cabinet: European Commission (composed of 27 members, one from each member country; each commissioner responsible for one or more policy areas) elections: the president of the European Commission is designated by member governments and is confirmed by the European Parliament; working from member state recommendations, the Commission president then assembles a "college" of Commission members; the European Parliament confirms the entire Commission for a five-year term; the last confirmation process was held 18 November 2004 (next to be held in 2009) election results: European Parliament approved the European Commission by an approval vote of 449 to 149 with 82 abstentions note: the European Council brings together heads of state and government and the president of the European Commission and meets at least four times a year; its aim is to provide the impetus for the major political issues relating to European integration and to issue general policy guidelines
Legislative branch:
two legislative bodies consisting of the Council of the European Union (27 member-state ministers having 345 votes; the number of votes is roughly proportional to member-states' population; note - the Council is the main decision-making body of the EU) and the European Parliament (785 seats, as of 1 January 2007; seats allocated among member states by proportion to population; members elected by direct universal suffrage for a five-year term) elections: last held 10-13 June 2004 (next to be held June 2009) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats by party - EPP-ED 268, PES 202, ALDE 88, Greens/EFA 42, EUL/NGL 41, IND/DEM 36, UEN 27, independents 28; note - seats by party as of 1 December 2007 - EPP-ED 275, PES 217, ALDE 104, UEN 44, Greens/EFA 42, EUL/NGL 41, IND/DEM 24, independents 34, 4 unaccounted for
Judicial branch:
Court of Justice of the European Communities (ensures that the treaties are interpreted and applied uniformly throughout the EU; resolve constitutional issues among the EU institutions) - 27 justices (one from each member state) appointed for a six-year term; note - for the sake of efficiency, the court can sit with 13 justices known as the "Grand Chamber"; Court of First Instance - 27 justices appointed for a six-year term
Political parties and leaders:
Confederal Group of the European United Left-Nordic Green Left or
EUL/NGL [Francis WURTZ]; European People's Party-European Democrats
or EPP-ED [Joseph DAUL]; Group of the Alliance of Liberals and
Democrats for Europe or ALDE [Graham R. WATSON]; Group of
Greens/European Free Alliance or Greens/EFA [Monica FRASSONI and
Daniel Marc COHN-BENDIT]; Identity, Tradition, Sovereignty Group or
ITS [Bruno GOLLNISCH]; Independence/Democracy Group or IND/DEM
[Jens-Peter BONDE and Nigel FARAGE]; Socialist Group in the European
Parliament or PES [Martin SCHULZ]; Union for Europe of the Nations
Group or UEN [Brian CROWLEY and Cristiana MUSCARDINI]
International organization participation:
European Union: ARF (dialogue member), ASEAN (dialogue member), IDA,
OAS (observer), PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), UN (observer)
European Community: Australian Group, CBSS, CERN, FAO, EBRD, G-10,
LAIA, NSG (observer), OECD, UNRWA, WCO, WTO, ZC (observer)
European Central Bank: BIS
European Investment Bank: EBRD, WADB (nonregional member)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador John BRUTON chancery: 2300 M Street, NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 862-9500 FAX: [1] (202) 429-1766
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Kristen SILVERBERG embassy: 13 Zinnerstraat/Rue Zinner, B-1000 Brussels mailing address: same as above telephone: [32] (2) 508-2111 FAX: [32] (2) 508-2063
Flag description:
blue field with 12 five-pointed gold stars arranged in a circle in the center, representing the union of the peoples of Europe; the number of stars is fixed
Economy
European Union
Economy - overview:
Internally, the EU is attempting to lower trade barriers, adopt a common currency, and move toward convergence of living standards. Internationally, the EU aims to bolster Europe's trade position and its political and economic power. Because of the great differences in per capita income among member states (from $7,000 to $69,000) and historic national animosities, the EU faces difficulties in devising and enforcing common policies. For example, since 2003 Germany and France have flouted the member states' treaty obligation to prevent their national budgets from running more than a 3% deficit. In 2004 and 2007, the EU admitted 10 and two countries, respectively, that are, in general, less advanced technologically and economically than the other 15. Eleven established EU member states introduced the euro as their common currency on 1 January 1999 (Greece did so two years later), but the UK, Sweden, and Denmark chose not to participate. Of the 12 most recent member states, only Slovenia (1 January 2007) and Cyprus and Malta (1 January 2008) have adopted the euro; the remaining nine are legally required to adopt the currency upon meeting EU's fiscal and monetary convergence criteria.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$14.43 trillion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$16.62 trillion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$32,700 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2.1% industry: 27.1% services: 70.7% (2006 est.)
Labor force:
222.7 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 4.4% industry: 27.1% services: 67.1% note: the remainder is in miscellaneous public and private sector industries and services (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate:
8.5% (2006 est.)
Population below poverty line:
note - see individual country entries of member states
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 25.2% (2001 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
30.7 (2003 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
21.5% of GDP (2006 est.)
Fiscal year:
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.8% (2006 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
5% note: This is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks from the Eurosystem (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
8.03% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$5.742 trillion note: this is the quantity of money, M1, for the Euro Area, converted into US dollars at the exchange rate for the date indicated; it excludes the stock of money carried by non-Eurozone members of the European Union
Stock of quasi money:
$10.93 trillion note: this is the quantity of quasi money, M2, for the Euro Area, converted into US dollars at the exchange rate for the date indicated; it excludes the stock of quasi money carried by non-Eurozone members of the European Union
Stock of domestic credit:
$20.94 trillion note: this figure refers to the Euro area only; it excludes credit data for members of the EU outside the Eurozone (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
wheat, barley, oilseeds, sugar beets, wine, grapes; dairy products, cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry; fish
Industries:
among the world's largest and most technologically advanced, the European Union industrial base includes: ferrous and non-ferrous metal production and processing, metal products, petroleum, coal, cement, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, aerospace, rail transportation equipment, passenger and commercial vehicles, construction equipment, industrial equipment, shipbuilding, electrical power equipment, machine tools and automated manufacturing systems, electronics and telecommunications equipment, fishing, food and beverage processing, furniture, paper, textiles, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
3.2% (2006 est.)
Electricity - production:
3.056 trillion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
2.858 trillion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - exports:
NA kWh
Electricity - imports:
NA kWh
Oil - production:
2.674 million bbl/day (2007)
Oil - consumption:
14.39 million bbl/day (2007)
Oil - exports:
6.979 million bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:
17.71 million bbl/day (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:
6.144 billion bbl (1 January 2008)
Natural gas - production:
197.8 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
500.1 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
76.48 billion cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
361.2 billion cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
2.476 trillion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
Exports:
$1.33 trillion; note - external exports, excluding intra-EU trade (2005)
Exports - commodities:
machinery, motor vehicles, aircraft, plastics, pharmaceuticals and other chemicals, fuels, iron and steel, nonferrous metals, wood pulp and paper products, textiles, meat, dairy products, fish, alcoholic beverages.
Exports - partners:
US 23.3%, Switzerland 7.6%, Russia 5.2%, China 4.8% (2006)
Imports:
$1.466 trillion; note - external imports, excluding intra-EU trade (2005)
Imports - commodities:
machinery, vehicles, aircraft, plastics, crude oil, chemicals, textiles, metals, foodstuffs, clothing
Imports - partners:
US 13.8%, China 13.4%, Russia 8.2%, Japan 6.2% (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$11.64 trillion (2006)
Currency (code):
euro, British pound, Bulgarian lev, Czech koruna, Danish krone, Estonian kroon, Hungarian forint, Latvian lat, Lithuanian litas, Polish zloty, Romanian leu, Slovak koruna, Swedish krona
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003)
Communications
European Union
Telephones - main lines in use:
238 million (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
466 million (2005)
Telephone system:
note - see individual country entries of member states
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 930, FM 13,655, shortwave 71 (1998); note - sum of individual country radio broadcast stations; there is also a European-wide station (Euroradio)
Television broadcast stations:
2,700 (1995); note - sum of individual country television broadcast stations excluding repeaters; there is also a European-wide station (Eurovision)
Internet country code:
.eu (effective 2005); note - see country entries of member states for individual country codes
Internet hosts:
31,693 (2008); note - this sum reflects the number of internet hosts assigned the .eu internet country code
Internet users:
247 million (2006)
Transportation
European Union
Airports:
3,393 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1,991 over 3,047m: 110 2,438 to 3,047m: 347 1,524 to 2,437m: 545 914 to 1,523m: 420 under 914m: 569 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1,373 over 3,047m: 2 2,438 to 3,047m: 5 1,524 to 2,437m: 30 914m to 1,523m: 267 under 914m: 1,043 (2007)
Heliports:
100 (2007)
Railways:
total: 236,436 km broad gauge: 28,250 km standard gauge: 200,401 km narrow gauge: 7,771 km other: 23 km (2007)
Roadways:
total: 5,454,446 km (2008)
Waterways:
52,332 km (2006)
Ports and terminals:
Antwerp (Belgium), Barcelona (Spain), Braila (Romania), Bremen
(Germany), Burgas (Bulgaria), Constanta (Romania), Copenhagen
(Denmark), Galati (Romania), Gdansk (Poland), Hamburg (Germany),
Helsinki (Finland), Las Palmas (Canary Islands, Spain), Le Havre
(France), Lisbon (Portugal), London (UK), Marseille (France), Naples
(Italy), Peiraiefs or Piraeus (Greece), Riga (Latvia), Rotterdam
(Netherlands), Stockholm (Sweden), Talinn (Estonia), Tulcea
(Romania), Varna (Bulgaria)
Military
European Union
Military - note:
the five-nation Eurocorps - created in 1992 by France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, and Luxembourg - has deployed troops and police on peacekeeping missions to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo and assumed command of the ISAF in Afghanistan in August 2004; Eurocorps directly commands the 5,000-man Franco-German Brigade, the Multinational Command Support Brigade, and EUFOR in Bosnia and Herzegovina; in November 2004, the EU Council of Ministers formally committed to creating 13 1,500-man battle groups by the end of 2007, to respond to international crises on a rotating basis; 22 of the EU's 25 nations have agreed to supply troops; France, Italy, and the UK formed the first of three battle groups in 2005; Norway, Sweden, Estonia, and Finland established the Nordic Battle Group effective 1 January 2008; nine other groups are to be formed; a rapid-reaction naval EU Maritime Task Group was stood up in March 2007 (2007)
Transnational Issues
European Union
Disputes - international:
as a political union, the EU has no border disputes with neighboring countries, but Estonia has no land boundary agreements with Russia, Slovenia disputes its land and maritime boundaries with Croatia, and Spain has territorial and maritime disputes with Morocco and with the UK over Gibraltar; the EU has set up a Schengen area - consisting of 22 EU member states that have signed the convention implementing the Schengen agreements or "acquis" (1985 and 1990) on the free movement of persons and the harmonization of border controls in Europe; these agreements became incorporated into EU law with the implementation of the 1997 Treaty of Amsterdam on 1 May 1999; in addition, non-EU states Iceland and Norway (as part of the Nordic Union) have been included in the Schengen area since 1996 (full members in 2001), and Switzerland since 2008 bringing the total current membership to 25; the UK (since 2000) and Ireland (since 2002) take part in only some aspects of the Schengen area, especially with respect to police and criminal matters; nine of the 12 new member states that joined the EU since 2004 joined Schengen on 21 December 2007; of the three remaining EU states, Cyprus is expected to join by 2009, while Romania and Bulgaria continue to enhance their border security systems
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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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 an 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:
Map references:
South America
Area:
total: 12,173 sq km land: 12,173 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the two main islands of East and West Falkland and about 200 small islands
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Connecticut
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
1,288 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate:
cold marine; strong westerly winds, cloudy, humid; rain occurs on more than half of days in year; average annual rainfall is 24 inches in Stanley; 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, squid, wildlife, calcified seaweed, sphagnum moss
Land use:
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (99% permanent pastures, 1% other) (2005)
Irrigated land:
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 1986 Chornobyl disaster
Geography - note:
deeply indented coast provides good natural harbors; short growing season
People
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
Population:
3,140 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate:
0.011% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
NA (2008 est.)
Death rate:
NA (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: NA male: NA female: NA (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: NA male: NA female: NA (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
NA (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Nationality:
noun: Falkland Islander(s) adjective: Falkland Island
Ethnic groups:
British
Religions:
Christian 67.2%, none 31.5%, other 1.3% (2006 census)
Languages:
English
Literacy:
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:
Capital:
name: Stanley geographic coordinates: 51 42 S, 57 51 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in September; ends third Sunday in April
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:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Governor Alan HUCKLE (since 25 August 2006); Chief Executive Dr. Tim THOROGOOD (since 3 January 2008) cabinet: Executive Council; three members elected by the Legislative Council, two ex officio members (chief executive and the financial secretary), and the governor elections: the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch
Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Council (10 seats; 2 members are ex officio and 8 are elected by popular vote; to serve four-year terms); presided over by the governor elections: last held 17 November 2005 (next to be held in November 2009) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 8
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:
Falkland Islands Association (supports freedom of the people from external causes)
International organization participation:
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 centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms contains a white ram (sheep raising was once 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 Falkland Islands' exclusive fishing zone. These license fees total more than $40 million per year, which help 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, especially eco-tourism, is increasing rapidly, with about 30,000 visitors in 2001. Another large 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):
$75 million (2002 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
GDP - real growth rate:
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$25,000 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 95% industry: NA% services: NA%
Labor force:
1,724 (est.) (1996)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 95% (mostly sheepherding and fishing) industry and services: 5% (1996)
Unemployment rate:
full employment; labor shortage (2001)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $66.2 million expenditures: $67.9 million (FY98/99 est.)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.6% (1998)
Agriculture - products:
fodder and vegetable crops; sheep, dairy products; fish, squid
Industries:
fish and wool processing; tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
Electricity - production:
16 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
14.88 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
252.3 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
248.9 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Exports:
$125 million (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:
wool, hides, meat, fish, squid
Exports - partners:
Spain 81.9%, US 6%, UK 4.5% (2006)
Imports:
$90 million (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:
fuel, food and drink, building materials, clothing
Imports - partners:
UK 72.5%, US 15.1%, Netherlands 8.5% (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
$0 (1997 est.)
Debt - external:
Currency (code):
Falkland pound (FKP)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Falkland pounds (FKP) per US dollar - 0.4993 (2007), 0.5434 (2006), 0.5504 (2005), 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003) note: the Falkland pound is at par with the British pound
Communications
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
Telephones - main lines in use:
2,400 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
0 (2001)
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: country code - 500; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) with links through London to other countries
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 7, shortwave 0 (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides Radio 1 and Radio 2 service) (2006)
Radios:
1,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
2 (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides multi-channel satellite service to members of UK Forces as well as islanders); cable television is available in Stanley (2006)
Televisions:
1,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.fk
Internet hosts:
91 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)
Internet users:
1,900 (2002)
Transportation
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
Airports:
6 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 4 under 914 m: 4 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 440 km paved: 50 km unpaved: 390 km (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Stanley
Military
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
Military branches:
no regular military forces
Military expenditures:
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
Disputes - international:
Argentina, which claims the islands in its constitution and briefly occupied them by force in 1982, agreed in 1995 to no longer seek settlement by force; UK continues to reject Argentine requests for sovereignty talks
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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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 half way between Iceland and Norway
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 1,399 sq km land: 1,399 sq km water: 0 sq km (some lakes and streams)
Area - comparative:
eight times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
1,117 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line
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, possible oil and gas
Land use:
arable land: 2.14% permanent crops: 0% other: 97.86% (2005)
Irrigated land:
0 sq km
Natural hazards:
Environment - current issues:
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Marine Dumping -associate member to the London Convention and Ship Pollution
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:
48,668 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 21.9% (male 5,489/female 5,166) 15-64 years: 64% (male 16,650/female 14,482) 65 years and over: 14.1% (male 3,233/female 3,648) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 36.7 years male: 36 years female: 37.5 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.376% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
13.25 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
8.67 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.15 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female total population: 1.09 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.46 deaths/1,000 live births male: 6.69 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.29 years male: 76.86 years female: 81.89 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.45 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Nationality:
noun: Faroese (singular and plural) adjective: Faroese
Ethnic groups:
Scandinavian
Religions:
Evangelical Lutheran 83.8%, other and unspecified 16.2% (2006 administrative data)
Languages:
Faroese (derived from Old Norse), Danish
Literacy:
NA; note - probably 99%, the same as Denmark proper
Government
Faroe Islands
Country name:
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Faroe Islands local long form: none local short form: Foroyar
Dependency status:
Government type:
Capital:
name: Torshavn geographic coordinates: 62 01 N, 6 46 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
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 34 municipalities
Independence:
none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)
National holiday:
Olaifest (Olavasoka), 29 July
Constitution:
5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)
Legal system:
the laws of Denmark, where applicable, apply
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) head of government: Prime Minister Kaj Leo JOHANNESSEN (since 24 September 2008) cabinet: Landsstyri appointed by the prime minister elections: the monarch is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by the Faroese Parliament; election last held 19 January 2008 (next to be held no later than January 2012) election results: Kaj Leo JOHANNESSEN elected prime minister; percent of parliamentary vote - NA
Legislative branch:
unicameral Faroese Parliament or Logting (33 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional basis from the seven constituencies to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 19 January 2008 (next to be held no later than January 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - Union Party 21%, Social Democratic Party 19.4%, Republican Party 23.3%, People's Party 20.1%, Center Party 8.4%, Self-Government Party 7.2%, other 0.6%; seats by party - Republican Party 8, Union Party 7, Social Democratic Party 6, People's Party 7, Center Party 3, Independence Party 2 note: election of two seats to the Danish Parliament was last held on 13 November 2007 (next to be held no later than November 2011); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Party 1, Union Party 1
Judicial branch:
none
Political parties and leaders:
Center Party [Jenis A. RANA]; Independence Party [Kari P. HOJGAARD];
People's Party [Jorgen NICLASEN]; Republican Party [Hogni HOYDAL];
Social Democratic Party [Joannes EIDESGAARD]; Union Party [Kaj Leo
JOHANNESEN]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Sea Shepard [Paul WATSON] (preservation of small whales) other: conservationists
International organization participation:
Arctic Council, FAO, IMO (associate), NC, NIB, UPU
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 is dependent on fishing, which makes the economy vulnerable to price swings. Since 2003 the Faroese economy has picked up as a result of higher prices for fish and for housing. Unemployment is minimal and government finances are relatively sound. Oil finds close to the Islands give hope for economically recoverable deposits, which could eventually lay the basis for a more diversified economy and lessen dependence on Danish economic assistance. Aided by a substantial annual subsidy (about 15% of GDP) from Denmark, the Faroese have a standard of living not far below the Danes and other Scandinavians.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1 billion (2001 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.7 billion (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2.4% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$31,000 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 27% industry: 11% services: 62% (1999)
Labor force:
24,250 (October 2000)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 33% industry: 33% services: 34% (October 2000)
Unemployment rate:
2.1% (2006)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $588 million expenditures: $623 million (2005)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.8% (2005)
Agriculture - products:
milk, potatoes, vegetables; sheep; salmon, other fish
Industries:
fishing, fish processing, small ship repair and refurbishment, handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate:
8% (1999 est.)
Electricity - production:
295 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
274.4 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 62.4% hydro: 37.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
4,628 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
4,636 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Exports:
$634 million f.o.b. (2006)
Exports - commodities:
fish and fish products 94%, stamps, ships (1999)
Exports - partners:
Denmark 29.6%, UK 24.5%, Norway 13.3%, Nigeria 10.5%, Netherlands 6.8% (2007)
Imports:
$751 million c.i.f. (2006)
Imports - commodities:
consumer goods 36%, raw materials and semi-manufactures 32%, machinery and transport equipment 29%, fuels, fish, salt (1999)
Imports - partners:
Denmark 51.9%, Norway 21.6%, Sweden 5%, UK 4.6% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$105 million; note - annual subsidy from Denmark (2005)
Debt - external:
$64 million (1999)
Currency (code):
Danish krone (DKK)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Danish kroner (DKK) per US dollar - 5.4797 (2007), 5.9468 (2006), 5.9969 (2005), 5.9911 (2004), 6.5877 (2003)
Communications
Faroe Islands
Telephones - main lines in use:
23,000 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
50,000 (2006)
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: country code - 298; 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 repeaters) (September 1995)
Televisions:
15,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.fo
Internet hosts:
8,516 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)
Internet users:
34,000 (2006)
Transportation
Faroe Islands
Airports:
1 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 463 km (2006)
Merchant marine:
total: 12 by type: cargo 9, passenger/cargo 3 foreign-owned: 5 (Iceland 1, Norway 4) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Torshavn, Vagur
Military
Faroe Islands
Military branches:
no regular military forces
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 11,725 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 9,735 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 400 female: 387 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of Denmark
Transnational Issues
Faroe Islands
Disputes - international:
because anticipated offshore hydrocarbon resources have not been realized, earlier Faroese proposals for full independence have been deferred; Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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). The coups and a 1990 constitution that cemented native Melanesian control of Fiji, led to heavy Indian emigration; the population loss resulted in economic difficulties, but ensured that Melanesians became the majority. A new constitution enacted in 1997 was more equitable. Free and peaceful elections in 1999 resulted in a government led by an Indo-Fijian, but a civilian-led coup in May 2000 ushered in a prolonged period of political turmoil. Parliamentary elections held in August 2001 provided Fiji with a democratically elected government led by Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE. Re-elected in May 2006, QARASE was ousted in a December 2006 military coup led by Commodore Voreqe BAINIMARAMA, who initially appointed himself acting president. In January 2007, BAINIMARAMA was appointed interim prime minister.
Geography
Fiji
Location:
Oceania, island group in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total: 18,270 sq km land: 18,270 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than New Jersey
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
1,129 km
Maritime claims:
measured from claimed archipelagic straight 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: 10.95% permanent crops: 4.65% other: 84.4% (2005)
Irrigated land:
30 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
28.6 cu km (1987)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.07 cu km/yr (14%/14%/71%) per capita: 82 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
includes 332 islands; approximately 110 are inhabited
People
Fiji
Population:
931,741 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 30.6% (male 145,430/female 139,498) 15-64 years: 64.8% (male 302,460/female 301,344) 65 years and over: 4.6% (male 19,413/female 23,596) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 25.2 years male: 24.7 years female: 25.7 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.388% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
22.15 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
5.66 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-2.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 11.88 deaths/1,000 live births male: 13.07 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.44 years male: 67.9 years female: 73.1 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.68 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
600 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Fijian(s) adjective: Fijian
Ethnic groups:
Fijian 57.3% (predominantly Melanesian with a Polynesian admixture),
Indian 37.6%, Rotuman 1.2%, other 3.9% (European, other Pacific
Islanders, Chinese) (2007 census)
Religions:
Christian 53% (Methodist 34.5%, Roman Catholic 7.2%, Assembly of God 3.8%, Seventh Day Adventist 2.6%, other 4.9%), Hindu 34% (Sanatan 25%, Arya Samaj 1.2%, other 7.8%), Muslim 7% (Sunni 4.2%. other 2.8%), other or unspecified 5.6%, none 0.3% (1996 census)
Languages:
English (official), Fijian (official), Hindustani
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93.7% male: 95.5% female: 91.9% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 13 years male: 13 years female: 13 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
6.5% of GDP (2004)
Government
Fiji
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of the Fiji Islands conventional short form: Fiji local long form: Republic of the Fiji Islands/Matanitu ko Viti local short form: Fiji/Viti
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Suva (on Viti Levu) geographic coordinates: 18 08 S, 178 25 E time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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:
enacted on 25 July 1997 to encourage multiculturalism and make multiparty government mandatory; effective 28 July 1998
Legal system:
based on British system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ratu Josefa ILOILOVATU Uluivuda (since 18 July 2000); note - ILOILOVATU was reaffirmed as president by the Great Council of Chiefs in a statement issued on 22 December, and reappointed by the coup leader Commodore Voreqe BAINIMARAMA in January 2007 head of government: Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE (since 10 September 2000); note - although QARASE is still the legal prime minister, he has been confined to his home island; the president appointed Commodore Voreqe BAINIMARAMA interim prime minister under the military regime cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the members of Parliament and is responsible to Parliament; note - coup leader Commodore Voreqe BAINIMARAMA has appointed an interim cabinet elections: president elected by the Great Council of Chiefs for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister appointed by the president; election last held 8 March 2006 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 (32 seats; 14 appointed by the president on the advice of the Great Council of Chiefs, 9 appointed by the president on the advice of the Prime Minister, 8 on the advice of the Opposition Leader, and 1 appointed on the advice of the council of Rotuma) and the House of Representatives (71 seats; 23 reserved for ethnic Fijians, 19 reserved for ethnic Indians, 3 reserved for other ethnic groups, 1 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 6-13 May 2006 (next to be held in 2011) election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - SDL 44.6%, FLP 39.2%, UPP 0.8%, independents 4.9%, other 10.5%; seats by party - SDL 36, FLP 31, UPP 2, independents 2
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); Court of
Appeal; High Court; Magistrates' Courts
Political parties and leaders:
Dodonu Ni Taukei Party or DNT [Fereti S. DEWA]; Fiji Democratic
Party or FDP [Filipe BOLE] (a merger of the Christian Democrat
Alliance or VLV [Poesci Waqalevu BUNE], Fijian Association Party or
FAP, Fijian Political Party or SVT (primarily Fijian) [Sitiveni
RABUKA], and New Labor Unity Party or NLUP [Ofa SWANN]); Fiji Labor
Party or FLP [Mahendra CHAUDHRY]; General Voters Party or GVP
(became part of United General Party); Girmit Heritage Party or GHP;
Justice and Freedom Party or AIM; Lio 'On Famor Rotuma Party or LFR;
National Federation Party or NFP (primarily Indian) [Pramond RAE];
Nationalist Vanua Takolavo Party or NVTLP [Saula TELAWA]; Party of
National Unity or PANU [Ponipate LESAVUA]; Party of the Truth or
POTT; United Fiji Party/Sogosogo Duavata ni Lewenivanua or SDL
[Laisenia QARASE]; United Peoples Party or UPP [Millis Mick BEDDOES]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Group Against Racial Discrimination or GARD [Dr. Anirudk SINGH] (for restoration of a democratic government); Viti Landowners Association
International organization participation:
ACP, ADB, C (suspended), CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITSO, ITU,
ITUC, MIGA, OPCW, PCA, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); note - Penijamini R. LOMALOMA (Charge d'Affaires) chancery: 2000 M Street, NW, Suite 710, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 466-8320 FAX: [1] (202) 466-8325
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador C. Steven McGANN embassy: 31 Loftus Street, Suva mailing address: P. O. Box 218, Suva telephone: [679] 331-4466 FAX: [679] 330-0081
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, remittances from Fijians working abroad, and a growing tourist industry - with 400,000 to 500,000 tourists annually - are the major sources of foreign exchange. Fiji's sugar has special access to European Union markets, but will be harmed by the EU's decision to cut sugar subsidies. Sugar processing makes up one-third of industrial activity but is not efficient. Fiji's tourism industry was damaged by the December 2006 coup and is facing an uncertain recovery time. The coup has created a difficult business climate. Tourist arrivals for 2007 are estimated to be down almost 6%, with substantial job losses in the service sector. In July 2007 the Reserve Bank of Fiji announced the economy was expected to contract by 3.1% in 2007. Fiji's current account deficit reached 23% of GDP in 2006. The EU has suspended all aid until the interim government takes steps toward new elections. Long-term problems include low investment, uncertain land ownership rights, and the government's inability to manage its budget. Overseas remittances from Fijians working in Kuwait and Iraq have decreased significantly.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$5.079 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$3.409 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
-4.4% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$3,900 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 8.9% industry: 13.5% services: 77.6% (2004 est.)
Labor force:
117,500 (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 70% industry and services: 30% (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate:
7.6% (1999)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $1.363 billion expenditures: $1.376 billion (2006)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.8% (2007)
Central bank discount rate:
9.25% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
9.01% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$1.042 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$1.088 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.948 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
sugarcane, coconuts, cassava (tapioca), rice, sweet potatoes, bananas; cattle, pigs, horses, goats; fish
Industries:
tourism, sugar, clothing, copra, gold, silver, lumber, small cottage industries
Industrial production growth rate:
Electricity - production:
928 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
1.016 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 18.5% hydro: 81.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
9,971 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
2,848 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
10,900 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$507 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$1.202 billion f.o.b. (2006)
Exports - commodities:
sugar, garments, gold, timber, fish, molasses, coconut oil
Exports - partners:
US 17.3%, UK 11.3%, Australia 10%, Samoa 5.4%, Tonga 4.7%, NZ 4.5%,
Japan 4.1% (2007)
Imports:
$3.12 billion c.i.f. (2006)
Imports - commodities:
manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products, food, chemicals
Imports - partners:
Singapore 30.4%, Australia 21.6%, NZ 17.7%, China 4.5% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$63.96 million (2005)
Debt - external:
$127 million (2004 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$586.7 million (2005)
Currency (code):
Fijian dollar (FJD)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Fijian dollars (FJD) per US dollar - NA (2007), 1.7313 (2006), 1.691 (2005), 1.7331 (2004), 1.8958 (2003)
Communications
Fiji
Telephones - main lines in use:
108,400 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
437,000 (2007)
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: telephone or radio telephone links to almost all inhabited islands; most towns and large villages have automatic telephone exchanges and direct dialing; combined fixed and mobile-cellular density is about 60 per 100 persons international: country code - 679; access to important cable links between US and Canada as well as between NZ and Australia; satellite earth stations - 2 Inmarsat (Pacific Ocean) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 13, FM 40, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:
541,476 (1999)
Television broadcast stations:
Televisions:
88,110 (1999)
Internet country code:
.fj
Internet hosts:
12,592 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)
Internet users:
80,000 (2006)
Transportation
Fiji
Airports:
28 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 25 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 18 (2007)
Railways:
total: 597 km narrow gauge: 597 km 0.600-m gauge note: belongs to the government-owned Fiji Sugar Corporation; used to haul sugarcane during harvest season (May to December) (2006)
Roadways:
total: 3,440 km paved: 1,692 km unpaved: 1,748 km (2000)
Waterways:
203 km note: 122 km navigable by motorized craft and 200-metric-ton barges (2006)
Merchant marine:
total: 9 by type: passenger 3, passenger/cargo 4, roll on/roll off 2 foreign-owned: 1 (Australia 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Lautoka, Suva
Military
Fiji
Military branches:
Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF): Land Forces, Naval Forces (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; reserve obligation to age 45 (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 242,567 females age 16-49: 238,556 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 189,282 females age 16-49: 202,350 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 9,077 female: 8,728 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
2.2% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
Fiji
Disputes - international:
none
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Fiji is a source country for children trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation and a destination country for a small number of women from China and India trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation tier rating: Tier 3 - Fiji does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; the government has demonstrated no action to investigate or prosecute traffickers, assist victims, take steps to reduce the demand for commercial sex acts, or support any anti-trafficking information or education campaigns; Fiji has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Finland
Introduction
Finland
Background:
Finland was a province and then a grand duchy under Sweden from the 12th to the 19th centuries, and an autonomous grand duchy of Russia after 1809. It won its complete independence in 1917. During World War II, it was able to successfully defend its freedom and resist invasions by the Soviet Union - albeit with some loss of territory. In the subsequent half century, the Finns made a remarkable transformation from a farm/forest economy to a diversified modern industrial economy; per capita income is now among the highest in Western Europe. A member of the European Union since 1995, 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:
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 338,145 sq km land: 304,473 sq km water: 33,672 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Montana
Land boundaries:
total: 2,654 km border countries: Norway 727 km, Sweden 614 km, Russia 1,313 km
Coastline:
1,250 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm (in the Gulf of Finland - 3 nm) contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm; extends to continental shelf boundary with Sweden continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
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: Haltiatunturi 1,328 m
Natural resources:
timber, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, nickel, gold, silver, limestone
Land use:
arable land: 6.54% permanent crops: 0.02% other: 93.44% (2005)
Irrigated land:
640 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
110 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 2.33 cu km/yr (14%/84%/3%) per capita: 444 cu m/yr (1999)
Natural hazards:
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-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
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, Marine Dumping,
Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
long boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost national capital on European continent; population concentrated on small southwestern coastal plain
People
Finland
Population:
5,244,749 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.6% (male 443,738/female 427,875) 15-64 years: 66.8% (male 1,773,232/female 1,731,808) 65 years and over: 16.6% (male 349,826/female 518,270) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 41.8 years male: 40.3 years female: 43.4 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.112% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
10.39 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
10 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
0.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 3.5 deaths/1,000 live births male: 3.81 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.82 years male: 75.31 years female: 82.46 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.73 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1,500 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 100 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Finn(s) adjective: Finnish
Ethnic groups:
Finn 93.4%, Swede 5.6%, Russian 0.5%, Estonian 0.3%, Roma (Gypsy) 0.1%, Sami 0.1% (2006)
Religions:
Lutheran Church of Finland 82.5%, Orthodox Church 1.1%, other
Christian 1.1%, other 0.1%, none 15.1% (2006)
Languages:
Finnish 91.5% (official), Swedish 5.5% (official), other 3% (small
Sami- and Russian-speaking minorities) (2006)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (2000 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 17 years male: 17 years female: 18 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
6.4% of GDP (2005)
Government
Finland
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Finland conventional short form: Finland local long form: Suomen tasavalta/Republiken Finland local short form: Suomi/Finland
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Helsinki geographic coordinates: 60 10 N, 24 56 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
6 provinces (laanit, singular - laani); Aland, Etela-Suomen Laani (Southern Finland), Ita-Suomen Laani (Eastern Finland), Lansi-Suomen Laani (Western Finland), Lappi (Lapland), Oulun Laani
Independence:
6 December 1917 (from Russia)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 6 December (1917)
Constitution:
1 March 2000
Legal system:
civil law system based on Swedish law; the president may request the Supreme Court to review 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 Matti VANHANEN (since 24 June 2003); Deputy Prime Minister Jyrki KATAINEN (since 19 April 2007) cabinet: Council of State or Valtioneuvosto appointed by the president, responsible to parliament elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 15 January 2006 (next to be held in January 2012); the president appoints the prime minister and deputy prime minister from the majority party or the majority coalition after parliamentary elections and the parliament must approve the appointment; Prime Minister VANHANEN reelected 17 April 2007 election results: percent of vote - Tarja HALONEN (SDP) 46.3%, Sauli NIINISTO (Kok) 24.1%, Matti Vanhanen (Kesk) 18.6%, Heidi HAUTALA (VIHR) 3.5%; a runoff election between HALONEN and NIINISTO was held 29 January 2006 - HALONEN 51.8%, NIINISTO 48.2%; Matti VANHANEN reelected prime minister; election results 121-71 note: government coalition - Kesk, KOK, VIHR, and SFP
Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Eduskunta (200 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional basis to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 18 March 2007 (next to be held March 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - Kesk 23.1%, Kok 22.3%, SDP 21.4%, VAS 8.8%, VIHR 8.5%, KD 4.9%, SFP 4.5%, True Finns 4.1%, other 3.4%; seats by party - Kesk 51, Kok 50, SDP 45, VAS 17, VIHR 15, SFP 9, KD 7, True Finns 5, other 1
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Korkein Oikeus (judges appointed by the president)
Political parties and leaders:
Center Party or Kesk [Matti VANHANEN]; Christian Democrats or KD
[Paivi RASANEN]; Green Party or VIHR [Tarja CRONBERG]; Left Alliance
or VAS [Martti KORHONEN] (composed of People's Democratic League and
Democratic Alternative); National Coalition (conservative) Party or
Kok [Jyrki KATAINEN]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Eero
HEINALUOMA]; Swedish People's Party or SFP [Stefan WALLIN]; True
Finns [Timo SOINI]
International organization participation:
ADB (nonregional members), AfDB (nonregional members), Arctic
Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU,
ESA, EU, FAO, G-9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS
(observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, Schengen
Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOGIP,
UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Pekka LINTU chancery: 3301 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 298-5800 FAX: [1] (202) 298-6030 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Barbara BARRETT embassy: Itainen Puistotie 14B, 00140 Helsinki mailing address: APO AE 09723 telephone: [358] (9) 616250 FAX: [358] (9) 6162 5800
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; exports equal nearly two-fifths of GDP. Finland excels in high-tech exports, e.g., mobile phones. 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. High unemployment remains a persistent problem. In 2007 Russia announced plans to impose high tariffs on raw timber exported to Finland. The Finnish pulp and paper industry will be threatened if these duties are put into place in 2008 and 2009, and the matter is now being handled by the European Union.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$188.4 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$245 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
4.5% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$36,000 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3.1% industry: 32.6% services: 64.3% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
2.675 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture and forestry 4.4%, industry 18.6%, construction 6%, commerce 16.3%, finance, insurance, and business services 13.9%, transport and communications 7.6%, public services 33.2% (2004)
Unemployment rate:
6.9% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 4% highest 10%: 22.6% (2000)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
26 (2005)
Investment (gross fixed):
20.3% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $62.02 billion expenditures: $58.16 billion (2007)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
35.9% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.5% (2007 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
5.62% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
NA note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the Euro Area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 15 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi money circulating within their own borders
Stock of quasi money:
Stock of domestic credit:
$240.7 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
barley, wheat, sugar beets, potatoes; dairy cattle; fish
Industries:
metals and metal products, electronics, machinery and scientific instruments, shipbuilding, pulp and paper, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, clothing
Industrial production growth rate:
8.1% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
77.02 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
86.04 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
2.86 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
15.42 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 39% hydro: 18.7% nuclear: 30.4% other: 11.8% (2001)
Oil - production:
8,951 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
228,200 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - exports:
126,300 bbl/day (January-September 2007 est.)
Oil - imports:
281,300 bbl/day (January-September 2007 est.)
Oil - proved reserves:
NA bbl
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
4.581 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
4.576 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006)
Current account balance:
$11.4 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$89.91 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals; timber, paper, pulp
Exports - partners:
Germany 10.9%, Sweden 10.7%, Russia 10.3%, US 6.4%, UK 5.8%,
Netherlands 5.6% (2007)
Imports:
$78.05 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, transport equipment, iron and steel, machinery, textile yarn and fabrics, grains
Imports - partners:
Germany 15.8%, Russia 14%, Sweden 13.7%, Netherlands 6.8%, China 5.5%, UK 4.9% (2007)
Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $1.023 billion (2007)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$8.385 billion (2007)
Debt - external:
$271.2 billion (30 June 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$85.24 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$113 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$1.095 trillion (January 2008)
Currency (code):
euro (EUR)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003)
Communications
Finland
Telephones - main lines in use:
1.74 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
6.08 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: modern system with excellent service domestic: digital fiber-optic fixed-line network and an extensive cellular network provide domestic needs international: country code - 358; submarine cables provide links to Estonia and Sweden; 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:
120 (plus 431 repeaters) (1999); note - On 1 September 2007, Finland became one of the first countries in the world to broadcast all television signals digitally
Televisions:
3.2 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.fi; note - Aland Islands assigned .ax
Internet hosts:
3.877 million (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
3 (2002)
Internet users:
3.6 million (2007)
Transportation
Finland
Airports:
148 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 76 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 27 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 22 under 914 m: 15 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 72 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 68 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 694 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 5,741 km broad gauge: 5,741 km 1.524-m gauge (2,619 km electrified) (2006)
Roadways:
total: 78,821 km paved: 50,854 km (includes 700 km of expressways) unpaved: 27,967 km (2008)
Waterways:
7,842 km note: includes Saimaa Canal system of 3,577 km; southern part leased from Russia (2006)
Merchant marine:
total: 98 by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 28, carrier 1, chemical tanker 6, container 3, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 18, petroleum tanker 5, roll on/roll off 27, vehicle carrier 2 foreign-owned: 8 (Estonia 2, Germany 1, Norway 3, Sweden 2) registered in other countries: 47 (Bahamas 9, Germany 4, Gibraltar 3, Netherlands 14, Norway 1, Panama 2, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Sweden 12, UK 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Hamina, Helsinki, Kokkola, Kotka, Naantali, Pori, Raahe, Rauma, Turku
Military
Finland
Military branches:
Finnish Defense Forces (FDF): Army, Navy (includes Coastal Defense
Forces), Air Force (Suomen Ilmavoimat) (2007)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for male voluntary and compulsory national military and nonmilitary service; service obligation 6-12 months (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,169,910 females age 16-49: 1,121,187 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 965,131 females age 16-49: 923,224 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 34,152 female: 32,870 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
2% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
Finland
Disputes - international:
various groups in Finland advocate restoration of Karelia and other areas ceded to the Soviet Union, but the Finnish Government asserts no territorial demands
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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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 hybrid presidential-parliamentary governing system resistant to the instabilities experienced in earlier more purely parliamentary administrations. In recent years, its reconciliation and cooperation with Germany have proved central to the economic integration of Europe, including the introduction of a common exchange currency, the euro, in January 1999. At present, France is at the forefront of efforts to develop the EU's military capabilities to supplement progress toward an EU foreign policy.
Geography
France
Location:
metropolitan France: 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
French Guiana: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic
Ocean, between Brazil and Suriname
Guadeloupe: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the
North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Puerto Rico
Martinique: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North
Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago
Reunion: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of
Madagascar
Geographic coordinates:
metropolitan France: 46 00 N, 2 00 E
French Guiana: 4 00 N, 53 00 W
Guadeloupe: 16 15 N, 61 35 W
Martinique: 14 40 N, 61 00 W
Reunion: 21 06 S, 55 36 E
Map references:
metropolitan France: Europe
French Guiana: South America
Guadeloupe: Central America and the Caribbean
Martinique: Central America and the Caribbean
Reunion: World
Area:
total: 643,427 sq km; 547,030 sq km (metropolitan France) land: 640,053 sq km; 545,630 sq km (metropolitan France) water: 3,374 sq km; 1,400 sq km (metropolitan France) note: the first numbers include the overseas regions of French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Reunion
Area - comparative:
slightly less than the size of Texas
Land boundaries:
metropolitan France - 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 French Guiana - total: 1,183 km border countries: Brazil 673 km, Suriname 510 km
Coastline:
total: 4,668 km metropolitan France: 3,427 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (does not apply to the Mediterranean) continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate:
metropolitan France: 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 French Guiana: tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation Guadeloupe and Martinique: subtropical tempered by trade winds; moderately high humidity; rainy season (June to October); vulnerable to devastating cyclones (hurricanes) every eight years on average Reunion: tropical, but temperature moderates with elevation; cool and dry (May to November), hot and rainy (November to April)
Terrain:
metropolitan France: mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and west; remainder is mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south, Alps in east French Guiana: low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains Guadeloupe: 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 Martinique: mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano Reunion: mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coast
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Rhone River delta -2 m highest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 m
Natural resources:
metropolitan France: coal, iron ore, bauxite, zinc, uranium, antimony, arsenic, potash, feldspar, fluorspar, gypsum, timber, fish French Guiana: gold deposits, petroleum, kaolin, niobium, tantalum, clay
Land use:
arable land: 33.46% permanent crops: 2.03% other: 64.51% note: French Guiana - arable land 0.13%, permanent crops 0.04%, other 99.83% (90% forest, 10% other); Guadeloupe - arable land 11.70%, permanent crops 2.92%, other 85.38%; Martinique - arable land 9.09%, permanent crops 10.0%, other 80.91%; Reunion - arable land 13.94%, permanent crops 1.59%, other 84.47% (2005)
Irrigated land:
total: 26,190 sq km; metropolitan France: 26,000 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
189 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 33.16 cu km/yr (16%/74%/10%) per capita: 548 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
metropolitan France: flooding; avalanches; midwinter windstorms; drought; forest fires in south near the Mediterranean overseas departments: hurricanes (cyclones), flooding, volcanic activity (Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion)
Environment - current issues:
some forest damage from acid rain; 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-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, 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, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
largest West European nation
People
France
Population:
total: 64,057,792 note: 62,150,775 in metropolitan France (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 18.6% (male 6,091,571/female 5,803,127) 15-64 years: 65.2% (male 20,884,919/female 20,849,988) 65 years and over: 16.3% (male 4,335,996/female 6,092,189) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 39.2 years male: 37.7 years female: 40.7 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.574% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
12.73 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
8.48 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
1.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 3.36 deaths/1,000 live births male: 3.69 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 80.87 years male: 77.68 years female: 84.23 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.98 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.4% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
120,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 1,000 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women) adjective: French
Ethnic groups:
Celtic and Latin with Teutonic, Slavic, North African, Indochinese,
Basque minorities
overseas departments: black, white, mulatto, East Indian, Chinese,
Amerindian
Religions:
Roman Catholic 83%-88%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim 5%-10%,
unaffiliated 4%
overseas departments: Roman Catholic, Protestant, Hindu, Muslim,
Buddhist, pagan
Languages:
French 100%, rapidly declining regional dialects and languages (Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish) overseas departments: French, Creole patois
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 16 years male: 16 years female: 17 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
5.7% of GDP (2005)
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:
name: Paris geographic coordinates: 48 52 N, 2 20 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October note: applies to metropolitan France only, not to its overseas departments, collectivities, or territories
Administrative divisions:
26 regions (regions, singular - region); Alsace, Aquitaine, Auvergne, Basse-Normandie (Lower Normandy), Bourgogne (Burgundy), Bretagne (Brittany), Centre, Champagne-Ardenne, Corse (Corsica), Franche-Comte, Guadeloupe, Guyane (French Guiana), Haute-Normandie (Upper Normandy), Ile-de-France, Languedoc-Roussillon, Limousin, Lorraine, Martinique, Midi-Pyrenees, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Pays de la Loire, Picardie, Poitou-Charentes, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, Reunion, Rhone-Alpes note: France is divided into 22 metropolitan regions (including the "territorial collectivity" of Corse or Corsica) and 4 overseas regions (including French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Reunion) and is subdivided into 96 metropolitan departments and 4 overseas departments (which are the same as the overseas regions)
Dependent areas:
Clipperton Island, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, Mayotte, New Caledonia, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Martin, Wallis and Futuna note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica; New Caledonia has been considered a "sui generis" collectivity of France since 1999, a unique status falling between that of an independent country and a French overseas department
Independence:
486 (Frankish tribes unified); 843 (Western Francia established from the division of the Carolingian Empire)
National holiday:
Fete de la Federation, 14 July (1790); note - although often incorrectly referred to as Bastille Day, the celebration actually commemorates the holiday held on the first anniversary of the storming of the Bastille (on 14 July 1789) and the establishment of a constitutional monarchy; other names for the holiday are Fete Nationale (National Holiday) and quatorze juillet (14th of July)
Constitution:
adopted by referendum 28 September 1958, effective 4 October 1958 note: amended concerning election of president in 1962; amended to comply with provisions of 1992 EC Maastricht Treaty, 1997 Amsterdam Treaty, 2003 Treaty of Nice; amended to tighten immigration laws in 1993; amended in 2000 to change the seven-year presidential term to a five-year term; amended in 2005 to make the EU constitutional treaty compatible with the Constitution of France and to ensure that the decision to ratify EU accession treaties would be made by referendum
Legal system:
civil law system with indigenous concepts; review of administrative but not legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007) head of government: Prime Minister Francois FILLON (since 17 May 2007) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president at the suggestion of the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (changed from seven-year term in October 2000); election last held 22 April and 6 May 2007 (next to be held spring 2012); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly majority and appointed by the president election results: Nicolas SARKOZY wins the election; First Round: percent of vote - Nicolas SARKOZY 31.18%, Segolene ROYAL 25.87%, Francois BAYROU 18.57%, Jean-Marie LE PEN 10.44%, others 13.94%; Second Round: SARKOZY 53.1% and ROYAL 46.9%
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat (331 seats, 305 for metropolitan France, 9 for overseas departments, 5 for dependencies, and 12 for French nationals abroad; members are indirectly elected by an electoral college to serve six-year terms; one third elected every three years); note - between 2006 and 2011, 15 new seats will be added to the Senate for a total of 348 seats - 326 for metropolitan France and overseas departments, 2 for New Caledonia, 2 for Mayotte, 1 for Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, 1 for Saint-Barthelemy, 1 for Saint-Martin, 3 for overseas territories, and 12 for French nationals abroad; starting in 2008, members will be indirectly elected by an electoral college to serve six-year terms, with one-half elected every three years; and the National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (577 seats, 555 for metropolitan France, 15 for overseas departments, 7 for dependencies; members are elected by popular vote under a single-member majority system to serve five-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 26 September 2004 (next to be held in September 2008); National Assembly - last held 10 and 17 June 2007 (next to be held in June 2012) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 156, PS 97, UDF (now MoDem) 33, PCF 23, RDSE 15, other 7; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - UMP 46.37%, PS 42.25%, miscellaneous left wing parties 2.47%, PCF 2.28%, NC 2.12%, PRG 1.65%, miscellaneous right wing parties 1.17%, the Greens 0.45, other 1.24%; seats by party - UMP 313, PS 186, NC 22, miscellaneous left wing parties 15, PCF 15, miscellaneous right wing parties 9, PRG 7, the Greens 4, other 6
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:
Democratic Movement or MoDem [Francois BAYROU] (previously Union for
French Democracy or UDF); Democratic and Social European Rally or
RDSE [Pierre LAFFITTE] (mainly Radical Republican and Socialist
Parties, and PRG); French Communist Party or PCF [Marie-George
BUFFET]; Greens [Cecile DUFLOT]; Left Radical Party or PRG
[Jean-Michel BAYLET] (previously Radical Socialist Party or PRS and
the Left Radical Movement or MRG); Movement for France or MPF
[Philippe DE VILLIERS]; National Front or FN [Jean-Marie LE PEN];
New Center or NC [Herve MORIN]; Rally for France or RPF [Charles
PASQUA]; Republican and Citizen Movement or MRC [Jean Pierre
CHEVENEMENT and Georges SARRE]; Socialist Party or PS [Francois
HOLLANDE]; Union for a Popular Movement or UMP [Patrick DEVEDJIAN,
Jean-Claude GAUDIN, Jean-Pierre RAFFARIN, Pierre MEHAIGNERIE];
Radical Party [Jean-Louis BORLOO]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Confederation Francaise Democratique du Travail or CFDT, left-leaning labor union with approximately 803,000 members; Confederation Generale des Cadres or CGC, independent white-collar union with 196,000 members; Confederation Generale du Travail or CGT, historically communist labor union with approximately 700,000 members; Confederation Generale du Travail - Force Ouvriere or FO, independent labor union with an estimated 300,000 members; Mouvement des Entreprises de France or MEDEF, employers' union with 750,000 companies as members (claimed) French Guiana: conservationists; gold mining pressure groups; hunting pressure groups Guadeloupe: 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 an Independent Guadeloupe or MPGI; The Socialist Renewal Movement Martinique: Caribbean Revolutionary Alliance or ARC; Central Union for Martinique Workers or CSTM; Frantz Fanon Circle; League of Workers and Peasants; Proletarian Action Group or GAP Reunion: NA
International organization participation:
ADB (nonregional members), AfDB (nonregional members), Arctic
Council (observer), Australia Group, BDEAC, BIS, BSEC (observer),
CBSS (observer), CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FZ,
G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, InOC, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, MINURSO,
MINUSTAH, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW,
OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), Schengen Convention, SECI
(observer), SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNOMIG,
UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Pierre VIMONT chancery: 4101 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 944-6000 FAX: [1] (202) 944-6166 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, Washington, DC
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Craig R. STAPLETON embassy: 2 Avenue Gabriel, 75382 Paris Cedex 08 mailing address: PSC 116, APO AE 09777 telephone: [33] (1) 43-12-22-22 FAX: [33] (1) 42 66 97 83 consulate(s) general: Marseille, Strasbourg
Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), white, and red; known as the "Le drapeau tricolore" (French Tricolor), the origin of the flag dates to 1790 and the French Revolution; 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 has featured extensive government ownership and intervention to one that relies more on market mechanisms. The government has partially or fully privatized many large companies, banks, and insurers, and has ceded stakes in such leading firms as Air France, France Telecom, Renault, and Thales. It maintains a strong presence 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. Widespread opposition to labor reform has in recent years hampered the government's ability to revitalize the economy. In 2007, the government launched divisive labor reform efforts that will continue into 2008. France's tax burden remains one of the highest in Europe (nearly 50% of GDP in 2005). France brought the budget deficit within the eurozone's 3%-of-GDP limit for the first time in 2007 and has reduced unemployment to roughly 8%. With at least 75 million foreign tourists per year, France is the most visited country in the world and maintains the third largest income in the world from tourism.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$2.075 trillion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$2.56 trillion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2.1% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$32,600 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2.2% industry: 20.6% services: 77.2% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
27.91 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 4.1% industry: 24.4% services: 71.5% (1999)
Unemployment rate:
7.9% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
6.2% (2004)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3% highest 10%: 24.8% (2004)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
28 (2005)
Investment (gross fixed):
21.5% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $1.287 trillion expenditures: $1.356 trillion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
63.9% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.5% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
7.28% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
NA note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the Euro Area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 15 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi money circulating within their own borders
Stock of quasi money:
Stock of domestic credit:
$4.105 trillion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
wheat, cereals, sugar beets, potatoes, wine grapes; beef, dairy products; fish
Industries:
machinery, chemicals, automobiles, metallurgy, aircraft, electronics; textiles, food processing; tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
1.8% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
537.9 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
447.3 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
67.6 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
10.78 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 8.2% hydro: 14% nuclear: 77.1% other: 0.7% (2001)
Oil - production:
69,680 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
1.95 million bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - exports:
584,700 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
2.465 million bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
119.8 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
953 million cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
42.69 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
966 million cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
42.9 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
7.277 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
-$31.25 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$546 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
machinery and transportation equipment, aircraft, plastics, chemicals, pharmaceutical products, iron and steel, beverages
Exports - partners:
Germany 14.9%, Spain 9.3%, Italy 8.9%, UK 8.1%, Belgium 7.3%, US 6.1%, Netherlands 4.1% (2007)
Imports:
$600.9 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, vehicles, crude oil, aircraft, plastics, chemicals
Imports - partners:
Germany 18.9%, Belgium 11.4%, Italy 8.4%, Spain 7.1%, Netherlands 7%, UK 5.6%, US 4.4%, China 4% (2007)
Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $10.6 billion (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$115.7 billion (2006 est.)
Debt - external:
$4.396 trillion (30 June 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$942.3 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$1.307 trillion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$1.71 trillion (2005)
Currency (code):
euro (EUR)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003)
Communications
France
Telephones - main lines in use:
35.533 million; 34.8 million (metropolitan France) (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
56.719 million; 55.358 million (metropolitan France) (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: highly developed domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay; extensive introduction of fiber-optic cable; domestic satellite system international: country code - 33; numerous submarine cables provide links throughout Europe, Asia, Australia, the Middle East, and US; satellite earth stations - more than 3 (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 overseas departments: country codes: French Guiana - 594; Guadeloupe - 590; Martinique - 596; Reunion - 262
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:
metropolitan France - .fr; French Guiana - .gf; Guadeloupe - .gp; Martinique - .mq; Reunion - .re
Internet hosts:
14.256 million; 14,256,000 (metropolitan France) (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
62 (2000)
Internet users:
31.295 million; 30.838 million (metropolitan France) (2007)
Transportation
France
Airports:
476 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 292 over 3,047 m: 14 2,438 to 3,047 m: 27 1,524 to 2,437 m: 97 914 to 1,523 m: 80 under 914 m: 74 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 184 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 72 under 914 m: 108 (2007)
Heliports:
3 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 14,665 km; oil 3,032 km; refined products 4,947 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 29,370 km standard gauge: 29,203 km 1.435-m gauge (14,778 km electrified) narrow gauge: 167 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 951,500 km paved: 951,500 km (metropolitan France; includes 10,950 km of expressways) note: there are another 5,100 km of roadways in overseas departments (2006)
Waterways:
metropolitan France: 8,500 km (1,686 km accessible to craft of 3,000 metric tons) French Guiana: 3,760 km (460 km navigable by small oceangoing vessels and coastal and river steamers, 3,300 km by native craft) (2006)
Merchant marine:
total: 138 by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 1, chemical tanker 32, container 25, liquefied gas 12, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 33, petroleum tanker 23, roll on/roll off 7 foreign-owned: 38 (Belgium 6, China 5, Denmark 2, Germany 1, Italy 2, Japan 1, NZ 1, Norway 5, Saudi Arabia 1, Singapore 2, Sweden 9, Switzerland 1, Switzerland 2) registered in other countries: 127 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Australia 1, Bahamas 30, Belgium 2, Bermuda 1, Hong Kong 1, Indonesia 1, Isle of Man 1, Italy 2, Liberia 5, Luxembourg 17, Malta 5, Morocco 14, Netherlands 1, Norway 3, Panama 5, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6, Singapore 1, Taiwan 1, UK 23, Wallis and Futuna 6) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Bordeaux, Calais, Dunkerque, Le Havre, Marseille, Nantes, Paris,
Rouen, Strasbourg
Military
France
Military branches:
Army (Armee de Terre; includes Marines, Foreign Legion, Army Light
Aviation), Navy (Marine Nationale, includes Naval Air), Air Force
(Armee de l'Air, includes Air Defense), National Gendarmerie (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
17-40 years of age for male or female voluntary military service); no conscription; 12-month service obligation; women serve in noncombat military posts (2005)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 14,646,427 females age 16-49: 14,379,630 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 12,110,718 females age 16-49: 11,849,988 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 401,379 female: 382,409 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
2.6% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
France
Disputes - international:
Madagascar claims the French territories of Bassas da India, Europa
Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan de Nova Island; Comoros claims
Mayotte; Mauritius claims Tromelin Island; territorial dispute
between Suriname and the French overseas department of French
Guiana; France asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Adelie
Land); France and Vanuatu claim Matthew and Hunter Islands, east of
New Caledonia
Illicit drugs:
metropolitan France: transshipment point for South American cocaine, Southwest Asian heroin, and European synthetics French Guiana: small amount of marijuana grown for local consumption; minor transshipment point to Europe Martinique: transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for the US and Europe
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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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. In recent years, French Polynesia's autonomy has been considerably expanded.
Geography
French Polynesia
Location:
Oceania, archipelagoes in the South Pacific Ocean about half way between South America and Australia
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls) land: 3,660 sq km water: 507 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
2,525 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 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: 0.75% permanent crops: 5.5% other: 93.75% (2005)
Irrigated land:
10 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:
occasional cyclonic storms in January
Environment - current issues:
Geography - note:
includes five archipelagoes (four volcanic, one coral); 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:
283,019 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 24.8% (male 35,903/female 34,364) 15-64 years: 68.6% (male 100,700/female 93,492) 65 years and over: 6.6% (male 9,374/female 9,186) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 28.7 years male: 29 years female: 28.4 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.425% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
16.16 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
4.67 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
2.77 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 7.7 deaths/1,000 live births male: 8.84 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.51 years male: 74.07 years female: 79.08 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.95 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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 10%, no religion 6%
Languages:
French 61.1% (official), Polynesian 31.4% (official), Asian languages 1.2%, other 0.3%, unspecified 6% (2002 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 14 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98% (1977 est.)
Education expenditures:
( )
Government
French Polynesia
Country name:
conventional long form: Overseas Lands of French Polynesia conventional short form: French Polynesia local long form: Pays d'outre-mer de la Polynesie Francaise local short form: Polynesie Francaise former: French Colony of Oceania
Dependency status:
overseas lands of France; overseas territory of France from 1946-2004
Government type:
Capital:
name: Papeete geographic coordinates: 17 32 S, 149 34 W time difference: UTC-10 (5 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
none (overseas lands of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are five archipelagic divisions named Archipel des Marquises, Archipel des Tuamotu, Archipel des Tubuai, Iles du Vent, Iles Sous-le-Vent
Independence:
none (overseas lands of France)
National holiday:
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Constitution:
4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system:
the laws of France, where applicable, apply
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007), represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Adolphe COLRAT (since 7 July 2008) head of government: President of French Polynesia Gaston TONG SANG (since 15 April 2008); President of the Territorial Assembly Antony GEROS (since 9 May 2004) 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 for five-year terms (no term limits)
Legislative branch:
unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (57 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 27 January 2008 (first round) and 10 February 2008 (second round) (next to be held NA 2013) election results: percent of vote by party - Our Home alliance 45.2%, Union for Democracy alliance 37.2%, Popular Rally (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) 17.2% other 0.5%; seats by party - Our Home alliance 27, Union for Democracy alliance 20, Popular Rally 10 note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 27 September 1998 (next to be held in 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 in 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP/RPR 1, UMP 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:
Alliance for a New Democracy or ADN [Nicole BOUTEAU and Philip
SCHYLE](includes the parties The New Star and This Country is
Yours); Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia (Tavini
Huiraatira) [Oscar TEMARU]; New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api) [Emile
VERNAUDON]; Our Home alliance; People's Rally for the Republic of
Polynesia or RPR (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE]; Union for
Democracy alliance or UPD [Oscar TEMARU]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
International organization participation:
FZ, ITUC, PIF (associate member), SPC, UPU, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas lands of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas lands of France)
Flag description:
two narrow red horizontal bands encase a wide white band; centered on the white band is a disk with a blue and white wave pattern on the lower half and a 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
Government - note:
under certain acts of France, French Polynesia has acquired autonomy in all areas except those relating to police and justice, monetary policy, tertiary education, immigration, and defense and foreign affairs; the duties of its president are fashioned after those of the French prime minister
Economy
French Polynesia
Economy - overview:
Since 1962, when France stationed military personnel in the region, French Polynesia has changed from a subsistence agricultural 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 benefits substantially from development agreements with France aimed principally at creating new businesses and strengthening social services.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$4.58 billion (2003 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$3.8 billion (2002)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.1% (2002)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$17,500 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3.1% industry: 19% services: 77.8% (2005)
Labor force:
65,930 (December 2005)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 13% industry: 19% services: 68% (2002)
Unemployment rate:
11.7% (2005)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $865 million expenditures: $644.1 million (1999)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.1% (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products:
fish; coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits, coffee; poultry, beef, dairy products
Industries:
tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts, phosphates
Industrial production growth rate:
Electricity - production:
475 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
441.8 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 60.7% hydro: 39.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
6,082 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
6,271 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Exports:
$211 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - commodities:
cultured pearls, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat
Exports - partners:
France 46.3%, Japan 20.8%, Niger 12.8%, US 12.5% (2006)
Imports:
$1.706 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - commodities:
fuels, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment
Imports - partners:
France 52.7%, Singapore 14.9%, NZ 6.8%, US 6.6% (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
$579.8 million (2004)
Debt - external:
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 87.59 (2007), 94.97 (2006), 95.89 (2005), 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003) note: pegged at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro
Communications
French Polynesia
Telephones - main lines in use:
53,600 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
174,800 (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: country code - 689; 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 repeaters) (1997)
Televisions:
40,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.pf
Internet hosts:
14,070 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)
Internet users:
75,000 (2007)
Transportation
French Polynesia
Airports:
54 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 37 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 27 under 914 m: 3 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 17 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 8 (2007)
Heliports:
1 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 2,590 km paved: 1,735 km unpaved: 855 km (1999)
Merchant marine:
total: 15 by type: cargo 6, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 5, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1 registered in other countries: 2 (Wallis and Futuna 2) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Papeete
Military
French Polynesia
Military branches:
no regular military forces; Gendarmerie and National Police Force (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 79,540 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 64,287 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 2,699 female: 2,589 (2008 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues
French Polynesia
Disputes - international:
none
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@French Southern and Antarctic Lands
Introduction
French Southern and Antarctic Lands
Background:
In February 2007, the Iles Eparses became an integral part of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands (TAAF). The Southern Lands are now divided into five administrative districts, two of which are archipelagos, Iles Crozet and Iles Kerguelen; the third is a district composed of two volcanic islands, Ile Saint-Paul and Ile Amsterdam; the fourth, Iles Eparses, consists of five scattered tropical islands around Madagascar. They contain no permanent inhabitants and are visited only by researchers studying the native fauna, scientists at the various scientific stations, fishermen, and military personnel. The fifth district is the Antarctic portion, which consists of "Adelie Land," a thin slice of the Antarctic continent discovered and claimed by the French in 1840. Ile Amsterdam: Discovered but not named in 1522 by the Spanish, the island subsequently received the appellation of Nieuw Amsterdam from a Dutchman; it was claimed by France in 1843. A short-lived attempt at cattle farming began in 1871. A French meteorological station established on the island in 1949 is still in use. Ile Saint Paul: Claimed by France since 1893, the island was a fishing industry center from 1843 to 1914. In 1928, a spiny lobster cannery was established, but when the company went bankrupt in 1931, seven workers were abandoned. Only two survived until 1934 when rescue finally arrived. Iles Crozet: A large archipelago formed from the Crozet Plateau, Iles Crozet is divided into two main groups: L'Occidental (the West), which includes Ile aux Cochons, Ilots des Apotres, Ile des Pingouins, and the reefs Brisants de l'Heroine; and L'Oriental (the east), which includes Ile d'Est and Ile de la Possession (the largest island of the Crozets). Discovered and claimed by France in 1772, the islands were used for seal hunting and as a base for whaling. Originally administered as a dependency of Madagascar, they became part of the TAAF in 1955. Iles Kerguelen: This island group, discovered in 1772, is made up of one large island (Ile Kerguelen) and about 300 smaller islands. A permanent group of 50 to 100 scientists resides at the main base at Port-aux-Francais. Adelie Land: The only non-insular district of the TAAF is the Antarctic claim known as "Adelie Land." The US Government does not recognize it as a French dependency. Bassas da India: A French possession since 1897, this atoll is a volcanic rock surrounded by reefs and is awash at high tide. Europa Island: This heavily wooded island has been a French possession since 1897; it is the site of a small military garrison that staffs a weather station. Glorioso Islands: A French possession since 1892, the Glorioso Islands are composed of two lushly vegetated coral islands (Ile Glorieuse and Ile du Lys) and three rock islets. A military garrison operates a weather and radio station on Ile Glorieuse. Juan de Nova Island: 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. Tromelin Island: 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
French Southern and Antarctic Lands
Location:
southeast and east of Africa, islands in the southern Indian Ocean, some near Madagascar and others about equidistant between Africa, Antarctica, and Australia; note - French Southern and Antarctic Lands include Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul, Iles Crozet, Iles Kerguelen, Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, and Tromelin Island 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:
Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): 37 50 S, 77 32 E
Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): 38 72 S, 77 53 E
Iles Crozet: 46 25 S, 51 00 E
Iles Kerguelen: 49 15 S, 69 35 E
Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): 21 30 S, 39 50 E
Europa Island (Iles Eparses): 22 20 S, 40 22 E
Glorioso Islands (Iles Eparses): 11 30 S, 47 20 E
Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): 17 03 S, 42 45 E
Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): 15 52 S, 54 25 E
Map references:
Antarctic Region, Africa
Area:
Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): total - 55 sq km;
land - 55 sq km; water - 0 sq km
Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): total - 7 sq km;
land - 7 sq km; water - 0 sq km
Iles Crozet: total - 352 sq km; land - 352 sq km; water - 0 sq km
Iles Kerguelen: total - 7,215 sq km; land - 7,215 sq km; water - 0
sq km
Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): total - 80 sq km; land - 0.2 sq km;
water - 79.8 sq km (lagoon)
Europa Island (Iles Eparses): total - 28 sq km; land - 28 sq km;
water - 0 sq km
Glorioso Islands (Iles Eparses): total - 5 sq km; land - 5 sq km;
water - 0 sq km
Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): total - 4.4 sq km; land - 4.4 sq
km; water - 0 sq km
Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): total - 1 sq km; land - 1 sq km;
water - 0 sq km
note: excludes "Adelie Land" claim of about 500,000 sq km in
Antarctica that is not recognized by the US
Area - comparative:
Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): less than one-half
the size of Washington, DC
Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): more than 10 times
the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Iles Crozet: about twice the size of Washington, DC
Iles Kerguelen: a little larger than Delaware
Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): land area about one-third the size
of The Mall in Washington, DC
Europa Island (Iles Eparses): about one-sixth the size of
Washington, DC
Glorioso Islands (Iles Eparses): about eight times the size of The
Mall in Washington, DC
Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): about seven times the size of
The Mall in Washington, DC
Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): about 1.7 times the size of The Mall
in Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): 28 km
Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul):
Iles Kerguelen: 2,800 km
Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): 35.2 km
Europa Island (Iles Eparses): 22.2 km
Glorioso Islands (Iles Eparses): 35.2 km
Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): 24.1 km
Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): 3.7 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm from Iles Kerguelen and Iles Eparses (does not include the rest of French Southern and Antarctic Lands); Juan de Nova Island and Tromelin Island claim a continental shelf of 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate:
Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul: oceanic with persistent westerly
winds and high humidity
Iles Crozet: windy, cold, wet, and cloudy
Iles Kerguelen: oceanic, cold, overcast, windy
Iles Eparses: tropical
Terrain:
Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): a volcanic island with steep coastal cliffs; the center floor of the volcano is a large plateau Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): triangular in shape, the island is the top of a volcano, rocky with steep cliffs on the eastern side; has active thermal springs Iles Crozet: a large archipelago formed from the Crozet Plateau is divided into two groups of islands Iles Kerguelen: the interior of the large island of Ile Kerguelen is composed of rugged terrain of high mountains, hills, valleys, and plains with a number of peninsulas stretching off its coasts Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): atoll, awash at high tide; shallow (15 m) lagoon Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island: low, flat, and sandy Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): low, flat, sandy; likely volcanic seamount
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont de la Dives on Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul) 867 m; unnamed location on Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul) 272 m; Pic Marion-Dufresne in Iles Crozet 1,090 m; Mont Ross in Iles Kerguelen 1,850 m; unnamed location on Bassas de India (Iles Eparses) 2.4 m; unnamed location on Europa Island (Iles Eparses) 24 m; unnamed location on Glorioso Islands (Iles Eparses) 12 m; unnamed location on Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses) 10 m; unnamed location on Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses) 7 m
Natural resources:
fish, crayfish note: Glorioso Islands and Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses) have guano, phosphates, and coconuts
Land use:
Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul) - 100% trees, grasses, ferns, and moss; Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul) - 100% grass, ferns, and moss; Iles Crozet - 100% tossock grass, heath, and fern; Iles Kerguelen - 100% tossock grass and Kerguelen cabbage; Bassas da India (Iles Eparses) - 100% rock, coral reef, and sand; Europa Island (Iles Eparses) - 100% mangrove swamp and dry woodlands; Glorioso Islands (Iles Eparses) - 100% lush vegetation and coconut palms; Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses) - 90% forest, 10% other; Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses) - 100% grasses and scattered brush (2005)
Irrigated land:
0 sq km
Natural hazards:
Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are inactive volcanoes; Iles Eparses subject to periodic cyclones; Bassas da India is a maritime hazard since it is under water for a period of three hours prior to and following the high tide and surrounded by reefs
Environment - current issues:
introduction of foreign species on Iles Crozet has caused severe damage to the original ecosystem; overfishing of Patagonian Toothfish around Iles Crozet and Iles Kerguelen
Geography - note:
islands component is widely scattered across remote locations in the southern Indian Ocean Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): the atoll is a circular reef that sits atop a long-extinct, submerged volcano Europa Island and Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): wildlife sanctuary for seabirds and sea turtles Glorioso Island (Iles Eparses): the islands and rocks are surrounded by an extensive reef system Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): climatologically important location for forecasting cyclones in the western Indian Ocean; wildlife sanctuary (seabirds, tortoises)
People
French Southern and Antarctic Lands
Population:
no indigenous inhabitants Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): has no permanent residents but has a meteorological station Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): is uninhabited but is frequently visited by fishermen and has a scientific research cabin for short stays Iles Crozet: are uninhabited except for 18 to 30 people staffing the Alfred Faure research station on Ile del la Possession Iles Kerguelen: 50 to 100 scientists are located at the main base at Port-aux-Francais on Ile Kerguelen Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): uninhabitable Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): a small French military garrison and a few meteorologists on each possession; visited by scientists Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): uninhabited, except for visits by scientists
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 abbreviation: TAAF
Dependency status:
overseas territory of France since 1955; administered from Paris by Administrateur Superieur Eric PILLOTON (since 10 April 2007)
Administrative divisions:
none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are five administrative districts named Iles Crozet, Iles Eparses, Iles Kerguelen, Ile Saint-Paul et Ile Amsterdam; the fifth district is the "Adelie Land" claim in Antarctica that is not recognized by the US
Legal system:
the laws of France, where applicable, apply
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007), represented by Senior Administrator Rollon MOUCHEL-BLAISOT (16 October 2008)
International organization participation:
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, military bases, 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
Internet hosts:
38 (2008)
Communications - note:
one or more meteorological stations on each possession; note - meteorological station on Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses) is important for forecasting cyclones
Transportation
French Southern and Antarctic Lands
Airports:
4 (one each on Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, and Tromelin Island in the Iles Eparses district) (2006)
Ports and terminals:
none; offshore anchorage only
Transportation - note:
aids to navigation - lighthouses: Europa Island 18m; Juan de Nova Island (W side) 37m; Tromelin Island (NW point) 11m (all in the Iles Eparses district)
Military
French Southern and Antarctic Lands
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues
French Southern and Antarctic Lands
Disputes - international:
French claim to "Adelie Land" in Antarctica is not recognized by the
US
Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova
Island (Iles Eparses): claimed by Madagascar
Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): claimed by Mauritius
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Gabon
Introduction
Gabon
Background:
Only two autocratic presidents have ruled Gabon since independence from France in 1960. The current president of Gabon, El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba - one of the longest-serving heads of state in the world - has dominated the country's political scene for four decades. President BONGO introduced a nominal multiparty system and a new constitution in the early 1990s. However, allegations of electoral fraud during local elections in 2002-03 and the presidential elections in 2005 have exposed the weaknesses of formal political structures in Gabon. Gabon's political opposition remains weak, divided, and financially dependent on the current regime. Despite political conditions, a small population, abundant natural resources, and considerable foreign support have helped make Gabon one of the more prosperous and stable African countries.
Geography
Gabon
Location:
Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between
Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 267,667 sq km land: 257,667 sq km water: 10,000 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:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
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, natural gas, diamond, niobium, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 1.21% permanent crops: 0.64% other: 98.15% (2005)
Irrigated land:
70 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
164 cu km (1987)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.12 cu km/yr (50%/8%/42%) per capita: 87 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
Environment - current issues:
deforestation; poaching
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling 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:
1,485,832 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 42.1% (male 314,078/female 311,900) 15-64 years: 53.9% (male 399,586/female 401,602) 65 years and over: 3.9% (male 24,388/female 34,278) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 18.6 years male: 18.4 years female: 18.9 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.954% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
35.75 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
12.59 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-3.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 52.65 deaths/1,000 live births male: 61.27 deaths/1,000 live births female: 43.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 53.52 years male: 52.5 years female: 54.57 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
4.68 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
8.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
48,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
3,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria (2008)
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.)
Education expenditures:
3.8% of GDP (2000)
Government
Gabon
Country name:
conventional long form: Gabonese Republic conventional short form: Gabon local long form: Republique gabonaise local short form: Gabon
Government type:
republic; multiparty presidential regime
Capital:
name: Libreville geographic coordinates: 0 23 N, 9 27 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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:
Independence Day, 17 August (1960)
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 Ondimba (since 2 December 1967) head of government: Prime Minister Jean Eyeghe NDONG (since 20 January 2006) 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 (no term limits); election last held 27 November 2005 (next to be held in 2012); prime minister appointed by the president election results: President El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba reelected; percent of vote - El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba 79.2%, Pierre MAMBOUNDOU 13.6%, Zacharie MYBOTO 6.6%
Legislative branch:
bicameral legislature consists of the Senate (91 seats; members elected by members of municipal councils and departmental assemblies to serve six-year terms) and the National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (120 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 26 January and 9 February 2003 (next to be held by January 2009); National Assembly - last held 17 and 24 December 2006 (next to be held in December 2011) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDG 53, RNB 20, PGP 4, ADERE 3, RDP 1, CLR 1, independents 9; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDG 82, RPG 8, UPG 8, UGDD 4, ADERE 3, CLR 2, PGP-Ndaot 2, PSD 2, independents 4, others 5
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:
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]; Gabonese Party for
Progress or PGP [Benoit Mouity NZAMBA]; Gabonese Union for Democracy
and Development or UGDD [Zacherie MYBOTO]; National Rally of
Woodcutters or RNB; National Rally of Woodcutters-Rally for Gabon or
RNB-RPG (Bucherons) [Fr. Paul M'BA-ABESSOLE]; Party of Development
and Social Solidarity or PDS [Seraphin Ndoat REMBOGO]; People's
Unity Party or PUP [Louis Gaston MAYILA]; Social Democratic Party or
PSD [Pierre Claver MAGANGA-MOUSSAVOU]; Union for Democracy and
Social Integration or UDIS; Union of Gabonese Patriots or UPG
[Pierre MAMBOUNDOU]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA,
MINURCAT, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos BOUNGOU chancery: Suite 200, 2034 20th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 797-1000 FAX: [1] (202) 332-0668 consulate(s): New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Eunice S. REDDICK embassy: Boulevard du Bord de Mer, Libreville mailing address: Centre Ville, B. P. 4000, Libreville; pouch:2270 Libreville Place, Washington, DC 20521-2270 telephone: [241] 76 20 03 through 76 20 04, after hours - 07380171 FAX: [241] 74 55 07
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 of sub-Saharan African nations. but 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, poor fiscal management hobbles the economy. The devaluation of the CFA franc - its currency - by 50% in 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 mandated progress in privatization and fiscal discipline. France provided additional financial support in January 1997 after Gabon 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 since 1999 have helped growth, but drops in production have hampered Gabon from fully realizing potential gains, and will continue to temper the gains for most of this decade. 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. Gabon signed a 14-month Stand-By Arrangement with the IMF in May 2004, and received Paris Club debt rescheduling later that year. Short-term progress depends on an upbeat world economy and fiscal and other adjustments in line with IMF policies.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$20.44 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$11.3 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
6.2% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$14,000 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 6.1% industry: 58% services: 35.9% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
582,000 (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 60% industry: 15% services: 25%
Unemployment rate:
21% (2006 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Investment (gross fixed):
24.2% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $3.536 billion expenditures: $2.347 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
52.8% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
5.25% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
15% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$1.547 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$799.3 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$359.8 million (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a tropical softwood); fish
Industries:
petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, gold; chemicals, ship repair, food and beverages, textiles, lumbering and plywood, cement
Industrial production growth rate:
5.2% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
1.671 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
1.365 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 34.5% hydro: 65.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
243,900 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
13,170 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
255,500 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
2,485 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
2 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
100 million cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
100 million cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
28.32 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
$1.552 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$6.956 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
crude oil 77%, timber, manganese, uranium (2001)
Exports - partners:
US 32.5%, China 15.8%, France 9.4%, Malaysia 6%, Trinidad and Tobago 5% (2007)
Imports:
$2.107 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, construction materials
Imports - partners:
France 27.7%, US 19.1%, Belgium 5.4%, Netherlands 4.7%, China 4.1% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$53.87 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$1.238 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$4.895 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 481.83 (2007), 522.89 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003)
Communications
Gabon
Telephones - main lines in use:
26,500 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.169 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate service by African standards and improving with the help of a growing mobile cell network system with multiple providers; mobile-cellular subscribership reached 80 per 100 persons in 2007 domestic: adequate system of cable, microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, radiotelephone communication stations, and a domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations international: country code - 241; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and Asia; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 6, FM 7 (plus 11 repeaters), shortwave 4 (2001)
Radios:
208,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
4 (plus 4 repeaters) (2001)
Televisions:
63,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.ga
Internet hosts:
88 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2001)
Internet users:
145,000 (2007)
Transportation
Gabon
Airports:
53 (2007)
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 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 43 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 23 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 384 km; oil 1,427 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 814 km standard gauge: 814 km 1.435-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 9,170 km paved: 937 km unpaved: 8,233 km (2004)
Waterways:
1,600 km (310 km on Ogooue River) (2007)
Merchant marine:
registered in other countries: 2 (Cambodia 1, Panama 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Gamba, Libreville, Lucinda, Port-Gentil
Military
Gabon
Military branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Police
Military service age and obligation:
20 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 331,181 females age 16-49: 332,498 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 192,717 females age 16-49: 188,539 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 16,558 female: 16,577 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
3.4% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
Gabon
Disputes - international:
UN urges Equatorial Guinea and Gabon to resolve the sovereignty dispute over Gabon-occupied Mbane Island and lesser islands and to establish a maritime boundary in hydrocarbon-rich Corisco Bay
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 7,178 (Republic of Congo) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Gabon is predominantly a destination country for children trafficked from other African countries for the purpose of forced labor; girls are primarily trafficked for domestic servitude, forced market vending, forced restaurant labor, and sexual exploitation, while boys are trafficked for forced street hawking and forced labor in small workshops tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Gabon is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking in 2007, particularly in terms of efforts to convict and punish trafficking offenders; the government has not reported the convictions or sentences of any trafficking offenders; the government did not take steps to reduce demand for commercial sex acts (2008)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Gambia, The
Introduction
Gambia, The
Background:
The Gambia gained its independence from the UK in 1965. Geographically surrounded by Senegal, it formed a short-lived federation of Senegambia between 1982 and 1989. In 1991 the two nations signed a friendship and cooperation treaty, but tensions have flared up intermittently since then. Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH led a military coup in 1994 that overthrew the president and banned political activity. A new constitution and presidential elections in 1996, followed by parliamentary balloting in 1997, completed a nominal return to civilian rule. JAMMEH has been elected president in all subsequent elections, including most recently in late 2006.
Geography
Gambia, The
Location:
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and Senegal
Geographic coordinates:
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:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 18 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm continental shelf: extent not specified
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, titanium (rutile and ilmenite), tin, zircon, silica sand, clay, petroleum
Land use:
arable land: 27.88% permanent crops: 0.44% other: 71.68% (2005)
Irrigated land:
20 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
8 cu km (1982)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.03 cu km/yr (23%/12%/65%) per capita: 20 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling 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:
1,735,464 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 43.9% (male 382,385/female 378,853) 15-64 years: 53.4% (male 459,315/female 466,689) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 24,303/female 23,919) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 17.9 years male: 17.7 years female: 18 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.724% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
38.36 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
11.74 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
0.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 1.02 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 68.72 deaths/1,000 live births male: 75.07 deaths/1,000 live births female: 62.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 54.95 years male: 53.06 years female: 56.9 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.13 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.2% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
6,800 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
600 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, and yellow fever water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2008)
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% (2003 census)
Religions:
Muslim 90%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 2%
Languages:
English (official), Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, other indigenous vernaculars
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 40.1% male: 47.8% female: 32.8% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 7 years male: 7 years female: 7 years (2004)
Education expenditures:
2% of GDP (2004)
Government
Gambia, The
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of The Gambia conventional short form: The Gambia
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Banjul geographic coordinates: 13 27 N, 16 34 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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:
approved by national referendum 8 August 1996; effective 16 January 1997
Legal system:
based on a composite of English common law, Islamic 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 he 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); Vice President Isatou NJIE-SAIDY (since 20 March 1997) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (no term limits); election last held 22 September 2006 (next to be held in 2011) election results: Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH reelected president; percent of vote - Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH 67.3%, Ousainou DARBOE 26.6%, Halifa SALLAH 6.0%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (53 seats; 48 members elected by popular vote, 5 appointed by the president; to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 25 January 2007 (next to be held in 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - APRC 47, UDP 4, NADD 1, independent 1
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction or APRC (the
ruling party) [Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH]; Gambia People's Democratic
Party or GPDP [Henry GOMEZ]; National Alliance for Democracy and
Development or NADD [Halifa SALLAH]; 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]; United Democratic Party or UDP
[Ousainou DARBOE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
National Environment Agency or NEA; West African Peace Building
Network-Gambian Chapter or WANEB-GAMBIA; Youth Employment Network
Gambia or YENGambia
other: special needs group advocates; teachers and principals
International organization participation:
ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,
IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,
ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Abdul Rahman COLE chancery: Suite 600, 1424 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 785-1379 FAX: [1] (202) 785-1430
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Barry L. WELLS embassy: Kairaba Avenue, Fajara, Banjul mailing address: P. M. B. No. 19, Banjul telephone: [220] 439-2856, 437-6169, 437-6170 FAX: [220] 439-2475
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue with white edges, and green
Economy
Gambia, The
Economy - overview:
The Gambia has no confirmed mineral or natural resource deposits 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 The Gambia. The Gambia's natural beauty and proximity to Europe has made it one of the larger markets for tourism in West Africa. The government's 1998 seizure of the private peanut firm Alimenta eliminated the largest purchaser of Gambian groundnuts. Despite an announced program to begin privatizing key parastatals, no plans have been made public that would indicate that the government intends to follow through on its promises. Unemployment and underemployment rates remain extremely high; short-run economic progress depends on sustained bilateral and multilateral aid, on responsible government economic management, on continued technical assistance from the IMF and bilateral donors, and on expected growth in the construction sector.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$2.061 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$653 million (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
7% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,200 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 32.8% industry: 8.7% services: 58.5% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
400,000 (1996)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 75% industry: 19% services: 6% (1996)
Unemployment rate:
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.8% highest 10%: 37% (1998)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
50.2 (1998)
Investment (gross fixed):
25.4% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $181.1 million expenditures: $163.4 million (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.1% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
10% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
27.92% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$186.7 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$180.4 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$169.9 million (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
rice, millet, sorghum, peanuts, corn, sesame, cassava (tapioca), palm kernels; cattle, sheep, goats
Industries:
processing peanuts, fish, and hides; tourism, beverages, agricultural machinery assembly, woodworking, metalworking, clothing
Industrial production growth rate:
-2.3% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
200.2 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
143.6 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
2,082 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
41.62 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
2,123 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$71 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$88 million f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
peanut products, fish, cotton lint, palm kernels, re-exports
Exports - partners:
India 37.7%, China 17.5%, UK 8.7%, France 5.1%, Belgium 4.2% (2007)
Imports:
$271 million f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, manufactures, fuel, machinery and transport equipment
Imports - partners:
China 23.7%, Senegal 11.5%, Cote d'Ivoire 8.3%, Brazil 8%,
Netherlands 5.2% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$58.15 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$142.8 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$628.8 million (2003 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
dalasi (GMD)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
dalasis (GMD) per US dollar - 27.79 (2007), 28.066 (2006), 28.575 (2005), 30.03 (2004), 27.306 (2003)
Communications
Gambia, The
Telephones - main lines in use:
76,400 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
795,900 (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate; a packet switched data network is available; two mobile-cellular service providers domestic: adequate network of microwave radio relay and open-wire; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity reached 50 telephones per 100 persons in 2007 international: country code - 220; microwave radio relay links to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)
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 hosts:
320 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2001)
Internet users:
100,200 (2007)
Transportation
Gambia, The
Airports:
1 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 3,742 km paved: 723 km unpaved: 3,019 km (2004)
Waterways:
390 km (on River Gambia; small ocean-going vessels can reach 190 km) (2006)
Merchant marine:
total: 5 by type: passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 1 (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Banjul
Military
Gambia, The
Military branches:
Office of the Chief of Defense: Gambian National Army (National
Guard, GNA), Gambian Navy (GN) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 379,668 females age 16-49: 384,438 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 230,202 females age 16-49: 244,480 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 19,650 female: 19,582 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.5% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Gambia, The
Disputes - international:
attempts to stem refugees, cross-border raids, arms smuggling, and other illegal activities by separatists from southern Senegal's Casamance region, as well as from conflicts in other west African states
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 5,955 (Sierra Leone) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: The Gambia is a source, transit, and destination country for children and women trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation; women and girls, and to a lesser extent boys, are trafficked for sexual exploitation - in particular to meet the demand for European sex tourism - and for domestic servitude; boys are trafficked within the country for forced begging and street vending; Gambian women and children may be trafficked to Europe through trafficking schemes disguised as migrant smuggling tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - for a second consecutive year, The Gambia is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking; The Gambia failed to report any trafficking arrests, prosecutions, or convictions in 2007, and the government demonstrated weak victim protection efforts during the reporting period (2008)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Gaza Strip
Introduction
Gaza Strip
Background:
The September 1993 Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements provided for a transitional period of Palestinian self-rule in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Under a series of agreements signed between May 1994 and September 1999, Israel transferred to the Palestinian Authority (PA) security and civilian responsibility for Palestinian-populated areas of the West Bank and Gaza. Negotiations to determine the permanent status of the West Bank and Gaza stalled following the outbreak of an intifada in September 2000, as Israeli forces reoccupied most Palestinian-controlled areas. In April 2003, the Quartet (US, EU, UN, and Russia) presented a roadmap to a final settlement of the conflict by 2005 based on reciprocal steps by the two parties leading to two states, Israel and a democratic Palestine. The proposed date for a permanent status agreement was postponed indefinitely due to violence and accusations that both sides had not followed through on their commitments. Following Palestinian leader Yasir ARAFAT's death in late 2004, Mahmud ABBAS was elected PA president in January 2005. A month later, Israel and the PA agreed to the Sharm el-Sheikh Commitments in an effort to move the peace process forward. In September 2005, Israel unilaterally withdrew all its settlers and soldiers and dismantled its military facilities in the Gaza Strip and withdrew settlers and redeployed soldiers from four small northern West Bank settlements. Nonetheless, Israel controls maritime, airspace, and most access to the Gaza Strip. A November 2005 PA-Israeli agreement authorized the reopening of the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt under joint PA and Egyptian control. In January 2006, the Islamic Resistance Movement, HAMAS, won control of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC). The international community refused to accept the HAMAS-led government because it did not recognize Israel, would not renounce violence, and refused to honor previous peace agreements between Israel and the PA. HAMAS took control of the PA government in March 2006, but President ABBAS had little success negotiating with HAMAS to present a political platform acceptable to the international community so as to lift economic sanctions on Palestinians. The PLC was unable to convene throughout most of 2006 as a result of Israel's detention of many HAMAS PLC members and Israeli-imposed travel restrictions on other PLC members. Violent clashes took place between Fatah and HAMAS supporters in the Gaza Strip in 2006 and early 2007, resulting in numerous Palestinian deaths and injuries. ABBAS and HAMAS Political Bureau Chief MISHAL in February 2007 signed the Mecca Agreement in Saudi Arabia that resulted in the formation of a Palestinian National Unity Government (NUG) headed by HAMAS member Ismail HANIYA. However, fighting continued in the Gaza Strip, and in June, HAMAS militants succeeded in a violent takeover of all military and governmental institutions in the Gaza Strip. ABBAS dismissed the NUG and through a series of Presidential decrees formed a PA government in the West Bank led by independent Salam FAYYAD. HAMAS rejected the NUG's dismissal and has called for resuming talks with Fatah, but ABBAS has ruled out negotiations until HAMAS agrees to a return of PA control over the Gaza Strip and recognizes the FAYYAD-led government. FAYYAD and his PA government initiated a series of security and economic reforms to improve conditions in the West Bank. ABBAS participated in talks with Israel's Prime Minister OLMERT and secured the release of some Palestinian prisoners and previously withheld customs revenue. During a November 2007 international meeting in Annapolis Maryland, ABBAS and OLMERT agreed to resume peace negotiations with the goal of reaching a final peace settlement by the end of 2008.
Geography
Gaza Strip
Location:
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and
Israel
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Middle East
Area:
total: 360 sq km land: 360 sq km water: 0 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: 29% permanent crops: 21% other: 50% (2002)
Irrigated land:
150 sq km; note - includes West Bank (2003)
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:
strategic strip of land along Mideast-North African trade routes has experienced an incredibly turbulent history; the town of Gaza itself has been besieged countless times in its history
People
Gaza Strip
Population:
1,500,202 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 44.7% (male 343,988/female 325,856) 15-64 years: 52.7% (male 403,855/female 386,681) 65 years and over: 2.7% (male 16,196/female 23,626) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 17.2 years male: 17 years female: 17.4 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
3.422% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
37.75 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
3.53 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 19 deaths/1,000 live births male: 20.22 deaths/1,000 live births female: 17.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.16 years male: 71.6 years female: 74.83 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.19 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Nationality:
noun: NA adjective: NA
Ethnic groups:
Palestinian Arab
Religions:
Muslim (predominantly Sunni) 99.3%, Christian 0.7%
Languages:
Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by many Palestinians), English (widely understood)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.4% male: 96.7% female: 88% (2004 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 14 years male: 13 years female: 14 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
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:
High population density, limited land access, and strict internal and external security controls have kept economic conditions in the Gaza Strip - the smaller of the two areas under the Palestinian Authority (PA)- even more degraded than in the West Bank. The beginning of the second intifada in September 2000 sparked an economic downturn, largely the result of Israeli closure policies; these policies, which were imposed to address security concerns in Israel, disrupted labor and trade access to and from the Gaza Strip. In 2001, and even more severely in 2003, Israeli military measures in PA areas resulted in the destruction of capital, the disruption of administrative structures, and widespread business closures. The Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in September 2005 offered some medium-term opportunities for economic growth, but continued Israeli-imposed crossings closures, which became more restrictive after Hamas violently took over the territory in June 2007, have resulted in widespread private sector layoffs and shortages of most goods.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$5.034 billion (includes West Bank) (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$5.328 billion (includes West Bank) (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
-8% (includes West Bank) (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,100 (includes West Bank) (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 8% industry: 13% services: 79% (includes West Bank) (2006 est.)
Labor force:
267,000 (2006)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 12% industry: 18% services: 70% (2005)
Unemployment rate:
34.8% (2006)
Population below poverty line:
80% (2007 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $1.149 billion expenditures: $2.31 billion note: includes West Bank (2006)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.6% (includes West Bank) (2006)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
7.73% (31 December 2006)
Stock of money:
$1.574 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$3.048 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.455 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
olives, citrus, vegetables; beef, dairy products
Industries:
generally small family businesses that produce textiles, soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs; the Israelis had established some small-scale modern industries in an industrial center, but operations ceased prior to Israel's evacuation of Gaza Strip settlements
Industrial production growth rate:
2.4% (includes West Bank) (2005)
Electricity - production:
140,000 kWh (2005)
Electricity - consumption:
230,000 kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports:
90,000 kWh; note - from Israeli Electric Company (2005)
Exports:
$301 million f.o.b.; (includes West Bank) (2005)
Exports - commodities:
citrus, flowers, textiles
Exports - partners:
Israel, Egypt, West Bank (2006)
Imports:
$2.44 billion c.i.f.; (includes West Bank) (2005)
Imports - commodities:
food, consumer goods, construction materials
Imports - partners:
Israel, Egypt, West Bank (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
$1.4 billion; (includes West Bank) (2006 est.)
Debt - external:
Currency (code):
new Israeli shekel (ILS)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
new Israeli shekels (ILS) per US dollar - 4.14 (2007), 4.4565 (2006), 4.4877 (2005), 4.482 (2004), 4.5541 (2003)
Communications
Gaza Strip
Telephones - main lines in use:
350,400 (includes West Bank) (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.026 million (includes West Bank) (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: NA domestic: Israeli company BEZEK and the Palestinian company PALTEL are responsible for fixed line services; the Palestinian JAWAL company provides cellular services international: country code - 970 (2004)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 10, shortwave 0 (2008)
Radios:
NA; note - most Palestinian households have radios (1999)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (2008)
Televisions:
NA; note - most Palestinian households have televisions (1997)
Internet country code:
.ps; note - same as West Bank
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
3 (1999)
Internet users:
355,500 (includes West Bank) (2007)
Transportation
Gaza Strip
Airports:
2 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Heliports:
1 (2007)
Roadways:
note: see entry for West Bank
Ports and terminals:
Gaza
Military
Gaza Strip
Military branches:
in accordance with the peace agreement, the Palestinian Authority is not permitted conventional military forces; there are, however, public security forces (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 337,670 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 291,467 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 19,275 female: 18,309 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
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; Israel removed settlers and military personnel from the Gaza Strip in August 2005
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 1.017 million (Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA)) (2007)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Georgia
Introduction
Georgia
Background:
The region of present-day Georgia contained the ancient kingdoms of Colchis and Kartli-Iberia. The area came under Roman influence in the first centuries A.D. and Christianity became the state religion in the 330s. Domination by Persians, Arabs, and Turks was followed by a Georgian golden age (11th-13th centuries) that was cut short by the Mongol invasion of 1236. Subsequently, the Ottoman and Persian empires competed for influence in the region. 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. An attempt by the incumbent Georgian government to manipulate national legislative elections in November 2003 touched off widespread protests that led to the resignation of Eduard SHEVARDNADZE, president since 1995. New elections in early 2004 swept Mikheil SAAKASHVILI into power along with his National Movement party. Progress on market reforms and democratization has been made in the years since independence, but this progress has been complicated by Russian assistance and support to the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Georgian military action in South Ossetia in early August 2008 led to a Russian military response that not only occupied the breakaway areas, but large portions of Georgia proper as well. Russian troops pulled back from most occupied Georgian territory, but in late August 2008 Russia unilaterally recognized the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. This action was strongly condemned by most of the world's nations and international organizations.
Geography
Georgia
Location:
Southwestern Asia, bordering the Black Sea, between Turkey and Russia
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Asia
Area:
total: 69,700 sq km land: 69,700 sq km water: 0 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:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
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 Shkhara 5,201 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: 11.51% permanent crops: 3.79% other: 84.7% (2005)
Irrigated land:
4,690 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
63.3 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 3.61 cu km/yr (20%/21%/59%) per capita: 808 cu m/yr (2000)
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:
4,630,841 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.3% (male 402,961/female 352,735) 15-64 years: 67.1% (male 1,496,802/female 1,610,725) 65 years and over: 16.6% (male 307,795/female 459,823) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 38.3 years male: 35.8 years female: 40.7 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
-0.325% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
10.62 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
9.51 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-4.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.13 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.14 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 16.78 deaths/1,000 live births male: 18.81 deaths/1,000 live births female: 14.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.51 years male: 73.21 years female: 80.26 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.43 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
3,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Georgian(s) adjective: Georgian
Ethnic groups:
Georgian 83.8%, Azeri 6.5%, Armenian 5.7%, Russian 1.5%, other 2.5% (2002 census)
Religions:
Orthodox Christian 83.9%, Muslim 9.9%, Armenian-Gregorian 3.9%,
Catholic 0.8%, other 0.8%, none 0.7% (2002 census)
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: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (2004 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 12 years male: 12 years female: 13 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
3.1% of GDP (2006)
Government
Georgia
Country name:
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Georgia local long form: none local short form: Sak'art'velo former: Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: T'bilisi geographic coordinates: 41 43 N, 44 47 E time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
9 regions (mkharebi, singular - mkhare), 1 city (k'alak'i), and 2 autonomous republics (avtomnoy respubliki, singular - avtom respublika) regions: Guria, Imereti, Kakheti, Kvemo Kartli, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, Samegrelo and Zemo Svaneti, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Shida Kartli city: Tbilisi autonomous republics: Abkhazia or Ap'khazet'is Avtonomiuri Respublika (Sokhumi), Ajaria or Acharis Avtonomiuri Respublika (Bat'umi) note: the administrative centers of the two autonomous republics are shown in parentheses
Independence:
9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 26 May (1918); note - 26 May 1918 was the date of independence from Soviet Russia, 9 April 1991 was the date of independence from the Soviet Union
Constitution:
adopted 24 August 1995
Legal system:
based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Mikheil SAAKASHVILI (since 25 January 2004); the president is both the chief of state and head of government for the power ministries: state security (includes interior) and defense head of government: President Mikheil SAAKASHVILI (since 25 January 2004); Prime Minister Grigol MGALOBLISHVILI (since 1 November 2008); the president is both the chief of state and head of government for the power ministries: state security (includes interior) and defense; the prime minister is head of the remaining ministries of government cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 5 January 2008 (next to be held January 2013) election results: Mikheil SAAKASHVILI reelected president; percent of vote - Mikheil SAAKASHVILI 53.5%, Levan GACHECHILADZE 25.7%, Badri PATARKATSISHVILI 7.1%
Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Parlamenti (also known as Supreme Council or Umaghlesi Sabcho) (235 seats; 150 members elected by proportional representation, 75 from single-seat constituencies, and 10 represent displaced persons from Abkhazia; to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 21 May 2008 (next to be held in spring 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - National Movement-Democratic Front 59.2%, National Council-New Rights 17.7%, other parties 23.1%; seats by party - National Movement-Democratic Front 120, National Council-New Rights 16
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges elected by the Supreme Council on the president's or chairman of the Supreme Court's recommendation); Constitutional Court; first and second instance courts
Political parties and leaders:
Burjanadze-Democrats [Nino BURJANADZE]; Georgian People's Front
[Nodar NATADZE]; Georgian United Communist Party or UCPG
[Panteleimon GIORGADZE]; Georgia's Way Party [Salome ZOURABICHVILI];
Greens [Giorgi GACHECHILADZE]; Industry Will Save Georgia
(Industrialists) or IWSG [Georgi TOPADZE]; Labor Party [Shalva
NATELASHVILI]; National Council-New Rights (a bloc uniting a
nine-party alliance with New Rights); National Democratic Party or
NDP [Bachuki KARDAVA]; National Movement-Democratic Front [Mikheil
SAAKASHVILI] (bloc composed of National Movement and
Burjanadze-Democrats); National Movement [Mikheil SAAKASHVILI]; New
Rights [David GAMKRELIDZE]; Republican Party [David USUPASHVILI];
Socialist Party or SPG [Irakli MINDELI]; Traditionalists [Akaki
ASATIANI]; Union of National Forces-Conservatives [Koba DAVITASHVILI
and Zviad DZIDZIGURI]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: Georgian independent deputies from Abkhaz government in exile; separatists in the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia
International organization participation:
ACCT (observer), ADB, BSEC, CE, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, GUAM,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC,
MIGA, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SECI
(observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Vasil SIKHARULIDZE chancery: 2209 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 387-2390 FAX: [1] (202) 393-4537
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador John F. TEFFT embassy: 11 George Balanchine Street, T'bilisi 0131 mailing address: 7060 T'bilisi Place, Washington, DC 20521-7060 telephone: [995] (32) 27-70-00 FAX: [995] (32) 53-23-10
Flag description:
white rectangle, in its central portion a red cross connecting all four sides of the flag; in each of the four corners is a small red bolnur-katskhuri cross; the five-cross flag appears to date back to the 14th century
Economy
Georgia
Economy - overview:
Georgia's economy has sustained robust GDP growth of close to 10% in 2006 and 12% in 2007, based on strong inflows of foreign investment and robust government spending. However, a widening trade deficit and higher inflation are emerging risks to the economy. Areas of recent improvement include increasing foreign direct investment as well as growth in the construction, banking services and mining sectors. Georgia's main economic activities include the cultivation of agricultural products such as grapes, citrus fruits, and hazelnuts; mining of manganese and copper; and output of a small industrial sector producing alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, metals, machinery, aircraft and chemicals. The country imports nearly all its needed supplies of natural gas and oil products. It has sizeable hydropower capacity, a growing component of its energy supplies. Despite the severe damage the economy suffered due to civil strife in the 1990s, Georgia, with the help of the IMF and World Bank, has made substantial economic gains since 2000, achieving positive GDP growth and curtailing inflation. Georgia's GDP growth neared 10% in 2006 and 2007 despite restrictions on commerce with Russia. Areas of recent improvement include increased foreign direct investment as well as growth in the construction, banking services, and mining sectors. In addition, the reinvigorated privatization process has met with success. However, a widening trade deficit and higher inflation are emerging risks to the economy. Georgia has suffered from a chronic failure to collect tax revenues; however, the new government is making progress and has reformed the tax code, improved tax administration, increased tax enforcement, and cracked down on corruption. Government revenues have increased nearly four fold since 2003. Due to improvements in customs and financial (tax) enforcement, smuggling is a declining problem. Georgia has overcome the chronic energy shortages of the past by renovating hydropower plants and by bringing newly available natural gas supplies from Azerbaijan. It also has an increased ability to pay for more expensive gas imports from Russia. The country is pinning its hopes for long-term growth on a determined effort to reduce regulation, taxes and corruption in order to attract foreign investment. The construction on the Baku-T'bilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, the Baku-T'bilisi-Erzerum gas pipeline, and the Kars-Akhalkalaki Railroad are part of a strategy to capitalize on Georgia's strategic location between Europe and Asia and develop its role as a transit point for gas, oil and other goods.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$20.6 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$10.29 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
12% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$4,400 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 13% industry: 28.7% services: 58.3% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
2.02 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 55.6% industry: 8.9% services: 35.5% (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate:
13.6% (2006 est.)
Population below poverty line:
31% (2006)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.4% highest 10%: 27% (2005)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
40.4 (2003)
Investment (gross fixed):
29.4% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $3.68 billion expenditures: $3.08 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
9.3% (2007 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
20.41% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$1.154 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$1.379 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$3.374 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
citrus, grapes, tea, hazelnuts, vegetables; livestock
Industries:
steel, aircraft, machine tools, electrical appliances, mining (manganese and copper), chemicals, wood products, wine
Industrial production growth rate:
13.4% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
7.116 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
6.694 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
635 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
532 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 19.7% hydro: 80.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
979.1 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
12,980 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
2,492 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
15,820 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
35 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
10 million cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
1.49 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
1.48 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
8.495 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
-$2.044 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$2.104 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
scrap metal, wine, mineral water, ores, vehicles, fruits and nuts
Exports - partners:
Turkey 13%, US 11.2%, Azerbaijan 6.3%, UK 5.4%, Bulgaria 5.1%,
Ukraine 5%, Armenia 4.8%, Turkmenistan 4.5%, Canada 4.2% (2007)
Imports:
$4.977 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
fuels, vehicles, machinery and parts, grain and other foods, pharmaceuticals
Imports - partners:
Turkey 14%, Russia 12.3%, Ukraine 8.5%, Azerbaijan 7.3%, Germany 6.8%, US 5%, Bulgaria 4.6% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
ODA, $309.8 million (2005 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$1.361 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$4.5 billion (2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$1.39 billion (2007)
Currency (code):
lari (GEL)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
laris (GEL) per US dollar - 1.7 (2007), 1.78 (2006), 1.8127 (2005), 1.9167 (2004), 2.1457 (2003)
Communications
Georgia
Telephones - main lines in use:
544,000 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
2.4 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: fixed-line telecommunications network has only limited coverage outside Tbilisi; multiple mobile-cellular providers provide services to an increasing subscribership throughout the country domestic: cellular telephone networks now cover the entire country; 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: country code - 995; the Georgia-Russia fiber optic submarine cable provides connectivity to Russia; 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 hosts:
27,905 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
6 (2000)
Internet users:
360,000 (2007)
Transportation
Georgia
Airports:
23 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 19 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Heliports:
3 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 1,591 km; oil 1,253 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 1,612 km broad gauge: 1,575 km 1.520-m gauge (1,575 electrified) narrow gauge: 37 km 0.912-m gauge (37 electrified) (2006)
Roadways:
total: 20,329 km paved: 7,854 km (includes 13 km of expressways) unpaved: 12,475 km (2006)
Merchant marine:
total: 191 by type: bulk carrier 18, cargo 148, carrier 2, chemical tanker 1, container 4, liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 4, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 4, vehicle carrier 2 foreign-owned: 153 (China 10, Cyprus 1, Egypt 12, Germany 2, Greece 5, Hong Kong 2, Israel 2, Lebanon 4, Monaco 4, Nigeria 1, Romania 16, Russia 12, Syria 49, Turkey 14, Ukraine 18, UAE 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Bat'umi, P'ot'i
Transportation - note:
large parts of transportation network are in poor condition because of lack of maintenance and repair
Military
Georgia
Military branches:
Georgian Armed Forces: Land Forces, Navy (includes coast guard), Air and Air Defense Forces, National Guard (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 to 34 years of age for compulsory and voluntary active duty military service; conscript service obligation - 18 months (2005)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,113,251 females age 16-49: 1,168,021 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 910,720 females age 16-49: 967,566 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 35,917 female: 34,566 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.59% of GDP (2005 est.)
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:
Russia and Georgia agree on delimiting 80% of their common border, leaving certain small, strategic segments and the maritime boundary unresolved; OSCE observers monitor volatile areas such as the Pankisi Gorge in the Akhmeti region and the Argun Gorge in Abkhazia; UN Observer Mission in Georgia has maintained a peacekeeping force in Georgia since 1993; Meshkheti Turks scattered throughout the former Soviet Union seek to return to Georgia; boundary with Armenia remains undemarcated; ethnic Armenian groups in Javakheti region of Georgia seek greater autonomy from the Georgian government; Azerbaijan and Georgia continue to discuss the alignment of their boundary at certain crossing areas
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 1,100 (Russia) IDPs: 220,000-240,000 (displaced from Abkhazia and South Ossetia) (2007)
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 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Germany
Introduction
Germany
Background:
As Europe's largest economy and second most populous nation, Germany is a key member of the continent's economic, political, and defense organizations. European power struggles immersed Germany 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 1999, Germany and 10 other EU countries introduced a common European exchange 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:
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 357,021 sq km land: 349,223 sq km water: 7,798 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:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate:
temperate and marine; cool, cloudy, wet winters and summers; occasional warm mountain (foehn) wind
Terrain:
lowlands in north, uplands in center, Bavarian Alps in south
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Neuendorf bei Wilster -3.54 m highest point: Zugspitze 2,963 m
Natural resources:
coal, lignite, natural gas, iron ore, copper, nickel, uranium, potash, salt, construction materials, timber, arable land
Land use:
arable land: 33.13% permanent crops: 0.6% other: 66.27% (2005)
Irrigated land:
4,850 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
188 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 38.01 cu km/yr (12%/68%/20%) per capita: 460 cu m/yr (2001)
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-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
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, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
strategic location on North European Plain and along the entrance to the Baltic Sea
People
Germany
Population:
82,369,552 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 13.8% (male 5,826,066/female 5,524,568) 15-64 years: 66.2% (male 27,763,917/female 26,739,934) 65 years and over: 20% (male 6,892,743/female 9,622,320) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 43.4 years male: 42.2 years female: 44.7 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
-0.044% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
8.18 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
10.8 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
2.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.03 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.46 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.1 years male: 76.11 years female: 82.26 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.41 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
43,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 1,000 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: German(s) adjective: German
Ethnic groups:
German 91.5%, Turkish 2.4%, other 6.1% (made up largely of Greek,
Italian, Polish, Russian, Serbo-Croatian, 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% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 16 years male: 16 years female: 16 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
4.6% of GDP (2004)
People - note:
second most populous country in Europe after Russia
Government
Germany
Country name:
conventional long form: Federal Republic of Germany conventional short form: Germany local long form: Bundesrepublik Deutschland local short form: Deutschland former: German Empire, German Republic, German Reich
Government type:
federal republic
Capital:
name: Berlin geographic coordinates: 52 31 N, 13 24 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
16 states (Laender, singular - Land); Baden-Wuerttemberg, Bayern (Bavaria), Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hessen, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania), Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony), Nordrhein-Westfalen (North Rhine-Westphalia), Rheinland-Pfalz (Rhineland-Palatinate), Saarland, Sachsen (Saxony), Sachsen-Anhalt (Saxony-Anhalt), Schleswig-Holstein, Thueringen (Thuringia); note - Bayern, Sachsen, and Thueringen refer to themselves as free states (Freistaaten, singular - Freistaat)
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 Germany 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:
chief of state: President Horst KOEHLER (since 1 July 2004) head of government: Chancellor Angela MERKEL (since 22 November 2005) cabinet: Cabinet or Bundesminister (Federal Ministers) appointed by the president on the recommendation of the chancellor elections: president elected for a five-year term (eligible for a second term) by a Federal Convention, including all members of the Federal Assembly and an equal number of delegates elected by the state parliaments; election last held 23 May 2004 (next scheduled for 23 May 2009); chancellor elected by an absolute majority of the Federal Assembly for a four-year term; Bundestag vote for Chancellor last held 22 November 2005 (next will follow the national elections to be held by autumn 2009) election results: Horst KOEHLER elected president; received 604 votes of the Federal Convention against 589 for Gesine SCHWAN; Angela MERKEL elected chancellor; vote by Federal Assembly 397 to 202 with 12 abstentions
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Federal Assembly or Bundestag (614 seats; 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 proportional representation and caucus recognition; to serve four-year terms) and the Federal Council or Bundesrat (69 votes; state governments are directly represented by votes; each has three to six votes depending on population and are required to vote as a block) elections: Bundestag - last held on 18 September 2005 (next to be held no later than autumn 2009); 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: Bundestag - percent of vote by party - CDU/CSU 35.2%, SPD 34.3%, FDP 9.8%, Left 8.7%, Greens 8.1%, other 3.9%; seats by party - CDU/CSU 225, SPD 222, FDP 61, Left 53, Greens 51, independents 2
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 Cem OEZDEMIR]; Christian
Democratic Union or CDU [Angela MERKEL]; Christian Social Union or
CSU [Horst SEEHOFER]; Free Democratic Party or FDP [Guido
WESTERWELLE]; Left Party or Die Linke [Lothar BISKY and Oskar
LAFONTAINE]; Social Democratic Party or SPD [Franz MUENTEFERING]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: business associations and employers' organizations; religious, trade unions, immigrant, expellee, and veterans groups
International organization participation:
ADB (nonregional members), AfDB (nonregional members), Arctic
Council (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS,
CDB, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G-5, G-7, G-8,
G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO,
ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD,
OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI (observer),
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOMIG,
UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Klaus SCHARIOTH chancery: 4645 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 298-4000 FAX: [1] (202) 298-4249 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador William R. TIMKEN, Jr. embassy: Pariser Platz 2, 10117 Berlin; note - new embassy opened 4 July 2008 mailing address: PSC 120, Box 1000, APO AE 09265, clayallee 170, 14195 Berlin telephone: [49] (030) 2385174 FAX: [49] (030) 8305-1215 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 - the fifth largest in the world in PPP terms - showed considerable improvement in 2007 with 2.6% growth. After a long period of stagnation with an average growth rate of 0.7% between 2001-05 and chronically high unemployment, stronger growth led to a considerable fall in unemployment to about 8% near the end of 2007. Among the most important reasons for Germany's high unemployment during the past decade were macroeconomic stagnation, the declining level of investment in plant and equipment, company restructuring, flat domestic consumption, structural rigidities in the labor market, lack of competition in the service sector, and high interest rates. The modernization and integration of the eastern German economy continues to be a costly long-term process, with annual transfers from west to east amounting to roughly $80 billion. The former government of Chancellor Gerhard SCHROEDER launched a comprehensive set of reforms of labor market and welfare-related institutions. The current government of Chancellor Angela MERKEL has initiated other reform measures, such as a gradual increase in the mandatory retirement age from 65 to 67 and measures to increase female participation in the labor market. Germany's aging population, combined with high chronic unemployment, has pushed social security outlays to a level exceeding contributions, but higher government revenues from the cyclical upturn in 2006-07 and a 3% rise in the value-added tax pushed Germany's budget deficit well below the EU's 3% debt limit. Corporate restructuring and growing capital markets are setting the foundations that could help Germany meet the long-term challenges of European economic integration and globalization, although some economists continue to argue the need for change in inflexible labor and services markets. Growth may fall below 2% in 2008 as the strong euro, high oil prices, tighter credit markets, and slowing growth abroad take their toll.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$2.807 trillion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$3.322 trillion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2.5% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$34,100 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 0.9% industry: 30.1% services: 69% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
43.54 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 2.8% industry: 33.4% services: 63.8% (1999)
Unemployment rate:
9% note: this is the International Labor Organization's estimated rate for international comparisons; Germany's Federal Employment Office estimated a seasonally adjusted rate of 10.8% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
11% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 22.1% (2000)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
28 (2005)
Investment (gross fixed):
18.5% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $1.454 trillion expenditures: $1.453 trillion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
64.9% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.3% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
5.96% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
NA note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the Euro Area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 15 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi money circulating within their own borders
Stock of quasi money:
Stock of domestic credit:
$5.081 trillion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
potatoes, wheat, barley, sugar beets, fruit, cabbages; cattle, pigs, poultry
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:
5.2% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
594.7 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
549.1 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
62.51 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
46.13 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 61.8% hydro: 4.2% nuclear: 29.9% other: 4.1% (2001)
Oil - production:
148,100 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
2.456 million bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - exports:
563,400 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
3.026 million bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
367 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
17.96 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
97.44 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
12.22 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
88.35 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
254.8 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
$254.5 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$1.354 trillion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
machinery, vehicles, chemicals, metals and manufactures, foodstuffs, textiles
Exports - partners:
France 9.7%, US 7.5%, UK 7.3%, Italy 6.7%, Netherlands 6.4%, Austria 5.4%, Belgium 5.3%, Spain 5% (2007)
Imports:
$1.075 trillion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery, vehicles, chemicals, foodstuffs, textiles, metals
Imports - partners:
Netherlands 12%, France 8.6%, Belgium 7.8%, China 6.2%, Italy 5.8%,
UK 5.6%, US 4.5%, Austria 4.4% (2007)
Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $10.44 billion (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$136.2 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$4.489 trillion (30 June 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$855.8 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$1.218 trillion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$1.221 trillion (2005)
Currency (code):
euro (EUR)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003)
Communications
Germany
Telephones - main lines in use:
53.75 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
97.151 million (2007)
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: Germany is served by an extensive system of automatic telephone 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: country code - 49; 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 hosts:
22.606 million (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
200 (2001)
Internet users:
42.5 million (2007)
Transportation
Germany
Airports:
550 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 331 over 3,047 m: 14 2,438 to 3,047 m: 52 1,524 to 2,437 m: 58 914 to 1,523 m: 72 under 914 m: 135 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 219 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 34 under 914 m: 181 (2007)
Heliports:
28 (2007)
Pipelines:
condensate 37 km; gas 25,094 km; oil 3,546 km; refined products 3,828 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 48,215 km standard gauge: 47,962 km 1.435-m gauge (20,278 km electrified) narrow gauge: 229 km 1.000-m gauge (16 km electrified); 24 km 0.750-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 644,480 km paved: 644,480 km (includes 12,400 km of expressways) note: includes local roads (2006)
Waterways:
7,467 km note: Rhine River carries most goods; Main-Danube Canal links North Sea and Black Sea (2006)
Merchant marine:
total: 393 by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 43, chemical tanker 13, container 284, liquefied gas 5, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 27, petroleum tanker 11, roll on/roll off 3 foreign-owned: 11 (China 2, Cyprus 2, Denmark 1, Finland 4, Netherlands 1, Sweden 1) registered in other countries: 2,998 (Antigua and Barbuda 941, Australia 2, Bahamas 44, Bermuda 22, Brazil 6, Bulgaria 63, Burma 1, Canada 3, Cayman Islands 15, Cyprus 189, Denmark 9, Denmark 1, Estonia 1, Finland 1, France 1, Georgia 2, Gibraltar 129, Hong Kong 6, India 2, Indonesia 1, Isle of Man 56, Jamaica 4, Liberia 849, Luxembourg 5, Malaysia 1, Malta 91, Marshall Islands 235, Mongolia 4, Morocco 2, Netherlands 75, Netherlands Antilles 43, Norway 1, NZ 1, Panama 44, Portugal 2, Portugal 18, Russia 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3, Singapore 24, Slovakia 3, Spain 1, Spain 4, Sri Lanka 5, Sweden 5, Turkey 1, UK 76, US 5) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Bremen, Bremerhaven, Duisburg, Hamburg, Karlsruhe, Lubeck, Rostock,
Wilhemshaven
Military
Germany
Military branches:
Federal Armed Forces (Bundeswehr): Army (Heer), Navy (Deutsche
Marine, includes naval air arm), Air Force (Luftwaffe), Central
Medical Service (Zentraler Sanitaetsdienst) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age (conscripts serve a 9-month tour of compulsory military service) (2004)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 19,594,118 females age 16-49: 18,543,955 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 15,906,930 females age 16-49: 15,051,183 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 442,972 female: 420,801 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.5% of GDP (2005 est.)
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; major financial center
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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 sub-Saharan country in colonial Africa to gain its independence. Ghana endured a long series of coups before Lt. Jerry RAWLINGS took power in 1981 and banned political parties. After approving a new constitution and restoring multiparty politics in 1992, RAWLINGS won presidential elections in 1992 and 1996, but was constitutionally prevented from running for a third term in 2000. John KUFUOR succeeded him and was reelected in 2004. Kufuor is constitutionally barred from running for a third term in upcoming Presidential elections, which are scheduled for December 2008.
Geography
Ghana
Location:
Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote d'Ivoire and Togo
Geographic coordinates:
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:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 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, petroleum, silver, salt, limestone
Land use:
arable land: 17.54% permanent crops: 9.22% other: 73.24% (2005)
Irrigated land:
310 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
53.2 cu km (2001)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.98 cu km/yr (24%/10%/66%) per capita: 44 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, 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:
23,382,848 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 37.8% (male 4,470,382/female 4,360,359) 15-64 years: 58.7% (male 6,852,363/female 6,866,470) 65 years and over: 3.6% (male 386,150/female 447,124) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 20.4 years male: 20.2 years female: 20.7 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.928% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
29.22 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
9.39 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.55 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 52.31 deaths/1,000 live births male: 56.64 deaths/1,000 live births female: 47.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 59.49 years male: 58.65 years female: 60.35 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.78 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
3.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
350,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
30,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Ghanaian(s) adjective: Ghanaian
Ethnic groups:
Akan 45.3%, Mole-Dagbon 15.2%, Ewe 11.7%, Ga-Dangme 7.3%, Guan 4%, Gurma 3.6%, Grusi 2.6%, Mande-Busanga 1%, other tribes 1.4%, other 7.8% (2000 census)
Religions:
Christian 68.8% (Pentecostal/Charismatic 24.1%, Protestant 18.6%, Catholic 15.1%, other 11%), Muslim 15.9%, traditional 8.5%, other 0.7%, none 6.1% (2000 census)
Languages:
Asante 14.8%, Ewe 12.7%, Fante 9.9%, Boron (Brong) 4.6%, Dagomba 4.3%, Dangme 4.3%, Dagarte (Dagaba) 3.7%, Akyem 3.4%, Ga 3.4%, Akuapem 2.9%, other 36.1% (includes English (official)) (2000 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 57.9% male: 66.4% female: 49.8% (2000 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 9 years male: 10 years female: 9 years (2007)
Education expenditures:
5.4% of GDP (2005)
Government
Ghana
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Ghana conventional short form: Ghana former: Gold Coast
Government type:
constitutional democracy
Capital:
name: Accra geographic coordinates: 5 33 N, 0 13 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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:
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) cabinet: Council of Ministers; president nominates members subject to approval by Parliament elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 7 December 2004 (next to be held 7 December 2008) election results: John Agyekum KUFUOR reelected president in election; percent of vote - John KUFUOR 52.4%, John ATTA-MILLS 44.6%
Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament (230 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 7 December 2004 (next to be held 7 December 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NPP 128, NDC 94, PNC 4, CPP 3, independent 1
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:
Convention People's Party or CPP [Ladi NYLANDER]; Democratic Freedom
Party or DFP [Alhaji Abudu Rahman ISSAKAH]; Every Ghanaian Living
Everywhere or EGLE; Great Consolidated Popular Party or GCPP [Dan
LARTEY]; National Democratic Congress or NDC [Dr. Kwabena ADJEI];
New Patriotic Party or NPP [Peter MAC-MANU]; People's National
Convention or PNC [Alhaji Amed RAMADAN]; Reform Party [Kyeretwie
OPUKU]; United Renaissance Party or URP [Charles WAYO]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Christian Aid (water rights); Committee for Joint Action or CJA (education reform); National Coalition Against the Privatization of Water or CAP (water rights); Oxfam (water rights); Public Citizen (water rights); Students Coalition Against EPA [Kwabena Ososukene OKAI] (education reform); Third World Network (education reform)
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, MINURSO, MONUC,
NAM, OAS (observer), OIF (associate member), OPCW, UN, UNAMID,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNOMIG,
UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Kwame BAWUAH-EDUSEI chancery: 3512 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 785-1379 FAX: [1] (202) 785-1430 consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Donald G. TEITELBAUM embassy: 24 4th Circular Rd. Cantonments, Accra mailing address: P. O. Box 194, Accra telephone: [233] (21) 741-000 FAX: [233] (21) 741-389
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 poorest countries in West Africa. Even so, Ghana remains heavily dependent on international financial and technical assistance. Gold and cocoa production, and individual remittances, are major sources of foreign exchange. The domestic economy continues to revolve around agriculture, which accounts for about 35% of GDP and employs about 55% of the work force, mainly small landholders. Ghana opted for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) program in 2002, and is also benefiting from the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative that took effect in 2006. Thematic priorities under its current Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy, which also provides the framework for development partner assistance, are: macroeconomic stability; private sector competitiveness; human resource development; and good governance and civic responsibility. Sound macro-economic management along with high prices for gold and cocoa helped sustain GDP growth in 2007. Ghana signed a Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact in 2006, which aims to assist in transforming Ghana's agricultural sector.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$31.13 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$14.86 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.5% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,400 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 37.3% industry: 25.3% services: 37.5% (2006 est.)
Labor force:
11.29 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 56% industry: 15% services: 29% (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate:
11% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line:
28.5% (2007 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.2% highest 10%: 30.1% (1999)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
39.4 (2005-06)
Investment (gross fixed):
31.6% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $4.262 billion expenditures: $5.481 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
58.5% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
10.7% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
13.5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Stock of money:
$2.179 billion (31 December 2006)
Stock of quasi money:
$2.174 billion (31 December 2006)
Stock of domestic credit:
$4.173 billion (31 December 2006)
Agriculture - products:
cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, corn, shea nuts, bananas; timber
Industries:
mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum smelting, food processing, cement, small commercial ship building
Industrial production growth rate:
7.8% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
8.204 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
6.76 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
755 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - imports:
629 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 5% hydro: 95% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
7,571 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
49,300 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
5,709 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
45,520 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
15 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
22.65 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
-$1.549 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$4.162 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
gold, cocoa, timber, tuna, bauxite, aluminum, manganese ore, diamonds, horticulture
Exports - partners:
Netherlands 11%, UK 9%, France 6.2%, US 5.9%, Germany 4.6%, Belgium 4.4% (2007)
Imports:
$8.053 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
Nigeria 15.1%, China 14.9%, UK 5.2%, US 5.1% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$1.316 billion in loans and grants (2007)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$2.204 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$4.891 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$13.01 billion (2007)
Currency (code):
Ghana cedi (GHC)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
cedis (GHC) per US dollar - 0.95 (2007), 9,174.8 (2006), 9,072.5 (2005), 9,004.6 (2004), 8,677.4 (2003) note: in 2007 Ghana revalued its currency with 10,000 old cedis equal to 1 new cedis
Communications
Ghana
Telephones - main lines in use:
376,500 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
7.604 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: outdated and unreliable fixed-line infrastructure heavily concentrated in Accra; competition among multiple mobile-cellular providers has spurred growth with subscribership about 35 per 100 persons and rising domestic: primarily microwave radio relay; wireless local loop has been installed international: country code - 233; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and Asia; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay link to Panaftel system connects Ghana to its neighbors (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 86, shortwave 3 (2007)
Radios:
12.5 million (2001)
Television broadcast stations:
7 (2007)
Televisions:
1.9 million (2001)
Internet country code:
.gh
Internet hosts:
24,018 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
12 (2000)
Internet users:
650,000 (2007)
Transportation
Ghana
Airports:
12 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 7 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (2007)
Pipelines:
oil 13 km; refined products 316 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 953 km narrow gauge: 953 km 1.067-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 62,221 km paved: 9,955 km unpaved: 52,266 km (2006)
Waterways:
1,293 km note: 168 km for launches and lighters on Volta, Ankobra, and Tano rivers; 1,125 km of arterial and feeder waterways on Lake Volta (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 4 by type: petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 3 foreign-owned: 1 (Brazil 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Tema
Military
Ghana
Military branches:
Ghanaian Army, Ghanaian Navy, Ghanaian Air Force (2007)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 5,802,096 females age 16-49: 5,729,939 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 3,737,481 females age 16-49: 3,729,699 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 273,265 female: 267,204 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.8% of GDP (2006 est.)
Transnational Issues
Ghana
Disputes - international:
Ghana struggles to accommodate returning nationals who worked in the cocoa plantations and escaped fighting in Cote d'Ivoire
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 35,653 (Liberia); 8,517 (Togo) (2007)
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; widespread crime and money laundering problem, but the lack of a well developed financial infrastructure limits the country's utility as a money laundering center; significant domestic cocaine and cannabis use
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Gibraltar
Introduction
Gibraltar
Background:
Strategically important, Gibraltar was reluctantly ceded to Great Britain by Spain in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht; the British garrison was formally declared a colony in 1830. In a referendum held in 1967, Gibraltarians voted overwhelmingly to remain a British dependency. The subsequent granting of autonomy in 1969 by the UK led to Spain closing the border and severing all communication links. A series of talks were held by the UK and Spain between 1997 and 2002 on establishing temporary joint sovereignty over Gibraltar. In response to these talks, the Gibraltar Government called a referendum in late 2002 in which the majority of citizens voted overwhelmingly against any sharing of sovereignty with Spain. Since the referendum, tripartite talks on other issues have been held with Spain, the UK, and Gibraltar, and in September 2006 a three-way agreement was signed. Spain agreed to remove restrictions on air movements, to speed up customs procedures, to implement international telephone dialing, and to allow mobile roaming agreements. Britain agreed to pay increased pensions to Spaniards who had been employed in Gibraltar before the border closed. Spain will be allowed to open a cultural institute from which the Spanish flag will fly. A new noncolonial constitution came into effect in 2007, but the UK retains responsibility for defense, foreign relations, internal security, and financial stability.
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:
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 6.5 sq km land: 6.5 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
a little less than one half the size of Rhode Island
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:
none
Land use:
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Natural hazards:
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:
28,002 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.9% (male 2,426/female 2,309) 15-64 years: 66.6% (male 9,507/female 9,153) 65 years and over: 16.5% (male 2,103/female 2,504) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 40.3 years male: 39.8 years female: 40.7 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.125% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
10.71 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
9.46 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.84 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.91 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.46 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 80.06 years male: 77.17 years female: 83.09 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.65 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Nationality:
noun: Gibraltarian(s) adjective: Gibraltar
Ethnic groups:
Spanish, Italian, English, Maltese, Portuguese, German, North
Africans
Religions:
Roman Catholic 78.1%, Church of England 7%, other Christian 3.2%, Muslim 4%, Jewish 2.1%, Hindu 1.8%, other or unspecified 0.9%, none 2.9% (2001 census)
Languages:
English (used in schools and for official purposes), Spanish,
Italian, Portuguese
Literacy:
definition: NA total population: above 80% male: NA female: NA
Education expenditures:
Government
Gibraltar
Country name:
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Gibraltar
Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK
Government type:
Capital:
name: Gibraltar geographic coordinates: 36 08 N, 5 21 W time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Independence:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
National holiday:
National Day, 10 September (1967); note - day of the national referendum to decide whether to remain with the UK or go with Spain
Constitution:
5 June 2006; came into force 2 January 2007
Legal system:
the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal; and British citizens who have been residents six months or more
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Sir Robert FULTON (since 27 October 2006) head of government: Chief Minister Peter CARUANA (since 17 May 1996) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed from among the 17 elected members of the Parliament by the governor in consultation with the chief minister elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed chief minister by the governor
Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament (18 seats: 17 members elected by popular vote, 1 for the Speaker appointed by Parliament; to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 11 October 2007 (next to be held not later than October 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - GSD 49.3%, GSLP 31.8%, Gibraltar Liberal Party 13.6%; seats by party - GSD 10, GSLP 4, Gibraltar Liberal Party 3
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Court of Appeal
Political parties and leaders:
Gibraltar Liberal Party [Joseph GARCIA]; 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), UPU
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:
Self-sufficient 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 7% to the local economy, compared with 60% in 1984. The financial sector, tourism (almost 5 million visitors in 1998), shipping services fees, and duties on consumer goods also generate revenue. The financial sector, the shipping sector, and tourism each contribute 25%-30% of GDP. Telecommunications accounts for another 10%. 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):
$1.066 billion (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.066 billion (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
7% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$38,200 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Labor force:
12,690 (including non-Gibraltar laborers) (2001)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: negligible industry: 40% services: 60% (2001)
Unemployment rate:
3% (2005 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $455.1 million expenditures: $423.6 million (2005 est.)
Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June
Public debt:
15.7% of GDP (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.9% (2005)
Agriculture - products:
none
Industries:
tourism, banking and finance, ship repairing, tobacco
Industrial production growth rate:
Electricity - production:
142 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
142 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
22,620 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
25,080 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Exports:
$271 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:
(principally reexports) petroleum 51%, manufactured goods 41%, other 8%
Exports - partners:
UK 30.8%, Spain 22.7%, Germany 13.7%, Turkmenistan 10.4%,
Switzerland 8.3%, Italy 6.7% (2006)
Imports:
$2.967 billion c.i.f. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:
fuels, manufactured goods, and foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
Spain 23.4%, Russia 12.3%, Italy 12%, UK 9%, France 8.9%,
Netherlands 6.8%, US 4.7% (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
Debt - external:
Currency (code):
Gibraltar pound (GIP)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Gibraltar pounds (GIP) per US dollar - 0.4993 (2007), 0.5434 (2006), 0.5504 (2005), 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003) note: the Gibraltar pound is at par with the British pound
Communications
Gibraltar
Telephones - main lines in use:
24,512 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
9,797 (2002)
Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate, automatic domestic system and adequate international facilities domestic: automatic exchange facilities international: country code - 350; 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 3 repeaters) (1997)
Televisions:
10,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.gi
Internet hosts:
1,904 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)
Internet users:
6,200 (2002)
Transportation
Gibraltar
Airports:
1 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 29 km paved: 29 km (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 240 by type: bulk carrier 5, cargo 125, chemical tanker 51, container 43, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 10, roll on/roll off 5 foreign-owned: 225 (Belgium 2, Cyprus 1, Denmark 7, Finland 3, Germany 129, Greece 6, Iceland 1, Morocco 4, Netherlands 21, Norway 33, Sweden 13, UAE 3, UK 2) registered in other countries: 7 (Liberia 5, Panama 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Gibraltar
Military
Gibraltar
Military branches:
Royal Gibraltar Regiment
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 6,308 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 5,244 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 190 female: 185 (2008 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the UK; the Royal Gibraltar Regiment replaced the last British regular infantry forces in 1992
Transnational Issues
Gibraltar
Disputes - international:
in 2002, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by referendum to reject any "shared sovereignty" arrangement; the government of Gibraltar insists on equal participation in talks between the UK and Spain; Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant Gibraltar even greater autonomy
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Greece
Introduction
Greece
Background:
Greece achieved 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, most with Greek-speaking populations. In World War II, Greece was first invaded by Italy (1940) and subsequently occupied by Germany (1941-44); fighting endured in a protracted civil war between supporters of the king and Communist rebels. Following the latter's defeat 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. The 1974 democratic elections and a referendum created a parliamentary republic and abolished the monarchy. In 1981, Greece joined the EC (now the EU); it became the 12th member of the European Economic and Monetary Union in 2001.
Geography
Greece
Location:
Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the
Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 131,940 sq km land: 130,800 sq km water: 1,140 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, Macedonia 246 km
Coastline:
13,676 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
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:
lignite, petroleum, iron ore, bauxite, lead, zinc, nickel, magnesite, marble, salt, hydropower potential
Land use:
arable land: 20.45% permanent crops: 8.59% other: 70.96% (2005)
Irrigated land:
14,530 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
72 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 8.7 cu km/yr (16%/3%/81%) per capita: 782 cu m/yr (1997)
Natural hazards:
severe earthquakes
Environment - current issues:
air pollution; water pollution
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 94, 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, Marine Dumping, 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
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:
10,722,816 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 14.3% (male 789,137/female 742,469) 15-64 years: 66.6% (male 3,568,101/female 3,575,572) 65 years and over: 19.1% (male 898,337/female 1,149,200) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 41.5 years male: 40.4 years female: 42.6 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.146% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
9.54 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
10.42 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
2.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 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: 0.96 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 5.25 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.77 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.52 years male: 76.98 years female: 82.21 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.36 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
9,100 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 100 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Greek(s) adjective: Greek
Ethnic groups:
population: Greek 93%, other (foreign citizens) 7% (2001 census) note: percents represent citizenship, since Greece does not collect data on ethnicity
Religions:
Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7%
Languages:
Greek 99% (official), other 1% (includes English and French)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96% male: 97.8% female: 94.2% (2001 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 17 years male: 17 years female: 17 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
4.4% of GDP (2005)
Government
Greece
Country name:
conventional long form: Hellenic Republic conventional short form: Greece local long form: Elliniki Dhimokratia local short form: Ellas or Ellada former: Kingdom of Greece
Government type:
parliamentary republic
Capital:
name: Athens geographic coordinates: 37 59 N, 23 44 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
51 prefectures (nomoi, singular - nomos) and 1 autonomous region*;
Achaia, Agion Oros* (Mt. Athos), Aitolia kai Akarnania, 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; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Karolos PAPOULIAS (since 12 March 2005) head of government: Prime Minister Konstandinos (Kostas) KARAMANLIS (since 7 March 2004) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president elected by parliament for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 8 February 2005 (next to be held by February 2010); according to the Greek Constitution, presidents may only serve two terms; president appoints leader of the party securing plurality of vote in election to become prime minister and form a government election results: Karolos PAPOULIAS elected president; number of parliamentary votes, 279 out of 300
Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Vouli ton Ellinon (300 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: elections last held 16 September 2007 (next to be held by 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - ND 41.8%, PASOK 38.1%, KKE 8.2%, Synaspismos 5%, LAOS 3.8%, other 3.1%; seats by party - ND 152, PASOK 102, KKE 22, Synaspismos 14, LAOS 10
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) [Alekos ALAVANOS];
Communist Party of Greece or KKE [Aleka PAPARIGA]; New Democracy or
ND (conservative) [Konstandinos KARAMANLIS]; Panhellenic Socialist
Movement or PASOK [Yiorgos PAPANDREOU]; Popular Orthodox Rally or
LAOS [Yeoryios KARATZAFERIS]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Civil Servants Confederation or ADEDY [Spyros PAPASPYROS];
Federation of Greek Industries or SEV [Dimitris DASKALOPOULOS];
General Confederation of Greek Workers or GSEE [Ioannis PANAGOPOULOS]
International organization participation:
Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU,
FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU,
ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer),
OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIS, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WEU,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Alexandros P. MALLIAS chancery: 2217 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-1300 FAX: [1] (202) 939-1324 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Tampa consulate(s): Atlanta, Houston
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel V. SPECKHARD embassy: 91 Vasilisis Sophias Avenue, 10160 Athens mailing address: PSC 108, APO AE 09842-0108 telephone: [30] (210) 721-2951 FAX: [30] (210) 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 capitalist economy with the public sector accounting for about 40% of GDP and with per capita GDP at least 75% of the leading euro-zone economies. Tourism provides 15% of GDP. Immigrants make up nearly one-fifth of the work force, mainly in agricultural and unskilled jobs. Greece is a major beneficiary of EU aid, equal to about 3.3% of annual GDP. The Greek economy grew by nearly 4.0% per year between 2003 and 2007, due partly to infrastructural spending related to the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, and in part to an increased availability of credit, which has sustained record levels of consumer spending. Greece violated the EU's Growth and Stability Pact budget deficit criteria of no more than 3% of GDP from 2001 to 2006, but finally met that criteria in 2007. Public debt, inflation, and unemployment are above the euro-zone average, but are falling. The Greek Government continues to grapple with cutting government spending, reducing the size of the public sector, and reforming the labor and pension systems, in the face of often vocal opposition from the country's powerful labor unions and the general public. The economy remains an important domestic political issue in Greece and, while the ruling New Democracy government has had some success in improving economic growth and reducing the budget deficit, Athens faces long-term challenges in its effort to continue its economic reforms, especially social security reform and privatization.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$327.6 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$314.6 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
4% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$30,600 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3.6% industry: 24.5% services: 71.9% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
4.92 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 12% industry: 20% services: 68% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate:
8.3% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 26% (2000 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
33 (2005)
Investment (gross fixed):
25.7% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $115.2 billion expenditures: $124.1 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
89.5% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.9% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
7.71% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
NA note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the Euro Area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 15 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi money circulating within their own borders
Stock of quasi money:
Stock of domestic credit:
$392.4 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives, tomatoes, wine, tobacco, potatoes; beef, dairy products
Industries:
tourism, food and tobacco processing, textiles, chemicals, metal products; mining, petroleum
Industrial production growth rate:
2.2% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
59.33 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
55.98 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
269 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
5.894 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 94.5% hydro: 3.8% nuclear: 0% other: 1.7% (2001)
Oil - production:
4,265 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
441,400 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - exports:
125,100 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
527,200 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
10 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
24 million cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
4.069 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
4.1 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
1.982 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
-$44.4 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$23.91 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
food and beverages, manufactured goods, petroleum products, chemicals, textiles
Exports - partners:
Germany 11.6%, Italy 10.8%, Cyprus 6.6%, Bulgaria 6.5%, UK 5.5%,
Romania 4.5%, France 4.2%, US 4.2% (2007)
Imports:
$80.79 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery, transport equipment, fuels, chemicals
Imports - partners:
Germany 12.9%, Italy 11.7%, Russia 5.6%, France 5.6%, China 5%,
Netherlands 5% (2007)
Economic aid - donor:
$424 million (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
$8 billion annually from EU (2000-06); Greece will receive about $3.8 billion per year between 2007-13 under the EU's Community Support Funds IV
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$3.658 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$86.72 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$52.84 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$30.8 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$145 billion (2005)
Currency (code):
euro (EUR)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003)
Communications
Greece
Telephones - main lines in use:
6.227 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
11.997 million (2007)
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: country code - 30; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 optical telecommunications submarine cable that provides links to Europe, Middle East, and Asia; a number of smaller submarine cables provide connectivity to various parts of Europe, the Middle East, and Cyprus; tropospheric scatter; satellite earth stations - 4 (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 repeaters); also 2 stations in the US Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (1995)
Televisions:
2.54 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.gr
Internet hosts:
1.626 million (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
27 (2000)
Internet users:
2.54 million (2007)
Transportation
Greece
Airports:
81 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 66 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 15 1,524 to 2,437 m: 20 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 9 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 15 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 12 (2007)
Heliports:
9 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 1,166 km; oil 94 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 2,571 km standard gauge: 1,565 km 1.435-m gauge (764 km electrified) narrow gauge: 961 km 1.000-m gauge; 22 km 0.750-m gauge dual gauge: 23 km combined 1.435 m and 1.000-m gauges (three rail system) (2006)
Roadways:
total: 117,533 km paved: 107,895 km (includes 880 km of expressways) unpaved: 9,638 km (2005)
Waterways:
6 km note: Corinth Canal (6 km) crosses the Isthmus of Corinth; shortens sea voyage by 325 km (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 869 by type: bulk carrier 260, cargo 66, carrier 1, chemical tanker 66, combination ore/oil 2, container 45, liquefied gas 10, passenger 13, passenger/cargo 115, petroleum tanker 274, roll on/roll off 15, specialized tanker 2 foreign-owned: 64 (Belgium 16, Cyprus 7, Turkey 1, UK 32, US 8) registered in other countries: 2,357 (Antigua and Barbuda 3, Bahamas 209, Barbados 12, Belize 1, Bermuda 9, Brazil 1, Cambodia 3, Cayman Islands 16, China 2, Comoros 6, Cyprus 259, Denmark 4, Dominica 10, Egypt 8, Georgia 5, Gibraltar 6, Honduras 4, Hong Kong 22, Isle of Man 50, Italy 6, Jamaica 6, North Korea 1, Lebanon 2, Liberia 358, Maldives 1, Malta 452, Marshall Islands 269, Norway 3, Panama 510, Philippines 4, Portugal 4, Russia 1, Saint Kitts and Nevis 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 71, Sao Tome and Principe 1, Saudi Arabia 3, Sierra Leone 1, Singapore 15, Slovakia 2, Turkey 1, UAE 3, Uruguay 1, Vanuatu 1, Venezuela 3, unknown 5) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Agioitheodoroi, Aspropyrgos, Pachi, Piraeus, Thessaloniki
Military
Greece
Military branches:
Hellenic Army (Ellinikos Stratos, ES), Hellenic Navy (Ellinikos
Polemiko Navtiko, EPN), Hellenic Air Force (Elliniki Polimiki
Aeroporia, EPA) (2007)
Military service age and obligation:
19-45 years of age for compulsory military service; during wartime the law allows for recruitment beginning January of the year of inductee's 18th birthday, thus including 17 year olds; 17 years of age for volunteers; conscript service obligation - 1 year for all services; women are eligible for voluntary military service (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,535,174 females age 16-49: 2,517,273 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,084,469 females age 16-49: 2,065,956 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 53,858 female: 50,488 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
4.3% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
Greece
Disputes - international:
Greece and Turkey continue discussions to resolve their complex
maritime, air, territorial, and boundary disputes in the Aegean Sea;
Cyprus question with Turkey; Greece rejects the use of the name
Macedonia or Republic of Macedonia; the mass migration of unemployed
Albanians still remains a problem for developed countries, chiefly
Greece and Italy
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; money laundering related to drug trafficking and organized crime
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Greenland
Introduction
Greenland
Background:
Greenland, the world's largest island, is about 81% ice-capped. Vikings reached the island in the 10th century from Iceland; Danish colonization began in the 18th century, and Greenland was made an integral part of Denmark in 1953. It joined the European Community (now the EU) with Denmark in 1973, but withdrew in 1985 over a dispute centered on stringent fishing quotas. Greenland was granted self-government in 1979 by the Danish parliament; the law went into effect the following year. Denmark continues to exercise control of Greenland's foreign affairs in consultation with Greenland's Home Rule Government.
Geography
Greenland
Location:
Northern North America, island between the Arctic Ocean and the
North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Canada
Geographic coordinates:
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) (2000 est.)
Area - comparative:
slightly more than three times the size of Texas
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
44,087 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line continental shelf: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line
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:
coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, molybdenum, diamonds, gold, platinum, niobium, tantalite, uranium, fish, seals, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas
Land use:
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)
Irrigated land:
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; close to one-quarter of the population lives in the capital, Nuuk; world's second largest ice cap
People
Greenland
Population:
57,564 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 23.5% (male 6,867/female 6,634) 15-64 years: 69.9% (male 21,683/female 18,575) 65 years and over: 6.6% (male 1,892/female 1,913) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 33.5 years male: 34.9 years female: 31.8 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.064% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
14.87 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
8.23 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-5.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.17 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.99 male(s)/female total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 11.2 deaths/1,000 live births male: 12.84 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.46 years male: 66.81 years female: 72.25 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.22 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
100 (1999)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Nationality:
noun: Greenlander(s) adjective: Greenlandic
Ethnic groups:
Greenlander 88% (Inuit and Greenland-born whites), Danish and others 12% (2000)
Religions:
Evangelical Lutheran
Languages:
Greenlandic (East Inuit), Danish, English
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (2001 est.)
Education expenditures:
Government
Greenland
Country name:
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Greenland local long form: none local short form: Kalaallit Nunaat
Dependency status:
Government type:
parliamentary democracy within a constitutional monarchy
Capital:
name: Nuuk (Godthab) geographic coordinates: 64 11 N, 51 45 W time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October note: Greenland is divided into four time zones
Administrative divisions:
3 districts (landsdele); Avannaa (Nordgronland), Tunu (Ostgronland), Kitaa (Vestgronland) note: there are 18 municipalities in Greenland
Independence:
none (extensive self-rule as part of the Kingdom of Denmark; 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:
the laws of Denmark, where applicable, apply
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Soren MOLLER (since April 2005) head of government: Prime Minister Hans ENOKSEN (since 14 December 2002) 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 results: Hans ENOKSEN reelected prime minister note: government coalition - Siumut and Inuit Ataqatigiit
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) elections: last held on 15 November 2005 (next to be held by December 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - Siumut 30.7%, Demokratiit 22.8%, IA 22.6%, Atassut Party 19.1%; Katusseqatigiit 4.1%, other 0.7%; seats by party - Siumut 10, Demokratiit 7, IA 7, Atassut 6, Katusseqatigiit 1 note: two representatives were elected to the Danish Parliament or Folketing on 13 November 2007 (next to be held in November 2011); percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Siumut 1, Inuit Ataqatigiit 1
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:
Atassut Party (Solidarity) [Finn KARLSEN] (a conservative party favoring continuing close relations with Denmark); Demokratiit [Per BERTHELSEN]; Inuit Ataqatigiit or IA (Eskimo Brotherhood) [Josef MOTZFELDT] (a leftist party favoring complete independence from Denmark rather than home rule); Kattusseqatigiit (Candidate List) (an independent right-of-center party with no official platform); Siumut (Forward Party) [Hans ENOKSEN] (a social democratic party advocating more distinct Greenlandic identity and greater autonomy from Denmark)
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: conservationists; environmentalists
International organization participation:
Arctic Council, NC, NIB, UPU
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 a substantial subsidy 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. Several interesting hydrocarbon and mineral exploration activities are ongoing. Press reports in early 2007 indicated that two international aluminum companies were considering building smelters in Greenland to take advantage of local hydropower potential. Tourism is the only sector offering any near-term potential, and even this is limited due to a short season and high costs. Air Greenland began summer-season direct flights to the US east coast in May 2007, potentially opening a major new tourism market.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.1 billion (2001 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.7 billion (2005)
GDP - real growth rate:
2% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$20,000 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Labor force:
32,120 (2004)
Unemployment rate:
9.3% (2005 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $1.36 billion expenditures: $1.27 billion (2005)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1% (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products:
forage crops, garden and greenhouse vegetables; sheep, reindeer; fish
Industries:
fish processing (mainly shrimp and Greenland halibut); gold, niobium, tantalite, uranium, iron and diamond mining; handicrafts, hides and skins, small shipyards
Industrial production growth rate:
Electricity - production:
305 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
283.7 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% note: Greenland is shifting its electricity production from fossil fuel to hydropower production (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
3,927 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
149.5 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
4,089 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Exports:
$480 million f.o.b. (2006)
Exports - commodities:
fish and fish products 94% (prawns 63%) (2001 est.)
Exports - partners:
Denmark 61.8%, Japan 9.9%, Canada 7.3%, China 5.8% (2007)
Imports:
$712 million c.i.f. (2006)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, petroleum products
Imports - partners:
Denmark 68.1%, Sweden 19.3%, Canada 2.5% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$512 million; note - subsidy from Denmark (2005)
Debt - external:
$25 million (1999)
Currency (code):
Danish krone (DKK)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Danish kroner (DKK) per US dollar - 5.4797 (2007), 5.9468 (2006), 5.9969 (2005), 5.9911 (2004), 6.5877 (2003)
Communications
Greenland
Telephones - main lines in use:
36,000 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
66,400 (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate domestic and international service provided by satellite, cables and microwave radio relay; totally digitalized in 1995 domestic: microwave radio relay and satellite international: country code - 299; satellite earth stations - 15 (12 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 2 Americom GE-2 (all Atlantic Ocean)) (2000)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 5, FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:
30,000 (1998 est.)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (plus some local low-power stations, and 3 Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS) stations (1997)
Televisions:
30,000 (1998 est.)
Internet country code:
.gl
Internet hosts:
14,132 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)
Internet users:
52,000 (2007)
Transportation
Greenland
Airports:
14 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 9 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 5 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2007)
Roadways:
note: although there are short roads in towns, there are no roads between towns; inter-urban transport takes place either by sea or air (2005)
Merchant marine:
total: 2 by type: cargo 1, passenger 1 (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Sisimiut
Military
Greenland
Military branches:
no regular military forces
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 15,221 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 10,739 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 534 female: 503 (2008 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of Denmark
Transnational Issues
Greenland
Disputes - international:
managed dispute between Canada and Denmark over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between Canada's Ellesmere Island and Greenland
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Grenada
Introduction
Grenada
Background:
Carib Indians inhabited Grenada when COLUMBUS discovered the island in 1498, but it remained uncolonized for more than a century. The French settled Grenada in the 17th century, established sugar estates, and imported large numbers of African slaves. Britain took the island in 1762 and vigorously expanded sugar production. In the 19th century, cacao eventually surpassed sugar as the main export crop; in the 20th century, nutmeg became the leading export. In 1967, Britain gave Grenada autonomy over its internal affairs. Full independence was attained in 1974, making Grenada 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 and have continued since that time. Hurricane Ivan struck Grenada in September of 2004 causing severe damage.
Geography
Grenada
Location:
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 344 sq km land: 344 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
121 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 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: 5.88% permanent crops: 29.41% other: 64.71% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Total renewable water resources:
Natural hazards:
lies on edge of hurricane belt; hurricane season lasts from June to November
Environment - current issues:
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, 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:
90,343 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 32.4% (male 14,725/female 14,524) 15-64 years: 64.7% (male 30,911/female 27,502) 65 years and over: 3% (male 1,310/female 1,371) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 22.4 years male: 22.9 years female: 21.9 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.406% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
21.61 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
6.31 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-11.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.12 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female total population: 1.08 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 13.58 deaths/1,000 live births male: 13.25 deaths/1,000 live births female: 13.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 65.6 years male: 63.74 years female: 67.47 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.27 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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: 96% male: NA female: NA (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 12 years male: 12 years female: 12 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
5.2% of GDP (2003)
Government
Grenada
Country name:
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Grenada
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: Saint George's geographic coordinates: 12 03 N, 61 45 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
6 parishes and 1 dependency*; Carriacou and Petite 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; 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 Carlyle Arnold GLEAN (since 27 November 2008) head of government: Prime Minister Tillman THOMAS (since 9 July 2008) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (13 seats, 10 appointed by the government and 3 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 8 July 2008 (next to be held in 2013) election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NDC 11, NNP 4
Judicial branch:
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of a court of Appeal and a High Court of Justice (a High Court judge is assigned to and resides in Grenada)
Political parties and leaders:
Grenada United Labor Party or GULP [Gloria Payne BANFIELD]; National
Democratic Congress or NDC [Tillman THOMAS]; New National Party or
NNP [Keith MITCHELL]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Committee for Human Rights in Grenada or CHRG; New Jewel Movement Support Group; The British Grenada Friendship Society; The New Jewel 19 Committee
International organization participation:
ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS,
OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Denis G. ANTOINE chancery: 1701 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 265-2561 FAX: [1] (202) 265-2468 consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Grenada embassy: Lance-aux-Epines Stretch, Saint George's mailing address: P. O. Box 54, Saint George's telephone: [1] (473) 444-1173 through 1177 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:
Grenada relies on tourism as its main source of foreign exchange, especially since the construction of an international airport in 1985. Strong performances in construction and manufacturing, together with the development of an offshore financial industry, have also contributed to growth in national output. Grenada has rebounded from the devastating effects of Hurricanes Ivan (2004) and Emily (2005), but is now saddled with the debt burden from the rebuilding process. The agricultural sector, particularly nutmeg and cocoa cultivation, has gradually recovered, and the tourism sector has seen substantial increases in foreign direct investment as the regional share of the tourism market increases.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.108 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$590 million (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.1% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$10,500 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 5.4% industry: 18% services: 76.6% (2003)
Labor force:
42,300 (1996)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 24% industry: 14% services: 62% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate:
12.5% (2000)
Population below poverty line:
32% (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $85.8 million expenditures: $102.1 million (1997)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.7% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
6.5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
9.76% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$151.2 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$533.4 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$575.8 million (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, mace, citrus, avocados, root crops, sugarcane, corn, vegetables
Industries:
food and beverages, textiles, light assembly operations, tourism, construction
Industrial production growth rate:
0.7% (1997 est.)
Electricity - production:
167.2 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
144.2 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
2,043 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
1,844 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$138 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$38 million (2006)
Exports - commodities:
bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, fruit and vegetables, clothing, mace
Exports - partners:
Jamaica 92.8%, Saint Lucia 1.3%, US 1.2% (2007)
Imports:
$343 million (2006)
Imports - commodities:
food, manufactured goods, machinery, chemicals, fuel
Imports - partners:
Trinidad and Tobago 36.5%, US 23.3%, Italy 4.1% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$44.87 million (2005)
Debt - external:
$347 million (2004)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
East Caribbean dollar (XCD)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7 (2007), 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003)
Communications
Grenada
Telephones - main lines in use:
27,700 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
46,200 (2006)
Telephone system:
general assessment: automatic, islandwide telephone system domestic: interisland VHF and UHF radiotelephone links international: country code - 1-473; landing point for the East Caribbean Fiber Optic System (ECFS) submarine cable with links to 13 other islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin Islands to Trinidad; SHF 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 hosts:
9 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
14 (2000)
Internet users:
23,000 (2007)
Transportation
Grenada
Airports:
3 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 1,127 km paved: 687 km unpaved: 440 km (2000)
Ports and terminals:
Saint George's
Military
Grenada
Military branches:
no regular military forces; Royal Grenada Police Force (includes Coast Guard) (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 27,309 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 20,249 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 1,034 female: 970 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
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 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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:
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total: 541.3 sq km land: 541.3 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
three times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
125.5 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical marine; generally warm and humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season (January to June), rainy season (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:
aquatic wildlife (supporting tourism), fishing (largely undeveloped)
Land use:
arable land: 3.64% permanent crops: 18.18% other: 78.18% (2005)
Irrigated land:
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:
175,877 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 28.2% (male 25,644/female 23,910) 15-64 years: 64.8% (male 58,034/female 55,900) 65 years and over: 7% (male 5,801/female 6,588) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 28.9 years male: 28.7 years female: 29.2 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.373% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
18.37 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
4.65 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.55 deaths/1,000 live births male: 7.22 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.93 years male: 75.86 years female: 82.19 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.55 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Nationality:
noun: Guamanian(s) (US citizens) adjective: Guamanian
Ethnic groups:
Chamorro 37.1%, Filipino 26.3%, other Pacific islander 11.3%, white 6.9%, other Asian 6.3%, other ethnic origin or race 2.3%, mixed 9.8% (2000 census)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 85%, other 15% (1999 est.)
Languages:
English 38.3%, Chamorro 22.2%, Philippine languages 22.2%, other Pacific island languages 6.8%, Asian languages 7%, other languages 3.5% (2000 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (1990 est.)
Education expenditures:
Government
Guam
Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of Guam conventional short form: Guam local long form: Guahan local short form: Guahan
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:
Capital:
name: Hagatna (Agana) geographic coordinates: 13 28 N, 144 44 E time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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 Guam, 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) head of government: Governor Felix P. CAMACHO (since 6 January 2003); Lieutenant Governor Dr. Michael W. CRUZ (since 1 January 2007) cabinet: heads of executive departments; appointed by the governor with the consent of the Guam legislature elections: under the US Constitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such as Guam, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; however, they may vote in Democratic and Republican presidential primary elections; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year term (can serve two consecutive terms, then must wait a full term before running again); election last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held in November 2010) election results: Felix P. CAMACHO reelected governor; Dr. Michael W. CRUZ elected lieutenant governor; percent of vote - NA
Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislature (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms) elections: last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held in November 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Party 8, Democratic Party 7 note: Guam elects one nonvoting delegate to the US House of Representatives; election last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held in November 2008); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 1
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 [leader Michael PHILLIPS]; Republican Party [Philip
J. FLORES] (controls the legislature)
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Guam Federation of Teachers' Union; Guam Waterworks Authority Workers other: activists; indigenous groups
International organization participation:
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 largely on US military spending and tourism. Total US grants, wage payments, and procurement outlays amounted to $1.3 billion in 2004. Over the past 30 years, the tourist industry has grown to become the largest income source following national defense. The Guam economy continues to experience expansion in both its tourism and military sectors.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$2.5 billion (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$2.773 billion (2001)
GDP - real growth rate:
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$15,000 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Labor force:
62,050 (2002 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 26% industry: 10% services: 64% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate:
11.4% (2002 est.)
Population below poverty line:
23% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $319.6 million expenditures: $427.8 million (2002 est.)
Fiscal year:
1 October - 30 September
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.5% (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products:
fruits, copra, vegetables; eggs, pork, poultry, beef
Industries:
US military, tourism, construction, transshipment services, concrete products, printing and publishing, food processing, textiles
Industrial production growth rate:
Electricity - production:
1.789 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
1.664 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
12,780 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
13,530 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Exports:
$45 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:
transshipments of refined petroleum products, construction materials, fish, food and beverage products
Exports - partners:
Japan 67.2%, Singapore 11.6%, UK 4.8% (2006)
Imports:
$701 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:
petroleum and petroleum products, food, manufactured goods
Imports - partners:
Singapore 50%, South Korea 21.4%, Japan 14%, Hong Kong 4.6% (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
Guam receives large transfer payments from the US Federal Treasury 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 (2001 est.)
Debt - external:
Currency (code):
US dollar (USD)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
the US dollar is used
Communications
Guam
Telephones - main lines in use:
65,500 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
98,000 (2004)
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: country code - 1-671; major landing point for submarine cables between Asia and the US (Guam is a trans-Pacific communications hub for major carriers linking the US and Asia); satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 3, FM 11, shortwave 2 (2005)
Radios:
221,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
3 (2006)
Televisions:
106,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.gu
Internet hosts:
36 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
20 (2000)
Internet users:
65,000 (2005)
Transportation
Guam
Airports:
5 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 4 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 1,045 km (2007)
Ports and terminals:
Apra Harbor
Military
Guam
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 1,665 female: 1,547 (2008 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the US
Transnational Issues
Guam
Disputes - international:
none
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Guatemala
Introduction
Guatemala
Background:
The Mayan civilization flourished in Guatemala and surrounding regions during the first millennium A.D. After almost three centuries as a Spanish colony, Guatemala won its independence 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 left more than 100,000 people dead and had created, by some estimates, some 1 million refugees.
Geography
Guatemala
Location:
Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El
Salvador and Mexico, and bordering the Gulf of Honduras (Caribbean
Sea) between Honduras and Belize
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 108,890 sq km land: 108,430 sq km water: 460 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:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate:
tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands
Terrain:
mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling limestone plateau
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: 13.22% permanent crops: 5.6% other: 81.18% (2005)
Irrigated land:
1,300 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
111.3 cu km (2000)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 2.01 cu km/yr (6%/13%/80%) per capita: 160 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
no natural harbors on west coast
People
Guatemala
Population:
13,002,206 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 40.1% (male 2,653,915/female 2,565,841) 15-64 years: 56.2% (male 3,539,874/female 3,762,471) 65 years and over: 3.7% (male 222,303/female 257,802) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 19.2 years male: 18.6 years female: 19.7 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.11% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
28.55 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
5.19 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-2.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 28.79 deaths/1,000 live births male: 31.21 deaths/1,000 live births female: 26.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.99 years male: 68.22 years female: 71.86 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.59 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
78,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
5,800 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: dengue fever and malaria (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Guatemalan(s) adjective: Guatemalan
Ethnic groups:
Mestizo (mixed Amerindian-Spanish - in local Spanish called Ladino) and European 59.4%, K'iche 9.1%, Kaqchikel 8.4%, Mam 7.9%, Q'eqchi 6.3%, other Mayan 8.6%, indigenous non-Mayan 0.2%, other 0.1% (2001 census)
Religions:
Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Mayan beliefs
Languages:
Spanish 60%, Amerindian languages 40% (23 officially recognized
Amerindian languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi, Mam,
Garifuna, and Xinca)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 69.1% male: 75.4% female: 63.3% (2002 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 10 years male: 11 years female: 10 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
2.6% of GDP (2006)
Government
Guatemala
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Guatemala conventional short form: Guatemala local long form: Republica de Guatemala local short form: Guatemala
Government type:
constitutional democratic republic
Capital:
name: Guatemala geographic coordinates: 14 37 N, 90 31 W time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in April; ends last Friday in September; note - there is no DST planned for 2007-2009
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 Jorge 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; note - active duty members of the armed forces may not vote and are restricted to their barracks on election day
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Alvaro COLOM Caballeros (since 14 January 2008); Vice President Rafael ESPADA (since 14 January 2008); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Alvaro COLOM Caballeros (since 14 January 2008); Vice President Rafael ESPADA (since 14 January 2008) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term (may not serve consecutive terms); election last held 9 September 2007; runoff held 4 November 2007 (next to be held September 2011) election results: Alvaro COLOM Caballeros elected president; percent of vote - Alvaro COLOM Caballeros 52.8%, Otto PEREZ Molina 47.2%
Legislative branch:
unicameral Congress of the Republic or Congreso de la Republica (158 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 9 September 2007 (next to be held in September 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - UNE 30.4%, GANA 23.4%, PP 18.9%, FRG 9.5%, PU 5.1%, other 12.7%; seats by party - UNE 48, GANA 37, PP 30, FRG 15, PU 8, CASA 5, EG 4, PAN 4, UCN 4, URNG 2, UD 1
Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court or Corte de Constitucionalidad is Guatemala's highest court (five judges are elected for concurrent five-year terms); Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (13 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)
Political parties and leaders:
Center of Social Action or CASA [Eduardo SUGER]; Democracy Front or
FRENTE [Alfonso CABRERA]; Democratic Union or UD [Manuel CONDE
Orellana]; Encounter for Guatemala or EG [Nineth MONTENGRO]; Grand
National Alliance or GANA [Alfredo VILLA]; Guatemalan National
Revolutionary Unity or URNG [Hector NUILA]; Guatemalan Republican
Front or FRG [Efrain RIOS Montt]; National Advancement Party or PAN
[Ruben Dario MORALES]; National Unity for Hope or UNE [Alvaro COLOM
Caballeros]; Patriot Party or PP [Ret. Gen. Otto PEREZ Molina];
Unionista Party or PU [Fritz GARCIA]; Unity of National Change or
UCN [Sidney SHAW]
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, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO
(correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA,
MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL,
WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Francisco VILLAGRAN de Leon chancery: 2220 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 745-4952 FAX: [1] (202) 745-1908 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Providence, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen G. MCFARLAND embassy: 7-01 Avenida Reforma, Zone 10, Guatemala City mailing address: APO AA 34024 telephone: [502] 2326-4000 FAX: [502] 2326-4654
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:
Guatemala is the most populous of the Central American countries with a GDP per capita roughly one-half that of Argentina, Brazil, and Chile. The agricultural sector accounts for about one-tenth of GDP, two-fifths of exports, and half of the labor force. Coffee, sugar, and bananas are the main products, with sugar exports benefiting from increased global demand for ethanol. The 1996 signing of peace accords, which ended 36 years of civil war, removed a major obstacle to foreign investment, and Guatemala since then has pursued important reforms and macroeconomic stabilization. On 1 July 2006, the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) entered into force between the US and Guatemala and has since spurred increased investment in the export sector. The distribution of income remains highly unequal with about 56% of the population below the poverty line. Other ongoing challenges include increasing government revenues, negotiating further assistance from international donors, upgrading both government and private financial operations, curtailing drug trafficking and rampant crime, and narrowing the trade deficit. Given Guatemala's large expatriate community in the United States, it is the top remittance recipient in Central America, with inflows serving as a primary source of foreign income equivalent to nearly two-thirds of exports.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$64.76 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$33.69 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.7% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$5,100 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 13.3% industry: 25.8% services: 60.9% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
3.958 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 50% industry: 15% services: 35% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate:
3.2% (2005 est.)
Population below poverty line:
56.2% (2004 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 0.9% highest 10%: 43.4% (2002)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
55.1 (2007)
Investment (gross fixed):
17.1% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $4.38 billion expenditures: $4.872 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
20.9% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6.8% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
NA (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
12.84% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$6.227 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$8.928 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$13.96 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
sugarcane, corn, bananas, coffee, beans, cardamom; cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens
Industries:
sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals, petroleum, metals, rubber, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
4.8% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
7.643 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
6.617 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
131.9 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
8.11 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 51.9% hydro: 35.2% nuclear: 0% other: 12.9% (2001)
Oil - production:
15,820 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
74,230 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
15,560 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - imports:
72,960 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - proved reserves:
83.07 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
2.96 billion cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$1.663 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$6.94 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
coffee, sugar, petroleum, apparel, bananas, fruits and vegetables, cardamom
Exports - partners:
US 42.2%, El Salvador 9.6%, Honduras 8.6%, Mexico 6.5%, Costa Rica 4.5% (2007)
Imports:
$12.62 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
fuels, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, grain, fertilizers, electricity
Imports - partners:
US 34.9%, Mexico 9.9%, China 6.8%, El Salvador 4.6%, Costa Rica 4.1% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$253.6 million (2005 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$4.139 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$5.908 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
quetzal (GTQ), US dollar (USD), others allowed
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
quetzales (GTQ) per US dollar - 7.6833 (2007), 7.6026 (2006), 7.6339 (2005), 7.9465 (2004), 7.9409 (2003)
Communications
Guatemala
Telephones - main lines in use:
1.355 million (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
10.15 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: fairly modern network centered in the city of Guatemala domestic: state-owned telecommunications company privatized in the late 1990s opening the way for competition; fixed-line teledensity 11 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity 80 per 100 persons international: country code - 502; landing point for both the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) and the SAM-1 fiber optic submarine cable system that together provide connectivity to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US; 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 hosts:
124,095 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
5 (2000)
Internet users:
1.32 million (2006)
Transportation
Guatemala
Airports:
402 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 12 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 3 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 390 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 82 under 914 m: 301 (2007)
Pipelines:
oil 480 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 886 km narrow gauge: 886 km 0.914-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 14,095 km paved: 4,863 km (includes 75 km of expressways) unpaved: 9,232 km (2000)
Waterways:
990 km note: 260 km navigable year round; additional 730 km navigable during high-water season (2007)
Ports and terminals:
Puerto Quetzal, Santo Tomas de Castilla
Military
Guatemala
Military branches:
Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force
Military service age and obligation:
all male citizens between the ages of 18 and 50 are liable for military service; conscript service obligation varies from 12 to 24 months; women can serve as officers (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,861,696 females age 16-49: 3,062,967 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,310,272 females age 16-49: 2,622,450 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 161,550 female: 159,760 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.4% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Guatemala
Disputes - international:
annual ministerial meetings under the OAS-initiated Agreement on the Framework for Negotiations and Confidence Building Measures continue to address Guatemalan land and maritime claims in Belize and the Caribbean Sea; the Line of Adjacency created under the 2002 Differendum serves in lieu of the contiguous international boundary to control squatting in the sparsely inhabited rain forests of Belize's border region; Mexico must deal with thousands of impoverished Guatemalans and other Central Americans who cross the porous border looking for work in Mexico and the United States
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: undetermined (the UN does not estimate there are any IDPs, although some NGOs estimate over 200,000 IDPs as a result of over three decades of internal conflict that ended in 1996) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Guatemala is a source, transit, and destination country for Guatemalans and Central Americans trafficked for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor; human trafficking is a significant and growing problem in the country; Guatemalan women and children are trafficked within the country for commercial sexual exploitation, primarily to Mexico and the United States; Guatemalan men, women, and children are also trafficked within the country, and to Mexico and the United States, for forced labor tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - for a second consecutive year, Guatemala is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in persons, particularly with respect to ensuring that trafficking offenders are appropriately prosecuted for their crimes; while prosecutors initiated trafficking prosecutions, they continued to face problems in court with application of Guatemala's comprehensive anti-trafficking law; the government made modest improvements to its protection efforts, but assistance remained inadequate overall in 2007 (2008)
Illicit drugs:
major transit country for cocaine and heroin; in 2005, cultivated 100 hectares of opium poppy after reemerging as a potential source of opium in 2004; potential production of less than 1 metric ton of pure heroin; marijuana cultivation for mostly domestic consumption; proximity to Mexico makes Guatemala a major staging area for drugs (particularly for cocaine); money laundering is a serious problem; corruption is a major problem
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Guernsey
Introduction
Guernsey
Background:
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. Guernsey is a British crown dependency, but is not part of the UK. However, the UK Government is constitutionally responsible for its defense and international representation.
Geography
Guernsey
Location:
Western Europe, islands in the English Channel, northwest of France
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 78 sq km land: 78 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other smaller islands
Area - comparative:
about one-half the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
50 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 12 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
Irrigated land:
Natural hazards:
Environment - current issues:
Geography - note:
large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port
People
Guernsey
Population:
65,726 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 14.6% (male 4,849/female 4,727) 15-64 years: 67.5% (male 22,013/female 22,380) 65 years and over: 17.9% (male 4,988/female 6,769) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 42.1 years male: 41 years female: 43 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.228% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
8.57 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
10.09 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
3.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.53 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.05 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 80.65 years male: 77.64 years female: 83.76 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.4 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Nationality:
noun: Channel Islander(s) adjective: Channel Islander
Ethnic groups:
UK and Norman-French descent with small percentages from other
European countries
Religions:
Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational,
Methodist
Languages:
English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts
Literacy:
Education expenditures:
Government
Guernsey
Country name:
conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernsey conventional short form: Guernsey
Dependency status:
British crown dependency
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: Saint Peter Port geographic coordinates: 49 27 N, 2 32 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
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 Castel, Forest, Saint Andrew, Saint Martin, Saint Peter Port, Saint Pierre du Bois, Saint Sampson, Saint Saviour, Torteval, Vale
Independence:
none (British crown dependency)
National holiday:
Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)
Constitution:
unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice
Legal system:
the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply; justice is administered by the Royal Court
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Lieutenant Governor Sir Fabian MALBON (since 28 October 2005) head of government: Chief Minister Lyndon TROTT (since 1 May 2008) cabinet: Policy Council elected by the States of Deliberation elections: the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed by the monarch; chief minister is elected by States of Deliberation election results: Lyndon TROTT elected chief minister, percent of vote of the States of Deliberation NA
Legislative branch:
unicameral States of Deliberation (45 seats; members are elected by popular vote for four years); note - Alderney and Sark have parliaments elections: last held 23 April 2008 (next to be held in 2012) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - all independents
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:
Stop Traffic Endangering Pedestrian Safety or STEPS; No More Masts
[Colin FALLAIZE]
International organization participation:
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 - account for about 23% of employment and about 55% of total income in this tiny, prosperous Channel Island economy. Tourism, manufacturing, and horticulture, mainly tomatoes and cut flowers, have been declining. Financial services, construction, retail, and the public sector have been growing. Light tax and death duties make Guernsey a popular tax haven. The evolving economic integration of the EU nations is changing the environment under which Guernsey operates.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$2.742 billion (2005)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$2.742 billion (2005)
GDP - real growth rate:
3% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$44,600 (2005)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3% industry: 10% services: 87% (2000)
Labor force:
31,470 (March 2006)
Unemployment rate:
0.9% (March 2006 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $563.6 million expenditures: $530.9 million (2005)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.4% (June 2006)
Agriculture - products:
tomatoes, greenhouse flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant, fruit; Guernsey cattle
Industries:
tourism, banking
Industrial production growth rate:
Electricity - production:
NA kWh
Electricity - consumption:
NA kWh
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: NA hydro: NA nuclear: NA other: NA
Exports:
Exports - commodities:
tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other vegetables
Exports - partners:
UK; note - regarded as internal trade (2006)
Imports:
Imports - commodities:
coal, gasoline, oil, machinery and equipment
Imports - partners:
UK; note - regarded as internal trade (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
Debt - external:
Currency (code):
Guernsey pound note: the British pound is also legal tender
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Guernsey pound 0.4993 (2007), 0.5418 (2006), 0.5493 (2005), 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003) note: the Guernsey pound is at par with the British pound
Communications
Guernsey
Telephones - main lines in use:
45,100 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
43,800 (2004)
Telephone system:
general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: 1 submarine cable
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:
Television broadcast stations:
1 (1997)
Televisions:
Internet country code:
.gg
Internet hosts:
156 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
Internet users:
36,000 (2005)
Transportation
Guernsey
Airports:
2 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Ports and terminals:
Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson
Military
Guernsey
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 379 female: 353 (2008 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues
Guernsey
Disputes - international:
none
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Guinea
Introduction
Guinea
Background:
Guinea has had only two presidents since gaining its independence from France in 1958. Lansana CONTE came to power in 1984 when the military seized the government after the death of the first president, Sekou TOURE. Guinea did not hold democratic elections until 1993 when Gen. CONTE (head of the military government) was elected president of the civilian government. He was reelected in 1998 and again in 2003, though all the polls have been marred by irregularities. Guinea has maintained its internal stability despite spillover effects from conflict in Sierra Leone and Liberia. As those countries have rebuilt, Guinea's own vulnerability to political and economic crisis has increased. Declining economic conditions and popular dissatisfaction with corruption and bad governance prompted two massive strikes in 2006; a third nationwide strike in early 2007 sparked violent protests in many Guinean cities and prompted two weeks of martial law. To appease the unions and end the unrest, CONTE named a new prime minister in March 2007.
Geography
Guinea
Location:
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 245,857 sq km land: 245,857 sq km water: 0 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:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 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, salt
Land use:
arable land: 4.47% permanent crops: 2.64% other: 92.89% (2005)
Irrigated land:
950 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
226 cu km (1987)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 1.51 cu km/yr (8%/2%/90%) per capita: 161 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
the Niger and its important tributary the Milo have their sources in the Guinean highlands
People
Guinea
Population:
9,806,509 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 42.9% (male 2,126,575/female 2,080,048) 15-64 years: 53.7% (male 2,628,675/female 2,633,876) 65 years and over: 3.4% (male 148,159/female 189,176) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 18.4 years male: 18.2 years female: 18.7 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.492% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
37.84 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
11.29 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-1.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 67.41 deaths/1,000 live births male: 71.02 deaths/1,000 live births female: 63.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 56.58 years male: 55.12 years female: 58.08 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.25 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
3.2% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
140,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
9,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever (2008)
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); note - each ethnic group has its own language
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 29.5% male: 42.6% female: 18.1% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 8 years male: 10 years female: 7 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
1.6% of GDP (2005)
Government
Guinea
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Guinea conventional short form: Guinea local long form: Republique de Guinee local short form: Guinee former: French Guinea
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Conakry geographic coordinates: 9 33 N, 13 42 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
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: Prime Minister Ahmed Tidiane SOUARE (since 23 May 2008) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (no term limits); candidate must receive a majority of the votes cast to be elected president; election last held 21 December 2003 (next to be held in December 2010); the prime minister is appointed by the president election results: Lansana CONTE reelected president; percent of vote - Lansana CONTE 95.3%, Mamadou Bhoye BARRY 4.6%
Legislative branch:
unicameral People's National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale Populaire (114 seats; members are elected by a mixed system of direct popular vote and proportional party lists) elections: last held 30 June 2002 (next to be held in 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - PUP 61.6%, UPR 26.6%, other 11.8%; seats by party - PUP 85, UPR 20, other 9 note: legislative elections were due in 2007 but have been postponed
Judicial branch:
Court of First Instance or Tribunal de Premiere Instance; Court of
Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme
Political parties and leaders:
National Union for Progress or UPN [Mamadou Bhoye BARRY]; Party for Unity and Progress or PUP (the governing party) [Lansana CONTE]; People's Party of Guinea or PPG [Charles Pascal TOLNO]; Rally for the Guinean People or RPG [Alpha CONDE]; Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea or UFDG [Cellou Dalein DIALLO]; Union of Republican Forces or UFR [Sidya TOURE]; Union for Progress of Guinea or UPG [Jean-Marie DORE, secretary-general]; Union for Progress and Renewal or UPR [Ousmane BAH]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
National Confederation of Guinean Workers-Labor Union of Guinean
Workers or CNTG-USTG Alliance (includes National Confederation of
Guinean Workers or CNTG [Rabiatou Sarah DIALLO] and Labor Union of
Guinean Workers or USTG [Dr. Ibrahima FOFANA]); National Council of
Civil Society Organizations of Guinea or CNOSCG [Ben Sekou SYLLA];
Syndicate of Guinean Teachers and Researchers or SLECG [Dr. Louis
M'Bemba SOUMAH]
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO
(correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM, OIC, OIF,
OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU,
WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Mory Karamoko KABA chancery: 2112 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-9420 FAX: [1] (202) 483-8688
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Elizabeth RASPOLIC embassy: Koloma, Conakry, east of Hamdallaye Circle mailing address: B. P. 603, Transversale No. 2, Centre Administratif de Koloma, Commune de Ratoma, Conakry telephone: [224] 65-10-40-00 FAX: [224] 65-10-42-97
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 has almost half of the world's bauxite reserves and is the second-largest bauxite producer. The mining sector accounts for over 70% of exports. Long-run improvements in government fiscal arrangements, literacy, and the legal framework are needed if the country is to move out of poverty. Investor confidence has been sapped by rampant corruption, a lack of electricity and other infrastructure, a lack of skilled workers, and the political uncertainty due to the failing health of President Lansana CONTE. Guinea is trying to reengage with the IMF and World Bank, which cut off most assistance in 2003, and is working closely with technical advisors from the U.S. Treasury Department, the World Bank and IMF, seeking to return to a fully funded program. Growth rose slightly in 2006-07, primarily due to increases in global demand and commodity prices on world markets, but the standard of living fell. The Guinea franc depreciated sharply as the prices for basic necessities like food and fuel rose beyond the reach of most Guineans. Dissatisfaction with economic conditions prompted nationwide strikes in February and June 2006.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$10.96 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$4.714 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
1.5% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,100 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 23.8% industry: 38.6% services: 37.6% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
3.7 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 76% industry and services: 24% (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate:
Population below poverty line:
47% (2006 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.9% highest 10%: 41% (2006)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
38.1 (2006)
Investment (gross fixed):
11.3% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $347.1 million expenditures: $742.7 million (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
23.4% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
22.25% (31 December 2005)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
NA (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$309.8 million (31 December 2005)
Stock of quasi money:
NA (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$422.1 million (31 December 2005)
Agriculture - products:
rice, coffee, pineapples, palm kernels, cassava (tapioca), bananas, sweet potatoes; cattle, sheep, goats; timber
Industries:
bauxite, gold, diamonds, iron; alumina refining; light manufacturing, and agricultural processing
Industrial production growth rate:
7.6% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
800 million kWh note: excludes electricity generated at interior mining sites (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
744 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 45.5% hydro: 54.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
8,559 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
8,811 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$424 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$1.128 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
bauxite, alumina, gold, diamonds, coffee, fish, agricultural products
Exports - partners:
Russia 10.8%, Ukraine 9.6%, Spain 8.8%, US 7.5%, Germany 7.4%, South
Korea 7.2%, France 7%, Ireland 5.5%, China 5% (2007)
Imports:
$1.202 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
petroleum products, metals, machinery, transport equipment, textiles, grain and other foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
China 10%, France 7%, Netherlands 6.3% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$182.1 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$119 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$3.351 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
Guinean franc (GNF)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Guinean francs (GNF) per US dollar - 4,122.8 (2007), 5,350 (2006), 3,644.3 (2005), 2,225 (2004), 1,984.9 (2003)
Communications
Guinea
Telephones - main lines in use:
26,300 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
189,000 (2005)
Telephone system:
general assessment: inadequate system of open-wire lines, small radiotelephone communication stations, and new microwave radio relay system domestic: Conakry reasonably well served; coverage elsewhere remains inadequate and large companies tend to rely on their own systems for nationwide links; combined fixed and mobile-cellular teledensity is about 2 per 100 persons international: country code - 224; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 5, shortwave 3 (2006)
Radios:
357,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
6 (2001)
Televisions:
85,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.gn
Internet hosts:
16 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
4 (2001)
Internet users:
50,000 (2006)
Transportation
Guinea
Airports:
16 (2007)
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 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (2007)
Railways:
total: 837 km standard gauge: 175 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 662 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 44,348 km paved: 4,342 km unpaved: 40,006 km (2003)
Waterways:
1,300 km (navigable by shallow-draft native craft) (2005)
Ports and terminals:
Conakry, Kamsar
Military
Guinea
Military branches:
Armed Forces: Army, Navy (Marine Guineenne, includes Marines), Air
Force, Presidential Guard (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory military service; 2-year conscript service obligation (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,230,049 females age 16-49: 2,193,236 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,268,193 females age 16-49: 1,259,913 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 106,967 female: 104,631 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.7% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Guinea
Disputes - international:
conflicts among rebel groups, warlords, and youth gangs in neighboring states have spilled over into Guinea, resulting in domestic instability; Sierra Leone considers Guinea's definition of the flood plain limits to define the left bank boundary of the Makona and Moa rivers excessive and protests Guinea's continued occupation of these lands, including the hamlet of Yenga, occupied since 1998
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 21,856 (Liberia); 5,259 (Sierra
Leone); 3,900 (Cote d'Ivoire)
IDPs: 19,000 (cross-border incursions from Cote d'Ivoire, Liberia,
Sierra Leone) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Guinea is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation; the majority of victims are children, and internal trafficking is more prevalent than transnational trafficking; within the country, girls are trafficked primarily for domestic servitude and sexual exploitation, while boys are trafficked for forced agricultural labor, and as forced beggars, street vendors, shoe shiners, and laborers in gold and diamond mines; some Guinean men are also trafficked for agricultural labor within Guinea; transnationally, girls are trafficked into Guinea for domestic servitude and likely also for sexual exploitation tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Guinea is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking over 2006; Guinea demonstrated minimal law enforcement efforts for a second year in a row, while protection efforts diminished over efforts in 2006; the government did not report any trafficking convictions in 2007; due to a lack of resources, the government does not provide shelter services for trafficking victims; the government took no measures to reduce the demand for commercial sexual exploitation (2008)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Guinea-Bissau
Introduction
Guinea-Bissau
Background:
Since independence from Portugal in 1974, Guinea-Bissau has experienced considerable political and military upheaval. In 1980, a military coup established authoritarian dictator Joao Bernardo 'Nino' VIEIRA as president. Despite setting a path to a market economy and multiparty system, VIEIRA's regime was characterized by the suppression of political opposition and the purging of political rivals. Several coup attempts through the 1980s and early 1990s failed to unseat him. In 1994 VIEIRA was elected president in the country's first free elections. A military mutiny and resulting civil war in 1998 eventually led to VIEIRA's ouster in May 1999. In February 2000, a transitional government turned over power to opposition leader Kumba YALA, after he was elected president in transparent polling. In September 2003, after only three years in office, YALA was ousted by the military in a bloodless coup, and businessman Henrique ROSA was sworn in as interim president. In 2005, former President VIEIRA was re-elected president pledging to pursue economic development and national reconciliation.
Geography
Guinea-Bissau
Location:
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Senegal
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 36,120 sq km land: 28,000 sq km water: 8,120 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:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 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, clay, granite, limestone, unexploited deposits of petroleum
Land use:
arable land: 8.31% permanent crops: 6.92% other: 84.77% (2005)
Irrigated land:
250 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
31 cu km (2003)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.18 cu km/yr (13%/5%/82%) per capita: 113 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
this small country is swampy along its western coast and low-lying inland
People
Guinea-Bissau
Population:
1,503,182 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 41% (male 307,353/female 308,726) 15-64 years: 55.9% (male 404,747/female 436,245) 65 years and over: 3.1% (male 18,819/female 27,292) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 19.2 years male: 18.6 years female: 19.8 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.035% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
36.4 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
16.05 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 101.64 deaths/1,000 live births male: 111.74 deaths/1,000 live births female: 91.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 47.52 years male: 45.71 years female: 49.39 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
4.72 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
10% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
17,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
1,200 (2001 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Guinean(s) adjective: Guinean
Ethnic groups:
African 99% (includes Balanta 30%, Fula 20%, Manjaca 14%, Mandinga 13%, Papel 7%), European and mulatto less than 1%
Religions:
Muslim 50%, indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 10%
Languages:
Portuguese (official), Crioulo, African languages
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 42.4% male: 58.1% female: 27.4% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 5 years male: 7 years female: 4 years (2001)
Education expenditures:
5.2% of GDP (1999)
Government
Guinea-Bissau
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Guinea-Bissau conventional short form: Guinea-Bissau local long form: Republica da Guine-Bissau local short form: Guine-Bissau former: Portuguese Guinea
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Bissau geographic coordinates: 11 51 N, 15 35 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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 (declared); 10 September 1974 (from 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 in 1996
Legal system:
based on French civil law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Joao Bernardo 'Nino' VIEIRA (since 1 October 2005) head of government: Prime Minister Carlos CORREIA (since 5 August 2008) cabinet: NA elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (no term limits); election last held 24 July 2005 (next to be held in 2010); prime minister appointed by the president after consultation with party leaders in the legislature election results: Joao Bernardo VIEIRA elected president; percent of vote, second ballot - Joao Bernardo VIEIRA 52.4%, Malam Bacai SANHA 47.6%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National People's Assembly or Assembleia Nacional Popular (100 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 28 March 2004 (next to be held 16 November 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - PAIGC 31.5%, PRS 24.8%, PUSD 16.1%, UE 4.1%, APU 1.3%, 13 other parties 22.2%; seats by party - PAIGC 45, PRS 35, PUSD 17, UE 2, APU 1
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal da Justica (consists of nine justices 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 more than $1,000); 24 Sectoral Courts (judges are not necessarily trained lawyers; they hear civil cases valued at less than $1,000 and misdemeanor criminal cases)
Political parties and leaders:
African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde
or PAIGC [Carlos GOMES Junior]; Party for Social Renewal or PRS
[Kumba YALA]; Democratic Social Front or FDS; Electoral Union or UE;
Guinea-Bissau Civic Forum/Social Democracy or FCGSD [Antonieta Rosa
GOMES]; Guinea-Bissau Democratic Party or PDG; Guinea-Bissau
Socialist Democratic Party or PDSG [Serifo BALDE]; Labor and
Solidarity Party or PST [Iancuba INDJAI]; Party for Democratic
Convergence or PCD [Victor MANDINGA]; Party for Renewal and Progress
or PRP; Progress Party or PP [Ibrahima SOW]; Union for Change or UM
[Amine SAAD]; Union of Guinean Patriots or UPG [Francisca VAZ];
United Platform or UP (coalition formed by PCD, FDS, FLING, and
RGB-MB); United Popular Alliance or APU; United Social Democratic
Party or PUSD
Political pressure groups and leaders:
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, CPLP, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional),
WAEMU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: none; note - Guinea-Bissau does not have official representation in Washington, DC
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; the US Ambassador to Senegal is accredited to Guinea-Bissau
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 five 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 1999-2002. 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. Offshore oil prospecting is underway in several sectors but has not yet led to commercially viable crude deposits. 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 from a lamentably low base. In December 2003, the World Bank, IMF, and UNDP were forced to step in to provide emergency budgetary support in the amount of $107 million for 2004, representing over 80% of the total national budget. Government drift and indecision, however, resulted in continued low growth in 2002-06. Higher raw material prices boosted growth to 3.7% in 2007.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$826.4 million (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$343 million (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2.7% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$600 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 62% industry: 12% services: 26% (1999 est.)
Labor force:
480,000 (1999)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 82% industry and services: 18% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate:
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 0.5% highest 10%: 42.4% (1991)
Budget:
revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.8% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
4.25% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$142.5 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$12.04 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$46.44 million (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
rice, corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), cashew nuts, peanuts, palm kernels, cotton; timber; fish
Industries:
agricultural products processing, beer, soft drinks
Industrial production growth rate:
4.7% (2003 est.)
Electricity - production:
60 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
55.8 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
2,520 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
2,560 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$6 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$133 million f.o.b. (2006)
Exports - commodities:
cashew nuts, shrimp, peanuts, palm kernels, sawn lumber
Exports - partners:
Brazil 56.2%, India 33.6%, Nigeria 8.3% (2007)
Imports:
$200 million f.o.b. (2006)
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products
Imports - partners:
Portugal 21.7%, Senegal 16.8%, France 6%, Pakistan 4.7% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$79.12 million (2005)
Debt - external:
$941.5 million (2000 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 493.51 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003) note: since 1 January 1999, the XOF franc has been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF francs per euro
Communications
Guinea-Bissau
Telephones - main lines in use:
4,600 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
296,200 (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: small system domestic: combination of microwave radio relay, open-wire lines, radiotelephone, and cellular communications; fixed-line teledensity less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity reached 20 per 100 in 2007 international: country code - 245
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1 (transmitter out of service), FM 4, shortwave 0 (2001)
Radios:
49,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
Televisions:
Internet country code:
.gw
Internet hosts:
82 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2002)
Internet users:
37,000 (2006)
Transportation
Guinea-Bissau
Airports:
27 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 24 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 19 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 3,455 km paved: 965 km unpaved: 2,490 km (2002)
Waterways:
rivers are navigable for some distance; many inlets and creeks give shallow-water access to much of interior (2007)
Ports and terminals:
Bissau, Buba, Cacheu, Farim
Military
Guinea-Bissau
Military branches:
People's Revolutionary Armed Force (FARP): Army, Navy, Air Force; paramilitary force
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for selective compulsory military service (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 344,087 females age 16-49: 347,886 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 188,605 females age 16-49: 195,429 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 16,634 female: 16,841 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
3.1% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
Guinea-Bissau
Disputes - international:
in 2006, political instability within Senegal's Casamance region resulted in thousands of Senegalese refugees, cross-border raids, and arms smuggling into Guinea-Bissau
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 7,454 (Senegal) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Guinea-Bissau is a source country for children trafficked primarily for forced begging and forced agricultural labor to other West African countries tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - for the second year in a row, Guinea-Bissau is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to combat severe forms of trafficking in persons, as evidenced by the continued failure to pass an anti-trafficking law and inadequate efforts to investigate or prosecute trafficking crimes or convict and punish trafficking offenders (2008)
Illicit drugs:
increasingly important transit country for South American cocaine enroute to Europe; enabling environment for trafficker operations thanks to pervasive corruption; archipelago-like geography around the capital facilitates drug smuggling
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Guyana
Introduction
Guyana
Background:
Originally a Dutch colony in the 17th century, by 1815 Guyana had become a British possession. The abolition of slavery led to black settlement of urban areas and the importation of indentured servants from India to work the sugar plantations. This ethnocultural divide has persisted and has led to turbulent politics. Guyana achieved independence from the UK in 1966, and since then it has been ruled mostly by socialist-oriented governments. In 1992, Cheddi JAGAN was elected president in what is considered the country's first free and fair election since independence. After his death five years later, his wife, Janet JAGAN, became president but resigned in 1999 due to poor health. Her successor, Bharrat JAGDEO, was reelected in 2001 and again in 2006.
Geography
Guyana
Location:
Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
Suriname and Venezuela
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
South America
Area:
total: 214,970 sq km land: 196,850 sq km water: 18,120 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Idaho
Land boundaries:
total: 2,949 km border countries: Brazil 1,606 km, Suriname 600 km, Venezuela 743 km
Coastline:
459 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental margin
Climate:
tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two rainy seasons (May to August, November to 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: 2.23% permanent crops: 0.14% other: 97.63% (2005)
Irrigated land:
1,500 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
241 cu km (2000)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 1.64 cu km/yr (2%/1%/98%) per capita: 2,187 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, 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:
770,794 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 25.9% (male 101,712/female 97,907) 15-64 years: 68.7% (male 267,239/female 262,188) 65 years and over: 5.4% (male 17,610/female 24,138) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 28.2 years male: 27.7 years female: 28.7 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.211% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
17.85 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
8.29 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-7.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.73 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 30.43 deaths/1,000 live births male: 33.87 deaths/1,000 live births female: 26.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 66.43 years male: 63.81 years female: 69.18 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.03 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
2.5% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
11,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
1,100 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria water contact disease: leptospirosis (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Guyanese (singular and plural) adjective: Guyanese
Ethnic groups:
East Indian 43.5%, black (African) 30.2%, mixed 16.7%, Amerindian 9.1%, other 0.5% (2002 census)
Religions:
Hindu 28.4%, Pentecostal 16.9%, Roman Catholic 8.1%, Anglican 6.9%, Seventh Day Adventist 5%, Methodist 1.7%, Jehovah Witness 1.1%, other Christian 17.7%, Muslim 7.2%, other 4.3%, none 4.3% (2002 census)
Languages:
English, Amerindian dialects, Creole, Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Urdu
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 98.8% male: 99.1% female: 98.5% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 13 years male: 13 years female: 14 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
8.3% of GDP (2006)
Government
Guyana
Country name:
conventional long form: Cooperative Republic of Guyana conventional short form: Guyana former: British Guiana
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Georgetown geographic coordinates: 6 48 N, 58 10 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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 Janet JAGAN and was reelected in 2001, and again in 2006 head of government: Prime Minister Samuel HINDS (since October 1992, except for a period as chief of state after the death of President Cheddi JAGAN on 6 March 1997) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president, responsible to the legislature elections: president elected by popular vote as leader of a party list in parliamentary elections, which must be held at least every five years (no term limits); elections last held 28 August 2006 (next to be held by August 2011); prime minister appointed by the president election results: President Bharrat JAGDEO reelected; percent of vote 54.6%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (65 seats; members elected by popular vote, also not more than 4 non-elected non-voting ministers and 2 non-elected non-voting parliamentary secretaries appointed by the president; to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 28 August 2006 (next to be held by August 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - PPP/C 54.6%, PNC/R 34%, AFC 8.1%, other 3.3%; seats by party - PPP/C 36, PNC/R 22, AFC 5, other 2
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Judicature, consisting of the High Court and the
Judicial Court of Appeal, with right of final appeal to the
Caribbean Court of Justice
Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for Change or AFC [Raphael TROTMAN and Khemraj RAMJATTAN];
Guyana Action Party or GAP [Paul HARDY]; Justice for All Party [C.N.
SHARMA]; People's National Congress/Reform or PNC/R [Robert Herman
Orlando CORBIN]; 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]; The Unity Party [Joey JAGAN]; Vision
Guyana [Peter RAMSAROOP]; Working People's Alliance or WPA [Rupert
ROOPNARAINE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Amerindian People's Association; Guyana Bar Association; Guyana
Citizens Initiative; Guyana Human Rights Association; Guyana Public
Service Union or GPSU; Private Sector Commission; Trades Union
Congress
International organization participation:
ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO
(subscriber), ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW,
PCA, RG, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Bayney KARRAN chancery: 2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-6900 FAX: [1] (202) 232-1297 consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador John Melvin JONES embassy: US Embassy, 100 Young and Duke Streets, Kingston, Georgetown mailing address: P. O. Box 10507, Georgetown; US Embassy, 3170 Georgetown Place, Washington DC 20521-3170 telephone: [592] 225-4900 through 4909 FAX: [592] 225-8497
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 exhibited moderate economic growth in 2001-07, based on 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. Economic recovery since the 2005 flood-related contraction has been buoyed by increases in remittances and foreign direct investment. 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. In March 2007, the Inter-American Development Bank, Guyana's principal donor, canceled Guyana's nearly $470 million debt, equivalent to nearly 48% of GDP. The bauxite mining sector should benefit in the near term from restructuring and partial privatization, and the state-owned sugar industry will conduct efficiency increasing modernizations. Export earnings from agriculture and mining have fallen sharply, while the import bill has risen, driven by higher energy prices. Guyana's entrance into the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME) in January 2006 will broaden the country's export market, primarily in the raw materials sector.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$2.819 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.039 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.3% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$3,700 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 31.1% industry: 21.7% services: 47.1% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
418,000 (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Unemployment rate:
9.1% (understated) (2000)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.3% highest 10%: 33.8% (1999)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
43.2 (1999)
Investment (gross fixed):
34.9% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $446.2 million expenditures: $531.2 million (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
12.3% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
6.5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
14.61% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$315.2 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$728.8 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$739.3 million (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
sugarcane, rice, shrimp, fish, vegetable oils; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products
Industries:
bauxite, sugar, rice milling, timber, textiles, gold mining
Industrial production growth rate:
-26.4% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
901 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
747 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 99.4% hydro: 0.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
10,440 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
10,960 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$157 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$683 million f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
sugar, gold, bauxite, alumina, rice, shrimp, molasses, rum, timber
Exports - partners:
Canada 18.7%, US 16.5%, UK 9.1%, Portugal 7.6%, Trinidad and Tobago 5.2%, France 4.7%, Netherlands 4.6%, Jamaica 4% (2007)
Imports:
$1.006 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
manufactures, machinery, petroleum, food
Imports - partners:
Trinidad and Tobago 26.2%, US 20.5%, Cuba 7.2%, China 7.1%, UK 5.4% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$136.8 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$313 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$1.2 billion (2002)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$187.3 million (2005)
Currency (code):
Guyanese dollar (GYD)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Guyanese dollars (GYD) per US dollar - 201.89 (2007), 200.28 (2006), 200.79 (2005), 198.31 (2004), 193.88 (2003)
Communications
Guyana
Telephones - main lines in use:
110,100 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
281,400 (2005)
Telephone system:
general assessment: fair system for long-distance service domestic: microwave radio relay network for trunk lines; fixed-line teledensity is about 15 per 100 persons; many areas still lack fixed-line telephone services; mobile-cellular teledensity reached 37 per 100 persons in 2005 international: country code - 592; tropospheric 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 (1 public station; 2 private stations which relay US satellite services) (1997)
Televisions:
46,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.gy
Internet hosts:
6,218 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
3 (2000)
Internet users:
190,000 (2007)
Transportation
Guyana
Airports:
93 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 under 914 m: 6 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 84 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 69 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 7,970 km paved: 590 km unpaved: 7,380 km (2000)
Waterways:
Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo rivers are navigable by oceangoing vessels for 150 km, 100 km, and 80 km respectively (2006)
Merchant marine:
total: 8 by type: cargo 6, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1 registered in other countries: 3 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2, unknown 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Georgetown
Military
Guyana
Military branches:
Guyana Defense Force: Army (includes Coast Guard, Air Corps) (2007)
Military service age and obligation:
18-25 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 220,797 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 150,623 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 6,713 female: 6,451 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.8% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Guyana
Disputes - international:
all of the area west of the Essequibo River is claimed by Venezuela preventing any discussion of a maritime boundary; Guyana has expressed its intention to join Barbados in asserting claims before UNCLOS that Trinidad and Tobago's maritime boundary with Venezuela extends into their waters; Suriname claims a triangle of land between the New and Kutari/Koetari rivers in a historic dispute over the headwaters of the Courantyne; Guyana seeks arbitration under provisions of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to resolve the long-standing dispute with Suriname over the axis of the territorial sea boundary in potentially oil-rich waters
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Guyana is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor; most trafficking appears to take place in remote mining camps in the country's interior; some women and girls are trafficked from northern Brazil; reporting from other nations suggests Guyanese women and girls are trafficked for sexual exploitation to neighboring countries and Guyanese men and boys are subject to labor exploitation in construction and agriculture; trafficking victims from Suriname, Brazil, and Venezuela transit Guyana en route to Caribbean destinations tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - for a second consecutive year, Guyana is on the Tier 2 Watch List for failing to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking, particularly in the area of law enforcement actions against trafficking offenders; the government has yet to produce an anti-trafficking conviction under the comprehensive Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act, which became law in 2005; the government operates no shelters for trafficking victims, but did include limited funding for anti-trafficking NGOs in its 2008 budget; the government did not make any effort to reduce demand for commercial sex acts during 2007 (2008)
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for narcotics from South America - primarily Venezuela - to Europe and the US; producer of cannabis; rising money laundering related to drug trafficking and human smuggling
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Haiti
Introduction
Haiti
Background:
The native Taino Amerindians - who inhabited the island of Hispaniola when it was discovered by COLUMBUS in 1492 - were virtually annihilated by Spanish settlers within 25 years. In the early 17th century, the French established a presence on Hispaniola, and in 1697, Spain ceded to the French the western third of the island, which later became Haiti. The French colony, based on forestry and sugar-related industries, became one of the wealthiest in the Caribbean, but only through the heavy importation of African slaves and considerable environmental degradation. In the late 18th century, Haiti's nearly half million slaves revolted under Toussaint L'OUVERTURE. After a prolonged struggle, Haiti became the first black republic to declare its independence in 1804. The poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti has been plagued by political violence for most of its history. After an armed rebellion led to the forced resignation and exile of President Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE in February 2004, an interim government took office to organize new elections under the auspices of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH). Continued violence and technical delays prompted repeated postponements, but Haiti finally did inaugurate a democratically elected president and parliament in May of 2006.
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:
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:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: to depth of exploitation
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: 28.11% permanent crops: 11.53% other: 60.36% (2005)
Irrigated land:
920 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
14 cu km (2000)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.99 cu km/yr (5%/1%/94%) per capita: 116 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Hazardous Wastes
Geography - note:
shares island of Hispaniola with Dominican Republic (western one-third is Haiti, eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic)
People
Haiti
Population:
8,924,553 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 41.8% (male 1,881,509/female 1,851,591) 15-64 years: 54.7% (male 2,386,761/female 2,495,233) 65 years and over: 3.5% (male 135,695/female 173,764) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 18.5 years male: 18.1 years female: 19 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.493% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
35.69 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
10.15 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 62.33 deaths/1,000 live births male: 66.88 deaths/1,000 live births female: 57.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 57.56 years male: 55.83 years female: 59.35 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
4.79 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
5.6% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
280,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
24,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria water contact disease: leptospirosis (2008)
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% note: roughly half of the population practices voodoo
Languages:
French (official), Creole (official)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 52.9% male: 54.8% female: 51.2% (2003 est.)
Education expenditures:
1.4% of GDP (1991)
Government
Haiti
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Haiti conventional short form: Haiti local long form: Republique d'Haiti/Repiblik d' Ayiti local short form: Haiti/Ayiti
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Port-au-Prince geographic coordinates: 18 32 N, 72 20 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in April; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
10 departments (departements, singular - departement); Artibonite, Centre, Grand 'Anse, Nippes, 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; constitutional government ousted in a military coup in September 1991, although in October 1991, military government claimed to be observing the constitution; returned to constitutional rule in October 1994; constitution, while technically in force between 2004-2006, was not enforced; returned to constitutional rule in May 2006
Legal system:
based on Roman civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Rene PREVAL (since 14 May 2006) head of government: Prime Minister Michele PIERRE-LOUIS (since 5 September 2008) cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (may not serve consecutive terms); election last held 7 February 2006 (next to be held in 2011); prime minister appointed by the president, ratified by the National Assembly election results: Rene PREVAL elected president; percent of vote - Rene PREVAL 51%
Legislative branch:
bicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale consists of the Senate (30 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber of Deputies (99 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); note - in reestablishing the Senate, the candidate in each department receiving the most votes in the last election serves six years, the candidate with the second most votes serves four years, and the candidate with the third most votes serves two years elections: Senate - last held 21 April 2006 with run-off elections on 3 December 2006 (next regular election, for one third of seats, to be held in 2008); Chamber of Deputies - last held 21 April 2006 with run-off elections on 3 December 2006 and 29 April 2007 (next regular election to be held in 2010) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - L'ESPWA 11, FUSION 5, OPL 4, FL 3, LAAA 2, UNCRH 2, PONT 2, ALYANS 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - L'ESPWA 23, FUSION 17, FRN 12, OPL 10, ALYANS 10, LAAA 5, MPH 3, MOCHRENA 3, other 10; results for six other seats contested on 3 December 2006 remain unknown
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Cour de Cassation
Political parties and leaders:
Artibonite in Action or LAAA [Youri LATORTUE]; Assembly of
Progressive National Democrats or RDNP [Leslie MANIGAT]; Convention
for Democratic Unity or KID [Evans PAUL]; Cooperative Action to
Build Haiti or KONBA [Evans LESCOUFALIR]; Democratic Alliance or
ALYANS [Evans PAUL] (coalition composed of KID and PPRH); Effort and
Solidarity to Create an Alternative for the People or ESKAMP [Joseph
JASME]; For Us All or PONT [Jean-Marie CHERESTAL]; Front for Hope or
L'ESPWA [Rene PREVAL] (alliance of ESKAMP, PLB, and grass-roots
organizations Grand-Anse Resistance Committee, the Central Plateau
Peasants' Group, and Kombit Sudest); Haitian Christian Democratic
Party or PDCH [Osner FEVRY and Marie-Denise CLAUDE]; Haitian
Democratic and Reform Movement or MODEREH [Dany TOUSSAINT and Pierre
Soncon PRINCE]; Heads Together or Tet-Ansanm [Dr. Gerard BLOT];
Independent Movement for National Reconciliation or MIRN [Luc
FLEURINORD]; Justice for Peace and National Development or JPDN
[Rigaud DUPLAN]; Fanmi Lavalas or FL [Rudy HERIVEAUX]; Liberal Party
of Haiti or PLH [Gehy MICHEL]; Merging of Haitian Social Democratic
Parties or FUSION or FPSDH [Serge GILLES] (coalition of Ayiti
Capable, Haitian National Revolutionary Party, and National Congress
of Democratic Movements); Mobilization for Haiti's Development or
MPH [Samir MOURRA]; Mobilization for National Development or MDN
[Hubert de RONCERAY]; Movement for National Reconstruction or MRN
[Jean Henold BUTEAU]; Movement for the Installation of Democracy in
Haiti or MIDH [Marc BAZIN]; National Christian Union for the
Reconstruction of Haiti or UNCRH [Marie Claude GERMAIN]; National
Front for the Reconstruction of Haiti or FRN [Guy PHILIPPE]; New
Christian Movement for a New Haiti or MOCHRENA [Luc MESADIEU]; Open
the Gate Party or PLB [Anes LUBIN]; Popular Party for the Renewal of
Haiti or PPRH [Claude ROMAIN]; Struggling People's Organization or
OPL [Edgard LEBLANC]; Union of Nationalist and Progressive Haitians
or UNITE [Edouard FRANCISQUE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Autonomous Organizations of Haitian Workers or CATH [Fignole
ST-CYR]; Confederation of Haitian Workers or CTH; Federation of
Workers Trade Unions or FOS; General Organization of Independent
Haitian Workers [Patrick NUMAS]; Grand-Anse Resistance Committee, or
KOREGA; National Popular Assembly or APN; Papaye Peasants Movement
or MPP [Chavannes JEAN-BAPTISTE]; Popular Organizations Gathering
Power or PROP; Protestant Federation of Haiti; Roman Catholic Church
International organization participation:
ACP, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW,
PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Raymond JOSEPH chancery: 2311 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-4090 FAX: [1] (202) 745-7215 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York, San Juan (Puerto Rico)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Janet A. SANDERSON embassy: Tabarre 41, Route de Tabarre, Port-au-Prince mailing address: use mailing address telephone: [509] 229-8000 FAX: [509] 229-8028
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:
Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, with 80% of the population living under the poverty line and 54% in abject poverty. Two-thirds of all Haitians depend on the agricultural sector, mainly small-scale subsistence farming, and remain vulnerable to damage from frequent natural disasters, exacerbated by the country's widespread deforestation. A macroeconomic program developed in 2005 with the help of the International Monetary Fund helped the economy grow 3.5% in 2007, the highest growth rate since 1999. US economic engagement under the Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement (HOPE) Act, passed in December 2006, has boosted the garment and automotive parts exports and investment by providing tariff-free access to the US. Haiti suffers from high inflation, a lack of investment because of insecurity and limited infrastructure, and a severe trade deficit. In 2005, Haiti paid its arrears to the World Bank, paving the way for reengagement with the Bank. The government relies on formal international economic assistance for fiscal sustainability. Remittances are the primary source of foreign exchange, equaling nearly a quarter of GDP and more than twice the earnings from exports.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$11.38 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$5.435 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.2% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,300 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 28% industry: 20% services: 52% (2004 est.)
Labor force:
3.6 million note: shortage of skilled labor, unskilled labor abundant (1995)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 66% industry: 9% services: 25% (1995)
Unemployment rate:
widespread unemployment and underemployment; more than two-thirds of the labor force do not have formal jobs (2002 est.)
Population below poverty line:
80% (2003 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 0.7% highest 10%: 47.7% (2001)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
59.2 (2001)
Investment (gross fixed):
28.9% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $815.9 million expenditures: $802.2 million (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
1 October - 30 September
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
8.5% (2007 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
46.99% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$704.7 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$1.561 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.537 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
coffee, mangoes, sugarcane, rice, corn, sorghum; wood
Industries:
sugar refining, flour milling, textiles, cement, light assembly based on imported parts
Industrial production growth rate:
2.5% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
549 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
330 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 60.3% hydro: 39.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
12,370 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
11,980 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$467 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$522 million f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
apparel, manufactures, oils, cocoa, mangoes, coffee
Exports - partners:
US 72.9%, Dominican Republic 8.8%, Canada 3.3% (2007)
Imports:
$1.734 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
food, manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, raw materials
Imports - partners:
US 41.2%, Netherlands Antilles 14.9%, China 4.7%, Brazil 4.4% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$515 million (2005 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$444 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$1.475 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
gourde (HTG)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
gourdes (HTG) per US dollar - 37.138 (2007), 40.232 (2006), 40.449 (2005), 38.352 (2004), 42.367 (2003)
Communications
Haiti
Telephones - main lines in use:
150,000 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
2.2 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: domestic facilities barely adequate; international facilities slightly better; telephone density in Haiti remains the lowest in the Latin American and Caribbean region domestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay trunk service; combined fixed and mobile-cellular teledensity is about 25 per 100 persons international: country code - 509; 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 hosts:
7 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
3 (2000)
Internet users:
1 million (2007)
Transportation
Haiti
Airports:
14 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 9 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 4,160 km paved: 1,011 km unpaved: 3,149 km (2000)
Ports and terminals:
Cap-Haitien
Military
Haiti
Military branches:
no regular military forces - small Coast Guard; the regular Haitian Armed Forces (FAdH) - Army, Navy, and Air Force - have been demobilized but still exist on paper unless they are constitutionally abolished (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,047,083 females age 16-49: 2,047,953 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,303,743 females age 16-49: 1,332,316 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 105,655 female: 104,376 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.4% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Haiti
Disputes - international:
since 2004, about 8,000 peacekeepers from the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) maintain civil order in Haiti; despite efforts to control illegal migration, Haitians cross into the Dominican Republic and sail to neighboring countries; Haiti claims US-administered Navassa Island
Illicit drugs:
Caribbean transshipment point for cocaine en route to the US and Europe; substantial bulk cash smuggling activity; Colombian narcotics traffickers favor Haiti for illicit financial transactions; pervasive corruption; significant consumer of cannabis
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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:
islands in the Indian Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Madagascar to Antarctica
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Antarctic Region
Area:
total: 412 sq km land: 412 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly more than two times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
101.9 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 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: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Mawson Peak, on Big Ben 2,745 m
Natural resources:
fish
Land use:
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)
Irrigated land:
0 sq km
Natural hazards:
Mawson Peak, an active volcano, is on Heard Island
Environment - current issues:
Geography - note:
Mawson Peak on Heard Island is the highest Australian mountain (at 2,745 meters, it is taller than Mt. Kosciuszko in Australia proper), and one of only two active volcanoes located in Australian territory, the other being McDonald Island; in 1992, McDonald Island broke its dormancy and began erupting; it has erupted several times since, the most recent being in 2005
People
Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Population:
uninhabited
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 abbreviation: HIMI
Dependency status:
territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Antarctic Division of the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
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:
The islands have no indigenous economic activity, but the Australian
Government allows limited fishing in the surrounding waters.
Communications
Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Internet country code:
.hm
Transportation
Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Ports and terminals:
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 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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 religious freedom, international development, the environment, the Middle East, China, the decline of religion in Europe, terrorism, interreligious dialogue and reconciliation, and the application of church doctrine in an era of rapid change and globalization. About one billion people worldwide profess the Catholic faith.
Geography
Holy See (Vatican City)
Location:
Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy)
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 0.44 sq km land: 0.44 sq km water: 0 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 May) with hot, dry summers (May to September)
Terrain:
urban; 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) (2005)
Irrigated land:
0 sq km
Natural hazards:
Environment - current issues:
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Climate Change signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution, Environmental Modification
Geography - note:
landlocked; enclave in Rome, Italy; world's smallest state; beyond the territorial boundary of Vatican City, the Lateran Treaty of 1929 grants the Holy See extraterritorial authority over 23 sites in Rome and five outside of Rome, including the Pontifical Palace at Castel Gandolfo (the Pope's summer residence)
People
Holy See (Vatican City)
Population:
824 (July 2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.003% (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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: 100% female: 100%
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 long form: Santa Sede (Stato della Citta del Vaticano) local short form: Santa Sede (Citta del Vaticano)
Government type:
ecclesiastical
Capital:
name: Vatican City geographic coordinates: 41 54 N, 12 27 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
none
Independence:
11 February 1929 (from Italy); note - the three treaties signed with Italy on 11 February 1929 acknowledged, among other things, the full sovereignty of the Vatican and established its territorial extent; however, the origin of the Papal States, which over the years have varied considerably in extent, may be traced back to the 8th century
National holiday:
Coronation Day of Pope BENEDICT XVI, 24 April (2005)
Constitution:
new Fundamental Law promulgated by Pope JOHN PAUL II on 26 November 2000, effective 22 February 2001 (replaces the first Fundamental Law of 1929)
Legal system:
based on Code of Canon Law and revisions to it
Suffrage:
limited to cardinals less than 80 years old
Executive branch:
chief of state: Pope BENEDICT XVI (since 19 April 2005) head of government: Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio BERTONE (since 15 September 2006) cabinet: Pontifical Commission for the State of Vatican City appointed by the pope elections: pope elected for life by the College of Cardinals; election last held 19 April 2005 (next to be held after the death of the current pope); secretary of state appointed by the pope election results: Joseph RATZINGER elected Pope BENEDICT XVI
Legislative branch:
unicameral Pontifical Commission for the State of Vatican City
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 Pope 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, Interpol, IOM (observer), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, NAM (guest), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR, Union Latina (observer), UNWTO (observer), UPU, WFTU, WIPO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Pietro SAMBI chancery: 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-7121 FAX: [1] (202) 337-4036
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Mary Ann GLENDON embassy: Villa Domiziana, Via delle Terme Deciane 26, 00153 Rome mailing address: PSC 59, Box 66, APO AE 09624 telephone: [39] (06) 4674-3428 FAX: [39] (06) 575-8346
Flag description:
two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side) and white with the arms of the Holy See, consisting of the crossed keys of Saint Peter surmounted by the three-tiered papal tiara, centered in the white band
Economy
Holy See (Vatican City)
Economy - overview:
This unique, noncommercial economy is supported financially by an annual contribution (known as Peter's Pence) from Roman Catholic dioceses throughout the world; by the sale of postage stamps, coins, medals, and tourist mementos; by fees for admission to museums; and by the sale of publications. Investments and real estate income also account for a sizable portion of revenue. The incomes and living standards of lay workers are comparable to those of counterparts who work in the city of Rome.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
Labor force:
Labor force - by occupation:
note: essentially services with a small amount of industry; nearly all dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and the approximately 3,000 lay workers live outside the Vatican
Population below poverty line:
Budget:
revenues: $310 million expenditures: $307 million (2006)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Industries:
printing; production of coins, medals, postage stamps; a small amount of mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide banking and financial activities
Electricity - production:
NA kWh
Electricity - consumption:
NA kWh
Electricity - imports:
NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy
Currency (code):
euro (EUR)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003)
Communications
Holy See (Vatican City)
Telephones - main lines in use:
5,120 (2005)
Telephone system:
general assessment: automatic digital exchange domestic: connected via fiber optic cable to Telecom Italia network international: country code - 39; uses Italian system
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 4, FM 3, shortwave 2 (2004)
Radios:
Television broadcast stations:
1 (2005)
Televisions:
Internet country code:
.va
Internet hosts:
55 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
Internet users:
93 (2000)
Military
Holy See (Vatican City)
Military branches:
Pontifical Swiss Guard (Corpo della Guardia Svizzera Pontificia) (2007)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of Italy; ceremonial and limited security duties performed by Pontifical Swiss Guard
Transnational Issues
Holy See (Vatican City)
Disputes - international:
none
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Honduras
Introduction
Honduras
Background:
Once part of Spain's vast empire in the New World, Honduras became an independent nation in 1821. After two and a 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 leftist guerrillas. The country was devastated by Hurricane Mitch in 1998, which killed about 5,600 people and caused approximately $2 billion in damage.
Geography
Honduras
Location:
Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Nicaragua and bordering the Gulf of Fonseca (North Pacific Ocean), between El Salvador and Nicaragua
Geographic coordinates:
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:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: natural extension of territory or to 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: 9.53% permanent crops: 3.21% other: 87.26% (2005)
Irrigated land:
800 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
95.9 cu km (2000)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.86 cu km/yr (8%/12%/80%) per capita: 119 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
has only a short Pacific coast but a long Caribbean shoreline, including the virtually uninhabited eastern Mosquito Coast
People
Honduras
Population:
7,639,327 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 38.7% (male 1,508,835/female 1,446,530) 15-64 years: 57.8% (male 2,210,187/female 2,203,620) 65 years and over: 3.5% (male 121,839/female 148,316) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 20 years male: 19.7 years female: 20.4 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.024% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
26.93 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
5.36 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-1.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 24.61 deaths/1,000 live births male: 27.63 deaths/1,000 live births female: 21.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.37 years male: 67.81 years female: 71.01 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.38 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.8% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
63,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
4,100 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria water contact disease: leptospirosis (2008)
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 3%
Languages:
Spanish, Amerindian dialects
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 80% male: 79.8% female: 80.2% (2001 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 11 years male: 11 years female: 12 years (2004)
Education expenditures:
3.8% of GDP (1991)
Government
Honduras
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Honduras conventional short form: Honduras local long form: Republica de Honduras local short form: Honduras
Government type:
democratic constitutional republic
Capital:
name: Tegucigalpa geographic coordinates: 14 06 N, 87 13 W time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November
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 many times
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 Jose Manuel ZELAYA Rosales (since 27 January 2006); Vice President Elvin Ernesto SANTOS Ordonez (since 27 January 2006); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Jose Manuel ZELAYA Rosales (since 27 January 2006); Vice President Elvin Ernesto SANTOS Ordonez (since 27 January 2006) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 27 November 2005 (next to be held in November 2009) election results: Jose Manuel ZELAYA Rosales elected president - 49.8%, Porfirio "Pepe" LOBO Sosa 46.1%, other 4.1%
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 27 November 2005 (next to be held in November 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PL 62, PN 55, PUD 5, PDC 4, PINU 2
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (15 judges are elected for seven-year terms by the National Congress)
Political parties and leaders:
Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Felicito AVILA]; Democratic
Unification Party or PUD [Cesar HAM]; Liberal Party or PL [Patricia
RODAS]; National Innovation and Unity Party or PINU [Jorge AQUILAR
Paredes]; National Party of Honduras or PN [Porfirio LOBO]
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 Confederation of
Honduran Workers or CUTH
International organization participation:
BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
(subscriber), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO,
NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union
Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Roberto FLORES BERMUDEZ chancery: Suite 4-M, 3007 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 966-7702 FAX: [1] (202) 966-9751 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Phoenix, San Francisco honorary consulate(s): Boston, Detroit, Jacksonville
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Hugo LLORENS embassy: Avenida La Paz, Apartado Postal No. 3453, Tegucigalpa mailing address: American Embassy, APO AA 34022, Tegucigalpa telephone: [504] 236-9320, 238-5114 FAX: [504] 238-4357
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, the second poorest country in Central America and one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere, with an extraordinarily unequal distribution of income and massive unemployment, is banking on expanded trade under the US-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) and on debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. Despite improvements in tax collections, the government's fiscal deficit is growing due to increases in current expenditures and financial losses from the state energy and telephone companies. Honduras is the fastest growing remittance destination in the region with inflows representing over a quarter of GDP, equivalent to nearly three-quarters of exports. The economy relies heavily on a narrow range of exports, notably bananas and coffee, making it vulnerable to natural disasters and shifts in commodity prices, however, investments in the maquila and non-traditional export sectors are slowly diversifying the economy. Growth remains dependent on the economy of the US, its largest trading partner, and on reduction of the high crime rate, as a means of attracting and maintaining investment.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$32.26 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$12.28 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
6.3% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$4,300 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 13.4% industry: 28.1% services: 58.6% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
2.779 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 34% industry: 23% services: 43% (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate:
27.8% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
50.7% (2004)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.2% highest 10%: 42.2% (2003)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
53.8 (2003)
Investment (gross fixed):
30.4% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $2.344 billion expenditures: $2.631 billion; including capital expenditures of $106 million (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
24.1% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6.9% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
NA (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
16.61% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$1.573 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$5.266 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$6.298 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
bananas, coffee, citrus; beef; timber; shrimp, tilapia, lobster; corn, African palm
Industries:
sugar, coffee, textiles, clothing, wood products
Industrial production growth rate:
4.4% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
5.753 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
4.233 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
11.8 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 50.2% hydro: 49.8% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
46,830 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
417.9 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
44,040 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$1.225 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$5.594 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
coffee, shrimp, bananas, gold, palm oil, fruit, lobster, lumber
Exports - partners:
US 67.2%, El Salvador 4.9%, Guatemala 3.9% (2007)
Imports:
$8.556 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, industrial raw materials, chemical products, fuels, foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
US 52.4%, Guatemala 7.1%, El Salvador 5.2%, Mexico 4.5%, Costa Rica 4.2% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$680.8 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$2.546 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$3.411 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
lempira (HNL)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
lempiras (HNL) per US dollar - 18.9 (2007), 18.895 (2006), 18.92 (2005), 18.206 (2004), 17.345 (2003)
Communications
Honduras
Telephones - main lines in use:
713,600 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
2.241 million (2006)
Telephone system:
general assessment: inadequate system domestic: beginning in 2003, private sub-operators allowed to provide fixed-lines in order to expand telephone coverage; fixed-line teledensity has increased to about 10 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone service has been increasing rapidly and subscribership in 2006 exceeded 30 per 100 persons international: country code - 504; landing point for both the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) and the MAYA-1 fiber optic submarine cable system that together provide connectivity to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to 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 hosts:
13,370 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
8 (2000)
Internet users:
344,100 (2006)
Transportation
Honduras
Airports:
112 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 12 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 3 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 100 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 83 (2007)
Railways:
total: 699 km narrow gauge: 279 km 1.067-m gauge; 420 km 0.914-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 13,600 km paved: 2,775 km unpaved: 10,825 km (2000)
Waterways:
465 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 123 by type: bulk carrier 10, cargo 57, chemical tanker 6, container 1, liquefied gas 1, passenger 4, passenger/cargo 7, petroleum tanker 25, refrigerated cargo 7, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 1 foreign-owned: 42 (Bangladesh 1, Canada 1, China 3, Egypt 3, Greece 4, Hong Kong 1, Israel 1, Japan 4, South Korea 6, Lebanon 1, Mexico 1, Singapore 12, Taiwan 2, Tanzania 1, Vietnam 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
La Ceiba, Puerto Cortes, San Lorenzo, Tela
Military
Honduras
Military branches:
Army, Navy (includes Naval Infantry), Honduran Air Force (Fuerza
Aerea Hondurena, FAH) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary 2 to 3-year military service (2004)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,868,940 females age 16-49: 1,825,770 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,359,406 females age 16-49: 1,371,418 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 90,876 female: 87,292 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.6% of GDP (2006 est.)
Transnational Issues
Honduras
Disputes - international:
International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on the delimitation of "bolsones" (disputed areas) along the El Salvador-Honduras border in 1992 with final settlement by the parties in 2006 after an Organization of American States (OAS) survey and a further ICJ ruling in 2003; the 1992 ICJ ruling advised a tripartite resolution to a maritime boundary in the Gulf of Fonseca with consideration of Honduran access to the Pacific; El Salvador continues to claim tiny Conejo Island, not mentioned in the ICJ ruling, off Honduras in the Gulf of Fonseca; Honduras claims the Belizean-administered Sapodilla Cays off the coast of Belize in its constitution, but agreed to a joint ecological park around the cays should Guatemala consent to a maritime corridor in the Caribbean under the OAS-sponsored 2002 Belize-Guatemala Differendum; memorials and countermemorials were filed by the parties in Nicaragua's 1999 and 2001 proceedings against Honduras and Colombia at the ICJ over the maritime boundary and territorial claims in the western Caribbean Sea - final public hearings are scheduled for 2007
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; some money-laundering activity
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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 promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic system would not be imposed on Hong Kong and that Hong Kong would 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:
Map references:
Southeast Asia
Area:
total: 1,092 sq km land: 1,042 sq km water: 50 sq km
Area - comparative:
six times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
total: 30 km regional border: China 30 km
Coastline:
733 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate:
subtropical 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: 5.05% permanent crops: 1.01% other: 93.94% (2001)
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:
7,018,636 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 12.6% (male 463,300/female 422,945) 15-64 years: 74.4% (male 2,535,246/female 2,684,495) 65 years and over: 13% (male 425,500/female 487,150) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 41.7 years male: 41.4 years female: 42 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.532% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
7.37 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
6.6 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
4.55 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 2.93 deaths/1,000 live births male: 3.11 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 81.77 years male: 79.07 years female: 84.69 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
2,600 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Chinese/Hong Konger adjective: Chinese/Hong Kong
Ethnic groups:
Chinese 95%, Filipino 1.6%, Indonesian 1.3%, other 2.1% (2006 census)
Religions:
eclectic mixture of local religions 90%, Christian 10%
Languages:
Chinese (Cantonese) 89.2% (official), other Chinese dialects 6.4%,
English 3.2% (official), other 1.2% (2001 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 93.5% male: 96.9% female: 89.6% (2002)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 14 years male: 14 years female: 13 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
3.9% of GDP (2006)
Government
Hong Kong
Country name:
conventional long form: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region conventional short form: Hong Kong local long form: Xianggang Tebie Xingzhengqu local short form: Xianggang abbreviation: HK
Dependency status:
special administrative region of China
Government type:
limited democracy
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 for a number of non-executive positions; universal for permanent residents living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past seven years; indirect election - limited to about 220,000 members of functional constituencies and an 800-member election committee drawn from broad regional groupings, central government bodies, and municipal organizations
Executive branch:
chief of state: President of China HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003) head of government: Chief Executive Donald TSANG (since 24 June 2005) cabinet: Executive Council consists of 15 official members and 16 non-official members elections: chief executive elected for five-year term by 800-member electoral committee; last held on 25 March 2007 (next to be held in 2012) election results: Donald TSANG elected chief executive receiving 84.1% of the vote of the election committee; Alan LEONG received 15.9%
Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Council or LEGCO (60 seats; 30 seats indirectly elected by functional constituencies, 30 elected by popular vote; members serve four-year terms) elections: last held 7 September 2008 (next to be held in September 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by parties - pro-Beijing 37; pro-democracy 23
Judicial branch:
Court of Final Appeal in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Political parties and leaders:
Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood or ADPL [Frederick FUNG Kin-kee]; Citizens Party [Alex CHAN Kai-chung]; Civic Party [KUAN Hsin-chi]; Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong or DAB [TAM Yiu Cheng]; Democratic Party [Albert HO]; Frontier Party [Emily LAU Wai-hing]; League of Social Democrats [Raymond WONG]; Liberal Party [James TIEN Pei-chun] note: political blocs include: pro-democracy - ADPL, Democratic Party, Frontier Party, League of Social Democrats; pro-Beijing - DAB, Liberal Party, The Alliance (a group of five generally pro-government and pro-business Legco members from functional constituencies); there is no political party ordinance, so there are no registered political parties; politically active groups register as societies or companies
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Chinese General Chamber of Commerce (pro-China); Chinese
Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong; Confederation of Trade
Unions or CTU (pro-democracy) [LAU Chin-shek, president; LEE
Cheuk-yan, general secretary]; Federation of Hong Kong Industries;
Federation of Trade Unions or FTU (pro-China) [CHENG Yiu-tong,
executive councilor]; 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]; Neighborhood and Workers' Service Center or
NWSC (pro-democracy); The Alliance [Bernard CHARNWUT, executive
committee member]
International organization participation:
ADB, APEC, BIS, ICC, IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITUC, UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (special administrative region of China); Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Washington and two other cities carries out normal liaison and communication with the US Government and other US entities
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Consul General Joseph A. DONOVAN, Jr. consulate(s) general: 26 Garden Road, Hong Kong mailing address: PSC 461, Box 1, FPO AP 96521-0006 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 free market economy highly dependent on international trade. In 2006, the total value of goods and services trade, including the sizable share of reexports, was equivalent to 400% of GDP. The territory has become increasingly integrated with mainland China over the past few years through trade, tourism, and financial links. The mainland has long been Hong Kong's largest trading partner, accounting for 46% of Hong Kong's total trade by value in 2006. As a result of China's easing of travel restrictions, the number of mainland tourists to the territory has surged from 4.5 million in 2001 to 13.6 million in 2006, when they outnumbered visitors from all other countries combined. Hong Kong has also established itself as the premier stock market for Chinese firms seeking to list abroad. Bolstered by several successful initial public offerings in early 2007, by September 2007 mainland companies accounted for one-third of the firms listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, and more than half of the Exchange's market capitalization. During the past decade, as Hong Kong's manufacturing industry moved to the mainland, its service industry has grown rapidly and now accounts for 91% of the territory's GDP. Hong Kong's natural resources are limited, and food and raw materials must be imported. GDP growth averaged a strong 5% from 1989 to 2007, despite the economy suffering two recessions during the Asian financial crisis in 1997-98 and the global downturn in 2001-02. Hong Kong continues to link its currency closely to the US dollar, maintaining an arrangement established in 1983.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$293.3 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$206.7 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
6.4% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$42,000 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 0.1% industry: 8.1% services: 91.7% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
3.64 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
manufacturing 6.5%, construction 2.1%, wholesale and retail trade, restaurants, and hotels 43.3%, financing, insurance, and real estate 20.7%, transport and communications 7.8%, community and social services 19.5% note: above data exclude public sector (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate:
4% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
53.3 (2007)
Investment (gross fixed):
20.3% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $36.9 billion expenditures: $29.4 billion (FY07-08 est.)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Public debt:
12.5% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
5.75% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
6.75% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$51.25 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$578.1 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$259.7 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
fresh vegetables; poultry, pork; fish
Industries:
textiles, clothing, tourism, banking, shipping, electronics, plastics, toys, watches, clocks
Industrial production growth rate:
-0.8% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
36.61 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
38.02 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
4.035 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
10.96 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
293,100 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
22,420 bbl/day (2006)
Oil - imports:
314,700 bbl/day (2006)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
2.69 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
2.69 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
$28.04 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$345.9 billion f.o.b., including reexports (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
electrical machinery and appliances, textiles, apparel, footwear, watches and clocks, toys, plastics, precious stones, printed material
Exports - partners:
China 48.7%, US 13.7%, Japan 4.5% (2007)
Imports:
$365.6 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
raw materials and semi-manufactures, consumer goods, capital goods, foodstuffs, fuel (most is re-exported)
Imports - partners:
China 46.3%, Japan 10%, Taiwan 7.1%, Singapore 6.8%, US 4.9%, South
Korea 4.2% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$6.95 million (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$152.7 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$588 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$1.185 trillion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$1.027 trillion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$2.97 trillion (2007 est.)
Currency (code):
Hong Kong dollar (HKD)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Hong Kong dollars (HKD) per US dollar - 7.802 (2007), 7.7678 (2006), 7.7773 (2005), 7.788 (2004), 7.7868 (2003)
Communications
Hong Kong
Telephones - main lines in use:
3.875 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
10.55 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: modern facilities provide excellent domestic and international services domestic: microwave radio relay links and extensive fiber-optic network international: country code - 852; multiple international submarine cables provide connections to Asia, US, Australia, the Middle East, and Western Europe; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); coaxial cable to Guangzhou, China
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 5, FM 9, shortwave 0 (2004)
Radios:
4.45 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
55 (2 TV networks, each broadcasting on 2 channels) (2007)
Televisions:
1.84 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.hk
Internet hosts:
817,766 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
17 (2000)
Internet users:
3.961 million (2007)
Transportation
Hong Kong
Airports:
2 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Heliports:
5 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 2,009 km paved: 2,009 km (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 1,114 by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 525, cargo 142, carrier 3, chemical tanker 68, combination ore/oil 2, container 205, liquefied gas 22, passenger 6, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 114, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 9, vehicle carrier 7 foreign-owned: 703 (Belgium 3, Canada 44, China 324, Denmark 24, France 1, Germany 6, Greece 22, Indonesia 7, Iran 15, Japan 111, South Korea 3, Norway 40, Philippines 1, Portugal 1, Russia 2, Singapore 18, Syria 1, Taiwan 11, UAE 1, UK 39, US 29) registered in other countries: 357 (Bahamas 30, Bermuda 4, Cambodia 8, China 12, Cyprus 2, Georgia 2, Honduras 1, India 1, Jamaica 1, Kiribati 4, Liberia 44, Malaysia 14, Malta 1, Marshall Islands 4, Mexico 1, Netherlands Antilles 2, Norway 20, Panama 130, Philippines 1, Portugal 2, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6, Seychelles 1, Sierra Leone 1, Singapore 47, Tuvalu 7, UK 2, Vietnam 1, unknown 8) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Hong Kong
Military
Hong Kong
Military branches:
no regular indigenous military forces; Hong Kong garrison of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) includes 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 (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,772,820 females age 16-49: 1,941,448 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,438,165 females age 16-49: 1,561,252 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 42,173 female: 38,753 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of China
Transnational Issues
Hong Kong
Disputes - international:
none
Illicit drugs:
despite strenuous law enforcement efforts, faces difficult challenges in controlling transit of heroin and methamphetamine to regional and world markets; modern banking system provides conduit for money laundering; rising indigenous use of synthetic drugs, especially among young people
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Hungary
Introduction
Hungary
Background:
Hungary became a Christian kingdom in A.D. 1000 and for many centuries served as a bulwark against Ottoman Turkish expansion in Europe. The kingdom eventually became 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 an announced withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact were met with a massive military intervention by Moscow. Under the leadership of Janos KADAR in 1968, Hungary began liberalizing its economy, introducing so-called "Goulash Communism." Hungary held its first multiparty elections in 1990 and initiated a free market economy. It joined NATO in 1999 and the EU in 2004.
Geography
Hungary
Location:
Central Europe, northwest of Romania
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 93,030 sq km land: 92,340 sq km water: 690 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Indiana
Land boundaries:
total: 2,185 km border countries: Austria 366 km, Croatia 329 km, Romania 443 km, Serbia 166 km, Slovakia 676 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: 49.58% permanent crops: 2.06% other: 48.36% (2005)
Irrigated land:
2,300 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
120 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 21.03 cu km/yr (9%/59%/32%) per capita: 2,082 cu m/yr (2001)
Environment - current issues:
the upgrading of Hungary's standards in waste management, energy efficiency, and air, soil, and water pollution to meet EU requirements will require large investments
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 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, Marine Dumping,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
landlocked; strategic location astride main land routes between
Western Europe and Balkan Peninsula as well as between Ukraine and
Mediterranean basin; the north-south flowing Duna (Danube) and Tisza
Rivers divide the country into three large regions
People
Hungary
Population:
9,930,915 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 15.2% (male 774,092/female 730,485) 15-64 years: 69.3% (male 3,393,630/female 3,488,011) 65 years and over: 15.6% (male 559,483/female 985,214) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 39.1 years male: 36.8 years female: 41.8 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
-0.254% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
9.59 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
12.99 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
0.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.57 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 8.03 deaths/1,000 live births male: 8.74 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.18 years male: 69 years female: 77.62 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.34 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
2,800 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 100 (2001 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A vectorborne diseases: tickborne encephalitis (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Hungarian(s) adjective: Hungarian
Ethnic groups:
Hungarian 92.3%, Roma 1.9%, other or unknown 5.8% (2001 census)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 51.9%, Calvinist 15.9%, Lutheran 3%, Greek Catholic 2.6%, other Christian 1%, other or unspecified 11.1%, unaffiliated 14.5% (2001 census)
Languages:
Hungarian 93.6%, other or unspecified 6.4% (2001 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.4% male: 99.5% female: 99.3% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 15 years male: 15 years female: 16 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
5.5% of GDP (2005)
Government
Hungary
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Hungary conventional short form: Hungary local long form: Magyar Koztarsasag local short form: Magyarorszag
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: Budapest geographic coordinates: 47 30 N, 19 05 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
19 counties (megyek, singular - megye), 23 urban counties (singular - megyei varos), and 1 capital city (fovaros) counties: Bacs-Kiskun, Baranya, Bekes, Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen, Csongrad, Fejer, Gyor-Moson-Sopron, Hajdu-Bihar, Heves, Jasz-Nagykun-Szolnok, Komarom-Esztergom, Nograd, Pest, Somogy, Szabolcs-Szatmar-Bereg, Tolna, Vas, Veszprem, Zala urban counties: Bekescsaba, Debrecen, Dunaujvaros, Eger, Erd, Gyor, Hodmezovasarhely, Kaposvar, Kecskemet, Miskolc, Nagykanizsa, Nyiregyhaza, Pecs, Salgotarjan, Sopron, Szeged, Szekesfehervar, Szekszard, Szolnok, Szombathely, Tatabanya, Veszprem, Zalaegerszeg capital city: Budapest
Independence:
25 December 1000 (crowning of King STEPHEN I, traditional founding date)
National holiday:
Saint 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:
based on the German-Austrian legal system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Laszlo SOLYOM (since 5 August 2005) head of government: Prime Minister Ferenc GYURCSANY (since 29 September 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers prime minister elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president; other ministers proposed by the prime minister and appointed and relieved of their duties by the president elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 6-7 June 2005 (next to be held by June 2010); prime minister elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president; election last held 29 September 2004 election results: Laszlo SOLYOM elected president by a simple majority in the third round of voting, 185 to 182; Ferenc GYURCSANY elected prime minister; result of legislative vote - 197 to 12 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
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) elections: last held 9 and 23 April 2006 (next to be held in April 2010) election results: percent of vote by party (5% or more of the vote required for parliamentary representation in the first round) - MSzP 43.2%, Fidesz-KDNP 42%, SzDSz 6.5%, MDF 5%, other 3.3%; seats by party - MSzP 190, Fidesz-KDNP 164, SzDSz 20, MDF 11, independent 1; seats by party as of September 2008 - MSzP 189, Fidesz-KDNP 162, SzDSz 20, MDF 11, independent 3, vacant 1
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 FODOR]; Christian
Democratic People's Party or KDNP [Zsolt SEMJEN]; Hungarian Civic
Alliance or Fidesz [Viktor ORBAN, chairman]; Hungarian Democratic
Forum or MDF [Ibolya DAVID]; Hungarian Socialist Party or MSzP
[Ferenc GYURCSANY]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Air Work Group (works to reduce air pollution in towns and cities); Company For Freedom Rights (Tarsasag a Szabadsagjogokert) or TASZ (personal data protection); Danube Circle (protests the building of the Gabchikovo-Nagymaros dam); Green Future (protests the impact of lead contamination of local factory on health of the people); environmentalists: Hungarian Ornithological and Nature Conservation Society (Magyar Madartani Egyesulet)or MME; Green Alternative (Zold Alternativa)
International organization participation:
Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA
(cooperating state), EU, FAO, G-9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA,
NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen
Convention, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL,
UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ferenc SOMOGYI chancery: 3910 Shoemaker Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 362-6730 FAX: [1] (202) 966-8135 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador April H. FOLEY embassy: Szabadsag ter 12, H-1054 Budapest mailing address: pouch: American Embassy Budapest, 5270 Budapest Place, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5270 telephone: [36] (1) 475-4400 FAX: [36] (1) 475-4764
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and green
Economy
Hungary
Economy - overview:
Hungary has made the transition from a centrally planned to a market economy, with a per capita income nearly two-thirds that of the EU-25 average. The private sector accounts for more than 80% of GDP. Foreign ownership of and investment in Hungarian firms are widespread, with cumulative foreign direct investment totaling more than $60 billion since 1989. Hungary issues investment-grade sovereign debt. International observers, however, have expressed concerns over Hungary's fiscal and current account deficits. In 2007, Hungary eliminated a trade deficit that had persisted for several years. Inflation declined from 14% in 1998 to a low of 3.7% in 2006, but jumped to 7.8% in 2007. Unemployment has persisted above 6%. Hungary's labor force participation rate of 57% is one of the lowest in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Germany is by far Hungary's largest economic partner. Policy challenges include cutting the public sector deficit to 4% of GDP by 2008, from about 6% in 2007. The government's austerity program of tax hikes and subsidy cuts has reduced Hungary's large budget deficit, but the reforms have dampened domestic consumption, slowing GDP growth to about 2% in 2007. The government will need to pass additional reforms to ensure the long-term stability of public finances. The government plans to eventually lower its public sector deficit to below 3% of GDP to adopt the euro.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$191.7 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$138.4 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
1.3% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$19,300 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2.8% industry: 31.5% services: 65.8% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
4.19 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 5.5% industry: 33.3% services: 61.2% (2003)
Unemployment rate:
7.3% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
8.6% (1993 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 4% highest 10%: 22.2% (2002)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
28 (2005)
Investment (gross fixed):
20.9% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $64 billion expenditures: $71.87 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
67% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
8% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
7.5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
9.09% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$36.78 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$43.07 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$109.5 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
wheat, corn, sunflower seed, potatoes, sugar beets; pigs, cattle, poultry, dairy products
Industries:
mining, metallurgy, construction materials, processed foods, textiles, chemicals (especially pharmaceuticals), motor vehicles
Industrial production growth rate:
3.5% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
37.66 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
37.11 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
10.69 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
14.68 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 60.1% hydro: 0.5% nuclear: 39% other: 0.3% (2001)
Oil - production:
32,580 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
162,800 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - exports:
66,660 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
178,400 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
20.18 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
2.545 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
13.36 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
138 million cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
10.45 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
8.098 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
-$8.018 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$87.77 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment 61.1%, other manufactures 28.7%, food products 6.5%, raw materials 2%, fuels and electricity 1.6% (2003)
Exports - partners:
Germany 28.1%, Italy 5.6%, France 4.7%, Austria 4.6%, Romania 4.5%,
UK 4.5%, Slovakia 4.2%, Poland 4.2% (2007)
Imports:
$86.88 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment 51.6%, other manufactures 35.7%, fuels and electricity 7.7%, food products 3.1%, raw materials 2.0% (2003)
Imports - partners:
Germany 26.6%, China 7.8%, Russia 6.9%, Austria 6.1%, Italy 4.5%,
France 4.3%, Netherlands 4.3% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$302.6 million (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$24.05 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$125.9 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$108.6 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$45.54 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$41.93 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
forint (HUF)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
forints (HUF) per US dollar - 186.16 (2007), 210.39 (2006), 199.58 (2005), 202.75 (2004), 224.31 (2003)
Communications
Hungary
Telephones - main lines in use:
3.251 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
11.03 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: the telephone system has been modernized and is capable of satisfying all requests for telecommunication service domestic: the system is digitalized and highly automated; trunk services are carried by fiber-optic cable and digital microwave radio relay; a program for fiber-optic subscriber connections was initiated in 1996; competition among mobile-cellular service providers has led to a sharp increase in the use of mobile cellular phones since 2000 and a decrease in the number of fixed-line connections international: country code - 36; 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 repeaters) (1995)
Televisions:
4.42 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.hu
Internet hosts:
1.879 million (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
16 (2000)
Internet users:
4.2 million (2007)
Transportation
Hungary
Airports:
46 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 20 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 26 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 10 (2007)
Heliports:
5 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 4,397 km; oil 990 km; refined products 335 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 8,057 km broad gauge: 36 km 1.524-m gauge standard gauge: 7,802 km 1.435-m gauge (2,628 km electrified) narrow gauge: 219 km 0.760-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 159,568 km paved: 70,050 km (30,874 km of interurban roads including 626 km of expressways) unpaved: 89,518 km (2005)
Waterways:
1,622 km (most on Danube River) (2007)
Ports and terminals:
Budapest, Dunaujvaros, Gyor-Gonyu, Csepel, Baja, Mohacs (2003)
Military
Hungary
Military branches:
Ground Forces, Hungarian Air Force (Magyar Legiero, ML) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in June 2004; 6-month service obligation, with reserve obligation to age 50 (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,391,400 females age 16-49: 2,337,240 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,890,105 females age 16-49: 1,943,422 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 62,197 female: 59,267 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.75% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
Hungary
Disputes - international:
bilateral government, legal, technical and economic working group negotiations continue in 2006 with Slovakia over Hungary's failure to complete its portion of the Gabcikovo-Nagymaros hydroelectric dam project along the Danube; as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Hungary has implemented the strict Schengen border rules
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; efforts to counter money laundering, related to organized crime and drug trafficking, are improving, but remain vulnerable; significant consumer of ecstasy
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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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:
Map references:
Arctic Region
Area:
total: 103,000 sq km land: 100,250 sq km water: 2,750 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Kentucky
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
4,970 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
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 2,110 m (at Vatnajokull glacier)
Natural resources:
fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite
Land use:
arable land: 0.07% permanent crops: 0% other: 99.93% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Total renewable water resources:
170 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.17 cu km/yr (34%/66%/0%) per capita: 567 cu m/yr (2003)
Natural hazards:
earthquakes and volcanic activity
Environment - current issues:
water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate wastewater treatment
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Transboundary Air Pollution, Wetlands,
Whaling
signed, but not ratified: 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:
304,367 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 21% (male 32,500/female 31,566) 15-64 years: 67% (male 103,231/female 100,545) 65 years and over: 12% (male 16,530/female 19,995) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 34.8 years male: 34.4 years female: 35.3 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.783% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
13.5 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
6.81 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
1.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 3.25 deaths/1,000 live births male: 3.39 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 80.55 years male: 78.43 years female: 82.76 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.91 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
220 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 100 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Icelander(s) adjective: Icelandic
Ethnic groups:
homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norse and Celts 94%, population of foreign origin 6%
Religions:
Lutheran Church of Iceland 82.1%, Roman Catholic Church 2.4%,
Reykjavik Free Church 2.3%, Hafnarfjorour Free Church 1.6%, other
Christian 2.8%, other religions 0.9%, unaffiliated 2.6%, other or
unspecified 5.5% (2006 est.)
Languages:
Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German widely spoken
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 18 years male: 17 years female: 19 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
7.6% of GDP (2004)
Government
Iceland
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Iceland conventional short form: Iceland local long form: Lydveldid Island local short form: Island
Government type:
constitutional republic
Capital:
name: Reykjavik geographic coordinates: 64 09 N, 21 57 W time difference: UTC (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
8 regions; Austurland, Hofudhborgarsvaedhi, Nordhurland Eystra, Nordhurland Vestra, Sudhurland, Sudhurnes, Vestfirdhir, Vesturland
Independence:
1 December 1918 (became a sovereign state under the Danish Crown); 17 June 1944 (from Denmark)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 17 June (1944)
Constitution:
16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944; amended many times
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 Geir H. HAARDE (since 7 June 2006) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister elections: president, largely a ceremonial post, is elected by popular vote for a four-year term (no term limits); election last held 26 June 2004 (next to be held in June 2008); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually the prime minister election results: Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON 85.6%, Baldur AGUSTSSON 12.5%, Astthor MAGNUSSON 1.9%
Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Althing (63 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 12 May 2007 (next to be held by May 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - Independence Party 36.6%, Social Democratic Alliance 26.8%, Progressive Party 11.7%, Left-Green Movement 14.3%, Liberal Party 7.3%, other 3.3%; seats by party - Independence Party 25, Social Democratic Alliance 18, Progressive Party 7, Left-Green Alliance 9, Liberal Party 4
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Haestirettur (justices are appointed for life by the Minister of Justice); eight district courts (justices are appointed for life by the Minister of Justice)
Political parties and leaders:
Independence Party or IP [Geir H. HAARDE]; Left-Green Movement or
LGM [Steingrimur SIGFUSSON]; Liberal Party or LP [Gudjon
KRISTJANSSON]; Progressive Party or PP [Gudni AGUSTSSON]; Social
Democratic Alliance or SDA [Ingibjorg Solrun GISLADOTTIR] (includes
People's Alliance or PA, Social Democratic Party or SDP, Women's
List)
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Icelandic Psychiatric Human Rights Group
International organization participation:
Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA,
FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA,
NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen
Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Albert JONSSON chancery: Suite 1200, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005-1704 telephone: [1] (202) 265-6653 FAX: [1] (202) 265-6656 consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Carol VAN VOORST embassy: Laufasvegur 21, 101 Reykjavik mailing address: US Department of State, 5640 Reykjavik Place, Washington, D.C. 20521-5640 telephone: [354] 562-9100 FAX: [354] 562-9118
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 (including generous housing subsidies), low unemployment, and remarkably even distribution of income. In the absence of other natural resources (except for abundant geothermal power), the economy depends heavily on the fishing industry, which provides 70% of export earnings and employs 6% of the work force. The economy remains sensitive to declining fish stocks as well as to fluctuations in world prices for its main exports: fish and fish products, aluminum, and ferrosilicon. Substantial foreign investment in the aluminum and hydropower sectors has boosted economic growth which, nevertheless, has been volatile and characterized by recurrent imbalances. Government policies include reducing the current account deficit, limiting foreign borrowing, containing inflation, revising agricultural and fishing policies, and diversifying the economy. 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. The 2006 closure of the US military base at Keflavik had very little impact on the national economy; Iceland's low unemployment rate aided former base employees in finding alternate employment.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$12.19 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$20 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.8% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$40,400 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 5.2% industry: 25.7% services: 69.1% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
181,000 (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 5.1% industry: 23% services: 71.8% (2005)
Unemployment rate:
1% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
25 (2005)
Investment (gross fixed):
27.5% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $9.64 billion expenditures: $8.602 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
27.6% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.1% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
15.25% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
19.29% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$6.64 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$15.05 billion (31 December 2006)
Stock of domestic credit:
$49.67 billion (31 December 2006)
Agriculture - products:
potatoes, green vegetables; mutton, dairy products; fish
Industries:
fish processing; aluminum smelting, ferrosilicon production; geothermal power, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
9% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
11.71 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
9.312 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 0.1% hydro: 82.5% nuclear: 0% other: 17.5% (geothermal) (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
21,120 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - exports:
860.8 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
17,450 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$3.189 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$4.793 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
fish and fish products 70%, aluminum, animal products, ferrosilicon, diatomite
Exports - partners:
Netherlands 21.3%, Germany 13.3%, UK 13.2%, Ireland 7.7%, US 7.3%,
Spain 4.6%, Japan 4.3% (2007)
Imports:
$6.181 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, petroleum products, foodstuffs, textiles
Imports - partners:
US 13.7%, Germany 12.2%, Sweden 10.2%, Denmark 7.5%, Netherlands 5.7%, UK 5.4%, China 5.1%, Norway 4.6% (2007)
Economic aid - donor:
$6.7 million (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$2.436 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$3.073 billion (2002)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$27.8 billion (2005)
Currency (code):
Icelandic krona (ISK)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Icelandic kronur (ISK) per US dollar - 63.391 (2007), 70.195 (2006), 62.982 (2005), 70.192 (2004), 76.709 (2003)
Communications
Iceland
Telephones - main lines in use:
186,700 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
347,500 (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: telecommunications infrastructure is modern and fully digitized, with satellite-earth stations, fiber-optic cables, and an extensive broadband network domestic: liberalization of the telecommunications sector beginning in the late 1990s has led to increased competition especially in the mobile services segment of the market international: country code - 354; the CANTAT-3 and FARICE-1 submarine cable systems provide connectivity to Canada, the Faroe Islands, UK, Denmark, and Germany; a planned new section of the Hibernia-Atlantic submarine cable will provide additional connectivity to Canada, US, and Ireland; 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 repeaters) (1997)
Televisions:
98,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.is
Internet hosts:
263,980 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
20 (2001)
Internet users:
202,300 (2007)
Transportation
Iceland
Airports:
99 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 94 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 28 under 914 m: 63 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 13,058 km paved/oiled gravel: 4,397 km (does not include urban roads) unpaved: 8,661 km (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 2 by type: passenger/cargo 2 registered in other countries: 37 (Antigua and Barbuda 12, Bahamas 1, Belize 2, Denmark 2, Faroe Islands 1, Gibraltar 1, Malta 5, Marshall Islands 3, Norway 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 7) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Grundartangi, Hafnarfjordur, Reykjavik
Military
Iceland
Military branches:
no regular military forces; Icelandic National Police (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 74,896 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 62,342 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 2,393 female: 2,317 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
0% of GDP (2005 est.)
Military - note:
Iceland has no standing military force; under a 1951 bilateral agreement - still valid - its defense was provided by the US-manned Icelandic Defense Force (IDF) headquartered at Keflavik; however, all US military forces in Iceland were withdrawn as of October 2006; although wartime defense of Iceland remains a NATO commitment, in April 2007, Iceland and Norway signed a bilateral agreement providing for Norwegian aerial surveillance and defense of Icelandic airspace (2008)
Transnational Issues
Iceland
Disputes - international:
Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe
Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@India
Introduction
India
Background:
Aryan tribes from the northwest infiltrated onto the Indian subcontinent about 1500 B.C.; their merger with the earlier Dravidian inhabitants created the classical Indian culture. The Maurya Empire of the 4th and 3rd centuries B.C. - which reached its zenith under ASHOKA - united much of South Asia. The Golden Age ushered in by the Gupta dynasty (4th to 6th centuries A.D.) saw a flowering of Indian science, art, and culture. Arab incursions starting in the 8th century and Turkic in the 12th were followed by those of European traders, beginning in the late 15th century. By the 19th century, Britain had assumed political control of virtually all Indian lands. Indian armed forces in the British army played a vital role in both World Wars. Nonviolent resistance to British colonialism led by Mohandas GANDHI and Jawaharlal NEHRU brought 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. India's nuclear weapons testing in 1998 caused Pakistan to conduct its own tests that same year. The dispute between the countries over the state of Kashmir is ongoing, but discussions and confidence-building measures have led to decreased tensions since 2002. Despite impressive gains in economic investment and output, India faces pressing problems such as significant overpopulation, environmental degradation, extensive poverty, and ethnic and religious strife.
Geography
India
Location:
Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and Pakistan
Geographic coordinates:
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:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
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: 48.83% permanent crops: 2.8% other: 48.37% (2005)
Irrigated land:
558,080 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
1,907.8 cu km (1999)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 645.84 cu km/yr (8%/5%/86%) per capita: 585 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, 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; Kanchenjunga, third tallest mountain in the world, lies on the border with Nepal
People
India
Population:
1,147,995,904 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 31.5% (male 189,238,487/female 172,168,306) 15-64 years: 63.3% (male 374,157,581/female 352,868,003) 65 years and over: 5.2% (male 28,285,796/female 31,277,725) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 25.1 years male: 24.7 years female: 25.5 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.578% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
22.22 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
6.4 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.12 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 32.31 deaths/1,000 live births male: 36.94 deaths/1,000 live births female: 27.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.25 years male: 66.87 years female: 71.9 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.76 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.9% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
5.1 million (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
310,000 (2001 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: chikungunya, dengue fever, Japanese encephalitis, and malaria animal contact disease: rabies note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Indian(s) adjective: Indian
Ethnic groups:
Indo-Aryan 72%, Dravidian 25%, Mongoloid and other 3% (2000)
Religions:
Hindu 80.5%, Muslim 13.4%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.9%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.1% (2001 census)
Languages:
Hindi 41%, Bengali 8.1%, Telugu 7.2%, Marathi 7%, Tamil 5.9%, Urdu 5%, Gujarati 4.5%, Kannada 3.7%, Malayalam 3.2%, Oriya 3.2%, Punjabi 2.8%, Assamese 1.3%, Maithili 1.2%, other 5.9% note: English enjoys associate status but is the most important language for national, political, and commercial communication; Hindi is the national language and primary tongue of 41% 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 (2001 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 61% male: 73.4% female: 47.8% (2001 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 10 years male: 11 years female: 9 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
3.2% of GDP (2005)
Government
India
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of India conventional short form: India local long form: Republic of India/Bharatiya Ganarajya local short form: India/Bharat
Government type:
federal republic
Capital:
name: New Delhi geographic coordinates: 28 36 N, 77 12 E time difference: UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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, Puducherry*, Punjab,
Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand,
West Bengal
Independence:
15 August 1947 (from UK)
National holiday:
Republic Day, 26 January (1950)
Constitution:
26 January 1950; amended many times
Legal system:
based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; separate personal law codes apply to Muslims, Christians, and Hindus
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Pratibha PATIL (since 25 July 2007); Vice President Hamid ANSARI (since 11 August 2007) head of government: Prime Minister Manmohan SINGH (since 22 May 2004) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister 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 (no term limits); election last held 21 July 2007 (next to be held in July 2012); vice president elected by both houses of Parliament for a five-year term; election last held 12 August 2002 (next to be held August 2007); prime minister chosen by parliamentary members of the majority party following legislative elections; election last held April - May 2004 (next to be held May 2009) election results: Pratibha PATIL elected president; percent of vote - 65.8%; Bhairon Singh SHEKHAWAT - 34.2%
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 whom 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 20 April through 10 May 2004 (next must be held by May 2009) election results: People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - INC 147, BJP 129, CPI (M) 43, SP 38, RJD 23, DMK 16, BSP 15, SS 12, BJD 11, CPI 10, NCP 10, JD (U) 8, SAD 8, PMK 6, JMM 5, LJSP 4, MDMK 4, TDP 4, TRS 4, independent 6, other 29, vacant 13; note - seats by party as of December 2006
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (one chief justice and 25 associate justices are appointed by the president and remain in office until they reach the age of 65 or are removed for "proved misbehavior")
Political parties and leaders:
Bahujan Samaj Party or BSP [MAYAWATI]; Bharatiya Janata Party or BJP
[Rajnath SINGH]; Biju Janata Dal or BJD [Naveen PATNAIK]; Communist
Party of India or CPI [Ardhendu Bhushan BARDHAN]; Communist Party of
India-Marxist or CPI-M [Prakash KARAT]; Dravida Munnetra Kazagham or
DMK [M. KARUNANIDHI]; Indian National Congress or INC [Sonia
GANDHI]; Janata Dal (United) or JD(U) [Sharad YADAV]; Jharkhand
Mukti Morcha or JMM [Shibu SOREN]; Left Front (an alliance of Indian
leftist parties); Lok Jan Shakti Party or LJSP [Ram Vilas PASWAN];
Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam or MDMK [V. Gopalswamy
VAIKO]; Nationalist Congress Party or NCP [Sharad PAWAR]; Pattali
Makkal Katchi or PMK [S. RAMADOSS]; Rashtriya Janata Dal or RJD
[Laloo Prasad YADAV]; Samajwadi Party or SP [Mulayam Singh YADAV];
Shiromani Akali Dal or SAD [Parkash Singh BADAL]; Shiv Sena or SS
[Bal THACKERAY]; Telangana Rashtriya Samithi or TRS [K.
Chandrashekhar RAO]; Telugu Desam Party or TDP [Chandrababu NAIDU];
United Progressive Alliance or UPA [Sonia GANDHI] (India's ruling
party coalition of 12 political parties); note - India has dozens of
national and regional political parties; only parties or coalitions
with four or more seats in the People's Assembly are listed
Political pressure groups and leaders:
All Parties Hurriyat Conference in the Kashmir Valley (separatist group); Bajrang Dal (religious organization); National Socialist Council of Nagaland in the northeast (separatist group); Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (religious organization); Vishwa Hindu Parishad (religious organization other: numerous religious or militant/chauvinistic organizations; various separatist groups seeking greater communal and/or regional autonomy
International organization participation:
ADB, AfDB (nonregional members), ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner),
BIMSTEC, BIS, C, CERN (observer), CP, EAS, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS
(observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, PIF
(partner), SAARC, SACEP, SCO (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL,
WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ranendra SEN chancery: 2107 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008; note - Consular Wing located at 2536 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-7000 FAX: [1] (202) 265-4351 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, New York, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador David C. MULFORD embassy: Shantipath, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110021 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [91] (011) 2419-8000 FAX: [91] (11) 2419-0017 consulate(s) general: Chennai (Madras), Kolkata (Calcutta), Mumbai (Bombay)
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of saffron (subdued 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 diverse economy encompasses traditional village farming, modern agriculture, handicrafts, a wide range of modern industries, and a multitude of services. Services are the major source of economic growth, accounting for more than half of India's output with less than one third of its labor force. About three-fifths of the work force is in agriculture, leading the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government to articulate an economic reform program that includes developing basic infrastructure to improve the lives of the rural poor and boost economic performance. The government has reduced controls on foreign trade and investment. Higher limits on foreign direct investment were permitted in a few key sectors, such as telecommunications. However, tariff spikes in sensitive categories, including agriculture, and incremental progress on economic reforms still hinder foreign access to India's vast and growing market. Privatization of government-owned industries remains stalled and continues to generate political debate; populist pressure from within the UPA government and from its Left Front allies continues to restrain needed initiatives. The economy has posted an average growth rate of more than 7% in the decade since 1997, reducing poverty by about 10 percentage points. India achieved 8.5% GDP growth in 2006, and again in 2007, significantly expanding production of manufactures. India is capitalizing on its large numbers of well-educated people skilled in the English language to become a major exporter of software services and software workers. Economic expansion has helped New Delhi continue to make progress in reducing its federal fiscal deficit. However, strong growth combined with easy consumer credit and a real estate boom fueled inflation concerns in 2006 and 2007, leading to a series of central bank interest rate hikes that have slowed credit growth and eased inflation concerns. The huge and growing population is the fundamental social, economic, and environmental problem.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$2.966 trillion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.099 trillion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
9% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,600 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 17.8% industry: 29.4% services: 52.8% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
516.4 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 60% industry: 12% services: 28% (2003)
Unemployment rate:
7.2% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
25% (2007 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.6% highest 10%: 31.1% (2004)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
36.8 (2004)
Investment (gross fixed):
33.9% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $141.2 billion expenditures: $172.6 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Public debt:
58.2% of GDP (federal and state debt combined) (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6.4% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
6% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
13.02% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$250.9 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$647.3 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$769.3 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
rice, wheat, oilseed, cotton, jute, tea, sugarcane, potatoes; cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats, poultry; fish
Industries:
textiles, chemicals, food processing, steel, transportation equipment, cement, mining, petroleum, machinery, software
Industrial production growth rate:
8.5% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
665.3 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
517.2 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
378 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - imports:
3.189 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 81.7% hydro: 14.5% nuclear: 3.4% other: 0.3% (2001)
Oil - production:
880,500 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
2.722 million bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - exports:
450,700 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - imports:
2.159 million bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - proved reserves:
5.625 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
31.7 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
41.7 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
10 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
1.075 trillion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
-$12.11 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$151.3 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
petroleum products, textile goods, gems and jewelry, engineering goods, chemicals, leather manufactures
Exports - partners:
US 15%, China 8.7%, UAE 8.7%, UK 4.4% (2007)
Imports:
$230.5 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
crude oil, machinery, gems, fertilizer, chemicals
Imports - partners:
China 10.6%, US 7.8%, Germany 4.4%, Singapore 4.4% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$1.724 billion (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$275 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$149.2 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$95.96 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$37.5 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$818.9 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
Indian rupee (INR)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Indian rupees (INR) per US dollar - 41.487 (2007), 45.3 (2006), 44.101 (2005), 45.317 (2004), 46.583 (2003)
Communications
India
Telephones - main lines in use:
38.76 million (2008)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
296.08 million (2008)
Telephone system:
general assessment: recent deregulation and liberalization of telecommunications laws and policies have prompted rapid growth; local and long distance service provided throughout all regions of the country, with services primarily concentrated in the urban areas; steady improvement is taking place with the recent admission of private and private-public investors, but combined fixed and mobile telephone density remains low at about 30 for each 100 persons nationwide and much lower for persons in rural areas; rapid growth in cellular service with modest declines in fixed lines domestic: mobile cellular service introduced in 1994 and organized nationwide into four metropolitan areas and 19 telecom circles each with about three private service providers and one state-owned service provider; in recent years significant trunk capacity added in the form of fiber-optic cable and one of the world's largest domestic satellite systems, the Indian National Satellite system (INSAT), with 6 satellites supporting 33,000 very small aperture terminals (VSAT) international: country code - 91; a number of major international submarine cable systems, including Sea-Me-We-3 with landing sites at Cochin and Mumbai (Bombay), Sea-Me-We-4 with a landing site at Chennai, Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) with a landing site at Mumbai (Bombay), South Africa - Far East (SAFE) with a landing site at Cochin, the i2i cable network linking to Singapore with landing sites at Mumbai (Bombay) and Chennai (Madras), and Tata Indicom linking Singapore and Chennai (Madras), provide a significant increase in the bandwidth available for both voice and data traffic; satellite earth stations - 8 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region); 9 gateway exchanges operating from Mumbai (Bombay), New Delhi, Kolkata (Calcutta), Chennai (Madras), Jalandhar, Kanpur, Gandhinagar, Hyderabad, and Ernakulam (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 153, FM 91, shortwave 68 (1998)
Radios:
116 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
562 (1997)
Televisions:
63 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.in
Internet hosts:
2.707 million (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
43 (2000)
Internet users:
80 million (2007)
Transportation
India
Airports:
346 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 250 over 3,047 m: 18 2,438 to 3,047 m: 52 1,524 to 2,437 m: 75 914 to 1,523 m: 84 under 914 m: 21 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 96 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 40 under 914 m: 47 (2007)
Heliports:
30 (2007)
Pipelines:
condensate/gas 9 km; gas 7,488 km; liquid petroleum gas 1,861 km; oil 7,883 km; refined products 6,422 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 63,221 km broad gauge: 46,807 km 1.676-m gauge (17,343 km electrified) narrow gauge: 13,290 km 1.000-m gauge (165 km electrified); 3,124 km 0.762-m gauge and 0.610-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 3,316,452 km (includes 200 km of expressways) (2006)
Waterways:
14,500 km note: 5,200 km on major rivers and 485 km on canals suitable for mechanized vessels (2006)
Merchant marine:
total: 501 by type: bulk carrier 102, cargo 241, carrier 1, chemical tanker 19, container 13, liquefied gas 18, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 11, petroleum tanker 92, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 12 (China 1, Germany 2, Hong Kong 1, UAE 6, UK 2) registered in other countries: 61 (Barbados 1, Comoros 2, Cyprus 2, Dominica 2, Liberia 2, Malta 2, Marshall Islands 1, Panama 27, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 7, Singapore 13, unknown 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Chennai, Haldia, Jawaharal Nehru, Kandla, Kolkata (Calcutta),
Mormugao, Mumbai (Bombay), New Mangalore, Vishakhapatnam
Military
India
Military branches:
Army, Navy (includes naval air arm), Air Force (Bharatiya Vayu
Sena), Coast Guard (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
16 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; women officers allowed in noncombat roles only (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 301,094,084 females age 16-49: 283,047,141 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 231,161,111 females age 16-49: 236,633,962 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 11,592,516 female: 10,636,857 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
2.5% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
India
Disputes - international:
since China and India launched a security and foreign policy dialogue in 2005, consolidated discussions related to the dispute over most of their rugged, militarized boundary, regional nuclear proliferation, Indian claims that China transferred missiles to Pakistan, and other matters continue; various talks and confidence-building measures have cautiously begun to defuse tensions over Kashmir, particularly since the October 2005 earthquake in the region; Kashmir nevertheless remains the site of the world's largest and most militarized territorial dispute with portions under the de facto administration of China (Aksai Chin), India (Jammu and Kashmir), and Pakistan (Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas); India and Pakistan have maintained the 2004 cease fire in Kashmir and initiated discussions on defusing the armed stand-off in the Siachen glacier region; Pakistan protests India's fencing the highly militarized Line of Control and construction of the Baglihar Dam on the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir, which is part of the larger dispute on water sharing of the Indus River and its tributaries; UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) has maintained a small group of peacekeepers since 1949; India does not recognize Pakistan's ceding historic Kashmir lands to China in 1964; to defuse tensions and prepare for discussions on a maritime boundary, India and Pakistan seek technical resolution of the disputed boundary in Sir Creek estuary at the mouth of the Rann of Kutch in the Arabian Sea; Pakistani maps continue to show its Junagadh claim in Indian Gujarat State; discussions with Bangladesh remain stalled to delimit a small section of river boundary, to exchange territory for 51 Bangladeshi exclaves in India and 111 Indian exclaves in Bangladesh, to allocate divided villages, and to stop illegal cross-border trade, migration, violence, and transit of terrorists through the porous border; Bangladesh protests India's attempts to fence off high-traffic sections of the border; dispute with Bangladesh over New Moore/South Talpatty/Purbasha Island in the Bay of Bengal deters maritime boundary delimitation; India seeks cooperation from Bhutan and Burma to keep Indian Nagaland and Assam separatists from hiding in remote areas along the borders; Joint Border Committee with Nepal continues to examine contested boundary sections, including the 400 square kilometer dispute over the source of the Kalapani River; India maintains a strict border regime to keep out Maoist insurgents and control illegal cross-border activities from Nepal
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 77,200 (Tibet/China); 69,609 (Sri Lanka); 9,472 (Afghanistan) IDPs: at least 600,000 (about half are Kashmiri Pandits from Jammu and Kashmir) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: India is a source, destination, and transit country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation; internal forced labor may constitute India's largest trafficking problem; men, women, and children are held in debt bondage and face forced labor working in brick kilns, rice mills, agriculture, and embroidery factories; women and girls are trafficked within the country for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced marriage; children are subjected to forced labor as factory workers, domestic servants, beggars, and agriculture workers, and have been used as armed combatants by some terrorist and insurgent groups; India is also a destination for women and girls from Nepal and Bangladesh trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation; Indian women are trafficked to the Middle East for commercial sexual exploitation; men and women from Bangladesh and Nepal are trafficked through India for forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation in the Middle East tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - India is on the Tier 2 Watch List for a fifth consecutive year for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking in 2007; despite the reported extent of the trafficking crisis in India, government authorities made uneven efforts to prosecute traffickers and protect trafficking victims; government authorities continued to rescue victims of commercial sexual exploitation and forced child labor and child armed combatants, and began to show progress in law enforcement against these forms of trafficking; a critical challenge overall is the lack of punishment for traffickers, effectively resulting in impunity for acts of human trafficking; India has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)
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 point for illicit narcotics produced in neighboring countries and throughout Southwest Asia; illicit producer of methaqualone; vulnerable to narcotics money laundering through the hawala system; licit ketamine and precursor production
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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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). The decision by the International Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 to delimit a fifth ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the Indian Ocean south of 60 degrees south latitude.
Geography
Indian Ocean
Location:
body of water between Africa, the Southern Ocean, Asia, and Australia
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Political Map of the World
Area:
total: 68.556 million sq km
note: includes Andaman Sea, Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, Flores Sea,
Great Australian Bight, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, Java Sea,
Mozambique Channel, Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Savu Sea, Strait of
Malacca, Timor Sea, 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
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 terminals:
Chennai (Madras; India), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Durban (South Africa),
Jakarta (Indonesia), Kolkata (Calcutta; India) Melbourne
(Australia), Mumbai (Bombay; India), Richards Bay (South Africa)
Transportation - note:
the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial waters of littoral states and offshore waters as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships, particularly in the Gulf of Aden, along the east coast of Africa, the Bay of Bengal, and the Strait of Malacca; numerous vessels, including commercial shipping and pleasure craft, have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargoes stolen; crew and passengers are often held for ransom, murdered, or cast adrift
Transnational Issues
Indian Ocean
Disputes - international:
some maritime disputes (see littoral states)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Indonesia
Introduction
Indonesia
Background:
The Dutch began to colonize Indonesia in the early 17th century; the islands were occupied by Japan from 1942 to 1945. Indonesia declared its independence after Japan's surrender, but it required four years of intermittent negotiations, recurring hostilities, and UN mediation before the Netherlands agreed to relinquish its colony. Indonesia is the world's largest archipelagic state and home to the world's largest Muslim population. Current issues include: alleviating poverty, preventing terrorism, consolidating democracy after four decades of authoritarianism, implementing financial sector reforms, stemming corruption, holding the military and police accountable for human rights violations, and controlling avian influenza. In 2005, Indonesia reached a historic peace agreement with armed separatists in Aceh, which led to democratic elections in December 2006. Indonesia continues to face a low intensity separatist movement in Papua.
Geography
Indonesia
Location:
Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Indian Ocean and the
Pacific Ocean
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Southeast Asia
Area:
total: 1,919,440 sq km land: 1,826,440 sq km water: 93,000 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly less than three times the size of Texas
Land boundaries:
total: 2,830 km border countries: Timor-Leste 228 km, Malaysia 1,782 km, Papua New Guinea 820 km
Coastline:
54,716 km
Maritime claims:
measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
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: 11.03% permanent crops: 7.04% other: 81.93% (2005)
Irrigated land:
45,000 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
2,838 cu km (1999)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 82.78 cu km/yr (8%/1%/91%) per capita: 372 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
archipelago of 17,508 islands (6,000 inhabited); straddles equator; strategic location astride or along major sea lanes from Indian Ocean to Pacific Ocean
People
Indonesia
Population:
237,512,352 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 28.4% (male 34,343,198/female 33,175,135) 15-64 years: 65.7% (male 78,330,830/female 77,812,339) 65 years and over: 5.8% (male 6,151,305/female 7,699,548) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 27.2 years male: 26.7 years female: 27.7 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.175% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
19.24 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
6.24 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-1.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 31.04 deaths/1,000 live births male: 36.14 deaths/1,000 live births female: 25.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.46 years male: 67.98 years female: 73.07 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.34 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
110,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
2,400 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: chikungunya, dengue fever, and malaria note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Indonesian(s) adjective: Indonesian
Ethnic groups:
Javanese 40.6%, Sundanese 15%, Madurese 3.3%, Minangkabau 2.7%, Betawi 2.4%, Bugis 2.4%, Banten 2%, Banjar 1.7%, other or unspecified 29.9% (2000 census)
Religions:
Muslim 86.1%, Protestant 5.7%, Roman Catholic 3%, Hindu 1.8%, other or unspecified 3.4% (2000 census)
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: 90.4% male: 94% female: 86.8% (2004 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 11 years male: 12 years female: 11 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
3.6% of GDP (2006)
Government
Indonesia
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Indonesia conventional short form: Indonesia local long form: Republik Indonesia local short form: Indonesia former: Netherlands East Indies, Dutch East Indies
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Jakarta geographic coordinates: 6 10 S, 106 49 E time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) note: Indonesia is divided into three time zones
Administrative divisions:
30 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, Kepulauan Riau, Lampung, Maluku, Maluku Utara, Nusa Tenggara Barat, Nusa Tenggara Timur, Papua, Papua Barat (Irian Jaya Barat), Riau, Sulawesi Barat, Sulawesi Selatan, Sulawesi Tengah, Sulawesi Tenggara, Sulawesi Utara, Sumatera Barat, Sumatera Selatan, Sumatera Utara, Yogyakarta* note: following the implementation of decentralization beginning on 1 January 2001, the 465 regencies and municipalities have become the key administrative units responsible for providing most government services
Independence:
17 August 1945 (declared) note: recognized by the Netherlands on 27 December 1949; in August 2005, the Netherlands announced it recognized de facto Indonesian independence on 17 August 1945
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; series of amendments concluded in 2002
Legal system:
based on Roman-Dutch law, substantially modified by indigenous concepts and by new criminal procedures and election codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
17 years of age; universal and married persons regardless of age
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Susilo Bambang YUDHOYONO (since 20 October 2004); Vice President Muhammad Yusuf KALLA (since 20 October 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Susilo Bambang YUDHOYONO (since 20 October 2004); Vice President Muhammad Yusuf KALLA (since 20 October 2004) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president and vice president were elected for five-year terms (eligible for a second term) by direct vote of the citizenry; last held 20 September 2004 (next to be held in 2009) election results: Susilo Bambang YUDHOYONO elected president receiving 60.6% of vote; MEGAWATI Sukarnoputri received 39.4%
Legislative branch:
House of Representatives or Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat (DPR) (550 seats; members elected to serve five-year terms); House of Regional Representatives (Dewan Perwakilan Daerah or DPD), constitutionally mandated role includes providing legislative input to DPR on issues affecting regions; People's Consultative Assembly (Majelis Permusyawaratan Rakyat or MPR) has role in inaugurating and impeaching president and in amending constitution; consists of popularly elected members in DPR and DPD; MPR does not formulate national policy elections: last held 5 April 2004 (next to be held 8 or 9 April 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - Golkar 21.6%, PDI-P 18.5%, PKB 10.6%, PPP 8.2%, PD 7.5%, PKS 7.3%, PAN 6.4%, others 19.9%; seats by party - Golkar 128, PDI-P 109, PPP 58, PD 55, PAN 53, PKB 52, PKS 45, others 50 note: because of election rules, the number of seats won does not always follow the percentage of votes received by parties
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Mahkamah Agung (justices appointed by the president from a list of candidates selected by the legislature); a separate Constitutional Court or Mahkamah Konstitusi was invested by the president on 16 August 2003; in March 2004 the Supreme Court assumed administrative and financial responsibility for the lower court system from the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights; Labor Court under supervision of Supreme Court began functioning in January 2006
Political parties and leaders:
Crescent Moon and Star Party or PBB [MS KABAN]; Democratic Party or
PD [Hadi UTOMO]; Functional Groups Party or Golkar [Yusuf KALLA];
Indonesia Democratic Party-Struggle or PDI-P [MEGAWATI
Sukarnoputri]; National Awakening Party or PKB; National Mandate
Party or PAN [Sutrisno BACHIR]; Prosperous Justice Party or PKS
[Tifatul SEMBIRING]; United Development Party or PPP [Suryadharma
ALI]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Indonesian Women's Coalition (Koalisi Perempuan - human rights group); Islamic Defenders Front or FPI; National Alliance for Freedom of Religion and Faith; Oil Palm Watch (environmental)
International organization participation:
ADB, APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN, BIS, CP, EAS, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC,
MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PIF (partner), UN, UN Security
Council (temporary), UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL,
UNMIS, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador SUDJADNAN Parnohadiningrat chancery: 2020 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 775-5200 FAX: [1] (202) 775-5365 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Cameron R. HUME embassy: Jalan 1 Medan Merdeka Selatan 3-5, Jakarta 10110 mailing address: Unit 8129, Box 1, FPO AP 96520 telephone: [62] (21) 3435-9000 FAX: [62] (21) 3435-9922 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, has been undergoing significant economic reforms under President YUDHOYONO. Indonesia's debt-to-GDP ratio has been declining steadily, its foreign exchange reserves are at an all-time high of over $50 billion, and its stock market has been one of the three best performers in the world in 2006 and 2007, as global investors sought out higher returns in emerging markets. The government has introduced significant reforms in the financial sector, including tax and customs reforms, the introduction of Treasury bills, and improved capital market supervision. Indonesia's new investment law, passed in March 2007, seeks to address some of the concerns of foreign and domestic investors. Indonesia still struggles with poverty and unemployment, inadequate infrastructure, corruption, a complex regulatory environment, and unequal resource distribution among regions. Indonesia has been slow to privatize over 100 state-owned enterprises, several of which have monopolies in key sectors. The non-bank financial sector, including pension funds and insurance, remains weak. Capital markets are underdeveloped. The high global price of oil in 2007 increased the cost of domestic fuel and electricity subsidies, and are contributing to concerns about higher food prices. Located on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" Indonesia remains vulnerable to volcanic and tectonic disasters. Significant progress has been made in rebuilding Aceh after the devastating December 2004 tsunami, and the province now shows more economic activity than before the disaster. Unfortunately, Indonesia suffered new disasters in 2006 and early 2007 including: a major earthquake near Yogyakarta, an industrial accident in Sidoarjo, East Java that created a "mud volcano," a tsunami in South Java, and major flooding in Jakarta, all of which caused additional damages in the billions of dollars. Donors are assisting Indonesia with its disaster mitigation and early warning efforts.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$843.7 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$432.9 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
6.3% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$3,600 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 13.8% industry: 46.7% services: 39.4% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
109.9 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 43.3% industry: 18% services: 38.7% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate:
9.1% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
17.8% (2006)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.6% highest 10%: 28.5% (2002)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
36.3 (2005)
Investment (gross fixed):
24.9% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $79.56 billion expenditures: $84.87 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
34% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6.3% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
8% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
13.86% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$47.78 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$127 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$170.2 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
rice, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, rubber, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, copra; poultry, beef, pork, eggs
Industries:
petroleum and natural gas, textiles, apparel, footwear, mining, cement, chemical fertilizers, plywood, rubber, food, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
4.7% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
125.7 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
110.7 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 86.9% hydro: 10.5% nuclear: 0% other: 2.6% (2001)
Oil - production:
1.044 million bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
1.219 million bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
470,000 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - imports:
500,000 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - proved reserves:
4.37 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
56 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
23.4 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
32.6 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
2.659 trillion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
$11.01 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$118 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
oil and gas, electrical appliances, plywood, textiles, rubber
Exports - partners:
Japan 20.7%, US 10.2%, Singapore 9.2%, China 8.5%, South Korea 6.6%,
Malaysia 4.5%, India 4.3% (2007)
Imports:
$84.93 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
Singapore 13.2%, China 11.5%, Japan 8.8%, Malaysia 8.6%, US 6.4%, Thailand 5.8%, Saudi Arabia 4.5%, South Korea 4.3%, Australia 4% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
ODA, $2.524 billion (2006 est.) note: Indonesia ended 2006 with $67 billion in official foreign debt (about 25% of GDP), with Japan ($25 billion), the World Bank ($8.5 billion) and the Asian Development Bank ($8.4 billion) as the largest creditors; about $6 billion in grant assistance was pledged to rebuild Aceh after the December 2004 tsunami; President YUDHOYONO disbanded the Consultative Group on Indonesia (CGI) donor forum in January 2007
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$56.92 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$140 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$57.6 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$9.225 billion (2006 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$138.9 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
Indonesian rupiah (IDR)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Indonesian rupiah (IDR) per US dollar - 9,056 (2007 est.), 9,159.3 (2006), 9,704.7 (2005), 8,938.9 (2004), 8,577.1 (2003)
Communications
Indonesia
Telephones - main lines in use:
17.828 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
81.835 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: domestic service fair, international service good domestic: interisland microwave system and HF radio police net; domestic satellite communications system; coverage provided by existing network has been expanded by use of over 200,000 telephone kiosks many located in remote areas; mobile cellular subscribership growing rapidly international: country code - 62; landing point for both the SEA-ME-WE-3 and SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable networks that provide links throughout Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; 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:
54 local TV stations (11 national TV networks; each with its group of local transmitters) (2006)
Televisions:
13.75 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.id
Internet hosts:
753,200 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
24 (2000)
Internet users:
13 million (2007)
Transportation
Indonesia
Airports:
652 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 158 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 15 1,524 to 2,437 m: 51 914 to 1,523 m: 49 under 914 m: 39 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 494 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 27 under 914 m: 462 (2007)
Heliports:
17 (2007)
Pipelines:
condensate 963 km; condensate/gas 81 km; gas 9,003 km; oil 7,471 km; oil/gas/water 77 km; refined products 1,365 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 6,458 km narrow gauge: 5,961 km 1.067-m gauge (125 km electrified); 497 km 0.750-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 391,009 km paved: 216,714 km unpaved: 174,295 km (2005)
Waterways:
21,579 km (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 971 by type: bulk carrier 54, cargo 514, chemical tanker 35, container 80, liquefied gas 7, passenger 44, passenger/cargo 68, petroleum tanker 143, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 10, specialized tanker 10, vehicle carrier 4 foreign-owned: 43 (China 2, France 1, Germany 1, Japan 6, Norway 1, Philippines 1, Singapore 27, Taiwan 2, UAE 2) registered in other countries: 114 (Bahamas 2, Cambodia 2, China 1, Hong Kong 7, Liberia 2, Mongolia 1, Panama 31, Singapore 66, unknown 2) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Banjarmasin, Belawan, Ciwandan, Kotabaru, Krueg Geukueh, Palembang,
Panjang, Sungai Pakning, Tanjung Perak, Tanjung Priok
Transportation - note:
the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Strait of Malacca and South China Sea as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; numerous commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargo diverted to ports in East Asia; crews have been murdered or cast adrift
Military
Indonesia
Military branches:
Indonesian Armed Forces (Tentara Nasional Indonesia, TNI): Army
(TNI-Angkatan Darat (TNI-AD)), Navy (TNI-Angkatan Laut (TNI-AL);
includes marines, naval air arm), Air Force (TNI-Angkatan Udara
(TNI-AU)), National Air Defense Command (Kommando Pertahanan Udara
Nasional (Kohanudnas)) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for selective compulsory and voluntary military service; 2-year conscript service obligation, with reserve obligation to age 45 (officers); Indonesian citizens only (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 63,800,825 females age 16-49: 61,729,717 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 52,367,788 females age 16-49: 52,129,123 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 2,181,303 female: 2,110,397 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
3% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
Indonesia
Disputes - international:
Indonesia has a stated foreign policy objective of establishing stable fixed land and maritime boundaries with all of its neighbors; Timor-Leste-Indonesia Boundary Committee has resolved all but a small portion of the land boundary, but discussions on maritime boundaries are stalemated over sovereignty of the uninhabited coral island of Pulau Batek/Fatu Sinai in the north and alignment with Australian claims in the south; many refugees from Timor-Leste who left in 2003 still reside in Indonesia and refuse repatriation; a 1997 treaty between Indonesia and Australia settled some parts of their maritime boundary but outstanding issues remain; ICJ's award of Sipadan and Ligitan islands to Malaysia in 2002 left the sovereignty of Unarang rock and the maritime boundary in the Ambalat oil block in the Celebes Sea in dispute; the ICJ decision has prompted Indonesia to assert claims to and to establish a presence on its smaller outer islands; Indonesia and Singapore continue to work on finalization of their 1973 maritime boundary agreement by defining unresolved areas north of Indonesia's Batam Island; Indonesian secessionists, squatters, and illegal migrants create repatriation problems for Papua New Guinea; piracy remains a problem in the Malacca Strait; maritime delimitation talks continue with Palau; Indonesian groups challenge Australia's claim to Ashmore Reef; Australia has closed parts of the Ashmore and Cartier Reserve to Indonesian traditional fishing and placed restrictions on certain catches
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 200,000-350,000 (government offensives against rebels in Aceh; most IDPs in Aceh, Central Kalimantan, Central Sulawesi Provinces, and Maluku) (2007)
Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of cannabis largely for domestic use; producer of methamphetamine and ecstasy
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Iran
Introduction
Iran
Background:
Known as Persia until 1935, Iran became an Islamic republic in 1979 after the ruling monarchy was overthrown and the shah was forced into exile. Conservative clerical forces established a theocratic system of government with ultimate political authority vested in a learned religious scholar referred to commonly as the Supreme Leader who, according to the constitution, is accountable only to the Assembly of Experts. US-Iranian relations have been strained since a group of 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 that eventually expanded into the Persian Gulf and led to clashes between US Navy and Iranian military forces between 1987 and 1988. Iran has been designated a state sponsor of terrorism for its activities in Lebanon and elsewhere in the world and remains subject to US and UN economic sanctions and export controls because of its continued involvement in terrorism and conventional weapons proliferation. Following the election of reformer Hojjat ol-Eslam Mohammad KHATAMI as president in 1997 and similarly a reformer Majles (parliament) in 2000, a campaign to foster political reform in response to popular dissatisfaction was initiated. The movement floundered as conservative politicians, through the control of unelected institutions, prevented reform measures from being enacted and increased repressive measures. Starting with nationwide municipal elections in 2003 and continuing through Majles elections in 2004, conservatives reestablished control over Iran's elected government institutions, which culminated with the August 2005 inauguration of hardliner Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD as president. In December 2006 and March 2007, the international community passed resolutions 1737 and 1747 respectively after Iran failed to comply with UN demands to halt the enrichment of uranium or to agree to full IAEA oversight of its nuclear program. In October 2007, Iranian entities were also subject to US sanctions under EO 13382 designations for proliferation activities and EO 13224 designations for providing material support to the Taliban and other terrorist organizations.
Geography
Iran
Location:
Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the
Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan
Geographic coordinates:
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:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: bilateral agreements or median lines in the Persian Gulf continental shelf: natural prolongation
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: 9.78% permanent crops: 1.29% other: 88.93% (2005)
Irrigated land:
76,500 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
137.5 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 72.88 cu km/yr (7%/2%/91%) per capita: 1,048 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, 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:
65,875,224 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 22.3% (male 7,548,116/female 7,164,921) 15-64 years: 72.3% (male 24,090,976/female 23,522,861) 65 years and over: 5.4% (male 1,713,533/female 1,834,816) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 26.4 years male: 26.2 years female: 26.7 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.792% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
16.89 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
5.69 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-3.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.93 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 36.93 deaths/1,000 live births male: 37.12 deaths/1,000 live births female: 36.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.86 years male: 69.39 years female: 72.4 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.71 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
66,000 (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
1,600 (2005 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A vectorborne diseases: Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever and malaria note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2008)
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:
Muslim 98% (Shia 89%, Sunni 9%), other (includes Zoroastrian,
Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i) 2%
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: 77% male: 83.5% female: 70.4% (2002 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 13 years male: 13 years female: 13 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
5.1% of GDP (2006)
Government
Iran
Country name:
conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Iran conventional short form: Iran local long form: Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iran local short form: Iran former: Persia
Government type:
theocratic republic
Capital:
name: Tehran geographic coordinates: 35 40 N, 51 25 E time difference: UTC+3.5 (8.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
30 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-e Jonubi, Khorasan-e Razavi, Khorasan-e
Shomali, Khuzestan, Kohgiluyeh 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:
based on Sharia law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
16 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Supreme Leader Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI (since 4 June 1989) head of government: President Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD (since 3 August 2005); First Vice President Parviz DAVUDI (since 11 September 2005) cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president with legislative approval; the Supreme Leader has some control over appointments to the more sensitive ministries note: also considered part of the Executive branch of government are three oversight bodies: 1) Assembly of Experts (Majles-Khebregan), a popularly elected body charged with determining the succession of the Supreme Leader, reviewing his performance, and deposing him if deemed necessary; 2) Expediency Council or the Council for the Discernment of Expediency (Majma-e-Tashkise-Maslahat-e-Nezam) exerts supervisory authority over the executive, judicial, and legislative branches and resolves legislative issues on which the Majles and the Council of Guardians disagree and since 1989 has been used to advise national religious leaders on matters of national policy; in 2005 the Council's powers were expanded to act as a supervisory body for the government; 3) Council of Guardians of the Constitution or Council of Guardians or Guardians Council (Shora-ye Negaban-e Qanun-e Assassi) determines whether proposed legislation is both constitutional and faithful to Islamic law, vets candidates for suitability, and supervises national elections elections: Supreme Leader is appointed for life by the Assembly of Experts; president is elected by popular vote for a four-year term (eligible for a second term and third nonconsecutive term); last held 17 June 2005 with a two-candidate runoff on 24 June 2005 (next presidential election slated for 12 June 2009) election results: Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD elected president; percent of vote - Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD 62%, Ali Akbar Hashemi-RAFSANJANI 36%
Legislative branch:
unicameral Islamic Consultative Assembly or Majles-e-Shura-ye-Eslami or Majles (290 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 14 March 2008 with a runoff held 25 April 2008 (next to be held in 2012) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats by party - conservatives/Islamists 170, reformers 46, independents 71, religious minorities 3
Judicial branch:
The Supreme Court (Qeveh Qazaieh) and the four-member High Council of the Judiciary have a single head and overlapping responsibilities; together they supervise the enforcement of all laws and establish judicial and legal policies; lower courts include a special clerical court, a revolutionary court, and a special administrative court
Political parties and leaders:
formal political parties are a relatively new phenomenon in Iran and most conservatives still prefer to work through political pressure groups rather than parties, and often political parties or coalitions are formed prior to elections and disbanded soon thereafter; a loose pro-reform coalition called the 2nd Khordad Front, which includes political parties as well as less formal groups and organizations, achieved considerable success at elections to the sixth Majles in early 2000; groups in the coalition include: Islamic Iran Participation Front (IIPF), Executives of Construction Party (Kargozaran), Solidarity Party, Islamic Labor Party, Mardom Salari, Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution Organization (MIRO), and Militant Clerics Society (Ruhaniyun); the coalition participated in the seventh Majles elections in early 2004; following his defeat in the 2005 presidential elections, former MCS Secretary General and sixth Majles Speaker Mehdi KARUBI formed the National Trust Party; a new conservative group, Islamic Iran Developers Coalition (Abadgaran), took a leading position in the new Majles after winning a majority of the seats in February 2004; following the 2004 Majles elections, traditional and hardline conservatives have attempted to close ranks under the United Front of Principlists; the IIPF has repeatedly complained that the overwhelming majority of its candidates have been unfairly disqualified from the 2008 elections
Political pressure groups and leaders:
groups that generally support the Islamic Republic: Ansar-e Hizballah-Islamic Coalition Party (Motalefeh); Followers of the Line of the Imam and the Leader; Islamic Engineers Society; Tehran Militant Clergy Association (Ruhaniyat); active pro-reform student group: Office of Strengthening Unity (OSU); opposition groups: Baluchistan People's Party (BPP); Freedom Movement of Iran; Marz-e Por Gohar; National Front; and various ethnic and Monarchist organizations; armed political groups that have been repressed by the government: Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (KDPI); Jundallah; Komala; Mujahidin-e Khalq Organization (MEK or MKO); People's Fedayeen; People's Free Life Party of Kurdistan (PJAK)
International organization participation:
CP, ECO, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt
(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW,
OPEC, PCA, SAARC (observer), SCO (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WTO (observer)
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; FAX [1] (202) 965-1073
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none; note - the American Interests Section is located in the Swiss Embassy compound at Africa Avenue, West Farzan Street, number 32, Tehran, Iran; telephone [98] 21 8878 2964 or 21 8879 2364; FAX [98] 21 8877 3265
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 marked by an inefficient state sector, reliance on the oil sector (which provides 85% of government revenues), and statist policies that create major distortions throughout. Most economic activity is controlled by the state. Private sector activity is typically small-scale workshops, farming, and services. President Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD failed to make any notable progress in fulfilling the goals of the nation's latest five-year plan. A combination of price controls and subsidies, particularly on food and energy, continue to weigh down the economy, and administrative controls, widespread corruption, and other rigidities undermine the potential for private-sector-led growth. As a result of these inefficiencies, significant informal market activity flourishes and shortages are common. High oil prices in recent years have enabled Iran to amass nearly $70 billion in foreign exchange reserves. Yet this increased revenue has not eased economic hardships, which include double-digit unemployment and inflation - inflation climbed to 26% as of June 2008. The economy has seen only moderate growth. Iran's educated population, economic inefficiency and insufficient investment - both foreign and domestic - have prompted an increasing number of Iranians to seek employment overseas, resulting in significant "brain drain."
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$762.9 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$294.1 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
6.2% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$11,700 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 10.7% industry: 42.9% services: 46.5% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
28.7 million note: shortage of skilled labor (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 25% industry: 31% services: 45% (June 2007)
Unemployment rate:
12% according to the Iranian government (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
18% (2007 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2% highest 10%: 33.7% (1998)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
44.5 (2006)
Investment (gross fixed):
27.6% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $104 billion expenditures: $101 billion (2008 est.)
Fiscal year:
21 March - 20 March
Public debt:
17.2% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
17.1% (2007 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
12% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$46.13 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$68.71 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$109.7 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
wheat, rice, other grains, sugar beets, sugar cane, fruits, nuts, cotton; dairy products, wool; caviar
Industries:
petroleum, petrochemicals, fertilizers, caustic soda, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food processing (particularly sugar refining and vegetable oil production), ferrous and non-ferrous metal fabrication, armaments
Industrial production growth rate:
4.8% excluding oil (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
189.9 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
149.4 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
2.775 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - imports:
2.54 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 97.1% hydro: 2.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
4.033 million bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
1.679 million bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
2.52 million bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - imports:
167,800 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
138.4 billion bbl based on Iranian claims (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
111.9 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
111.8 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
6.2 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
6.1 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
26.85 trillion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
$28.95 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$88.26 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
petroleum 80%, chemical and petrochemical products, fruits and nuts, carpets
Exports - partners:
China 15%, Japan 14.3%, Turkey 7.4%, South Korea 7.3%, Italy 6.4% (2007)
Imports:
$53.88 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
industrial raw materials and intermediate goods, capital goods, foodstuffs and other consumer goods, technical services
Imports - partners:
China 14.2%, Germany 9.6%, UAE 9.1%, South Korea 6.3%, Russia 5.7%,
Italy 5% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$104 million (2005 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$69.2 billion (2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$20.68 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$6.026 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$903 million (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$45.2 billion (December 2007)
Currency (code):
Iranian rial (IRR)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Iranian rials (IRR) per US dollar - 9,407.5 (2007), 9,227.1 (2006), 8,964 (2005), 8,614 (2004), 8,193.9 (2003) note: Iran has been using a managed floating exchange rate regime since unifying multiple exchange rates in March 2002
Communications
Iran
Telephones - main lines in use:
23.835 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
29.77 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: 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 addition of new fiber cables and modern switching and exchange systems installed by Iran's state-owned telecom company have improved and expanded the main line network greatly; main line availability has more than doubled to nearly 24 million lines since 2000; additionally, mobile service has increased dramatically serving nearly 30 million subscribers in 2007 international: country code - 98; 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; HF radio and microwave radio relay to Turkey, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Syria, Kuwait, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan; satellite earth stations - 13 (9 Intelsat and 4 Inmarsat) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 72, FM 5, shortwave 5 (1998)
Radios:
17 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
28 (plus 450 repeaters) (1997)
Televisions:
4.61 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.ir
Internet hosts:
2,860 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
100 (2002)
Internet users:
23 million (2007)
Transportation
Iran
Airports:
331 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 129 over 3,047 m: 40 2,438 to 3,047 m: 28 1,524 to 2,437 m: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 32 under 914 m: 5 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 202 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 145 under 914 m: 46 (2007)
Heliports:
14 (2007)
Pipelines:
condensate 7 km; condensate/gas 397 km; gas 19,161 km; liquid petroleum gas 570 km; oil 8,438 km; refined products 7,936 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 8,367 km broad gauge: 94 km 1.676-m gauge standard gauge: 8,273 km 1.435-m gauge (146 km electrified) (2006)
Roadways:
total: 172,927 km paved: 125,908 km (includes 1,429 km of expressways) unpaved: 47,019 km (2006)
Waterways:
850 km (on Karun River; additional service on Lake Urmia) (2006)
Merchant marine:
total: 74 by type: bulk carrier 18, cargo 34, chemical tanker 4, container 6, liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 3 foreign-owned: 1 (UAE 1) registered in other countries: 115 (Barbados 2, Bolivia 1, Cyprus 10, Hong Kong 15, Malta 79, Panama 7, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Assaluyeh, Bandar Abbas, Bandar-e-Eman Khomeyni
Military
Iran
Military branches:
Islamic Republic of Iran Regular Forces (Artesh): Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force of the Military of the Islamic Republic of Iran (Niru-ye Hava'i-ye Artesh-e Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iran; includes air defense); Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (Sepah-e Pasdaran-e Enqelab-e Eslami, IRGC): Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Qods Force (special operations), and Basij Force (Popular Mobilization Army); Law Enforcement Forces (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
19 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age for volunteers; 17 years of age for Law Enforcement Forces; 15 years of age for Basij Forces (Popular Mobilization Army); conscript military service obligation - 18 months; women exempt from military service (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 20,212,275 females age 16-49: 19,638,751 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 17,416,126 females age 16-49: 16,928,226 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 766,668 female: 727,654 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
2.5% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Iran
Disputes - international:
Iran protests Afghanistan's limiting flow of dammed tributaries to the Helmand River in periods of drought; Iraq's lack of a maritime boundary with Iran prompts jurisdiction disputes beyond the mouth of the Shatt al Arab in the Persian Gulf; Iran and UAE dispute Tunb Islands and Abu Musa Island, which are occupied by Iran; Iran stands alone among littoral states in insisting upon a division of the Caspian Sea into five equal sectors
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 914,268 (Afghanistan); 54,024 (Iraq) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Iran is a source, transit, and destination country for women trafficked for the purposes of sexual exploitation and involuntary servitude; Iranian women are trafficked internally for the purpose of forced prostitution and for forced marriages to settle debts; Iranian children are trafficked internally and Afghan children are trafficked into Iran for the purpose of forced marriages, commercial sexual exploitation, and involuntary servitude as beggars or laborers tier rating: Tier 3 - Iran did not provide evidence of law enforcement activities against trafficking, and credible reports indicate that Iranian authorities punish victims of trafficking with beatings, imprisonment, and execution; Iran has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)
Illicit drugs:
despite substantial interdiction efforts and considerable control measures along the border with Afghanistan, Iran remains one of the primary transshipment routes for Southwest Asian heroin to Europe; suffers one of the highest opiate addiction rates in the world, and has an increasing problem with synthetic drugs; lacks anti-money laundering laws; has reached out to neighboring countries to share counter-drug intelligence
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Iraq
Introduction
Iraq
Background:
Formerly part of the Ottoman Empire, Iraq was occupied by Britain during the course of World War I; in 1920, it was declared a League of Nations mandate under UK administration. In stages over the next dozen years, Iraq attained its independence as a kingdom in 1932. A "republic" was proclaimed in 1958, but in actuality a series of military strongmen ruled the country until 2003. The last was 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 the Gulf War of January-February 1991. 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. Continued Iraqi noncompliance with UNSC resolutions over a period of 12 years led to the US-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003 and the ouster of the SADDAM Husayn regime. Coalition forces remain in Iraq under a UNSC mandate, helping to provide security and to support the freely elected government. The Coalition Provisional Authority, which temporarily administered Iraq after the invasion, transferred full governmental authority on 28 June 2004 to the Iraqi Interim Government, which governed under the Transitional Administrative Law for Iraq (TAL). Under the TAL, elections for a 275-member Transitional National Assembly (TNA) were held in Iraq on 30 January 2005. Following these elections, the Iraqi Transitional Government (ITG) assumed office. The TNA was charged with drafting Iraq's permanent constitution, which was approved in a 15 October 2005 constitutional referendum. An election under the constitution for a 275-member Council of Representatives (CoR) was held on 15 December 2005. The CoR approval in the selection of most of the cabinet ministers on 20 May 2006 marked the transition from the ITG to Iraq's first constitutional government in nearly a half-century.
Geography
Iraq
Location:
Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and Kuwait
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Middle East
Area:
total: 437,072 sq km land: 432,162 sq km water: 4,910 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:
territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: not specified
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: unnamed peak; 3,611 m; note - this peak is neither Gundah Zhur 3,607 m nor Kuh-e Hajji-Ebrahim 3,595 m
Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur
Land use:
arable land: 13.12% permanent crops: 0.61% other: 86.27% (2005)
Irrigated land:
35,250 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
96.4 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 42.7 cu km/yr (3%/5%/92%) per capita: 1,482 cu m/yr (2000)
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 Marsh Arabs, who 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 the Tigris and Euphrates rivers system contingent upon agreements with upstream riparian Turkey; air and water pollution; soil degradation (salination) and erosion; desertification
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Geography - note:
strategic location on Shatt al Arab waterway and at the head of the Persian Gulf
People
Iraq
Population:
28,221,180 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 39.2% (male 5,613,420/female 5,438,770) 15-64 years: 57.9% (male 8,270,573/female 8,057,423) 65 years and over: 3% (male 396,751/female 444,244) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 20.2 years male: 20.1 years female: 20.2 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.562% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
30.77 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
5.14 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA (2008 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: 0.89 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 45.43 deaths/1,000 live births male: 51.06 deaths/1,000 live births female: 39.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.62 years male: 68.32 years female: 70.99 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.97 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
fewer than 500 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Iraqi(s) adjective: Iraqi
Ethnic groups:
Arab 75%-80%, Kurdish 15%-20%, Turkoman, Assyrian, or other 5%
Religions:
Muslim 97% (Shia 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian or other 3%
Languages:
Arabic, Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Turkoman (a Turkish dialect), Assyrian (Neo-Aramaic), Armenian
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 74.1% male: 84.1% female: 64.2% (2000 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 10 years male: 11 years female: 8 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
Government
Iraq
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Iraq conventional short form: Iraq local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al-Iraqiyah local short form: Al Iraq
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: Baghdad geographic coordinates: 33 20 N, 44 23 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins 1 April; ends 1 October
Administrative divisions:
18 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah) and 1 region*; Al
Anbar, Al Basrah, Al Muthanna, Al Qadisiyah, An Najaf, Arbil, As
Sulaymaniyah, At Ta'mim, Babil, Baghdad, Dahuk, Dhi Qar, Diyala,
Karbala', Kurdistan Regional Government*, Maysan, Ninawa, Salah ad
Din, Wasit
Independence:
3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration); note - on 28 June 2004 the Coalition Provisional Authority transferred sovereignty to the Iraqi-controlled Government
National holiday:
Revolution Day, 17 July (1968); note - this holiday was celebrated under the SADDAM Husayn regime; the Government of Iraq has yet to declare a new national holiday
Constitution:
ratified on 15 October 2005 (subject to review by the Constitutional Review Committee and a possible public referendum )
Legal system:
based on European civil and Islamic law under the framework outlined in the Iraqi Constitution; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jalal TALABANI (since 6 April 2005); Vice Presidents Adil ABD AL-MAHDI and Tariq al-HASHIMI (since 22 April 2006); note - the president and vice presidents comprise the Presidency Council) head of government: Prime Minister Nuri al-MALIKI (since 20 May 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers Barham SALIH (since 20 May 2006)and Rafi al-ISSAWI (since 19 July 2008) cabinet: 34 ministers appointed by the Presidency Council, plus Prime Minister Nuri al-MALIKI and Deputy Prime Ministers Barham SALIH and Rafi al-ISSAWI elections: held 15 December 2005 to elect a 275-member Council of Representatives
Legislative branch:
Council of Representatives (consisting of 275 members elected by a closed-list, proportional representation system) elections: last held 15 December 2005 to elect a 275-member Council of Representatives (next to be held January 2009); the Council of Representatives elected the Presidency Council and approved the prime minister and two deputy prime ministers election results: Council of Representatives - percent of vote by party - Unified Iraqi Alliance 41%, Kurdistan Alliance 22%, Tawafuq Coalition 15%, Iraqi National List 8%, Iraqi Front for National Dialogue 4%, other 10%; number of seats by party (as of November 2007) - Unified Iraqi Alliance (including the Sadrist bloc with 30 and Fadilah with 15) 130, Kurdistan Alliance 53, Tawafuq Front 44, Iraqi National List 25, Fadilah 15, Iraqi Front for National Dialogue 11, other 12
Judicial branch:
the Iraq Constitution calls for the federal judicial power to be comprised of the Higher Juridical Council, Federal Supreme Court, Federal Court of Cassation, Public Prosecution Department, Judiciary Oversight Commission and other federal courts that are regulated in accordance with the law
Political parties and leaders:
Assyrian Democratic Movement [Yunadim KANNA]; Badr Organization [Hadi al-AMIRI]; Constitutional Monarchy Movement or CMM [Sharif Ali Bin al-HUSAYN]; Da'wa al-Islamiya Party [Ibrahim al-JA'FARI]; General Conference of Iraqi People [Adnan al-DULAYMI]; Independent Iraqi Alliance or IIA [Falah al-NAQIB]; Iraqi Communist Party [Hamid MAJEED]; Iraqi Front for National Dialogue [Salih al-MUTLAQ]; Iraqi Hizballah [Karim Mahmud al-MUHAMMADAWI]; Iraqi Independent Democrats or IID [Adnan PACHACHI, Mahdi al-HAFIZ]; Iraqi Islamic Party or IIP [Tariq al-HASHIMI]; Iraqi National Accord or INA [Ayad ALLAWI]; Iraqi National Congress or INC [Ahmad CHALABI]; Iraqi National Council for Dialogue or INCD [Khalaf Ulayan al-Khalifawi al-DULAYMI]; Iraqi National Unity Movement or INUM [Ahmad al-KUBAYSI]; Islamic Action Organization or IAO [Ayatollah Muhammad al-MUDARRISI]; Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq or ISCI [Abd al-Aziz al-HAKIM]; Jama'at al Fadilah or JAF [Muhammad Ali al-YAQUBI]; Kurdistan Democratic Party or KDP [Masud BARZANI]; Kurdistan Islamic Union [Salah ad-Din Muhammad BAHA al-DIN]; National Reconciliation and Liberation Party [Mishan al-JABBURI]; Patriotic Union of Kurdistan or PUK [Jalal TALABANI]; Sadrist Trend [Muqtada al-SADR] (not an organized political party, but it fields independent candidates affiliated with Muqtada al-SADR); Sahawa al-Iraq [Ahmed al-RISHAWI] note: the Kurdistan Alliance, Iraqi National List, Tawafuq Front, Iraqi Front for National Dialogue, and Unified Iraqi Alliance were only electoral slates consisting of the representatives from the various Iraqi political parties
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Sunni militias; Shia militias, some associated with political parties
International organization participation:
ABEDA, AFESD (suspended), AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol,
IOC, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
(observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Samir Shakir al-SUMAYDI chancery: 3421 Massachusetts Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 742-1600 FAX: [1] (202) 333-1129
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ryan C. CROCKER embassy: Baghdad mailing address: APO AE 09316 telephone: 1-240-553-0589 ext. 5340 or 5635; note - Consular Section FAX: NA
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black; the Takbir (Arabic expression meaning "God is great") in green Arabic script is centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Syria, which has two stars but no script, Yemen, which has a plain white band, and that of Egypt, which has a gold Eagle of Saladin centered in the white band; design is based upon the Arab Liberation colors; Council of Representatives approved this flag as a compromise temporary replacement for Ba'athist Saddam-era flag
Economy
Iraq
Economy - overview:
Iraq's economy is dominated by the oil sector, which has traditionally provided about 95% of foreign exchange earnings. Although looting, insurgent attacks, and sabotage have undermined economy rebuilding efforts, economic activity is beginning to pick up in areas recently secured by the US military surge. Oil exports are around levels seen before Operation Iraqi Freedom, and total government revenues have benefited from high oil prices. Despite political uncertainty, Iraq is making some progress in building the institutions needed to implement economic policy and has negotiated a debt reduction agreement with the Paris Club and a new Stand-By Arrangement with the IMF. Iraq has received pledges for $13.5 billion in foreign aid for 2004-07 from outside of the US, more than $33 billion in total pledges. The International Compact with Iraq was established in May 2007 to integrate Iraq into the regional and global economy, and the Iraqi government is seeking to pass laws to strengthen its economy. This legislation includes a hydrocarbon law to establish a modern legal framework to allow Iraq to develop its resources and a revenue sharing law to equitably divide oil revenues within the nation, although both are still bogged down in discussions. The Central Bank has been successful in controlling inflation through appreciation of the dinar against the US dollar. Reducing corruption and implementing structural reforms, such as bank restructuring and developing the private sector, will be key to Iraq's economic success.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$102.4 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$60.12 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.9% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$3,700 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 5% industry: 68% services: 27% (2006 est.)
Labor force:
7.4 million (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Unemployment rate:
18% to 30% (2006 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $42.3 billion expenditures: $48.4 billion (FY08 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.7% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
20% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
19.74% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$18.81 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$3.67 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
NA (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
wheat, barley, rice, vegetables, dates, cotton; cattle, sheep, poultry
Industries:
petroleum, chemicals, textiles, leather, construction materials, food processing, fertilizer, metal fabrication/processing
Industrial production growth rate:
7.9% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
33.53 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
35.84 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007)
Electricity - imports:
2.315 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 98.4% hydro: 1.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
2.094 million bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
295,000 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - exports:
1.67 million bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day
Oil - proved reserves:
115 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
3.5 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
1.8 billion cu m note: 1.48 billion cu m were flared (2006 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
3.17 trillion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
$6.025 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$38.14 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
crude oil 84%, crude materials excluding fuels 8%, food and live animals 5%
Exports - partners:
US 36.8%, Italy 12.6%, South Korea 9.5%, Taiwan 6.3%, Spain 5.2%,
Canada 4.7%, France 4.4%, Netherlands 4.2% (2007)
Imports:
$25.67 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
food, medicine, manufactures
Imports - partners:
Syria 30.5%, Turkey 19.8%, US 11.1%, Jordan 5%, China 4.8% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$21.65 billion (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$25.66 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$100.9 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
New Iraqi dinar (NID) as of 22 January 2004
Currency code:
NID, IQD prior to 22 January 2004
Exchange rates:
New Iraqi dinars (NID) per US dollar - 1,255 (2007), 1,466 (2006), 1,475 (2005), 1,890 (second half, 2003)
Communications
Iraq
Telephones - main lines in use:
1.547 million (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
14.021 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: the 2003 liberation of Iraq severely disrupted telecommunications throughout Iraq including international connections; widespread government efforts to rebuild domestic and international communications through fiber optic links are in progress; the mobile cellular market has expanded rapidly with an estimated 14 million current users in 2007 domestic: repairs to switches and lines destroyed during 2003 continue; additional switching capacity is improving access; cellular service is available and centered on 3 GSM networks which are being expanded beyond their regional roots, improving country-wide connectivity; wireless local loop licenses have been issued with the hope of overcoming the lack of fixed-line infrastructure international: country code - 964; satellite earth stations - 4 (2 Intelsat - 1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean, 1 Intersputnik - Atlantic Ocean region, and 1 Arabsat (inoperative)); local microwave radio relay connects border regions to Jordan, Kuwait, Syria, and Turkey; planned international fiber-optic connections to Iran (terrestrial) with a link to the Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) submarine fiber-optic cable (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
after 17 months of unregulated media growth, there are approximately 80 radio stations (types NA) on the air inside Iraq (2004)
Radios:
4.85 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
21 (2004)
Televisions:
1.75 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.iq
Internet hosts:
3 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)
Internet users:
54,000 (2007)
Transportation
Iraq
Airports:
110 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 76 over 3,047 m: 19 2,438 to 3,047 m: 37 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 9 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 34 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 10 (2007)
Heliports:
17 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 2,250 km; liquid petroleum gas 918 km; oil 5,509 km; refined products 1,637 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 2,272 km standard gauge: 2,272 km 1.435-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 44,900 km paved: 37,851 km unpaved: 7,049 km (2002)
Waterways:
5,279 km note: Euphrates River (2,815 km), Tigris River (1,899 km), and Third River (565 km) are principal waterways (2006)
Merchant marine:
total: 14 by type: cargo 10, petroleum tanker 4 (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Al Basrah, Khawr az Zubayr, Umm Qasr
Military
Iraq
Military branches:
Iraqi Armed Forces: Iraqi Army (includes Iraqi Special Operations
Force, Iraqi Intervention Force), Iraqi Navy (former Iraqi Coastal
Defense Force), Iraqi Air Force (former Iraqi Army Air Corps) (2005)
Military service age and obligation:
18-49 years of age for voluntary military service (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 7,086,200 females age 16-49: 6,808,954 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 6,019,795 females age 16-49: 5,878,905 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 302,926 female: 294,747 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
8.6% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Iraq
Disputes - international:
coalition forces assist Iraqis in monitoring internal and cross-border security; approximately two million Iraqis have fled the conflict in Iraq, with the majority taking refuge in Syria and Jordan, and lesser numbers to Egypt, Lebanon, Iran, and Turkey; Iraq's lack of a maritime boundary with Iran prompts jurisdiction disputes beyond the mouth of the Shatt al Arab in the Persian Gulf; Turkey has expressed concern over the autonomous status of Kurds in Iraq
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 10,000-15,000 (Palestinian Territories); 11,773 (Iran); 16,832 (Turkey) IDPs: 2.4 million (ongoing US-led war and ethno-sectarian violence) (2007)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Ireland
Introduction
Ireland
Background:
Celtic tribes arrived on the island between 600-150 B.C. Invasions by Norsemen that began in the late 8th century were finally ended when King Brian BORU defeated the Danes in 1014. English invasions began in the 12th century and set off more than seven centuries of Anglo-Irish struggle marked by fierce rebellions and harsh repressions. A failed 1916 Easter Monday Rebellion touched off several years of guerrilla warfare that in 1921 resulted in independence from the UK for 26 southern counties; six northern (Ulster) counties remained part of the UK. In 1949, 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 is being implemented with some difficulties. In 2006, the Irish and British governments developed and began to implement the St. Andrews Agreement, building on the Good Friday Agreement approved in 1998.
Geography
Ireland
Location:
Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 70,280 sq km land: 68,890 sq km water: 1,390 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:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 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:
natural gas, peat, copper, lead, zinc, silver, barite, gypsum, limestone, dolomite
Land use:
arable land: 16.82% permanent crops: 0.03% other: 83.15% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Total renewable water resources:
46.8 cu km (2003)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 1.18 cu km/yr (23%/77%/0%) per capita: 284 cu m/yr (1994)
Natural hazards:
Environment - current issues:
water pollution, especially of lakes, from agricultural runoff
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, 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 100 km of Dublin
People
Ireland
Population:
4,156,119 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 20.9% (male 448,333/female 418,476) 15-64 years: 67.3% (male 1,400,222/female 1,398,194) 65 years and over: 11.8% (male 218,459/female 272,435) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 34.6 years male: 33.9 years female: 35.4 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.133% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
14.33 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
7.77 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
4.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 5.14 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.63 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.07 years male: 75.44 years female: 80.88 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.85 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
2,800 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 100 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Irishman(men), Irishwoman(women), Irish (collective plural) adjective: Irish
Ethnic groups:
Irish 87.4%, other white 7.5%, Asian 1.3%, black 1.1%, mixed 1.1%, unspecified 1.6% (2006 census)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 87.4%, Church of Ireland 2.9%, other Christian 1.9%, other 2.1%, unspecified 1.5%, none 4.2% (2006 census)
Languages:
English (official) is the language generally used, Irish (Gaelic or Gaeilge) (official) spoken mainly in areas located along the western seaboard
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 18 years male: 17 years female: 18 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
4.7% of GDP (2005)
Government
Ireland
Country name:
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Ireland local long form: none local short form: Eire
Government type:
republic, parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: Dublin geographic coordinates: 53 19 N, 6 14 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
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:
adopted 1 July 1937 by plebiscite; effective 29 December 1937
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 government: Prime Minister Brian COWEN (since 7 May 2008) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with previous nomination by the prime minister and approval of the House of Representatives elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 31 October 1997 (next scheduled for October 2011); note - Mary MCALEESE appointed to a second term when no other candidate qualified for the 2004 presidential election; prime minister (taoiseach) nominated by the House of Representatives and appointed by the president election results: Mary MCALEESE elected president; percent of vote - Mary MCALEESE 44.8%, Mary BANOTTI 29.6% note: government coalition - Fianna Fail, the Green Party, the Progressive Democrats, and independent members of Parliament
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Oireachtas consists of the Senate or Seanad Eireann (60 seats; 49 members elected by the universities and from candidates put forward by five vocational panels, 11 are nominated by the prime minister; to 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) elections: Senate - last held in July 2007 (next to be held by July 2012); House of Representatives - last held 24 May 2007 (next to be held by May 2012) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Fianna Fail 28, Fine Gael 14, Labor Party 6, Progressive Democrats 2, Green Party 2, Sein Fein 1, independents 7; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - Fianna Fail 41.6%, Fine Gael 27.3%, Labor Party 10.1%, Sinn Fein 6.9%, Green Party 4.7%, Progressive Democrats 2.7%, other 6.7%; seats by party - Fianna Fail 78, Fine Gael 51, Labor Party 20, Sinn Fein 4, Green Party 6, Progressive Democrats 2, other 5
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister and cabinet)
Political parties and leaders:
Fianna Fail [Brian COWEN]; Fine Gael [Enda KENNY]; Green Party [John
GORMLEY]; Labor Party [Eamon GILMORE]; Progressive Democrats [Mary
HARNEY, acting leader]; Sinn Fein [Gerry ADAMS]; Socialist Party
[Joe HIGGINS]; The Workers' Party [Sean GARLAND]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Families Acting for Innocent Relatives or FAIR [Brian McCONNELL] (seek compensation for victims of violence); Families Against Intimidation and Terror or FAIT (oppose terrorism); Gaeltacht Civil Rights Campaign (Coiste Cearta Sibhialta na Gaeilge) or CCSG (encourages the use of the Irish language and campaigns for greater civil rights in Irish speaking areas); Irish Republican Army or IRA (terrorist group); Keep Ireland Open (environmental group); Midland Railway Action Group or MRAG [Willie ALLEN] (transportation promoters); Rail Users Ireland (formerly the Platform 11 - transportation promoters); 32 Country Sovereignty Movement or 32CSM (supports a fully sovereign Ireland); Ulster Defence Association or UDA (terrorist group)
International organization participation:
ADB (nonregional members), Australia Group, BIS, CE, EAPC, EBRD,
EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO,
ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer),
OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Michael COLLINS chancery: 2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 462-3939 FAX: [1] (202) 232-5993 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, New York, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas C. FOLEY embassy: 42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [353] (1) 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 6% in 1995-2007. Agriculture, once the most important sector, is now dwarfed by industry and services. Although the exports sector, dominated by foreign multinationals, remains a key component of Ireland's economy, construction has most recently fueled economic growth along with strong consumer spending and business investment. Property prices have risen more rapidly in Ireland in the decade up to 2006 than in any other developed world economy. Per capita GDP is 40% above that of the four big European economies and the second highest in the EU behind Luxembourg, and in 2007 surpassed that of the United States. The Irish Government has implemented a series of national economic programs designed to curb price and wage inflation, invest in infrastructure, increase labor force skills, and promote foreign investment. A slowdown in the property market, more intense global competition, and increased costs, however, have compelled government economists to lower Ireland's growth forecast slightly for 2008. Ireland joined in circulating the euro on 1 January 2002 along with 11 other EU nations.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$191.6 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$258.6 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
6% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$46,600 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 5% industry: 46% services: 49% (2002 est.)
Labor force:
2.217 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 6% industry: 27% services: 67% (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate:
4.6% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
7% (2005 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 27.2% (2000)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
32 (2005)
Investment (gross fixed):
26.3% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $93.22 billion expenditures: $92.46 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
24.9% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.9% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
6.52% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
NA note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the Euro Area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 15 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi money circulating within their own borders
Stock of quasi money:
NA (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$768.9 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat; beef, dairy products
Industries:
steel, lead, zinc, silver, aluminum, barite, and gypsum mining processing; food products, brewing, textiles, clothing; chemicals, pharmaceuticals; machinery, rail transportation equipment; glass and crystal; software, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
5% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
25.77 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
25.67 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
82 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
1.412 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 95.9% hydro: 2.3% nuclear: 0% other: 1.7% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - consumption:
200,900 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - exports:
29,780 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
194,000 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
457 million cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
4.984 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
4.552 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
9.911 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
-$14.12 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$115.5 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, computers, chemicals, pharmaceuticals; live animals, animal products
Exports - partners:
UK 18.7%, US 17.9%, Belgium 14.5%, Germany 7.4%, France 5.8% (2007)
Imports:
$84.76 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
data processing equipment, other machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum and petroleum products, textiles, clothing
Imports - partners:
UK 38.3%, US 11.3%, Germany 9.7%, Netherlands 5%, France 4.2% (2007)
Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $1.022 billion (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$926.2 million (2006 est.)
Debt - external:
$1.841 trillion (30 June 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$191.4 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$139.6 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$114.1 billion (2005)
Currency (code):
euro (EUR)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003)
Communications
Ireland
Telephones - main lines in use:
2.112 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
4.94 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: modern digital system using cable and microwave radio relay domestic: microwave radio relay international: country code - 353; landing point for the Hibernia-Atlantic submarine cable with links to the US, Canada, and UK; 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 repeaters) (2001)
Televisions:
1.82 million (2001)
Internet country code:
.ie
Internet hosts:
1.242 million (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
22 (2000)
Internet users:
1.708 million (2007)
Transportation
Ireland
Airports:
34 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 15 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 5 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 16 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 1,855 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 3,237 km broad gauge: 1,872 km 1.600-m gauge (37 km electrified) narrow gauge: 1,365 km 0.914-m gauge (operated by the Irish Peat Board to transport peat to power stations and briquetting plants) (2006)
Roadways:
total: 96,602 km paved: 96,602 km (includes 200 km of expressways) (2003)
Waterways:
956 km (pleasure craft only) (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 29 by type: cargo 25, chemical tanker 2, container 1, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 2 (US 2) registered in other countries: 21 (Bahamas 2, Bermuda 1, Bulgaria 1, Cyprus 3, Isle of Man 1, Marshall Islands 1, Netherlands 10, Slovakia 1, UK 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Cork, Dublin, Shannon Foynes
Military
Ireland
Military branches:
Irish Defense Forces (Oglaigh na h-Eireann): Army (includes Naval
Service and Air Corps (Aer-Chor na h-Eireann)) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
17-25 years of age for male or female voluntary military service (17-27 years of age for the Naval Service); enlistees 16 years of age can be recruited for apprentice specialist positions; maximum obligation 12 years; 17-35 years of age for the Reserve Defense Forces; EU citizenship or 5-year residence in Ireland required (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,024,635 females age 16-49: 1,024,276 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 854,982 females age 16-49: 852,592 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 28,610 female: 27,095 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.9% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
Ireland
Disputes - international:
Ireland, Iceland, and the UK dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe
Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 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; increasing consumption of South American cocaine; minor transshipment point for heroin and cocaine destined for Western Europe; despite recent legislation, narcotics-related money laundering - using bureaux de change, trusts, and shell companies involving the offshore financial community - remains a concern
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Isle of Man
Introduction
Isle of Man
Background:
Geography
Isle of Man
Location:
Western Europe, island in the Irish Sea, between Great Britain and
Ireland
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 572 sq km land: 572 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly more than three times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
160 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 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: 9% permanent crops: 0% other: 91% (permanent pastures, forests, mountain, and heathland) (2002)
Irrigated land:
0 sq km
Natural hazards:
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
Isle of Man
Population:
76,220 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 17% (male 6,629/female 6,318) 15-64 years: 65.9% (male 25,251/female 24,959) 65 years and over: 17.1% (male 5,294/female 7,769) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 40 years male: 38.8 years female: 41.3 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.509% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
10.86 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
11.02 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
5.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 5.62 deaths/1,000 live births male: 6.55 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.8 years male: 75.46 years female: 82.32 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.65 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Nationality:
noun: Manxman (men), Manxwoman (women) adjective: Manx
Ethnic groups:
Manx (Norse-Celtic descent), Britons
Religions:
Anglican, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Society of Friends
Languages:
English, Manx Gaelic
Literacy:
Education expenditures:
Government
Isle of Man
Country name:
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Isle of Man abbreviation: I.O.M.
Dependency status:
British crown dependency
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: Douglas geographic coordinates: 54 09 N, 4 29 W time difference: UTC 0 (five hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
none; there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but 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 of 1961 does not embody the unwritten Manx Constitution
Legal system:
the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply and Manx statutes
Suffrage:
16 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Lord of Mann Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Lieutenant Governor Sir Paul K. HADDACKS (since 17 October 2005) head of government: Chief Minister Tony BROWN (since 14 December 2006) cabinet: Council of Ministers 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 14 December 2006 (next to be held in December 2008) election results: House of Keys speaker Tony BROWN elected chief minister by the Tynwald
Legislative branch:
bicameral Tynwald consists of the Legislative Council (11 seats; members 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 23 November 2006 (next to be held in November 2011) election results: House of Keys - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Liberal Vannin Party 2, Man Labor Party 1, independents 21
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:
Alliance for Progressive Government; Liberal Vannin Party [Peter
KARRAN]; Man Labor Party; Man Nationalist Party (Mec Vannin)
[Bernard MOFFATT]
note: most members sit as independents
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Alliance for Progressive Government or APG (a government watchdog);
Mec Vannin (political party advocating a sovereign state and
environment policies); note - has only had one member elected to the
Tynwald
International organization participation:
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
Isle of Man
Economy - overview:
Offshore banking, manufacturing, and tourism are key sectors of the economy. The government offers incentives to high-technology companies and financial institutions to locate on the island; this 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. The Isle of Man also attracts online gambling sites and the film industry. Trade is mostly with the UK. The Isle of Man enjoys free access to EU markets.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$2.719 billion (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$2.719 billion (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.2% (2005)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$35,000 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1% industry: 13% services: 86% (2000 est.)
Labor force:
39,690 (2001)
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% (2001)
Unemployment rate:
1.5% (December 2006 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $965 million expenditures: $943 million (FY05/06 est.)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.1% (December 2006 est.)
Agriculture - products:
cereals, vegetables; cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry
Industries:
financial services, light manufacturing, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
Exports:
Exports - commodities:
tweeds, herring, processed shellfish, beef, lamb
Exports - partners:
Imports:
Imports - commodities:
timber, fertilizers, fish
Imports - partners:
Economic aid - recipient:
Debt - external:
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
Isle of Man pound (IMP), also known as the Manx pound note: the British pound is also legal tender, but change is given in IMP
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Manx pounds (IMP) per US dollar - 0.4993 (2007), 0.5418 (2006), 0.5493 (2005), 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003) note: the Manx pound is at par with the British pound
Communications
Isle of Man
Telephones - main lines in use:
51,000 (1999)
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:
Television broadcast stations:
0 (receives broadcasts from the UK and satellite) (1999)
Televisions:
27,490 (1999)
Internet country code:
.im
Internet hosts:
426 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
Internet users:
Transportation
Isle of Man
Airports:
1 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Railways:
total: 65 km standard gauge: 7 km 1.067-m gauge (7 km electrified) narrow gauge: 58 km 0.914-m gauge (29 km electrified) note: primarily summer tourist attractions (2006)
Roadways:
total: 500 km (2008)
Merchant marine:
total: 273 by type: bulk carrier 31, cargo 50, chemical tanker 48, container 12, liquefied gas 41, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 73, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 8, vehicle carrier 5 foreign-owned: 181 (Chile 6, Denmark 29, France 1, Germany 56, Greece 50, Ireland 1, Japan 6, Monaco 3, Netherlands 1, Norway 20, Singapore 1, Sweden 1, Turkey 2, US 4) registered in other countries: 7 (Bahamas 1, Liberia 5, Marshall Islands 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Douglas, Ramsey
Military
Isle of Man
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 471 female: 447 (2008 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues
Isle of Man
Disputes - international:
none
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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 Israel occupied 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. In keeping with the framework established at the Madrid Conference in October 1991, bilateral negotiations were conducted between Israel and Palestinian representatives and Syria to achieve a permanent settlement. Israel and Palestinian officials signed on 13 September 1993 a Declaration of Principles (also known as the "Oslo Accords") guiding an interim period of Palestinian self-rule. Outstanding territorial and other disputes with Jordan were resolved in the 26 October 1994 Israel-Jordan Treaty of Peace. In addition, on 25 May 2000, Israel withdrew unilaterally from southern Lebanon, which it had occupied since 1982. In April 2003, US President BUSH, working in conjunction with the EU, UN, and Russia - the "Quartet" - took the lead in laying out a roadmap to a final settlement of the conflict by 2005, based on reciprocal steps by the two parties leading to two states, Israel and a democratic Palestine. However, progress toward a permanent status agreement was undermined by Israeli-Palestinian violence between September 2003 and February 2005. An Israeli-Palestinian agreement reached at Sharm al-Sheikh in February 2005, along with an internally-brokered Palestinian ceasefire, significantly reduced the violence. In the summer of 2005, Israel unilaterally disengaged from the Gaza Strip, evacuating settlers and its military while retaining control over most points of entry into the Gaza Strip. The election of HAMAS in January 2006 to head the Palestinian Legislative Council froze relations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA). Ehud OLMERT became prime minister in March 2006; following an Israeli military operation in Gaza in June-July 2006 and a 34-day conflict with Hizballah in Lebanon in June-August 2006, he shelved plans to unilaterally evacuate from most of the West Bank. OLMERT in June 2007 resumed talks with the PA after HAMAS seized control of the Gaza Strip and PA President Mahmoud ABBAS formed a new government without HAMAS.
Geography
Israel
Location:
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and
Lebanon
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Middle East
Area:
total: 20,770 sq km land: 20,330 sq km water: 440 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:
territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: to depth of exploitation
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: 15.45% permanent crops: 3.88% other: 80.67% (2005)
Irrigated land:
1,940 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
1.7 cu km (2001)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 2.05 cu km/yr (31%/7%/62%) per capita: 305 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note:
there are about 340 Israeli civilian sites - including 100 small outpost communities in the West Bank - as well as 42 sites in the Golan Heights, 0 in the Gaza Strip, and 29 in East Jerusalem (July 2008 est.); Lake Tiberias (Sea of Galilee) is an important freshwater source
People
Israel
Population:
7,112,359 note: includes about 187,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank, about 20,000 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, and fewer than 177,000 in East Jerusalem (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 28% (male 1,018,229/female 971,083) 15-64 years: 62.2% (male 2,242,928/female 2,183,688) 65 years and over: 9.8% (male 303,289/female 393,142) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 28.9 years male: 28.2 years female: 29.7 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.713% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
20.02 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
5.41 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
2.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.28 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.43 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 80.61 years male: 78.54 years female: 82.79 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.77 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
3,000 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
100 (2001 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Israeli(s) adjective: Israeli
Ethnic groups:
Jewish 76.4% (of which Israel-born 67.1%, Europe/America-born 22.6%, Africa-born 5.9%, Asia-born 4.2%), non-Jewish 23.6% (mostly Arab) (2004)
Religions:
Jewish 76.4%, Muslim 16%, Arab Christians 1.7%, other Christian 0.4%, Druze 1.6%, unspecified 3.9% (2004)
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: 97.1% male: 98.5% female: 95.9% (2004 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 15 years male: 15 years female: 16 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
6.9% of GDP (2004)
Government
Israel
Country name:
conventional long form: State of Israel conventional short form: Israel local long form: Medinat Yisra'el local short form: Yisra'el
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: Jerusalem geographic coordinates: 31 46 N, 35 14 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Friday in March; ends the Sunday between the holidays of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur 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; note - since May 2003 the Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee of the Knesset has been working on a draft constitution
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:
chief of state: President Shimon PERES (since 15 July 2007) head of government: Prime Minister Ehud OLMERT (since May 2006); Deputy Prime Minister Tzipora "Tzipi" LIVNI; note - Prime Minister OLMERT resigned on 17 September 2008, but will serve as acting prime minister until a new government is formed cabinet: Cabinet selected by prime minister and approved by the Knesset elections: president is largely a ceremonial role and is elected by the Knesset for a seven-year term (one-term limit); election last held 13 June 2007 (next to be held in 2014 but can be called earlier); following legislative elections, the president assigns a Knesset member - traditionally the leader of the largest party - the task of forming a governing coalition note: government coalition - Kadima, Labor Party, GIL (Pensioners), and SHAS election results: Shimon PERES elected president; number of votes in first round - Shimon PERES 58, Reuven RIVLIN 37, Colette AVITAL 21; PERES elected president in second round with 86 votes (unopposed)
Legislative branch:
unicameral Knesset (120 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 28 March 2006 (next scheduled to be held in February 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - Kadima 22%, Labor 15.1%, SHAS 9.5%, Likud 9%, Yisrael Beiteinu 9%, NU/NRP 7.1%, GIL 5.9%, Torah and Shabbat Judaism 4.7%, Meretz-YAHAD 3.8%, United Arab List 3%, Balad 2.3%, HADASH 2.7%, other 5.9%; seats by party - Kadima 29, Labor 19, Likud 12, SHAS 12, Yisrael Beiteinu 11, NU/NRP 9, GIL 7, Torah and Shabbat Judaism 6, Meretz-YAHAD 5, United Arab List 4, Balad 3, HADASH 3
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (justices appointed by Judicial Selection Committee - made up of all three branches of the government; mandatory retirement age is 70)
Political parties and leaders:
Balad [Azmi BISHARA]; Democratic Front for Peace and Equality
(HADASH) [Muhammad BARAKEH]; GIL (Pensioners) [Rafael "Rafi" EITAN];
Kadima [Tzipora "Tzipi" LIVNI]; Labor Party [Ehud BARAK]; Likud
[Binyamin NETANYAHU]; Meretz-Yachad [Haim ORON]; National Democratic
Assembly (Balad) [Jamal ZAHALKA]; National Union (NU)/National
Religious Party (NRP) [Binyamin ELON]; SHAS [Eliyahu YISHAI]; Torah
and Shabbat Judaism or UTJ [Yaakov LITZMAN]; United Arab List
[Ibrahim SARSUR]; Yisrael Beiteinu [Avigdor LIEBERMAN]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
B'Tselem [Jessica MONTELL, Executive Director] monitors human rights abuses; Peace Now [Yariv OPPENHEIMER, Secretary General] supports territorial concessions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip; YESHA Council of Settlements [Danny DAYAN, Chairman] promotes settler interests and opposes territorial compromise
International organization participation:
BIS, BSEC (observer), CERN (observer), EBRD, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OAS
(observer), OPCW (signatory), OSCE (partner), PCA, SECI (observer),
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Salai MERIDOR chancery: 3514 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 364-5500 FAX: [1] (202) 364-5607 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador James B. CUNNINGHAM embassy: 71 Hayarkon Street, Tel Aviv 63903 mailing address: PSC 98, Box 29, APO AE 09830 telephone: [972] (3) 519-7575 FAX: [972] (3) 516-4390 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, though diminishing, 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 imports substantial quantities of grain but is largely self-sufficient in other agricultural products. Cut diamonds, high-technology equipment, and agricultural products (fruits and vegetables) are the leading exports. Israel usually posts sizable trade 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, its major source of economic and military aid. Israel's GDP, after contracting slightly in 2001 and 2002 due to the Palestinian conflict and troubles in the high-technology sector, has grown by about 5% per year since 2003. The economy grew an estimated 5.4% in 2007, the fastest pace since 2000. The government's prudent fiscal policy and structural reforms over the past few years have helped to induce strong foreign investment, tax revenues, and private consumption, setting the economy on a solid growth path.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$185.8 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$161.9 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.3% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$26,600 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2.7% industry: 30.2% services: 67.1% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
2.894 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 18.5%, industry 23.7%, services 50%, other 7.8% (2002)
Unemployment rate:
7.3% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
21.6% note: Israel's poverty line is $7.30 per person per day (2005)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.4% highest 10%: 28.3% (2005)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
38.6 (2005)
Investment (gross fixed):
18.5% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $53.6 billion expenditures: $53.63 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
80.6% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
0.5% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
4% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
6.27% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$15.36 billion (31 December 2006)
Stock of quasi money:
$154.3 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$113.4 billion (31 December 2006)
Agriculture - products:
citrus, vegetables, cotton; beef, poultry, dairy products
Industries:
high-technology projects (including aviation, communications, computer-aided design and manufactures, medical electronics, fiber optics), wood and paper products, potash and phosphates, food, beverages, and tobacco, caustic soda, cement, construction, metals products, chemical products, plastics, diamond cutting, textiles, footwear
Industrial production growth rate:
4.1% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
48.7 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
44.74 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
1.844 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 99.9% hydro: 0.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
5,966 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
232,300 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
82,910 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
334,300 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
1.94 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
970 million cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
970 million cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
30.44 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
$5.197 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$50.37 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, software, cut diamonds, agricultural products, chemicals, textiles and apparel
Exports - partners:
US 35%, Belgium 7.5%, Hong Kong 5.8% (2007)
Imports:
$55.79 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
raw materials, military equipment, investment goods, rough diamonds, fuels, grain, consumer goods
Imports - partners:
US 13.9%, Belgium 7.9%, Germany 6.2%, China 6.1%, Switzerland 5.1%,
UK 4.7%, Italy 4.1% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$240 million from US (FY06)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$28.52 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$89.95 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$57.97 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$41.96 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$173.3 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
new Israeli shekel (ILS); note - NIS is the currency abbreviation; ILS is the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) code for the NIS
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
new Israeli shekels (ILS) per US dollar - 4.14 (2007), 4.4565 (2006), 4.4877 (2005), 4.482 (2004), 4.5541 (2003)
Communications
Israel
Telephones - main lines in use:
3.005 million (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
8.902 million (2007)
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; four privately-owned mobile-cellular service providers with countrywide coverage; mobile-cellular teledensity is 140 per 100 persons international: country code - 972; submarine cables provide links to Europe, Cyprus, and parts of the Middle East; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 23, FM 15, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios:
3.07 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
17 (plus 36 repeaters) (1995)
Televisions:
1.69 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.il
Internet hosts:
1.415 million (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
21 (2000)
Internet users:
2 million (2007)
Transportation
Israel
Airports:
53 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 30 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 6 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 23 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 20 (2007)
Heliports:
3 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 160 km; oil 442 km; refined products 261 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 853 km standard gauge: 853 km 1.435-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 17,870 km paved: 17,870 km (includes 146 km of expressways) (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 11 by type: cargo 2, container 9 registered in other countries: 60 (Bermuda 3, Cyprus 4, Georgia 2, Honduras 1, Liberia 23, Malta 18, Panama 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2, Slovakia 4) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Ashdod, Elat (Eilat), Hadera, Haifa
Military
Israel
Military branches:
Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Israel Naval Forces (INF), Israel Air
Force (IAF) (2007)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory (Jews, Druzes) and voluntary (Christians, Muslims, Circassians) military service; both sexes are obligated to military service; conscript service obligation - 36 months for enlisted men, 21 months for enlisted women, 48 months for officers; reserve obligation to age 41-51 (men), 24 (women) (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,717,362 females age 16-49: 1,636,574 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,452,926 females age 16-49: 1,383,796 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 60,602 female: 57,532 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
7.3% of GDP (2006)
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; Israel continues construction of a "seam line" separation barrier along parts of the Green Line and within the West Bank; Israel withdrew its settlers and military from the Gaza Strip and from four settlements in the West Bank in August 2005; Golan Heights is Israeli-occupied (Lebanon claims the Shab'a Farms area of Golan Heights); since 1948, about 350 peacekeepers from the UN Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) headquartered in Jerusalem monitor ceasefires, supervise armistice agreements, prevent isolated incidents from escalating, and assist other UN personnel in the region
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 150,000-420,000 (Arab villagers displaced from homes in northern Israel) (2007)
Illicit drugs:
increasingly concerned about ecstasy, cocaine, and heroin abuse; drugs arrive in country from Lebanon and, increasingly, from Jordan; money-laundering center
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Italy
Introduction
Italy
Background:
Italy became a nation-state in 1861 when the regional states of the peninsula, along with Sardinia and Sicily, were united under King Victor EMMANUEL II. An era of parliamentary government came to a close in the early 1920s when Benito MUSSOLINI established a Fascist dictatorship. His 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 Economic and Monetary Union in 1999. Persistent problems include illegal immigration, organized crime, corruption, high unemployment, sluggish economic growth, 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:
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 301,230 sq km land: 294,020 sq km water: 7,210 sq km note: includes Sardinia and Sicily
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Arizona
Land boundaries:
total: 1,899.2 km border countries: Austria 430 km, France 488 km, Holy See (Vatican City) 3.2 km, San Marino 39 km, Slovenia 199 km, Switzerland 740 km
Coastline:
7,600 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
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:
coal, mercury, zinc, potash, marble, barite, asbestos, pumice, fluorspar, feldspar, pyrite (sulfur), natural gas and crude oil reserves, fish, arable land
Land use:
arable land: 26.41% permanent crops: 9.09% other: 64.5% (2005)
Irrigated land:
27,500 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
175 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 41.98 cu km/yr (18%/37%/45%) per capita: 723 cu m/yr (1998)
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-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
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, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
strategic location dominating central Mediterranean as well as southern sea and air approaches to Western Europe
People
Italy
Population:
58,145,320 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 13.6% (male 4,086,951/female 3,842,765) 15-64 years: 66.3% (male 19,534,247/female 19,024,776) 65 years and over: 20% (male 4,864,189/female 6,792,393) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 42.9 years male: 41.4 years female: 44.4 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
-0.019% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
8.36 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
10.61 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
2.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 5.61 deaths/1,000 live births male: 6.19 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 80.07 years male: 77.13 years female: 83.2 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.3 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.5% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
140,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 1,000 (2003 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:
Roman Catholic 90% (approximately; about one-third practicing), other 10% (includes 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: 98.4% male: 98.8% female: 98% (2001 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 16 years male: 16 years female: 17 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
4.5% of GDP (2005)
Government
Italy
Country name:
conventional long form: Italian Republic conventional short form: Italy local long form: Repubblica Italiana local short form: Italia former: Kingdom of Italy
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Rome geographic coordinates: 41 54 N, 12 29 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
15 regions (regioni, singular - regione) and 5 autonomous regions* (regioni autonome, singular - regione autonoma); Abruzzo, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Emilia-Romagna, Friuli-Venezia Giulia*, Lazio (Latium), Liguria, Lombardia, Marche, Molise, Piemonte (Piedmont), Puglia (Apulia), Sardegna* (Sardinia), Sicilia*, Toscana (Tuscany), Trentino-Alto Adige* (Trentino-South Tyrol), Umbria, Valle d'Aosta* (Aosta Valley), Veneto (Venetia)
Independence:
17 March 1861 (Kingdom of Italy proclaimed; Italy was not finally unified until 1870)
National holiday:
Republic Day, 2 June (1946)
Constitution:
passed 11 December 1947, effective 1 January 1948; amended many times
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 Giorgio NAPOLITANO (since 15 May 2006) head of government: Prime Minister Silvio BERLUSCONI (referred to in Italy as the president of the Council of Ministers) (since 8 May 2008) note - in Italy the prime minister is referred to as the president of the Council of Ministers cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and approved by the president elections: president elected by an electoral college consisting of both houses of parliament and 58 regional representatives for a seven-year term (no term limits); election last held 10 May 2006 (next to be held in May 2013); prime minister appointed by the president and confirmed by parliament election results: Giorgio NAPOLITANO elected president on the fourth round of voting; electoral college vote - 543
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Parlamento consists of the Senate or Senato della Repubblica (315 seats; members elected by proportional vote with the winning coalition in each region receiving 55% of seats from that region; to serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camera dei Deputati (630 seats; members elected by popular vote with the winning national coalition receiving 54% of chamber seats; to serve five-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 13-14 April 2008 (next to be held April 2010); Chamber of Deputies - last held 13-14 April 2008 (next to be held in April 2010) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - S. BERLUSCONI coalition 174 (PdL 147, LN 25, MpA 2), W. VELTRONI coalition 132 (PD 118, IdV 3), UdC 3, other 6; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - S. BERLUSCONI coalition 344 (PdL 276, LN 60, MpA 8), W. VELTRONI coalition 246 (PD 217, IdV 29), UdC 36, other 4
Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court or Corte Costituzionale (composed of 15 judges: one-third appointed by the president, one-third elected by parliament, one-third elected by the ordinary and administrative Supreme Courts)
Political parties and leaders:
Silvio BERLUSCONI coalition: People of Freedom or PdL [Silvio
BERLUSCONI]; Lega Nord or LN [Umberto BOSSI]; Movement for Autonomy
or MpA [Raffaele LOMBARDO]
Walter VELTRONI coalition: Democratic Party or PD [Walter VELTRONI];
Italy of Values or IdV [Antonio DI PIETRO]
other non-allied parties: Union of the Centre or UdC [Savino
PEZZOTTA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
manufacturers and merchants associations - Confcommercio;
Confindustria; organized farm groups - Confcoltivatori;
Confagricoltura; Roman Catholic Church; three major trade union
confederations - Confederazione Generale Italiana del Lavoro or CGIL
[Guglielmo EPIFANI] which is left wing; Confederazione Italiana dei
Sindacati Lavoratori or CISL [Raffaele BONANNO], which is Roman
Catholic centrist; Unione Italiana del Lavoro or UIL [Luigi
ANGELETTI] which is lay centrist)
International organization participation:
ADB (nonregional members), AfDB (nonregional members), Arctic
Council (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS
(observer), CDB, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO,
G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,
ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest),
NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA,
Schengen Convention, SECI (observer), UN, UN Security Council
(temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina,
UNMOGIP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Giovanni CASTELLANETA chancery: 3000 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 612-4400 FAX: [1] (202) 518-2151 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Francisco consulate(s): Detroit
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ronald P. SPOGLI embassy: Via Vittorio Veneto 121, 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; 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, welfare-dependent, 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. The current government has enacted numerous short-term reforms aimed at improving competitiveness and long-term growth. Italy has moved slowly, however, on implementing needed structural reforms, such as lightening the high tax burden and overhauling Italy's rigid labor market and over-generous pension system, because of the current economic slowdown and opposition from labor unions. But the leadership faces a severe economic constraint: Italy's official debt remains above 100% of GDP, and the government has found it difficult to bring the budget deficit down to a level that would allow a rapid decrease in that debt. The economy continues to grow by less than the euro-zone average and growth is expected to decelerate from 1.9% in 2006 and 2007 to under 1.5% in 2008 as the euro-zone and world economies slow.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.8 trillion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$2.105 trillion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
1.4% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$30,900 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2% industry: 27% services: 70.9% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
24.74 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 5% industry: 32% services: 63% (2001)
Unemployment rate:
6.2% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 26.8% (2000)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
33 (2005)
Investment (gross fixed):
21% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $991.2 billion expenditures: $1.031 trillion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
104% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.8% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
10.93% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
NA note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the Euro Area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 15 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi money circulating within their own borders
Stock of quasi money:
NA (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$3.084 trillion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
fruits, vegetables, grapes, potatoes, sugar beets, soybeans, grain, olives; beef, dairy products; fish
Industries:
tourism, machinery, iron and steel, chemicals, food processing, textiles, motor vehicles, clothing, footwear, ceramics
Industrial production growth rate:
0.6% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
292.1 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
316.3 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
2.64 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
48.57 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 78.6% hydro: 18.4% nuclear: 0% other: 3% (2001)
Oil - production:
166,600 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
1.702 million bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - exports:
616,700 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
2.223 million bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
406.5 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
9.706 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
84.89 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
68 million cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
73.95 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
94.15 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
-$51.03 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$502.4 billion f.o.b. (2007 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:
Germany 12.9%, France 11.4%, Spain 7.4%, US 6.8%, UK 5.8% (2007)
Imports:
$498.1 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
engineering products, chemicals, transport equipment, energy products, minerals and nonferrous metals, textiles and clothing; food, beverages, and tobacco
Imports - partners:
Germany 16.9%, France 9%, China 5.9%, Netherlands 5.5%, Belgium 4.3%, Spain 4.2% (2007)
Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $3.641 billion (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$94.33 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$996.3 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$364.8 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$520.1 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$798.2 billion (2005)
Currency (code):
euro (EUR)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003)
Communications
Italy
Telephones - main lines in use:
26.89 million (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
78.571 million (2006)
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: country code - 39; a series of submarine cables provide links to Asia, Middle East, Europe, North Africa, and US; 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
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 hosts:
17.702 million (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
93 (Italy and Holy See) (2000)
Internet users:
32 million (2007)
Transportation
Italy
Airports:
132 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 101 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 32 1,524 to 2,437 m: 15 914 to 1,523 m: 34 under 914 m: 13 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 31 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 19 (2007)
Heliports:
5 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 18,863 km; oil 1,258 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 19,460 km standard gauge: 18,038 km 1.435-m gauge (11,354 km electrified) narrow gauge: 123 km 1.000-m gauge (123 km electrified); 1,299 km 0.950-m gauge (161 km electrified) (2006)
Roadways:
total: 487,700 km paved: 487,700 km (includes 6,700 km of expressways) (2005)
Waterways:
2,400 km note: used for commercial traffic; of limited overall value compared to road and rail (2006)
Merchant marine:
total: 609 by type: bulk carrier 60, cargo 47, carrier 2, chemical tanker 159, combination ore/oil 1, container 25, liquefied gas 27, passenger 22, passenger/cargo 154, petroleum tanker 35, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 33, specialized tanker 13, vehicle carrier 27 foreign-owned: 64 (Denmark 3, France 2, Greece 6, Japan 1, Lebanon 1, Nigeria 1, Norway 2, Portugal 1, Sweden 1, Switzerland 8, Taiwan 13, Turkey 1, UK 7, US 17) registered in other countries: 208 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Bahamas 4, Belize 3, Cayman Islands 4, Cyprus 7, France 2, Liberia 41, Malta 50, Marshall Islands 3, Netherlands 1, Norway 4, Panama 28, Portugal 12, Russia 4, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 17, Singapore 5, Slovakia 2, Spain 2, Sweden 9, Turkey 3, UK 5) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Augusta, Genoa, Livorno, Ravenna, Sarroch, Taranto, Trieste, Venice
Military
Italy
Military branches:
Italian Army (Esercito Italiano, EI), Italian Navy (Marina Militare
Italiana, MMI), Italian Air Force (Aeronautica Militare Italiana,
AMI), Carabinieri Corps (Arma dei Carabinieri, CC) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18-27 year of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished January 2005; women may serve in any military branch; 10-month service obligation, with a reserve obligation to age 45 (Army and Air Force) or 39 (Navy) (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 13,884,079 females age 16-49: 13,158,378 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 11,285,488 females age 16-49: 10,680,672 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 290,740 female: 273,569 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.8% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
Italy
Disputes - international:
Italy's long coastline and developed economy entices tens of thousands of illegal immigrants from southeastern Europe and northern Africa
Illicit drugs:
important gateway for and consumer of Latin American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin entering the European market; money laundering by organized crime and from smuggling
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Jamaica
Introduction
Jamaica
Background:
The island - discovered by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1494 - was settled by the Spanish early in the 16th century. The native Taino Indians, who had inhabited Jamaica for centuries, were gradually exterminated and replaced by African slaves. England seized the island in 1655 and established a plantation economy based on sugar, cocoa, and coffee. The abolition of slavery in 1834 freed a quarter million slaves, many of whom became small farmers. Jamaica gradually obtained increasing independence from Britain, and in 1958 it joined other British Caribbean colonies in forming the Federation of the West Indies. Jamaica gained full independence when it withdrew from the Federation in 1962. Deteriorating economic conditions during the 1970s led to recurrent violence as rival gangs affiliated with the major political parties evolved into powerful organized crime networks involved in international drug smuggling and money laundering. Violent crime, drug trafficking, and poverty pose significant challenges to the government today. Nonetheless, many rural and resort areas remain relatively safe and contribute substantially to the economy.
Geography
Jamaica
Location:
Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba
Geographic coordinates:
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 straight baselines territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin
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: 15.83% permanent crops: 10.01% other: 74.16% (2005)
Irrigated land:
250 sq km (2002)
Total renewable water resources:
9.4 cu km (2000)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.41 cu km/yr (34%/17%/49%) per capita: 155 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, 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:
2,804,332 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 32% (male 455,871/female 440,928) 15-64 years: 60.6% (male 837,241/female 861,906) 65 years and over: 7.4% (male 93,415/female 114,971) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 23.4 years male: 22.9 years female: 24 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.779% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
20.04 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
6.37 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-5.88 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 15.57 deaths/1,000 live births male: 16.19 deaths/1,000 live births female: 14.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.59 years male: 71.88 years female: 75.38 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.3 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.2% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
22,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
900 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Jamaican(s) adjective: Jamaican
Ethnic groups:
black 91.2%, mixed 6.2%, other or unknown 2.6% (2001 census)
Religions:
Protestant 62.5% (Seventh-Day Adventist 10.8%, Pentecostal 9.5%, Other Church of God 8.3%, Baptist 7.2%, New Testament Church of God 6.3%, Church of God in Jamaica 4.8%, Church of God of Prophecy 4.3%, Anglican 3.6%, other Christian 7.7%), Roman Catholic 2.6%, other or unspecified 14.2%, none 20.9%, (2001 census)
Languages:
English, English patois
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 87.9% male: 84.1% female: 91.6% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 12 years male: 11 years female: 12 years (2003)
Education expenditures:
5.3% of GDP (2005)
Government
Jamaica
Country name:
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Jamaica
Government type:
constitutional parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: Kingston geographic coordinates: 18 00 N, 76 48 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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 note: for local government purposes, Kingston and Saint Andrew were amalgamated in 1923 into the present single corporate body known as the Kingston and Saint Andrew Corporation
Independence:
6 August 1962 (from UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 6 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 Kenneth O. HALL (since 15 February 2006) head of government: Prime Minister Bruce GOLDING (since 11 September 2007) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition in the House of Representatives is appointed prime minister by the governor general; the deputy prime minister is recommended by the prime minister
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 8 seats) and the House of Representatives (60 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 3 September 2007 (next to be held no later than October 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - JLP 50.1%, PNP 49.8%; seats by party - JLP 33, PNP 27
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 [Bruce GOLDING]; People's National Party or PNP [Portia SIMPSON-MILLER]; National Democratic Movement or NDM [Michael WILLIAMS]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
New Beginnings Movement or NBM; Rastafarians (black religious/racial cultists, pan-Africanists)
International organization participation:
ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Anthony JOHNSON chancery: 1520 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 452-0660 FAX: [1] (202) 452-0081 consulate(s) general: Miami, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Brenda LaGrange JOHNSON embassy: 142 Old Hope Road, Kingston 6 mailing address: P.O. Box 541, Kingston 5 telephone: [1] (876) 702-6000 FAX: [1] (876) 702-6001
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 Jamaican economy is heavily dependent on services, which now account for more than 60% of GDP. The country continues to derive most of its foreign exchange from tourism, remittances, and bauxite/alumina. Remittances account for nearly 20% of GDP and are equivalent to tourism revenues. Jamaica's economy, already saddled with a record of sluggish growth, will suffer an economic setback from damages caused by Hurricane Dean in August 2007. The economy faces serious long-term problems: high but declining interest rates, increased foreign competition, exchange rate instability, a sizable merchandise trade deficit, large-scale unemployment and underemployment, and a debt-to-GDP ratio of 135%. Jamaica's onerous debt burden - the fourth highest per capita - is the result of government bailouts to ailing sectors of the economy, most notably the financial sector in the mid-to-late 1990s. Inflation also has declined, standing at about 7% at the end of 2007. High unemployment exacerbates the serious crime problem, including gang violence that is fueled by the drug trade. The GOLDING administration faces the difficult prospect of having to achieve fiscal discipline in order to maintain debt payments while simultaneously attacking a serious and growing crime problem that is hampering economic growth.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$20.48 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$11.21 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
1.2% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$7,400 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 5.1% industry: 32.7% services: 62.2% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
1.255 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 17% industry: 19% services: 64% (2006)
Unemployment rate:
9.9% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
14.8% (2003 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.1% highest 10%: 35.8% (2004)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
45.5 (2004)
Investment (gross fixed):
34.2% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $3.716 billion expenditures: $4.261 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Public debt:
126.5% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
9.5% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
NA (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
17.2% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$1.369 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$4.54 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$6.609 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
sugarcane, bananas, coffee, citrus, yams, ackees, vegetables; poultry, goats, milk; crustaceans, mollusks
Industries:
tourism, bauxite/alumina, agro processing, light manufactures, rum, cement, metal, paper, chemical products, telecommunications
Industrial production growth rate:
1.2% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
7.04 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
6.1 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 96.8% hydro: 1.8% nuclear: 0% other: 1.4% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - consumption:
73,370 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
1,535 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
71,280 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$1.83 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$2.331 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
alumina, bauxite, sugar, bananas, rum, coffee, yams, beverages, chemicals, wearing apparel, mineral fuels
Exports - partners:
US 37.2%, Canada 15%, UK 9.7%, Netherlands 9.1% (2007)
Imports:
$5.784 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
food and other consumer goods, industrial supplies, fuel, parts and accessories of capital goods, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials
Imports - partners:
US 37.2%, Trinidad and Tobago 14.5%, Grenada 9.7%, Venezuela 8.3%,
Brazil 4.2% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$35.74 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$1.905 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$9.657 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$12.28 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
Jamaican dollar (JMD)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Jamaican dollars (JMD) per US dollar - 69.034 (2007), 65.768 (2006), 62.51 (2005), 61.197 (2004), 57.741 (2003)
Communications
Jamaica
Telephones - main lines in use:
342,000 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
2.495 million (2006)
Telephone system:
general assessment: fully automatic domestic telephone network domestic: the 1999 agreement to open the market for telecommunications services resulted in rapid growth in mobile-cellular telephone usage while the number of fixed-lines in use has declined; combined mobile-cellular teledensity now exceeds 100 per 100 persons international: country code - 1-876; the Fibralink submarine cable network provides enhanced delivery of business and broadband traffic and is linked to the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) submarine cable in the Dominican Republic; the link to ARCOS-1 provides seamless connectivity to US, parts of the Caribbean, Central America, and South America; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2006)
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 hosts:
1,292 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
21 (2000)
Internet users:
1.5 million (2007)
Transportation
Jamaica
Airports:
34 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 5 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 23 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 21 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 21,552 km paved: 15,937 km (includes 33 km of expressways) unpaved: 5,615 km (2005)
Merchant marine:
total: 20 by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 6, carrier 1, container 4, roll on/roll off 3 foreign-owned: 17 (Denmark 2, Germany 4, Greece 6, Hong Kong 1, Latvia 1, Russia 3) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Kingston, Port Esquivel, Port Kaiser, Port Rhoades, Rocky Point
Military
Jamaica
Military branches:
Jamaica Defense Force: Ground Forces, Coast Guard, Air Wing (2007)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; younger recruits may be conscripted with parental consent (2001)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 688,480 females age 16-49: 709,548 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 566,477 females age 16-49: 583,075 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 32,000 female: 31,428 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.6% of GDP (2006 est.)
Transnational Issues
Jamaica
Disputes - international:
none
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for cocaine from South America to North America and Europe; illicit cultivation and consumption of cannabis; government has an active manual cannabis eradication program; corruption is a major concern; substantial money-laundering activity; Colombian narcotics traffickers favor Jamaica for illicit financial transactions
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Jan Mayen
Introduction
Jan Mayen
Background:
This desolate, arctic, 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; the most recent eruption occurred in 1985. 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:
Map references:
Arctic Region
Area:
total: 377 sq km land: 377 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
124.1 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 4 nm contiguous zone: 10 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
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% (2005)
Irrigated land:
0 sq km
Natural hazards:
dominated by the volcano Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg; volcanic activity resumed in 1970; the most recent eruption occurred in 1985
Environment - current issues:
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
Government
Jan Mayen
Country name:
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Jan Mayen
Dependency status:
territory of Norway; since August 1994, administered from Oslo through the county governor (fylkesmann) of Nordland; 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 on the island.
Communications
Jan Mayen
Radio broadcast stations:
NA; note - there is one radio and meteorological station (1998)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
13 (Jan Mayen and Svalbard) (2000)
Transportation
Jan Mayen
Airports:
1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Ports and terminals:
none; offshore anchorage only
Military
Jan Mayen
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of Norway
Transnational Issues
Jan Mayen
Disputes - international:
none
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Japan
Introduction
Japan
Background:
In 1603, a Tokugawa shogunate (military dictatorship) ushered in a long period of isolation from foreign influence in order to secure its power. For more than two centuries this policy enabled Japan to enjoy stability and a flowering of its indigenous culture. Following the Treaty of Kanagawa with the US in 1854, Japan opened its ports and began to intensively modernize and industrialize. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Japan became a regional power that was able to defeat the forces of both China and Russia. It occupied Korea, Formosa (Taiwan), and southern Sakhalin Island. In 1931-32 Japan occupied Manchuria, and in 1937 it launched a full-scale invasion of China. Japan attacked US forces in 1941 - triggering America's entry into World War II - and soon occupied much of East and Southeast Asia. After its defeat in World War II, Japan recovered to become an economic power and a staunch ally of the US. While the emperor retains his throne as a symbol of national unity, elected politicians - with heavy input from bureaucrats and business executives - wield actual decisionmaking power. The economy experienced a major slowdown starting in the 1990s following three decades of unprecedented growth, but Japan still remains a major economic power, both in Asia and globally.
Geography
Japan
Location:
Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and the
Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Asia
Area:
total: 377,835 sq km land: 374,744 sq km water: 3,091 sq km note: includes Bonin Islands (Ogasawara-gunto), Daito-shoto, Minami-jima, Okino-tori-shima, Ryukyu Islands (Nansei-shoto), and Volcano Islands (Kazan-retto)
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than California
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
29,751 km
Maritime claims:
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 contiguous zone: 24 nm 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: Mount Fuji 3,776 m
Natural resources:
negligible mineral resources, fish note: with virtually no energy natural resources, Japan is the world's largest importer of coal and liquefied natural gas as well as the second largest importer of oil
Land use:
arable land: 11.64% permanent crops: 0.9% other: 87.46% (2005)
Irrigated land:
25,920 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
430 cu km (1999)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 88.43 cu km/yr (20%/18%/62%) per capita: 690 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
Geography - note:
strategic location in northeast Asia
People
Japan
Population:
127,288,416 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 13.7% (male 8,926,439/female 8,460,629) 15-64 years: 64.7% (male 41,513,061/female 40,894,057) 65 years and over: 21.6% (male 11,643,845/female 15,850,388) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 43.8 years male: 42.1 years female: 45.7 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
-0.139% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
7.87 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
9.26 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA (2008 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: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 2.8 deaths/1,000 live births male: 3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 82.07 years male: 78.73 years female: 85.59 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.22 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
12,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
500 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Japanese (singular and plural) adjective: Japanese
Ethnic groups:
Japanese 98.5%, Koreans 0.5%, Chinese 0.4%, other 0.6% note: up to 230,000 Brazilians of Japanese origin migrated to Japan in the 1990s to work in industries; some have returned to Brazil (2004)
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% male: 99% female: 99% (2002)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 15 years male: 15 years female: 15 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
3.5% of GDP (2005)
Government
Japan
Country name:
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Japan local long form: Nihon-koku/Nippon-koku local short form: Nihon/Nippon
Government type:
constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary government
Capital:
name: Tokyo geographic coordinates: 35 41 N, 139 45 E time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
47 prefectures; Aichi, Akita, Aomori, Chiba, Ehime, Fukui, Fukuoka,
Fukushima, Gifu, Gunma, 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 B.C. (traditional founding by Emperor JIMMU)
National holiday:
Birthday of Emperor AKIHITO, 23 December (1933)
Constitution:
3 May 1947
Legal system:
modeled after German 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) head of government: Prime Minister Taro ASO (since 24 September 2008) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister elections: Diet designates prime minister; constitution requires that prime minister commands parliamentary majority; following legislative elections, leader of majority party or leader of majority coalition in House of Representatives usually becomes prime minister; monarch is hereditary
Legislative branch:
bicameral Diet or Kokkai consists of the House of Councillors or Sangi-in (242 seats - members elected for six-year terms; half reelected every three years; 146 members in multi-seat constituencies and 96 by proportional representation) and the House of Representatives or Shugi-in (480 seats - members elected for four-year terms; 300 in single-seat constituencies; 180 members by proportional representation in 11 regional blocs) elections: House of Councillors - last held 29 July 2007 (next to be held in July 2010); House of Representatives - last held 11 September 2005 (next election by September 2009) election results: House of Councillors - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - DPJ 109, LDP 83, Komeito 20, JCP 7, SDP 5, others 18 House of Representatives - percent of vote by party (in single-seat constituencies) - LDP 47.8%, DPJ 36.4%, others 15.8%; seats by party - LDP 296, DPJ 113, Komeito 31, JCP 9, SDP 7, others 24 (2007)
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 [Ichiro OZAWA]; Japan Communist
Party or JCP [Kazuo SHII]; Komeito [Akihiro OTA]; Liberal Democratic
Party or LDP [Taro ASO]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Mizuho
FUKUSHIMA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: business groups; trade unions
International organization participation:
ADB, AfDB (nonregional members), APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue
partner), Australia Group, BIS, CE (observer), CERN (observer), CP,
EAS, EBRD, FAO, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA, MIGA, NEA, NSG,
OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), Paris Club, PCA, PIF
(partner), SAARC (observer), SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ichiro FUJISAKI chancery: 2520 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 238-6700 FAX: [1] (202) 328-2187 consulate(s) general: Anchorage, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Detroit, Agana (Guam), Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Portland (Oregon), San Francisco, Seattle
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador J. Thomas SCHIEFFER embassy: 1-10-5 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-8420 mailing address: Unit 9800, Box 300, APO AP 96303-0300 telephone: [81] (03) 3224-5000 FAX: [81] (03) 3505-1862 consulate(s) general: Naha (Okinawa), Osaka-Kobe, Sapporo consulate(s): Fukuoka, Nagoya
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) helped Japan advance with extraordinary rapidity to the rank of second most technologically powerful economy in the world after the US and the third-largest economy in the world after the US and China, measured on a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis. One notable characteristic of the economy has been how manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors have worked together 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 have now eroded. Japan's industrial sector is heavily dependent on imported raw materials and fuels. The tiny 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 55% of its food on a caloric basis. 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, averaging just 1.7%, largely because of the after effects of overinvestment and an asset price bubble during the late 1980s that required a protracted period of time for firms to reduce excess debt, capital, and labor. From 2000 to 2001, government efforts to revive economic growth proved short lived and were hampered by the slowing of the US, European, and Asian economies. In 2002-07, growth improved and the lingering fears of deflation in prices and economic activity lessened, leading the central bank to raise interest rates to 0.25% in July 2006, up from the near 0% rate of the six years prior, and to 0.50% in February 2007. In addition, the 10-year privatization of Japan Post, which has functioned not only as the national postal delivery system but also, through its banking and insurance facilities as Japan's largest financial institution, was completed in October 2007, marking a major milestone in the process of structural reform. Nevertheless, Japan's huge government debt, which totals 182% of GDP, and the aging of the population are two major long-run problems. Some fear that a rise in taxes could endanger the current economic recovery. Debate also continues on the role of and effects of reform in restructuring the economy, particularly with respect to increasing income disparities.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$4.272 trillion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$4.384 trillion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$33,500 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1.4% industry: 26.5% services: 72% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
66.69 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 4.6% industry: 27.8% services: 67.7% (2004)
Unemployment rate:
3.8% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 4.8% highest 10%: 21.7% (1993)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
38.1 (2002)
Investment (gross fixed):
23.2% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $1.462 trillion expenditures: $1.567 trillion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Public debt:
170% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
0.1% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
0.75% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
1.88% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$4.37 trillion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$4.783 trillion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$9.653 trillion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
rice, sugar beets, vegetables, fruit; pork, poultry, dairy products, eggs; fish
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:
1.3% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
1.082 trillion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
982.5 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 60% hydro: 8.4% nuclear: 29.8% other: 1.8% (2001)
Oil - production:
129,800 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
5.007 million bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - exports:
168,800 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
5.47 million bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
44.12 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
3.729 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
100.3 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
95.62 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
20.9 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
$210.5 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$678.1 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
transport equipment, motor vehicles, semiconductors, electrical machinery, chemicals
Exports - partners:
US 20.4%, China 15.3%, South Korea 7.6%, Taiwan 6.3%, Hong Kong 5.4% (2007)
Imports:
$573.3 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, fuels, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, raw materials
Imports - partners:
China 20.5%, US 11.6%, Saudi Arabia 5.7%, UAE 5.2%, Australia 5%,
South Korea 4.4%, Indonesia 4.2% (2007)
Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $11.19 billion (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$954.1 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$1.492 trillion (30 June 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$110.8 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$533.1 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$4.737 trillion (2005)
Currency (code):
yen (JPY)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
yen (JPY) per US dollar - 117.99 (2007), 116.18 (2006), 110.22 (2005), 108.19 (2004), 115.93 (2003)
Communications
Japan
Telephones - main lines in use:
51.232 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
107.339 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: excellent domestic and international service domestic: high level of modern technology and excellent service of every kind international: country code - 81; numerous submarine cables provide links throughout Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Europe, and US; 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
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); 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 hosts:
39.909 million (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
73 (2000)
Internet users:
88.11 million (2007)
Transportation
Japan
Airports:
176 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 145 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 41 1,524 to 2,437 m: 40 914 to 1,523 m: 28 under 914 m: 29 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 31 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 27 (2007)
Heliports:
14 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 3,939 km; oil 170 km; oil/gas/water 104 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 23,474 km standard gauge: 3,204 km 1.435-m gauge (3,204 km electrified) narrow gauge: 77 km 1.372-m gauge (77 km electrified); 20,182 km 1.067-m gauge (13,334 km electrified); 11 km 0.762-m gauge (11 km electrified) (2006)
Roadways:
total: 1,196,999 km paved: 949,101 km (includes 7,383 km of expressways) unpaved: 247,898 km (2006)
Waterways:
1,770 km (seagoing vessels use inland seas) (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 683 by type: bulk carrier 136, cargo 30, carrier 3, chemical tanker 27, container 11, liquefied gas 59, passenger 12, passenger/cargo 135, petroleum tanker 156, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 51, vehicle carrier 61 registered in other countries: 3,074 (Australia 1, Bahamas 87, Belize 8, Bermuda 2, Burma 1, Cambodia 1, Cayman Islands 13, China 2, Cyprus 21, France 1, Honduras 4, Hong Kong 111, Indonesia 6, Isle of Man 6, Italy 1, South Korea 20, Liberia 116, Malaysia 4, Malta 8, Marshall Islands 17, Nigeria 1, Norway 29, Panama 2335, Philippines 81, Portugal 15, Saint Kitts and Nevis 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3, Singapore 131, Thailand 4, UK 4, US 7, Vanuatu 29, Vietnam 1, unknown 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Chiba, Kawasaki, Kobe, Mizushima, Moji, Nagoya, Osaka, Tokyo,
Tomakomai, Yohohama
Military
Japan
Military branches:
Japanese Ministry of Defense (MOD): Ground Self-Defense Force
(Rikujou Jietai, GSDF), Maritime Self-Defense Force (Kaijou Jietai,
MSDF), Air Self-Defense Force (Koku Jieitai, ASDF) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 27,819,804 females age 16-49: 26,863,794 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 22.963 million females age 16-49: 22,134,127 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 622,168 female: 590,153 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.8% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Japan
Disputes - international:
the sovereignty dispute over the islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, and Shikotan, and the Habomai group, known in Japan as the "Northern Territories" and in Russia as the "Southern Kuril Islands," occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945, now administered by Russia and claimed by Japan, remains the primary sticking point to signing a peace treaty formally ending World War II hostilities; Japan and South Korea claim Liancourt Rocks (Take-shima/Tok-do) occupied by South Korea since 1954; China and Taiwan dispute both Japan's claims to the uninhabited islands of the Senkaku-shoto (Diaoyu Tai) and Japan's unilaterally declared exclusive economic zone in the East China Sea, the site of intensive hydrocarbon prospecting
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Jersey
Introduction
Jersey
Background:
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. Jersey is a British crown dependency but is not part of the UK. However, the UK Government is constitutionally responsible for its defense and international representation.
Geography
Jersey
Location:
Western Europe, island in the English Channel, northwest of France
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 116 sq km land: 116 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
about two-thirds the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
70 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 12 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: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Natural hazards:
Environment - current issues:
Geography - note:
largest and southernmost of Channel Islands; about 30% of population concentrated in Saint Helier
People
Jersey
Population:
91,533 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.6% (male 7,851/female 7,298) 15-64 years: 67.5% (male 30,744/female 30,997) 65 years and over: 16% (male 6,499/female 8,144) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 42.3 years male: 41.6 years female: 43.1 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.221% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
8.84 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
9.36 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
2.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 5.01 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.36 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.65 years male: 77.15 years female: 82.35 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.58 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Nationality:
noun: Channel Islander(s) adjective: Channel Islander
Ethnic groups:
Jersey 51.1%, Britons 34.8%, Irish, French, and other white 6.6%,
Portuguese/Madeiran 6.4%, other 1.1% (2001 census)
Religions:
Anglican, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Congregational New Church,
Methodist, Presbyterian
Languages:
English 94.5% (official), Portuguese 4.6%, other 0.9% (2001 census)
Literacy:
Education expenditures:
Government
Jersey
Country name:
conventional long form: Bailiwick of Jersey conventional short form: Jersey
Dependency status:
British crown dependency
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: Saint Helier geographic coordinates: 49 11 N, 2 06 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
none (British crown dependency); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 12 parishes including Grouville, Saint Brelade, Saint Clement, Saint Helier, Saint John, Saint Lawrence, Saint Martin, Saint Mary, Saint Quen, Saint Peter, Saint Saviour, and Trinity
Independence:
none (British crown dependency)
National holiday:
Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)
Constitution:
unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice
Legal system:
the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply and local statutes; justice is administered by the Royal Court
Suffrage:
16 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Lieutenant Governor Andrew RIDGEWAY (since 14 June 2006) head of government: Chief Minister Frank WALKER (since December 2005); Bailiff Philip Martin BAILHACHE (since February 1995) cabinet: Cabinet (since December 2005) elections: ministers of the Cabinet including the chief minister are elected by the Assembly of States; the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor and bailiff appointed by the monarch
Legislative branch:
unicameral Assembly of the States of Jersey (58 seats; 55 are voting members, of which 12 are senators elected for six-year terms, 12 are constables or heads of parishes elected for three-year terms, 29 are deputies elected for three-year terms, the bailiff and the deputy bailiff, and 3 non-voting members includes the Dean of Jersey, the Attorney General, and the Solicitor General appointed by the monarch) elections: last held 19 October 2005 for senators and 23 November 2005 for deputies (next to be held on 15 October 2008) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 55
Judicial branch:
Royal Court (judges elected by an electoral college and the bailiff)
Political parties and leaders:
two declared parties: Centre Party; Jersey Democratic Alliance note: all senators and deputies elected in 2005 were independents
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Institute of Directors, Jersey branch (provides business support);
Jersey Hospitality Association [Robert JONES] (trade association);
Jersey Rights Association [David ROTHERHAM] (human rights); La
Societe Jersiaise (education and conservation group); Progress
Jersey [Darius J. PEARCE, Daren O'TOOLE, Gino RISOLI] (human
rights); Royal Jersey Agriculture and Horticultural Society or
RJA&HS (development and management of the Jersey breed of cattle);
Save Jersey's Heritage (protects heritage through building
preservation)
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; in the upper quadrant, surmounted by a yellow crown, a red shield with the three lions of England in yellow
Economy
Jersey
Economy - overview:
Jersey's economy is based on international financial services, agriculture, and tourism. In 2005 the finance sector accounted for about 50% of the island's output. 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. Tourism accounts for one-quarter 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. Living standards come close to those of the UK.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$5.1 billion (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$5.1 billion (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$57,000 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1% industry: 2% services: 97% (2005)
Labor force:
53,560 (June 2006)
Unemployment rate:
2.2% (2006 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $829 million expenditures: $851 million (2005)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.7% (December 2006)
Agriculture - products:
potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes; beef, dairy products
Industries:
tourism, banking and finance, dairy, electronics
Industrial production growth rate:
Electricity - consumption:
630.1 million kWh (2004 est.)
Electricity - imports:
NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by France
Exports:
Exports - commodities:
light industrial and electrical goods, dairy cattle, foodstuffs, textiles
Exports - partners:
Imports:
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, foodstuffs, mineral fuels, chemicals
Imports - partners:
Debt - external:
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
Jersey pound note: the British pound is also legal tender
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Jersey pounds per US dollar 0.4993 (2007), 0.5418 (2006), 0.5493 (2005), 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003) note: the Jersey pound is at par with the British pound
Communications
Jersey
Telephones - main lines in use:
73,900 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
83,900 (2004)
Telephone system:
general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: submarine cable connectivity to Guernsey and UK
Radio broadcast stations:
AM NA, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:
Television broadcast stations:
2 (1997)
Televisions:
Internet country code:
.je
Internet hosts:
190 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
Internet users:
27,000 (2005)
Transportation
Jersey
Airports:
1 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 358 km (2002)
Ports and terminals:
Gorey, Saint Aubin, Saint Helier
Military
Jersey
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 587 female: 540 (2008 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues
Jersey
Disputes - international:
none
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Jordan
Introduction
Jordan
Background:
Following World War I and the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire, the UK received a mandate to govern much of the Middle East. Britain separated out a semi-autonomous region of Transjordan from Palestine in the early 1920s, and the area gained its independence in 1946; it adopted the name of Jordan in 1950. The country's long-time ruler was King HUSSEIN (1953-99). A pragmatic leader, he successfully navigated competing pressures from the major powers (US, USSR, and UK), various Arab states, Israel, and a large internal Palestinian population, despite several wars and coup attempts. In 1989 he reinstituted parliamentary elections and gradual political liberalization; in 1994 he signed a peace treaty with Israel. King ABDALLAH II, the son of King HUSSEIN, assumed the throne following his father's death in February 1999. Since then, he has consolidated his power and undertaken an aggressive economic reform program. Jordan acceded to the World Trade Organization in 2000, and began to participate in the European Free Trade Association in 2001. Municipal elections were held in July 2007 under a system in which 20% of seats in all municipal councils were reserved by quota for women. Parliamentary elections were held in November 2007 and saw independent pro-government candidates win the vast majority of seats. In November 2007, King Abdallah instructed his new prime minister to focus on socioeconomic reform, developing a healthcare and housing network for civilians and military personnel, and improving the educational system.
Geography
Jordan
Location:
Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Middle East
Area:
total: 92,300 sq km land: 91,971 sq km water: 329 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: 3.32% permanent crops: 1.18% other: 95.5% (2005)
Irrigated land:
750 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
0.9 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 1.01 cu km/yr (21%/4%/75%) per capita: 177 cu m/yr (2000)
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, 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:
6,198,677 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 32.2% (male 1,017,233/female 976,284) 15-64 years: 63.7% (male 2,110,293/female 1,840,531) 65 years and over: 4.1% (male 122,975/female 131,361) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 23.9 years male: 24.6 years female: 23.2 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.338% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
20.13 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
2.72 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
5.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.15 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 15.57 deaths/1,000 live births male: 18.62 deaths/1,000 live births female: 12.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.71 years male: 76.19 years female: 81.39 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.47 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
600 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 500 (2003 est.)
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 Shia 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: 89.9% male: 95.1% female: 84.7% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 13 years male: 13 years female: 13 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
4.9% of GDP (1999)
Government
Jordan
Country name:
conventional long form: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan conventional short form: Jordan local long form: Al Mamlakah al Urduniyah al Hashimiyah local short form: Al Urdun former: Transjordan
Government type:
constitutional monarchy
Capital:
name: Amman geographic coordinates: 31 57 N, 35 56 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Thursday in March; ends last Friday in September
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:
1 January 1952; amended many times
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:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: King ABDALLAH II (since 7 February 1999); Prince HUSSEIN (born 1994), eldest son of King ABDALLAH II, is considered to be first in line to inherit the throne head of government: Prime Minister Nader al-DAHABI (since 25 November 2007) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the monarch elections: 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 or Majlis al-Ayan (55 seats; members appointed by the monarch from designated categories of public figures to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies, also called the House of Representatives or Majlis al-Nuwaab (110 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms; note - six seats are reserved for women and are allocated by a special electoral panel if no women are elected) elections: Chamber of Deputies - last held 20 November 2007 (next to be held in 2011) election results: Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - IAF 5.5 %, independents and other 94.5%; seats by party - IAF 6, independents and other 104; note - seven women will serve in the next Assembly - six of whom filled women's quota seats and one was directly elected
Judicial branch:
Court of Cassation; Supreme Court (court of final appeal)
Political parties and leaders:
al-Ahd Party; Arab Islamic Democratic Movement [Yusuf ABU BAKR];
Arab Land Party [Dr. Ayishah Salih HIJAZAYN]; Arab Socialist Ba'th
Party [Taysir al-HIMSI]; Ba'th Arab Progressive Party [Fu'ad
DABBUR]; Freedom Party; Future Party; Islamic Action Front or IAF
[Zaki Sa'ed BANI IRSHEID]; Islamic Center Party [Marwan al-FAURI];
Jordanian Arab Ansar Party; Jordanian Arab New Dawn Party; Jordanian
Arab Party; Jordanian Citizens' Rights Movement; Jordanian Communist
Party [Munir HAMARINAH]; Jordanian Communist Workers Party;
Jordanian Democratic Left Party [Musa MA'AYTEH]; Jordanian
Democratic Popular Unity Party [Sa'id Dhiyab Ali MUSTAFA]; Jordanian
Generations Party [Muhammad KHALAYLEH]; Jordanian Green Party
[Muhammad BATAYNEH]; Jordanian Labor Party [Dr. Mazin Sulayman
Jiryis HANNA]; Jordanian Peace Party; Jordanian People's Committees
Movement; Jordanian People's Democratic Party (Hashd) [Ahmad YUSUF];
Jordanian Rafah Party; Jordanian Renaissance Party; Mission Party;
Nation Party [Ahmad al-HANANDEH]; National Action Party (Haqq)
[Tariq al-KAYYALI]; National Constitutional Party [Abdul Hadi
MAJALI]; National Popular Democratic Movement [Mahmud al-NUWAYHI];
Progressive Party [Fawwaz al-ZUBI]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Anti-Normalization Committee [Ali Abu SUKKAR, president vice
chairman]; Jordan Bar Association [Hussein Mujalli, chairman];
Jordanian Press Association [Sayf al-SHARIF, president]; Muslim
Brotherhood [Salem AL-FALAHAT, controller general]
International organization participation:
ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, MINURCAT, MINUSTAH, MONUC,
NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador ZEID Ra'ad Zeid al-Hussein, Prince chancery: 3504 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 966-2664 FAX: [1] (202) 966-3110
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Robert S. Beecroft embassy: Abdun, Amman mailing address: P. O. Box 354, Amman 11118 Jordan; Unit 70200, Box 5, APO AE 09892-0200 telephone: [962] (6) 590-6000 FAX: [962] (6) 592-0121
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of black (top), representing the Abbassid Caliphate, white, representing the Ummayyad Caliphate, and green, representing the Fatimid Caliphate; a red isosceles triangle on the hoist side, representing the Great Arab Revolt of 1916, and 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; design is based on the Arab Revolt flag of World War I
Economy
Jordan
Economy - overview:
Jordan is a small Arab country with insufficient supplies of water, oil, and other natural resources. Poverty, unemployment, and inflation are fundamental problems, but King ABDALLAH II, since assuming the throne in 1999, has undertaken some broad economic reforms in a long-term effort to improve living standards. Since Jordan's graduation from its most recent IMF program in 2002, Amman has continued to follow IMF guidelines, practicing careful monetary policy, making substantial headway with privatization, and opening the trade regime. Jordan's exports have significantly increased under the free trade accord with the US and Jordanian Qualifying Industrial Zones (QIZ), which allow Jordan to export goods duty free to the US. In 2006, Jordan reduced its debt-to-GDP ratio significantly. These measures have helped improve productivity and have made Jordan more attractive for foreign investment. Before the US-led war in Iraq, Jordan imported most of its oil from Iraq. Since 2003, however, Jordan has been more dependent on oil from other Gulf nations. The government ended subsidies for petroleum and other consumer goods in 2008 in an effort to control the budget. The main challenges facing Jordan are reducing dependence on foreign grants, reducing the budget deficit, attracting investments, and creating jobs.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$28.45 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$16.01 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
6% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$4,700 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3.5% industry: 10.3% services: 86.2% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
1.563 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 5% industry: 12.5% services: 82.5% (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate:
13.5% official rate; unofficial rate is approximately 30% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
14.2% (2002)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.7% highest 10%: 30.6% (2003)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
38.8 (2003)
Investment (gross fixed):
27.9% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $5.117 billion expenditures: $6.468 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
72.4% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.4% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
7% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
8.68% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$6.765 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$15.38 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$19.53 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
citrus, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives; sheep, poultry, stone fruits, strawberries, dairy
Industries:
clothing, phosphate mining, fertilizers, pharmaceuticals, petroleum refining, cement, potash, inorganic chemicals, light manufacturing, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
7.7% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
10.87 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
9.852 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
13 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - imports:
472 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 99.4% hydro: 0.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - consumption:
110,700 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - imports:
112,300 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - proved reserves:
1 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
320 million cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
2.25 billion cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
2.4 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
6.031 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
-$2.767 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$5.7 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
clothing, pharmaceuticals, potash, phosphates, fertilizers, vegetables, manufactures;
Exports - partners:
US 22.4%, Iraq 12.9%, India 8.3%, UAE 7.8%, Saudi Arabia 7.5%, Syria 4.9% (2007)
Imports:
$12.02 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
crude oil, textile fabrics, machinery, transport equipment, manufactured goods
Imports - partners:
Saudi Arabia 21%, China 9.7%, Germany 7.5%, US 4.7%, Egypt 4.4% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
ODA, $752 million (2005 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$7.929 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$8.133 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$18.18 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$29.73 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
Jordanian dinar (JOD)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Jordanian dinars (JOD) per US dollar - 0.709 (2007), 0.709 (2006), 0.709 (2005), 0.709 (2004), 0.709 (2003)
Communications
Jordan
Telephones - main lines in use:
585,500 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
4.771 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: service has improved recently with increased use of digital switching equipment; microwave radio relay transmission and coaxial and fiber-optic cable are employed on trunk lines; growing mobile-cellular usage in both urban and rural areas is reducing use of fixed-line services; Internet penetration remains modest and slow-growing domestic: 1995 telecommunications law opened all non-fixed-line services to private competition; in 2005, monopoly over fixed-line services terminated and the entire telecommunications sector was opened to competition; mobile-cellular usage is increasing rapidly and teledensity reached 80 per 100 persons in 2007 international: country code - 962; landing point for the Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) submarine cable network that provides links to Asia, Middle East, Europe; satellite earth stations - 33 (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; participant in Medarabtel (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
Radios:
1.66 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
22 (2007)
Televisions:
500,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.jo
Internet hosts:
21,150 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
5 (2000)
Internet users:
1.127 million (2007)
Transportation
Jordan
Airports:
17 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 15 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2007)
Heliports:
1 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 426 km; oil 49 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 505 km narrow gauge: 505 km 1.050-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 7,694 km paved: 7,694 km (2006)
Merchant marine:
total: 21 by type: cargo 8, container 1, passenger/cargo 7, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 3 foreign-owned: 13 (UAE 13) registered in other countries: 24 (Algeria 7, Bahamas 2, Panama 13, Syria 2) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Al 'Aqabah
Military
Jordan
Military branches:
Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF): Royal Jordanian Land Force, Royal
Jordanian Navy, Royal Jordanian Air Force (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya
al-Malakiya al-Urduniya, RJAF), Special Operations Command (Socom);
Public Security Directorate (normally falls under Ministry of
Interior, but comes under JAF in wartime or crisis) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
17 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription at age 18 was suspended in 1999, although all males under age 37 are required to register; women not subject to conscription, but can volunteer to serve in non-combat military positions (2004)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,812,551 females age 16-49: 1,559,155 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,546,766 females age 16-49: 1,339,366 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 68,067 female: 65,512 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
8.6% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Jordan
Disputes - international:
approximately two million Iraqis have fled the conflict in Iraq, with the majority taking refuge in Syria and Jordan; 2004 Agreement settles border dispute with Syria pending demarcation
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 1,835,704 (Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA)); 500,000 (Iraq) IDPs: 160,000 (1967 Arab-Israeli War) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Jordan is a destination and transit country for women and men from South and Southeast Asia trafficked for the purpose of forced labor; Jordan is also a destination for women from Eastern Europe and Morocco for prostitution; women from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and the Philippines migrate willingly to work as domestic servants, but some are subjected to conditions of forced labor, including unlawful withholding of passports, restrictions on movement, non-payment of wages, threats, and physical or sexual abuse tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Jordan is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in persons in 2007, particularly in the area of law enforcement against trafficking for forced labor; the government made minimal efforts to investigate or prosecute numerous allegations related to exploitation of foreign domestic workers; Jordan failed for a second year to criminally prosecute and punish those who committed acts of forced labor; Jordan also continues to lack victim protection services; Jordan has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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 in 1991 caused many of these newcomers to emigrate. Kazakhstan's economy is larger than those of all the other Central Asian states combined, largely due to the country's vast natural resources and a recent history of political stability. Current issues include: developing a cohesive national identity; expanding the development of the country's vast energy resources and exporting them to world markets; achieving a sustainable economic growth; diversifying the economy outside the oil, gas, and mining sectors; enhancing Kazakhstan's competitiveness; and strengthening relations with neighboring states and other foreign powers.
Geography
Kazakhstan
Location:
Central Asia, northwest of China; a small portion west of the Ural
River in eastern-most Europe
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Asia
Area:
total: 2,717,300 sq km land: 2,669,800 sq km water: 47,500 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly less than four times the size of Texas
Land boundaries:
total: 12,185 km border countries: China 1,533 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,224 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: 8.28% permanent crops: 0.05% other: 91.67% (2005)
Irrigated land:
35,560 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
109.6 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 35 cu km/yr (2%/17%/82%) per capita: 2,360 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
earthquakes in the south, mudslides around Almaty
Environment - current issues:
radioactive or toxic chemical sites associated with former defense industries and test ranges scattered throughout the country pose health risks for humans and animals; industrial pollution is severe in some cities; because the two main rivers that 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, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography - note:
landlocked; Russia leases approximately 6,000 sq km of territory enclosing the Baykonur Cosmodrome; in January 2004, Kazakhstan and Russia extended the lease to 2050
People
Kazakhstan
Population:
15,340,533 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 22.1% (male 1,734,622/female 1,659,723) 15-64 years: 69.6% (male 5,219,983/female 5,463,468) 65 years and over: 8.2% (male 443,483/female 819,254) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 29.3 years male: 27.8 years female: 31.1 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.374% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
16.44 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
9.39 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-3.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.54 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 26.56 deaths/1,000 live births male: 31.03 deaths/1,000 live births female: 21.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 67.55 years male: 62.24 years female: 73.16 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.88 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
16,500 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Kazakhstani(s) adjective: Kazakhstani
Ethnic groups:
Kazakh (Qazaq) 53.4%, Russian 30%, Ukrainian 3.7%, Uzbek 2.5%,
German 2.4%, Tatar 1.7%, Uygur 1.4%, other 4.9% (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: 99.5% male: 99.8% female: 99.3% (1999 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 15 years male: 15 years female: 16 years (2007)
Education expenditures:
2.3% of GDP (2005)
Government
Kazakhstan
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Kazakhstan conventional short form: Kazakhstan local long form: Qazaqstan Respublikasy local short form: Qazaqstan former: Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic
Government type:
republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little power outside the executive branch
Capital:
name: Astana geographic coordinates: 51 10 N, 71 25 E time difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) note: Kazakhstan is divided into two time zones
Administrative divisions:
14 provinces (oblystar, singular - oblys) and 3 cities* (qalalar, singular - qala); 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 (Baykonur, formerly Leninsk); in 2004, a new agreement extended the lease to 2050
Independence:
16 December 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 16 December (1991)
Constitution:
first post-independence constitution adopted 28 January 1993; new constitution adopted by national referendum 30 August 1995
Legal system:
based on Islamic law and Roman law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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 Karim MASIMOV (since 10 January 2007); Deputy Prime Ministers Umirzak SHUKEYEV (since 27 August 2007) and Yerbol ORYNBAYEV (since 29 October 2007) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (no term limits); election last held 4 December 2005 (next to be held in 2012); prime minister and first deputy prime minister appointed by the president election results: Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV reelected president; percent of vote - Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV 91.1%, Zharmakhan A. TUYAKBAI 6.6%, Alikhan M. BAIMENOV 1.6% note: President NAZARBAYEV arranged a referendum in 1995 that extended his term of office and expanded his presidential powers: 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
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (47 seats; 7 members are appointed by the president; other members are elected by local assemblies; to serve six-year terms) and the Mazhilis (107 seats; 9 out of the 107 Mazhilis members are elected from the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan, which represents the country's ethnic minorities; members are popularly elected to serve five-year terms) elections: Senate - (indirect) last held December 2005; next to be held in 2011; Mazhilis - last held 18 August 2007 (next to be held in 2012) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; Mazhilis - percent of vote by party - Nur-Otan 88.1%, NSDP 4.6%, Ak Zhol 3.3%, Auyl 1.6%, Communist People's Party 1.3%, Patriots Party .8% Ruhaniyat .4%; seats by party - Nur-Otan 98; note - parties must achieve a threshold of 7% of the electorate to qualify for seats in the Mazhilis
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (44 members); Constitutional Council (7 members)
Political parties and leaders:
Adilet (Justice) [Maksut NARIKBAYEV, Zeynulla ALSHIMBAYEV, Bakhytbek
AKHMETZHAN, Yerkin ONGARBAYEV, Tolegan SYDYKOV] (formerly Democratic
Party of Kazakhstan); Agrarian and Industrial Union of Workers Block
or AIST (Agrarian Party and Civic Party); Ak Zhol Party (Bright
Path) [Alikhan BAIMENOV]; Auyl (Village) [Gani KALIYEV]; Communist
Party of Kazakhstan or KPK [Serikbolsyn ABDILDIN]; Communist
People's Party of Kazakhstan [Vladislav KOSAREV]; National Social
Democratic Party (NSDP)[Zharmakhan TUYAKBAY]; Nur-Otan [Bakhytzhan
ZHUMAGULOV] (the Agrarian, Asar, and Civic parties merged with
Otan); Patriots' Party [Gani KASYMOV]; Rukhaniyat (Spirituality)
[Altynshash ZHAGANOVA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Adil-Soz [Tamara KALEYEVA]; Almaty Helsinki Group [Ninel FOKINA];
Confederation of Free Trade Unions [Sergei BELKIN]; For a Just
Kazakhstan [Bolat ABILOV]; For Fair Elections [Yevgeniy ZHOVTIS,
Sabit ZHUSUPOV, Sergey DUVANOV, Ibrash NUSUPBAYEV]; Kazakhstan
International Bureau on Human Rights [Yevgeniy ZHOVTIS, executive
director]; Pan-National Social Democratic Party of Kazakhstan
[Zharmakhan TUYAKBAI]; Pensioners Movement or Pokoleniye [Irina
SAVOSTINA, chairwoman]; Republican Network of International Monitors
[Dos KUSHIM]; Transparency International [Sergei ZLOTNIKOV]
International organization participation:
ADB, CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), OIC,
OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL,
WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Yerlan IDRISOV chancery: 1401 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 232-5488 FAX: [1] (202) 232-5845 consulate(s): New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Richard E. HOAGLAND embassy: Ak Bulak 4, Str. 23-22, Building #3, Astana 010010 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [7] (7172) 70-21-00 FAX: [7] (7172) 34-08-90
Flag description:
sky blue background representing the endless sky and a gold sun with 32 rays above a soaring 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 and plentiful supplies of other minerals and metals. It also has a large agricultural sector featuring livestock and grain. Kazakhstan's industrial sector rests on the extraction and processing of these natural resources. 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 enjoyed double-digit growth in 2000-01 - 8% or more per year in 2002-07 - thanks largely to its booming energy sector, but also to economic reform, good harvests, and foreign investment. Inflation, however, jumped to more than 10% in 2007. In the energy sector, the opening of the Caspian Consortium pipeline in 2001, from western Kazakhstan's Tengiz oilfield to the Black Sea, substantially raised export capacity. In 2006 Kazakhstan completed the Atasu-Alashankou portion of an oil pipeline to China that is planned in future construction to extend from the country's Caspian coast eastward to the Chinese border. The country has embarked upon an industrial policy designed to diversify the economy away from overdependence on the oil sector by developing its manufacturing potential. The policy aims to reduce the influence of foreign investment and foreign personnel. The government has engaged in several disputes with foreign oil companies over the terms of production agreements; tensions continue. Upward pressure on the local currency continued in 2007 due to massive oil-related foreign-exchange inflows. Aided by strong growth and foreign exchange earnings, Kazakhstan aspires to become a regional financial center and has created a banking system comparable to those in Central Europe.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$168.2 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$103.8 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
8.5% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$11,000 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 5.8% industry: 39.4% services: 54.8% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
8.229 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 32.2% industry: 18% services: 49.8% (2005)
Unemployment rate:
7.3% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
13.8% (2007)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.3% highest 10%: 26.5% (2004 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
30.4 (2005)
Investment (gross fixed):
30.3% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $23.58 billion expenditures: $25.33 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
7.7% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
10.8% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
11% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$12.74 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$25.75 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$43.75 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
grain (mostly spring wheat), cotton; livestock
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:
7.2% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
74.93 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
61.81 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
3.528 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
3.665 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 84.3% hydro: 15.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
1.445 million bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
243,100 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
1.236 million bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - imports:
127,600 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
30 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
27.88 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
30.58 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
8.1 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
10.8 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
2.832 trillion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
-$7.184 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$48.35 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
oil and oil products 59%, ferrous metals 19%, chemicals 5%, machinery 3%, grain, wool, meat, coal (2001)
Exports - partners:
China 15.5%, Germany 11.5%, Russia 11.2%, Italy 7.2%, France 6.7% (2007)
Imports:
$33.21 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, metal products, foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
Russia 35.4%, China 22.1%, Germany 8% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$229.2 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$17.63 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$96.36 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$40.16 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$3.97 billion (September 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$10.52 billion (2005)
Currency (code):
tenge (KZT)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
tenge (KZT) per US dollar - 122.55 (2007), 126.09 (2006), 132.88 (2005), 136.04 (2004), 149.58 (2003)
Communications
Kazakhstan
Telephones - main lines in use:
3.237 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
12.588 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: inherited an outdated telecommunications network from the Soviet era requiring modernization domestic: intercity by landline and microwave radio relay; number of fixed-line connections is gradually increasing and fixed-line teledensity is about 20 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular usage is increasing rapidly and subscriptions now exceed 80 per 100 persons international: country code - 7; international traffic with other former Soviet republics and China carried by landline and microwave radio relay and with other countries by satellite and by the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic cable; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 60, FM 17, shortwave 9 (1998)
Radios:
6.47 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
12 (plus 9 repeaters) (1998)
Televisions:
3.88 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.kz
Internet hosts:
36,417 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
10 (with their own international channels) (2001)
Internet users:
1.901 million (2006)
Transportation
Kazakhstan
Airports:
97 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 65 over 3,047 m: 9 2,438 to 3,047 m: 27 1,524 to 2,437 m: 17 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 8 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 32 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 12 (2007)
Heliports:
5 (2007)
Pipelines:
condensate 658 km; gas 11,082 km; oil 10,376 km; refined products 1,095 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 13,700 km broad gauge: 13,700 km 1.520-m gauge (3,700 km electrified) (2006)
Roadways:
total: 91,563 km paved: 83,717 km unpaved: 7,846 km (2006)
Waterways:
4,000 km (on the Ertis ((Irtysh)) River (80%) and Syr Darya ((Syrdariya)) River) (2006)
Merchant marine:
total: 5 by type: petroleum tanker 4, refrigerated cargo 1 (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Aqtau (Shevchenko), Atyrau (Gur'yev), Oskemen (Ust-Kamenogorsk),
Pavlodar, Semey (Semipalatinsk)
Military
Kazakhstan
Military branches:
Ground Forces, Naval Force, Air and Air Defense Forces, Republican
Guard
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 2 years; minimum age for volunteers NA (2004)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 4,176,731 females age 16-49: 4,219,636 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,871,205 females age 16-49: 3,551,032 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 145,495 female: 140,149 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.9% of GDP (Ministry of Defense expenditures) (FY02)
Transnational Issues
Kazakhstan
Disputes - international:
Kyrgyzstan has yet to ratify the 2001 boundary delimitation with Kazakhstan; field demarcation of the boundaries with Turkmenistan commenced in 2005, and with Uzbekistan in 2004; demarcation is scheduled to get underway with Russia in 2007; demarcation with China was completed in 2002; creation of a seabed boundary with Turkmenistan in the Caspian Sea remains under discussion; equidistant seabed treaties have been ratified with Azerbaijan and Russia in the Caspian Sea, but no resolution has been made on dividing the water column among any of the littoral states
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 3,700 (Russia); 508 (Afghanistan) (2007)
Illicit drugs:
significant illicit cultivation of cannabis for CIS markets, as well as limited cultivation of opium poppy and ephedra (for the drug ephedrine); limited government eradication of illicit crops; transit point for Southwest Asian narcotics bound for Russia and the rest of Europe; significant consumer of opiates
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Kenya
Introduction
Kenya
Background:
Founding president and liberation struggle icon Jomo KENYATTA led Kenya from independence in 1963 until his death in 1978, when 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 were viewed as having generally reflected the will of the Kenyan people. President MOI stepped down in December 2002 following fair and peaceful elections. Mwai KIBAKI, running as the candidate of the multiethnic, united opposition group, the National Rainbow Coalition (NARC), defeated KANU candidate Uhuru KENYATTA and assumed the presidency following a campaign centered on an anticorruption platform. KIBAKI's NARC coalition splintered in 2005 over the constitutional review process. Government defectors joined with KANU to form a new opposition coalition, the Orange Democratic Movement, which defeated the government's draft constitution in a popular referendum in November 2005. KIBAKI's reelection in December 2007 brought charges of vote rigging from ODM candidate Raila ODINGA and unleashed two months of violence in which as many as 1,500 people died. UN-sponsored talks in late February produced a powersharing accord bringing ODINGA into the government in the restored position of prime minister.
Geography
Kenya
Location:
Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Somalia and
Tanzania
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 582,650 sq km land: 569,250 sq km water: 13,400 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:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
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:
limestone, soda ash, salt, gemstones, fluorspar, zinc, diatomite, gypsum, wildlife, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 8.01% permanent crops: 0.97% other: 91.02% (2005)
Irrigated land:
1,030 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
30.2 cu km (1990)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 1.58 cu km/yr (30%/6%/64%) per capita: 46 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, 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:
37,953,840 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 42.2% (male 8,065,789/female 7,953,077) 15-64 years: 55.2% (male 10,498,468/female 10,434,764) 65 years and over: 2.6% (male 457,886/female 543,854) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 18.6 years male: 18.5 years female: 18.8 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.758% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
37.89 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
10.3 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 56.01 deaths/1,000 live births male: 58.95 deaths/1,000 live births female: 53.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 56.64 years male: 56.42 years female: 56.87 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
4.7 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
6.7% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1.2 million (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
150,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2008)
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%, Muslim 10%, indigenous beliefs 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: 85.1% male: 90.6% female: 79.7% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 10 years male: 10 years female: 9 years (2004)
Education expenditures:
6.9% of GDP (2006)
Government
Kenya
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Kenya conventional short form: Kenya local long form: Republic of Kenya/Jamhuri ya Kenya local short form: Kenya former: British East Africa
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Nairobi geographic coordinates: 1 17 S, 36 49 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1997, 2001; note - a new draft constitution was defeated by popular referendum in 2005
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 Mwai KIBAKI (since 30 December 2002); Vice President Stephene Kalonzo MUSYOKA (since 10 January 2008); head of government: Prime Minister Raila Amolo ODINGA (since 17 April 2008) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second 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 27 December 2007 (next to be held in December 2012); vice president appointed by the president election results: President Mwai KIBAKI reelected; percent of vote - Mwai KIBAKI 46%, Raila ODINGA 44%, Kalonzo MUSYOKA 9%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (224 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, 2 ex-officio members) elections: last held 27 December 2007 (next to be held in December 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ODM 99, PNU 43, ODM-K 16, KANU 14 other 38; ex-officio 2; seats appointed by the president - TBD
Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal (chief justice is appointed by the president); High
Court
Political parties and leaders:
Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-Kenya or FORD-Kenya [Musikari
KOMBO]; Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-People or FORD-People
[Simeon NYACHAE]; Kenya African National Union or KANU [Uhuru
KENYATTA]; National Rainbow Coalition-Kenya or NARC-Kenya [Raphael
TUJU]; Orange Democratic Movement or ODM [Raila ODINGA]; Orange
Democratic Movement-Kenya or ODM-K [Kalonzo MUSYOKA]; Party of
National Unity or PNU [Mwai KIBAKI]; Shirikisho Party of Kenya or
SPK [Chirau Ali MWAKWERE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Council of Islamic Preachers of Kenya or CIPK [Sheikh Idris
MOHAMMED]; Kenya Human Rights Commission [L. Muthoni WANYEKI];
Muslim Human Rights Forum [Ali-Amin KIMATHI]; National Convention
Executive Council or NCEC, a proreform coalition of political
parties and nongovernment organizations [Ndung'u WAINANA];
Protestant National Council of Churches of Kenya or NCCK [Canon
Peter Karanja MWANGI]; Roman Catholic and other Christian churches;
Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims or SUPKEM [Shaykh Abdul Gafur
al-BUSAIDY]
other: labor unions
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, EAC, EADB, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC,
NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL,
UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Peter Rateng Oginga OGEGO chancery: 2249 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 387-6101 FAX: [1] (202) 462-3829 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Michael RANNEBERGER embassy: US Embassy, United Nations Avenue, Nairobi; P. O. Box 606 Village Market, Nairobi 00621 mailing address: Box 21A, Unit 64100, APO AE 09831 telephone: [254] (20) 363-6000 FAX: [254] (20) 363-410
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:
The regional hub for trade and finance in East Africa, Kenya has been hampered by corruption and by reliance upon several primary goods whose prices have remained low. 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 0.2% 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 1.2%. Growth lagged at 1.1% in 2002 because of erratic rains, low investor confidence, meager donor support, and political infighting up to the elections. In the key December 2002 elections, Daniel Arap MOI's 24-year-old reign ended, and a new opposition government took on the formidable economic problems facing the nation. After some early progress in rooting out corruption and encouraging donor support, the KIBAKI government was rocked by high-level graft scandals in 2005 and 2006. In 2006 the World Bank and IMF delayed loans pending action by the government on corruption. The international financial institutions and donors have since resumed lending, despite little action on the government's part to deal with corruption. The scandals have not weighed down growth, with estimated real GDP growth at more than 6 percent in 2007.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$61.22 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$29.3 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
7% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,700 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 23.8% industry: 16.7% services: 59.5% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
11.85 million (2005 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 75% industry and services: 25% (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate:
40% (2001 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 (1997)
Investment (gross fixed):
20.7% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $5.924 billion expenditures: $6.878 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June
Public debt:
48.7% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
9.7% (2007 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
13.34% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$5.932 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$6.273 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$10.43 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
tea, coffee, corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruit, vegetables; dairy products, beef, pork, poultry, eggs
Industries:
small-scale consumer goods (plastic, furniture, batteries, textiles, clothing, soap, cigarettes, flour), agricultural products, horticulture, oil refining; aluminum, steel, lead; cement, commercial ship repair, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
6.8% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
6.264 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
5.124 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
58.3 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
22.5 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 17.7% hydro: 71% nuclear: 0% other: 11.3% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Oil - consumption:
65,530 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
5,137 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
72,780 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$1.147 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$4.127 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
tea, horticultural products, coffee, petroleum products, fish, cement
Exports - partners:
Uganda 16.9%, UK 9.3%, Tanzania 8.2%, Netherlands 8.2%, US 6.4%,
Pakistan 5.2% (2007)
Imports:
$8.54 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum products, motor vehicles, iron and steel, resins and plastics
Imports - partners:
UAE 11.4%, China 9.9%, India 8.7%, Saudi Arabia 8%, South Africa 6.9%, US 6.2%, Japan 5.9%, UK 4.6% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$768.3 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$3.355 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$6.713 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$1.249 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$47 million (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$11.38 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
Kenyan shilling (KES)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Kenyan shillings (KES) per US dollar - 68.309 (2007), 72.101 (2006), 75.554 (2005), 79.174 (2004), 75.936 (2003)
Communications
Kenya
Telephones - main lines in use:
264,800 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
11.44 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: inadequate; fixed-line telephone system is small and inefficient; trunks are primarily microwave radio relay; business data commonly transferred by a very small aperture terminal (VSAT) system domestic: no recent growth in fixed-line infrastructure and the sole provider, Telkom Kenya, is slated for privatization; multiple providers in the mobile-cellular segment of the market fostering a boom in mobile-cellular telephone usage international: country code - 254; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 24, FM 18, shortwave 6 (2001)
Radios:
3.07 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
8 (2001)
Televisions:
730,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.ke
Internet hosts:
27,376 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
65 (2001)
Internet users:
3 million (2007)
Transportation
Kenya
Airports:
225 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 15 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 210 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 113 under 914 m: 85 (2007)
Pipelines:
refined products 900 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 2,778 km narrow gauge: 2,778 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 63,265 km (interurban roads) paved: 8,933 km unpaved: 54,332 km note: there also are 100,000 km of rural roads and 14,500 km of urban roads for a national total of 177,765 km (2004)
Waterways:
Merchant marine:
total: 1 by type: petroleum tanker 1 registered in other countries: 6 (Bahamas 1, Comoros 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2, Tuvalu 1, unknown 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Mombasa
Military
Kenya
Military branches:
Kenyan Army, Kenyan Navy, Kenyan Air Force (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.) for voluntary service, with a 9-year obligation (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 9,044,685 females age 16-49: 8,805,736 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 5,688,259 females age 16-49: 5,396,166 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 411,032 female: 406,794 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
2.8% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Kenya
Disputes - international:
Kenya served as an important mediator in brokering Sudan's north-south separation in February 2005; Kenya provides shelter to almost a quarter of a million refugees, including Ugandans who flee across the border periodically to seek protection from Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebels; Kenya works hard to prevent the clan and militia fighting in Somalia from spreading across the border, which has long been open to nomadic pastoralists; the boundary that separates Kenya's and Sudan's sovereignty is unclear in the "Ilemi Triangle," which Kenya has administered since colonial times
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 173,702 (Somalia); 73,004 (Sudan); 16,428 (Ethiopia) IDPs: 250,000-400,000 (2007 post-election violence; KANU attacks on opposition tribal groups in 1990s) (2007)
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; significant potential for money-laundering activity given the country's status as a regional financial center; massive corruption, and relatively high levels of narcotics-associated activities
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Kiribati
Introduction
Kiribati
Background:
The Gilbert Islands became a British protectorate in 1892 and a colony in 1915; they were captured by the Japanese in the Pacific War in 1941. The islands of Makin and Tarawa were the sites of major US amphibious victories over entrenched Japanese garrisons in 1943. 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 half way between Hawaii and Australia; note - on 1 January 1995, Kiribati proclaimed that all of its territory lies in the same time zone as its Gilbert Islands group (UTC +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:
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total: 811 sq km land: 811 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes three island groups - Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands
Area - comparative:
four times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
1,143 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 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: 2.74% permanent crops: 47.95% other: 49.31% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Natural hazards:
typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March; occasional tornadoes; low level of some of the islands make them 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, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling 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:
110,356 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 37.9% (male 21,180/female 20,604) 15-64 years: 58.7% (male 31,993/female 32,797) 65 years and over: 3.4% (male 1,606/female 2,176) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 20.6 years male: 20.1 years female: 21.1 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.235% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
30.31 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
7.97 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA (2008 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: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 44.69 deaths/1,000 live births male: 49.61 deaths/1,000 live births female: 39.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 62.85 years male: 59.79 years female: 66.06 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
4.08 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Nationality:
noun: I-Kiribati (singular and plural) adjective: I-Kiribati
Ethnic groups:
Micronesian 98.8%, other 1.2% (2000 census)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 52%, Protestant (Congregational) 40%, other (includes
Seventh-Day Adventist, Muslim, Baha'i, Latter-day Saints, Church of
God) 8% (1999)
Languages:
I-Kiribati, English (official)
Literacy:
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 12 years male: 12 years female: 13 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
17.8% of GDP (2002)
Government
Kiribati
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Kiribati conventional short form: Kiribati local long form: Republic of Kiribati local short form: Kiribati note: pronounced keer-ree-bahss former: Gilbert Islands
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Tarawa geographic coordinates: 1 19 N, 172 58 E time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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:
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Anote TONG (since 10 July 2003); Vice President Teima ONORIO; note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Anote TONG (since 10 July 2003); Vice President Teima ONORIO cabinet: 12-member cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of the House of Parliament elections: the House of Parliament chooses the presidential candidates from among its members and then those candidates compete in a general election; president is elected by popular vote for a four-year term (eligible for two more terms); election last held 17 October 2007 (next to be held in 2011); vice president appointed by the president election results: Anote TONG 63.7%, Nabuti MWEMWENIKARAWA 32.9%
Legislative branch:
unicameral House of Parliament or Maneaba Ni Maungatabu (46 seats; 44 members elected by popular vote, 1 ex officio member - the attorney general, 1 nominated by the Rabi Council of Leaders (representing Banaba Island); to serve four-year terms) elections: legislative elections were held in two rounds - the first round on 22 August 2007 and the second round on 30 August 2007 (next to be held in 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA, other 2 (includes attorney general)
Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal; High Court; 26 Magistrates' courts; judges at all levels are appointed by the president
Political parties and leaders:
Boutokaan Te Koaua Party or BTK [Taberannang TIMEON]; Maneaban Te Mauri Party or MTM [Teburoro TITO]; Maurin Kiribati Pati or MKP; National Progressive Party or NPP [Dr. Harry TONG] 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:
International organization participation:
ACP, ADB, C, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, IOC, ITU, ITUC, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UPU, WHO, WMO
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 Fiji 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 natural 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. Private sector initiatives and a financial sector are in the early stages of development. Foreign financial aid from UK, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and China equals more than 10% of GDP. Remittances from seamen on merchant ships abroad account for more than $5 million each year. Kiribati receives around $15 million annually for the government budget from an Australian trust fund.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$348 million (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$67 million (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$3,600 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 8.9% industry: 24.2% services: 66.8% (2004)
Labor force:
7,870 economically active, not including subsistence farmers (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 2.7% industry: 32% services: 65.3% (2000)
Unemployment rate:
2% official rate; underemployment 70% (1992 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $55.52 million expenditures: $59.71 million (FY05)
Fiscal year:
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
0.2% (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products:
copra, taro, breadfruit, sweet potatoes, vegetables; fish
Industries:
fishing, handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate:
0.7% (1991 est.)
Electricity - production:
10 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
9.3 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
232.4 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
259.1 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$21 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$17 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:
copra 62%, coconuts, seaweed, fish
Exports - partners:
US 22.8%, Belgium 21.5%, Japan 14.3%, Samoa 7.8%, Australia 7.5%,
Malaysia 6.7%, Taiwan 5.6%, Denmark 4.6% (2006)
Imports:
$62 million c.i.f. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, miscellaneous manufactured goods, fuel
Imports - partners:
Australia 33%, Fiji 27.1%, Japan 18.1%, NZ 6.9% (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
$27.84 million largely from UK and Japan (2005)
Debt - external:
$10 million (1999 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
Australian dollar (AUD)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - 1.2137 (2007), 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003)
Communications
Kiribati
Telephones - main lines in use:
4,500 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
700 (2005)
Telephone system:
general assessment: generally good quality national and international service domestic: wire line service available on Tarawa and Kiritimati (Christmas Island); connections to outer islands by HF/VHF radiotelephone; wireless service available in Tarawa since 1999 international: country code - 686; Kiribati is being linked to the Pacific Ocean Cooperative Telecommunications Network, which should improve telephone service; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (may be inactive) (2002)
Radios:
17,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (possibly inactive) (2002)
Televisions:
1,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.ki
Internet hosts:
9 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)
Internet users:
2,000 (2007)
Transportation
Kiribati
Airports:
19 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 15 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 4 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 670 km (2000)
Waterways:
5 km (small network of canals in Line Islands) (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 43 by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 18, chemical tanker 3, petroleum tanker 6, refrigerated cargo 14 foreign-owned: 31 (China 15, Hong Kong 4, South Korea 2, Singapore 4, Taiwan 5, Turkey 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Betio
Military
Kiribati
Military branches:
no regular military forces (constitutionally prohibited); Police Force (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 26,377 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 17,577 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 1,247 female: 1,226 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
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 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Korea, North
Introduction
Korea, North
Background:
An independent kingdom for much of its long history, Korea was occupied by Japan in 1905 following the Russo-Japanese War. Five years later, Japan formally annexed the entire peninsula. Following World War II, Korea was split with the northern half coming under Soviet-sponsored Communist domination. After failing in the Korean War (1950-53) to conquer the US-backed Republic of Korea (ROK) in the southern portion by force, North Korea (DPRK), under its founder President KIM Il Sung, adopted a policy of ostensible diplomatic and economic "self-reliance" as a check against excessive Soviet or Communist Chinese influence. The DPRK demonized the US as the ultimate threat to its social system through state-funded propaganda, and molded political, economic, and military policies around the core ideological objective of eventual unification of Korea under Pyongyang's control. KIM's son, the current ruler KIM Jong Il, was officially designated as his father's successor in 1980, assuming a growing political and managerial role until the elder KIM's death in 1994. After decades of economic mismanagement and resource misallocation, the DPRK since the mid-1990s has relied heavily on international aid to feed its population while continuing to expend resources to maintain an army of approximately 1 million. North Korea's history of regional military provocations, proliferation of military-related items, and long-range missile development - as well as its nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons programs and massive conventional armed forces - are of major concern to the international community. In December 2002, following revelations that the DPRK was pursuing a nuclear weapons program based on enriched uranium in violation of a 1994 agreement with the US to freeze and ultimately dismantle its existing plutonium-based program, North Korea expelled monitors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). In January 2003, it declared its withdrawal from the international Non-Proliferation Treaty. In mid-2003 Pyongyang announced it had completed the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel rods (to extract weapons-grade plutonium) and was developing a "nuclear deterrent." Beginning in August 2003, North Korea, China, Japan, Russia, South Korea, and the US have participated in the Six-Party Talks aimed at resolving the stalemate over the DPRK's nuclear programs. North Korea pulled out of the talks in November 2005. It test-fired ballistic missiles in July 2006 and conducted a nuclear test in October 2006. North Korea returned to the Six-Party Talks in December 2006 and subsequently signed two agreements on denuclearization. The 13 February 2007 Initial Actions Agreement shut down the North's nuclear facilities at Yongbyon in July 2007. In the 3 October 2007 Second Phase Actions Agreement, Pyongyang pledged to disable those facilities and provide a correct and complete declaration of its nuclear programs. Under the supervision of US nuclear experts, North Korean personnel completed a number of agreed-upon disablement actions at the three core facilities at the Yongbyon nuclear complex by the end of 2007. North Korea also began the discharge of spent fuel rods in December 2007, but it did not provide a declaration of its nuclear programs by the end of the year.
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:
Map references:
Asia
Area:
total: 120,540 sq km land: 120,410 sq km water: 130 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: 22.4% permanent crops: 1.66% other: 75.94% (2005)
Irrigated land:
14,600 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
77.1 cu km (1999)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 9.02 cu km/yr (20%/25%/55%) per capita: 401 cu m/yr (2000)
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; waterborne disease; deforestation; soil erosion and degradation
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: 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:
23,479,088 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 22.9% (male 2,733,352/female 2,654,186) 15-64 years: 68.2% (male 7,931,484/female 8,083,626) 65 years and over: 8.8% (male 751,401/female 1,325,040) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 32.7 years male: 31.2 years female: 34.2 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.732% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
14.61 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
7.29 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA (2008 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: 0.57 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 21.86 deaths/1,000 live births male: 23.46 deaths/1,000 live births female: 20.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.2 years male: 69.45 years female: 75.08 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99%
Education expenditures:
Government
Korea, North
Country name:
conventional long form: Democratic People's Republic of Korea conventional short form: North Korea local long form: Choson-minjujuui-inmin-konghwaguk local short form: Choson abbreviation: DPRK
Government type:
Communist state one-man dictatorship
Capital:
name: Pyongyang geographic coordinates: 39 01 N, 125 45 E time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 4 municipalities (si, singular and plural) provinces: Chagang-do (Chagang), Hamgyong-bukto (North Hamgyong), Hamgyong-namdo (South Hamgyong), Hwanghae-bukto (North Hwanghae), Hwanghae-namdo (South Hwanghae), Kangwon-do (Kangwon), P'yongan-bukto (North P'yongan), P'yongan-namdo (South P'yongan), Yanggang-do (Yanggang) municipalities: Kaesong-si (Kaesong), Najin Sonbong-si (Najin-Sonbong), Namp'o-si (Namp'o), P'yongyang-si (Pyongyang)
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 Prussian 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 Jong Il (since July 1994); note - on 3 September 2003, rubberstamp Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) reelected KIM Jong Il chairman of the National Defense Commission, a position accorded nation's "highest administrative authority"; SPA reelected KIM Yong Nam president of its Presidium also with responsibility of representing state and receiving diplomatic credentials head of government: Premier KIM Yong Il (since 11 April 2007); Vice Premiers KWAK Pom Gi (since 5 September 1998), JON Sung Hun (since 3 September 2003), RO Tu Chol (since 3 September 2003), THAE Jong Su (since 16 October 2007) cabinet: Naegak (cabinet) members, except for Minister of People's Armed Forces, are appointed by SPA elections: last held in September 2003 (next to be held in September 2008) election results: KIM Jong Il and KIM Yong Nam were only nominees for positions and ran unopposed
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: last held 3 August 2003 (next to be held in August 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; ruling party approves a list of candidates who are elected without opposition; some seats are held by minor parties
Judicial branch:
Central Court (judges are elected by the Supreme People's Assembly)
Political parties and leaders:
major party - Korean Workers' Party or KWP [KIM Jong Il]; minor parties - Chondoist Chongu Party [RYU Mi Yong] (under KWP control), Social Democratic Party [KIM Yong Dae] (under KWP control)
Political pressure groups and leaders:
none
International organization participation:
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none; North Korea has a Permanent Mission to the UN in New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none; note - Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang 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 directed and least open economies, faces chronic economic problems. Industrial capital stock is nearly beyond repair as a result of years of underinvestment and shortages of spare parts. Industrial and power output have declined in parallel from pre-1990 levels. Due in part to severe summer flooding followed by dry weather conditions in the fall of 2006, the nation suffered its 13th year of food shortages because of on-going systemic problems including a lack of arable land, collective farming practices, and persistent shortages of tractors and fuel. During the summer of 2007, severe flooding again occurred. Large-scale international food aid deliveries have allowed the people of North Korea to escape widespread starvation since famine threatened in 1995, but the population continues to suffer from prolonged malnutrition and poor living conditions. Large-scale military spending draws off resources needed for investment and civilian consumption. Since 2002, the government has formalized an arrangement whereby private "farmers' markets" were allowed to begin selling a wider range of goods. It also permitted some private farming on an experimental basis in an effort to boost agricultural output. In October 2005, the government tried to reverse some of these policies by forbidding private sales of grains and reinstituting a centralized food rationing system. By December 2005, the government terminated most international humanitarian assistance operations in North Korea (calling instead for developmental assistance only) and restricted the activities of remaining international and non-governmental aid organizations such as the World Food Program. External food aid now comes primarily from China and South Korea in the form of grants and long-term concessional loans. During the October 2007 summit, South Korea also agreed to develop some of North Korea's infrastructure and natural resources and light industry. Firm political control remains the Communist government's overriding concern, which will likely inhibit the loosening of economic regulations.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$40 billion note: North Korea does not publish any reliable National Income Accounts data; the datum shown here is derived from purchasing power parity (PPP) GDP estimates for North Korea that were made by Angus MADDISON in a study conducted for the OECD; his figure for 1999 was extrapolated to 2007 using estimated real growth rates for North Korea's GDP and an inflation factor based on the US GDP deflator; the result was rounded to the nearest $10 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$25.96 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
-1.1% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,700 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 23.3% industry: 43.1% services: 33.6% (2002 est.)
Labor force:
20 million note: estimates vary widely (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 37% industry and services: 63% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate:
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $2.88 billion $NA expenditures: $2.98 billion $NA
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Agriculture - products:
rice, corn, potatoes, soybeans, pulses; cattle, pigs, pork, eggs
Industries:
military products; machine building, electric power, chemicals; mining (coal, iron ore, limestone, magnesite, graphite, copper, zinc, lead, and precious metals), metallurgy; textiles, food processing; tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
Electricity - production:
21.72 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
18.18 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 29% hydro: 71% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
141 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
24,000 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2006)
Oil - imports:
10,520 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - proved reserves:
NA bbl
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2007)
Exports:
$1.466 billion f.o.b. (2006)
Exports - commodities:
minerals, metallurgical products, manufactures (including armaments), textiles, agricultural and fishery products
Exports - partners:
South Korea 32%, China 29%, Thailand 9% (2006)
Imports:
$2.879 billion c.i.f. (2006)
Imports - commodities:
petroleum, coking coal, machinery and equipment, textiles, grain
Imports - partners:
China 27%, South Korea 16%, Thailand 9%, Russia 7% (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
$372 million note: approximately 65,000 metric tons in food aid through the World Food Program appeals in 2007, plus additional aid from bilateral donors and non-governmental organizations (2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$12.5 billion (2001 est.)
Currency (code):
North Korean won (KPW)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
North Korean won (KPW) per US dollar - 140 (2007), 141 (2006), 170 (December 2004), market: North Korean won per US dollar - 2,500-3,000 (December 2006)
Communications
Korea, North
Telephones - main lines in use:
1.18 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: inadequate system; currently no mobile cellular telephone services domestic: fiber-optic links installed between cities; telephone directories unavailable; mobile cellular service, initiated in 2002, terminated in 2004; in January 2008 Orascom Telecom, an Egyptian company, announced that it had been granted a commercial license to provide mobile telephone services in North Korea international: country code - 850; satellite earth stations - 2 (1 Intelsat - Indian Ocean, 1 Russian - Indian Ocean region); other international connections through Moscow and Beijing (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 17 (including 11 stations of Korean Central Broadcasting Station; North Korea has a "national intercom" cable radio station wired throughout the country that is a significant source of information for the average North Korean citizen; it is wired into most residences and workplaces and carries news and commentary), FM 14, shortwave 14 (2006)
Radios:
3.36 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
4 (includes Korean Central Television, Mansudae Television, Korean Educational and Cultural Network, and Kaesong Television targeting South Korea) (2003)
Televisions:
1.2 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.kp
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)
Internet users:
Transportation
Korea, North
Airports:
77 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 36 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 22 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 3 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 41 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 7 (2007)
Heliports:
23 (2007)
Pipelines:
oil 154 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 5,235 km standard gauge: 5,235 km 1.435-m gauge (3,500 km electrified) (2006)
Roadways:
total: 25,554 km paved: 724 km unpaved: 24,830 km (2006)
Waterways:
2,250 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 167 by type: bulk carrier 11, cargo 121, carrier 1, chemical tanker 4, container 3, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 19, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 19 (Egypt 1, Greece 1, Lebanon 1, Lithuania 1, Romania 4, Syria 1, UAE 8, Yemen 2) registered in other countries: 2 (Mongolia 1, Panama 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Ch'ongjin, Haeju, Hungnam (Hamhung), Kimch'aek, Kosong, Najin,
Namp'o, Sinuiju, Songnim, Sonbong (formerly Unggi), Ungsang, Wonsan
Military
Korea, North
Military branches:
North Korean People's Army: Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force; civil security forces (2005)
Military service age and obligation:
17 years of age (2004)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 6,225,747 females age 16-49: 6,188,270 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 5,141,240 females age 16-49: 5,139,447 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 199,628 female: 192,388 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
Transnational Issues
Korea, North
Disputes - international:
risking arrest, imprisonment, and deportation, tens of thousands of North Koreans cross into China to escape famine, economic privation, and political oppression; North Korea and China dispute the sovereignty of certain islands in Yalu and Tumen rivers; Military Demarcation Line within the 4-km wide Demilitarized Zone has separated North from South Korea since 1953; periodic incidents in the Yellow Sea with South Korea which claims the Northern Limiting Line as a maritime boundary; North Korea supports South Korea in rejecting Japan's claim to Liancourt Rocks (Tok-do/Take-shima)
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: undetermined (flooding in mid-2007 and famine during mid-1990s) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: North Korea is a source country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation; the most common form of trafficking involves North Korean women and girls who cross the border into China voluntarily; additionally, North Korean women and girls are lured out of North Korea to escape poor social and economic conditions by the promise of food, jobs, and freedom, only to be forced into prostitution, marriage, or exploitative labor arrangements once in China tier rating: Tier 3 - North Korea does not fully comply with minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; the government does not acknowledge the existence of human rights abuses in the country or recognize trafficking, either within the country or transnationally; North Korea has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)
Illicit drugs:
for years, from the 1970s into the 2000s, citizens of the Democratic People's Republic of (North) Korea (DPRK), many of them diplomatic employees of the government, were apprehended abroad while trafficking in narcotics, including two in Turkey in December 2004; police investigations in Taiwan and Japan in recent years have linked North Korea to large illicit shipments of heroin and methamphetamine, including an attempt by the North Korean merchant ship Pong Su to deliver 150 kg of heroin to Australia in April 2003
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Korea, South
Introduction
Korea, South
Background:
An independent Korean state or collection of states has existed almost continuously for several millennia. Between its initial unification in the 7th century - from three predecessor Korean states - until the 20th century, Korea existed as a single independent country. In 1905, following the Russo-Japanese War, Korea became a protectorate of imperial Japan, and in 1910 it was annexed as a colony. Korea regained its independence following Japan's surrender to the United States in 1945. After World War II, a Republic of Korea (ROK) was set up in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula while a Communist-style government was installed in the north (the DPRK). During the Korean War (1950-53), US troops and UN forces fought alongside soldiers from the ROK to defend South Korea from DPRK attacks supported by China and the Soviet Union. 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 rising to roughly 14 times the level of North Korea. In 1993, KIM Young-sam became South Korea's first civilian president following 32 years of military rule. South Korea today is a fully functioning modern democracy. In June 2000, a historic first North-South summit took place between the South's President KIM Dae-jung and the North's leader KIM Jong Il. In October 2007, a second North-South summit took place between the South's President ROH Moo-hyun and the North Korean leader.
Geography
Korea, South
Location:
Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the
Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea
Geographic coordinates:
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:
territorial sea: 12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the Korea Strait contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: not specified
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: 16.58% permanent crops: 2.01% other: 81.41% (2005)
Irrigated land:
8,780 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
69.7 cu km (1999)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 18.59 cu km/yr (36%/16%/48%) per capita: 389 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
strategic location on Korea Strait
People
Korea, South
Population:
48,379,392 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 17.4% (male 4,431,315/female 4,004,810) 15-64 years: 72% (male 17,760,975/female 17,095,436) 65 years and over: 10.5% (male 2,030,931/female 3,055,925) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 36.7 years male: 35.5 years female: 37.9 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.269% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
9.09 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
5.73 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.11 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.29 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.52 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.64 years male: 75.34 years female: 82.17 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.2 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
8,300 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Korean(s) adjective: Korean
Ethnic groups:
homogeneous (except for about 20,000 Chinese)
Religions:
Christian 26.3% (Protestant 19.7%, Roman Catholic 6.6%), Buddhist 23.2%, other or unknown 1.3%, none 49.3% (1995 census)
Languages:
Korean, English widely taught in junior high and high school
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.9% male: 99.2% female: 96.6% (2002)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 17 years male: 18 years female: 15 years (2007)
Education expenditures:
4.6% of GDP (2004)
Government
Korea, South
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Korea conventional short form: South Korea local long form: Taehan-min'guk local short form: Han'guk abbreviation: ROK
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Seoul geographic coordinates: 37 33 N, 126 59 E time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 7 metropolitan cities (gwangyoksi, singular and plural) provinces: Cheju-do, Cholla-bukto (North Cholla), Cholla-namdo (South Cholla), Ch'ungch'ong-bukto (North Ch'ungch'ong), Ch'ungch'ong-namdo (South Ch'ungch'ong), Kangwon-do, Kyonggi-do, Kyongsang-bukto (North Kyongsang), Kyongsang-namdo (South Kyongsang) metropolitan cities: Inch'on-gwangyoksi (Inch'on), Kwangju-gwangyoksi (Kwangju), Pusan-gwangyoksi (Pusan), Soul-t'ukpyolsi (Seoul), Taegu-gwangyoksi (Taegu), Taejon-gwangyoksi (Taejon), Ulsan-gwangyoksi (Ulsan)
Independence:
15 August 1945 (from Japan)
National holiday:
Liberation Day, 15 August (1945)
Constitution:
17 July 1948; note - amended or rewritten nine times; current constitution approved on 29 October 1987
Legal system:
combines elements of continental European civil law systems, Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
19 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President LEE Myung-bak (since 25 February 2008) head of government: Prime Minister HAN Seung-soo (since 29 February 2008) 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 19 December 2007 (next to be held on in December 2012); prime minister appointed by president with consent of National Assembly; deputy prime ministers appointed by president on prime minister's recommendation election results: ROH Moo-hyun elected president on 19 December 2002; percent of vote - ROH Moo-hyun (MDP) 48.9%; LEE Hoi-chang (GNP) 46.6%; others 4.5%; LEE Myung-bak elected president on 19 December 2007; percent of vote - LEE Myung-bak (GNP) 48.7%; CHUNG Dong-young (UNDP) 26.1%); LEE Hoi-chang (independent) 15.1; others 10.1%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Kukhoe (299 seats; 243 members elected in single-seat constituencies, 56 elected by proportional representation; to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 9 April 2008 (next to be held in April 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - GNP 153, UDP 81, LFP 18, Pro-Park Alliance 14, DLP 5, CKP 3, independents 25
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (justices appointed by the president with consent of
National Assembly); Constitutional Court (justices appointed by the
president based partly on nominations by National Assembly and Chief
Justice of the court)
Political parties and leaders:
Creative Korea Party or CKP [MOON Kook-hyun]; Democratic Labor Party
or DLP [CHUN Young-se]; Grand National Party or GNP [PARK Hee-tae];
Liberty Forward Party or LFP [LEE Hoi-chang]; Democratic Party or DP
[CHUNG Sye-kyun] (formerly the United Democratic Party or UDP)
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:
ADB, AfDB (nonregional members), APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue
partner), Australia Group, BIS, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, IADB, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA,
MIGA, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, PIF
(partner), SAARC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador LEE Tae-sik chancery: 2450 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-5600 FAX: [1] (202) 387-0205 consulate(s) general: Agana (Guam), Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Kathleen STEPHENS embassy: 32 Sejong-no, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-710 mailing address: US Embassy Seoul, APO AP 96205-5550 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:
Since the 1960s, South Korea has achieved an incredible record of growth and integration into the high-tech modern world economy. Four decades ago, GDP per capita was comparable with levels in the poorer countries of Africa and Asia. In 2004, South Korea joined the trillion dollar club of world economies. Today its GDP per capita is roughly the same as that of Greece and Spain. This success 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 1997-98 exposed longstanding weaknesses in South Korea's development model including high debt/equity ratios, massive foreign borrowing, and an undisciplined financial sector. GDP plunged by 6.9% in 1998, then recovered by 9.5% in 1999 and 8.5% 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 had stalled. Led by consumer spending and exports, growth in 2002 was an impressive 7%, despite anemic global growth. Between 2003 and 2007, growth moderated to about 4-5% annually. A downturn in consumer spending was offset by rapid export growth. Moderate inflation, low unemployment, and an export surplus in 2007 characterize this solid economy, but inflation and unemployment are increasing in the face of rising oil prices.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.206 trillion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$957.1 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$25,000 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3% industry: 39.4% services: 57.6% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
24.22 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 7.5% industry: 17.3% services: 75.2% (2007)
Unemployment rate:
3.3% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
15% (2003 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 25% (2005 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
35.1 (2006)
Investment (gross fixed):
28.8% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $262.2 billion expenditures: $225.8 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
28.2% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.5% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
3.25% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
6.55% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$92.59 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$541.7 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.061 trillion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
rice, root crops, barley, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs, chickens, milk, eggs; fish
Industries:
electronics, telecommunications, automobile production, chemicals, shipbuilding, steel
Industrial production growth rate:
5.5% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
412.7 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
368.6 billion kWh (2007)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 62.4% hydro: 0.8% nuclear: 36.6% other: 0.2% (2001)
Oil - production:
20,970 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
2.214 million bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day
Oil - imports:
2.41 million bbl/day (2006)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
390 million cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
34.83 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
33.38 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
$5.954 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$379 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
semiconductors, wireless telecommunications equipment, motor vehicles, computers, steel, ships, petrochemicals
Exports - partners:
China 22.1%, US 12.4%, Japan 7.1%, Hong Kong 5% (2007)
Imports:
$349.6 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery, electronics and electronic equipment, oil, steel, transport equipment, organic chemicals, plastics
Imports - partners:
China 17.7%, Japan 15.8%, US 10.5%, Saudi Arabia 5.9% (2007)
Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $455.3 million (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
$68.07 million (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$262.2 billion (31 December 2007)
Debt - external:
$220.1 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$119.6 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$82.1 billion (2006)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$1.051 trillion (2007)
Currency (code):
South Korean won (KRW)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
South Korean won (KRW) per US dollar - 929.2 (2007), 954.8 (2006), 1,024.1 (2005), 1,145.3 (2004), 1,191.6 (2003)
Communications
Korea, South
Telephones - main lines in use:
23.905 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
43.5 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: excellent domestic and international services featuring rapid incorporation of new technologies domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone subscribership exceeds 140 per 100 persons; rapid assimilation of a full range of telecommunications technologies leading to a boom in e-commerce international: country code - 82; numerous submarine cables provide links throughout Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Europe, and US; satellite earth stations - 6 (3 Intelsat - 1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean; 3 Inmarsat - 1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 61, FM 150, shortwave 2 (2005)
Radios:
47.5 million (2000)
Television broadcast stations:
43 (plus 59 cable operators and 190 relay cable operators) (2005)
Televisions:
15.9 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.kr
Internet hosts:
333,823 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
11 (2000)
Internet users:
35.59 million (2007)
Transportation
Korea, South
Airports:
105 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 68 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 21 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 19 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 37 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 34 (2007)
Heliports:
536 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 1,482 km; refined products 827 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 3,472 km standard gauge: 3,472 km 1.435-m gauge (1,342 km electrified) (2006)
Roadways:
total: 102,062 km paved: 90,417 km (includes 3,103 km of expressways) unpaved: 11,645 km (2006)
Waterways:
1,608 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 812 by type: bulk carrier 212, cargo 226, carrier 2, chemical tanker 133, container 80, liquefied gas 33, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 26, petroleum tanker 61, refrigerated cargo 16, roll on/roll off 9, specialized tanker 4, vehicle carrier 5 foreign-owned: 31 (China 1, Japan 20, Norway 2, UK 1, US 7) registered in other countries: 363 (Belize 1, Cambodia 22, China 1, Cyprus 1, Honduras 6, Hong Kong 3, Kiribati 2, Liberia 3, Malta 2, Marshall Islands 10, Mongolia 1, Netherlands 1, Panama 303, Russia 1, Singapore 3, Tuvalu 1, unknown 2) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Inch'on, P'ohang, Pusan, Ulsan
Military
Korea, South
Military branches:
Republic of Korea Army, Navy (includes Marine Corps), Air Force (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
20-30 years of age for compulsory military service, with middle school education required; conscript service obligation - 24-28 months, depending on the military branch involved (to be reduced to 18 months beginning 2016); 18-26 years of age for voluntary military service; women, in service since 1950, admitted to 7 service branches, including infantry, but excluded from artillery, armor, anti-air, and chaplaincy corps; some 4,000 women serve as commissioned and noncommissioned officers, approx. 2.3% of all officers (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 13,691,809 females age 16-49: 13,029,859 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 11,282,699 females age 16-49: 10,683,668 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 371,108 female: 325,408 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
2.7% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Korea, South
Disputes - international:
Military Demarcation Line within the 4-km wide Demilitarized Zone has separated North from South Korea since 1953; periodic incidents with North Korea in the Yellow Sea over the Northern Limiting Line, which South Korea claims as a maritime boundary; South Korea and Japan claim Liancourt Rocks (Tok-do/Take-shima), occupied by South Korea since 1954
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Kosovo
Introduction
Kosovo
Background:
Serbs migrated to the territories of modern Kosovo in the 7th century but did not fully incorporate them into the Serbian realm until the early 13th century. The Serbian defeat at the Battle of Kosovo in 1389 led to five centuries of Ottoman rule during which large numbers of Turks and Albanians moved to Kosovo. By the end of the 19th century, Albanians replaced the Serbs as the dominant ethnic group in Kosovo. Serbia reacquired control over Kosovo from the Ottoman Empire during the First Balkan War (1912). After World War II (1945), the government of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia led by Josip TITO reorganized Kosovo as an autonomous province within the constituent republic of Serbia. Over the next four decades, Kosovo Albanians lobbied for greater autonomy, and Kosovo was granted the status almost equal to that of a republic in the 1974 Yugoslav Constitution. Despite the legislative concessions, Albanian nationalism increased in the 1980s leading to nationalist riots and calls for Kosovo's independence. Serbs in Kosovo complained of mistreatment and Serb nationalist leaders, such as Slobodan MILOSEVIC, exploited those charges to win support among Serbian voters many of whom viewed Kosovo as their cultural heartland. Under MILOSEVIC's leadership, Serbia instituted a new constitution in 1989 that drastically curtailed Kosovo's autonomy. Kosovo Albanian leaders responded in 1991 by organizing a referendum that declared Kosovo independent from Serbia. The MILOSEVIC regime carried out repressive measures against the Albanians in the early 1990s as the unofficial government of Kosovo, led by Ibrahim RUGOVA, tried to use passive resistance to gain international assistance and recognition of its demands for independence. In 1995, Albanians dissatisfied with RUGOVA's nonviolent strategy created the Kosovo Liberation Army and launched an insurgency. In 1998, MILOSEVIC authorized a counterinsurgency campaign that resulted in massacres and massive expulsions of ethnic Albanians by Serbian military, police, and paramilitary forces. The international community tried to resolve the conflict peacefully, but MILOSEVIC rejected the proposed international settlement - the Rambouillet Accords - leading to a three-month NATO bombing of Serbia beginning in March 1999, which forced Serbia to withdraw its military and police forces from Kosovo in June 1999. UN Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999) placed Kosovo under a transitional administration, the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), pending a determination of Kosovo's future status. Under the resolution, Serbia's territorial integrity was protected, but it was UNMIK that assumed responsibility for governing Kosovo. In 2001, UNMIK promulgated a Constitutional Framework, which established Kosovo's Provisional Institutions of Self-Government (PISG). In succeeding years UNMIK increasingly devolved responsibilities to the PISG. A UN-led process began in late 2005 to determine Kosovo's future status. Negotiations held intermittently between 2006 and 2007 on issues related to decentralization, religious heritage, and minority rights failed to yield a resolution between Serbia's willingness to grant a high degree of autonomy and the Albanians' call for full independence for Kosovo. On 17 February 2008, the Kosovo Assembly declared its independence from Serbia.
Geography
Kosovo
Location:
Southeast Europe, between Serbia and Macedonia
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 10,887 sq km land: 10,887 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Delaware
Land boundaries:
total: 702 km border countries: Albania 112 km, Macedonia 159 km, Montenegro 79 km, Serbia 352 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
influenced by continental air masses resulting in relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall and hot, dry summers and autumns; Mediterranean and alpine influences create regional variation; maximum rainfall between October and December
Terrain:
flat fluvial basin with an elevation of 400-700 m above sea level surrounded by several high mountain ranges with elevations of 2,000 to 2,500 m
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Drini i Bardhe/Beli Drim 297 m (located on the border with Albania) highest point: Gjeravica/Deravica 2,565 m
Natural resources:
nickel, lead, zinc, magnesium, lignite, kaolin, chrome, bauxite
People
Kosovo
Population:
2,126,708 (2007 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Kosovar (Albanian), Kosovac (Serbian) adjective: Kosovar (Albanian), Kosovski (Serbian) note: Kosovan, a neutral term, is sometimes also used as a noun or adjective
Ethnic groups:
Albanians 88%, Serbs 7%, other 5% (Bosniak, Gorani, Roma, Turk,
Ashkali, Egyptian)
Religions:
Muslim, Serbian Orthodox, Roman Catholic
Languages:
Albanian (official), Serbian (official), Bosnian, Turkish, Roma
Government
Kosovo
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Kosovo conventional short form: Kosovo local long form: Republika e Kosoves (Republika Kosova) local short form: Kosova (Kosovo) former: Kosovo and Metohija Autonomous Province
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Pristina (Prishtine) geographic coordinates: 42 40 N, 21 10 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
30 municipalities (komunat, singular - komuna in Albanian; opstine,
singular - opstina in Serbian); Decan (Decani), Dragash (Dragas),
Ferizaj (Urosevac), Fushe Kosove (Kosovo Polje), Gjakove (Dakovica),
Gllogoc/Drenas (Glogovac), Gjilan (Gnjilane), Istog (Istok),
Kacanik, Kamenice/Dardana (Kamenica), Kline (Klina), Leposaviq
(Leposavic), Lipjan (Lipljan), Malisheve (Malisevo), Mitrovice
(Mitrovica), Novoberde (Novo Brdo), Obiliq (Obilic), Peje (Pec),
Podujeve (Podujevo), Prishtine (Pristina), Prizren, Rahovec
(Orahovac), Shtime (Stimlje), Shterpce (Strpce), Skenderaj (Srbica),
Suhareke (Suva Reka), Viti (Vitina), Vushtrri (Vucitrn), Zubin
Potok, Zvecan
Independence:
17 February 2008 (from Serbia)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 17 February (2008)
Constitution:
ratified 9 April 2008; effective 15 June 2008
Legal system:
evolving legal system based on terms of UN Special Envoy Martti AHTISAARI's Plan for Kosovo's supervised independence
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Fatmir SEJDIU (since 10 February 2006) head of government: Prime Minister Hashim THACI (since 9 January 2008) cabinet: ministers; elected by the Kosovo Assembly elections: the president is elected for a five-year term by the Kosovo Assembly; election last held 9 January 2008 (next to be held by in 2013); the prime minister is elected by the Kosovo Assembly election results: Fatmir SEJDIU reelected president; first round: Fatmir SEDIU 62, Naim MALOKU 37; second round: Fatmir SEDIU 61, Naim MALOKU 37; and Hashim THACI elected to be prime minister by the Assembly
Legislative branch:
unicameral Kosovo Assembly of the Provisional Government (120 seats; 100 seats directly elected, 10 seats for Serbs, 10 seats for other minorities; to serve three-year terms) elections: last held 17 November 2007 (next to be held in 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - PDK 34.3%, LDK 22.6%, AKR 12.3%, LDD 10.0%, AAK 9.6%, other 11.2%; seats by party - PDK 37, LDK 25, AKR 13, LDD 11, AAK 10, other 4
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court judges are appointed by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG); district courts judges are appointed by the SRSG; municipal courts judges are appointed by the SRSG note: after the termination of UNMIK's mandate, the Kosovo Judicial Council (KJC) will propose to the president candidates for appointment or reappointment as judges and prosecutors; the KJC is also responsible for decisions on the promotion and transfer of judges and disciplinary proceedings against judges; at least 15% of Supreme Court and district court judges shall be from nonmajority communities
Political parties and leaders:
Albanian Christian Democratic Party of Kosovo or PShDK [Mark
KRASNIQI]; Alliance for the Future of Kosovo or AAK [Ramush
HARADINAJ]; Alliance of Independent Social Democrats of Kososvo and
Metohija or SDSKIM [Slavisa PETKOVIC]; Autonomous Liberal Party of
SLS [Slobodan PETROVIC]; Bosniak Vakat Coalition [Dzezair MURATI];
Citizens' Initiative of Gora or GIG [Murselj HALILI]; Council of
Independent Social Democrats of Kosovo or SNSDKIM [Ljubisa ZIVIC];
Democratic League of Dardania or LDD [Nexhat DACI]; Democratic
League of Kosovo or LDK [Fatmir SEJDIU]; Democratic Party of Ashkali
of Kosovo or PDAK [Sabit RAHMANI]; Democratic Party of Kosovo or PDK
[Hashim THACI]; Kosovo Democratic Turkish Party of KDTP [Mahir
YAGCILAR]; New Democratic Initiative of Kosovo or IRDK [Xhevdet
NEZIRAJ]; New Democratic Party or ND [Branislav GRBIC]; New Kosovo
Alliance or AKR [Behxhet PACOLLI]; Popular Movement of Kosovo or LPK
[Emrush XHEMAJLI]; Reform Party Ora; Serb National Party or SNS
[Mihailo SCEPANOVIC]; Serbian Kosovo and Metohija Party or SKMS
[Dragisa MIRIC]; United Roma Party of Kosovo or PREBK [Haxhi Zylfi
MERXHA]; Democratic Action Party or SDA [Numan BALIC]; Serbian List
for Kosovo and Metohija [Oliver IVANOVIC]; Serbian National Council
of Northern Kosovo and Metohija or SNV [Milan IVANOVIC]; Democratic
Party of Bosniaks [Dzezair MURAIT]; Democratic Party Vatan [Sadik
IDRIZI]; Gorani Citizens Initiative [Mursel HALJILJI]; Serbian
People Party [Mihailo SCEPANOVIC]; Serbian Democratic Party of
Kosovo and Metohija [Slavisa PETKOVIC]; Serb Liberal Party [Slobodan
PETROVIC]; Independent League of Social-Democrats of Kosovo and
Metohija [Ljubisa ZIVIC]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Council for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedom (human rights);
Humanitarian Law Centre (human rights); Movement for
Self-Determination; Serb National Council (SNV)
International organization participation:
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Tina KAIDANOW embassy: Arberia/Dragodan, Nazim Hikmet 30, Pristina, Kosovo mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: 381 38 59 59 3000 FAX: 381 38 549 890
Flag description:
centered on a dark blue field is the geographical shape of Kosovo in a gold color surmounted by six white, five-pointed stars - each representing one of the major ethnic groups of Kosovo - arrayed in a slight arc
Economy
Kosovo
Economy - overview:
Over the past few years Kosovo's economy has shown significant progress in transitioning to a market-based system, but it is still highly dependent on the international community and the diaspora for financial and technical assistance. Remittances from the diaspora - located mainly in Germany and Switzerland - account for about 30% of GDP. Kosovo's citizens are the poorest in Europe with an average annual per capita income of only $1800 - about one-third the level of neighboring Albania. Unemployment - at more than 40% of the population - is a severe problem that encourages outward migration. Most of Kosovo's population lives in rural towns outside of the capital, Pristina. Inefficient, near-subsistence farming is common - the result of small plots, limited mechanization, and lack of technical expertise. Economic growth is largely driven by the private sector - mostly small-scale retail businesses. With international assistance, Kosovo has been able to privatize 50% of its state-owned enterprises (SOEs) by number, and over 90% of SOEs by value. Minerals and metals - including lignite, lead, zinc, nickel, chrome, aluminum, magnesium, and a wide variety of construction materials - once formed the backbone of industry, but output has declined because investment has been insufficient to replace ageing Eastern Bloc equipment. Technical and financial problems in the power sector also impedes industrial development. The US has worked with the World Bank to prepare a commercial tender for the development of new power generating and mining capacity. The official currency of Kosovo is the euro, but the Serbian dinar is also used in the Serb enclaves. Kosovo's tie to the euro has helped keep inflation low. Kosovo has maintained a budget surplus as a result of efficient tax collection and inefficient budget execution. While maintaining ultimate oversight, UNMIK continues to work with the EU and with Kosovo's government to accelerate economic growth, lower unemployment, and attract foreign investment. In order to help integrate Kosovo into regional economic structures, UNMIK signed (on behalf of Kosovo) its accession to the Central Europe Free Trade Area (CEFTA) in 2006. In February 2008, UNMIK also represented Kosovo at the newly established Regional Cooperation Council (RCC).
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$4 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$3.237 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2.6% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,800 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 20% industry: 20% services: 60% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
832,000 (June 2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 21.4% industry: NA services: NA (2006 est,)
Unemployment rate:
43% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
37% (2007 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
Investment (gross fixed):
29% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $1.364 billion expenditures: $1.008 billion (2007 est.)
Public debt:
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2% (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products:
Industries:
mineral mining, construction materials, base metals, leather, machinery, appliances
Electricity - production:
3.996 billion kWh (2006)
Electricity - consumption:
4.281 billion kWh (2006)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007)
Oil - consumption:
NA bbl
Oil - proved reserves:
NA bbl
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
NA cu m
Current account balance:
-$58.3 million (2007)
Exports:
$148.4 million (2007)
Exports - commodities:
mining and processed metal products, scrap metals, leather products, machinery, appliances
Exports - partners:
Central Europe Free Trade Area (CFTA) 56% (2006)
Imports:
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, wood, petroleum, chemicals, machinery and electrical equipment
Imports - partners:
EU 35%, Macedonia 15%, Serbia 13%, Turkey 8% (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
$324 million (2007)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Debt - external:
according to the national bank of Serbia, Kosovo's external debt was around $1.2 billion; Kosovo was willing to accept around $900 million (2007)
Currency (code):
euro (EUR); Serbian Dinar (RSD) is also in circulation
Exchange rates:
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007)
Communications
Kosovo
Telephones - main lines in use:
106,300 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
562,000 (2006)
Transportation
Kosovo
Airports:
10 (2008)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 4 (2008)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 4 under 914 m: 4 (2008)
Heliports:
2 (2008)
Railways:
total: 430 km (2005)
Roadways:
total: 1,924 km paved: 1,666 km unpaved: 258 km (2006)
Transnational Issues
Kosovo
Disputes - international:
Serbia with several other states protest the US and other states' recognition of Kosovo's declaring itself as a sovereign and independent state in February 2008; ethnic Serbian municipalities along Kosovo's northern border challenge final status of Kosovo-Serbia boundary; several thousand NATO-led KFOR peacekeepers under UNMIK authority continue to keep the peace within Kosovo between the ethnic Albanian majority and the Serb minority in Kosovo; Kosovo and Macedonia completed demarcation of their boundary in September 2008
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDP's: 21,000 (2007)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Kuwait
Introduction
Kuwait
Background:
Britain oversaw foreign relations and defense for the ruling Kuwaiti AL-SABAH dynasty from 1899 until independence in 1961. 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 liberated Kuwait in four days. Kuwait spent more than $5 billion to repair oil infrastructure damaged during 1990-91. The AL-SABAH family has ruled since returning to power in 1991 and reestablished an elected legislature that in recent years has become increasingly assertive.
Geography
Kuwait
Location:
Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and Saudi
Arabia
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Middle East
Area:
total: 17,820 sq km land: 17,820 sq km water: 0 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: 0.84% permanent crops: 0.17% other: 98.99% (2005)
Irrigated land:
130 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
0.02 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.44 cu km/yr (45%/2%/52%) per capita: 164 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April and 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: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping
Geography - note:
strategic location at head of Persian Gulf
People
Kuwait
Population:
2,596,799 note: includes 1,291,354 non-nationals (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 26.6% (male 351,057/female 338,634) 15-64 years: 70.6% (male 1,172,460/female 659,927) 65 years and over: 2.9% (male 46,770/female 27,951) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 26.1 years male: 28 years female: 22.6 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
3.591% note: this rate reflects a return to pre-Gulf crisis immigration of expatriates (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
21.9 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
2.37 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
16.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.78 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.67 male(s)/female total population: 1.53 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 9.22 deaths/1,000 live births male: 10.2 deaths/1,000 live births female: 8.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.53 years male: 76.38 years female: 78.73 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.81 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.12% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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%, Shia 30%), other (includes Christian, Hindu,
Parsi) 15%
Languages:
Arabic (official), English widely spoken
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93.3% male: 94.4% female: 91% (2005 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 13 years male: 12 years female: 13 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
3.8% of GDP (2006)
Government
Kuwait
Country name:
conventional long form: State of Kuwait conventional short form: Kuwait local long form: Dawlat al Kuwayt local short form: Al Kuwayt
Government type:
constitutional emirate
Capital:
name: Kuwait geographic coordinates: 29 22 N, 47 58 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
6 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al 'Asimah, Al Farwaniyah, Al Jahra', Hawalli, Mubarak al Kabir
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:
NA years of age; universal (adult); note - males in the military or police are not allowed to vote; adult females were allowed to vote as of 16 May 2005; all voters must have been citizens for 20 years
Executive branch:
chief of state: Amir SABAH al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah (since 29 January 2006); Crown Prince NAWAF al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah head of government: Prime Minister NASIR MUHAMMAD al-Ahmad al-Sabah (since 3 April 2007); First Deputy Prime Minister JABIR Mubarak al-Hamad al-Sabah (since 9 February 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers MUHAMMAD al-Sabah al-Salim al-Sabah (since 9 February 2006) and Faysal al-HAJJI (since 5 April 2007); note - the Amir accepted the resignation of the prime minister and cabinet on 1 December 2008) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister and approved by the Amir elections: none; the amir is hereditary; the amir appoints the prime minister and deputy prime ministers
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Umma (50 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms; all cabinet ministers are also ex officio voting members of the National Assembly) elections: last held 17 May 2008 (next election to be held in 2012) election results: percent of vote by bloc - NA; seats by bloc - Sunni 21, Islamic Salafi Alliance 10, Liberals 7, Shiites 5, Popular Action Bloc 4, Islamic Constitutional Movement 3
Judicial branch:
High Court of Appeal
Political parties and leaders:
none; formation of political parties is in practice illegal but is not forbidden by law
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: Islamists; merchants; political groups; secular liberals and pro-governmental deputies; Shia activists; tribal groups
International organization participation:
ABEDA, AfDB (nonregional members), AFESD, AMF, BDEAC, CAEU, FAO,
G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO,
ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador SALIM al-Abdallah al-Jabir al-Sabah chancery: 2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 966-0702 FAX: [1] (202) 966-0517
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Deborah K. JONES embassy: Bayan 36302, Block 13, Al-Masjed Al-Aqsa Street (near the Bayan palace), Kuwait City mailing address: P. O. Box 77 Safat 13001 Kuwait; or PSC 1280 APO AE 09880-9000 telephone: [965] 259-1001 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; design, which dates to 1961, based on the Arab revolt flag of World War I
Economy
Kuwait
Economy - overview:
Kuwait is a small, rich, relatively open economy with self-reported crude oil reserves of about 104 billion barrels - 10% of world reserves. Petroleum accounts for nearly half of GDP, 95% of export revenues, and 80% of government income. High oil prices in recent years have helped build Kuwait's budget and trade surpluses and foreign reserves. As a result of this positive fiscal situation, the need for economic reforms is less urgent and the government has not earnestly pushed through new initiatives. Despite its vast oil reserves, Kuwait experienced power outages during the summer months in 2006 and 2007 because demand exceeded power generating capacity. Power outages are likely to worsen, given its high population growth rates, unless the government can increase generating capacity. In May 2007 Kuwait changed its currency peg from the US dollar to a basket of currencies in order to curb inflation and to reduce its vulnerability to external shocks.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$140 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$111.3 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
4.7% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$55,900 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 0.3% industry: 52.4% services: 47.3% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
2.093 million note: non-Kuwaitis represent about 80% of the labor force (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Unemployment rate:
2.2% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Investment (gross fixed):
19.7% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $85.28 billion expenditures: $37.77 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Public debt:
9.7% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.5% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
6.25% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
8.54% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$15.12 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$55.2 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$78.25 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
practically no crops; fish
Industries:
petroleum, petrochemicals, cement, shipbuilding and repair, water desalination, food processing, construction materials
Industrial production growth rate:
1.7% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
44.75 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
39.54 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
2.613 million bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
334,700 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
2.356 million bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
8,022 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
104 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
12.5 billion cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
12.5 billion cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
1.586 trillion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
$47.5 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$63.72 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
oil and refined products, fertilizers
Exports - partners:
Japan 19.9%, South Korea 17%, Taiwan 11.2%, Singapore 9.9%, US 8.4%,
Netherlands 4.8%, China 4.4% (2007)
Imports:
$20.64 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
food, construction materials, vehicles and parts, clothing
Imports - partners:
US 12.7%, Japan 8.5%, Germany 7.3%, China 6.8%, South Korea 6.6%,
Saudi Arabia 6.2%, Italy 5.8%, UK 4.6% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$2.6 million (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$16.78 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$33.62 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$898 million (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$24.22 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$128.9 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
Kuwaiti dinar (KD)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Kuwaiti dinars (KD) per US dollar - 0.2844 (2007), 0.29 (2006), 0.292 (2005), 0.2947 (2004), 0.298 (2003)
Communications
Kuwait
Telephones - main lines in use:
517,000 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
2.774 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: the quality of service is excellent domestic: new telephone exchanges provide a large capacity for new subscribers; trunk traffic is carried by microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and open-wire and fiber-optic cable; a cellular telephone system operates throughout Kuwait, and the country is well supplied with pay telephones international: country code - 965; linked to international submarine cable Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG); linked to Bahrain, Qatar, UAE via the Fiber-Optic Gulf (FOG) cable; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; satellite earth stations - 6 (3 Intelsat - 1 Atlantic Ocean and 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 hosts:
3,289 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
3 (2000)
Internet users:
900,000 (2007)
Transportation
Kuwait
Airports:
7 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2007)
Heliports:
4 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 269 km; oil 540 km; refined products 57 km (2007)
Roadways:
total: 5,749 km paved: 4,887 km unpaved: 862 km (2004)
Merchant marine:
total: 38 by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 1, carrier 3, container 6, liquefied gas 4, petroleum tanker 22 registered in other countries: 34 (Bahrain 5, Comoros 1, Libya 1, Panama 2, Qatar 7, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saudi Arabia 7, UAE 10) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Ash Shu'aybah, Ash Shuwaykh, Az Zawr (Mina' Sa'ud), Mina' 'Abd
Allah, Mina' al Ahmadi
Military
Kuwait
Military branches:
Land Forces, Kuwaiti Navy, Kuwaiti Air Force (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Kuwaitiya), National Guard (2007)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; reserve obligation to age 40 with 1 month annual training; women have served in police forces since 1999 (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,032,408 females age 16-49: 568,657 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 892,816 females age 16-49: 500,540 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 17,737 female: 18,519 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
5.3% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Kuwait
Disputes - international:
Kuwait and Saudi Arabia continue negotiating a joint maritime boundary with Iran; no maritime boundary exists with Iraq in the Persian Gulf
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Kuwait is a destination country for men and women who migrate legally from South and Southeast Asia for domestic or low-skilled labor, but are subjected to conditions of involuntary servitude by employers in Kuwait including conditions of physical and sexual abuse, non-payment of wages, confinement to the home, and withholding of passports to restrict their freedom of movement; Kuwait is reportedly a transit point for South and East Asian workers recruited for low-skilled work in Iraq; some of these workers are deceived as to the true location and nature of this work, and others are subjected to conditions of involuntary servitude in Iraq tier rating: Tier 3 - insufficient efforts in 2007 to prosecute and punish abusive employers and those who traffic women for sexual exploitation; the government failed for the fourth year in a row to live up to promises to provide shelter and protective services for victims of involuntary domestic servitude and other forms of trafficking (2008)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Kyrgyzstan
Introduction
Kyrgyzstan
Background:
A Central Asian country of incredible natural beauty and proud nomadic traditions, most of Kyrgyzstan was formally annexed to Russia in 1876. The Kyrgyz staged a major revolt against the Tsarist Empire in 1916 in which almost one-sixth of the Kyrgyz population was killed. Kyrgyzstan became a Soviet republic in 1936 and achieved independence in 1991 when the USSR dissolved. Nationwide demonstrations in the spring of 2005 resulted in the ouster of President Askar AKAYEV, who had run the country since 1990. Subsequent presidential elections in July 2005 were won overwhelmingly by former prime minister Kurmanbek BAKIEV. The political opposition organized demonstrations in Bishkek in April, May, and November 2006 resulting in the adoption of a new constitution that transferred some of the president's powers to parliament and the government. In December 2006, the Kyrgyz parliament voted to adopt new amendments, restoring some of the presidential powers lost in the November 2006 constitutional change. By late-September 2007, both previous versions of the constitution were declared illegal, and the country reverted to the AKAYEV-era 2003 constitution, which was subsequently modified in a flawed referendum initiated by BAKIEV. The president then dissolved parliament, called for early elections, and gained control of the new parliament through his newly-created political party, Ak Jol, in December 2007 elections. Current concerns include: privatization of state-owned enterprises, negative trends in democracy and political freedoms, reduction of corruption, improving interethnic relations, and combating terrorism.
Geography
Kyrgyzstan
Location:
Central Asia, west of China
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Asia
Area:
total: 198,500 sq km land: 191,300 sq km water: 7,200 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than South Dakota
Land boundaries:
total: 3,051 km border countries: China 858 km, Kazakhstan 1,224 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: 6.55% permanent crops: 0.28% other: 93.17% note: Kyrgyzstan has the world's largest natural-growth walnut forest (2005)
Irrigated land:
10,720 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
46.5 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 10.08 cu km/yr (3%/3%/94%) per capita: 1,916 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
landlocked; entirely mountainous, dominated by the Tien Shan range; many tall peaks, glaciers, and high-altitude lakes
People
Kyrgyzstan
Population:
5,356,869 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 29.9% (male 817,369/female 784,782) 15-64 years: 64% (male 1,681,440/female 1,748,222) 65 years and over: 6.1% (male 127,263/female 197,793) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 24.2 years male: 23.3 years female: 25 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.38% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
23.31 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
6.97 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-2.55 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.64 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 32.3 deaths/1,000 live births male: 37.33 deaths/1,000 live births female: 27 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.12 years male: 65.12 years female: 73.33 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.67 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
3,900 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Kyrgyzstani(s) adjective: Kyrgyzstani
Ethnic groups:
Kyrgyz 64.9%, Uzbek 13.8%, Russian 12.5%, Dungan 1.1%, Ukrainian 1%,
Uygur 1%, other 5.7% (1999 census)
Religions:
Muslim 75%, Russian Orthodox 20%, other 5%
Languages:
Kyrgyz 64.7% (official), Uzbek 13.6%, Russian 12.5% (official),
Dungun 1%, other 8.2% (1999 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.7% male: 99.3% female: 98.1% (1999 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 12 years male: 12 years female: 13 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
4.9% of GDP (2005)
Government
Kyrgyzstan
Country name:
conventional long form: Kyrgyz Republic conventional short form: Kyrgyzstan local long form: Kyrgyz Respublikasy local short form: Kyrgyzstan former: Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Bishkek geographic coordinates: 42 52 N, 74 36 E time difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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 Askar AKAYEV and passed in a national referendum on 2 February 2003 significantly expanded the powers of the president at the expense of the legislature; during large-scale demonstrations in November 2006, President BAKIEV and the opposition negotiated a new constitution granting greater powers to the parliament and the government; amendments added on 30 December 2006 redistributed some power back to the president, but both November and December 2006 versions were annulled in September 2007, and a new version was approved by referendum on 21 October 2007; the BAKIEV-initiated referendum was criticized by Western observers for voting irregularities, particularly ballot stuffing
Legal system:
based on French and Russian laws; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Kurmanbek BAKIEV (since 14 August 2005) head of government: Prime Minister Igor CHUDINOV (since 24 December 2007) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, appointed by the president; ministers in charge of defense and security, appointed solely by the president elections: Kurmanbek BAKIEV elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 10 July 2005 (next scheduled for 2010); prime minister nominated by the parliamentary party holding more than 50% of the seats; if no such party exists, the president selects the party that will nominate a prime minister election results: Kurmanbek BAKIEV elected president; percent of vote - Kurmanbek BAKIEV 88.6%, Tursunbai BAKIR-UULU 3.9%, other candidates 7.5%
Legislative branch:
unicameral Supreme Council or Jorgorku Kengesh (90 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 16 December 2007 (next to be held in 2012) election results: Supreme Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Ak Jol 71, Social Democratic Party 11, KCP 8
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Constitutional Court (judges of both the Supreme and Constitutional Courts are appointed for 10-year terms by the Jorgorku Kengesh on the recommendation of the president; their mandatory retirement age is 70 years); Higher Court of Arbitration; Local Courts (judges appointed by the president on the recommendation of the National Council on Legal Affairs for a probationary period of five years, then 10 years)
Political parties and leaders:
Ak Jol [Avtandil ARABAYEV, Elmira IBRAIMOVA, Vladimir NIFADYEV,
co-chairs]; Ar-Namys (Dignity) Party [Emil ALIYEV]; Asaba (Banner
National Revival Party) [Azimbek BEKNAZAROV]; Ata-Meken (Fatherland)
[Omurbek TEKEBAYEV]; Democratic Movement of Kyrgyzstan or DDK
[Viktor TCHETRNOMORETS]; Erkindik (Freedom) Party [Topchubek
TURGUNALIYEV]; Moya Strana (My Country Party of Action) [Medet
SADYRKULOV]; Party of Communists of Kyrgyzstan or KCP [Ishak
MASALIYEV]; Party of Justice and Progress [Muratbek IMANALIEV];
Party of Peasants [Esengul ISAKOV]; Republican Party of Labor and
Unity [Tabaldy OROZALIYEV]; Sanjira (Tree of Life) [Ednan
KARABAYEV]; Social Democratic Party [Almaz ATAMBAYEV]; Union of
Democratic Forces [Kubatbek BAIBOLOV]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Adilet Legal Clinic [Cholpon JAKUPOVA]; Coalition for Democracy and
Civil Society [Dinara OSHURAKHUNOVA]; Interbilim [Asiya SASYKBAYEVA]
International organization participation:
ADB, CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA,
MINURCAT, NAM (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SCO, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Zamira SYDYKOVA chancery: 2360 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 449-9822 FAX: [1] (202) 386-7550 consulate(s): New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Tatiana C. GFOELLER embassy: 171 Prospect Mira, Bishkek 720016 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [996] (312) 551-241, (517) 777-217 FAX: [996] (312) 551-264
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 poor, mountainous country with a predominantly agricultural economy. Cotton, tobacco, wool, and meat are the main agricultural products, although only tobacco and cotton are exported in any quantity. Industrial exports include gold, mercury, uranium, natural gas, and electricity. Following independence, Kyrgyzstan was progressive in carrying out market reforms such as an improved regulatory system and land reform. Kyrgyzstan was the first Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) country to be accepted into the World Trade Organization. Much of the government's stock in enterprises has been sold. Drops in production had been severe after the breakup of the Soviet Union in December 1991, but by mid-1995, production began to recover and exports began to increase. The economy is heavily weighted toward gold export and a drop in output at the main Kumtor gold mine sparked a 0.5% decline in GDP in 2002 and a 0.6% decline in 2005. GDP grew more than 6% in 2007, partly due to higher gold prices internationally. The government made steady strides in controlling its substantial fiscal deficit, nearly closing the gap between revenues and expenditures in 2006, before boosting expenditures more than 20% in 2007. The government and international financial institutions have been engaged in a comprehensive medium-term poverty reduction and economic growth strategy. In 2005, Bishkek agreed to pursue much-needed tax reform and, in 2006, became eligible for the heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) initiative. Progress fighting corruption, further restructuring of domestic industry, and success in attracting foreign investment are keys to future growth.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$10.55 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$3.748 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
8.2% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,000 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 33.6% industry: 18.9% services: 47.5% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
2.7 million (2000)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 55% industry: 15% services: 30% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate:
18% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:
40% (2004 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.8% highest 10%: 24.3% (2003)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
30.3 (2003)
Investment (gross fixed):
25.6% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $964.6 million expenditures: $961.1 million (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
10.2% (2007 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
25.32% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$911.1 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$303.7 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$558.3 million (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
tobacco, cotton, potatoes, vegetables, grapes, fruits and berries; sheep, goats, cattle, wool
Industries:
small machinery, textiles, food processing, cement, shoes, sawn logs, refrigerators, furniture, electric motors, gold, rare earth metals
Industrial production growth rate:
9.3% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
15.62 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
8.997 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
2.387 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 7.6% hydro: 92.4% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
964.7 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
12,330 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
2,534 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
14,240 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
40 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
18 million cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
768 million cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
750 million cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
5.663 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
-$267.9 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$1.337 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
cotton, wool, meat, tobacco; gold, mercury, uranium, natural gas, hydropower; machinery; shoes
Exports - partners:
Russia 20.7%, Switzerland 19.9%, Kazakhstan 18%, Afghanistan 10.4%,
Uzbekistan 7.6%, China 5.5% (2007)
Imports:
$2.636 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
oil and gas, machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
Russia 40.5%, China 14.7%, Kazakhstan 12.9%, Uzbekistan 5% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$268.5 million from the US (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$1.177 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$2.966 billion (30 June 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$41.99 million (2005)
Currency (code):
som (KGS)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
soms (KGS) per US dollar - 37.746 (2007), 40.149 (2006), 41.012 (2005), 42.65 (2004), 43.648 (2003)
Communications
Kyrgyzstan
Telephones - main lines in use:
482,100 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
2.152 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: telecommunications infrastructure is growing; fixed line penetration remains low and concentrated in urban areas domestic: multiple mobile cellular service providers with growing coverage; mobile cellular subscribership reached 40 per 100 persons in 2007 international: country code - 996; 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 - 2 (1 Intersputnik, 1 Intelsat); connected internationally by the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 3 (plus 10 repeater stations), FM 23, shortwave NA (2007)
Radios:
520,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
8 (2 countrywide and 6 regional stations; state-owned); note - there are about 20 private TV stations, most of which rebroadcast other channels (2007)
Televisions:
210,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.kg
Internet hosts:
56,905 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
Internet users:
750,000 (2007)
Transportation
Kyrgyzstan
Airports:
30 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 18 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 under 914 m: 3 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 12 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 10 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 254 km; oil 16 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 470 km broad gauge: 470 km 1.520-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 18,500 km paved: 16,909 km (includes 140 km of expressways) unpaved: 1,591 km (2003)
Waterways:
600 km (2007)
Ports and terminals:
Balykchy (Ysyk-Kol or Rybach'ye)
Military
Kyrgyzstan
Military branches:
Army, Air Force, National Guard (2005)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory military service (2001)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,398,878 females age 16-49: 1,419,374 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,061,942 females age 16-49: 1,211,249 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 60,706 female: 58,721 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.4% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
Kyrgyzstan
Disputes - international:
Kyrgyzstan has yet to ratify the 2001 boundary delimitation with Kazakhstan; disputes in Isfara Valley delay completion of delimitation with Tajikistan; delimitation of 130 km of border with Uzbekistan is hampered by serious disputes around enclaves and other areas
Illicit drugs:
limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy for CIS markets; limited government eradication of illicit crops; transit point for Southwest Asian narcotics bound for Russia and the rest of Europe; major consumer of opiates
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Laos
Introduction
Laos
Background:
Modern-day Laos has its roots in the ancient Lao kingdom of Lan Xang, established in the 14th Century under King FA NGUM. For 300 years Lan Xang had influence reaching into present-day Cambodia and Thailand, as well as over all of what is now Laos. After centuries of gradual decline, Laos came under the domination of Siam (Thailand) from the late 18th century until the late 19th century when it became part of French Indochina. The Franco-Siamese Treaty of 1907 defined the current Lao border with Thailand. In 1975, the Communist Pathet Lao took control of the government ending a six-century-old monarchy and instituting a strict socialist regime closely aligned to Vietnam. A gradual return to private enterprise and the liberalization of foreign investment laws began in 1986. Laos became a member of ASEAN in 1997.
Geography
Laos
Location:
Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Southeast Asia
Area:
total: 236,800 sq km land: 230,800 sq km water: 6,000 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: 4.01% permanent crops: 0.34% other: 95.65% (2005)
Irrigated land:
1,750 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
333.6 cu km (2003)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 3 cu km/yr (4%/6%/90%) per capita: 507 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
floods, droughts
Environment - current issues:
unexploded ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; most of the population does not have access to potable water
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, 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 River forms a large part of the western boundary with Thailand
People
Laos
Population:
6,677,534 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 41% (male 1,374,966/female 1,362,945) 15-64 years: 55.9% (male 1,846,375/female 1,885,029) 65 years and over: 3.1% (male 91,028/female 117,191) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 19.2 years male: 18.9 years female: 19.5 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.344% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
34.46 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
11.02 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 79.61 deaths/1,000 live births male: 88.9 deaths/1,000 live births female: 69.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 56.29 years male: 54.19 years female: 58.47 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
4.5 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1,700 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 200 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, Japanese encephalitis, and malaria note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s) adjective: Lao or Laotian
Ethnic groups:
Lao 55%, Khmou 11%, Hmong 8%, other (over 100 minor ethnic groups) 26% (2005 census)
Religions:
Buddhist 67%, Christian 1.5%, other and unspecified 31.5% (2005 census)
Languages:
Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 68.7% male: 77% female: 60.9% (2001 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 9 years male: 10 years female: 8 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
3% of GDP (2006)
Government
Laos
Country name:
conventional long form: Lao People's Democratic Republic conventional short form: Laos local long form: Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao local short form: none
Government type:
Communist state
Capital:
name: Vientiane geographic coordinates: 17 58 N, 102 36 E time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
16 provinces (khoueng, singular and plural) and 1 capital city* (nakhon luang, singular and plural); Attapu, Bokeo, Bolikhamxai, Champasak, Houaphan, Khammouan, Louangnamtha, Louangphrabang, Oudomxai, Phongsali, Salavan, Savannakhet, Viangchan (Vientiane)*, Viangchan, Xaignabouli, 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; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Lt. Gen. CHOUMMALI Saignason (since 8 June 2006); Vice President BOUN-GNANG Volachit (since 8 June 2006) head of government: Prime Minister BOUASONE Bouphavanh (since 8 June 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers Maj. Gen. ASANG Laoli (since May 2002), Maj. Gen. DOUANGCHAI Phichit (since 8 June 2006), SOMSAVAT Lengsavat (since 26 February 1998), and THONGLOUN Sisoulit (since 27 March 2001) cabinet: Ministers appointed by president, approved by National Assembly elections: president and vice president elected by National Assembly for five-year terms; election last held 8 June 2006 (next to be held in 2011); prime minister nominated by president and elected by National Assembly for five-year term election results: CHOUMMALI Saignason elected president; BOUN-GNANG Volachit elected vice president; percent of National Assembly vote - 100%; BOUASONE Bouphavanh elected prime minister; percent of National Assembly vote - 97%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (115 seats; members elected by popular vote from a list of candidates selected by the Lao People's Revolutionary Party to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 30 April 2006 (next to be held in 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LPRP 113, independents 2
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 [CHOUMMALI Saignason]; other parties proscribed
Political pressure groups and leaders:
International organization participation:
ADB, APT, ARF, ASEAN, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO (subscriber),
ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO,
UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador PHIANE Philakone chancery: 2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-6416 FAX: [1] (202) 332-4923
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ravic R. HUSO embassy: 19 Rue Bartholonie, That Dam, Vientiane mailing address: American Embassy Vientiane, APO AP 96546 telephone: [856] 21-26-7000 FAX: [856] 21-26-7190
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 one-party Communist states, began decentralizing control and encouraging private enterprise in 1986. The results, starting from an extremely low base, were striking - growth averaged 6% per year in 1988-2007 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 underdeveloped infrastructure, particularly in rural areas. It has no railroads, a rudimentary road system, and limited external and internal telecommunications, though the government is sponsoring major improvements in the road system with support from Japan and China. Electricity is available in urban areas and in most rural districts. Subsistence agriculture, dominated by rice, accounts for about 40% of GDP and provides 80% of total employment. The economy will continue to benefit from aid from international donors and from foreign investment in hydropower and mining. Construction will be another strong economic driver, especially as hydroelectric dam and road projects gain steam. Several policy changes since 2004 may help spur growth. In late 2004, Laos gained Normal Trade Relations status with the US, allowing Laos-based producers to benefit from lower tariffs on exports. Laos is taking steps to join the World Trade Organization in the next few years; the resulting trade policy reforms will improve the business environment. On the fiscal side, a value-added tax (VAT) regime, slated to begin in 2008, should help streamline the government's inefficient tax system.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$12.8 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$4.028 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
7.5% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,000 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 40.9% industry: 33.2% services: 25.9% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
2.1 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 80% industry and services: 20% (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate:
2.4% (2005 est.)
Population below poverty line:
30.7% (2005 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.4% highest 10%: 28.5% (2002)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
34.6 (2002)
Budget:
revenues: $473.1 million expenditures: $647.2 million (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
1 October - 30 September
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.5% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
12.67% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
28.5% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$327.9 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$717.9 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$285.8 million (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, tobacco, cotton, tea, peanuts, rice; water buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry
Industries:
copper, tin, gold, and gypsum mining; timber, electric power, agricultural processing, construction, garments, tourism, cement
Industrial production growth rate:
12% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
1.639 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
1.344 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
547 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - imports:
367 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 1.4% hydro: 98.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
2,996 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
3,036 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$285 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$970 million (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
wood products, coffee, electricity, tin, copper, gold
Exports - partners:
Thailand 32.7%, Vietnam 14.3%, China 5.9%, South Korea 4.8% (2007)
Imports:
$1.378 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, consumer goods
Imports - partners:
Thailand 68.5%, China 9.3%, Vietnam 5.5% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$379 million (2006 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$540 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$3.179 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
kip (LAK)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
kips (LAK) per US dollar - 9,658 (2007), 10,235 (2006), 10,820 (2005), 10,585.5 (2004), 10,569 (2003)
Communications
Laos
Telephones - main lines in use:
94,800 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.478 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: service to general public is poor but improving; the government relies on a radiotelephone network to communicate with remote areas domestic: multiple service providers; mobile cellular usage growing rapidly; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular subscribership about 25 per 100 persons international: country code - 856; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 7, FM 14, shortwave 2 (2006)
Radios:
730,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
7 (includes 1 station relaying Vietnam Television from Hanoi) (2006)
Televisions:
52,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.la
Internet hosts:
1,015 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)
Internet users:
100,000 (2007)
Transportation
Laos
Airports:
42 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 9 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 33 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 23 (2007)
Pipelines:
refined products 540 km (2007)
Roadways:
total: 29,811 km paved: 4,010 km unpaved: 25,801 km (2006)
Waterways:
4,600 km note: primarily Mekong and tributaries; 2,900 additional km are intermittently navigable by craft drawing less than 0.5 m (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 2,370 GRT/3,110 DWT by type: cargo 1 (2008)
Military
Laos
Military branches:
Lao People's Armed Forces (LPAF): Lao People's Army (LPA; includes
Riverine Force), Air Force (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
15 years of age for compulsory military service; minimum 18-month conscript service obligation (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,549,774 females age 16-49: 1,570,702 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 993,162 females age 16-49: 1,052,053 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 73,973 female: 72,758 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.5% of GDP (2006)
Military - note:
serving one of the world's least developed countries, the Lao People's Armed Forces (LPAF) is small, poorly funded, and ineffectively resourced; its mission focus is border and internal security, primarily in countering ethnic Hmong insurgent groups; together with the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and the government, the Lao People's Army (LPA) is the third pillar of state machinery, and as such is expected to suppress political and civil unrest and similar national emergencies, but the LPA also has upgraded skills to respond to avian influenza outbreaks; there is no perceived external threat to the state and the LPA maintains strong ties with the neighboring Vietnamese military (2008)
Transnational Issues
Laos
Disputes - international:
Southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to check the spread of avian flu; talks continue on completion of demarcation with Thailand but disputes remain over islands in the Mekong River; concern among Mekong Commission members that China's construction of dams on the Mekong River will affect water levels
Illicit drugs:
estimated opium poppy cultivation in 2008 was 1,900 hectares, about a 73% increase from 2007; estimated potential opium production in 2008 more than tripled to 17 metric tons; unsubstantiated reports of domestic methamphetamine production; growing domestic methamphetamine problem (2007)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Latvia
Introduction
Latvia
Background:
The name "Latvia" originates from the ancient Latgalians, one of four eastern Baltic tribes that formed the ethnic core of the Latvian people (ca. 8th-12th centuries A.D.). The region subsequently came under the control of Germans, Poles, Swedes, and finally, Russians. A Latvian republic emerged following World War I, but it was annexed by the USSR in 1940 - an action never recognized by the US and many other countries. Latvia 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 joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.
Geography
Latvia
Location:
Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and
Lithuania
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 64,589 sq km land: 63,589 sq km water: 1,000 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than West Virginia
Land boundaries:
total: 1,382 km border countries: Belarus 171 km, Estonia 343 km, Lithuania 576 km, Russia 292 km
Coastline:
498 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate:
maritime; wet, moderate winters
Terrain:
low plain
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m highest point: Galzina Kalns 312 m
Natural resources:
peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, wood, arable land
Land use:
arable land: 28.19% permanent crops: 0.45% other: 71.36% (2005)
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 (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
49.9 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.25 cu km/yr (55%/33%/12%) per capita: 108 cu m/yr (2003)
Natural hazards:
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, as well as 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, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, 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:
most of the country is composed of fertile, low-lying plains, with some hills in the east
People
Latvia
Population:
2,245,423 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 13.4% (male 154,077/female 146,825) 15-64 years: 69.7% (male 760,976/female 803,106) 65 years and over: 16.9% (male 124,658/female 255,781) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 39.9 years male: 36.9 years female: 43 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
-0.629% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
9.62 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
13.63 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-2.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.49 male(s)/female total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 8.96 deaths/1,000 live births male: 10.85 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.88 years male: 66.68 years female: 77.35 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.29 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.6% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
7,600 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 500 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A vectorborne diseases: tickborne encephalitis (2008)
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% (2002)
Religions:
Lutheran 19.6%, Orthodox 15.3%, other Christian 1%, other 0.4%, unspecified 63.7% (2006)
Languages:
Latvian (official) 58.2%, Russian 37.5%, Lithuanian and other 4.3% (2000 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.7% male: 99.8% female: 99.7% (2000 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 16 years male: 14 years female: 17 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
5.1% of GDP (2004)
Government
Latvia
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Latvia conventional short form: Latvia local long form: Latvijas Republika local short form: Latvija former: Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: Riga geographic coordinates: 56 57 N, 24 06 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
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:
18 November 1918 (from Soviet Russia)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 18 November (1918); note - 18 November 1918 was the date Latvia declared itself independent from Soviet Russia; 4 May 1990 is when it declared the renewal of independence; 21 August 1991 was the date of de facto independence from the Soviet Union
Constitution:
15 February 1922; restored to force by the Constitutional Law of the Republic of Latvia adopted by the Supreme Council on 21 August 1991; multiple amendments since
Legal system:
based on civil law system with traces of Socialist legal traditions and practices; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Valdis ZATLERS (since 8 July 2007) head of government: Prime Minister Ivars GODMANIS (since 20 December 2007) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and appointed by Parliament elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 31 May 2007 (next to be held in 2011); prime minister appointed by the president, confirmed by Parliament election results: Valdis ZATLERS elected president; parliamentary vote - Valdis ZATLERS 58, Aivars ENDZINS 39
Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Saeima (100 seats; members are elected by proportional representation from party lists by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 7 October 2006 (next to be held in October 2010) election results: percent of vote by party - TP 19.5%, ZZS 16.7%, JL 16.4%, SC 14.4%; LPP/LC 8.6%; TB/LNNK 7%; PCTVL 6%; seats by party - TP 23, ZZS 18, JL 18, SC 17, LPP/LC 10, TB/LNNK 8, PCTVL 6; note - seats by party as of February 2008 - TP 21, ZZS 17, SC 17, JL 14, LPP/LC 10, TB/LNNK 5, PCTVL 6, independents 10
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by Parliament);
Constitutional Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by
Parliament)
Political parties and leaders:
First Party of Latvia/Latvia's Way or LPP/LC [Ainars SLESERS, Ivars
GODMANIS]; For Human Rights in a United Latvia or PCTVL [Jakovs
PLINERS]; For the Fatherland and Freedom/Latvian National
Independence Movement or TB/LNNK [Roberts ZILE, Maris GRINBLATS];
Harmony Center or SC [Janis URBANOVICS, Nils USAKOVS]; Latvian
Social Democratic Workers Party (Social Democrats) or LSDSP [Juris
BOJARS]; Latvian Socialist Party or LSP [Alfreds RUBIKS]; New
Democrats or JD [Maris GULBIS]; New Era Party or JL [Einars REPSE,
Krisjanis KARINS]; People's Party or TP [Aigars KALVITIS]; The Union
of Latvian Greens and Farmers Party or ZZS [Augusts BRIGMANIS]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Headquarters for the Protection of Russian Schools (SHTAB)
[Aleksandr KAZAKOV]
International organization participation:
Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO,
NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen
Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate
partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Andrejs PILDEGOVICS chancery: 2306 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 328-2840 FAX: [1] (202) 328-2860
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Charles LARSON Jr. embassy: 7 Raina Boulevard, Riga LV-1510 mailing address: American Embassy Riga, PSC 78, Box Riga, APO AE 09723 telephone: [371] 670-36200 FAX: [371] 678-20047
Flag description:
three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width), and maroon
Economy
Latvia
Economy - overview:
Latvia's economy experienced GDP growth of more than 10% per year during 2006-07. The majority of companies, banks, and real estate have been privatized, although the state still holds sizable stakes in a few large enterprises. Latvia officially joined the World Trade Organization in February 1999. EU membership, a top foreign policy goal, came in May 2004. The current account deficit - more than 22% of GDP in 2007 - and inflation - at nearly 10% per year - remain major concerns.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$40.05 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$27.34 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
10.3% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$17,700 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3.3% industry: 22% services: 74.7% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
1.167 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 13% industry: 19% services: 68% (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate:
5.7% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 29.1% (2003)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
37.7 (2003)
Investment (gross fixed):
32.5% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $10.47 billion expenditures: $10.29 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
7.4% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
10.1% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
6% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
10.91% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$8.196 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$5.113 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$27.56 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
grain, sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish
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:
5.4% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
4.734 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
6.424 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
1.676 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
4.671 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 29.1% hydro: 70.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
35,180 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
10,070 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
45,340 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
2.04 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
2.04 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Current account balance:
-$6.231 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$8.143 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
wood and wood products, machinery and equipment, metals, textiles, foodstuffs
Exports - partners:
Lithuania 15.1%, Estonia 13.8%, Russia 13%, Germany 8.3%, Sweden 7.4%, UK 6.5% (2007)
Imports:
$14.82 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, vehicles
Imports - partners:
Germany 15.1%, Lithuania 13.8%, Russia 8.7%, Estonia 8%, Poland 6.9%, Finland 5.1%, Sweden 4.9% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$162 million (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$5.758 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$33.53 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$8.62 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$699 million (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$2.705 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
lat (LVL)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
lati (LVL) per US dollar - 0.5162 (2007), 0.5597 (2006), 0.5647 (2005), 0.5402 (2004), 0.5715 (2003)
Communications
Latvia
Telephones - main lines in use:
644,000 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
2.217 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: recent efforts focused on bringing competition to the telecommunications sector; the number of fixed lines is decreasing as wireless telephone service expands domestic: number of telecommunications operators has grown rapidly since the fixed-line market opened to competition in 2003; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular subscribership is roughly 125 per 100 persons international: country code - 371; the Latvian network is now connected via fiber optic cable to Estonia, Finland, and Sweden (2007)
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 hosts:
220,082 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
41 (2001)
Internet users:
1.177 million (2007)
Transportation
Latvia
Airports:
42 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 21 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 9 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 21 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 20 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 948 km; oil 82 km; refined products 415 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 2,303 km broad gauge: 2,270 km 1.520-m gauge (257 km electrified) narrow gauge: 33 km 0.750-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 69,675 km paved: 69,675 km (2006)
Waterways:
300 km (2006)
Merchant marine:
total: 22 by type: cargo 8, chemical tanker 3, liquefied gas 2, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 2 foreign-owned: 2 (Estonia 2) registered in other countries: 118 (Antigua and Barbuda 13, Belize 12, Cambodia 1, Cook Islands 1, Cyprus 1, Dominica 1, Jamaica 1, Liberia 21, Malta 19, Marshall Islands 16, Panama 8, Russia 2, Saint Kitts and Nevis 5, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 17) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Riga, Ventspils
Military
Latvia
Military branches:
National Armed Forces (Nacionalo Brunoto Speku): Ground Forces, Navy
(Latvijas Juras Speki; includes Coast Guard (Latvijas Kara Flotes)),
Latvian Air Force (Latvijas Gaisa Speki), Border Guard, Latvian Home
Guard (Latvijas Zemessardze) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished January 2007; under current law, every citizen is entitled to serve in the armed forces for life (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 568,683 females age 16-49: 565,826 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 412,849 females age 16-49: 468,827 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 14,506 female: 13,982 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.2% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
Latvia
Disputes - international:
Russia refuses to sign the 1997 boundary treaty due to Latvian insistence on a unilateral clarificatory declaration referencing Soviet occupation of Latvia and territorial losses; Russia demands better Latvian treatment of ethnic Russians in Latvia; as of January 2007, ground demarcation of the boundary with Belarus was complete and mapped with final ratification documentation in preparation; the Latvian parliament has not ratified its 1998 maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, primarily due to concerns over oil exploration rights; as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Latvia has implemented the strict Schengen border rules with Russia
Illicit drugs:
transshipment and destination point for cocaine, synthetic drugs, opiates, and cannabis from Southwest Asia, Western Europe, Latin America, and neighboring Balkan countries; despite improved legislation, vulnerable to money laundering due to nascent enforcement capabilities and comparatively weak regulation of offshore companies and the gaming industry; CIS organized crime (including counterfeiting, corruption, extortion, stolen cars, and prostitution) accounts for most laundered proceeds
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Lebanon
Introduction
Lebanon
Background:
Following the capture of Syria from the Ottoman Empire by Anglo-French forces in 1918, France received a mandate over this territory and separated out the region of Lebanon in 1920. France granted this area independence in 1943. A lengthy civil war (1975-1990) devastated the country, but Lebanon has since made progress toward rebuilding its political institutions. Under the Ta'if Accord - the blueprint for national reconciliation - the Lebanese established a more equitable political system, particularly by giving Muslims a greater voice in the political process while institutionalizing sectarian divisions in the government. Since the end of the war, Lebanon has conducted several successful elections. Most militias have been disbanded, and the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) have extended authority over about two-thirds of the country. Hizballah, a radical Shia organization listed by the US State Department as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, retains its weapons. During Lebanon's civil war, the Arab League legitimized in the Ta'if Accord Syria's troop deployment, numbering about 16,000 based mainly east of Beirut and in the Bekaa Valley. Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon in May 2000 and the passage in October 2004 of UNSCR 1559 - a resolution calling for Syria to withdraw from Lebanon and end its interference in Lebanese affairs - encouraged some Lebanese groups to demand that Syria withdraw its forces as well. The assassination of former Prime Minister Rafiq HARIRI and 20 others in February 2005 led to massive demonstrations in Beirut against the Syrian presence ("the Cedar Revolution"), and Syria withdrew the remainder of its military forces in April 2005. In May-June 2005, Lebanon held its first legislative elections since the end of the civil war free of foreign interference, handing a majority to the bloc led by Saad HARIRI, the slain prime minister's son. Lebanon continues to be plagued by violence - Hizballah kidnapped two Israeli soldiers in July 2006 leading to a 34-day conflict with Israel. The LAF in May-September 2007 battled Sunni extremist group Fatah al-Islam in the Nahr al-Barid Palestinian refugee camp; and the country has witnessed a string of politically motivated assassinations since the death of Rafiq HARIRI. Lebanese politicians in November 2007 were unable to agree on a successor to Emile LAHUD when he stepped down as president, creating a political vacuum until the election of Army Commander Michel SULAYMAN in May 2008 and the formation of a new cabinet in July 2008.
Geography
Lebanon
Location:
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel and
Syria
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Middle East
Area:
total: 10,400 sq km land: 10,230 sq km water: 170 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: 16.35% permanent crops: 13.75% other: 69.9% (2005)
Irrigated land:
1,040 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
4.8 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 1.38 cu km/yr (33%/1%/67%) per capita: 385 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note:
Nahr el Litani is the 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:
3,971,941 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 26% (male 526,994/female 505,894) 15-64 years: 66.8% (male 1,275,021/female 1,380,131) 65 years and over: 7.1% (male 128,002/female 155,899) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 28.8 years male: 27.6 years female: 30 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.154% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
17.61 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
6.06 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA (2008 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: 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 22.59 deaths/1,000 live births male: 25.08 deaths/1,000 live births female: 19.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.41 years male: 70.91 years female: 76.04 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.87 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
2,800 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Lebanese (singular and plural) adjective: Lebanese
Ethnic groups:
Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1% note: many Christian Lebanese do not identify themselves as Arab but rather as descendents of the ancient Canaanites and prefer to be called Phoenicians
Religions:
Muslim 59.7% (Shia, Sunni, Druze, Isma'ilite, Alawite or Nusayri),
Christian 39% (Maronite Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Melkite Catholic,
Armenian Orthodox, Syrian Catholic, Armenian Catholic, Syrian
Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Chaldean, Assyrian, Copt, Protestant),
other 1.3%
note: 17 religious sects recognized
Languages:
Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 87.4% male: 93.1% female: 82.2% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 13 years male: 13 years female: 13 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
2.7% of GDP (2006)
Government
Lebanon
Country name:
conventional long form: Lebanese Republic conventional short form: Lebanon local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Lubnaniyah local short form: Lubnan former: Greater Lebanon
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Beirut geographic coordinates: 33 52 N, 35 30 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
8 governorates (mohafazat, singular - mohafazah); Aakar, Baalbek-Hermel, Beqaa, Beyrouth, 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 Michel SULAYMAN (as of 25 May 2008) head of government: Prime Minister Fuad SINIORA (since 30 June 2005); Deputy Prime Minister Elias MURR (since April 2005) cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with the president and members of the National Assembly elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a six-year term (may not serve consecutive terms); election last held 25 May 2008 (next to be held in 2014); the prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president in consultation with the National Assembly election results: Michel SULAYMAN elected president; National Assembly vote - 118 for, 6 abstentions, 3 invalidated
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 in four rounds on 29 May, 5, 12, 19 June 2005 (next to be held in spring 2009) election results: percent of vote by group - NA; seats by group - Future Movement Bloc 36; Democratic Gathering 15; Development and Resistance Bloc 15; Free Patriotic Movement 15; Loyalty to the Resistance 14; Qornet Shehwan 6; Lebanese Forces 5; Popular Bloc 4; Tripoli Independent Bloc 3; Kataeb Reform Movement 2; Syrian National Socialist Party 2; Tashnaq 2; Syrian Ba'th Party 1; Democratic Left 1; Democratic Renewal Movement 1; Kataeb Party 1; Nasserite Popular Movement 1; independent 4
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:
14 March Coalition: Democratic Gathering Bloc [Walid JUNBLATT, leader of Progressive Socialist Party]; Democratic Left [Ilyas ATALLAH]; Democratic Renewal Movement [Nassib LAHUD]; Future Movement Bloc [Sa'ad HARIRI]; Kataeb Party [Amine GEMAYEL]; Lebanese Forces [Samir JA'JA]; Tripoli Independent Bloc 8 March Coalition: Development and Resistance Bloc [Nabih BERRI, leader of Amal Movement]; Free Patriotic Movement [Michel AWN]; Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc [Mohammad RA'AD] (includes Hizballah Party [Hassan NASRALLAH]); Nasserite Popular Movement [Ussama SAAD]; Popular Bloc [Elias SKAFF]; Syrian Ba'th Party [Sayez SHUKR]; Syrian Social Nationalist Party [Ali QANSO] Independent: Metn Bloc [Michel MURR]; Tashnaq
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Hizballah military wing other: Palestinian militias; Maronite Christians; Sunnis and their militias; Shi'as and their militias
International organization participation:
ABEDA, ACCT, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol,
IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF,
PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Antoine CHEDID chancery: 2560 28th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-6300 FAX: [1] (202) 939-6324 consulate(s) general: Detroit, New York, Los Angeles
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Michele J. SISON embassy: Awkar, Lebanon; (Awkar facing the Municipality) mailing address: P. O. Box 70-840, Antelias, Lebanon; from US: US Embassy Beirut, 6070 Beirut Place, Washington, DC 20521-6070 telephone: [961] (4) 542600, 543600 FAX: [961] (4) 544136
Flag description:
three horizontal bands consisting of red (top), white (middle, double width), and red (bottom) with a green cedar tree centered in the white band
Economy
Lebanon
Economy - overview:
The 1975-90 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. In the years since, Lebanon has rebuilt much of its war-torn physical and financial infrastructure by borrowing heavily - mostly from domestic banks. In an attempt to reduce the ballooning national debt, the Rafiq HARIRI government in the 1990s began an austerity program, reining in government expenditures, increasing revenue collection, and privatizing state enterprises, but economic and financial reform initiatives stalled and public debt continued to grow despite receipt of more than $2 billion in bilateral assistance at the 2002 Paris II Donors Conference. The Israeli-Hizballah conflict in July-August 2006 caused an estimated $3.6 billion in infrastructure damage, and prompted international donors to pledge nearly $1 billion in recovery and reconstruction assistance. Donors met again in January 2007 at the Paris III Donor Conference and pledged more than $7.5 billion to Lebanon for development projects and budget support, conditioned on progress on Beirut's fiscal reform and privatization program. An 18-month political stalemate and sporadic sectarian and political violence hampered economic activity, particularly tourism, retail sales, and investment, until a new government was formed in July 2008.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$40.44 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$24.64 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.6% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$10,300 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 5.2% industry: 19.5% services: 75.4% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
1.5 million note: in addition, there are as many as 1 million foreign workers (2005 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Unemployment rate:
20% (2006 est.)
Population below poverty line:
28% (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Investment (gross fixed):
22% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $6.178 billion expenditures: $8.35 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
186.6% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.2% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
12% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
10.26% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$2.374 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$57.4 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$45.51 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
citrus, grapes, tomatoes, apples, vegetables, potatoes, olives, tobacco; sheep, goats
Industries:
banking, tourism, food processing, wine, jewelry, cement, textiles, mineral and chemical products, wood and furniture products, oil refining, metal fabricating
Industrial production growth rate:
Electricity - production:
8.764 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
8.161 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
929 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 97.2% hydro: 2.8% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
106,000 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
97,590 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$2.046 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$4.077 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
authentic jewelry, inorganic chemicals, miscellaneous consumer goods, fruit and vegetables, tobacco, construction minerals, electric power machinery and switchgear, textile fibers, paper
Exports - partners:
Syria 25.2%, UAE 11.8%, Switzerland 8.2%, Saudi Arabia 5.6% (2007)
Imports:
$11.93 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
petroleum products, cars, medicinal products, clothing, meat and live animals, consumer goods, paper, textile fabrics, tobacco, electrical machinery
Imports - partners:
Syria 12.1%, Italy 8.5%, France 8.3%, US 7%, China 5.9%, Germany 5.3%, Saudi Arabia 4.8% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
of the $7.6 billion in grants and loans pledged to Lebanon at the Paris III conference in January 2007, Beirut as of mid-December 2007 had signed agreements for $3 billion, including $1 billion in project financing, $750 million in direct budget support, $750 million in private sector credit, and $285 million in in-kind aid; about $500 million of the $1.7 billion pledged for direct budget support has been disbursed to Lebanon; donors in August 2006 also pledged nearly $1.8 billion in aid to help Lebanon recover from the 2006 Israel-Hizballah war; during the conflict, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait provided $1.5 billion in concessional loans to the Lebanese central bank to maintain confidence in the Lebanese currency. (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$20.55 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$31.6 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$8.279 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
Lebanese pound (LBP)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Lebanese pounds (LBP) per US dollar - 1,507.5 (2007), 1,507.5 (2006), 1,507.5 (2005), 1,507.5 (2004), 1,507.5 (2003)
Communications
Lebanon
Telephones - main lines in use:
681,400 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.26 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: repair of the telecommunications system, severely damaged during the civil war, now complete domestic: two wireless networks provide good service; political instability hampers privatization and deployment of new technologies; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular subscribership 50 per 100 persons international: country code - 961; submarine cable link to Cyprus; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean); coaxial cable to Syria (2007)
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 hosts:
36,681 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
22 (2000)
Internet users:
950,000 (2006)
Transportation
Lebanon
Airports:
7 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 43 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 401 km standard gauge: 319 km 1.435 m narrow gauge: 82 km 1.050 m note: rail system became unusable because of damage done during fighting in the 1980s and in 2006 (2006)
Roadways:
total: 6,970 km (includes 170 km of expressways) (2005)
Merchant marine:
total: 33 by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 13, carrier 11, passenger/cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 2, vehicle carrier 2 foreign-owned: 4 (Greece 2, Syria 2) registered in other countries: 55 (Barbados 1, Cambodia 8, Comoros 4, Cyprus 1, Egypt 1, Georgia 4, Honduras 1, Italy 1, North Korea 1, Liberia 2, Malta 11, Mongolia 2, Panama 5, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6, Sierra Leone 1, Syria 3, Togo 1, unknown 2) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Beirut, Tripoli
Military
Lebanon
Military branches:
Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF): Army (includes Navy), Air Force (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18-30 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,106,879 females age 16-49: 1,122,595 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 934,828 females age 16-49: 948,327 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 32,815 female: 31,610 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
3.1% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
Lebanon
Disputes - international:
lacking a treaty or other documentation describing the boundary, portions of the Lebanon-Syria boundary are unclear with several sections in dispute; since 2000, Lebanon has claimed Shab'a Farms area in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights; the roughly 2,000-strong UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has been in place since 1978
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 405,425 (Palestinian refugees
(UNRWA)); 50,000-60,000 (Iraq)
IDPs: 17,000 (1975-90 civil war, Israeli invasions); 200,000
(July-August 2006 war) (2007)
Illicit drugs:
cannabis cultivation dramatically reduced to 2,500 hectares in 2002 despite continued significant cannabis consumption; opium poppy cultivation minimal; small amounts of Latin American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin transit country on way to European markets and for Middle Eastern consumption; money laundering of drug proceeds fuels concern that extremists are benefiting from drug trafficking
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Lesotho
Introduction
Lesotho
Background:
Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon independence from the UK in 1966. The Basuto National Party ruled for the first two decades. King MOSHOESHOE was exiled in 1990, but returned to Lesotho in 1992 and was reinstated in 1995. Constitutional government was restored in 1993 after seven years of military rule. In 1998, violent protests and a military mutiny following a contentious election prompted a brief but bloody intervention by South African and Botswanan military forces under the aegis of the Southern African Development Community. Subsequent constitutional reforms restored relative political stability. Peaceful parliamentary elections were held in 2002, but the National Assembly elections of February 2007 were hotly contested and aggrieved parties continue to periodically demonstrate their distrust of the results.
Geography
Lesotho
Location:
Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 30,355 sq km land: 30,355 sq km water: 0 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, diamonds, sand, clay, building stone
Land use:
arable land: 10.87% permanent crops: 0.13% other: 89% (2005)
Irrigated land:
30 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
5.2 cu km (1987)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.05 cu km/yr (40%/40%/20%) per capita: 28 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 m above sea level
People
Lesotho
Population:
2,128,180 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 35.3% (male 377,784/female 372,840) 15-64 years: 59.8% (male 621,687/female 649,981) 65 years and over: 5% (male 42,348/female 63,540) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 21.2 years male: 20.6 years female: 21.8 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.129% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
24.41 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
22.33 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.67 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 78.59 deaths/1,000 live births male: 83.01 deaths/1,000 live births female: 74.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 40.17 years male: 40.97 years female: 39.34 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.13 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
28.9% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
320,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
29,000 (2003 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: 84.8% male: 74.5% female: 94.5% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 10 years male: 10 years female: 10 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
13% of GDP (2006)
Government
Lesotho
Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesotho conventional short form: Lesotho local long form: Kingdom of Lesotho local short form: Lesotho former: Basutoland
Government type:
parliamentary constitutional monarchy
Capital:
name: Maseru geographic coordinates: 29 19 S, 27 29 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohale's 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; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
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: 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 that 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 depose the monarch, determine who is next in the line of succession, or who shall serve as regent in the event that the successor is not of mature age
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 popular vote and 40 by proportional vote; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms) elections: last held 17 February 2007 (next to be held in 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LCD 61, NIP 21, ABC 17, LWP 10, ACP 4, BNP 3, other 4
Judicial branch:
High Court (chief justice appointed by the monarch acting on the advice of the Prime Minister); Court of Appeal; Magistrate Courts; customary or traditional court
Political parties and leaders:
Alliance of Congress Parties or ACP; All Basotho Convention or ABC
[Thomas THABANE]; Basotholand African Congress or BAC [Khauhelo
RALITAPOLE]; Basotho Congress Party or BCP [Ntsukunyane MPHANYA];
Basotho National Party or BNP [Maj. Gen. Justin Metsing LEKHANYA];
Kopanang Basotho Party or KPB [Pheelo MOSALA]; Lesotho Congress for
Democracy or LCD (the governing party) [Pakalitha MOSISILI]; Lesotho
Education Party or LEP [Thabo PITSO]; Lesotho Workers Party or LWP
[Macaefa BILLY]; Marematlou Freedom Party or MFP [Vincent MALEBO];
National Independent Party or NIP [Anthony MANYELI]; New Lesotho
Freedom Party or NLFP [Manapo MAJARA]; Popular Front for Democracy
or PFD [Lekhetho RAKUOANE]; Sefate Democratic Union or SDU [Bofihla
NKUEBE]; Social Democratic Party of SDP [Masitise SELESO]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Media Institute of Southern Africa, Lesotho chapter [Thabang
MATJAMA] (pushes for media freedom)
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIGA,
NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU,
WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Mabasia MOHOBANE chancery: 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 797-5533 through 5536 FAX: [1] (202) 234-6815
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Robert NOLAN embassy: 254 Kingsway, Maseru West (Consular Section) mailing address: P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100, Lesotho telephone: [266] 22 312666 FAX: [266] 22 310116
Flag description:
three horizontal stripes of blue (top), white, and green in the proportions of 3:4:3; the colors represent rain, peace, and prosperity respectively; centered in the white stripe is a black Basotho hat representing the indigenous people; the flag was unfurled in October 2006 to celebrate 40 years of independence
Economy
Lesotho
Economy - overview:
Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Lesotho relies on remittances from miners employed in South Africa and customs duties from the Southern Africa Customs Union for the majority of government revenue. However, the government has recently strengthened its tax system to reduce dependency on customs duties. Completion of a major hydropower facility in January 1998 permitted the sale of water to South Africa and generated royalties for Lesotho. Lesotho produces about 90% of its own electrical power needs. As the number of mineworkers has declined steadily over the past several years, a small manufacturing base has developed based on farm products that support the milling, canning, leather, and jute industries, as well as a rapidly expanding apparel-assembly sector. The latter has grown significantly mainly due to Lesotho qualifying for the trade benefits contained in the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act. The economy is still primarily based on subsistence agriculture, especially livestock, although drought has decreased agricultural activity. The extreme inequality in the distribution of income remains a major drawback. Lesotho has signed an Interim Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility with the IMF. In July 2007, Lesotho signed a Millennium Challenge Account Compact with the US worth $362.5 million.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$3.063 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.6 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
4.8% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,400 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 15.2% industry: 45% services: 39.7% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
838,000 (2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 86% of resident population engaged in subsistence agriculture; roughly 35% of the active male wage earners work in South Africa industry and services: 14% (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate:
45% (2002)
Population below poverty line:
49% (1999)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 0.9% highest 10%: 43.4% (2002 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
63.2 (1995)
Investment (gross fixed):
51.9% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $779.9 million expenditures: $696.9 million (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
8% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
12.82% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
14.13% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$439.2 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$160.2 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
NA (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock
Industries:
food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts, construction, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
12% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
200 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
226 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
50 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2007 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
1,400 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
1,500 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
$49 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$853 million f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals (2000)
Exports - partners:
US 71.5%, Belgium 25.6%, Canada 1.2% (2007)
Imports:
$1.536 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products
Imports - partners:
China 30%, Hong Kong 29.6%, India 10%, South Korea 6.6%, Germany 6.4%, Pakistan 4.6% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$68.82 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$852 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$689 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Currency (code):
loti (LSL); South African rand (ZAR)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
maloti (LSL) per US dollar - 7.25 (2007), 6.85 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004), 7.5648 (2003)
Communications
Lesotho
Telephones - main lines in use:
53,100 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
456,000 (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: rudimentary system consisting of a modest but growing number of landlines, a small microwave radio relay system, and a small radiotelephone communication system; mobile-cellular telephone system is expanding domestic: privatized in 2001, Telecom Lesotho tasked with providing an additional 50,000 fixed-line connections within five years, a target not met; mobile-cellular service is expanding with a subscribership approaching 25 per 100 persons; rural services are scant international: country code - 266; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios:
Television broadcast stations:
1 (2000)
Televisions:
Internet country code:
.ls
Internet hosts:
83 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)
Internet users:
70,000 (2007)
Transportation
Lesotho
Airports:
28 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 25 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 21 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 7,091 km paved: 1,404 km unpaved: 5,687 km (2003)
Military
Lesotho
Military branches:
Lesotho Defense Force (LDF): Army (includes Air Wing) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 525,203 females age 16-49: 522,485 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 262,101 females age 16-49: 238,350 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 26,084 female: 26,006 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
2.6% of GDP (2006)
Military - note:
Lesotho's declared policy is maintenance of its independent sovereignty and preservation of internal security; in practice, external security is guaranteed by South Africa; restructuring of the Lesotho Defense Force (LDF) and Ministry of Defense and Public Service over the past five years has focused on subordinating the defense apparatus to civilian control and restoring the LDF's cohesion; the restructuring has considerably improved capabilities and professionalism, but the LDF is disproportionately large for a small, poor country; the government has outlined a reduction to a planned 1,500-man strength, but these plans have met with vociferous resistance from the political opposition and from inside the LDF (2008)
Transnational Issues
Lesotho
Disputes - international:
none
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Liberia
Introduction
Liberia
Background:
Settlement of freed slaves from the US in what is today Liberia began in 1822; by 1847, the Americo-Liberians were able to establish a republic. William TUBMAN, president from 1944-71, did much to promote foreign investment and to bridge the economic, social, and political gaps between the descendents of the original settlers and the inhabitants of the interior. In 1980, a military coup led by Samuel DOE ushered in a decade of authoritarian rule. In December 1989, Charles TAYLOR launched a rebellion against DOE's regime that led to a prolonged civil war in which DOE himself was killed. A period of relative peace in 1997 allowed for elections that brought TAYLOR to power, but major fighting resumed in 2000. An August 2003 peace agreement ended the war and prompted the resignation of former president Charles TAYLOR, who faces war crimes charges in The Hague related to his involvement in Sierra Leone's civil war. After two years of rule by a transitional government, democratic elections in late 2005 brought President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF to power. The UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) maintains a strong presence throughout the country, but the security situation is still fragile and the process of rebuilding the social and economic structure of this war-torn country will take many years.
Geography
Liberia
Location:
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 111,370 sq km land: 96,320 sq km water: 15,050 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: 3.43% permanent crops: 1.98% other: 94.59% (2005)
Irrigated land:
30 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
232 cu km (1987)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.11 cu km/yr (27%/18%/55%) per capita: 34 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, 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:
3,334,587 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 44% (male 734,375/female 731,287) 15-64 years: 53.3% (male 879,848/female 896,319) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 45,175/female 47,583) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 18 years male: 17.8 years female: 18.2 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
3.661% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
42.92 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
21.45 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
15.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.95 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 143.89 deaths/1,000 live births male: 159.5 deaths/1,000 live births female: 127.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 41.13 years male: 39.85 years female: 42.46 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.87 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
5.9% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
100,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
7,200 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever water contact disease: schistosomiasis aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever animal contact disease: rabies (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Liberian(s) adjective: Liberian
Ethnic groups:
indigenous African 95% (including Kpelle, Bassa, Gio, Kru, Grebo, Mano, Krahn, Gola, Gbandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai, Dei, Bella, Mandingo, and Mende), 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:
Christian 40%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs 40%
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: 57.5% male: 73.3% female: 41.6% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 10 years male: 11 years female: 8 years (2000)
Education expenditures:
Government
Liberia
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Liberia conventional short form: Liberia
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Monrovia geographic coordinates: 6 18 N, 10 48 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
15 counties; Bomi, Bong, Gbarpolu, 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; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF (since 16 January 2006); note - the President is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF (since 16 January 2006) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 8 November 2005 (next to be held in 2011) election results: Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF elected president; percent of vote, second round - Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF 59.6%, George WEAH 40.4%
Legislative branch:
bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (30 seats; note - number of seats changed in 11 October 2005 elections; 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 11 October 2005 (next to be held in 2011); House of Representatives - last held 11 October 2005 (next to be held in 2011) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - COTOL 7, NPP 4, CDC 3, LP 3, UP 3, APD 3, other 7; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CDC 15, LP 9, COTOL 8, UP 8, APD 5, NPP 4, other 15 note: junior senators - those who received the second most votes in each county in the 11 October 2005 election - will only serve a six-year first term because the Liberian constitution mandates staggered Senate elections to ensure continuity of government; all senators will be eligible for nine-year terms thereafter
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for Peace and Democracy or APD [Togba-na TIPOTEH];
Coalition for the Transformation of Liberia or COTOL [H. Varney
SHERMAN]; Congress for Democratic Change or CDC [George WEAH];
Liberty Party or LP [Charles BRUMSKINE]; National Patriotic Party or
NPP [Roland MASSAQUOI]; Unity Party or UP [Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: demobilized former military officers
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU,
ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Milton Nathaniel BARNES chancery: 5201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 telephone: [1] (202) 723-0437 FAX: [1] (202) 723-0436 consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Linda THOMAS-GREENFIELD embassy: 111 United Nations Drive, P. O. Box 98, Mamba Point, 1000 Monrovia, 10 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [231] 7-705-4826 FAX: [231] 7-701-0370
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:
Civil war and government mismanagement destroyed much of Liberia's economy, especially the infrastructure in and around the capital, Monrovia. Many businesses fled the country, taking capital and expertise with them, but with the conclusion of fighting and the installation of a democratically-elected government in 2006, some have returned. Richly endowed with water, mineral resources, forests, and a climate favorable to agriculture, Liberia had been a producer and exporter of basic products - primarily raw timber and rubber. Local manufacturing, mainly foreign owned, had been small in scope. President JOHNSON SIRLEAF, a Harvard-trained banker and administrator, has taken steps to reduce corruption, build support from international donors, and encourage private investment. Embargos on timber and diamond exports have been lifted, opening new sources of revenue for the government. The reconstruction of infrastructure and the raising of incomes in this ravaged economy will largely depend on generous financial and technical assistance from donor countries and foreign investment in key sectors, such as infrastructure and power generation.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.525 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$730 million (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
9.4% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$500 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 76.9% industry: 5.4% services: 17.7% (2002 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 70% industry: 8% services: 22% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate:
85% (2003 est.)
Population below poverty line:
80% (2000 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: NA expenditures: NA
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
11.2% (2007 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
15.05% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$145.6 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$49.89 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.157 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
rubber, coffee, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, sugarcane, bananas; sheep, goats; timber
Industries:
rubber processing, palm oil processing, timber, diamonds
Industrial production growth rate:
Electricity - production:
320 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
297.6 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
3,687 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
23.37 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
3,593 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$224 million (2007)
Exports:
$1.197 billion f.o.b. (2006)
Exports - commodities:
rubber, timber, iron, diamonds, cocoa, coffee
Exports - partners:
Malaysia 27.5%, Poland 18.5%, Germany 11.5%, US 10.5%, Spain 8.2%,
Norway 5.5% (2007)
Imports:
$7.143 billion f.o.b. (2006)
Imports - commodities:
fuels, chemicals, machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods; foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
South Korea 31.4%, Singapore 22.1%, Japan 14.9%, China 10.1% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$236.2 million (2005)
Debt - external:
$3.2 billion (2005 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
Liberian dollar (LRD)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Liberian dollars (LRD) per US dollar - NA (2007), 59.43 (2006), 53.098 (2005), 54.906 (2004), 59.379 (2003)
Communications
Liberia
Telephones - main lines in use:
6,900 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
563,000 (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: the limited services available are found almost exclusively in the capital Monrovia; coverage extended to a number of other towns and rural areas by four mobile-cellular network operators domestic: fixed line service stagnant and extremely limited; mobile-cellular subscription base growing and teledensity approaching 20 per 100 persons international: country code - 231; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 10, shortwave 2 (2007)
Radios:
790,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
4 (plus 4 repeaters) (2007)
Televisions:
70,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.lr
Internet hosts:
7 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2001)
Internet users:
1,000 (2002)
Transportation
Liberia
Airports:
53 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 51 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 38 (2007)
Railways:
total: 490 km standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 145 km 1.067-m gauge note: sections of railway are inoperable because of damage suffered during the civil war (2008)
Roadways:
total: 10,600 km paved: 657 km unpaved: 9,943 km (2000)
Merchant marine:
total: 2,204 by type: barge carrier 3, bulk carrier 390, cargo 107, chemical tanker 241, combination ore/oil 7, container 750, liquefied gas 84, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 460, refrigerated cargo 103, roll on/roll off 7, specialized tanker 12, vehicle carrier 36 foreign-owned: 2,109 (Argentina 3, Belgium 4, Brazil 3, Canada 7, China 11, Croatia 2, Cyprus 63, Denmark 12, Estonia 1, France 5, Germany 849, Gibraltar 5, Greece 358, Hong Kong 44, India 2, Indonesia 2, Isle of Man 5, Israel 23, Italy 41, Japan 116, South Korea 3, Latvia 21, Lebanon 2, Mexico 2, Monaco 8, Netherlands 6, Nigeria 2, Norway 40, Poland 13, Qatar 4, Romania 2, Russia 94, Saudi Arabia 27, Singapore 32, Slovenia 3, Sweden 10, Switzerland 13, Taiwan 91, Turkey 7, Ukraine 25, UAE 23, UK 20, US 98, Uruguay 3, Vietnam 4) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Buchanan, Monrovia
Military
Liberia
Military branches:
Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL): Army, Navy, Air Force
Military service age and obligation:
16 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 729,813 females age 16-49: 741,223 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 371,287 females age 16-49: 373,265 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 30,448 female: 29,902 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.3% of GDP (2006 est.)
Transnational Issues
Liberia
Disputes - international:
although civil unrest continues to abate with the assistance of 18,000 UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) peacekeepers, as of January 2007, Liberian refugees still remain in Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire, Sierra Leone, and Ghana; Liberia, in turn, shelters refugees fleeing turmoil in Cote d'Ivoire; despite the presence of over 9,000 UN forces (UNOCI) in Cote d'Ivoire since 2004, ethnic conflict continues to spread into neighboring states who can no longer send their migrant workers to Ivorian cocoa plantations; UN sanctions ban Liberia from exporting diamonds and timber
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 12,600 (Cote d'Ivoire) IDPs: 13,000 (civil war from 1990-2004; IDP resettlement began in November 2004) (2007)
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for Southeast and Southwest Asian heroin and South American cocaine for the European and US markets; corruption, criminal activity, arms-dealing, and diamond trade provide significant potential for money laundering, but the lack of well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a major money-laundering center
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Libya
Introduction
Libya
Background:
The Italians supplanted the Ottoman Turks in the area around Tripoli in 1911 and did not relinquish their hold until 1943 when defeated in World War II. Libya then passed to UN administration and achieved independence in 1951. Following a 1969 military coup, Col. Muammar Abu Minyar al-QADHAFI began to espouse his own political system, the Third Universal Theory. The system is a combination of socialism and Islam derived in part from tribal practices and is supposed to be implemented by the Libyan people themselves in a unique form of "direct democracy." QADHAFI has always seen himself as a revolutionary and visionary leader. He used oil funds during the 1970s and 1980s to promote his ideology outside Libya, supporting subversives and terrorists abroad to hasten the end of Marxism and capitalism. In addition, beginning in 1973, he engaged in military operations in northern Chad's Aozou Strip - to gain access to minerals and to use as a base of influence in Chadian politics - but was forced to retreat in 1987. UN sanctions in 1992 isolated QADHAFI politically following the downing of Pan AM Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. During the 1990s, QADHAFI began to rebuild his relationships with Europe. UN sanctions were suspended in April 1999 and finally lifted in September 2003 after Libya accepted responsibility for the Lockerbie bombing. In December 2003, Libya announced that it had agreed to reveal and end its programs to develop weapons of mass destruction and to renounce terrorism. QADHAFI has made significant strides in normalizing relations with Western nations since then. He has received various Western European leaders as well as many working-level and commercial delegations, and made his first trip to Western Europe in 15 years when he traveled to Brussels in April 2004. Libya has responded in good faith to legal cases brought against it in US courts for terrorist acts that predate its renunciation of violence. Claims for compensation in the Lockerbie bombing, LaBelle disco bombing, and UTA 772 bombing cases are ongoing. The US rescinded Libya's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism in June 2006. In late 2007, Libya was elected by the General Assembly to a nonpermanent seat on the United Nations Security Council for the 2008-09 term.
Geography
Libya
Location:
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and
Tunisia
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 1,759,540 sq km land: 1,759,540 sq km water: 0 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 exclusive fishing zone: 62 nm
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: 1.03% permanent crops: 0.19% other: 98.78% (2005)
Irrigated land:
4,700 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
0.6 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 4.27 cu km/yr (14%/3%/83%) per capita: 730 cu m/yr (2000)
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; 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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note:
more than 90% of the country is desert or semidesert
People
Libya
Population:
6,173,579 note: includes 166,510 non-nationals (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 33.2% (male 1,046,400/female 1,002,148) 15-64 years: 62.6% (male 1,988,038/female 1,875,034) 65 years and over: 4.2% (male 128,386/female 133,573) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 23.6 years male: 23.7 years female: 23.5 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.216% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
25.62 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
3.46 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA (2008 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: 0.96 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 21.94 deaths/1,000 live births male: 24.14 deaths/1,000 live births female: 19.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.07 years male: 74.81 years female: 79.44 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.15 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.3% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
10,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Nationality:
noun: Libyan(s) adjective: Libyan
Ethnic groups:
Berber and Arab 97%, other 3% (includes Greeks, Maltese, Italians,
Egyptians, Pakistanis, Turks, Indians, and Tunisians)
Religions:
Sunni Muslim 97%, other 3%
Languages:
Arabic, Italian, English, all are widely understood in the major cities
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 82.6% male: 92.4% female: 72% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 17 years male: 16 years female: 17 years (2003)
Education expenditures:
2.7% of GDP (1999)
Government
Libya
Country name:
conventional long form: Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya conventional short form: Libya local long form: Al Jumahiriyah al Arabiyah al Libiyah ash Shabiyah al Ishtirakiyah al Uzma local short form: none
Government type:
Jamahiriya (a state of the masses) in theory, governed by the populace through local councils; in practice, an authoritarian state
Capital:
name: Tripoli geographic coordinates: 32 53 N, 13 10 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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 UN trusteeship)
National holiday:
Revolution Day, 1 September (1969)
Constitution:
none; note - following the September 1969 military overthrow of the Libyan government, the Revolutionary Command Council replaced the existing constitution with the Constitutional Proclamation in December 1969; in March 1977, Libya adopted the Declaration of the Establishment of the People's Authority
Legal system:
based on Italian and French civil law systems 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 head of government: Secretary of the General People's Committee (Prime Minister) al-Baghdadi Ali al-MAHMUDI (since 5 March 2006) cabinet: General People's Committee established by the General People's Congress 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 March 2006 (next to be held NA) election results: NA
Legislative branch:
unicameral General People's Congress (approximately 2,700 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:
other: Arab nationalist movements; anti-QADHAFI Libyan exile Movement; Islamic elements
International organization participation:
ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC,
OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNAMID,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Ali Suleiman AUJALI chancery: 2600 Virginia Avenue NW, Suite 705, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 944-9601 FAX: [1] (202) 944-9060
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires J. Christopher STEVENS embassy: Serraj Area, Tripoli mailing address: US Embassy, 8850 Tripoli Place, Washington, DC 20521-8850 telephone: [218] 91-220-0125
Flag description:
plain green; green is the traditional color of Islam (the state religion)
Economy
Libya
Economy - overview:
The Libyan economy depends primarily upon revenues from the oil sector, which contribute about 95% of export earnings, about one-quarter of GDP, and 60% of public sector wages. Substantial revenues from the energy sector coupled with 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. Libyan officials in the past five years have made progress on economic reforms as part of a broader campaign to reintegrate the country into the international fold. This effort picked up steam after UN sanctions were lifted in September 2003 and as Libya announced in December 2003 that it would abandon programs to build weapons of mass destruction. Almost all US unilateral sanctions against Libya were removed in April 2004, helping Libya attract more foreign direct investment, mostly in the energy sector. Libyan oil and gas licensing rounds continue to draw high international interest; the National Oil Company set a goal of nearly doubling oil production to 3 million bbl/day by 2015. Libya faces a long road ahead in liberalizing the socialist-oriented economy, but initial steps - including applying for WTO membership, reducing some subsidies, and announcing plans for privatization - are laying the groundwork for a transition to a more market-based economy. The non-oil manufacturing and construction sectors, which account for more than 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. Libya's primary agricultural water source remains the Great Manmade River Project, but significant resources are being invested in desalinization research to meet growing water demands.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$74.72 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$57.06 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.8% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$12,400 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2% industry: 83.1% services: 14.8% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
1.83 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 17% industry: 23% services: 59% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate:
30% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:
7.4% (2005 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Investment (gross fixed):
8.8% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $39.88 billion expenditures: $19.48 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
4.7% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6.3% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
4% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
6% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$18.04 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$3.192 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
NA (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
wheat, barley, olives, dates, citrus, vegetables, peanuts, soybeans; cattle
Industries:
petroleum, iron and steel, food processing, textiles, handicrafts, cement
Industrial production growth rate:
5.6% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
23.98 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
20.71 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
1.845 million bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
278,700 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
1.455 million bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
575.3 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
41.46 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
14.8 billion cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
6.39 billion cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
9.9 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
1.419 trillion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
$26.38 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$42.97 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
crude oil, refined petroleum products, natural gas, chemicals
Exports - partners:
Italy 40.5%, Germany 12.2%, US 7.4%, Spain 7.4%, France 6.3% (2007)
Imports:
$14.43 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery, semi-finished goods, food, transport equipment, consumer products
Imports - partners:
Italy 18.9%, Germany 7.7%, China 7.3%, Tunisia 6.8%, France 5.7%,
Turkey 5.4%, US 4.3% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
ODA, $24.44 million (2005 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$79.6 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$4.837 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$6.286 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$3.333 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
Libyan dinar (LYD)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Libyan dinars (LYD) per US dollar - 1.2604 (2007), 1.3108 (2006), 1.3084 (2005), 1.305 (2004), 1.2929 (2003)
Communications
Libya
Telephones - main lines in use:
852,300 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
4.5 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: telecommunications system is being modernized; mobile cellular telephone system became operational in 1996; combined fixed line and mobile telephone density approached 90 telephones per 100 persons in 2007 domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, cellular, tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations international: country code - 218; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat, NA Arabsat, and NA Intersputnik; submarine cables to France and Italy; microwave radio relay to Tunisia and Egypt; tropospheric scatter to Greece; participant in Medarabtel (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 16, FM 3, shortwave 3 (2001)
Radios:
1.35 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
12 (plus 1 repeater) (1999)
Televisions:
730,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.ly
Internet hosts:
31 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2002)
Internet users:
260,000 (2006)
Transportation
Libya
Airports:
141 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 60 over 3,047 m: 23 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 23 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 2 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 81 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 15 914 to 1,523 m: 41 under 914 m: 18 (2007)
Heliports:
2 (2007)
Pipelines:
condensate 882 km; gas 3,425 km; oil 6,956 km (2007)
Railways:
0 km note: Libya has announced plans to build seven lines totaling 2,757 km of 1.435-m gauge track (2006)
Roadways:
total: 100,024 km paved: 57,214 km unpaved: 42,810 km (2003)
Merchant marine:
total: 17 by type: cargo 9, liquefied gas 3, petroleum tanker 4, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 4 (Kuwait 1, Norway 1, Syria 2) registered in other countries: 3 (Malta 3) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
As Sidrah, Az Zuwaytinah, Marsa al Burayqah, Ra's Lanuf, Tripoli,
Zawiyah
Military
Libya
Military branches:
Armed Peoples on Duty (APOD, Army), Libyan Arab Navy, Libyan Arab
Air Force (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Jamahiriya al-Arabia al-Libyya,
LAAF) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
17 years of age (2004)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,682,183 females age 16-49: 1,611,001 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,439,941 females age 16-49: 1,381,914 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 61,305 female: 58,788 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
3.9% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
Libya
Disputes - international:
Libya has claimed more than 32,000 sq km in southeastern Algeria and about 25,000 sq km in the Tommo region of Niger in a currently dormant dispute; various Chadian rebels from the Aozou region reside in southern Libya
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 8,000 (Palestinian Territories) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Libya is a transit and destination country for men and women from sub-Saharan Africa and Asia trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Libya is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to address trafficking in persons in 2007 when compared to 2006, particularly in the area of investigating and prosecuting trafficking offenses; Libya did not publicly release any data on investigations or punishment of any trafficking offenses (2008)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Liechtenstein
Introduction
Liechtenstein
Background:
The Principality of Liechtenstein was established within the Holy Roman Empire in 1719. Occupied by both French and Russian troops during the Napoleanic wars, it became a sovereign state in 1806 and joined the Germanic Confederation in 1815. Liechtenstein became fully independent in 1866 when the Confederation dissolved. Until the end of World War I, it was closely tied to Austria, but the economic devastation caused by that conflict forced Liechtenstein to enter into 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. In 2000, shortcomings in banking regulatory oversight resulted in concerns about the use of financial institutions for money laundering. However, Liechtenstein implemented anti-money-laundering legislation and a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty with the US went into effect in 2003.
Geography
Liechtenstein
Location:
Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 160 sq km land: 160 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
total: 76 km border countries: Austria 34.9 km, Switzerland 41.1 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: Vorder-Grauspitz 2,599 m
Natural resources:
hydroelectric potential, arable land
Land use:
arable land: 25% permanent crops: 0% other: 75% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Natural hazards:
Environment - current issues:
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: 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:
34,498 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.9% (male 2,892/female 2,927) 15-64 years: 69.8% (male 11,905/female 12,180) 65 years and over: 13.3% (male 1,964/female 2,630) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 40.5 years male: 40 years female: 41 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.713% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
9.86 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
7.42 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
4.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1 male(s)/female under 15 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.52 deaths/1,000 live births male: 6.03 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.95 years male: 76.38 years female: 83.52 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.51 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Nationality:
noun: Liechtensteiner(s) adjective: Liechtenstein
Ethnic groups:
Liechtensteiner 65.6%, other 34.4% (2000 census)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 76.2%, Protestant 7%, unknown 10.6%, other 6.2% (June 2002)
Languages:
German (official), Alemannic dialect
Literacy:
definition: age 10 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100%
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 15 years male: 16 years female: 13 years (2004)
Education expenditures:
Government
Liechtenstein
Country name:
conventional long form: Principality of Liechtenstein conventional short form: Liechtenstein local long form: Fuerstentum Liechtenstein local short form: Liechtenstein
Government type:
constitutional monarchy
Capital:
name: Vaduz geographic coordinates: 47 08 N, 9 31 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
11 communes (Gemeinden, singular - Gemeinde); Balzers, Eschen, Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan, Schellenberg, Triesen, Triesenberg, Vaduz
Independence:
23 January 1719 (Principality of Liechtenstein established); 12 July 1806 (independence from the Holy Roman Empire)
National holiday:
Assumption Day, 15 August
Constitution:
5 October 1921
Legal system:
local civil and penal codes based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
18 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); note - on 15 August 2004, HANS ADAM transferred the official duties of the ruling prince to ALOIS, but HANS ADAM retains status of chief of state head of government: Head of Government (Prime Minister) Otmar HASLER (since 5 April 2001); Deputy Head of Government (Deputy Prime Minister) Klaus TSCHUETSCHER (since 21 April 2005) cabinet: Cabinet elected by the Parliament, confirmed by the monarch elections: the monarch is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party in the Landtag is usually appointed the head of government by the monarch and the leader of the largest minority party in the Landtag is usually appointed the deputy head of government by the monarch if there is a coalition government
Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Landtag (25 seats; members are elected by popular vote under proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 11 and 13 March 2005 (next to be held by 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - FBP 48.7%, VU 38.2%, FL 13%; seats by party - FBP 12, VU 10, FL 3
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Court of Appeal or Obergericht
Political parties and leaders:
Patriotic Union or VU [Adolf HEEB] (was Fatherland Union);
Progressive Citizens' Party or FBP [Marcus VOGT]; The Free List or
FL [Claudia HEEB-FLECK and Egon MATT]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
International organization participation:
CE, EBRD, EFTA, IAEA, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITSO,
ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCL, WIPO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Claudia FRITSCHE chancery: 888 17th Street NW, Suite 1250, Washington, DC 20006 telephone: [1] (202) 331-0590 FAX: [1] (202) 331-3221
Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Liechtenstein; the US Ambassador to Switzerland is 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 its large European neighbors. The Liechtenstein economy is widely diversified with a large number of small businesses. Low business taxes - the maximum tax rate is 20% - and easy incorporation rules have induced many 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 the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and the EU) since May 1995. The government is working to harmonize its economic policies with those of an integrated Europe.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.786 billion (2001 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$36.33 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
11% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$25,000 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 6% industry: 39% services: 55% (2001)
Labor force:
29,500 of whom 13,900 commute from Austria, Switzerland, and Germany to work each day (31 December 2001)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 2% industry: 47% services: 51% (31 December 2001)
Unemployment rate:
1.3% (September 2002)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $424.2 million expenditures: $414.1 million (1998 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1% (2001)
Agriculture - products:
wheat, barley, corn, potatoes; livestock, dairy products
Industries:
electronics, metal manufacturing, dental products, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments, tourism, optical instruments
Industrial production growth rate:
Exports:
$2.47 billion (1996)
Exports - commodities:
small specialty machinery, connectors for audio and video, parts for motor vehicles, dental products, hardware, prepared foodstuffs, electronic equipment, optical products
Exports - partners:
EU 62.6% (Germany 24.3%, Austria 9.5%, France 8.9%, Italy 6.6%, UK 4.6%), US 18.9%, Switzerland 15.7% (2006)
Imports:
$917.3 million (1996)
Imports - commodities:
agricultural products, raw materials, energy products, machinery, metal goods, textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles
Imports - partners:
EU, Switzerland (2006)
Debt - external:
$0 (2001)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
Swiss franc (CHF)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Swiss francs (CHF) per US dollar - 1.1973 (2007), 1.2539 (2006), 1.2452 (2005), 1.2435 (2004), 1.3467 (2003)
Communications
Liechtenstein
Telephones - main lines in use:
20,000 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
27,500 (2005)
Telephone system:
general assessment: automatic telephone system domestic: NA international: country code - 423; linked to Swiss networks by cable and microwave radio relay
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 hosts:
7,639 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
44 (Liechtenstein and Switzerland) (2000)
Internet users:
22,000 (2006)
Transportation
Liechtenstein
Pipelines:
gas 20 km (2007)
Railways:
9 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified) note: belongs to the Austrian Railway System connecting Austria and Switzerland (2006)
Roadways:
total: 380 km paved: 380 km (2007)
Waterways:
28 km (2006)
Military
Liechtenstein
Military branches:
no regular military forces (constitutionally prohibited); Principality of Liechtenstein National Police (Landespolizei, LP) (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 8,102 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 6,584 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 202 female: 222 (2008 est.)
Military - note:
Liechtenstein has no military forces, but is interested in European security policy and is an active member of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)
Transnational Issues
Liechtenstein
Disputes - international:
none
Illicit drugs:
has strengthened money laundering controls, but money laundering remains a concern due to Liechtenstein's sophisticated offshore financial services sector
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Lithuania
Introduction
Lithuania
Background:
Lithuanian lands were united under MINDAUGAS in 1236; over the next century, through alliances and conquest, Lithuania extended its territory to include most of present-day Belarus and Ukraine. By the end of the 14th century Lithuania was the largest state in Europe. An alliance with Poland in 1386 led the two countries into a union through the person of a common ruler. In 1569, Lithuania and Poland formally united into a single dual state, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. This entity survived until 1795, when its remnants were partitioned by surrounding countries. Lithuania regained its independence following World War I but was annexed by the USSR in 1940 - an action never recognized by the US and many other countries. On 11 March 1990, Lithuania became the first of the Soviet republics to declare its independence, but Moscow did not recognize this proclamation until September of 1991 (following the abortive coup in Moscow). The last Russian troops withdrew in 1993. Lithuania subsequently restructured its economy for integration into Western European institutions; it joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.
Geography
Lithuania
Location:
Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Latvia and Russia
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 65,300 sq km land: NA sq km water: NA sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than West Virginia
Land boundaries:
total: 1,574 km border countries: Belarus 680 km, Latvia 576 km, Poland 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad) 227 km
Coastline:
90 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 293.6 m
Natural resources:
peat, arable land, amber
Land use:
arable land: 44.81% permanent crops: 0.9% other: 54.29% (2005)
Irrigated land:
70 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
24.5 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 3.33 cu km/yr (78%/15%/7%) per capita: 971 cu m/yr (2003)
Natural hazards:
Environment - current issues:
contamination of soil and groundwater with petroleum products and chemicals at military bases
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, 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:
fertile central plains are separated by hilly uplands that are ancient glacial deposits
People
Lithuania
Population:
3,565,205 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 14.5% (male 264,668/female 250,997) 15-64 years: 69.5% (male 1,214,236/female 1,263,198) 65 years and over: 16% (male 197,498/female 374,608) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 39 years male: 36.4 years female: 41.6 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
-0.284% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
9 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
11.12 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.53 male(s)/female total population: 0.89 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.57 deaths/1,000 live births male: 7.86 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.67 years male: 69.72 years female: 79.89 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.22 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1,300 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 200 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A vectorborne diseases: tickborne encephalitis (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Lithuanian(s) adjective: Lithuanian
Ethnic groups:
Lithuanian 83.4%, Polish 6.7%, Russian 6.3%, other or unspecified 3.6% (2001 census)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 79%, Russian Orthodox 4.1%, Protestant (including Lutheran and Evangelical Christian Baptist) 1.9%, other or unspecified 5.5%, none 9.5% (2001 census)
Languages:
Lithuanian (official) 82%, Russian 8%, Polish 5.6%, other and unspecified 4.4% (2001 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.6% male: 99.6% female: 99.6% (2001 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 16 years male: 15 years female: 17 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
5% of GDP (2005)
Government
Lithuania
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Lithuania conventional short form: Lithuania local long form: Lietuvos Respublika local short form: Lietuva former: Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: Vilnius geographic coordinates: 54 41 N, 25 19 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
10 counties (apskritys, singular - apskritis); Alytaus, Kauno, Klaipedos, Marijampoles, Panevezio, Siauliu, Taurages, Telsiu, Utenos, Vilniaus
Independence:
11 March 1990 (declared); 6 September 1991 (recognized by Soviet Union)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 16 February (1918); note - 16 February 1918 was the date Lithuania declared its independence from Soviet Russia and established its statehood; 11 March 1990 was the date it declared its 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; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Valdas ADAMKUS (since 12 July 2004) head of government: Prime Minister Andrius KUBILIUS (since 27 November 2008) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the nomination of the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 13 and 27 June 2004 (next to be held in June 2009); prime minister appointed by the president on the approval of the Parliament election results: Valdas ADAMKUS elected president; percent of vote - Valdas ADAMKUS 52.2%, Kazimiera PRUNSKIENE 47.8%; Andrius KUBILIUS approved by Parliament 89-27 with 16 abstentions
Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Seimas (141 seats; 71 members are elected by popular vote, 70 are elected by proportional representation; serve four-year terms) elections: last held 12 and 26 October 2008 (next to be held October 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - TS 19.7%, TPP 15.1%, TT 12.7%, LSDP 11.7%, KDP+J 9%, LRLS 5.7%, LCS 5.3%, LLRA 4.8%, LVLS 3.7%, NS 3.6%, other 8.7%; seats by faction - TS 44, LSDP 26, TPP 16, TT 15, LRLS 11, KDP+J 10, LCS 8, LLRA 3, LVLS 3, NS 1, independent 4
Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; judges for all courts appointed by the president
Political parties and leaders:
Civil Democracy Party or PDP [Viktor MUNTIANAS]; Coalition of Labor
Party and Youth or KDP+J [Viktor USPASKICH]; Electoral Action of
Lithuanian Poles or LLRA [Valdemar TOMASZEVSKI]; Homeland Union -
Lithuanian Christian Democrats or TS [Andrius KUBILIUS]; Lithuanian
Peasant Popular Union or LVLS [Kazimiera PRUNSKIENE]; Liberal and
Center Union or LCS [Arturas ZUOKAS]; Liberal Movement or LRLS
[Eligijus MASIULIS]; National Revival or TPP [Arunas VALINSKAS]; New
Union (Social Liberal) or NS [Arturas PAULAUSKAS]; Order and Justice
Party or TT [Rolandas PAKSAS]; Social Democratic Party or LSDP
[Gediminas KIRKILAS]; Young Lithuania and New Nationalists
[Stanislovas BUSKEVICIUS]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Europe House (promotes the EU); European Movement (promotes the EU);
Lithuanian Future Forum (promotes the EU)
International organization participation:
Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NIB, NSG, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Audrius BRUZGA chancery: temporary address: 2300 Clarendon Boulevard, Suite 302, Arlington, VA 22201 telephone: [1] (202) 234-5860 FAX: [1] (202) 328-0466 consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador John A. CLOUD embassy: Akmenu gatve 6, Vilnius, LT-03106 mailing address: American Embassy, Akmenu Gatve 6, Vilnius LT-03106 telephone: [370] (5) 266 5500 FAX: [370] (5) 266 5510
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 grown rapidly since rebounding from the 1998 Russian financial crisis. Unemployment fell to 3.2% in 2007 while wages continued to grow at double digit rates, contributing to rising inflation. Exports and imports also grew strongly, and the current account deficit rose to nearly 15% of GDP in 2007. Trade has been increasingly oriented toward the West. Lithuania has gained membership in the World Trade Organization and joined the EU in May 2004. Privatization of the large, state-owned utilities is nearly complete. Foreign government and business support have helped in the transition from the old command economy to a market economy.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$59.98 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$38.35 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
8.8% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$16,800 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 5.3% industry: 33.3% services: 61.4% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
1.603 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 15.8% industry: 28.2% services: 56% (2004)
Unemployment rate:
3.5% note: based on survey data, official registered unemployment of 5.7% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
4% (2003)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.7% highest 10%: 27.7% (2003)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
36 (2005)
Investment (gross fixed):
26.6% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $13.28 billion expenditures: $13.75 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
17.3% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.7% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
4.85% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
6.86% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$11.84 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$6.917 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$25.05 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
grain, potatoes, sugar beets, flax, vegetables; beef, milk, eggs; fish
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 jewelry
Industrial production growth rate:
7.4% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
11.91 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
10.4 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
7.217 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
5.846 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 16.5% hydro: 5.7% nuclear: 77.7% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
8,250 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
57,170 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
148,400 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
206,700 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
12 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
3.44 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
3.44 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$5.26 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$17.18 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
mineral products 23%, textiles and clothing 16%, machinery and equipment 11%, chemicals 6%, wood and wood products 5%, foodstuffs 5% (2001)
Exports - partners:
Russia 15%, Latvia 12.9%, Germany 10.5%, Poland 6.3%, Estonia 5.8%,
UK 4.6%, Denmark 4.1%, Belarus 4% (2007)
Imports:
$22.8 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
mineral products, machinery and equipment, transport equipment, chemicals, textiles and clothing, metals
Imports - partners:
Russia 18%, Germany 15%, Poland 10.6%, Latvia 5.5%, Netherlands 4.3% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$249.7 million (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$7.721 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$27.19 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$14.63 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$1.642 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$10.19 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
litas (LTL)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
litai (LTL) per US dollar - 2.5362 (2007), 2.7498 (2006), 2.774 (2005), 2.7806 (2004), 3.0609 (2003)
Communications
Lithuania
Telephones - main lines in use:
799,400 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
4.912 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate; being modernized to provide improved international capability and better residential access domestic: rapid expansion of mobile-cellular services has resulted in a steady decline in the number of main line subscriptions; mobile-cellular teledensity has increased to about 135 per 100 persons while fixed-line teledensity has dropped to 22 per 100 persons international: country code - 370; major international connections to Denmark, Sweden, and Norway by submarine cable for further transmission by satellite; landline connections to Latvia and Poland (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 29, FM 142, shortwave 1 (2001)
Radios:
1.9 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
27 (may have as many as 100 transmitters, including repeater stations) (2001)
Televisions:
1.7 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.lt
Internet hosts:
812,083 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
32 (2001)
Internet users:
1.333 million (2007)
Transportation
Lithuania
Airports:
87 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 30 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 17 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 57 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 53 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 1,695 km; oil 228 km; refined products 121 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 1,771 km broad gauge: 1,749 km 1.524-m gauge (122 km electrified) standard gauge: 22 km 1.435-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 79,984 km paved: 70,997 km (includes 309 km of expressways) unpaved: 8,987 km (2006)
Waterways:
441 km (2006)
Merchant marine:
total: 45 by type: cargo 23, container 2, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 13 foreign-owned: 6 (Denmark 5, Ukraine 1) registered in other countries: 28 (Antigua and Barbuda 5, Cook Islands 1, North Korea 1, Malta 1, Norway 1, Panama 7, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 9, unknown 3) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Klaipeda
Military
Lithuania
Military branches:
Ground Forces, Naval Force, Lithuanian Military Air Forces, National
Defense Volunteer Forces (2005)
Military service age and obligation:
19-45 years of age for compulsory military service; 18 years of age for volunteers; 12-month conscript service obligation (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 915,187 females age 16-49: 906,097 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 678,434 females age 16-49: 749,483 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 25,907 female: 24,735 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.2% of GDP (2006; 1.23% 2007 est.)
Transnational Issues
Lithuania
Disputes - international:
Lithuania and Russia committed to demarcating their boundary in 2006 in accordance with the land and maritime treaty ratified by Russia in May 2003 and by Lithuania in 1999; Lithuania operates a simplified transit regime for Russian nationals traveling from the Kaliningrad coastal exclave into Russia, while still conforming, as a EU member state having an external border with a non-EU member, to strict Schengen border rules; the Latvian parliament has not ratified its 1998 maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, primarily due to concerns over potential hydrocarbons; as of January 2007, ground demarcation of the boundary with Belarus was complete and mapped with final ratification documents in preparation
Illicit drugs:
transshipment and destination point for cannabis, cocaine, ecstasy, and opiates from Southwest Asia, Latin America, Western Europe, and neighboring Baltic countries; growing production of high-quality amphetamines, but limited production of cannabis, methamphetamines; susceptible to money laundering despite changes to banking legislation
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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:
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 2,586 sq km land: 2,586 sq km water: 0 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: 27.42% permanent crops: 0.69% other: 71.89% (includes Belgium) (2005)
Irrigated land:
Total renewable water resources:
1.6 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.06 cu km/yr (42%/45%/13%) per capita: 121 cu m/yr (1999)
Natural hazards:
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-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Geography - note:
landlocked; the only Grand Duchy in the world
People
Luxembourg
Population:
486,006 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 18.6% (male 46,729/female 43,889) 15-64 years: 66.6% (male 163,356/female 160,425) 65 years and over: 14.7% (male 29,206/female 42,401) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 39 years male: 38 years female: 40 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.188% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
11.77 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
8.43 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
8.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.62 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.62 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.18 years male: 75.91 years female: 82.67 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.78 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
fewer than 500 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 100 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Luxembourger(s) adjective: Luxembourg
Ethnic groups:
Luxembourger 63.1%, Portuguese 13.3%, French 4.5%, Italian 4.3%,
German 2.3%, other EU 7.3%, other 5.2% (2000 census)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 87%, other (includes Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 13% (2000)
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.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 14 years male: 13 years female: 14 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
3.4% of GDP (1999)
Government
Luxembourg
Country name:
conventional long form: Grand Duchy of Luxembourg conventional short form: Luxembourg local long form: Grand Duche de Luxembourg local short form: Luxembourg
Government type:
constitutional monarchy
Capital:
name: Luxembourg geographic coordinates: 49 36 N, 6 07 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
3 districts; Diekirch, Grevenmacher, Luxembourg
Independence:
1839 (from the Netherlands)
National holiday:
National Day (Birthday of Grand Duchess Charlotte) 23 June; note - the actual date of birth was 23 January 1896, but the festivities were shifted by five months to allow observance during a more favorable time of year
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) head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Claude JUNCKER (since 20 January 1995); Deputy Prime Minister Jean ASSELBORN (since 31 July 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers recommended by the prime minister and appointed by the monarch elections: the monarch is hereditary; following popular elections to the Chamber of Deputies, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch; the deputy prime minister is appointed by the monarch; they are responsible to the Chamber of Deputies note: government coalition - CSV and LSAP
Legislative branch:
unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (60 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 13 June 2004 (next to be held by June 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - CSV 36.1%, LSAP 23.4%, DP 16.1%, Green Party 11.6%, ADR 10%, other 2.8%; seats by party - CSV 24, LSAP 14, DP 10, Green Party 7, ADR 5 note: there is 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
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:
Alternative Democratic Reform Party or ADR [Robert MENLEN]; Christian Social People's Party or CSV [Francois BILTGEN] (also known as Christian Social Party or PCS); Democratic Party or DP [Claude MEISCH]; Green Party [Francois BAUSCH]; Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party or LSAP [Alex BODRY]; dei Lenk/la Gauche (the Left); 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); Greenpeace (environment protection); LCGP (center-right trade union); Mouvement Ecologique (protection of ecology); OGBL (center-left trade union)
International organization participation:
ADB (nonregional members), Australia Group, Benelux, CE, EAPC, EBRD,
EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO,
ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW,
OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNIFIL, UNRWA, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jean-Paul SENNINGER chancery: 2200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-4171/72 FAX: [1] (202) 328-8270 consulate(s) general: New York, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ann WAGNER 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 - benefiting from its proximity to France, Belgium, and Germany - 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, which now accounts for about 28% of GDP, has more than compensated for the decline in steel. Most banks are foreign owned and have extensive foreign dealings. Agriculture is based on small family-owned farms. The economy depends on foreign and cross-border workers for about 60% of its labor force. Although Luxembourg, like all EU members, suffered from the global economic slump in the early part of this decade, the country continues to enjoy an extraordinarily high standard of living - GDP per capita ranks second in the world, after Qatar. After two years of strong economic growth in 2006-07, turmoil in the world financial markets will slow Luxembourg's economy in 2008, but growth will remain above the European average.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$38.14 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$50.16 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
4.5% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$79,400 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1% industry: 13% services: 86% (2005 est.)
Labor force:
205,000 of whom 121,600 are foreign cross-border workers commuting primarily from France, Belgium, and Germany (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 1% industry: 13% services: 86% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate:
4.4% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.5% highest 10%: 23.8% (2000)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
26 (2005)
Investment (gross fixed):
20.2% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $19.78 billion expenditures: $18.9 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
6.4% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.3% (2007 est.)
Stock of money:
NA note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the Euro Area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 15 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi money circulating within their own borders
Stock of quasi money:
NA (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$357.9 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
wine, grapes, barley, oats, potatoes, wheat, fruits; dairy products, livestock products
Industries:
banking and financial services, iron and steel, information technology, telecommunications, cargo transportation, food processing, chemicals, metal products, engineering, tires, glass, aluminum, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
1.7% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
3.01 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
6.748 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
2.887 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
6.847 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 57.3% hydro: 25.2% nuclear: 0% other: 17.5% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
60,640 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - exports:
281.5 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
63,760 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
1.329 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
1.329 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
$4.921 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$18.42 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, steel products, chemicals, rubber products, glass
Exports - partners:
Germany 21.1%, France 16.3%, Belgium 10.1%, Italy 7.4%, UK 7.1%,
Netherlands 5.4%, Spain 5% (2007)
Imports:
$23.13 billion c.i.f. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
minerals, metals, foodstuffs, quality consumer goods
Imports - partners:
Belgium 27.4%, Germany 23.8%, China 17.1%, France 9.2%, Netherlands 5% (2007)
Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $291 million (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$205.5 million (2006 est.)
Debt - external:
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$79.4 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
euro (EUR)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003)
Communications
Luxembourg
Telephones - main lines in use:
248,200 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
604,200 (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: highly developed, completely automated and efficient system, mainly buried cables domestic: fixed line teledensity over 50 per 100 persons; nationwide cellular telephone system with market for mobile-cellular phones virtually saturated international: country code - 352 (2007)
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 hosts:
180,756 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
8 (2000)
Internet users:
345,000 (2007)
Transportation
Luxembourg
Airports:
2 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Heliports:
1 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 155 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 275 km standard gauge: 275 km 1.435-m gauge (243 km electrified) (2006)
Roadways:
total: 5,227 km paved: 5,227 km (includes 147 km of expressways) (2004)
Waterways:
37 km (on Moselle River) (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 45 by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 3, chemical tanker 15, container 4, liquefied gas 1, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 9 foreign-owned: 44 (Belgium 7, Denmark 1, France 17, Germany 5, Netherlands 2, UK 8, US 4) registered in other countries: 1 (Ukraine 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Mertert
Military
Luxembourg
Military branches:
Army (2007)
Military service age and obligation:
17-25 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; soldiers under 18 are not deployed into combat or with peacekeeping missions; no conscription; Luxembourg citizen or EU citizen with 3-year residence in Luxembourg (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 116,305 females age 16-49: 114,566 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 95,152 females age 16-49: 93,792 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 3,066 female: 2,909 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.9% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
Luxembourg
Disputes - international:
none
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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. In this agreement, China promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic system would not be practiced in Macau, and that Macau would enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years.
Geography
Macau
Location:
Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Southeast Asia
Area:
total: 28.2 sq km land: 28.2 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
less than one-sixth the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
total: 0.34 km regional border: 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:
Land use:
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Natural hazards:
typhoons
Environment - current issues:
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Marine Dumping (associate member), Ship Pollution (associate member)
Geography - note:
essentially urban; an area of land reclaimed from the sea measuring 5.2 sq km and known as Cotai now connects the islands of Coloane and Taipa; the island area is connected to the mainland peninsula by three bridges
People
Macau
Population:
545,674 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.5% (male 47,935/female 42,301) 15-64 years: 75.8% (male 193,571/female 220,108) 65 years and over: 7.7% (male 19,340/female 22,419) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 35 years male: 35.6 years female: 34.5 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
3.148% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
8.69 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
3.43 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
26.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.13 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.88 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 3.23 deaths/1,000 live births male: 3.39 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 84.33 years male: 81.36 years female: 87.45 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
0.9 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Nationality:
noun: Chinese adjective: Chinese
Ethnic groups:
Chinese 94.3%, other 5.7% (includes Macanese (mixed Portuguese and
Asian ancestry)) (2006 census)
Religions:
Buddhist 50%, Roman Catholic 15%, none and other 35% (1997 est.)
Languages:
Cantonese 85.7%, Hokkien 4%, Mandarin 3.2%, other Chinese dialects 2.7%, English 1.5%, Tagalog 1.3%, other 1.6% (2001 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 91.3% male: 95.3% female: 87.8% (2001 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 15 years male: 16 years female: 14 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
2.4% of GDP (2005)
Government
Macau
Country name:
conventional long form: Macau Special Administrative Region conventional short form: Macau local long form: Aomen Tebie Xingzhengqu (Chinese); Regiao Administrativa Especial de Macau (Portuguese) local short form: Aomen (Chinese); Macau (Portuguese)
Dependency status:
special administrative region of China
Government type:
limited democracy
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 on 31 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 for some non-executive positions, 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 HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003) head of government: Chief Executive Edmund HO Hau-wah (since 20 December 1999) cabinet: Executive Council consists of one government secretary, three legislators, four businessmen, one pro-Beijing unionist, and one pro-Beijing educator elections: chief executive chosen by a 300-member Election Committee for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 29 August 2004 (next to be held in 2009) election results: Edmund HO Hau-wah reelected received 296 votes; three members submitted blank ballots; one member was absent
Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Assembly (29 seats; 12 members elected by popular vote, 10 by indirect vote, and 7 appointed by the chief executive; to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 25 September 2005 (next in September 2009) election results: percent of vote - New Democratic Macau Association 18.8%, Macau United Citizens' Association 16.6%, Union for Development 13.3%, Union for Promoting Progress 9.6%, Macau Development Alliance 9.3%, others 32.4%; seats by political group - New Democratic Macau Association 2, Macau United Citizens' Association 2, Union for Development 2, Union for Promoting Progress 2, Macau Development Alliance 1, others 3; 10 seats filled by professional and business groups; seven members appointed by chief executive
Judicial branch:
Court of Final Appeal in Macau Special Administrative Region
Political parties and leaders:
Civil Service Union [Jose Maria Pereira COUTINHO]; Development Union [KWAN Tsui-hang]; Macau Development Alliance [Angela LEONG On-kei]; Macau United Citizens' Association [CHAN Meng-kam]; New Democratic Macau Association [Antonio NG Kuok-cheong]; United Forces note: there is no political party ordinance, so there are no registered political parties; politically active groups register as societies or companies
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Macau Society of Tourism and Entertainment or STDM [Stanley HO];
Roman Catholic Church; Union for Democracy Development [Antonio NG
Kuok-cheong]
International organization participation:
IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), ISO (correspondent), UNESCO (associate),
UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCO, WFTU, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (special administrative region of China)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US has no offices in Macau; US Consulate General in Hong Kong is accredited to Macau
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 has enjoyed strong growth in recent years on the back of its expanding tourism and gaming sectors. Since opening up its locally-controlled casino industry to foreign competition in 2001, the territory has attracted tens of billions of dollars in foreign investment that have helped transform it into the world's largest gaming center. In 2006, Macau's gaming revenue surpassed that of the Las Vegas strip, and gaming-related taxes accounted for 75% of total government revenue. The expanding casino sector, and China's decision beginning in 2002 to relax travel restrictions, have reenergized Macau's tourism industry, which saw total visitors grow to 27 million in 2007, up 62% in three years. Macau's strong economic growth has put pressure its labor market prompting businesses to look abroad to meet their staffing needs. The resulting influx of non-resident workers, who totaled one-fifth of the workforce in 2006, has fueled tensions among some segments of the population. Macau's traditional manufacturing industry has been in a slow decline. In 2006, exports of textiles and garments generated only $1.8 billion compared to $6.9 billion in gross gaming receipts. Macau's textile industry will continue to move to the mainland because of the termination in 2005 of the Multi-Fiber Agreement, which provided a near guarantee of export markets, leaving the territory more dependent on gambling and trade-related services to generate growth. However, the Closer Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Macau and mainland China that came into effect on 1 January 2004 offers many Macau-made products tariff-free access to the mainland. Macau's currency, the Pataca, is closely tied to the Hong Kong dollar, which is also freely accepted in the territory.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$12.5 billion (2006)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$14.3 billion (2006)
GDP - real growth rate:
16.6% (2006)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$28,400 (2006)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 0.1% industry: 3.9% services: 96% (2006 est.)
Labor force:
275,000 (2006)
Labor force - by occupation:
manufacturing 11.1%, construction 11.7%, transport and communications 6.3%, wholesale and retail trade 13.7%, restaurants and hotels 11.3%, gambling 19.8%, public sector 7.7%, financial services 2.6%, other services and agriculture 15.7% (2006)
Unemployment rate:
3.1% (2006)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $4.6 billion expenditures: $3.4 billion (2006)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
7.2% (2006)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
7.81% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$1.16 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$21.91 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
NA (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
only 2% of land area is cultivated, mainly by vegetable growers; fishing, mostly for crustaceans, is important; some of the catch is exported to Hong Kong
Industries:
tourism, gambling, clothing, textiles, electronics, footwear, toys
Industrial production growth rate:
3.8% (3rd quarter, 2007)
Electricity - production:
1.454 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
2.984 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
1.683 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
16,570 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
13,870 bbl/day (2006)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Exports:
$2.557 billion f.o.b.; note - includes reexports (2006)
Exports - commodities:
clothing, textiles, footwear, toys, electronics, machinery and parts
Exports - partners:
US 40.6%, China 14.8%, Hong Kong 13.1%, Germany 6.4%, UK 4% (2007)
Imports:
$4.559 billion c.i.f. (2006)
Imports - commodities:
raw materials and semi-manufactured goods, consumer goods (foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco), capital goods, mineral fuels and oils
Imports - partners:
China 42.6%, Hong Kong 10.1%, Japan 9%, US 5.6%, Germany 4.4%,
France 4.2% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$13.7 million (2004)
Debt - external:
$0 (2006)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$6.5 billion (2006)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$1.1 billion (2006)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$413.1 million (2004)
Currency (code):
pataca (MOP)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
patacas (MOP) per US dollar - 8.011 (2007), 8.0015 (2006), 8.011 (2005), 8.022 (2004), 8.021 (2003)
Communications
Macau
Telephones - main lines in use:
177,851 (2008)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
856,200 (2008)
Telephone system:
general assessment: fairly modern communication facilities maintained for domestic and international services domestic: termination of monopoly over mobile-cellular telephone services in 2001 spurred sharp increase in subscriptions with mobile-cellular teledensity approaching 190 per 100 persons in 2008; fixed-line subscribership appears to have peaked and is now in decline international: country code - 853; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 submarine cable network that provides links to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; HF radiotelephone communication facility; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:
160,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (2006)
Televisions:
49,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.mo
Internet hosts:
263 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)
Internet users:
300,000 (2007)
Transportation
Macau
Airports:
1 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2007)
Heliports:
1 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 384 km paved: 384 km (2006)
Ports and terminals:
Macau
Military
Macau
Military branches:
no regular military forces; defense is the responsibility of China (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 121,825 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 100,826 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 4,601 female: 4,171 (2008 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of China
Transnational Issues
Macau
Disputes - international:
none
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for drugs going into mainland China; consumer of opiates and amphetamines
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Macedonia
Introduction
Macedonia
Background:
Macedonia gained its independence peacefully from Yugoslavia in 1991, but Greece's objection to the new state's use of what it considered a Hellenic name and symbols delayed international recognition, which occurred under the provisional designation of "the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia." In 1995, Greece lifted a 20-month trade embargo and the two countries agreed to normalize relations. The United States began referring to Macedonia by its constitutional name, Republic of Macedonia, in 2004 and negotiations continue between Greece and Macedonia to resolve the name issue. Some ethnic Albanians, angered by perceived political and economic inequities, launched an insurgency in 2001 that eventually won the support of the majority of Macedonia's Albanian population and led to the internationally-brokered Framework Agreement, which ended the fighting by establishing a set of new laws enhancing the rights of minorities. Fully implementating the Framework Agreement and stimulating economic growth and development continue to be challenges for Macedonia, although progress has been made on both fronts over the past several years.
Geography
Macedonia
Location:
Southeastern Europe, north of Greece
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 25,333 sq km land: 24,856 sq km water: 477 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Vermont
Land boundaries:
total: 766 km border countries: Albania 151 km, Bulgaria 148 km, Greece 246 km, Kosovo 159 km, Serbia 62 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
warm, dry summers and autumns; 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) 2,764 m
Natural resources:
low-grade iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, manganese, nickel, tungsten, gold, silver, asbestos, gypsum, timber, arable land
Land use:
arable land: 22.01% permanent crops: 1.79% other: 76.2% (2005)
Irrigated land:
550 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
6.4 cu km (2001)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 2.27 per capita: 1,118 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
high seismic risks
Environment - current issues:
air pollution from metallurgical plants
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, 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
Population:
2,061,315 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 19.5% (male 207,954/female 193,428) 15-64 years: 69.3% (male 719,708/female 708,033) 65 years and over: 11.3% (male 101,036/female 131,156) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 34.8 years male: 33.8 years female: 35.8 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.262% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
12 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
8.81 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.08 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 (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 9.27 deaths/1,000 live births male: 9.45 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.45 years male: 71.95 years female: 77.13 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.58 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
fewer than 200 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 100 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Macedonian(s) adjective: Macedonian
Ethnic groups:
Macedonian 64.2%, Albanian 25.2%, Turkish 3.9%, Roma (Gypsy) 2.7%,
Serb 1.8%, other 2.2% (2002 census)
Religions:
Macedonian Orthodox 64.7%, Muslim 33.3%, other Christian 0.37%, other and unspecified 1.63% (2002 census)
Languages:
Macedonian 66.5%, Albanian 25.1%, Turkish 3.5%, Roma 1.9%, Serbian 1.2%, other 1.8% (2002 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.1% male: 98.2% female: 94.1% (2002 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 12 years male: 12 years female: 12 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
3.5% of GDP (2002)
Government
Macedonia
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Macedonia conventional short form: Macedonia local long form: Republika Makedonija local short form: Makedonija note: the provisional designation used by the UN, EU, and NATO is the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) former: People's Republic of Macedonia, Socialist Republic of Macedonia
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: Skopje geographic coordinates: 42 00 N, 21 26 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
84 municipalities (opstini, singular - opstina); Aerodrom (Skopje),
Aracinovo, Berovo, Bitola, Bogdanci, Bogovinje, Bosilovo, Brvenica,
Butel (Skopje), Cair (Skopje), Caska, Centar (Skopje), Centar Zupa,
Cesinovo-Oblesevo, Cucer-Sandevo, Debar, Debarca, Delcevo, Demir
Hisar, Demir Kapija, Dojran, Dolneni, Drugovo, Gazi Baba (Skopje),
Gevgelija, Gjorce Petrov (Skopje), Gostivar, Gradsko, Ilinden,
Jegunovce, Karbinci, Karpos (Skopje), Kavadarci, Kicevo, Kisela Voda
(Skopje), Kocani, Konce, Kratovo, Kriva Palanka, Krivogastani,
Krusevo, Kumanovo, Lipkovo, Lozovo, Makedonska Kamenica, Makedonski
Brod, Mavrovo i Rostusa, Mogila, Negotino, Novaci, Novo Selo, Ohrid,
Oslomej, Pehcevo, Petrovec, Plasnica, Prilep, Probistip, Radovis,
Rankovce, Resen, Rosoman, Saraj (Skopje), Sopiste, Staro Nagoricane,
Stip, Struga, Strumica, Studenicani, Suto Orizari (Skopje), Sveti
Nikole, Tearce, Tetovo, Valandovo, Vasilevo, Veles, Vevcani, Vinica,
Vranestica, Vrapciste, Zajas, Zelenikovo, Zelino, Zrnovci
note: the 10 municipalities followed by Skopje in parentheses
collectively constitute the larger Skopje Municipality
Independence:
8 September 1991 (referendum by registered voters endorsed independence from Yugoslavia)
National holiday:
Ilinden Uprising Day, 2 August (1903); note - also known as Saint
Elijah's Day
Constitution:
adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991; amended November 2001 by a series of new constitutional amendments strengthening minority rights and in 2005 with amendments related to the judiciary
Legal system:
based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Branko CRVENKOVSKI (since 12 May 2004) head of government: Prime Minister Nikola GRUEVSKI (since 26 August 2006) 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, NSDP, PDSh/DPA, and several small parties elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); two-round election last held 14 April and 28 April 2004 (next to be held by April 2009); prime minister elected by the Assembly following legislative elections election results: Branko CRVENKOVSKI elected president on second-round ballot; percent of vote - Branko CRVENKOVSKI 62.7%, Sasko KEDEV 37.3%
Legislative branch:
unicameral Assembly or Sobranie (120 seats; members elected by popular vote from party lists based on the percentage of the overall vote the parties gain in each of six electoral districts; serve four-year terms) elections: last held 1 June 2008 (next to be held by July 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - For a Better Macedonia 48.80%, Sun-Coalition for Europe 23.65%, Democratic Union for Integration 12.77%, Democratic Party of Albanians 8.48%, Party for European Future 1.47%, other 4.83%; seats by party - For a Better Macedonia 63, Sun-Coalition for Europe 27, Democratic Union for Integration 18, Democratic Party of Albanians 11, Party for European Future 1
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court - the Assembly appoints the judges; Constitutional
Court - the Assembly appoints the judges; Republican Judicial
Council - the Assembly appoints the judges
Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Alliance [Pavle TRAJANOV]; Democratic League of Bosniaks
[Rafet MUMINOVIC]; Democratic Party of Albanians or PDSh/DPA [Menduh
THACI]; Democratic Party of Serbs [Ivan STOILJKOVIC]; Democratic
Party of Turks [Kenan HASIPI]; Democratic Renewal of Macedonia
[Liljana POPOVSKA]; Democratic Union of Albanians or BDSh [BardYL
MAHMUTI]; Democratic Union of Vlachs for Macedonia [Mitko KOSTOV];
Democratic Union for Integration or BDI/DUI [Ali AHMETI]; For a
Better Macedonia coalition [Nikola GRUEVSKI] (includes VMRO-DPMNE,
SP, Democratic Union, Democratic Renewal of Macedonia, Democratic
Party of Turks, Democratic Party of Serbs, SR, and smaller parties);
Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Democratic Party for
Macedonian National Unity or VMRO-DPMNE [Nikola GRUEVSKI]; Internal
Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-People's Party or VMRO-Narodna
[Gjorgji TRENDAFILOV]; League for Democracy [Gjorgi MARJANOVIC];
Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Jovan MANSIEVSKI]; Liberal Party
[Stojan ANDOV]; National Alternative [Harun ALIU]; National
Democratic Union or BDK [Hysni SHAQIR]; New Social Democratic Party
or NSDP [Tito PETKOVSKI]; Party for Democratic Prosperity or PPD/PDP
[Abduljhadi VEJSELI]; Party for European Future or PEI [Fijat
CANOSKI]; Party of Free Democrats or PSD [Ljubco JORDANOVSKI];
Social Democratic Alliance of Macedonia or SDSM [Zoran ZAEV (until
May 2009)]; Socialist Party of Macedonia or SP [Ljubisav
IVANOV-ZINGO]; Sun-Coalition for Europe [Radmila SKERINSKA]
(includes SDSM, NSDP, LDP, Liberal Party and smaller parties); Union
of Romas or SR [Shaban SALIU]; United Party for Emancipation or OPE
[Nezdet MUSTAFA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Federation of Free Trade Unions [Svetlana PETROVIC]; Federation of
Trade Unions [Vanco MURATOVSKI]; Trade Union of Education, Science
and Culture [Dojcin CVETANOSKI]; World Macedonian Congress [Todor
PETROV]
International organization participation:
BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU,
ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SECI, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Zoran JOLEVSKI chancery: 2129 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 667-0501 FAX: [1] (202) 667-2131 consulate(s) general: New York, Southfield (Michigan); note - consulate general in Chicago is due to open in 2008
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Philip T. REEKER embassy: Bul. Ilindenska bb, 1000 Skopje mailing address: American Embassy Skopje, US Department of State, 7120 Skopje Place, Washington, DC 20521-7120 (pouch) telephone: [389] 2 311-6180 FAX: [389] 2 311-7103
Flag description:
a yellow sun with eight broadening rays extending to the edges of the red field
Economy
Macedonia
Economy - overview:
At independence in September 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 central government and eliminated advantages from inclusion in a de facto free trade area. An absence of infrastructure, UN sanctions on the downsized Yugoslavia, 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. In 2001, during a civil conflict, the economy shrank 4.5% because of decreased trade, intermittent border closures, increased deficit spending on security needs, and investor uncertainty. Growth barely recovered in 2002 to 0.9%, then averaged 4% per year during 2003-07, expanding to 5.1% in 2007. Macedonia has maintained macroeconomic stability with low inflation, but it has so far lagged the region in attracting foreign investment and creating jobs, despite making extensive fiscal and business sector reforms. Official unemployment remains high at nearly 35%, but may be overstated based on the existence of an extensive gray market, estimated to be more than 20 percent of GDP, that is not captured by official statistics.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$17.35 billion note: Macedonia has a large informal sector (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$7.497 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.1% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$8,400 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 11.9% industry: 28.2% services: 59.9% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
890,000 (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 19.6% industry: 30.4% services: 50% (September 2007)
Unemployment rate:
34.9% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
29.8% (2006)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.4% highest 10%: 29.6% (2003)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
39 (2003)
Investment (gross fixed):
17.7% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $2.508 billion expenditures: $2.487 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
30.8% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.3% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
6.5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
10.23% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$1.173 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$3.127 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$2.924 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
grapes, wine, tobacco, vegetables, fruits; milk, eggs
Industries:
food processing, beverages, textiles, chemicals, iron, steel, cement, energy, pharmaceuticals
Industrial production growth rate:
1.7% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
6.051 billion kWh (2007)
Electricity - consumption:
8.651 billion kWh (2007)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
2.6 billion kWh (2007)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 83.7% hydro: 16.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007)
Oil - consumption:
19,590 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
6,768 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
26,470 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
100 million cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
102.8 million cu m (2007)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
-$249 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$3.35 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
food, beverages, tobacco; textiles, miscellaneous manufactures, iron and steel
Exports - partners:
Serbia and Montenegro 19.2%, Germany 14.5%, Greece 10.4%, Italy 10.1%, Bulgaria 9.8%, Croatia 5.6%, Belgium 5%, Spain 5% (2007)
Imports:
$4.977 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, automobiles, chemicals, fuels, food products
Imports - partners:
Germany 13.2%, Greece 12.9%, Bulgaria 9.6%, Serbia and Montenegro 7.7%, Turkey 6.6%, Italy 6.3%, Slovenia 5% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$230.3 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$2.265 billion (31 December 2007)
Debt - external:
$3.967 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$2.405 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$646 million (2005)
Currency (code):
Macedonian denar (MKD)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Macedonian denars (MKD) per US dollar - 44.732 (2007), 48.978 (2006), 48.92 (2005), 49.41 (2004), 54.322 (2003)
Communications
Macedonia
Telephones - main lines in use:
463,600 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.518 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: competition from the mobile-cellular segment of the telecommunications market has led to a drop in fixed-line telephone subscriptions domestic: combined fixed line and mobile telephone density approaching 100 per 100 persons international: country code - 389 (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 29, FM 63, shortwave 0 (2007)
Radios:
410,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
52 (2007)
Televisions:
510,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.mk
Internet hosts:
36,905 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
6 (2000)
Internet users:
685,000 (2007)
Transportation
Macedonia
Airports:
17 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 under 914 m: 8 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 4 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 268 km; oil 120 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 699 km standard gauge: 699 km 1.435-m gauge (223 km electrified) (2006)
Roadways:
total: 13,182 km (includes 208 km of expressways) (2002)
Military
Macedonia
Military branches:
Army of the Republic of Macedonia (ARM): Joint Operational Command, with subordinate Air Wing (Makedonsko Voeno Vozduhoplovstvo, MVV), Special Operations Regiment (2007)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 532,856 females age 16-49: 513,684 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 444,693 females age 16-49: 428,341 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 15,141 female: 14,434 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
6% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
Macedonia
Disputes - international:
Kosovo and Macedonia completed demarcation of their boundary in
September 2008; Greece continues to reject the use of the name
Macedonia or Republic of Macedonia
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: fewer than 1,000 (ethnic conflict in 2001) (2007)
Illicit drugs:
major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and hashish; minor transit point for South American cocaine destined for Europe; although not a financial center and most criminal activity is thought to be domestic, money laundering is a problem due to a mostly cash-based economy and weak enforcement
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Madagascar
Introduction
Madagascar
Background:
Formerly an independent kingdom, Madagascar became a French colony in 1896 but regained 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. RAVALOMANANA is now in his second term following a landslide victory in the generally free and fair presidential elections of 2006.
Geography
Madagascar
Location:
Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 587,040 sq km land: 581,540 sq km water: 5,500 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly less than twice the size of Arizona
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
4,828 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or 100 nm from the 2,500-m isobath
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: 5.03% permanent crops: 1.02% other: 93.95% (2005)
Irrigated land:
10,860 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
337 cu km (1984)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 14.96 cu km/yr (3%/2%/96%) per capita: 804 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
periodic cyclones, drought, and locust infestation
Environment - current issues:
soil erosion results from deforestation and overgrazing; desertification; surface water contaminated with raw sewage and other organic wastes; several endangered species of flora and fauna unique to the island
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, 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:
20,042,552 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 43.7% (male 4,408,615/female 4,349,862) 15-64 years: 53.2% (male 5,298,805/female 5,371,764) 65 years and over: 3.1% (male 275,087/female 338,418) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 17.9 years male: 17.7 years female: 18.1 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
3.005% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
38.38 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
8.32 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA (2008 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: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 55.59 deaths/1,000 live births male: 60.59 deaths/1,000 live births female: 50.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 62.52 years male: 60.58 years female: 64.51 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.19 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.7% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
140,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
7,500 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: chikungunya, malaria, and plague water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2008)
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:
English (official), French (official), Malagasy (official)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 68.9% male: 75.5% female: 62.5% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 9 years male: 10 years female: 9 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
3.1% of GDP (2006)
Government
Madagascar
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Madagascar conventional short form: Madagascar local long form: Republique de Madagascar/Repoblikan'i Madagasikara local short form: Madagascar/Madagasikara former: Malagasy Republic
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Antananarivo geographic coordinates: 18 55 S, 47 31 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Marc RAVALOMANANA (since 6 May 2002) head of government: Prime Minister Charles RABEMANANJARA (25 January 2007) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 3 December 2006 (next to be held in December 2011); prime minister appointed by the president election results: percent of vote - Marc RAVALOMANANA 54.8%, Jean LAHINIRIKO 11.7%, Roland RATSIRAKA 10.1%, Herizo RAZAFIMAHALEO 9.1%, Norbert RATSIRAHONANA 4.2%, Ny Hasina ANDRIAMANJATO 4.2%, Elia RAVELOMANANTSOA 2.6%, Pety RAKOTONIAINA 1.7%, other 1.6%
Legislative branch:
bicameral legislature consists of a National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (127 seats - reduced from 160 seats by an April 2007 national referendum; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and a Senate or Senat (100 seats; two-thirds of the seats filled by regional assemblies; the remaining one-third of seats appointed by the president; to serve four-year terms) elections: National Assembly - last held 23 September 2007 (next to be held in 2011) election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - TIM 106, LEADER/Fanilo 1, independents 20
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Constitutional Court or Haute
Cour Constitutionnelle
Political parties and leaders:
Association for the Rebirth of Madagascar or AREMA [Pierrot
RAJAONARIVELO]; Democratic Party for Union in Madagascar or PSDUM
[Jean LAHINIRIKO]; Economic Liberalism and Democratic Action for
National Recovery or LEADER/Fanilo [Herizo RAZAFIMAHALEO]; Fihaonana
Party or FP [Guy-Willy RAZANAMASY]; I Love Madagascar or TIM [Marc
RAVALOMANANA]; Renewal of the Social Democratic Party or RPSD
[Evariste MARSON]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Committee for the Defense of Truth and Justice or KMMR; Committee for National Reconciliation or CRN [Albert Zafy]; National Council of Christian Churches or FFKM
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,
ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, SADC,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jocelyn Bertin RADIFERA chancery: 2374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-5525, 5526 FAX: [1] (202) 265-3034 consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador R. Niels MARQUARDT embassy: 14-16 Rue Rainitovo, Antsahavola, Antananarivo 101 mailing address: B. P. 620, Antsahavola, Antananarivo telephone: [261] (20) 22-212-57, 22-212-73, 22-209-56 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:
Having discarded past socialist economic policies, Madagascar has since the mid 1990s followed a World Bank- and IMF-led policy of privatization and liberalization. This strategy placed the country on a slow and steady growth path from an extremely low level. Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is a mainstay of the economy, accounting for more than one-fourth of GDP and employing 80% of the population. Exports of apparel have boomed in recent years primarily due to duty-free access to the US. Deforestation and erosion, aggravated by the use of firewood as the primary source of fuel, are serious concerns. President RAVALOMANANA has worked aggressively to revive the economy following the 2002 political crisis, which triggered a 12% drop in GDP that year. Poverty reduction and combating corruption will be the centerpieces of economic policy for the next few years.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$18.44 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$7.322 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
6.3% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$900 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 26.8% industry: 15.8% services: 57.4% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
7.3 million (2000)
Population below poverty line:
50% (2004 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.9% highest 10%: 36.6% (2001)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
47.5 (2001)
Investment (gross fixed):
25.9% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $1.319 billion expenditures: $1.629 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
10.3% (2007 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
45% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$1.161 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$577.4 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$767.5 million (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), beans, bananas, peanuts; livestock products
Industries:
meat processing, seafood, soap, breweries, tanneries, sugar, textiles, glassware, cement, automobile assembly plant, paper, petroleum, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
6% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
1.045 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
907 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 36.1% hydro: 63.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
92.18 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
18,190 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
480.3 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
17,100 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$890 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$986 million f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
coffee, vanilla, shellfish, sugar, cotton cloth, chromite, petroleum products
Exports - partners:
France 31.8%, US 26.6%, Germany 6.1%, UK 4.9%, Italy 4.4% (2007)
Imports:
$1.918 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
capital goods, petroleum, consumer goods, food
Imports - partners:
France 13.6%, China 13%, Iran 8.1%, South Africa 6.4%, Hong Kong 4.9%, Mauritius 4.8% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$929.2 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$846.7 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$4.6 billion (2002)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
ariary (MGA)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Malagasy ariary (MGA) per US dollar - 1,880 (2007), 2,161.4 (2006), 2,003 (2005), 1,868.9 (2004), 1,238.3 (2003)
Communications
Madagascar
Telephones - main lines in use:
133,900 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
2.218 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: system is above average for the region; Antananarivo's main telephone exchange modernized in the late 1990s, but the rest of the analogue-based telephone system is poorly developed; have added more than 50,000 new fixed lines since 2005 domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile telephone density only about 12 per 100 persons international: country code - 261; submarine cable to Bahrain; satellite earth stations - 2 (1 Intelsat - Indian Ocean, 1 Intersputnik - Atlantic Ocean region) (2007)
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 hosts:
11,016 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)
Internet users:
110,000 (2006)
Transportation
Madagascar
Airports:
104 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 27 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 77 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 41 under 914 m: 34 (2007)
Railways:
total: 854 km narrow gauge: 854 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 65,663 km paved: 7,617 km unpaved: 58,046 km (2003)
Waterways:
600 km (2006)
Merchant marine:
total: 8 by type: cargo 4, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 2 (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Antsiranana, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara
Military
Madagascar
Military branches:
People's Armed Forces: Intervention Force, Development Force, and
Aeronaval Force (navy and air); National Gendarmerie
Military service age and obligation:
18-25 years of age for male-only compulsory military service; 18-month conscript service obligation (either military or equivalent civil service); 20-30 years of age for National Gendarmerie recruits (35 years of age for those with military experience) (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 4,443,341 females age 16-49: 4,441,124 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 3,034,600 females age 16-49: 3,271,732 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 230,088 female: 229,932 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Madagascar
Disputes - international:
claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan de Nova 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 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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 under President Hastings Kamuzu BANDA the country held multiparty elections in 1994, under a provisional constitution that came into full effect the following year. Current President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA, elected in May 2004 after a failed attempt by the previous president to amend the constitution to permit another term, struggled to assert his authority against his predecessor and subsequently started his own party, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in 2005. As president, MUTHARIKA has overseen substantial economic improvement but because of political deadlock in the legislature, his minority party has been unable to pass significant legislation, and anti-corruption measures have stalled. Population growth, increasing pressure on agricultural lands, corruption, and the spread of HIV/AIDS pose major problems for Malawi.
Geography
Malawi
Location:
Southern Africa, east of Zambia
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 118,480 sq km land: 94,080 sq km water: 24,400 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: 20.68% permanent crops: 1.18% other: 78.14% (2005)
Irrigated land:
560 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
17.3 cu km (2001)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 1.01 cu km/yr (15%/5%/80%) per capita: 78 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
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, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note:
landlocked; Lake Nyasa, some 580 km long, is the country's most prominent physical feature
People
Malawi
Population:
13,931,831 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 46% (male 3,208,112/female 3,194,600) 15-64 years: 51.4% (male 3,592,073/female 3,563,840) 65 years and over: 2.7% (male 159,450/female 213,756) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 16.8 years male: 16.7 years female: 16.8 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.39% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
41.79 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
17.89 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 90.55 deaths/1,000 live births male: 94.69 deaths/1,000 live births female: 86.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 43.45 years male: 43.74 years female: 43.15 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.67 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
14.2% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
900,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
84,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria and plague water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Malawian(s) adjective: Malawian
Ethnic groups:
Chewa, Nyanja, Tumbuka, Yao, Lomwe, Sena, Tonga, Ngoni, Ngonde,
Asian, European
Religions:
Christian 79.9%, Muslim 12.8%, other 3%, none 4.3% (1998 census)
Languages:
Chichewa 57.2% (official), Chinyanja 12.8%, Chiyao 10.1%, Chitumbuka 9.5%, Chisena 2.7%, Chilomwe 2.4%, Chitonga 1.7%, other 3.6% (1998 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 62.7% male: 76.1% female: 49.8% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 9 years male: 10 years female: 9 years (2004)
Education expenditures:
5.8% of GDP (2003)
Government
Malawi
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Malawi conventional short form: Malawi local long form: Dziko la Malawi local short form: Malawi former: British Central African Protectorate, Nyasaland Protectorate, Nyasaland
Government type:
multiparty democracy
Capital:
name: Lilongwe geographic coordinates: 13 59 S, 33 47 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
28 districts; Balaka, Blantyre, Chikwawa, Chiradzulu, Chitipa,
Dedza, Dowa, Karonga, Kasungu, Likoma, Lilongwe, Machinga (Kasupe),
Mangochi, Mchinji, Mulanje, Mwanza, Mzimba, Neno, 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; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA (since 24 May 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA (since 24 May 2004) cabinet: 46-member Cabinet named by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 20 May 2004 (next to be held in May 2009) election results: Bingu wa MUTHARIKA elected president; percent of vote - Bingu wa MUTHARIKA 35.9%, John TEMBO 27.1%, Gwandaguluwe CHAKUAMBA 25.7%, Brown MPINGANJIRA 8.7%, Justin MALEWEZI 2.5%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (193 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 20 May 2004 (next to be held in May 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MCP 56, UDF 49, independents 39, RP 15, others 25, vacancies 8
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; Congress for National Unity or
CONU; Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [Bingu wa MUTHARIKA];
Malawi Congress Party or MCP [John TEMBO]; Malawi Democratic Party
or MDP [Kampelo KALUA]; Malawi Forum for Unity and Development or
MAFUNDE [George MNESA]; Mgwirizano Coalition or MC [Gwandaguluwe
CHAKUAMBA] (coalition of MAFUNDE, MDP, MGODE, NUP, PETRA, PPM, RP);
Movement for Genuine Democratic Change or MGODE [Sam Kandodo BANDA];
National Democratic Alliance or NDA [Brown MPINGANJIRA]; National
Unity Party or NUP [Harry CHIUME]; People's Progressive Movement or
PPM [Aleke BANDA]; People's Transformation Movement or PETRA [Kamuzu
CHIBAMBO]; Republican Party or RP [Gwandaguluwe CHAKUAMBA]; United
Democratic Front or UDF [Bakili MULUZI]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Agri-Ecology Media (agriculture and environmental group); Malawi Law
Society (human rights); Malawi Movement for the Restoration of
Democracy or MMRD (acts to restore and maintain democracy); National
Democratic Alliance or NDA (acts to restore democracy; Public
Affairs Committee or PAC (promotes democracy, development, peace and
unity)
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO
(correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OPCW, SADC, UN,
UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Hawa NDILOWE chancery: 1029 Vermont Avenue, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 721-0270 FAX: [1] (202) 721-0288
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Peter W. BODDE embassy: 16 Jomo Kenyatta Road, Lilongwe 3 mailing address: P. O. Box 30016, Lilongwe 3, Malawi telephone: [265] (1) 773 166 FAX: [265] (1) 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:
no party has a majority in the fractured legislature
Economy
Malawi
Economy - overview:
Landlocked Malawi ranks among the world's most densely populated and least developed countries. The economy is predominately agricultural with about 85% of the population living in rural areas. Agriculture accounts for more than one-third of GDP and 90% of export revenues. The performance of the tobacco sector is key to short-term growth as tobacco accounts for more than half of exports. The economy depends on substantial inflows of economic assistance from the IMF, the World Bank, and individual donor nations. In December 2007, the US granted Malawi eligibility status to receive financial support within the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) initiative. Malawi will now begin a consultative process to develop a five-year program before funding can begin. In 2006, Malawi was approved for relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) program. The government faces many challenges including developing a market economy, improving educational facilities, facing up to environmental problems, dealing with the rapidly growing problem of HIV/AIDS, and satisfying foreign donors that fiscal discipline is being tightened. In 2005, President MUTHARIKA championed an anticorruption campaign. Since 2005 President MUTHARIKA'S government has exhibited improved financial discipline under the guidance of Finance Minister Goodall GONDWE and signed a three year Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility worth $56 million with the IMF. Improved relations with the IMF lead other international donors to resume aid as well.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$10.59 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$3.538 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
8% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$800 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 37.8% industry: 18.1% services: 44.1% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
4.5 million (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 90% industry and services: 10% (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate:
Population below poverty line:
53% (2004)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 31.8% (2004)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
39 (2004)
Investment (gross fixed):
8.4% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $1.128 billion expenditures: $1.185 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June
Public debt:
50.6% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
7.9% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
15% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
27.72% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$361.5 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$250.4 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$406.2 million (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
tobacco, sugarcane, cotton, tea, corn, potatoes, cassava (tapioca), sorghum, pulses, groundnuts, Macadamia nuts; cattle, goats
Industries:
tobacco, tea, sugar, sawmill products, cement, consumer goods
Industrial production growth rate:
4.4% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
1.13 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
1.051 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 3.3% hydro: 96.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
6,160 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
6,788 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$318 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$604 million f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
tobacco 53%, tea, sugar, cotton, coffee, peanuts, wood products, apparel
Exports - partners:
Germany 11.7%, South Africa 10%, Egypt 9.2%, Zimbabwe 8.2%, US 7.3%,
Russia 5.8%, Netherlands 4.5% (2007)
Imports:
$866 million f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
food, petroleum products, semimanufactures, consumer goods, transportation equipment
Imports - partners:
South Africa 36.1%, India 8.5%, Tanzania 6.1%, US 6.1%, China 4.9% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$575.3 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$217.2 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$894 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
Malawian kwacha (MWK)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Malawian kwachas (MWK) per US dollar - 141.12 (2007), 135.96 (2006), 108.894 (2005), 108.898 (2004), 97.433 (2003)
Communications
Malawi
Telephones - main lines in use:
175,200 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.051 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: rudimentary domestic: fixed-line subscribership about 1 per 100 persons; privatization of Malawi Telecommunications (MTL), a necessary step in bringing improvement to telecommunications services, completed in 2006; mobile-cellular services are expanding but cellular network coverage is limited and is based around the main urban areas; mobile cellular subscribership roughly 8 per 100 persons international: country code - 265; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 9, FM 5 (plus 15 repeater stations), shortwave 2 (plus one shortwave station on standby) (2001)
Radios:
2.6 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (2001)
Televisions:
Internet country code:
.mw
Internet hosts:
107 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
3 (2002)
Internet users:
139,500 (2007)
Transportation
Malawi
Airports:
39 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 6 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 33 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 16 under 914 m: 16 (2007)
Railways:
total: 797 km narrow gauge: 797 km 1.067-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 15,451 km paved: 6,956 km unpaved: 8,495 km (2003)
Waterways:
700 km (on Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and Shire River) (2007)
Ports and terminals:
Chipoka, Monkey Bay, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Chilumba
Military
Malawi
Military branches:
Malawi Armed Forces: Army (includes Air Wing and Naval Detachment) (2007)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; standard obligation is 2 years of active duty and 5 years of reserve service (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 3,050,444 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,676,117 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 168,858 female: 168,946 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.3% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Malawi
Disputes - international:
disputes with Tanzania over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and the meandering Songwe River remain dormant
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Malaysia
Introduction
Malaysia
Background:
During the late 18th and 19th centuries, Great Britain established colonies and protectorates in the area of current Malaysia; these were occupied by Japan from 1942 to 1945. In 1948, the British-ruled territories on the Malay Peninsula formed the Federation of Malaya, which became independent in 1957. Malaysia was formed in 1963 when the former British colonies of Singapore and the East Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak on the northern coast of Borneo joined the Federation. The first several years of the country's history were marred by a Communist insurgency, Indonesian confrontation with Malaysia, Philippine claims to Sabah, and Singapore's secession from the Federation in 1965. During the 22-year term of Prime Minister MAHATHIR bin Mohamad (1981-2003), Malaysia was successful in diversifying its economy from dependence on exports of raw materials to expansion in manufacturing, services, and tourism.
Geography
Malaysia
Location:
Southeastern Asia, peninsula bordering Thailand and northern one-third of the island of Borneo, bordering Indonesia, Brunei, and the South China Sea, south of Vietnam
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Southeast Asia
Area:
total: 329,750 sq km land: 328,550 sq km water: 1,200 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:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation; specified boundary in the South China Sea
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: 5.46% permanent crops: 17.54% other: 77% (2005)
Irrigated land:
3,650 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
580 cu km (1999)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 9.02 cu km/yr (17%/21%/62%) per capita: 356 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
Geography - note:
strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern South China Sea
People
Malaysia
Population:
25,274,132 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 31.8% (male 4,135,013/female 3,898,761) 15-64 years: 63.3% (male 8,026,755/female 7,965,332) 65 years and over: 4.9% (male 548,970/female 699,302) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 24.6 years male: 24 years female: 25.3 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.742% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
22.44 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
5.02 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA note: does not reflect net flow of an unknown number of illegal immigrants from other countries in the region (2008 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: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 16.39 deaths/1,000 live births male: 18.92 deaths/1,000 live births female: 13.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.03 years male: 70.32 years female: 75.94 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.98 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.4% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
52,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
2,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Malaysian(s) adjective: Malaysian
Ethnic groups:
Malay 50.4%, Chinese 23.7%, indigenous 11%, Indian 7.1%, others 7.8% (2004 est.)
Religions:
Muslim 60.4%, Buddhist 19.2%, Christian 9.1%, Hindu 6.3%, Confucianism, Taoism, other traditional Chinese religions 2.6%, other or unknown 1.5%, none 0.8% (2000 census)
Languages:
Bahasa Malaysia (official), English, Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai note: in East Malaysia there are several indigenous languages; most widely spoken are Iban and Kadazan
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 88.7% male: 92% female: 85.4% (2000 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 13 years male: 12 years female: 13 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
6.2% of GDP (2004)
Government
Malaysia
Country name:
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Malaysia local long form: none local short form: Malaysia former: Federation of Malaya
Government type:
constitutional monarchy note: nominally headed by paramount ruler and a bicameral Parliament consisting of a nonelected upper house and an elected lower house; all Peninsular Malaysian states have hereditary rulers except Melaka and Pulau Pinang (Penang); those two states along with Sabah and Sarawak in East Malaysia have governors appointed by government; powers of state governments are limited by federal constitution; under terms of federation, Sabah and Sarawak retain certain constitutional prerogatives (e.g., right to maintain their own immigration controls); Sabah holds 25 seats in House of Representatives; Sarawak has 31 seats
Capital:
name: Kuala Lumpur geographic coordinates: 3 10 N, 101 42 E time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) note: Putrajaya is referred to as administrative center not capital; Parliament meets in Kuala Lumpur
Administrative divisions:
13 states (negeri-negeri, singular - negeri) Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Pulau Pinang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, and Terengganu; and one federal territory (wilayah persekutuan) with three components, city of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan, and Putrajaya
Independence:
31 August 1957 (from UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day/Malaysia Day, 31 August (1957)
Constitution:
31 August 1957 (amended many times, latest in 2007)
Legal system:
based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court at request of supreme head of the federation; Islamic law is applied to Muslims in matters of family law and religion; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Paramount Ruler Sultan MIZAN Zainal Abidin (since 13 December 2006) head of government: Prime Minister ABDULLAH bin Ahmad Badawi (since 31 October 2003); Deputy Prime Minister Mohamed NAJIB bin Abdul Razak (since 7 January 2004) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the members of Parliament with consent of the paramount ruler elections: paramount ruler elected by and from the hereditary rulers of nine of the states for five-year terms; election last held on 3 November 2006 (next to be held in 2011); 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 election results: Sultan MIZAN Zainal Abidin elected paramount ruler note: position of paramount ruler is primarily ceremonial; in practice, selection is based on principle of rotation among rulers of states
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Parlimen consists of Senate or Dewan Negara (70 seats; 44 appointed by paramount ruler, 26 elected by 13 state legislatures; to serve three-year terms with limit of two terms) and House of Representatives or Dewan Rakyat (222 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: House of Representatives - last held on 8 March 2008 (next to be held by March 2013) election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote - BN coalition 50.3%, opposition parties 46.8%, others 2.9%; seats - BN coalition 140, opposition parties 82
Judicial branch:
Civil Courts include Federal Court, Court of Appeal, High Court of Malaya on peninsula Malaysia, and High Court of Sabah and Sarawak in states of Borneo (judges appointed by the paramount ruler on the advice of the prime minister); Sharia Courts include Sharia Appeal Court, Sharia High Court, and Sharia Subordinate Courts at state-level and deal with religious and family matters such as custody, divorce, and inheritance, only for Muslims; decisions of Sharia courts cannot be appealed to civil courts
Political parties and leaders:
National Front (Barisan Nasional) or BN (ruling coalition) consists
of the following parties: Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia Party or PGRM [KOH
Tsu Koon - acting]; Liberal Democratic Party (Parti Liberal
Demokratik - Sabah) or LDP [LIEW Vui Keong]; Malaysian Chinese
Association (Persatuan China Malaysia) or MCA [ONG Ka Ting];
Malaysian Indian Congress (Kongres India Malaysia) or MIC [S. Samy
VELLU]; Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah or PBRS [Joseph KURUP]; Parti
Bersatu Sabah or PBS [Joseph PAIRIN Kitingan]; Parti Pesaka
Bumiputera Bersatu or PBB [Abdul TAIB Mahmud]; Parti Rakyat Sarawak
or PRS [James MASING]; Sabah Progressive Party (Parti Progresif
Sabah) or SAPP [YONG Teck Lee]; Sarawak United People's Party (Parti
Bersatu Rakyat Sarawak) or SUPP [George CHAN Hong Nam]; United
Malays National Organization or UMNO [ABDULLAH bin Ahmad Badawi];
United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organization (Pertubuhan
Pasko Momogun Kadazan Dusun Bersatu) or UPKO [Bernard DOMPOK];
People's Progressive Party (Parti Progresif Penduduk Malaysia) or
PPP [M.Kayveas]; Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party or SPDP
[William MAWAN])
People's Alliance (Pakatan Rakyat) or PR (opposition coalition)
consists of the following parties:: Democratic Action Party (Parti
Tindakan Demokratik) or DAP [KARPAL Singh]; Islamic Party of
Malaysia (Parti Islam se Malaysia) or PAS [Abdul HADI Awang];
People's Justice Party (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) or PKR [WAN AZIZAH
Wan Ismael]; Sarawak National Party or SNAP [Edwin DUNDANG]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Bersih (electoral reform); Sharia High Court other: religious groups; women's groups; youth groups
International organization participation:
ADB, APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, EAS, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO,
MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, PIF (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Ilango KARUPPANNAN chancery: 3516 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 572-9700 FAX: [1] (202) 572-9882 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador James R. KEITH embassy: 376 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur mailing address: US Embassy Kuala Lumpur, APO AP 96535-8152 telephone: [60] (3) 2168-5000 FAX: [60] (3) 2142-2207
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 14-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, has transformed itself since the 1970s from a producer of raw materials into an emerging multi-sector economy. Since coming to office in 2003, Prime Minister ABDULLAH has tried to move the economy farther up the value-added production chain by attracting investments in high technology industries, medical technology, and pharmaceuticals. The Government of Malaysia is continuing efforts to boost domestic demand to wean the economy off of its dependence on exports. Nevertheless, exports - particularly of electronics - remain a significant driver of the economy. As an oil and gas exporter, Malaysia has profited from higher world energy prices, although the rising cost of domestic gasoline and diesel fuel forced Kuala Lumpur to reduce government subsidies. Malaysia "unpegged" the ringgit from the US dollar in 2005 and the currency appreciated 6% per year against the dollar in 2006-07. Although this has helped to hold down the price of imports, inflationary pressures began to build in 2007. Healthy foreign exchange reserves and a small external debt greatly reduce the risk that Malaysia will experience a financial crisis over the near term similar to the one in 1997. The government presented its five-year national development agenda in April 2006 through the Ninth Malaysia Plan, a comprehensive blueprint for the allocation of the national budget from 2006-10. With national elections expected within the year, ABDULLAH has unveiled a series of ambitious development schemes for several regions that have had trouble attracting business investment. Real GDP growth has averaged about 6% per year under ABDULLAH, but regions outside of Kuala Lumpur and the manufacturing hub Penang have not fared as well.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$361.2 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$186.5 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
6.3% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$14,500 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 9.9% industry: 45.3% services: 44.8% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
10.94 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 13% industry: 36% services: 51% (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate:
3.2% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
5.1% (2002 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.4% highest 10%: 39.2% (2003 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
46.1 (2002)
Investment (gross fixed):
21.7% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $40.69 billion expenditures: $46.7 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
41.6% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2% note: approximately 30% of goods are price-controlled (2007 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
6.41% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$49.41 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$187.6 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$220 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
Peninsular Malaysia - rubber, palm oil, cocoa, rice; Sabah - subsistence crops, rubber, timber, coconuts, rice; Sarawak - rubber, pepper, timber
Industries:
Peninsular Malaysia - rubber and oil palm processing and manufacturing, light manufacturing, electronics, tin mining and smelting, logging, timber processing; Sabah - logging, petroleum production; Sarawak - agriculture processing, petroleum production and refining, logging
Industrial production growth rate:
3.3% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
102.9 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
95.98 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
2.524 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 89.5% hydro: 10.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
753,700 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Oil - consumption:
501,100 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
546,300 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
308,500 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
4 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
64.5 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
32.9 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
31.6 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
2.35 trillion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
$28.93 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$176.4 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
electronic equipment, petroleum and liquefied natural gas, wood and wood products, palm oil, rubber, textiles, chemicals
Exports - partners:
US 15.6%, Singapore 14.6%, Japan 9.1%, China 8.8%, Thailand 5%, Hong
Kong 4.6% (2007)
Imports:
$139.1 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
electronics, machinery, petroleum products, plastics, vehicles, iron and steel products, chemicals
Imports - partners:
Japan 13%, China 12.9%, Singapore 11.5%, US 10.8%, Taiwan 5.7%,
Thailand 5.3%, South Korea 4.9%, Germany 4.6%, Indonesia 4.2% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$31.6 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$101.1 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$53.09 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$86.16 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$42.55 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$235.4 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
ringgit (MYR)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
ringgits (MYR) per US dollar - 3.46 (2007), 3.6683 (2006), 3.8 (2005), 3.8 (2004), 3.8 (2003)
Communications
Malaysia
Telephones - main lines in use:
4.35 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
23.347 million (2007)
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; combined fixed-line and mobile cellular teledensity exceeds 110 per 100 persons international: country code - 60; landing point for several major international submarine cable networks that provide connectivity to Asia, Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 35, FM 391, shortwave 15 (2001)
Radios:
10.9 million (1999)
Television broadcast stations:
88 (mainland Malaysia 51, Sabah 16, and Sarawak 21) (2006)
Televisions:
10.8 million (1999)
Internet country code:
.my
Internet hosts:
377,716 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
7 (2000)
Internet users:
15.868 million (2007)
Transportation
Malaysia
Airports:
116 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 36 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 6 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 80 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 72 (2007)
Heliports:
2 (2007)
Pipelines:
condensate 282 km; gas 5,273 km; oil 1,750 km; oil/gas/water 19 km; refined products 114 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 1,890 km standard gauge: 57 km 1.435-m gauge (57 km electrified) narrow gauge: 1,833 km 1.000-m gauge (150 km electrified) (2006)
Roadways:
total: 98,721 km paved: 80,280 km (includes 1,821 km of expressways) unpaved: 18,441 km (2004)
Waterways:
7,200 km note: Peninsular Malaysia 3,200 km; Sabah 1,500 km; Sarawak 2,500 km (2005)
Merchant marine:
total: 306 by type: bulk carrier 12, cargo 97, carrier 1, chemical tanker 34, container 46, liquefied gas 33, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 71, roll on/roll off 3, vehicle carrier 4 foreign-owned: 40 (Germany 1, Hong Kong 14, Japan 4, Russia 2, Singapore 16, Sweden 3) registered in other countries: 68 (Bahamas 13, Marshall Islands 3, Norway 1, Panama 12, Philippines 1, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Singapore 27, Thailand 3, Tuvalu 1, US 2, unknown 4) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Bintulu, Johor Bahru, Kuantan, Labuan, George Town (Penang), Port
Kelang, Tanjung Pelepas
Transportation - note:
the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Strait of Malacca and South China Sea as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; numerous commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargo diverted to ports in East Asia; crews have been murdered or cast adrift
Military
Malaysia
Military branches:
Malaysian Armed Forces (Angkatan Tentera Malaysia, ATM): Malaysian
Army (Tentera Darat Malaysia), Royal Malaysian Navy (Tentera Laut
Diraja Malaysia, TLDM), Royal Malaysian Air Force (Tentera Udara
Diraja Malaysia, TUDM) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2005)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 6,440,338 females age 16-49: 6,280,826 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 5,374,006 females age 16-49: 5,316,865 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 260,725 female: 247,309 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
2.03% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
Malaysia
Disputes - international:
Malaysia has asserted sovereignty over the Spratly Islands together with China, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; while the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has eased tensions over the Spratly Islands, it is not the legally binding "code of conduct" sought by some parties; Malaysia was not party to the March 2005 joint accord among the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam on conducting marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands; disputes continue over deliveries of fresh water to Singapore, Singapore's land reclamation, bridge construction, and maritime boundaries in the Johor and Singapore Straits; in November 2007, the ICJ will hold public hearings in response to the Memorials and Countermemorials filed by the parties in 2003 and 2005 over sovereignty of Pedra Branca Island/Pulau Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks and South Ledge; ICJ awarded Ligitan and Sipadan islands, also claimed by Indonesia and Philippines, to Malaysia but left maritime boundary and sovereignty of Unarang rock in the hydrocarbon-rich Celebes Sea in dispute; separatist violence in Thailand's predominantly Muslim southern provinces prompts measures to close and monitor border with Malaysia to stem terrorist activities; Philippines retains a dormant claim to Malaysia's Sabah State in northern Borneo; Brunei and Malaysia agreed in September 2008 to resolve their offshore and deepwater seabed dispute, resume hydrocarbon exploration and renounce any territorial claims on land; piracy remains a problem in the Malacca Strait
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 15,174 (Indonesia); 21,544 (Burma) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Malaysia is a destination and, to a lesser extent, a source and transit country for women and children trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation, and men, women, and children for forced labor; Malaysia is mainly a destination country for men, women, and children who migrate willingly from South and Southeast Asia to work, some of whom are subjected to conditions of involuntary servitude by Malaysian employers in the domestic, agricultural, construction, plantation, and industrial sectors; to a lesser extent, some Malaysian women, primarily of Chinese ethnicity, are trafficked abroad for commercial sexual exploitation tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Malaysia improved from Tier 3 to the Tier 2 Watch List for 2008 when it enacted comprehensive anti-trafficking legislation in July 2007; however, it did not take action against exploitative employers or labor traffickers in 2007; the government has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)
Illicit drugs:
drug trafficking prosecuted vigorously and carries severe penalties; heroin still primary drug of abuse, but synthetic drug demand remains strong; continued ecstasy and methamphetamine producer for domestic users and, to a lesser extent, the regional drug market
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Maldives
Introduction
Maldives
Background:
The Maldives was long a sultanate, first under Dutch and then under British protection. It became a republic in 1968, three years after independence. President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM dominated the islands' political scene for 30 years, elected to six successive terms by single-party referendums. Following riots in the capital Male in August 2004, the president and his government pledged to embark upon democratic reforms including a more representative political system and expanded political freedoms. Progress was sluggish, however, and many promised reforms were slow to be realized. Nonetheless, political parties were legalized in 2005. In June 2008, a constituent assembly - termed the "Special Majlis" - finalized a new constitution, which was ratified by the president in August. The first-ever presidential elections under a multi-candidate, multi-party system were held in October 2008. GAYOOM was defeated in a runoff poll by Mohamed NASHEED, a political activist who had been jailed several years earlier by the former regime. Challenges facing the new president include strengthening democracy and combating poverty and drug abuse.
Geography
Maldives
Location:
Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Asia
Area:
total: 300 sq km land: 300 sq km water: 0 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 straight baselines territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 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: 13.33% permanent crops: 30% other: 56.67% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Total renewable water resources:
0.03 cu km (1999)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.003 cu km/yr (98%/2%/0%) per capita: 9 cu m/yr (1987)
Natural hazards:
low level of islands makes them 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, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution 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:
385,925 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 23.5% (male 46,174/female 44,396) 15-64 years: 72.7% (male 172,279/female 108,152) 65 years and over: 3.9% (male 7,510/female 7,414) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 25.1 years male: 26 years female: 23.7 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
5.566% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
14.84 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
3.66 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.59 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female total population: 1.41 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 30.63 deaths/1,000 live births male: 33.15 deaths/1,000 live births female: 27.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.72 years male: 71.55 years female: 76.01 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.97 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
fewer than 100 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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: 96.3% male: 96.2% female: 96.4% (2000 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 12 years male: 12 years female: 12 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
8% of GDP (2006)
Government
Maldives
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Maldives conventional short form: Maldives local long form: Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa local short form: Dhivehi Raajje
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Male geographic coordinates: 4 10 N, 73 30 E time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
19 atolls (atholhu, singular and plural) and the capital city*;
Alifu, Baa, Dhaalu, Faafu, Gaafu Alifu, Gaafu Dhaalu, Gnaviyani, Haa
Alifu, Haa Dhaalu, Kaafu, Laamu, Lhaviyani, Maale* (Male), Meemu,
Noonu, Raa, Seenu, Shaviyani, Thaa, Vaavu
Independence:
26 July 1965 (from UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 26 July (1965)
Constitution:
new constitution ratified 7 August 2008
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 Mohamed NASHEED (since 11 November 2008); Vice President (vacant); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Mohamed NASHEED (since 11 November 2008); Vice President (vacant) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president elections: under the new constitution, the president is elected by direct vote; president elected for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 8 and 28 October 2008 (next to be held in 2013) election results: Mohamed NASHEED elected president; percent of vote - NASHEED 54.25%, Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM 45.75%; note - NASHEED is expected to assume office on 11 November 2008
Legislative branch:
unicameral People's Council or Majlis (50 seats; 42 members elected by popular vote, 8 appointed by the president; to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 22 January 2005 (next to be held in 2010) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 50
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Supreme Court judges are appointed by the President
with approval of voting members of the People's Council; High Court;
Trial Courts; all lower court judges are appointed by the Judicial
Service Commission
Political parties and leaders:
Adhaalath (Justice) Party or AP [Abdul Majeed Abdul BARI]; Dhivehi
Rayyithunge Party (Maldivian People's Party) or DRP [Maumoon Abdul
GAYOOM]; Islamic Democratic Party or IDP [Omar NASEER]; Maldivian
Democratic Party or MDP [Mohamed NASHEED]; note - political parties
were allowed to register in June 2005
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: various unregistered political parties
International organization participation:
ADB, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Mohamed Hussain MANIKU chancery: 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400E, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 599-6194 FAX: [1] (212) 599-6195
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
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 28% 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. Fishing is the second leading sector. Agriculture and manufacturing continue to play a lesser 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 7% of GDP. 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. Real GDP growth averaged over 7.5% per year for more than a decade. In late December 2004, a major tsunami left more than 100 dead, 12,000 displaced, and property damage exceeding $300 million. As a result of the tsunami, the GDP contracted by about 3.6% in 2005. A rebound in tourism, post-tsunami reconstruction, and development of new resorts helped the economy recover quickly. The trade deficit has expanded sharply as a result of high oil prices and imports of construction material. Diversifying beyond tourism and fishing and increasing employment are the major challenges facing the government. Over the longer term Maldivian authorities worry about the impact of erosion and possible global warming on their low-lying country; 80% of the area is 1 meter or less above sea level.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.588 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.049 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
6.6% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$4,600 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 16% industry: 7% services: 77% (2006 est.)
Labor force:
101,300 (2004)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 22% industry: 18% services: 60% (1995)
Unemployment rate:
NEGL% (2003 est.)
Population below poverty line:
21% (2004)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $508 million (including foreign grants) expenditures: $671 million (2006 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
12.5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
13% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$344.1 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$434.9 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.08 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; fish
Industries:
tourism, fish processing, shipping, boat building, coconut processing, garments, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand mining
Industrial production growth rate:
-0.9% (2004 est.)
Electricity - production:
230 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
203.7 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
5,490 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
1,499 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
5,362 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$472 million (2007)
Exports:
$167 million f.o.b. (2006)
Exports - commodities:
fish
Exports - partners:
Thailand 28.3%, UK 17.6%, France 8.8%, Sri Lanka 8.6%, Algeria 8.2%,
Japan 6.4%, Italy 4.1% (2007)
Imports:
$930 million f.o.b. (2006)
Imports - commodities:
petroleum products, ships, foodstuffs, clothing, intermediate and capital goods
Imports - partners:
Canada 35.2%, Singapore 15%, UAE 10.2%, India 7.4%, Malaysia 7.1% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$66.83 million (2005)
Debt - external:
$482 million (2006 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
rufiyaa (MVR)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
rufiyaa (MVR) per US dollar - NA (2007), 12.8 (2006), 12.8 (2005), 12.8 (2004), 12.8 (2003)
Communications
Maldives
Telephones - main lines in use:
33,200 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
317,800 (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: telephone services have improved; each island now has at least 1 public telephone, and there are mobile cellular networks with a rapidly expanding subscribership approaching 90 per 100 persons domestic: interatoll communication through microwave links; all inhabited islands and resorts are connected with telephone and fax service international: country code - 960; linked to international submarine cable Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG); satellite earth station - 3 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios:
35,000 (1999)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (2006)
Televisions:
10,000 (1999)
Internet country code:
.mv
Internet hosts:
1,600 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)
Internet users:
33,000 (2007)
Transportation
Maldives
Airports:
5 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 88 km paved roads: 88 km - 60 km in Male; 14 km on Addu Atolis; 14 km on Laamu note: village roads are mainly compacted coral (2006)
Merchant marine:
total: 29 by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 23, petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 2 foreign-owned: 1 (Greece 1) registered in other countries: 2 (Panama 1, Tuvalu 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Male
Military
Maldives
Military branches:
Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF): Quick Reaction Force,
Security Protection Group, Coast Guard (2007)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 89,505 females age 16-49: 85,745 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 72,150 females age 16-49: 69,058 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 4,749 female: 4,084 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
5.5% of GDP (2005 est.)
Military - note:
the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF), with its small size and with little serviceable equipment, is inadequate to prevent external aggression and is primarily tasked to reinforce the Maldives Police Service (MPS) and ensure security in the exclusive economic zone (2008)
Transnational Issues
Maldives
Disputes - international:
none
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 1,000-10,000 (December 2004 tsunami victims) (2007)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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, what formerly made up the Sudanese Republic was renamed Mali. Rule by dictatorship was brought to a close in 1991 by a military coup - led by the current president Amadou TOURE - enabling Mali's emergence as one of the strongest democracies on the continent. President Alpha KONARE won Mali's first democratic presidential election in 1992 and was reelected in 1997. In keeping with Mali's two-term constitutional limit, KONARE stepped down in 2002 and was succeeded by Amadou TOURE, who was subsequently elected to a second term in 2007. The elections were widely judged to be free and fair.
Geography
Mali
Location:
Western Africa, southwest of Algeria
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 1.24 million sq km land: 1.22 million sq km water: 20,000 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, gypsum, granite, hydropower note: bauxite, iron ore, manganese, tin, and copper deposits are known but not exploited
Land use:
arable land: 3.76% permanent crops: 0.03% other: 96.21% (2005)
Irrigated land:
2,360 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
100 cu km (2001)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 6.55 cu km/yr (9%/1%/90%) per capita: 484 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
landlocked; divided into three natural zones: the southern, cultivated Sudanese; the central, semiarid Sahelian; and the northern, arid Saharan
People
Mali
Population:
12,324,029 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 48.2% (male 3,004,003/female 2,937,138) 15-64 years: 48.7% (male 2,976,314/female 3,028,433) 65 years and over: 3.1% (male 150,597/female 227,544) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 15.8 years male: 15.4 years female: 16.2 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.725% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
49.38 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
16.16 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-5.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 103.83 deaths/1,000 live births male: 113.41 deaths/1,000 live births female: 93.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 49.94 years male: 48 years female: 51.94 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
7.34 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.9% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
140,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
12,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2008)
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%, Christian 1%, indigenous beliefs 9%
Languages:
French (official), Bambara 80%, numerous African languages
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 46.4% male: 53.5% female: 39.6% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 7 years male: 8 years female: 5 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
4.5% of GDP (2006)
Government
Mali
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Mali conventional short form: Mali local long form: Republique de Mali local short form: Mali former: French Sudan and Sudanese Republic
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Bamako geographic coordinates: 12 39 N, 8 00 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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; 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 SIDIBE (since 28 September 2007) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 29 April 2007 (next to be held in April 2012); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Amadou Toumani TOURE reelected president; percent of vote - Amadou Toumani TOURE 71.2%, Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA 19.2%, other 9.6%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (147 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held on 1 and 22 July 2007 (next to be held in July 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ADP coalition 113 (including ADEMA 51, URD 34, MPR 8, CNID 7, UDD 3, and other 10), FDR coalition 15 (including RPM 11, PARENA 4), SADI 4, independent 15
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme
Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for Democratic Change (political group comprised mainly of Tuareg from Mali's northern region); African Solidarity for Democracy and Independence or SADI [Oumar MARIKO, secretary general]; Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP (a coalition of political parties including ADEMA and URD formed in December 2006 to support the presidential candidacy of Amadou TOURE); Alliance for Democracy or ADEMA [Diounconda TRAORE]; Convergence 2007 [Soumeylou Boubeye MAIGA]; Front for Democracy and the Republic or FDR (a coalition of political parties including RPM and PARENA formed to oppose the presidential candidacy of Amadou TOURE); National Congress for Democratic Initiative or CNID [Mountaga TALL]; Party for Democracy and Progress or PDP [Me Idrissa TRAORE]; Party for National Renewal or PARENA [Tiebile DRAME]; Patriotic Movement for Renewal or MPR [Choguel MAIGA]; Rally for Democracy and Labor or RDT; Rally for Mali or RPM [Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA]; Sudanese Union/African Democratic Rally or US/RDA [Mamadou Bamou TOURE]; Union for Democracy and Development or UDD [Moussa Balla COULIBALY]; Union for Republic and Democracy or URD [Soumaila CISSE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: the army; Islamic authorities; rebels in the northern region; state-run cotton company CMDT; tuaregs
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,
IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO,
ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNAMID,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional),
WAEMU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Abdoulaye DIOP chancery: 2130 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-2249, 939-8950 FAX: [1] (202) 332-6603
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Gillian A. MILOVANOVIC embassy: located just off the Roi Bin Fahad Aziz Bridge just west of the Bamako central district mailing address: ACI 2000, Rue 243, Porte 297, Bamako telephone: [223] 270-2300 FAX: [223] 270-2479
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 and with a highly unequal distribution of income. Economic activity is largely confined to the riverine area irrigated by the Niger. About 10% of the population is nomadic and some 80% 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, along with gold. The government has 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 CFA franc in January 1994 have pushed up economic growth to a 5% average in 1996-2007. Worker remittances and external trade routes for the landlocked country have been jeopardized by continued unrest in neighboring Cote d'Ivoire.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$13.63 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$6.745 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2.8% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,100 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 45% industry: 17% services: 38% (2001 est.)
Labor force:
5.4 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 80% industry and services: 20% (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate:
30% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:
36.1% (2005 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.4% highest 10%: 30.2% (2001)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
40.1 (2001)
Budget:
revenues: $1.5 billion expenditures: $1.8 billion (2006 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.5% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
4.25% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
NA (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$1.58 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$697.1 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.099 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
cotton, millet, rice, corn, vegetables, peanuts; cattle, sheep, goats
Industries:
food processing; construction; phosphate and gold mining
Industrial production growth rate:
Electricity - production:
505 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
469.7 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh; note - recent hydropower developments may be providing electricity to Senegal and Mauritania (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 41.7% hydro: 58.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
4,640 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2006)
Oil - imports:
4,860 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$446 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$294 million f.o.b. (2006)
Exports - commodities:
cotton, gold, livestock
Exports - partners:
China 19.6%, Thailand 10.5%, Brazil 4.6%, France 4.5%, Indonesia 4.5% (2007)
Imports:
$2.358 billion f.o.b. (2006)
Imports - commodities:
petroleum, machinery and equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs, textiles
Imports - partners:
France 12.9%, Senegal 12.7%, Cote d'Ivoire 10.9%, China 4.9% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$691.5 million (2005)
Debt - external:
$2.8 billion (2002)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 493.51 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003) note: since 1 January 1999, the XOF franc has been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF francs per euro
Communications
Mali
Telephones - main lines in use:
85,000 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
2.483 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: domestic system unreliable but improving; provides only minimal service domestic: fixed-line availability is gradually increasing, but subscribership remains less than 1 per 100 persons; increasing use of local radio loops to extend network coverage to remote areas; mobile-cellular subscribership has increased sharply to 20 per 100 persons international: country code - 223; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean, 1 Indian Ocean) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 230 (27 regional and government stations, and 203 private stations), shortwave 1 (2001)
Radios:
570,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
2 (plus repeaters) (2007)
Televisions:
45,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.ml
Internet hosts:
387 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
13 (2001)
Internet users:
100,000 (2007)
Transportation
Mali
Airports:
29 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 21 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 8 (2007)
Railways:
total: 729 km narrow gauge: 729 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 18,709 km paved: 3,368 km unpaved: 15,341 km (2004)
Waterways:
1,800 km (2007)
Ports and terminals:
Koulikoro
Military
Mali
Military branches:
Malian Armed Forces: Army, Republic of Mali Air Force (Force
Aerienne de la Republique du Mali, FARM), National Guard (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 2 years (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,603,700 females age 16-49: 2,441,776 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,594,184 females age 16-49: 1,529,871 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 144,293 female: 136,381 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.9% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Mali
Disputes - international:
none
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 6,300 (Mauritania) (2007)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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. Since about the mid-1980s, the island has transformed itself into a freight transshipment point, a financial center, and a tourist destination. Malta became an EU member in May 2004 and began to use the euro as currency in 2008.
Geography
Malta
Location:
Southern Europe, islands in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily
(Italy)
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 316 sq km land: 316 sq km water: 0 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:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 25 nm
Climate:
Mediterranean; mild, rainy winters; 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: 31.25% permanent crops: 3.13% other: 65.62% (2005)
Irrigated land:
20 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
0.07 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.02 cu km/yr (74%/1%/25%) per capita: 50 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
Environment - current issues:
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, 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:
403,532 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.4% (male 33,954/female 32,158) 15-64 years: 69.7% (male 142,338/female 138,792) 65 years and over: 13.9% (male 24,240/female 32,050) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 39.2 years male: 37.9 years female: 40.6 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.407% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
10.33 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
8.29 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
2.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 3.79 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.25 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.3 years male: 77.08 years female: 81.64 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.51 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
fewer than 500 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 100 (2003 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 98%
Languages:
Maltese (official) 90.2%, English (official) 6%, multilingual 3%, other 0.8% (2005 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 10 and over can read and write total population: 92.8% male: 92% female: 93.6% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 15 years male: 15 years female: 15 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
5.1% of GDP (2004)
Government
Malta
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Malta conventional short form: Malta local long form: Repubblika ta' Malta local short form: Malta
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Valletta geographic coordinates: 35 53 N, 14 30 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
none (administered directly from Valletta); note - local councils carry out administrative orders
Independence:
21 September 1964 (from UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 21 September (1964)
Constitution:
1964 constitution; amended many times
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 Edward FENECH ADAMI (since 4 April 2004) head of government: Prime Minister Lawrence GONZI (since 23 March 2004) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister elections: president elected by the House of Representatives for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 29 March 2004 (next to be held by April 2009); 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: Eddie FENECH ADAMI elected president; House of Representatives vote - 33 out of 65 votes
Legislative branch:
unicameral House of Representatives (usually 65 seats; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve five-year terms; note - additional seats are given to the party with the largest popular vote to ensure a legislative majority) elections: last held on 8 March 2008 (next to be held by March 2013) election results: percent of vote by party - PN 49.3%, MLP 48.8%, other 1.9%; seats by party - PN 35, MLP 34
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 [acting leader Charles MANGION];
Nationalist Party or PN [Lawrence GONZI]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Alleanza Liberal-Demokratika Maltra ro ALDM (against illegal immigration); Alleanza Nazzionali Repubblikana or ANR (encourages tourism); Alternattiva Demokratika (campaign to reform rent law, and other campaigns); Azzjoni Nazzjonali or AN (freedom to participate in democratic government); Ghazdatal-Konsumaturi (consumer rights); Nazi Watch Malta (exposing Nazis) other: environmentalists
International organization participation:
Australia Group, C, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA,
PFP, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU,
WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Mark MICELI-FARRUGIA chancery: 2017 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 462-3611, 3612 FAX: [1] (202) 387-5470 consulate(s): New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Molly BORDONARO embassy: 3rd Floor, Development House, Saint Anne Street, Floriana, VLT 01 mailing address: P. O. Box 535, Valletta, CMR01 telephone: [356] 2561 4000 FAX: [356] 21 243229
Flag description:
two equal vertical bands of white (hoist side) and red; in the upper hoist-side corner is a representation of the 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 fresh water supplies, and has few domestic energy sources. The economy is dependent on foreign trade, manufacturing (especially electronics and pharmaceuticals), and tourism. Economic recovery of the European economy has lifted exports, tourism, and overall growth. Malta adopted the euro on 1 January 2008.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$9.4 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$7.419 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.8% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$23,400 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2.7% industry: 22.3% services: 74.9% (2003 est.)
Labor force:
166,000 (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 3% industry: 22% services: 75% (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate:
6.4% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
28 (2005)
Investment (gross fixed):
18.9% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $3.485 billion expenditures: $3.554 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.3% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
NA (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
6.24% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$4.603 billion note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the Euro Area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 15 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi money circulating within their own borders (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$7.645 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$10.99 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
potatoes, cauliflower, grapes, wheat, barley, tomatoes, citrus, cut flowers, green peppers; pork, milk, poultry, eggs
Industries:
tourism, electronics, ship building and repair, construction, food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, footwear, clothing, tobacco
Industrial production growth rate:
Electricity - production:
2.146 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
1.85 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
18,680 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
18,910 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$424.5 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$3.238 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, manufactures
Exports - partners:
Singapore 14.4%, Germany 13.7%, France 12.6%, US 11.3%, UK 10%, Hong
Kong 6.1%, Japan 4.9%, Italy 4% (2007)
Imports:
$4.541 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured and semi-manufactured goods; food, drink, tobacco
Imports - partners:
Italy 26%, UK 15%, France 9.5%, Germany 8.8%, Singapore 5.2% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$6.19 million (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$3.798 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$188.8 million (2005)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$4.097 billion (2005)
Currency (code):
euro (EUR) as of 1 January 2008; Maltese lira (MTL) before then
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6795 (January 2008), Maltese liri per US dollar - 0.3106 (2007), 0.37 (2006), 0.34578 (2005), 0.34466 (2004), 0.37723 (2003)
Communications
Malta
Telephones - main lines in use:
198,100 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
371,500 (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: automatic system satisfies normal requirements; fixed-line teledensity 50 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity about 90 per 100 persons domestic: submarine cable and microwave radio relay between islands international: country code - 356; submarine cable connects to Italy; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 18, shortwave 6 (1999)
Radios:
255,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
5 (2006)
Televisions:
280,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.mt
Internet hosts:
26,494 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
6 (2002)
Internet users:
158,000 (2007)
Transportation
Malta
Airports:
1 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 2,227 km paved: 2,014 km unpaved: 213 km (2005)
Merchant marine:
total: 1,438 by type: bulk carrier 459, cargo 411, carrier 2, chemical tanker 171, container 80, liquefied gas 25, passenger 29, passenger/cargo 15, petroleum tanker 159, refrigerated cargo 32, roll on/roll off 37, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 17 foreign-owned: 1,343 (Austria 1, Azerbaijan 2, Bangladesh 2, Belgium 15, Bulgaria 5, Canada 1, China 12, Croatia 9, Cyprus 31, Denmark 30, Egypt 1, Estonia 11, France 5, Germany 91, Greece 452, Hong Kong 1, Iceland 5, India 2, Iran 79, Israel 18, Italy 50, Japan 8, South Korea 2, Latvia 19, Lebanon 11, Libya 3, Lithuania 1, Norway 93, Pakistan 2, Poland 24, Portugal 3, Romania 8, Russia 58, Slovenia 4, Spain 3, Sweden 2, Switzerland 20, Syria 6, Turkey 176, Ukraine 30, UAE 5, UK 19, US 23) registered in other countries: 3 (Panama 3) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Marsaxlokk (Malta Freeport), Valletta
Military
Malta
Military branches:
Armed Forces of Malta (AFM; includes air and maritime elements) (2007)
Military service age and obligation:
17 years 6 months of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 96,309 females age 16-49: 92,242 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 80,227 females age 16-49: 76,623 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 2,815 female: 2,657 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.7% of GDP (2006 est.)
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 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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 hosts the US Army Kwajalein Atoll (USAKA) Reagan Missile Test Site, a key installation in the US missile defense network.
Geography
Marshall Islands
Location:
Oceania, two archipelagic island chains of 29 atolls, each made up of many small islets, and five single islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and Australia
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total: 181.3 sq km land: 181.3 sq km water: 0 sq km note: the archipelago includes 11,673 sq km of lagoon waters and includes the atolls of Bikini, Enewetak, Kwajalein, Majuro, Rongelap, and Utirik
Area - comparative:
about the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
370.4 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November; 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: 11.11% permanent crops: 44.44% other: 44.45% (2005)
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
the Marshall Islands Bikini and Enewetak are former US nuclear test sites; Kwajalein atoll, famous as a World War II battleground, surrounds the world's largest lagoon and is used as a US missile test range; the island city of Ebeye is the second largest settlement in the Marshall Islands, after the capital of Majuro, and one of the most densely populated locations in the Pacific
People
Marshall Islands
Population:
63,174 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 38.5% (male 12,404/female 11,946) 15-64 years: 58.6% (male 18,937/female 18,095) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 869/female 923) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 21 years male: 21 years female: 20.9 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.142% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
31.52 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
4.57 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-5.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.94 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 26.36 deaths/1,000 live births male: 29.58 deaths/1,000 live births female: 22.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.9 years male: 68.88 years female: 73.03 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.68 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Nationality:
noun: Marshallese (singular and plural) adjective: Marshallese
Ethnic groups:
Marshallese 92.1%, mixed Marshallese 5.9%, other 2% (2006)
Religions:
Protestant 54.8%, Assembly of God 25.8%, Roman Catholic 8.4%, Bukot nan Jesus 2.8%, Mormon 2.1%, other Christian 3.6%, other 1%, none 1.5% (1999 census)
Languages:
Marshallese (official) 98.2%, other languages 1.8% (1999 census) note: English (official), widely spoken as a second language
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93.7% male: 93.6% female: 93.7% (1999)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 13 years male: 13 years female: 13 years (2003)
Education expenditures:
11.8% of GDP (2004)
Government
Marshall Islands
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of the Marshall Islands conventional short form: Marshall Islands local long form: Republic of the Marshall Islands local short form: Marshall Islands abbreviation: RMI former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Marshall Islands District
Government type:
constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 21 October 1986 and the Amended Compact entered into force in May 2004
Capital:
name: Majuro geographic coordinates: 7 06 N, 171 23 E time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Litokwa TOMEING (since 7 January 2008); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Litokwa TOMEING (since 7 January 2008) cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president from among the members of the legislature elections: president elected by Parliament from among its members for a four-year term; election last held 7 January 2008 (next to be held in 2012) election results: Litokwa TOMEING elected president; TOMEING received 18 votes to 15 for incumbent Kessai Hesa NOTE
Legislative branch:
unicameral legislature or Nitijela (33 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 19 November 2007 (next to be held by November 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - independents 4 note: the Council of Chiefs or Ironij is a 12-member body comprised of tribal chiefs that advises on matters affecting customary law and practice
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; High Court; Traditional Rights 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 - Aelon Kein Ad Party [Michael KABUA] and United Democratic Party or UDP [Litokwa TOMEING]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
International organization participation:
ACP, ADB, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, IDA, IFC, ILO, IMF,
IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, WHO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Charles A. PAUL chancery: 2433 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 234-5414 FAX: [1] (202) 232-3236 consulate(s) general: Honolulu
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Clyde BISHOP embassy: Oceanside, Mejen Weto, Long Island, Majuro mailing address: P. O. Box 1379, Majuro, Republic of the Marshall Islands 96960-1379 telephone: [692] 247-4011 FAX: [692] 247-4012
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. The Marshall Islands received more than $1 billion in aid from the US from 1986-2002. Agricultural production, primarily subsistence, 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 Amended Compact of Free Association, the US will provide millions of dollars per year to the Marshall Islands (RMI) through 2023, at which time a Trust Fund made up of US and RMI contributions will begin perpetual annual payouts. Government downsizing, drought, a drop in construction, the decline in tourism, 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 (official exchange rate):
$144 million (2005)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.5% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,900 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 31.7% industry: 14.9% services: 53.4% (2004 est.)
Labor force:
14,680 (2000)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 21.4% industry: 20.9% services: 57.7% (2000)
Unemployment rate:
30.9% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $42 million expenditures: $40 million (1999)
Fiscal year:
1 October - 30 September
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3% (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products:
coconuts, tomatoes, melons, taro, breadfruit, fruits; pigs, chickens
Industries:
copra, tuna processing, tourism, craft items (from seashells, wood, and pearls)
Industrial production growth rate:
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 99% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 1% (solar)
Exports:
$9.1 million f.o.b. (2000)
Exports - commodities:
copra cake, coconut oil, handicrafts, fish
Exports - partners:
US, Japan, Australia, China (2006)
Imports:
$54.7 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 (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
$56.56 million (2005)
Debt - external:
$86.5 million (FY99/00 est.)
Currency (code):
US dollar (USD)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
the US dollar is used
Communications
Marshall Islands
Telephones - main lines in use:
4,500 (2004)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
700 (2005)
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 high frequency radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes) and mini-satellite telephones international: country code - 692; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); US Government satellite communications system on Kwajalein (2005)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (additionally, the US Armed Forces Radio and
Television Services (Central Pacific Network) operate one FM and one
AM station on Kwajalein) (2005)
Radios:
Television broadcast stations:
2 (both are US military stations; Marshalls Broadcasting Service, a cable company, operates on Majuro) (2005)
Televisions:
Internet country code:
.mh
Internet hosts:
3 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2002)
Internet users:
2,200 (2006)
Transportation
Marshall Islands
Airports:
15 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 2,028 km (includes 75 km of expressways) (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 1,049 by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 284, cargo 71, carrier 1, chemical tanker 191, combination ore/oil 4, container 188, liquefied gas 47, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 221, refrigerated cargo 13, roll on/roll off 14, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 6 foreign-owned: 990 (Australia 1, Bermuda 4, Brazil 1, Canada 6, Chile 4, China 7, Croatia 6, Cyprus 37, Denmark 10, Germany 235, Greece 269, Hong Kong 4, Iceland 3, India 1, Ireland 1, Isle of Man 1, Italy 3, Japan 17, South Korea 10, Latvia 16, Malaysia 3, Mexico 4, Monaco 13, Netherlands 8, Norway 66, Pakistan 1, Panama 1, Romania 1, Russia 9, Saudi Arabia 5, Singapore 18, Slovenia 4, Spain 1, Sweden 1, Switzerland 12, Taiwan 1, Turkey 50, UAE 15, UK 9, UK 9, US 123) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Majuro
Military
Marshall Islands
Military branches:
no regular military forces; under the 1983 Compact of Free Association, the US has full authority and responsibility for security and defense of the Marshall Islands; Marshall Islands Police (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 15,708 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 12,864 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 512 female: 494 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
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 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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. Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA seized power in a coup in 1984 and ruled Mauritania with a heavy hand for over two decades. A series of presidential elections that he held were widely seen as flawed. A bloodless coup in August 2005 deposed President TAYA and ushered in a military council that oversaw a transition to democratic rule. Independent candidate Sidi Ould Cheikh ABDALLAHI was inaugurated in April 2007 as Mauritania's first freely and fairly elected president. His term ended prematurely in August 2008 when a coup deposed him and ushered in a military council government. Meanwhile, the country continues to experience ethnic tensions among its black population (Afro-Mauritanians) and White and Black Moor (Arab-Berber) communities.
Geography
Mauritania
Location:
Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Senegal and Western Sahara
Geographic coordinates:
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:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Climate:
desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty
Terrain:
mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central hills
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Sebkhet Te-n-Dghamcha -5 m highest point: Kediet Ijill 915 m
Natural resources:
iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil, fish
Land use:
arable land: 0.2% permanent crops: 0.01% other: 99.79% (2005)
Irrigated land:
490 sq km (2002)
Total renewable water resources:
11.4 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 1.7 cu km/yr (9%/3%/88%) per capita: 554 cu m/yr (2000)
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; limited natural fresh water resources away from the Senegal, which is the only perennial river; locust infestation
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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:
3,364,940 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 45.3% (male 763,845/female 759,957) 15-64 years: 52.5% (male 872,924/female 894,980) 65 years and over: 2.2% (male 29,147/female 44,087) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 17.2 years male: 16.9 years female: 17.4 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.852% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
40.14 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
11.61 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA (2008 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: 0.66 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 66.65 deaths/1,000 live births male: 69.69 deaths/1,000 live births female: 63.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 53.91 years male: 51.61 years female: 56.28 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.69 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.6% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
9,500 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 500 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria and Rift Valley fever (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Mauritanian(s) adjective: Mauritanian
Ethnic groups:
mixed Moor/black 40%, Moor 30%, black 30%
Religions:
Muslim 100%
Languages:
Arabic (official and national), Pulaar, Soninke, Wolof (all national languages), French, Hassaniya
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 51.2% male: 59.5% female: 43.4% (2000 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 8 years male: 8 years female: 8 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
2.9% of GDP (2006)
Government
Mauritania
Country name:
conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Mauritania conventional short form: Mauritania local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Islamiyah al Muritaniyah local short form: Muritaniyah
Government type:
Democratic Republic
Capital:
name: Nouakchott geographic coordinates: 18 07 N, 16 02 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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 Islamic law and French civil law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Gen. Mohamed Ould Abdel AZIZ who led a coup that deposed the democratically elected President Sidi Ould Cheikh ABDELLAHI on 6 August 2008 head of government: Prime Minister Moulaye Ould Mohamed LAGHDAF (since 14 August 2008) cabinet: Council of Ministers elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second consecutive term); election last held 11 March 2007 with a runoff between the two leading candidates held on 25 March 2007 (next to be held 2012); prime minister appointed by the president election results: percent of vote - (second round) Sidi Ould Cheikh ABDELLAHI 52.8%, Ahmed Ould DADDAH 47.2%
Legislative branch:
bicameral legislature consists of the Senate or Majlis al-Shuyukh (56 seats; 53 members elected by municipal leaders and 3 members elected by Mauritanians abroad to serve six-year terms; a portion of seats up for election every two years) and the National Assembly or Majlis al-Watani (95 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 21 January and 4 February 2007 (next to be held 2009); National Assembly - last held 19 November and 3 December 2006 (next to be held in 2011) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Mithaq (coalition of independents and parties associated with the former regime) 37, CFCD (coalition of political parties) 15, representatives of the diaspora 3, undecided 1; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Mithaq 51 (independents 37, PRDR 7, UDP 3, RDU 3, Alternative (El-Badil) 1), CFCD 41 (RFD 16, UFP 9, APP 6, Centrist Reformists 4, HATEM-PMUC 3, RD 2, PUDS 1), RNDLE 1, UCD 1, FP 1
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Court of Appeals; lower courts
Political parties and leaders:
Alternative or El-Badil; Centrist Reformists (independent moderate Islamists); Coalition for Forces for Democratic Change or CFCD (coalition of political parties including APP, Centrist Reformists (independent moderate Islamists), HATEM-PMUC, PUDS, RD, RFD, UFP); Democratic and Social Republican Party or PRDS; Democratic Renewal or RD; Mauritanian Party for Unity and Change or HATEM-PMUC; Mithaq (coalition of independents and parties associated with the former regime including Alternative or El-Badil, PRDR, UDP, RDU); National Rally for Freedom, Democracy and Equality or RNDLE; Popular Front or FP [Ch'bih Ould CHEIKH MALAININE]; Popular Progressive Alliance or APP [Messoud Ould BOULKHEIR]; Rally of Democratic Forces or RFD [Ahmed Ould DADDAH]; Rally for Democracy and Unity or RDU [Ahmed Ould SIDI BABA]; Republican Party for Democracy and Renewal or PRDR [Boullah Ould MOGUEYA] (formerly ruling Democratic and Social Republican Party or PRDS); Socialist and Democratic Unity Party or PUDS; Union for Democracy and Progress or UDP [Naha Mint MOUKNASS]; Union of Democratic Centre or UCD; Union of the Forces for Progress or UFP
Political pressure groups and leaders:
General Confederation of Mauritanian Workers or CGTM [Abdallahi Ould
MOHAMED, secretary general]; Independent Confederation of
Mauritanian Workers or CLTM [Samory Ould BEYE]; Mauritanian Workers
Union or UTM [Mohamed Ely Ould BRAHIM, secretary general]
other: Arab nationalists; Ba'thists; Islamists
International organization participation:
ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ibrahima DIA chancery: 2129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 232-5700, 5701 FAX: [1] (202) 319-2623
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Mark M. BOULWARE embassy: 288 Rue Abdallaye, Rue 42-100 (between Presidency building and Spanish Embassy), 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 many of the nomads and 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 nearly 40% of total exports. 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, which now stands at more than three times the level of annual exports. 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. A new investment code approved in December 2001 improved the opportunities for direct foreign investment. Ongoing negotiations with the IMF involve problems of economic reforms and fiscal discipline. In 2001, exploratory oil wells in tracts 80 km offshore indicated potential extraction at current world oil prices. Oil prospects, while initially promising, have failed to materialize. Meantime the government emphasizes reduction of poverty, improvement of health and education, and promoting privatization of the economy.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$5.974 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$2.756 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
1% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,800 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 25% industry: 29% services: 46% (2001 est.)
Labor force:
786,000 (2001)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 50% industry: 10% services: 40% (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate:
20% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:
40% (2004 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 29.5% (2000)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
39 (2000)
Budget:
revenues: $421 million expenditures: $378 million (2002 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
7.3% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
Stock of money:
NA (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
NA (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
NA (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
dates, millet, sorghum, rice, corn; cattle, sheep
Industries:
fish processing, mining of iron ore and gypsum
Industrial production growth rate:
2% (2000 est.)
Electricity - production:
412.3 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
383.4 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 85.9% hydro: 14.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
14,990 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
19,320 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
23,630 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
100 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
28.32 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
-$184 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$1.395 billion f.o.b. (2006)
Exports - commodities:
iron ore, fish and fish products, gold
Exports - partners:
China 30.5%, France 9.5%, Italy 8.5%, Spain 8.5%, Japan 5.5%,
Netherlands 5.3%, Belgium 5%, Cote d'Ivoire 4.7% (2007)
Imports:
$1.475 billion f.o.b. (2006)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, petroleum products, capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods
Imports - partners:
France 16.5%, China 8.1%, Spain 6.7%, US 6.1%, Belgium 5.8%, Brazil 5.7% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$190.4 million (2005)
Debt - external:
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
ouguiya (MRO)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
ouguiyas (MRO) per US dollar - NA (2007), 271.3 (2006), 267.04 (2005), 265.8 (2004), 263.03 (2003)
Communications
Mauritania
Telephones - main lines in use:
34,900 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.3 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: limited system of cable and open-wire lines, minor microwave radio relay links, and radiotelephone communications stations; mobile-cellular services expanding rapidly domestic: Mauritel, the national telecommunications company, was privatized in 2001 but remains the monopoly provider of fixed-line services; fixed-line teledensity 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular network coverage extends mainly to urban areas with a teledensity approaching 40 per 100 persons; mostly cable and open-wire lines; a domestic satellite telecommunications system links Nouakchott with regional capitals international: country code - 222; satellite earth stations - 3 (1 Intelsat - Atlantic Ocean, 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 hosts:
34 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
5 (2001)
Internet users:
30,000 (2006)
Transportation
Mauritania
Airports:
25 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 17 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Railways:
717 km standard gauge: 717 km 1.435-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 11,066 km paved: 2,966 km unpaved: 8,100 km (2006)
Ports and terminals:
Nouadhibou, Nouakchott
Military
Mauritania
Military branches:
Mauritanian Armed Forces: Army, Mauritanian Navy (Marine
Mauritanienne; includes naval infantry), Islamic Air Force of
Mauritania (Force Aerienne Islamique de Mauritanie, FAIM) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.); conscript service obligation - 2 years; majority of servicemen believed to be volunteers; service in Air Force and Navy is voluntary (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 740,675 females age 16-49: 744,709 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 463,305 females age 16-49: 484,777 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 38,191 female: 38,638 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
5.5% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Mauritania
Disputes - international:
Mauritanian claims to Western Sahara remain dormant
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Mauritius
Introduction
Mauritius
Background:
Although known to Arab and Malay sailors as early as the 10th century, Mauritius was first explored by the Portuguese in the 16th century and subsequently settled by the Dutch - who named it in honor of Prince Maurits van NASSAU - in the 17th century. The French assumed control in 1715, developing the island into an important naval base overseeing Indian Ocean trade, and establishing a plantation economy of sugar cane. The British captured the island in 1810, during the Napoleonic Wars. Mauritius remained a strategically important British naval base, and later an air station, playing an important role during World War II for anti-submarine and convoy operations, as well as the collection of signals intelligence. Independence from the UK 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, declining sugar prices, and declining textile and apparel production, 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:
Map references:
Political Map of the World
Area:
total: 2,040 sq km land: 2,030 sq km water: 10 sq km note: includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint Brandon), and Rodrigues
Area - comparative:
almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
177 km
Maritime claims:
measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
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: 49.02% permanent crops: 2.94% other: 48.04% (2005)
Irrigated land:
220 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
2.2 cu km (2001)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.61 cu km/yr (25%/14%/60%) per capita: 488 cu m/yr (2000)
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: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
the main island, from which the country derives its name, is of volcanic origin and is almost entirely surrounded by coral reefs; home of the dodo, a large flightless bird related to pigeons, driven to extinction by the end of the 17th century through a combination of hunting and the introduction of predatory species
People
Mauritius
Population:
1,274,189 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 23% (male 148,573/female 143,859) 15-64 years: 70.1% (male 443,968/female 449,670) 65 years and over: 6.9% (male 35,269/female 52,850) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 31.5 years male: 30.6 years female: 32.3 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.8% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
14.64 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
6.55 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 12.56 deaths/1,000 live births male: 14.94 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.75 years male: 70.28 years female: 77.4 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.83 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
700 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 100 (2001 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Mauritian(s) adjective: Mauritian
Ethnic groups:
Indo-Mauritian 68%, Creole 27%, Sino-Mauritian 3%, Franco-Mauritian 2%
Religions:
Hindu 48%, Roman Catholic 23.6%, Muslim 16.6%, other Christian 8.6%, other 2.5%, unspecified 0.3%, none 0.4% (2000 census)
Languages:
Creole 80.5%, Bhojpuri 12.1%, French 3.4%, English (official; spoken by less than 1% of the population), other 3.7%, unspecified 0.3% (2000 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 84.4% male: 88.4% female: 80.5% (2000 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 14 years male: 14 years female: 13 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
3.9% of GDP (2006)
Government
Mauritius
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Mauritius conventional short form: Mauritius local long form: Republic of Mauritius local short form: Mauritius
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: Port Louis geographic coordinates: 20 09 S, 57 29 E time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH (since 7 October 2003); Vice President Abdool Raouf BUNDHUN (since 25 February 2002) head of government: Prime Minister Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM (since 5 July 2005) 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 (eligible for a second term); election last held 19 September 2008 (next to be held in 2013); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president, responsible to the National Assembly election results: Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH reelected president by unanimous vote; percent of vote by the National Assembly - NA%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (70 seats; 62 members elected by popular vote, 8 appointed by the election commission to give representation to various ethnic minorities; to serve five-year terms) elections: last held on 3 July 2005 (next to be held in 2010) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - AS 38, MSM/MMM 22, OPR 2; appointed seats - AS 4, MSM/MMM 2, OPR 2
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:
Alliance Sociale or AS [Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM] (governing coalition
- includes MLD, MMSM, MR, MSD, PMXD); Mauritian Labor Party or MLP
[Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM]; Mauritian Militant Movement or MMM [Paul
BERENGER]; Mauritian Socialist Militant Movement or MMSM [Madan
DOLLOO]; Militant Socialist Movement or MSM [Nando BODHA]; Mouvement
Republicain or MR [Jayarama VALAYDEN]; Parti Mauricien Xavier Duval
or PMXD [Xavier Luc DUVAL]; Rodrigues Movement or MR [Joseph
(Nicholas) Von MALLY]; Rodrigues Peoples Organization or OPR [Serge
CLAIR]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: various labor unions
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, CPLP (associate), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO,
InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF,
OPCW, PCA, SAARC (observer), SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO,
UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Keerteecoomar RUHEE chancery: 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 441, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 244-1491, 1492 FAX: [1] (202) 966-0983
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Cesar CABRERA 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, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2450 telephone: [230] 202-4400 FAX: [230] 208-9534
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. The economy rests on sugar, tourism, textiles and apparel, and financial services, and is expanding into fish processing, information and communications technology, and hospitality and property development. Sugarcane is grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area and accounts for 15% of export earnings. The government's development strategy centers on creating vertical and horizontal clusters of development in these sectors. Mauritius has attracted more than 32,000 offshore entities, many aimed at commerce in India, South Africa, and China. Investment in the banking sector alone has reached over $1 billion. Mauritius, with its strong textile sector, has been well poised to take advantage of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$14.27 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$6.959 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.4% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$11,300 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 4.8% industry: 25% services: 70.1% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
574,000 (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture and fishing 9%, construction and industry 30%, transportation and communication 7%, trade, restaurants, hotels 22%, finance 6%, other services 25% (2007)
Unemployment rate:
8.8% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
8% (2006 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
39 (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
25.1% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $1.344 billion expenditures: $1.773 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June
Public debt:
63.1% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
8.8% (2007 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
21.87% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$1.673 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$6.759 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$8.582 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
sugarcane, tea, corn, potatoes, bananas, pulses; cattle, goats; fish
Industries:
food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles, clothing, mining, chemicals, metal products, transport equipment, nonelectrical machinery, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
4.7% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
2.321 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
2.058 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 90.8% hydro: 9.2% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
22,450 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2006)
Oil - imports:
23,650 bbl/day (2006)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$408.3 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$2.231 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
clothing and textiles, sugar, cut flowers, molasses, fish
Exports - partners:
UK 35.1%, France 14.4%, US 7.7%, Madagascar 6.3%, Italy 5.8% (2007)
Imports:
$3.656 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
manufactured goods, capital equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals
Imports - partners:
India 21.2%, China 11.4%, France 10.7%, South Africa 7.4% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$31.93 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$1.822 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$2.149 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$5.7 billion (2007)
Currency (code):
Mauritian rupee (MUR)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Mauritian rupees (MUR) per US dollar - 31.798 (2007), 31.656 (2006), 29.496 (2005), 27.499 (2004), 27.902 (2003)
Communications
Mauritius
Telephones - main lines in use:
357,300 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
936,000 (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: small system with good service domestic: monopoly over fixed-line services terminated in 2005; fixed-line teledensity roughly 30 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular services launched in 1989 with teledensity in 2007 reaching 75 per 100 persons international: country code - 230; landing point for the SAFE submarine cable that provides links to Asia and South Africa where it connects to the SAT-3/WASC submarine cable that provides further links to parts of East Africa, and Europe; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); new microwave link to Reunion; HF radiotelephone links to several countries
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 4, FM 9, shortwave 0 (2001)
Radios:
420,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
2 (plus several repeaters) (1997)
Televisions:
258,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.mu
Internet hosts:
9,609 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)
Internet users:
340,000 (2007)
Transportation
Mauritius
Airports:
5 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 2,028 km paved: 2,028 km (includes 75 km of expressways) (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 3 by type: passenger/cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 1 (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Port Louis
Military
Mauritius
Military branches:
no regular military forces; National Police Force, Special Mobile Force, National Coast Guard (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 341,018 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 11,089 female: 10,843 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.3% of GDP (2006 est.)
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; claims French-administered Tromelin Island
Illicit drugs:
consumer and transshipment point for heroin from South Asia; small amounts of cannabis produced and consumed locally; significant offshore financial industry creates potential for money laundering, but corruption levels are relatively low and the government appears generally to be committed to regulating its banking industry
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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 Indian Ocean, island in the Mozambique Channel, about half way between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 374 sq km land: 374 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
185.2 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 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:
Land use:
arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% other: NA%
Irrigated land:
Natural hazards:
cyclones during rainy season
Environment - current issues:
Geography - note:
People
Mayotte
Population:
216,306 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 45.5% (male 49,521/female 48,996) 15-64 years: 52.7% (male 61,267/female 52,641) 65 years and over: 1.8% (male 1,971/female 1,910) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 17.2 years male: 18.1 years female: 16.2 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
3.465% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
39.79 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
7.36 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
2.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.16 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female total population: 1.09 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 57.88 deaths/1,000 live births male: 63.59 deaths/1,000 live births female: 52 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 62.54 years male: 60.3 years female: 64.85 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.6 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Nationality:
noun: Mahorais (singular and plural) adjective: Mahoran
Ethnic groups:
Religions:
Muslim 97%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic) 3%
Languages:
Mahorian (a Swahili dialect), French (official language) spoken by 35% of the population
Literacy:
Education expenditures:
Government
Mayotte
Country name:
conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Mayotte conventional short form: Mayotte
Dependency status:
departmental collectivity of France
Government type:
Capital:
name: Mamoudzou geographic coordinates: 12 46 S, 45 13 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)
Independence:
none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)
National holiday:
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Constitution:
4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system:
the laws of France, where applicable, apply
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007); represented by Prefect Denis ROBIN (since 28 July 2008) head of government: President of the General Council Said Omar OILI (since 8 April 2004) cabinet: 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 the Interior; president of the General Council elected by the members of the General Council for a six-year term; next election to be held in 2010
Legislative branch:
unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms) elections: last held 21 and 28 March 2004 (next to be held in 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - MDM 23.3%, UMP 22.8%, PS 10.2%, MRC 8.9%, FRAP 6.5%, MPM 1.2%, other 27.1%; seats by party - MDM 6, UMP 9, MRC 2, MPM 1, diverse left 1 note: Mayotte elects one member of the French Senate; elections last held 24 September 2001 (next to be held in 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 16 June 2002 (next to be held in 2007); results - percent of vote by party - UMP-RPR 55.1%, UDF 44.9%; seats by party - UMP-RPR 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 [Ahmed MADI]; Federation of Mahorans or UMP-RPR [Mansour
KAMARDINE]; Force of the Rally and the Alliance for Democracy or
FRAP; Movement for Department Status Mayotte or MDM [Mouhoutar
SALIM]; Renewed Communist Party of Mayotte or MRC [Omar SIMBA];
Socialist Party or PS [Ibrahim ABUBACAR] (local branch of French
Parti Socialiste); Union for French Democracy or UDF [Henri
JEAN-BAPTISTE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
International organization participation:
InOC, UPU, WFTU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)
Flag description:
unofficial, local flag with the coat of arms of Mayotte centered on a white field, above which the name of the island appears in red capital letters; the main elements of the coat of arms, flanked on either side by a seahorse, appear above a scroll with the motto RA HACHIRI (We are Vigilant); the only official flag is the national flag of France
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):
$953.6 million (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
GDP - real growth rate:
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$4,900 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Labor force:
44,560 (2002)
Unemployment rate:
25.4% (2005)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $420 million expenditures: $394 million (2005)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.7% (2005)
Agriculture - products:
vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), coffee, copra, fish, livestock
Industries:
newly created lobster and shrimp industry, construction
Industrial production growth rate:
Electricity - production:
NA kWh
Electricity - consumption:
139.2 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 0% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0%
Exports:
$6.5 million f.o.b. (2005)
Exports - commodities:
ylang-ylang (perfume essence), vanilla, copra, coconuts, coffee, cinnamon
Exports - partners:
France 43%, Comoros 36%, Reunion 15% (2006)
Imports:
$341 million f.o.b.; note - excludes petroleum imports (2005)
Imports - commodities:
food, machinery and equipment, transportation equipment, metals, chemicals
Imports - partners:
France 49%, Seychelles 8.8%, China 4.1% (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
$201.3 million; note - extensive French financial assistance (2005)
Debt - external:
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
euro (EUR)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003)
Communications
Mayotte
Telephones - main lines in use:
10,000 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
48,100 (2005)
Telephone system:
general assessment: small system administered by French Department of Posts and Telecommunications domestic: NA international: country code - 262; microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone communications to Comoros
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2001)
Radios:
Television broadcast stations:
3 (2001)
Televisions:
3,500 (1994)
Internet country code:
.yt
Internet hosts:
1 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
Internet users:
Transportation
Mayotte
Airports:
1 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Ports and terminals:
Dzaoudzi
Military
Mayotte
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 2,407 female: 2,401 (2008 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of France; a small contingent of French forces is stationed on the island
Transnational Issues
Mayotte
Disputes - international:
claimed by Comoros
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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. The elections held in 2000 marked the first time since the 1910 Mexican Revolution that an opposition candidate - Vicente FOX of the National Action Party (PAN) - defeated the party in government, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). He was succeeded in 2006 by another PAN candidate Felipe CALDERON.
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:
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:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
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: 12.66% permanent crops: 1.28% other: 86.06% (2005)
Irrigated land:
63,200 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
457.2 cu km (2000)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 78.22 cu km/yr (17%/5%/77%) per capita: 731 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
strategic location on southern border of US; corn (maize), one of the world's major grain crops, is thought to have originated in Mexico
People
Mexico
Population:
109,955,400 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 29.6% (male 16,619,995/female 15,936,154) 15-64 years: 64.3% (male 34,179,440/female 36,530,154) 65 years and over: 6.1% (male 3,023,185/female 3,666,472) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 26 years male: 24.9 years female: 27 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.142% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
20.04 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
4.78 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-3.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 19.01 deaths/1,000 live births male: 20.91 deaths/1,000 live births female: 17.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.84 years male: 73.05 years female: 78.78 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.37 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.3% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
160,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
5,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: dengue fever water contact disease: leptospirosis (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Mexican(s) adjective: Mexican
Ethnic groups:
mestizo (Amerindian-Spanish) 60%, Amerindian or predominantly Amerindian 30%, white 9%, other 1%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 76.5%, Protestant 6.3% (Pentecostal 1.4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.1%, other 3.8%), other 0.3%, unspecified 13.8%, none 3.1% (2000 census)
Languages:
Spanish only 92.7%, Spanish and indigenous languages 5.7%, indigenous only 0.8%, unspecified 0.8%; note - indigenous languages include various Mayan, Nahuatl, and other regional languages (2005)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 91% male: 92.4% female: 89.6% (2004 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 13 years male: 14 years female: 13 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
5.5% of GDP (2005)
Government
Mexico
Country name:
conventional long form: United Mexican States conventional short form: Mexico local long form: Estados Unidos Mexicanos local short form: Mexico
Government type:
federal republic
Capital:
name: Mexico (Distrito Federal) geographic coordinates: 19 26 N, 99 08 W time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in April; ends last Sunday in October note: Mexico is divided into three time zones
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 (declared); 27 September 1821 (recognized by 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 Felipe de Jesus CALDERON Hinojosa (since 1 December 2006); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Felipe de Jesus CALDERON Hinojosa (since 1 December 2006) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; note - appointment of attorney general requires consent of the Senate elections: president elected by popular vote for a single six-year term; election last held on 2 July 2006 (next to be held 1 July 2012) election results: Felipe CALDERON elected president; percent of vote - Felipe CALDERON 35.89%, Andres Manuel LOPEZ OBRADOR 35.31%, Roberto MADRAZO 22.26%, other 6.54%
Legislative branch:
bicameral National Congress or Congreso de la Union consists of the Senate or Camara de Senadores (128 seats; 96 members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms, and 32 seats 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 elected by popular vote; remaining 200 members are allocated on the basis of each party's popular vote; to serve three-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 2 July 2006 for all of the seats (next to be held 1 July 2012); Chamber of Deputies - last held 2 July 2006 (next to be held 5 July 2009) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PAN 52, PRI 33, PRD 26, PVEM 6, CD 5, PT 5, independent 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PAN 207, PRD 127, PRI 106, PVEM 17, CD 17, PT 11, other 15
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Justice or Suprema Corte de Justicia de la Nacion (justices or ministros are appointed by the president with consent of the Senate)
Political parties and leaders:
Convergence for Democracy or CD [Luis MALDONADO Venegas];
Institutional Revolutionary Party or PRI [Beatriz PAREDES]; Labor
Party or PT [Alberto ANAYA Gutierrez]; Mexican Green Ecological
Party or PVEM [Jorge Emilio GONZALEZ Martinez]; National Action
Party (Partido Accion Nacional) or PAN [German MARTINEZ Cazares];
New Alliance Party (Partido Nueva Alianza) or PNA [Jorge Antonio
KAHWAGI Macari]; Party of the Democratic Revolution (Partido de la
Revolucion Democratica) or PRD [Leonel COTA Montano]; Social
Democratic and Peasant Alternative Party (Partido Alternativa
Socialdemocrata y Campesina) or Alternativa [Alberto BEGNE Guerra]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Broad Progressive Front or FAP; Businessmen's Coordinating Council
or CCE; 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 Small Business Chamber or CANACOPE; National Syndicate of
Education Workers or SNTE; National Union of Workers or UNT; Popular
Assembly of the People of Oaxaca or APPO; Roman Catholic Church
International organization participation:
APEC, BCIE, BIS, CAN (observer), Caricom (observer), CDB, CE
(observer), CSN (observer), EBRD, FAO, G-3, G-15, G-24, IADB, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES,
LAIA, MIGA, NAFTA, NAM (observer), NEA, OAS, OECD, OPANAL, OPCW,
PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU,
WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Arturo SARUKHAN Casamitjana chancery: 1911 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006 telephone: [1] (202) 728-1600 FAX: [1] (202) 728-1698 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, El Paso, Houston, Laredo (Texas), Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Nogales (Arizona), Omaha, Orlando, Phoenix, Sacramento, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, San Juan (Puerto Rico) consulate(s): Albuquerque, Brownsville (Texas), Calexico (California), Del Rio (Texas), Detroit, Douglas (Arizona), Eagle Pass (Texas), Fresno (California), Indianapolis (Indiana), Kansas City (Missouri), Laredo (Texas), Las Vegas, Little Rock (Arkansas), McAllen (Texas), New Orleans, Omaha, Orlando, Oxnard (California), Philadelphia, Portland (Oregon), Presidio (Texas), Raleigh, Saint Paul (Minnesota), Salt Lake City, San Bernardino, Santa Ana (California), Seattle, Tucson, Yuma (Arizona)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Antonio O. GARZA, Jr. embassy: Paseo de la Reforma 305, Colonia Cuauhtemoc, 06500 Mexico, Distrito Federal mailing address: P. O. Box 9000, Brownsville, TX 78520-9000 telephone: [52] (55) 5080-2000 FAX: [52] (55) 5511-9980 consulate(s) general: Ciudad Juarez, Guadalajara, Monterrey, Tijuana consulate(s): Hermosillo, Matamoros, Merida, Nogales, Nuevo Laredo
Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red; the coat of arms (an eagle with a snake in its beak perched on a cactus) is centered in the white band
Economy
Mexico
Economy - overview:
Mexico has a free market economy in the trillion dollar class. It contains 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 generation, natural gas distribution, and airports. Per capita income is one-fourth that of the US; income distribution remains highly unequal. Trade with the US and Canada has tripled since the implementation of NAFTA in 1994. Mexico has 12 free trade agreements with over 40 countries including, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, the European Free Trade Area, and Japan, putting more than 90% of trade under free trade agreements. In 2007, during his first year in office, the Felipe CALDERON administration was able to garner support from the opposition to successfully pass a pension and a fiscal reform. The administration continues to face many economic challenges including the need to upgrade infrastructure, modernize labor laws, and allow private investment in the energy sector. CALDERON has stated that his top economic priorities remain reducing poverty and creating jobs.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.353 trillion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$893.4 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.2% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$12,400 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 4% industry: 26.6% services: 69.5% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
44.71 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 18% industry: 24% services: 58% (2003)
Unemployment rate:
3.7% plus underemployment of perhaps 25% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
13.8% using food-based definition of poverty; asset based poverty amounted to more than 40% (2006)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.2% highest 10%: 37% (2006)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
50.9 (2005)
Investment (gross fixed):
20.8% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $227.5 billion expenditures: $227.2 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
22.8% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
7.56% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$103.5 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$168.4 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$349.1 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
corn, wheat, soybeans, rice, beans, cotton, coffee, fruit, tomatoes; beef, poultry, dairy products; wood products
Industries:
food and beverages, tobacco, chemicals, iron and steel, petroleum, mining, textiles, clothing, motor vehicles, consumer durables, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
1.4% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
243.3 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
202 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - exports:
1.278 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
484.2 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 78.7% hydro: 14.2% nuclear: 4.2% other: 2.9% (2001)
Oil - production:
3.501 million bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
2.119 million bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - exports:
2.204 million bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
385,400 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
11.65 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
55.98 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
68.29 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
2.973 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
11.69 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
392.2 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
-$5.525 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$271.9 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
manufactured goods, oil and oil products, silver, fruits, vegetables, coffee, cotton
Exports - partners:
US 82.2%, Canada 2.4%, Germany 1.5% (2007)
Imports:
$281.9 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
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 49.6%, China 10.5%, Japan 5.8%, South Korea 4.5% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$189.4 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$87.19 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$179.8 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$260.9 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$39.01 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$348.3 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
Mexican peso (MXN)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Mexican pesos (MXN) per US dollar - 10.8 (2007), 10.899 (2006), 10.898 (2005), 11.286 (2004), 10.789 (2003)
Communications
Mexico
Telephones - main lines in use:
19.754 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
68.254 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate telephone service for business and government, but the population is poorly served; mobile subscribers far outnumber fixed-line subscribers; domestic satellite system with 120 earth stations; extensive microwave radio relay network; considerable use of fiber-optic cable and coaxial cable domestic: low telephone density with about 18 fixed lines per 100 persons; privatized in December 1990; despite the opening to competition in January 1997, Telmex remains dominant; legal challenges to Telmex's alleged anti-competitive behavior in the mobile and fixed-line markets culminated in a World Trade Organization ruling in 2004 against Mexico prompting some strengthening of the powers granted Mexico's telecom regulator; mobile cellular teledensity approaching 65 per 100 persons international: country code - 52; Columbus-2 fiber-optic submarine cable with access to the US, Virgin Islands, Canary Islands, Spain, and Italy; the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) and the MAYA-1 submarine cable system together provide access to Central America, parts of South America and the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth stations - 120 (32 Intelsat, 2 Solidaridad (giving Mexico improved access to South America, Central America, and much of the US as well as enhancing domestic communications), 1 Panamsat, numerous Inmarsat mobile earth stations); linked to Central American Microwave System of trunk connections (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 850, FM 545, shortwave 15 (2003)
Radios:
31 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
236 (plus repeaters) (1997)
Televisions:
25.6 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.mx
Internet hosts:
10.653 million (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
51 (2000)
Internet users:
22.812 million (2007)
Transportation
Mexico
Airports:
1,834 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 231 over 3,047 m: 12 2,438 to 3,047 m: 29 1,524 to 2,437 m: 84 914 to 1,523 m: 77 under 914 m: 29 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1,603 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 63 914 to 1,523 m: 408 under 914 m: 1,131 (2007)
Heliports:
1 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 22,705 km; liquid petroleum gas 1,875 km; oil 8,688 km; oil/gas/water 228 km; refined products 6,520 km (2006)
Railways:
total: 17,665 km standard gauge: 17,665 km 1.435-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 356,945 km paved: 178,473 km (includes 6,279 km of expressways) unpaved: 178,472 km (2006)
Waterways:
2,900 km (navigable rivers and coastal canals) (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 55 by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 7, chemical tanker 5, liquefied gas 4, passenger/cargo 11, petroleum tanker 23, roll on/roll off 3 foreign-owned: 4 (Denmark 2, Hong Kong 1, UAE 1) registered in other countries: 20 (Brazil 1, Honduras 1, Liberia 2, Marshall Islands 4, Panama 2, Portugal 1, Spain 3, Venezuela 5, unknown 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Altamira, Coatzacoalcos, Manzanillo, Morro Redondo, Salina Cruz,
Tampico, Veracruz
Military
Mexico
Military branches:
Secretariat of National Defense (Secretaria de Defensa Nacional,
Sedena): Army (Ejercito, includes Mexican Air Force (Fuerza Aerea
Mexicana, FAM)); Secretariat of the Navy (Secretaria de Marina,
Semar): Mexican Navy (Armada de Mexico, ARM, includes Naval Air
Force (FAN) and naval infantry) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript service obligation - 12 months; 16 years of age with consent for voluntary enlistment; conscripts serve only in the Army; Navy and Air Force service is all voluntary; women are eligible for voluntary military service (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 27,774,688 females age 16-49: 29,376,791 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 22,188,284 females age 16-49: 24,884,614 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 1,110,544 female: 1,073,223 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.5% of GDP (2006 est.)
Transnational Issues
Mexico
Disputes - international:
abundant rainfall in recent years along much of the Mexico-US border region has ameliorated periodically strained water-sharing arrangements; the US has intensified security measures to monitor and control legal and illegal personnel, transport, and commodities across its border with Mexico; Mexico must deal with thousands of impoverished Guatemalans and other Central Americans who cross the porous border looking for work in Mexico and the United States
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 5,500-10,000 (government's quashing of Zapatista uprising in 1994 in eastern Chiapas Region) (2007)
Illicit drugs:
major drug-producing nation; cultivation of opium poppy in 2007 rose to 6,900 hectares yielding a potential production of 18 metric tons of pure heroin, or 50 metric tons of "black tar" heroin, the dominant form of Mexican heroin in the western United States; marijuana cultivation increased to 8,900 hectares in 2007 and yielded a potential production of 15,800 metric tons; government conducts the largest independent illicit-crop eradication program in the world; continues as the primary transshipment country for US-bound cocaine from South America, with an estimated 90% of annual cocaine movements toward the US stopping in Mexico; major drug syndicates control the majority of drug trafficking throughout the country; producer and distributor of ecstasy; significant money-laundering center; major supplier of heroin and largest foreign supplier of marijuana and methamphetamine to the US market (2007)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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, which was amended and renewed in 2004. 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:
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total: 702 sq km land: 702 sq km water: 0 sq km (fresh water only) note: includes Pohnpei (Ponape), Chuuk (Truk) Islands, Yap Islands, and Kosrae (Kosaie)
Area - comparative:
four times the size of Washington, DC (land area only)
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
6,112 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 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 Chuuk
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Dolohmwar (Totolom) 791 m
Natural resources:
forests, marine products, deep-seabed minerals, phosphate
Land use:
arable land: 5.71% permanent crops: 45.71% other: 48.58% (2005)
Irrigated land:
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:
107,665 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 35.3% (male 19,344/female 18,687) 15-64 years: 61.8% (male 33,142/female 33,389) 65 years and over: 2.9% (male 1,320/female 1,783) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 21.6 years male: 21.1 years female: 22.1 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
-0.191% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
23.66 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
4.53 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-21.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
Infant mortality rate:
total: 27.03 deaths/1,000 live births male: 29.8 deaths/1,000 live births female: 24.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.65 years male: 68.79 years female: 72.61 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.98 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Nationality:
noun: Micronesian(s) adjective: Micronesian; Chuukese, Kosraen(s), Pohnpeian(s), Yapese
Ethnic groups:
Chuukese 48.8%, Pohnpeian 24.2%, Kosraean 6.2%, Yapese 5.2%, Yap outer islands 4.5%, Asian 1.8%, Polynesian 1.5%, other 6.4%, unknown 1.4% (2000 census)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 47%, other 3%
Languages:
English (official and common language), Chuukese, Kosrean,
Pohnpeian, Yapese, Ulithian, Woleaian, Nukuoro, Kapingamarangi
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 89% male: 91% female: 88% (1980 est.)
Education expenditures:
7.3% of GDP (2000)
Government
Micronesia, Federated States of
Country name:
conventional long form: Federated States of Micronesia conventional short form: none local long form: Federated States of Micronesia local short form: none former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Ponape, Truk, and Yap Districts abbreviation: FSM
Government type:
constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 3 November 1986 and the Amended Compact entered into force May 2004
Capital:
name: Palikir geographic coordinates: 6 55 N, 158 09 E time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
4 states; Chuuk (Truk), Kosrae (Kosaie), Pohnpei (Ponape), 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; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Emanuel MORI (since 11 May 2007); Vice President Alik L. ALIK (since 11 May 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Emanuel MORI (since 11 May 2007); Vice President Alik L. ALIK (since 11 May 2007) cabinet: Cabinet includes the vice president and the heads of the eight executive departments elections: president and vice president elected by Congress from among the four senators at large for a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 11 May 2007 (next to be held May 2011); note - a proposed constitutional amendment to establish popular elections for president and vice president failed election results: Emanuel MORI elected president; percent of Congress vote - NA; Alik L. ALIK elected vice president; percent of Congress vote - NA
Legislative branch:
unicameral Congress (14 seats; 4 - 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; members elected by popular vote) elections: last held 6 March 2007 (next to be held in March 2009) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 14
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:
no formal parties
Political pressure groups and leaders:
International organization participation:
ACP, ADB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC,
ITSO, ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO,
WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Yosiwo GEORGE chancery: 1725 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 223-4383 FAX: [1] (202) 223-4391 consulate(s) general: Honolulu, Tamuning (Guam)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Miriam K. HUGHES embassy: 101 Upper Pics Road, Kolonia mailing address: P. O. Box 1286, Kolonia, Pohnpei, 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, a lack of adequate facilities, and limited air connections hinder development. Under the original terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US provided $1.3 billion in grant aid during the period 1986-2001; the level of aid has been subsequently reduced. The Amended Compact of Free Association with the US guarantees the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) millions of dollars in annual aid through 2023, and establishes a Trust Fund into which the US and the FSM make annual contributions in order to provide annual payouts to the FSM in perpetuity after 2023. The country's medium-term economic outlook appears fragile due not only to the reduction in US assistance but also to the current slow growth of the private sector.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$277 million; note - supplemented by grant aid, averaging perhaps $100 million annually (2002 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$232 million (2005)
GDP - real growth rate:
0.3% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,300 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 28.9% industry: 15.2% services: 55.9% (2004 est.)
Labor force:
37,410 (2000)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 0.9% industry: 34.4% services: 64.7% note: two-thirds are government employees (FY05 est.)
Unemployment rate:
22% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line:
26.7% (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $127.3 million ($69 million less grants) expenditures: $144.2 million (FY05 est.)
Fiscal year:
1 October - 30 September
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.2% (2005)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
14.03% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$22.45 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$72.49 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
NA (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
black pepper, tropical fruits and vegetables, coconuts, bananas, cassava (tapioca), sakau (kava), betel nuts, sweet potatoes; pigs, chickens; fish
Industries:
tourism, construction; fish processing, specialized aquaculture; craft items (from shell, wood, and pearls)
Industrial production growth rate:
Electricity - production:
192 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - consumption:
178.6 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source:
Current account balance:
-$34.3 million (FY05 est.)
Exports:
$14 million (f.o.b.) (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:
fish, garments, bananas, black pepper, sakau (kava), betel nut
Exports - partners:
Japan, US, Guam (2006)
Imports:
$132.7 million f.o.b. (2004)
Imports - commodities:
food, manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, beverages
Imports - partners:
US, Japan, Hong Kong (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
$106.4 million (2005)
Debt - external:
$60.8 million (FY05 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
US dollar (USD)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
the US dollar is used
Communications
Micronesia, Federated States of
Telephones - main lines in use:
8,700 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
27,400 (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate system domestic: islands interconnected by shortwave radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes), satellite (Intelsat) ground stations, and some coaxial and fiber-optic cable; cellular service available on Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap international: country code - 691; satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2002)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 5, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)
Radios:
9,400 (1996)
Television broadcast stations:
3 (cable TV also available) (2004)
Televisions:
2,800 (1999)
Internet country code:
.fm
Internet hosts:
866 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)
Internet users:
15,000 (2007)
Transportation
Micronesia, Federated States of
Airports:
6 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 240 km paved: 42 km unpaved: 198 km (2000)
Merchant marine:
total: 3 by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 2 (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Tomil Harbor
Military
Micronesia, Federated States of
Military branches:
no regular military forces
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 26,686 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 21,748 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 1,310 female: 1,262 (2008 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the US
Transnational Issues
Micronesia, Federated States of
Disputes - international:
none
Illicit drugs:
major consumer of cannabis
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Moldova
Introduction
Moldova
Background:
Formerly part of Romania, Moldova was incorporated into 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:
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 33,843 sq km land: 33,371 sq km water: 472 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Maryland
Land boundaries:
total: 1,390 km border countries: Romania 450 km, Ukraine 940 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: 54.52% permanent crops: 8.81% other: 36.67% (2005)
Irrigated land:
3,000 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
11.7 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 2.31 cu km/yr (10%/58%/33%) per capita: 549 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
landslides
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, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
landlocked; well endowed with various sedimentary rocks and minerals including sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone
People
Moldova
Population:
4,324,450 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.3% (male 361,000/female 341,785) 15-64 years: 72.9% (male 1,528,080/female 1,622,620) 65 years and over: 10.9% (male 174,448/female 296,517) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 34.3 years male: 32.4 years female: 36.4 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
-0.092% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
11.01 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
10.8 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-1.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 13.5 deaths/1,000 live births male: 14.95 deaths/1,000 live births female: 11.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.5 years male: 66.81 years female: 74.41 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.26 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
5,500 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 300 (2001 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Moldovan(s) adjective: Moldovan
Ethnic groups:
Moldovan/Romanian 78.2%, Ukrainian 8.4%, Russian 5.8%, Gagauz 4.4%, Bulgarian 1.9%, other 1.3% (2004 census) note: internal disputes with ethnic Slavs in the Transnistrian region
Religions:
Eastern Orthodox 98%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist and other 0.5% (2000)
Languages:
Moldovan (official, virtually the same as the Romanian language),
Russian, Gagauz (a Turkish dialect)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.1% male: 99.7% female: 98.6% (2005 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 12 years male: 12 years female: 13 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
7.6% of GDP (2006)
Government
Moldova
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Moldova conventional short form: Moldova local long form: Republica Moldova local short form: Moldova former: Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic, Moldovan Soviet Socialist Republic
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Chisinau (Kishinev) note: pronounced kee-shee-now geographic coordinates: 47 00 N, 28 51 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
32 raions (raioane, singular - raionul), 3 municipalities (municipiul), 1 autonomous territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala autonoma), and 1 territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala) raions: Anenii Noi, Basarabeasca, Briceni, Cahul, Cantemir, Calarasi, Causeni, Cimislia, Criuleni, Donduseni, Drochia, Dubasari, Edinet, Falesti, Floresti, Glodeni, Hincesti, Ialoveni, Leova, Nisporeni, Ocnita, Orhei, Rezina, Riscani, Singerei, Soldanesti, Soroca, Stefan-Voda, Straseni, Taraclia, Telenesti, Ungheni municipalities: Balti, Bender, Chisinau autonomous territorial unit: Gagauzia territorial unit: Stinga Nistrului (Transnistria)
Independence:
27 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 27 August (1991)
Constitution:
new constitution adopted 29 July 1994, effective 27 August 1994; replaced old Soviet constitution of 1979
Legal system:
based on civil law system; Constitutional Court reviews legality of legislative acts and governmental decisions of resolution; accepts many UN and Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) documents; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Vladimir VORONIN (since 4 April 2001) head of government: Prime Minister Zinaida GRECEANII (since 31 March 2008); First Deputy Prime Minister Igor DODON (since 31 March 2008) cabinet: Cabinet selected by president, subject to approval of Parliament elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 4 April 2005 (next to be held in 2009); note - prime minister designated by the president upon consultation with Parliament; 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 21 March 2008; cabinet received a vote of confidence 31 March 2008 election results: Vladimir VORONIN reelected president; parliamentary votes - Vladimir VORONIN 75, Gheorghe DUCA 1; Zinaida GRECEANII designated prime minister; parliamentary votes of confidence - 56 of 101
Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Parlamentul (101 seats; parties and electoral blocs elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 6 March 2005 (next to be held in 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - PCRM 46.1%, Democratic Moldova Bloc (AMN, PD, PSL) 28.4%, PPCD 9.1%, other parties 16.4%; seats by party - PCRM 56, Democratic Moldova Bloc (AMN, PD, PSL) 34, PPCD 11
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Constitutional Court (the sole authority for constitutional judicature)
Political parties and leaders:
Christian Democratic People's Party or PPCD [Iurie ROSCA]; Communist Party of the Republic of Moldova or PCRM [Vladimir VORONIN]; Democratic Party or PD [Dumitru DIACOV]; Liberal Democratic Party or PLDM [Vladmir FILAT]; National Liberal Party or PNL [Vitalia PAVLICENKO]; Our Moldova Alliance or AMN [Serafim URECHEAN]; Party for Social Democracy or PDSM [Dumitru BRAGHIS]; Social Liberal Party or PSL [Oleg SEREBRIAN]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
International organization participation:
BSEC, CE, CEI, CIS, EAEC (observer), EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, GUAM,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, OIF,
OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina,
UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Nicolae CHIRTOACA chancery: 2101 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 667-1130 FAX: [1] (202) 667-1204
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Asif CHAUDHRY embassy: 103 Mateevici Street, Chisinau MD-2009 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [373] (22) 40-8300 FAX: [373] (22) 23-3044
Flag description:
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; same color scheme as Romania
Economy
Moldova
Economy - overview:
Moldova remains one of the poorest countries in Europe despite recent progress from its small economic base. It 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 almost all of its energy supplies. Moldova's dependence on Russian energy was underscored at the end of 2005, when a Russian-owned electrical station in Moldova's separatist Transnistria region cut off power to Moldova and Russia's Gazprom cut off natural gas in disputes over pricing. Russia's decision to ban Moldovan wine and agricultural products, coupled with its decision to double the price Moldova paid for Russian natural gas, slowed GDP growth in 2006. However, in 2007 growth returned to the 6% level Moldova had achieved in 2000-05, boosted by Russia's partial removal of the bans, solid fixed capital investment, and strong domestic demand driven by remittances from abroad. Economic reforms have been slow because of corruption and strong political forces backing government controls. Nevertheless, the government's primary goal of EU integration has resulted in some market-oriented progress. The granting of EU trade preferences and increased exports to Russia will encourage higher growth rates in 2008, but the agreements are unlikely to serve as a panacea, given the extent to which export success depends on higher quality standards and other factors. The economy remains vulnerable to higher fuel prices, poor agricultural weather, and the skepticism of foreign investors. Also, the presence of an illegal separatist regime in Moldova's Transnistria region continues to be a drag on the Moldovan economy.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$9.756 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$4.227 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,300 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 17.8% industry: 21.7% services: 60.5% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
1.333 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 40.7% industry: 12.1% services: 47.2% (2005)
Unemployment rate:
2.1%; note - roughly 25% of working age Moldovans are employed abroad (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
29.5% (2005)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 26.4% (2003)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
33.2 (2003)
Investment (gross fixed):
33.3% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $1.83 billion expenditures: $1.841 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
23.3% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
12.3% (2007 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
18.83% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$965 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$1.449 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.896 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
vegetables, fruits, wine, grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, tobacco; beef, milk
Industries:
sugar, vegetable oil, food processing, agricultural machinery; foundry equipment, refrigerators and freezers, washing machines; hosiery, shoes, textiles
Industrial production growth rate:
1% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
3.824 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
5.806 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
229 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - imports:
3.741 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 90.6% hydro: 9.4% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
15,770 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
50.03 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
14,450 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
50 million cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
2.44 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
2.44 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$694.7 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$1.361 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
foodstuffs, textiles, machinery
Exports - partners:
Russia 25.3%, Romania 13%, Italy 10%, Ukraine 8.7%, Germany 8.5%,
Poland 6.2%, Belarus 4.2% (2007)
Imports:
$3.677 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
mineral products and fuel, machinery and equipment, chemicals, textiles
Imports - partners:
Russia 20.5%, Ukraine 15.8%, Romania 15%, Germany 8.7%, Italy 5.7%,
Poland 4.1% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$191.8 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$1.334 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$3.3 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$573.9 million (2004)
Currency (code):
Moldovan leu (MDL)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Moldovan lei (MDL) per US dollar - 12.177 (2007), 13.131 (2006), 12.6 (2005), 12.33 (2004), 13.945 (2003)
Communications
Moldova
Telephones - main lines in use:
1.08 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.883 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: inadequate, outmoded, poor service outside Chisinau; some modernization is under way domestic: depending on location, new subscribers may face long wait for service; multiple private operators of GSM mobile-cellular telephone service are operating; GPRS system is being introduced; a CDMA mobile telephone network began operations in 2007; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity approaching 70 per 100 persons international: country code - 373; service through Romania and Russia via landline; satellite earth stations - at least 3 (Intelsat, Eutelsat, and Intersputnik) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 29, shortwave NA (2006)
Radios:
3.22 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
40 (2006)
Televisions:
1.26 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.md
Internet hosts:
223,869 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (1999)
Internet users:
700,000 (2007)
Transportation
Moldova
Airports:
10 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 6 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 1,980 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 1,138 km broad gauge: 1,124 km 1.520-m gauge standard gauge: 14 km 1.435-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 12,666 km paved: 12,117 km unpaved: 549 km (2007)
Waterways:
424 km (on Dniester and Prut rivers) (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 39 by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 32, chemical tanker 2, combination ore/oil 2, petroleum tanker 1 foreign-owned: 17 (Egypt 1, Romania 3, Russia 3, Syria 1, Turkey 3, Ukraine 5, Yemen 1) (2008)
Military
Moldova
Military branches:
National Army: Ground Forces, Rapid Reaction Forces, Air and Air
Defense Forces (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory military service; 12-month service obligation (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,161,924 females age 16-49: 1,187,771 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 877,070 females age 16-49: 994,091 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 33,053 female: 31,712 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.4% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
Moldova
Disputes - international:
Moldova and Ukraine operate joint customs posts to monitor the transit of people and commodities through Moldova's break-away Transnistria region, which remains under OSCE supervision
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Moldova is a major source and, to a lesser extent, a transit country for women and girls trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation; Moldovan women are trafficked to the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and Western Europe; girls and young women are trafficked within the country from rural areas to Chisinau; children are also trafficked to neighboring countries for forced labor and begging; labor trafficking of men to work in the construction, agriculture, and service sectors of Russia is increasingly a problem tier rating: Tier 3 - Moldova does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; the government failed to follow-up on allegations of officials complicit in trafficking cited in the 2007 Report, and it did not demonstrate proactive efforts to identify trafficking victims (2008)
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; widespread crime and underground economic activity
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Monaco
Introduction
Monaco
Background:
The Genoese built a fortress on the site of present-day Monaco in 1215. The current ruling Grimaldi family secured control in the late 13th century, and a principality was established in 1338. 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:
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 1.95 sq km land: 1.95 sq km water: 0 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 exclusive economic zone: 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) (2005)
Irrigated land:
Natural hazards:
Environment - current issues:
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
second-smallest independent state in the world (after Holy See); almost entirely urban
People
Monaco
Population:
32,796 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 14.8% (male 2,488/female 2,369) 15-64 years: 62.4% (male 10,110/female 10,353) 65 years and over: 22.8% (male 3,048/female 4,428) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 45.5 years male: 43.5 years female: 47.5 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.375% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
9.09 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
12.96 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
7.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 5.18 deaths/1,000 live births male: 6 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.96 years male: 76.14 years female: 83.97 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.75 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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%, other 10%
Languages:
French (official), English, Italian, Monegasque
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.)
Education expenditures:
4.4% of GDP (2004)
Government
Monaco
Country name:
conventional long form: Principality of Monaco conventional short form: Monaco local long form: Principaute de Monaco local short form: Monaco
Government type:
constitutional monarchy
Capital:
name: Monaco geographic coordinates: 43 44 N, 7 25 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
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 rule by the House of Grimaldi)
National holiday:
National Day (Saint Rainier's Day), 19 November (1857)
Constitution:
17 December 1962
Legal system:
based on French law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Prince ALBERT II (since 6 April 2005) head of government: Minister of State Jean-Paul PROUST (since 1 June 2005) cabinet: Council of Government is under the authority of the monarch elections: the monarchy is hereditary; minister of state appointed by the monarch from a list of three French national candidates presented by the French Government
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Council or Conseil National (24 seats; 16 members elected by list majority system, 8 by proportional representation; to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 3 February 2008 (next to be held February 2013) election results: percent of vote by party - UPM 52.2%, REM 40.5%, Monaco Together 7.3%; seats by party - UPM 21, REM 3
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:
Union for Monaco or UPM (including National Union for the Future of
Monaco or UNAM); Rally and Issues for Monaco or REM; Monaco Together
Political pressure groups and leaders:
International organization participation:
CE, FAO, IAEA, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IFRCS, IHO, IMO,
IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITSO, ITU, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Schengen
Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador to the US and UN Gilles NOGHES chancery: 2314 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 234-1530 FAX: (202) 552-5778
Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Monaco; the US Ambassador to France is accredited to Monaco; the US Consul General in Marseille (France), under the authority of the US ambassador to France, handles routine diplomatic and consular matters concerning 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, bordering France on the Mediterranean coast, is a popular resort, attracting tourists to its casino and pleasant climate. The principality also is a major banking center and 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.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$976.3 million note: Monaco does not publish national income figures; the estimates are extremely rough (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
GDP - real growth rate:
0.9% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$30,000 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 0% industry: 4.9% services: 95.1% (2005)
Labor force:
44,000 note: includes workers from all foreign countries (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate:
0% (2005)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $863 million expenditures: $920.6 million (2005 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.9% (2000)
Agriculture - products:
none
Industries:
tourism, construction, small-scale industrial and consumer products
Industrial production growth rate:
Electricity - consumption:
NA kWh
Electricity - imports:
NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by France
Exports:
$716.3 million note: full customs integration with France, which collects and rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in EU market system through customs union with France (2005)
Imports:
$916.1 million note: full customs integration with France, which collects and rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in EU market system through customs union with France (2005)
Economic aid - recipient:
Debt - external:
$18 billion (2000 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
euro (EUR)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003)
Communications
Monaco
Telephones - main lines in use:
34,000 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
17,200 (2005)
Telephone system:
general assessment: modern automatic telephone system domestic: NA international: country code - 377; 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 hosts:
21,058 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)
Internet users:
20,000 (2006)
Transportation
Monaco
Heliports:
1 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 50 km paved: 50 km (2007)
Merchant marine:
registered in other countries: 70 (Bahamas 15, Georgia 4, Isle of Man 3, Liberia 8, Marshall Islands 13, Norway 5, Panama 16, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 5, Vanuatu 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Monaco
Military
Monaco
Military branches:
no regular military forces; the Palace Guard performs ceremonial duties
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 6,687 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 5,376 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 191 female: 182 (2008 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues
Monaco
Disputes - international:
none
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Mongolia
Introduction
Mongolia
Background:
The Mongols gained fame in the 13th century when under Chinggis 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 in the late 17th century came under Chinese rule. Mongolia won its independence in 1921 with Soviet backing. A Communist regime was installed in 1924. Following a peaceful democratic revolution, the ex-Communist Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP) won elections in 1990 and 1992, but was defeated by the Democratic Union Coalition (DUC) in the 1996 parliamentary election. Since then, parliamentary elections returned the MPRP overwhelmingly to power in 2000, but 2004 elections reduced MPRP representation and, therefore, its authority.
Geography
Mongolia
Location:
Northern Asia, between China and Russia
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Asia
Area:
total: 1,564,116 sq km land: 1,554,731 sq km water: 9,385 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Alaska
Land boundaries:
total: 8,220 km border countries: China 4,677 km, Russia 3,543 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, fluorspar, gold, silver, iron
Land use:
arable land: 0.76% permanent crops: 0% other: 99.24% (2005)
Irrigated land:
840 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
34.8 cu km (1999)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.44 cu km/yr (20%/27%/52%) per capita: 166 cu m/yr (2000)
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; the policies of former Communist regimes promoted rapid urbanization and industrial growth that had negative effects on the environment; the burning of soft coal in power plants and the lack of enforcement of environmental laws severely polluted the air in Ulaanbaatar; deforestation, overgrazing, and the converting of virgin land to agricultural production increased soil erosion from wind and rain; desertification and mining activities 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, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
landlocked; strategic location between China and Russia
People
Mongolia
Population:
2,996,081 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 28.4% (male 433,835/female 416,549) 15-64 years: 67.7% (male 1,013,215/female 1,015,221) 65 years and over: 3.9% (male 51,093/female 66,168) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 24.9 years male: 24.6 years female: 25.3 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.493% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
21.09 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
6.16 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA (2008 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: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 41.24 deaths/1,000 live births male: 44.41 deaths/1,000 live births female: 37.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 67.32 years male: 64.92 years female: 69.84 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.24 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
fewer than 500 (2003 est)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Mongolian(s) adjective: Mongolian
Ethnic groups:
Mongol (mostly Khalkha) 94.9%, Turkic (mostly Kazakh) 5%, other (including Chinese and Russian) 0.1% (2000)
Religions:
Buddhist Lamaist 50%, Shamanist and Christian 6%, Muslim 4%, none 40% (2004)
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 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 13 years male: 12 years female: 14 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
5% of GDP (2004)
Government
Mongolia
Country name:
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Mongolia local long form: none local short form: Mongol Uls former: Outer Mongolia
Government type:
mixed parliamentary/presidential
Capital:
name: Ulaanbaatar geographic coordinates: 47 55 N, 106 55 E time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
21 provinces (aymguud, singular - aymag) and 1 municipality* (singular - hot); Arhangay, Bayanhongor, Bayan-Olgiy, Bulgan, Darhan-Uul, Dornod, Dornogovi, Dundgovi, Dzavhan, Govi-Altay, Govisumber, 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 Soviet, German, and US systems that combine "continental" or "civil" code and case-precedent; 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 Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR (since 24 June 2005) head of government: Prime Minister Sanjaa BAYAR (since 22 November 2007); First Deputy Prime Minister (Norov ALTANKHUYAG (since 27 September 2008); Vice Prime Minister Miegombyn ENKHBOLD (since 6 December 2007) cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the prime minister in consultation with the president and confirmed by the State Great Hural (parliament) elections: presidential candidates nominated by political parties represented in State Great Hural and elected by popular vote for a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 22 May 2005 (next to be held in May 2009); following legislative elections, leader of majority party or majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by State Great Hural election results: Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR elected president; percent of vote - Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR 53.44%, Mendsaikhanin ENKHSAIKHAN 20.05%, Bazarsadyn JARGALSAIKHAN 13.92%, Badarchyn ERDENEBAT 12.59%; Miegombyn ENKHBOLD elected prime minister by the State Great Hural 56 to 10
Legislative branch:
unicameral State Great Hural 76 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms elections: last held 29 June 2008 (next to be held in June 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MPRP 47, DP 26, others 3; note - results are disputed
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 and approved by the president)
Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party or DP [Norovyn ALTANHUYAG]; Mongolian People's
Revolutionary Party or MPRP [Sanji BAYAR]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: human rights groups; women's groups
International organization participation:
ADB, ARF, CP, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO,
ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OPCW, OSCE (partner), SCO
(observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOMIG, UNWTO,
UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Khasbazaryn BEKHBAT chancery: 2833 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 333-7117 FAX: [1] (202) 298-9227
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Mark C. MINTON embassy: Big Ring Road, 11th Micro Region, Ulaanbaatar mailing address: PSC 461, Box 300, FPO AP 96521-0002; P.O. Box 1021, Ulaanbaatar-13 telephone: [976] (11) 329-095 FAX: [976] (11) 320-776
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 in Mongolia has traditionally been based on herding and agriculture. Mongolia has extensive mineral deposits. Copper, coal, gold, molybdenum, fluorspar, uranium, tin, and tungsten account for a large part of industrial production and foreign direct investment. Soviet assistance, at its height one-third of GDP, disappeared almost overnight in 1990 and 1991 at the time of the dismantlement of the USSR. The following decade saw Mongolia endure both deep recession because of political inaction and natural disasters, as well as economic growth because of reform-embracing, free-market economics and extensive privatization of the formerly state-run economy. Severe winters and summer droughts in 2000-02 resulted in massive livestock die-off and zero or negative GDP growth. This was compounded by falling prices for Mongolia's primary sector exports and widespread opposition to privatization. Growth was 10.6% in 2004, 5.5% in 2005, 7.5% in 2006, and 9.9% in 2007 largely because of high copper prices and new gold production. Mongolia is experiencing its highest inflation rate in over a decade as consumer prices in 2007 rose 15%, largely because of increased fuel and food costs. Mongolia's economy continues to be heavily influenced by its neighbors. For example, Mongolia purchases 95% of its petroleum products and a substantial amount of electric power from Russia, leaving it vulnerable to price increases. Trade with China represents more than half of Mongolia's total external trade - China receives about 70% of Mongolia's exports. Remittances from Mongolians working abroad both legally and illegally are sizable, and money laundering is a growing concern. Mongolia settled its $11 billion debt with Russia at the end of 2003 on favorable terms. Mongolia, which joined the World Trade Organization in 1997, seeks to expand its participation and integration into Asian regional economic and trade regimes.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$8.542 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$3.905 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
9.9% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,900 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 18.8% industry: 40.4% services: 40.8% (2006)
Labor force:
1.042 million (2006)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 39.9% industry: 11.7% services: 49.4% (2006)
Unemployment rate:
3% (2007)
Population below poverty line:
36.1% (2004)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3% highest 10%: 24.6% (2002)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
32.8 (2002)
Budget:
revenues: $1.58 billion expenditures: $1.497 billion (2007)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
9% (2007)
Central bank discount rate:
9.87% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
17.54% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$504.7 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$1.539 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.191 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
wheat, barley, vegetables, forage crops; sheep, goats, cattle, camels, horses
Industries:
construction and construction materials; mining (coal, copper, molybdenum, fluorspar, tin, tungsten, and gold); oil; food and beverages; processing of animal products, cashmere and natural fiber manufacturing
Industrial production growth rate:
3% (2006 est.)
Electricity - production:
3.078 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
2.638 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
10 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
195 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
12,860 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - imports:
12,630 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$23 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$1.889 billion f.o.b. (2007)
Exports - commodities:
copper, apparel, livestock, animal products, cashmere, wool, hides, fluorspar, other nonferrous metals
Exports - partners:
China 71.9%, Canada 10.7%, US 4.8% (2007)
Imports:
$2.117 billion c.i.f. (2007)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, fuel, cars, food products, industrial consumer goods, chemicals, building materials, sugar, tea
Imports - partners:
China 32%, Russia 29.4%, South Korea 7.9%, Japan 7.2% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$159.5 million (2006)
Debt - external:
$1.438 billion (2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$613.3 million (2007)
Currency (code):
togrog/tugrik (MNT)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
togrog/tugriks (MNT) per US dollar - 1,170 (2007), 1,179.6 (2006), 1,205 (2005), 1,185.3 (2004), 1,146.5 (2003)
Communications
Mongolia
Telephones - main lines in use:
158,900 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
775,300 (2006)
Telephone system:
general assessment: network is improving with international direct dialing available in many areas domestic: very low fixed-line density; there are multiple mobile cellular service providers and subscribership is increasing rapidly; a fiber-optic network is also being installed that will improve broadband and communication services between major urban centers international: country code - 976; satellite earth stations - 7
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 7, FM 115 (includes 20 National radio broadcaster repeaters), shortwave 4 (2006)
Radios:
155,900 (1999)
Television broadcast stations:
456 (including provincial and low-power repeaters) (2006)
Televisions:
168,800 (1999)
Internet country code:
.mn
Internet hosts:
356 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
5 (2001)
Internet users:
320,000 (2007)
Transportation
Mongolia
Airports:
44 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 13 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 31 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 23 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Heliports:
1 (2007)
Railways:
total: 1,810 km broad gauge: 1,810 km 1.524-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 49,250 km paved: 1,724 km unpaved: 47,526 km (2002)
Waterways:
580 km note: only waterway in operation is Lake Hovsgol (135 km); Selenge River (270 km) and Orhon River (175 km) are navigable but carry little traffic; lakes and rivers freeze in winter, are open from May to September (2004)
Merchant marine:
total: 77 by type: bulk carrier 20, cargo 44, chemical tanker 2, liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 6, vehicle carrier 1 foreign-owned: 53 (China 1, Germany 4, Indonesia 1, North Korea 1, South Korea 1, Lebanon 2, Russia 9, Singapore 9, Thailand 1, Ukraine 1, Vietnam 23) (2008)
Military
Mongolia
Military branches:
Mongolian Armed Forces: Mongolian Army, Mongolian Air Force; there is no navy (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18-25 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 12 months in land or air defense forces or police; a small portion of Mongolian land forces (2.5 percent) is comprised of contract soldiers; women cannot be deployed overseas for military operations (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 865,425 females age 16-49: 860,669 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 696,652 females age 16-49: 731,480 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 29,990 female: 29,256 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.4% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Mongolia
Disputes - international:
none
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Montenegro
Introduction
Montenegro
Background:
The use of the name Montenegro began in the 15th century when the Crnojevic dynasty began to rule the Serbian principality of Zeta; over subsequent centuries Montenegro was able to maintain its independence from the Ottoman Empire. From the 16th to 19th centuries, Montenegro became a theocracy ruled by a series of bishop princes; in 1852, it was transformed into a secular principality. After World War I, Montenegro was absorbed by the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, which became the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1929; at the conclusion of World War II, it became a constituent republic of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. When the latter dissolved in 1992, Montenegro federated with Serbia, first as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and, after 2003, in a looser union of Serbia and Montenegro. In May 2006, Montenegro invoked its right under the Constitutional Charter of Serbia and Montenegro to hold a referendum on independence from the state union. The vote for severing ties with Serbia exceeded 55% - the threshold set by the EU - allowing Montenegro to formally declare its independence on 3 June 2006.
Geography
Montenegro
Location:
Southeastern Europe, between the Adriatic Sea and Serbia
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 14,026 sq km land: 13,812 sq km water: 214 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Connecticut
Land boundaries:
total: 625 km border countries: Albania 172 km, Bosnia and Herzegovina 225 km, Croatia 25 km, Kosovo 79 km, Serbia 124 km
Coastline:
293.5 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: defined by treaty
Climate:
Mediterranean climate, hot dry summers and autumns and relatively cold winters with heavy snowfalls inland
Terrain:
highly indented coastline with narrow coastal plain backed by rugged high limestone mountains and plateaus
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m highest point: Bobotov Kuk 2,522 m
Natural resources:
bauxite, hydroelectricity
Land use:
arable land: 13.7% permanent crops: 1% other: 85.3%
Irrigated land:
Natural hazards:
destructive earthquakes
Environment - current issues:
pollution of coastal waters from sewage outlets, especially in tourist-related areas such as Kotor
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ship Pollution
Geography - note:
strategic location along the Adriatic coast
People
Montenegro
Population:
678,177 (July 2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
-0.925% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
11.17 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
8.51 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A vectorborne disease: Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Montenegrin(s) adjective: Montenegrin
Ethnic groups:
Montenegrin 43%, Serbian 32%, Bosniak 8%, Albanian 5%, other
(Muslims, Croats, Roma (Gypsy)) 12% (2003 census)
Religions:
Orthodox 74.2%, Muslim 17.7%, Catholic 3.5%, other 0.6%, unspecified 3%, atheist 1% (2003 census)
Languages:
Serbian 63.6%, Montenegrin (official) 22%, Bosnian 5.5%, Albanian 5.3%, unspecified 3.7% (2003 census)
Education expenditures:
Government
Montenegro
Country name:
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Montenegro local long form: none local short form: Crna Gora former: People's Republic of Montenegro, Socialist Republic of Montenegro, Republic of Montenegro
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Podgorica geographic coordinates: 42 26 N, 19 16 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1 hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
21 municipalities (opstine, singular - opstina); Andrijevica, Bar,
Berana, Bijelo Polje, Budva, Cetinje, Danilovgrad, Herceg Novi,
Kolasin, Kotor, Mojkovac, Niksic, Plav, Pljevlja, Pluzine,
Podgorica, Rozaje, Savnik, Tivat, Ulcinj, Zabljak
Independence:
3 June 2006 (from Serbia and Montenegro)
National holiday:
National Day, 13 July (1878)
Constitution:
19 October 2007 (approved by the Assembly)
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 Filip VUJANOVIC (since 11 May 2003) head of government: Prime Minister Milo DJUKANOVIC (since 29 February 2008) cabinet: Ministries act as cabinet elections: president elected by direct vote for five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 6 April 2008 (next to be held in 2013); prime minister proposed by president, accepted by Assembly election results: Filip VUJANOVIC reelected president; Filip VUJANOVIC 51.89%, Andrija MANDIC 19.55%, Nebojsa MEDOJEVIC 16.64%, Srdan MILIC 11.92%
Legislative branch:
unicameral Assembly (81 seats; members elected by direct vote for four-year terms; changed from 74 seats in 2006) elections: last held 10 September 2006 (next to be held 2010) election results: percent of vote by party - Coalition for European Montenegro 47.7%, Serbian List 14.4%, Coalition SNP-NS-DSS 13.8%, PZP 12.9%, Liberals and Bosniaks 3.7%, other (including Albanian minority parties) 7.5%; seats by party - Coalition for European Montenegro 41, Serbian List 12, Coalition SNP/NS/DSS 11, PZP 11, Liberals and Bosniaks 3, Albanian minority parties 3
Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court (five judges with nine-year terms); Supreme
Court (judges have life tenure)
Political parties and leaders:
Albanian Alternative or AA [Vesel SINISHTAJ]; Coalition for European
Montenegro or DPS-SDP (bloc) [Milo DJUKANOVIC] (includes Democratic
Party of Socialists or DPS [Milo DJUKANOVIC] and Social Democratic
Party of SDP [Ranko KRIVOKAPIC]); Coalition SNP-NS-DSS (bloc)
(includes Socialist People's Party or SNP [Srdjan MILIC], People's
Party of Montenegro or NS [Predrag POPOVIC], and Democratic Serbian
Party of Montenegro or DSS [Ranko KADIC]); Democratic League-Party
of Democratic Prosperity or SPP [Mehmet BARHDI]; Democratic Union of
Albanians or DUA [Ferhat DINOSA]; Liberals and the Bosniak Party
(bloc) [Miodrag ZIVKOVIC] (includes Liberal Party of Montenegro or
LP [Miodrag ZIVKOVIC] and Bosniak Party or BS [Rafet HUSOVIC]);
Movement for Changes or PZP [Nebojsa MEDOJEVIC]; Serbian List (bloc)
[Andrija MANDIC] (includes Party of Serb Radicals or SSR [Dusko
SEKULIC], People's Socialist Party or NSS [Emilo LABUDOVIC], and
Serbian People's Party of Montenegro or SNS [Andrija MANDIC])
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Sandzak People's Movement [Cemal SULFEJIC]
International organization participation:
CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO
(correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SECI, UN,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Miodrag VLAHOVIC chancery: 1610 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 234-6108 FAX: [1] (202) 234-6109 consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Roderick W. MOORE embassy: Ljubljanska bb, 81000 Podgorica, Montenegro mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [382] 81 225 417 FAX: [382] 81 241 358
Flag description:
a red field bordered by a narrow golden-yellow stripe with the Montenegrin coat of arms centered
Economy
Montenegro
Economy - overview:
Montenegro severed its economy from federal control and from Serbia during the MILOSEVIC era and maintained its own central bank, used the euro instead of the Yugoslav dinar as official currency, collected customs tariffs, and managed its own budget. The dissolution of the loose political union between Serbia and Montenegro in 2006 led to separate membership in several international financial institutions, such as the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. On 18 January 2007, Montenegro joined the World Bank and IMF. Montenegro is pursuing its own membership in the World Trade Organization as well as negotiating a Stabilization and Association agreement with the European Union in anticipation of eventual membership. Severe unemployment remains a key political and economic problem for this entire region. Montenegro has privatized its large aluminum complex - the dominant industry - as well as most of its financial sector, and has begun to attract foreign direct investment in the tourism sector.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$5.918 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$2.974 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
7.5% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$3,800 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Labor force:
259,100 (2004)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 2% industry: 30% services: 68% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate:
14.7% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
7% (2007 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
30 (2003)
Investment (gross fixed):
30.5% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget:
revenues: NA expenditures: NA
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
38% of GDP (2006)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.4% (2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
9.09% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$1.172 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$1.446 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$3.083 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
grains, tobacco, potatoes, citrus fruits, olives, grapes; sheepherding; commercial fishing negligible
Industries:
steelmaking, aluminum, agricultural processing, consumer goods, tourism
Electricity - production:
2.864 billion kWh (2005 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
18.6 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2005)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
450 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
NA cu m
Current account balance:
Exports:
$171.3 million (2003)
Exports - partners:
Switzerland 83.9%, Italy 6.1%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 1.3% (2006)
Imports:
$601.7 million (2003)
Imports - partners:
Greece 10.2%, Italy 10.2%, Germany 9.6%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 9.2% (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Debt - external:
$650 million (2006)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
euro (EUR)
Exchange rates:
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003)
Communications
Montenegro
Telephones - main lines in use:
353,300 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
643,700 (2006)
Telephone system:
general assessment: modern telecommunications system with access to European satellites domestic: GSM wireless service, available through 2 providers with national coverage, is growing rapidly international: country code - 382; 2 international switches connect the national system
Radio broadcast stations:
31 (station types NA) (2004)
Television broadcast stations:
13 (2004)
Internet country code:
.me
Internet users:
280,000 (2007)
Transportation
Montenegro
Airports:
5 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Heliports:
1 (2007)
Railways:
total: 250 km standard gauge: 250 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified 169 km) (2006)
Roadways:
total: 7,368 km paved: 4,742 km unpaved: 2,626 km (2006)
Merchant marine:
total: 6 by type: cargo 5, passenger/cargo 1 registered in other countries: 3 (Bahamas 2, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Bar
Military
Montenegro
Military branches:
Armed Forces of the Republic of Montenegro: Army, Navy (serves as
Coast Guard), Air Force (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
compulsory national military service abolished August 2006
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 4,426 female: 4,201 (2008 est.)
Military - note:
Montenegrin plans call for the establishment of a fully professional armed forces
Transnational Issues
Montenegro
Disputes - international:
none
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 7,000 (Kosovo); note - mostly ethnic Serbs and Roma who fled Kosovo in 1999 IDPs: 16,192 (ethnic conflict in 1999 and riots in 2004) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Montenegro is primarily a transit country for the trafficking of women and girls to Western Europe for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation; women and girls from the Balkans and Eastern Europe are trafficked across Montenegro to Western European countries tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Montenegro is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in persons in 2007; public attention to the issue of trafficking has diminished considerably in Montenegro in recent years (2008)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Montserrat
Introduction
Montserrat
Background:
English and Irish colonists from St. Kitts first settled on Montserrat in 1632; the first African slaves arrived three decades later. The British and French fought for possession of the island for most of the 18th century, but it finally was confirmed as a British possession in 1783. The island's sugar plantation economy was converted to small farm landholdings in the mid 19th century. Much of this island was devastated and two-thirds of the population fled abroad because of the eruption of the Soufriere Hills Volcano that began on 18 July 1995. Montserrat has endured volcanic activity since, with the last eruption occurring in July 2003.
Geography
Montserrat
Location:
Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 102 sq km land: 102 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
about 0.6 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
40 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation
Terrain:
volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: lava dome in English's Crater (in the Soufriere Hills volcanic complex) estimated at over 930 m (2006)
Natural resources:
Land use:
arable land: 20% permanent crops: 0% other: 80% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Natural hazards:
severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions (Soufriere Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1995)
Environment - current issues:
land erosion occurs on slopes that have been cleared for cultivation
Geography - note:
the island is entirely volcanic in origin and comprised of three major volcanic centers of differing ages
People
Montserrat
Population:
5,079 note: an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 27.8% (male 738/female 675) 15-64 years: 64.8% (male 1,575/female 1,716) 65 years and over: 7.4% (male 245/female 130) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 28.1 years male: 28 years female: 28.1 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.315% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
12.01 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
8.86 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.88 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 16.46 deaths/1,000 live births male: 12.19 deaths/1,000 live births female: 20.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.6 years male: 74.66 years female: 70.44 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.22 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 97% male: 97% female: 97% (1970 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 16 years male: 15 years female: 16 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
3.3% of GDP (2004)
Government
Montserrat
Country name:
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Montserrat
Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK
Government type:
Capital:
name: Plymouth geographic coordinates: 16 42 N, 62 13 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) note: Plymouth was abandoned in 1997 because of 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:
effective 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 Peter A. WATERWORTH (since 27 July 2007) head of government: Chief Minister Lowell LEWIS (since 2 June 2006) cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, the chief minister, three other ministers, the attorney general, and the finance secretary elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party usually becomes chief minister
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 31 May 2006 (next to be held by 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - MCAP 36.1%, NPLM 29.4%, MDP 24.4%, independents 10.1%; seats by party - MCAP 4, NPLM 3, MDP 1, independents 1 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
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:
Montserrat Democratic Party or MDP [Lowell LEWIS]; Movement for
Change and Prosperity or MCAP [Roselyn CASSELL-SEALY]; New People's
Liberation Movement or NPLM [John A. OSBORNE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
International organization participation:
Caricom, CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, UPU, WFTU
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 volcanic activity 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):
$29 million (2002 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
GDP - real growth rate:
-1% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$3,400 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1.2% industry: 23.1% services: 75.7% (1999 est.)
Labor force:
4,521 note: lowered by flight of people from volcanic activity (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate:
6% (1998 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $31.4 million expenditures: $31.6 million (1997 est.)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.6% (2002 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
6.5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
10.4% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$17.9 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$43.9 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$5.537 million (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers; livestock products
Industries:
tourism, rum, textiles, electronic appliances
Industrial production growth rate:
Electricity - production:
22 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
20.46 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
505.5 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
482.6 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Exports:
$700,000 (2001)
Exports - commodities:
electronic components, plastic bags, apparel; hot peppers, limes, live plants; cattle
Exports - partners:
US, Antigua and Barbuda (2006)
Imports:
$17 million (2001)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transportation equipment, foodstuffs, manufactured goods, fuels, lubricants, and related materials
Imports - partners:
US, UK, Trinidad and Tobago, Japan, Canada (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
Country Policy Plan (2001) is a three-year program for spending $122.8 million in British budgetary assistance (2002 est.)
Debt - external:
$8.9 million (1997)
Currency (code):
East Caribbean dollar (XCD)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7 (2007), 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003) note: fixed rate since 1976
Communications
Montserrat
Telephones - main lines in use:
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Telephone system:
general assessment: modern and fully digitalized domestic: NA international: country code - 1-664; landing point for the East Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) optic submarine cable with links to 13 other islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin Islands to Trinidad
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 hosts:
409 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
17 (2000)
Internet users:
Transportation
Montserrat
Airports:
2 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2007)
Roadways:
note: volcanic eruptions that began in 1995 destroyed most of the 227 km road system; a new road infrastructure has been built in the north end of the island (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Little Bay, Plymouth
Military
Montserrat
Military branches:
no regular military forces; Royal Montserrat Police Force (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,528 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,097 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 31 female: 39 (2008 est.)
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 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Morocco
Introduction
Morocco
Background:
In 788, about a century after the Arab conquest of North Africa, successive Moorish dynasties began to rule in Morocco. In the 16th century, the Sa'adi monarchy, particularly under Ahmad AL-MANSUR (1578-1603), repelled foreign invaders and inaugurated a golden age. In 1860, Spain occupied northern Morocco and ushered in a half century of trade rivalry among European powers that saw Morocco's sovereignty steadily erode; in 1912, the French imposed a protectorate over the country. A protracted independence struggle with France ended successfully in 1956. The internationalized city of Tangier and most Spanish possessions were 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, which first met in 1997. Improvements in human rights have occurred and there is a largely free press. Despite the continuing reforms, ultimate authority remains in the hands of the monarch.
Geography
Morocco
Location:
Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and the
Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Western Sahara
Geographic coordinates:
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:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
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: Jebel Toubkal 4,165 m
Natural resources:
phosphates, iron ore, manganese, lead, zinc, fish, salt
Land use:
arable land: 19% permanent crops: 2% other: 79% (2005)
Irrigated land:
14,450 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
29 cu km (2003)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 12.6 cu km/yr (10%/3%/87%) per capita: 400 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Geography - note:
strategic location along Strait of Gibraltar
People
Morocco
Population:
34,343,220 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 30.5% (male 5,337,322/female 5,136,156) 15-64 years: 64.3% (male 11,015,409/female 11,069,038) 65 years and over: 5.2% (male 765,882/female 1,019,412) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 24.7 years male: 24.1 years female: 25.2 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.505% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
21.31 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
5.49 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.77 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 38.22 deaths/1,000 live births male: 41.74 deaths/1,000 live births female: 34.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.52 years male: 69.16 years female: 74 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.57 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
15,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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: 52.3% male: 65.7% female: 39.6% (2004 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 10 years male: 11 years female: 9 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
Government
Morocco
Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Morocco conventional short form: Morocco local long form: Al Mamlakah al Maghribiyah local short form: Al Maghrib
Government type:
constitutional monarchy
Capital:
name: Rabat geographic coordinates: 34 01 N, 6 49 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
15 regions; Grand Casablanca, Chaouia-Ouardigha, Doukkala-Abda, Fes-Boulemane, Gharb-Chrarda-Beni Hssen, Guelmim-Es Smara, Laayoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra, Marrakech-Tensift-Al Haouz, Meknes-Tafilalet, Oriental, Rabat-Sale-Zemmour-Zaer, Souss-Massa-Draa, Tadla-Azilal, Tanger-Tetouan, Taza-Al Hoceima-Taounate note: Morocco claims the territory of Western Sahara, the political status of which is considered undetermined by the US Government; portions of the regions Guelmim-Es Smara and Laayoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra as claimed by Morocco lie within Western Sahara; Morocco claims another region, Oued Eddahab-Lagouira, which falls entirely within Western Sahara
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 systems; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal (as of January 2003)
Executive branch:
chief of state: King MOHAMED VI (since 30 July 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Abbas EL FASSI (since 19 September 2007) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch elections: the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch following legislative elections
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of a Chamber of Counselors (or upper house) (270 seats; members elected indirectly by local councils, professional organizations, and labor syndicates for nine-year terms; one-third of the members are elected every three years) and Chamber of Representatives (or lower house) (325 seats; 295 members elected by multi-seat constituencies and 30 from national lists of women; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms) elections: Chamber of Counselors - last held 8 September 2006 (next to be held in 2009); Chamber of Representatives - last held 7 September 2007 (next to be held in 2012) election results: Chamber of Counselors - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PI 17, MP 14, RNI 13, USFP 11, UC 6, PND 4, PPS 4, Al Ahd 4, other 17; Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PI 52, PJD 46, MP 41, RNI 39, USFP 38, UC 27, PPS 17, FFD 9, MDS 9, Al Ahd 8, other 39
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]; Alliance of Liberties or
ADL [Ali BELHAJ]; Annahj Addimocrati or Annahj [Abdellah EL HARIF];
Avant Garde Social Democratic Party or PADS [Ahmed BENJELLOUN];
Citizen Forces or FC [Abderrahman LAHJOUJI]; Citizen's Initiatives
for Development [Mohamed BENHAMOU]; Constitutional Union or UC
[Mohamed ABIED]; Democratic and Independence Party or PDI
[Abdelwahed MAACH]; Democratic and Social Movement or MDS [Mahmoud
ARCHANE]; Democratic Forces Front or FFD; Democratic Socialist Party
or PSD [Aissa OUARDIGHI]; Democratic Society Party or PSD [Zhor
CHEKKAFI]; Democratic Union or UD [Bouazza IKKEN]; Environment and
Development Party or PED [Ahmed EL ALAMI]; Front of Democratic
Forces or FFD [Thami EL KHYARI]; Independence Party (Istiqlal) or PI
[Abbas EL FASSI]; Justice and Development Party or PJD [Abdelilah
BENKIRANE]; Labor Party [Abdelkrim BENATIK]; Moroccan Liberal Party
or PML [Mohamed ZIANE]; National Democratic Party or PND [Abdallah
KADIRI]; National Ittihadi Congress Party or CNI [Abdelmajid
BOUZOUBAA]; National Rally of Independents or RNI [Mustapha EL
MANSOURI]; National Union of Popular Forces or UNFP [Abdellah
IBRAHIM]; Parti Al Ahd or Al Ahd [Najib EL OUAZZANI]; Party of
Progress and Socialism or PPS [Ismail ALAOUI]; Party of Renewal and
Equity or PRE [Chakir ACHABAR]; Party of the Unified Socialist Left
or GSU [Mohamed Ben Said AIT IDDER]; Popular Movement or MP [Mohamed
LAENSER]; Reform and Development Party or PRD [Abderrahmane EL
KOUHEN]; Social Center Party or PSC [Lahcen MADIH]; Socialist Union
of Popular Forces or USFP
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 [Hassan CHAMI]; National Labor Union
of Morocco or UNMT [Abdelslam MAATI]; Union of Moroccan Workers or
UMT [Mahjoub BENSEDDIK]
International organization participation:
ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS,
MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE (partner),
PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Aziz MEKOUAR chancery: 1601 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 462-7979 FAX: [1] (202) 265-0161 consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas T. RILEY embassy: 2 Avenue de Mohamed El Fassi, Rabat mailing address: PSC 74, Box 021, APO AE 09718 telephone: [212] (37) 76 22 65 FAX: [212] (37) 76 56 61 consulate(s) general: Casablanca
Flag description:
red with a green pentacle (five-pointed, linear star) known as Sulayman's (Solomon's) seal in the center of the flag; red and green are traditional colors in Arab flags, although the use of red is more commonly associated with the Arab states of the Persian gulf; design dates to 1912
Economy
Morocco
Economy - overview:
Moroccan economic policies brought macroeconomic stability to the country in the early 1990s but have not spurred growth sufficient to reduce unemployment - nearing 20% in urban areas - despite the Moroccan Government's ongoing efforts to diversify the economy. Morocco's GDP growth rate slowed to 2.1% in 2007 as a result of a draught that severely reduced agricultural output and necessitated wheat imports at rising world prices. Continued dependence on foreign energy and Morocco's inability to develop small and medium size enterprises also contributed to the slowdown. Moroccan authorities understand that reducing poverty and providing jobs are key to domestic security and development. In 2005, Morocco launched the National Initiative for Human Development (INDH), a $2 billion social development plan to address poverty and unemployment and to improve the living conditions of the country's urban slums. Moroccan authorities are implementing reform efforts to open the economy to international investors. Despite structural adjustment programs supported by the IMF, the World Bank, and the Paris Club, the dirham is only fully convertible for current account transactions. In 2000, Morocco entered an Association Agreement with the EU and, in 2006, entered a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the US. Long-term challenges include improving education and job prospects for Morocco's youth, and closing the income gap between the rich and the poor, which the government hopes to achieve by increasing tourist arrivals and boosting competitiveness in textiles.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$125 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$73.43 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2.2% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$3,700 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 13.8% industry: 38.4% services: 47.8% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
11.39 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 40% industry: 15% services: 45% (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate:
9.8% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
15% (2007 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 30.9% (1999)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
40 (2005 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
29.7% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $20.49 billion expenditures: $21.85 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
67.4% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
3.25% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
NA (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$67.42 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$16.23 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$71.9 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
barley, wheat, citrus, wine, vegetables, olives; livestock
Industries:
phosphate rock mining and processing, food processing, leather goods, textiles, construction, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
5% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
21.88 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
19.58 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
1.998 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 95.4% hydro: 4.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
3,746 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
179,700 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
24,360 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - imports:
192,500 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - proved reserves:
836,000 bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
60 million cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
60 million cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
1.557 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
-$1.834 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$12.75 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
clothing and textiles, electric components, inorganic chemicals, transistors, crude minerals, fertilizers (including phosphates), petroleum products, citrus fruits, vegetables, fish
Exports - partners:
Spain 21.2%, France 19%, Italy 4.9%, UK 4.6%, India 4.2% (2007)
Imports:
$28.5 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
crude petroleum, textile fabric, telecommunications equipment, wheat, gas and electricity, transistors, plastics
Imports - partners:
France 16.1%, Spain 13.6%, China 7.3%, Italy 6.7%, Saudi Arabia 6.4%, Germany 5.9%, US 4.5%, Netherlands 4.1% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
ODA, $651.8 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$24.72 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$19.91 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$32.9 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$882 million (2006 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$49.6 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
Moroccan dirham (MAD)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Moroccan dirhams (MAD) per US dollar - 8.3563 (2007), 8.7722 (2006), 8.865 (2005), 8.868 (2004), 9.574 (2003)
Communications
Morocco
Telephones - main lines in use:
2.394 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
20.029 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: modern system with all important capabilities; however, density is low with only 7 fixed lines available for each 100 persons; mobile-cellular subscribership is approaching 60 per 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: country code - 212; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 optical telecommunications submarine cable that provides connectivity to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; 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 (2007)
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 hosts:
275,889 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
8 (2000)
Internet users:
7.3 million (2007)
Transportation
Morocco
Airports:
60 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 27 over 3,047 m: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 33 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 11 (2007)
Heliports:
1 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 720 km; oil 439 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 1,907 km standard gauge: 1,907 km 1.435-m gauge (1,003 km electrified) (2006)
Roadways:
total: 57,625 km paved: 35,664 km (includes 639 km of expressways) unpaved: 21,961 km (2006)
Merchant marine:
total: 35 by type: cargo 3, chemical tanker 6, container 8, passenger/cargo 13, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 4 foreign-owned: 16 (France 14, Germany 2) registered in other countries: 4 (Gibraltar 4) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Agadir, Casablanca, Mohammedia, Safi
Military
Morocco
Military branches:
Royal Armed Forces (Forces Armees Royales, FAR): Royal Moroccan Army
(includes Air Defense), Navy (includes Marines), Royal Moroccan Air
Force (Al Quwwat al Jawyiya al Malakiya Marakishiya; Force Aerienne
Royale Marocaine) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 18 months (2004)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 9,152,580 females age 16-49: 9,080,830 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 7,627,988 females age 16-49: 7,754,873 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 355,479 female: 343,016 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
5% of GDP (2003 est.)
Transnational Issues
Morocco
Disputes - international:
claims and administers Western Sahara whose sovereignty remains unresolved - UN-administered cease-fire has remained in effect since September 1991, but attempts to hold a referendum have failed and parties thus far have rejected all brokered proposals; Morocco protests Spain's control over the coastal enclaves of Ceuta, Melilla, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera, the islands of Penon de Alhucemas and Islas Chafarinas, and surrounding waters; discussions have not progressed on a comprehensive maritime delimitation, setting limits on resource exploration and refugee interdiction, since Morocco's 2002 rejection of Spain's unilateral designation of a median line from the Canary Islands; Morocco serves as one of the primary launching areas of illegal migration into Spain from North Africa
Illicit drugs:
one of the world's largest producers of illicit hashish; shipments of hashish mostly directed to Western Europe; transit point for cocaine from South America destined for Western Europe; significant consumer of cannabis
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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 until the mid 1990's. The ruling Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (FRELIMO) 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 between FRELIMO and rebel Mozambique National Resistance (RENAMO) forces ended the fighting in 1992. In December 2004, Mozambique underwent a delicate transition as Joaquim CHISSANO stepped down after 18 years in office. His elected successor, Armando Emilio GUEBUZA, promised to continue the sound economic policies that have encouraged foreign investment. Mozambique has seen very strong economic growth since the end of the civil war largely due to post-conflict reconstruction.
Geography
Mozambique
Location:
Southeastern Africa, bordering the Mozambique Channel, between South
Africa and Tanzania
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 801,590 sq km land: 784,090 sq km water: 17,500 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:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 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: 5.43% permanent crops: 0.29% other: 94.28% (2005)
Irrigated land:
1,180 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
216 cu km (1992)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.63 cu km/yr (11%/2%/87%) per capita: 32 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
severe droughts; devastating cyclones and floods 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, 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:
the Zambezi flows through the north-central and most fertile part of the country
People
Mozambique
Population:
21,284,700 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, higher death rates, lower population 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 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 44.5% (male 4,762,335/female 4,711,422) 15-64 years: 52.7% (male 5,472,184/female 5,736,154) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 251,026/female 351,580) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 17.4 years male: 17 years female: 17.8 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.792% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
38.21 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
20.29 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 107.84 deaths/1,000 live births male: 110.67 deaths/1,000 live births female: 104.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 41.04 years male: 41.62 years female: 40.44 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.24 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
12.2% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1.3 million (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
110,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria and plague water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Mozambican(s) adjective: Mozambican
Ethnic groups:
African 99.66% (Makhuwa, Tsonga, Lomwe, Sena, and others), Europeans 0.06%, Euro-Africans 0.2%, Indians 0.08%
Religions:
Catholic 23.8%, Muslim 17.8%, Zionist Christian 17.5%, other 17.8%, none 23.1% (1997 census)
Languages:
Emakhuwa 26.1%, Xichangana 11.3%, Portuguese 8.8% (official; spoken by 27% of population as a second language), Elomwe 7.6%, Cisena 6.8%, Echuwabo 5.8%, other Mozambican languages 32%, other foreign languages 0.3%, unspecified 1.3% (1997 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 47.8% male: 63.5% female: 32.7% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 8 years male: 9 years female: 7 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
5% of GDP (2005)
Government
Mozambique
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Mozambique conventional short form: Mozambique local long form: Republica de Mocambique local short form: Mocambique former: Portuguese East Africa
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Maputo geographic coordinates: 25 57 S, 32 35 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
10 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia), 1 city (cidade)*; Cabo Delgado, Gaza, Inhambane, Manica, Maputo, Cidade de Maputo*, 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; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Armando GUEBUZA (since 2 February 2005) head of government: Prime Minister Luisa DIOGO (since 17 February 2004) cabinet: Cabinet elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 1-2 December 2004 (next to be held in December 2009); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Armando GUEBUZA elected president; percent of vote - Armando GUEBUZA 63.7%, Afonso DHLAKAMA 31.7%
Legislative branch:
unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da Republica (250 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 1-2 December 2004 (next to be held in December 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - FRELIMO 62%, RENAMO 29.7%, other 8.3%; seats by party - FRELIMO 160, RENAMO 90
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 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 [Armando Emilio GUEBUZA]; Mozambique National
Resistance-Electoral Union (Resistencia Nacional Mocambicana-Uniao
Eleitoral) or RENAMO-UE [Afonso DHLAKAMA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Etica [Abdul CARIMO Issa, chairman]; Human Rights and Development (Direitos Humanos e Desenvolvimento) or DHD [Artemisia FRANCO, secretary general]; Institute for Peace and Democracy (Instituto para Paz e Democracia) or IPADE [Raul DOMINGOS, president]; 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]
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CPLP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO,
ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF (observer), OPCW, SADC, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Armando Alexandre PANGUENE chancery: 1525 New Hampshire Avenue, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 293-7146 FAX: [1] (202) 835-0245
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Todd C. CHAPMAN embassy: Avenida Kenneth Kuanda 193, Maputo mailing address: P. O. Box 783, Maputo telephone: [258] (21) 492797 FAX: [258] (21) 490114
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 1987, the government embarked on a series of macroeconomic reforms designed to stabilize the economy. These steps, combined with donor assistance and with political stability since the multi-party elections in 1994, have led to dramatic improvements in the country's growth rate. Inflation was reduced to single digits during the late 1990s, and although it returned to double digits in 2000-06, in 2007 inflation had slowed to 8%, while GDP growth reached 7.5%. 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 work force. A substantial trade imbalance persists although the opening of the Mozal aluminum smelter, the country's largest foreign investment project to date, has increased export earnings. At the end of 2007, and after years of negotiations, the government took over Portugal's majority share of the Cahora Bassa Hydroelectricity (HCB) company, a dam that was not transferred to Mozambique at independence because of the ensuing civil war and unpaid debts. More power is needed for additional investment projects in titanium extraction and processing and garment manufacturing that could 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. In July 2007 the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) signed a Compact with Mozambique; the Mozambican government moved rapidly to ratify the Compact and propose a plan for funding.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$17.64 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$7.559 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
7.3% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$800 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 23% industry: 30.1% services: 46.9% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
9.6 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 81% industry: 6% services: 13% (1997 est.)
Unemployment rate:
21% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line:
70% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.1% highest 10%: 39.4% (2002)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
47.3 (2002)
Investment (gross fixed):
21.3% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $2.302 billion expenditures: $2.63 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
22.2% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
8.2% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
9.95% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
19.52% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$1.261 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$1.467 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$877.2 million (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
cotton, cashew nuts, sugarcane, tea, cassava (tapioca), corn, coconuts, sisal, citrus and tropical fruits, potatoes, sunflowers; beef, poultry
Industries:
food, beverages, chemicals (fertilizer, soap, paints), aluminum, petroleum products, textiles, cement, glass, asbestos, tobacco
Industrial production growth rate:
10% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
14.62 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
9.555 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
12.83 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - imports:
9.839 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 2.9% hydro: 97.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
14,390 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
13,240 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
1.65 billion cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
1.45 billion cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
127.4 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
-$795.1 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$2.412 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
aluminum, prawns, cashews, cotton, sugar, citrus, timber; bulk electricity
Exports - partners:
Italy 19.4%, Belgium 18.4%, Spain 12.5%, South Africa 12.3%, UK 7.3%, China 4.1% (2007)
Imports:
$2.811 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, chemicals, metal products, foodstuffs, textiles
Imports - partners:
South Africa 36.7%, Australia 8.5%, China 4.6% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$1.286 billion (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$1.445 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$4.189 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
metical (MZM)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
meticais (MZM) per US dollar - 26.264 (2007), 25.4 (2006), 23,061 (2005), 22,581 (2004), 23,782 (2003) note: in 2006 Mozambique revalued its currency, with 1000 old meticais equal to 1 new meticais
Communications
Mozambique
Telephones - main lines in use:
67,000 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
3.3 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: fair system with an extremely low density of less than 1 fixed line per 100 persons domestic: the telecommunications sector is shackled with a heavy state presence, lack of competition, and high operating costs and charges; stagnation in the fixed-line network contrasts with rapid growth in the mobile-cellular network; mobile-cellular coverage now includes all the main cities and key roads, including those from Maputo to the South African and Swaziland borders, the national highway through Gaza and Inhambane provinces, the Beira corridor, and from Nampula to Nacala international: country code - 258; 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 (2000)
Televisions:
67,600 (2000)
Internet country code:
.mz
Internet hosts:
22,532 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
11 (2002)
Internet users:
200,000 (2007)
Transportation
Mozambique
Airports:
147 (2007)
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 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 125 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 36 under 914 m: 79 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 964 km; refined products 278 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 3,123 km narrow gauge: 2,983 km 1.067-m gauge; 140 km 0.762-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 30,400 km paved: 5,685 km unpaved: 24,715 km (2000)
Waterways:
460 km (Zambezi River navigable to Tete and along Cahora Bassa Lake) (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 2 by type: cargo 2 foreign-owned: 2 (Belgium 2) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Beira, Maputo, Nacala
Military
Mozambique
Military branches:
Mozambique Armed Defense Forces (FADM): Mozambique Army, Mozambique
Navy (Marinha Mocambique, MM), Mozambique Air Force (Forca Aerea de
Mocambique, FAM) (2006)
Military service age and obligation:
18-30 years of age for compulsory military service; 2-year service obligation (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 4,545,975 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,287,526 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 257,261 female: 259,114 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.8% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Mozambique
Disputes - international:
none
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Mozambique is a source and, to a much lesser extent, a destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation; the use of forced and bonded child laborers is a common practice in Mozambique's rural areas; women and girls are trafficked from rural to urban areas of Mozambique, as well as to South Africa, for domestic servitude and commercial sexual exploitation; young men and boys are trafficked to South Africa for farm work and mining tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - for the second consecutive year, Mozambique is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking in 2007; while the government conducted investigations into cases of human trafficking, there were no prosecutions or convictions of traffickers; government efforts to protect victims of trafficking continued to suffer from limited resources and a lack of political commitment (2008)
Illicit drugs:
southern African transit point for South Asian hashish and 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); corruption and poor regulatory capability makes the banking system vulnerable to money laundering, but the lack of a well-developed financial infrastructure limits the country's utility as a money-laundering center
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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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. Namibia has been governed by SWAPO since the country won independence in 1990. Hifikepunye POHAMBA was elected president in November 2004 in a landslide victory replacing Sam NUJOMA who led the country during its first 14 years of self rule.
Geography
Namibia
Location:
Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and South Africa
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 825,418 sq km land: 825,418 sq km water: 0 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:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
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, silver, lead, tin, lithium, cadmium, tungsten, zinc, salt, hydropower, fish note: suspected deposits of oil, coal, and iron ore
Land use:
arable land: 0.99% permanent crops: 0.01% other: 99% (2005)
Irrigated land:
80 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
45.5 cu km (1991)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.3 cu km/yr (24%/5%/71%) per capita: 148 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
prolonged periods of drought
Environment - current issues:
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, 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:
2,088,669 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 36.7% (male 386,252/female 379,426) 15-64 years: 59.5% (male 627,752/female 615,241) 65 years and over: 3.8% (male 35,960/female 44,038) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 20.7 years male: 20.6 years female: 20.8 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.947% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
23.19 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
14.07 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
0.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 45.64 deaths/1,000 live births male: 49.24 deaths/1,000 live births female: 41.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 49.89 years male: 50.39 years female: 49.38 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.81 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
21.3% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
210,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
16,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2008)
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 include 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 1% (includes Oshivambo, Herero, Nama)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 85% male: 86.8% female: 83.5% (2001 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 11 years male: 11 years female: 11 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
6.9% of GDP (2003)
Government
Namibia
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Namibia conventional short form: Namibia local long form: Republic of Namibia local short form: Namibia former: German Southwest Africa, South-West Africa
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Windhoek geographic coordinates: 22 34 S, 17 05 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in September; ends first Sunday in April
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; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Hifikepunye POHAMBA (since 21 March 2005) head of government: Prime Minister Nahas ANGULA (since 21 March 2005) 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 (eligible for a second term); election last held 15 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2009) election results: Hifikepunye POHAMBA elected president; percent of vote - Hifikepunye POHAMBA 76.4%, Den ULENGA 7.3%, Katuutire KAURA 5.1%, Kuaima RIRUAKO 4.2%, Justus GAROEB 3.8%, other 3.2%
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 29-30 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2010); National Assembly - last held 15-16 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2009) election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - SWAPO 89.7%, UDF 4.7%, NUDO 2.8%, DTA 1.9%, other 0.9%; seats by party - SWAPO 24, UDF 1, DTA 1; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - SWAPO 76.1%, COD 7.3%, DTA 5.1%, NUDO 4.2%, UDF 3.6%, RP 1.9%, MAG 0.8%, other 1.0%; seats by party - SWAPO 55, COD 5, DTA 4, NUDO 3, UDF 3, RP 1, MAG 1 note: the National Council is primarily an advisory body
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]; Monitor Action Group
or MAG [Jurie VILJOEN]; National Democratic Movement for Change or
NamDMC; National Unity Democratic Organization or NUDO [Kuaima
RIRUAKO]; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Hidipo
HAMUTENYA]; Republican Party or RP [Henk MUDGE]; South West Africa
National Union or SWANU [Rihupisa KANDANDO]; South West Africa
People's Organization or SWAPO [Hifikepunye POHAMBA]; United
Democratic Front or UDF [Justus GAROEB]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Earthlife Namibia [Berthchen KOHRS] (environmentalist group);
National Society for Human Rights or NSHR; The World Information
Services of Energy or WISE (group against nuclear power)
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU,
ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN,
UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO,
UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Patrick NANDAGO chancery: 1605 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 986-0540 FAX: [1] (202) 986-0443
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador G. Dennise MATHIEU embassy: 14 Lossen Street, Windhoek mailing address: Private Bag 12029 Ausspannplatz, Windhoek telephone: [264] (61) 295-8500 FAX: [264] (61) 295-8603
Flag description:
a wide red stripe edged by narrow white stripes divides the flag diagonally from lower hoist corner to upper fly corner; the upper hoist-side triangle is blue and charged with a yellow, 12-rayed sunburst; the lower fly-side triangle is green
Economy
Namibia
Economy - overview:
The economy is heavily dependent on the extraction and processing of minerals for export. Mining accounts for 8% of GDP, but provides more than 50% of foreign exchange earnings. Rich alluvial diamond deposits make Namibia a primary source for gem-quality diamonds. Namibia is the fourth-largest exporter of nonfuel minerals in Africa, the world's fifth-largest producer of uranium, and the producer of large quantities of lead, zinc, tin, silver, and tungsten. The mining sector employs only about 3% of the population while about half of the population depends on subsistence agriculture for its livelihood. Namibia normally imports about 50% of its cereal requirements; in drought years food shortages are a major problem in rural areas. A high per capita GDP, relative to the region, hides one of the world's most unequal income distributions. The Namibian economy is closely linked to South Africa with the Namibian dollar pegged one-to-one to the South African rand. Increased payments from the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) put Namibia's budget into surplus in 2007 for the first time since independence, but SACU payments will decline after 2008 as part of a new revenue sharing formula. Increased fish production and mining of zinc, copper, uranium, and silver spurred growth in 2003-07, but growth in recent years was undercut by poor fish catches and high costs for metal inputs.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$10.69 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$7.4 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.6% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$5,200 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 10.6% industry: 35.4% services: 53.9% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
660,000 (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 47% industry: 20% services: 33% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate:
5.2% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
the UNDP's 2005 Human Development Report indicated that 34.9% of the population live on $1 per day and 55.8% live on $2 per day
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 0.5% highest 10%: 64.5% (2003)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
70.7 (2003)
Investment (gross fixed):
23.8% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $2.765 billion expenditures: $2.515 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Public debt:
22.3% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6.7% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
10.5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
12.88% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$2.149 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$1.493 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$4.446 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
millet, sorghum, peanuts, grapes; livestock; fish
Industries:
meatpacking, fish processing, dairy products; mining (diamonds, lead, zinc, tin, silver, tungsten, uranium, copper)
Industrial production growth rate:
9% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
1.606 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
3.194 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
40 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
1.948 billion kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2006 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
19,840 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
17,750 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
62.29 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
$805.2 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$2.919 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead, uranium; cattle, processed fish, karakul skins
Exports - partners:
South Africa 33.4%, US 4% (2006)
Imports:
$3.091 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs; petroleum products and fuel, machinery and equipment, chemicals
Imports - partners:
South Africa 85.2%, US (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
ODA, $123.4 million (2005 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$896 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$1.003 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$541.8 million (2006)
Currency (code):
Namibian dollar (NAD); South African rand (ZAR)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Namibian dollars (NAD) per US dollar - 7.18 (2007), 6.7649 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004), 7.5648 (2003)
Communications
Namibia
Telephones - main lines in use:
138,100 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
800,300 (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: good system with a combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity of about 45 per 100 persons domestic: core fiber-optic network links most centers and connections are now digital; Namibia's first mobile-cellular network, launched in 1994, provides coverage to 86 percent of Namibia by area international: country code - 264; fiber-optic cable to South Africa, microwave radio relay link to Botswana, direct links to other neighboring countries; connected to the South African Far East (SAFE) submarine cable through South Africa; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 39, shortwave 4 (2001)
Radios:
232,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
2 (2007)
Televisions:
60,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.na
Internet hosts:
6,296 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)
Internet users:
101,000 (2007)
Transportation
Namibia
Airports:
137 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 21 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 116 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 22 914 to 1,523 m: 72 under 914 m: 20 (2007)
Railways:
total: 2,382 km narrow gauge: 2,382 km 1.067-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 42,237 km paved: 5,406 km unpaved: 36,831 km (2002)
Merchant marine:
total: 1 by type: cargo 1 registered in other countries: 1 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Luderitz, Walvis Bay
Military
Namibia
Military branches:
Namibian Defense Force: Army, Navy, Air Wing (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18-25 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 527,948 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 313,497 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 25,525 female: 25,182 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
3.7% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Namibia
Disputes - international:
concerns from international experts and local populations over the Okavango Delta ecology in Botswana and human displacement scuttled Namibian plans to construct a hydroelectric dam on Popa Falls along the Angola-Namibia border; managed dispute with South Africa over the location of the boundary in the Orange River; Namibia has supported, and in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objections to, plans between Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi River, thereby de facto recognizing a short, but not clearly delimited, Botswana-Zambia boundary in the river
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 4,700 (Angola) (2007)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Nauru
Introduction
Nauru
Background:
The exact origins of the Nauruans are unclear, since their language does not resemble any other in the Pacific. The island was annexed by Germany in 1888 and its phosphate deposits began to be mined early in the 20th century by a German-British consortium. Nauru was occupied by Australian forces in World War I and subsequently became a League of Nations mandate. After the Second World War - and a brutal occupation by Japan - Nauru became a UN trust territory. It achieved its independence in 1968 and joined the UN in 1999 as the world's smallest independent republic.
Geography
Nauru
Location:
Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, south of the Marshall
Islands
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total: 21 sq km land: 21 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
30 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical with a monsoonal pattern; 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% (2005)
Irrigated land:
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, Whaling 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:
13,770 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 35.5% (male 2,492/female 2,393) 15-64 years: 62.5% (male 4,237/female 4,363) 65 years and over: 2.1% (male 148/female 137) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 21.3 years male: 20.7 years female: 21.9 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.772% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
24.26 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
6.54 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA (2008 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: 1.08 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 9.43 deaths/1,000 live births male: 11.84 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 63.81 years male: 60.2 years female: 67.6 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.94 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Nationality:
noun: Nauruan(s) adjective: Nauruan
Ethnic groups:
Nauruan 58%, other Pacific Islander 26%, Chinese 8%, European 8%
Religions:
Nauru Congregational 35.4%, Roman Catholic 33.2%, Nauru Independent
Church 10.4%, other 14.1%, none 4.5%, unspecified 2.4% (2002 census)
Languages:
Nauruan (official; a distinct Pacific Island language), English widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and commercial purposes
Literacy:
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 8 years male: 8 years female: 9 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
Government
Nauru
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Nauru conventional short form: Nauru local long form: Republic of Nauru local short form: Nauru former: Pleasant Island
Government type:
republic
Capital:
no official capital; government offices in Yaren District time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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; amended 17 May 1968 (Constitution Day)
Legal system:
acts of the Nauru Parliament and British common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
20 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Marcus STEPHEN (since 19 December 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Marcus STEPHEN (since 19 December 2007); note - President Ludwig SCOTTY defeated in a no confidence vote in parliament on 19 December 2007 cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of Parliament elections: president elected by Parliament for a three-year term; election last held 19 December 2007 (next to be held in 2010) election results: NA
Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament (18 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms) elections: last held 26 April 2008 (next to be held in 2011) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 18; note - President Marcus STEPHEN called a snap election to break a parliamentary stalemate blocking legislative action
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party [Kennan ADEANG]; Nauru Party (informal); Nauru
First (Naoero Amo) Party; note - loose multiparty system
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Woman Information and News Agency (women's issues)
International organization participation:
ACP, ADB, C, FAO, ICAO, ICCt, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF,
Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Marlene I. MOSES chancery: 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400 D, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 937-0074 FAX: [1] (212) 937-0079 consulate(s): Agana (Guam)
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 traditionally come from exports of phosphates, now significantly depleted. An Australian company in 2005 entered into an agreement intended to exploit remaining supplies. Few other resources exist with most necessities being imported, mainly from Australia, its former occupier and later major source of support. 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 were invested in trust funds to help cushion the transition and provide for Nauru's economic future. As a result of heavy spending from the trust funds, the government faces virtual bankruptcy. To cut costs the government has frozen wages and reduced overstaffed public service departments. In 2005, the deterioration in housing, hospitals, and other capital plant continued, and the cost to Australia of keeping the government and economy afloat continued to climb. Few comprehensive statistics on the Nauru economy exist, with estimates of Nauru's GDP varying widely.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$60 million (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
GDP - real growth rate:
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$5,000 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Labor force - by occupation:
note: employed in mining phosphates, public administration, education, and transportation (1992)
Unemployment rate:
90% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $13.5 million expenditures: $13.5 million (2005)
Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
-3.6% (1993)
Agriculture - products:
coconuts
Industries:
phosphate mining, offshore banking, coconut products
Industrial production growth rate:
Electricity - production:
31 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
28.83 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
1,070 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
1,049 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Exports:
$64,000 f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - commodities:
phosphates
Exports - partners:
South Africa 63.7%, South Korea 7.6%, Canada 6.6% (2006)
Imports:
$20 million c.i.f. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:
food, fuel, manufactures, building materials, machinery
Imports - partners:
South Korea 43.8%, Australia 36.2%, US 5.9%, Germany 4.3% (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
$20 million mostly from Australia (2005)
Debt - external:
$33.3 million (2002)
Currency (code):
Australian dollar (AUD)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - 1.2137 (2007), 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003)
Communications
Nauru
Telephones - main lines in use:
1,900 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
1,500 (2002)
Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate local and international radiotelephone communication provided via Australian facilities domestic: NA international: country code - 674; 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 hosts:
42 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)
Internet users:
300 (2002)
Transportation
Nauru
Airports:
1 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 24 km paved: 24 km (2002)
Ports and terminals:
Nauru
Military
Nauru
Military branches:
no regular military forces; Nauru Police Force (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 3,470 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 173 female: 159 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
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 18 December, 2008
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@Navassa Island
Introduction
Navassa Island
Background:
This uninhabited island was claimed by the US in 1857 for its guano. 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 and annual scientific expeditions have continued.
Geography
Navassa Island
Location:
Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, 35 miles west of Tiburon
Peninsula of Haiti
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 5.4 sq km land: 5.4 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
8 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 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% (2005)
Natural hazards:
hurricanes
Environment - current issues:
Geography - note:
strategic location 160 km south of the US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; mostly exposed rock with numerous solution holes but with enough grassland to support goat herds; dense stands of fig trees, scattered cactus
People
Navassa Island
Population:
uninhabited note: transient Haitian fishermen and others camp on the island
Government
Navassa Island
Country name:
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Navassa Island
Dependency status:
unorganized, unincorporated territory of the US; administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service, US Department of the Interior, from the Caribbean Islands National Wildlife Refuge in Boqueron, Puerto Rico; 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
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (territory of the US)
Flag description:
the flag of the US is used
Economy
Navassa Island
Economy - overview:
Subsistence fishing and commercial trawling occur within refuge waters.
Transportation
Navassa Island
Ports and terminals:
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, source of subsistence fishing
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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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. An insurgency led by Maoist extremists broke out in 1996. The ensuing nine-year civil war between insurgents and government forces witnessed the dissolution of the cabinet and parliament and assumption of absolute power by the king. Several weeks of mass protests in April 2006 were followed by several months of peace negotiations between the Maoists and government officials, and culminated in a November 2006 peace accord and the promulgation of an interim constitution. The newly formed interim parliament declared Nepal a democratic federal republic at its first meeting in May 2008, the king vacated the throne in mid-June 2008, and parliament elected the country's first president the following month.
Geography
Nepal
Location:
Southern Asia, between China and India
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Asia
Area:
total: 147,181 sq km land: 143,181 sq km water: 4,000 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:
Tarai 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
Natural resources:
quartz, water, timber, hydropower, scenic beauty, small deposits of lignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore
Land use:
arable land: 16.07% permanent crops: 0.85% other: 83.08% (2005)
Irrigated land:
11,700 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
210.2 cu km (1999)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 10.18 cu km/yr (3%/1%/96%) per capita: 375 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note:
landlocked; strategic location between China and India; contains eight of world's 10 highest peaks, including Mount Everest and Kanchenjunga - the world's tallest and third tallest - on the borders with China and India respectively
People
Nepal
Population:
29,519,114 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 38% (male 5,792,042/female 5,427,370) 15-64 years: 58.2% (male 8,832,488/female 8,345,724) 65 years and over: 3.8% (male 542,192/female 579,298) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 20.7 years male: 20.5 years female: 20.8 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.095% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
29.92 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
8.97 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 62 deaths/1,000 live births male: 60.18 deaths/1,000 live births female: 63.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 60.94 years male: 61.12 years female: 60.75 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.91 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.5% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
61,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
3,100 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: Japanese encephalitis and malaria (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Nepalese (singular and plural) adjective: Nepalese
Ethnic groups:
Chhettri 15.5%, Brahman-Hill 12.5%, Magar 7%, Tharu 6.6%, Tamang 5.5%, Newar 5.4%, Muslim 4.2%, Kami 3.9%, Yadav 3.9%, other 32.7%, unspecified 2.8% (2001 census)
Religions:
Hindu 80.6%, Buddhist 10.7%, Muslim 4.2%, Kirant 3.6%, other 0.9% (2001 census) note: only official Hindu state in the world
Languages:
Nepali 47.8%, Maithali 12.1%, Bhojpuri 7.4%, Tharu (Dagaura/Rana) 5.8%, Tamang 5.1%, Newar 3.6%, Magar 3.3%, Awadhi 2.4%, other 10%, unspecified 2.5% (2001 census) note: many in government and business also speak English (2001 est.)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 48.6% male: 62.7% female: 34.9% (2001 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 9 years male: 10 years female: 8 years (2003)
Education expenditures:
3.4% of GDP (2003)
Government
Nepal
Country name:
conventional long form: Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal conventional short form: Nepal local long form: Sanghiya Loktantrik Ganatantra Nepal local short form: Nepal
Government type:
democratic republic
Capital:
name: Kathmandu geographic coordinates: 27 43 N, 85 19 E time difference: UTC+5.75 (10.75 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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:
NA; note - in 2006, Parliament abolished the birthday of King GYANENDRA (7 July) and Constitution Day (9 November) as national holidays
Constitution:
9 November 1990; note - a new interim constitution was promulgated in January 2007; the November 2006 peace agreement calls for the election of a Constituent Assembly to draft a new permanent constitution
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: President Ram Baran YADAV (as of 23 July 2008); Vice President Paramananda JHA (as of 23 July 2008) head of government: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal DAHAL (as of 18 August 2008); Deputy Prime Minister Bamdev GAUTAM cabinet: selected by the prime minister elections: president elected by Parliament; term NA; election last held 21 July 2008 election results: Ram Baran YADAV elected president by the Constituent Assembly in a second round of voting on 21 July 2008; Ram Baran YADAV 308, Ram Jaja Prasad SINGH 282
Legislative branch:
unicameral Constituent Assembly (601 seats; 240 seats decided by direct popular vote; 335 seats by proportional representation; 26 appointed by the Cabinet (Council of Ministers)) note: KOIRALA called the first sitting of the Constituent Assembly on 28 May 2008 elections: last held 10 April 2008 (next to be held NA) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CPN-M 220, NC 110, CPN-UML 103, Madhesi Jana Adhikar Forum 52, Terai Madhesi Democratic Party/Nepal Sadbhawana Party 29, other smaller parties 61; note - 26 seats to be filled by the new Cabinet
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:
Chure Bhawar Rastriya Ekata Party [Keshav Prasad MAINALI]; Communist
Party of Nepal (Maoist) [Pushpa Kamal DAHAL, also known as
PRACHANDA, chairman; Dr. Baburam BHATTARAI]; Communist Party of
Nepal (ML) [C.P. MAINALI]; Communist Party of Nepal (Unified) [Raj
Singh SHRIS]; Communist Party of Nepal (United) [Ganesh SHAH];
Communist Party of Nepal/United Marxist-Leninist or CPN/UML [Amrit
Kumar BOHARA]; Dalit Janajati Party [Vishwendraman PASHWAN];
Janamorcha Nepal [Amik SHERCHAN]; Madhesi Jana Adhikar Forum
[Upendra YADAV]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Pashupati
Shumsher RANA] (also called Rastriya Prajatantra Party or RPP);
Nepal Loktantrik Samajbadi Dal [Upendra GACHCHHADAR]; Nepal Pariwar
Dal [Vinod DANGI]; Nepal Rastriya Party [Khushilal YADAV]; Nepal
Sadbhavana Party (Anandi Devi) [Shyam Sundar GUPTA]; Nepal Workers
and Peasants Party or NWPP [Narayan Man BIJUKCHHE]; Nepali Congress
Party or NCP [Girija Prasad KOIRALA]; Nepali Janata Dal [Bharat
Prasad MAHATO]; Rastriya Janamorcha [Chitra BAHADUR K.C.]; Rastriya
Janamukti Party [Malwar Singh THAPA]; Rastriya Janashakti Party or
RJP [Surya Bahadur THAPA] (split from RPP in March 2005); Rastriya
Prajatantra Party Nepal [Kamal THAPA]; Sadbhavana Party (Mahato)
[Rajendra MAHATO]; Samajbadi Prajatantrik Janata Party Nepal [Prem
Bahadur SINGH]; Sanghiya Loktantrik Rastriya Manch [Kamal
CHHARAHANG]; Terai Madhesi Democratic Party [Mahantha THAKUR]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: several small armed Madhesi groups along the southern border with India; a variety of groups advocating regional autonomy for individual ethnic groups
International organization participation:
ADB, BIMSTEC, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent),
ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OPCW, SAARC,
SACEP, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMIS,
UNMIT, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Suresh Chandra CHALISE chancery: 2131 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 667-4550 FAX: [1] (202) 667-5534 consulate(s) general: New York:
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Nancy J. POWELL embassy: Maharajgunj, Kathmandu mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [977] (1) 400-7200 FAX: [977] (1) 400-7272
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 almost one-third of its population living below the poverty line. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing a livelihood for three-fourths of the population and accounting for 38% of GDP. Industrial activity mainly involves the processing of agricultural produce including jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain. Security concerns relating to the Maoist conflict have led to a decrease in tourism, a key source of foreign exchange. Nepal has considerable scope for 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, its civil strife, and its susceptibility to natural disaster.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$29.29 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$9.627 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.2% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,000 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 38% industry: 20% services: 42% (FY05/06 est.)
Labor force:
11.11 million note: severe lack of skilled labor (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 76% industry: 6% services: 18% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate:
42% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:
30.9% (2004)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 40.6% (2004)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
47.2 (2004)
Budget:
revenues: $1.153 billion expenditures: $1.927 billion (FY06/07)
Fiscal year:
16 July - 15 July
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6.4% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
6.25% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
8% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$2.184 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$4.745 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$5.636 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, jute, root crops; milk, water buffalo meat
Industries:
tourism, carpets, textiles; small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed mills; cigarettes, cement and brick production
Industrial production growth rate:
Electricity - production:
2.703 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
2.276 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
165 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
380 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 8.5% hydro: 91.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
16,960 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
11,530 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
$58 million (2007)
Exports:
$830 million f.o.b.; note - does not include unrecorded border trade with India (2006)
Exports - commodities:
carpets, clothing, leather goods, jute goods, grain
Exports - partners:
India 69.3%, US 8.8%, Germany 4.1% (2007)
Imports:
$2.398 billion f.o.b. (2006)
Imports - commodities:
gold, machinery and equipment, petroleum products, fertilizer
Imports - partners:
India 58.9%, China 13.6%, Japan 1.6% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$427.9 million (2005)
Debt - external:
$3.07 billion (March 2006)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$963.5 million (2005)
Currency (code):
Nepalese rupee (NPR)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Nepalese rupees (NPR) per US dollar - NA (2007), 72.446 (2006), 72.16 (2005), 73.674 (2004), 76.141 (2003)
Communications
Nepal
Telephones - main lines in use:
766,400 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.157 million (2006)
Telephone system:
general assessment: poor telephone and telegraph service; fair radiotelephone communication service and mobile-cellular telephone network domestic: NA international: country code - 977; radiotelephone communications; microwave landline to India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2000)
Radios:
840,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (plus 9 repeaters) (1998)
Televisions:
130,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.np
Internet hosts:
42,219 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
6 (2000)
Internet users:
337,100 (2007)
Transportation
Nepal
Airports:
47 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 10 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 37 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 30 (2007)
Railways:
total: 59 km narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 17,280 km paved: 9,829 km unpaved: 7,451 km (2004)
Military
Nepal
Military branches:
Nepalese Army, Armed Police Force (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; 15 years of age for military training; no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 7,322,965 females age 16-49: 6,859,064 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 5,146,958 females age 16-49: 4,724,495 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 335,747 female: 312,297 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.6% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Nepal
Disputes - international:
joint border commission continues to work on contested sections of boundary with India, including the 400 square kilometer dispute over the source of the Kalapani River; India has instituted a stricter border regime to restrict transit of Maoist insurgents and illegal cross-border activities; approximately 106,000 Bhutanese Lhotshampas (Hindus) have been confined in refugee camps in southeastern Nepal since 1990
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 107,803 (Bhutan); 20,153 (Tibet/China) IDPs: 50,000-70,000 (remaining from ten-year Maoist insurgency that officially ended in 2006; displacement spread across the country) (2007)
Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of cannabis and hashish for the domestic and international drug markets; transit point for opiates from Southeast Asia to the West
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Netherlands
Introduction
Netherlands
Background:
The Dutch United Provinces declared their independence from Spain in 1579; during the 17th century, they became a leading seafaring and commercial power, with settlements and colonies around the world. After a 20-year French occupation, a 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 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 EEC (now the EU), and participated in the introduction of the euro in 1999.
Geography
Netherlands
Location:
Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 41,526 sq km land: 33,883 sq km water: 7,643 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:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 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, peat, limestone, salt, sand and gravel, arable land
Land use:
arable land: 21.96% permanent crops: 0.77% other: 77.27% (2005)
Irrigated land:
5,650 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
89.7 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 8.86 cu km/yr (6%/60%/34%) per capita: 544 cu m/yr (2001)
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-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea,
Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands,
Whaling
Geography - note:
located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine, Maas or Meuse, and Schelde)
People
Netherlands
Population:
16,645,313 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 17.6% (male 1,496,348/female 1,427,297) 15-64 years: 67.8% (male 5,705,003/female 5,583,787) 65 years and over: 14.6% (male 1,040,932/female 1,391,946) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 40 years male: 39.2 years female: 40.9 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.436% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
10.53 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
8.71 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
2.55 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.81 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.34 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.25 years male: 76.66 years female: 81.98 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.66 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
19,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 100 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Dutchman(men), Dutchwoman(women) adjective: Dutch
Ethnic groups:
Dutch 80.7%, EU 5%, Indonesian 2.4%, Turkish 2.2%, Surinamese 2%, Moroccan 2%, Netherlands Antilles & Aruba 0.8%, other 4.8% (2008 est.)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 30%, Dutch Reformed 11%, Calvinist 6%, other
Protestant 3%, Muslim 5.8%, other 2.2%, none 42% (2006)
Languages:
Dutch (official), Frisian (official)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 16 years male: 17 years female: 16 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
5.3% of GDP (2005)
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:
name: Amsterdam geographic coordinates: 52 23 N, 4 54 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October note: The Hague is the seat of government; time descriptions apply to the continental Netherlands only, not to the Caribbean components
Administrative divisions:
12 provinces (provincies, singular - provincie); Drenthe, Flevoland,
Friesland (Fryslan), Gelderland, Groningen, Limburg, Noord-Brabant
(North Brabant), Noord-Holland (North Holland), Overijssel, Utrecht,
Zeeland (Zealand), Zuid-Holland (South Holland)
Dependent areas:
Aruba, Netherlands Antilles
Independence:
23 January 1579 (the northern provinces of the Low Countries conclude the Union of Utrecht breaking with Spain; on 26 July 1581 they formally declared their independence with an Act of Abjuration; however, it was not until 30 January 1648 and the Peace of Westphalia that Spain recognized this independence)
National holiday:
Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA and accession to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX), 30 April (1909 and 1980)
Constitution:
adopted 1815; amended many times, most recently in 2002
Legal system:
based on 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 Jan Peter BALKENENDE (since 22 July 2002); Deputy Prime Ministers Wouter BOS (since 22 February 2007) and Andre ROUVOET (since 22 February 2007) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch elections: 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; deputy 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 cabinet 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 to serve 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 29 May 2007 (next to be held in May 2011); Second Chamber - last held 22 November 2006 (next to be held by early 2011) election results: First Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CDA 21, PvdA 14, VVD 14, Socialist Party 11, Christian Union 4, Green Left Party 4, D66 2, other 5; Second Chamber - percent of vote by party - CDA 26.5%, PvdA 21.2%, Socialist Party 16.6%, VVD 14.6%, Party for Freedom 5.9%, Green Party 4.6%, Christian Union 4.0%, other 6.6%; seats by party - CDA 41, PvdA 33, Socialist Party 25, VVD 22, Party for Freedom 9, Green Party 7, Christian Union 6, other 7
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 [Andre ROUVOET]; Democrats 66 or D66 [Alexander PECHTOLD]; Green Left Party [Femke HALSEMA]; Labor Party or PvdA [Wouter BOS]; Party for Freedom or PVV [Geert WILDERS]; Party for the Animals or PvdD [Marianne THIEME]; People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (Liberal) or VVD [Mark RUTTE]; Reformed Political Party of SGP [Bas VAN DER VLIES]; Socialist Party [Jan MARIJNISSEN]; plus a few minor parties
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Christian Trade Union Federation or CNV [Rene PAAS]; Confederation
of Netherlands Industry and Employers or VNO-NCW [Bernard WIENTJES];
Federation for Small and Medium-sized businesses or MKB [Loek
HERMANS]; Netherlands Trade Union Federation or FNV [Agnes
JONGERIUS]; Social Economic Council or SER [Alexander RINNOOY Kan];
Trade Union Federation of Middle and High Personnel or MHP [Ad
VERHOEVEN]
International organization participation:
ADB (nonregional members), AfDB (nonregional members), Arctic
Council (observer), Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CBSS (observer),
CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA,
NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris
Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Regina "Renee" JONES-BOS chancery: 4200 Linnean Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 244-5300, [1] 877-388-2443 FAX: [1] (202) 362-3430 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador James B. CULBERTSON embassy: Lange Voorhout 102, 2514 EJ, The Hague mailing address: PSC 71, Box 1000, APO AE 09715 telephone: [31] (70) 310-2209 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; one of the oldest flags in constant use, originating with WILLIAM I, Prince of Orange, in the latter half of the 16th century
Economy
Netherlands
Economy - overview:
The Netherlands has a prosperous and open economy, which depends heavily on foreign trade. The economy is noted for stable industrial relations, moderate unemployment and 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 3% 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 and is one of the five largest investors in the US. The economy experienced a slowdown in 2005 but in 2006 recovered to the fastest pace in six years on the back of increased exports and strong investment. The pace of job growth reached 10-year highs in 2007.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$645.5 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$768.7 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.5% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$39,000 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2% industry: 24.4% services: 73.6% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
7.604 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 3% industry: 21% services: 76% (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate:
4.6% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
10.5% (2005)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 22.9% (1999)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
30.9 (2005)
Investment (gross fixed):
20% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $359.5 billion expenditures: $356.5 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
45.5% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.6% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
NA (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
8.72% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
NA note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the Euro Area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 15 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi money circulating within their own borders
Stock of quasi money:
NA (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.876 trillion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
grains, potatoes, sugar beets, fruits, vegetables; livestock
Industries:
agroindustries, metal and engineering products, electrical machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum, construction, microelectronics, fishing
Industrial production growth rate:
3.1% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
97.33 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
109.6 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
5.565 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
23.14 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 89.9% hydro: 0.1% nuclear: 4.3% other: 5.7% (2001)
Oil - production:
88,950 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
984,200 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - exports:
1.639 million bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
2.648 million bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
100 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
76.33 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
46.42 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
55.66 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
25.73 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
1.416 trillion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
$47.31 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$456.8 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs
Exports - partners:
Germany 24.4%, Belgium 13.6%, UK 9.1%, France 8.5%, Italy 5.1%, US 4.3% (2007)
Imports:
$406.3 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs, clothing
Imports - partners:
Germany 17.7%, China 10.5%, Belgium 9.3%, US 7.3%, UK 5.8%, Russia 5.1%, France 4.4% (2007)
Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $5.452 billion (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$26.98 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$2.277 trillion (30 June 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$673.4 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$851.3 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$924.4 billion (November 2007)
Currency (code):
euro (EUR)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003)
Communications
Netherlands
Telephones - main lines in use:
7.334 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
17.3 million (2006)
Telephone system:
general assessment: highly developed and well maintained domestic: extensive fixed-line fiber-optic network; large cellular telephone system with 5 major operators utilizing the third generation of the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) technology international: country code - 31; submarine cables provide links to the US and Europe; satellite earth stations - 5 (3 Intelsat - 1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean, 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 4, FM 246, shortwave 3 (2004)
Radios:
15.3 million (1996)
Television broadcast stations:
21 (plus 26 repeaters) (1995)
Televisions:
8.1 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.nl
Internet hosts:
10.983 million (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
52 (2000)
Internet users:
15 million (2007)
Transportation
Netherlands
Airports:
27 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 20 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 4 (2007)
Heliports:
1 (2007)
Pipelines:
condensate 81 km; gas 7,394 km; oil 578 km; refined products 716 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 2,797 km standard gauge: 2,797 km 1.435-m gauge (2,064 km electrified) (2006)
Roadways:
total: 134,981 km (includes 2,604 km of expressways) (2006)
Waterways:
6,211 km (navigable for ships of 50 tons) (2006)
Merchant marine:
total: 622 by type: bulk carrier 9, cargo 381, carrier 19, chemical tanker 44, container 76, liquefied gas 15, passenger 16, passenger/cargo 15, petroleum tanker 11, refrigerated cargo 10, roll on/roll off 23, specialized tanker 3 foreign-owned: 203 (Belgium 2, Cyprus 8, Denmark 29, Finland 14, France 1, Germany 75, Ireland 10, Italy 1, South Korea 1, Norway 12, Sweden 28, Turkey 1, UAE 5, UK 2, US 14) registered in other countries: 178 (Antigua and Barbuda 20, Australia 2, Austria 2, Bahamas 9, Cambodia 1, Canada 1, Cyprus 22, Germany 1, Gibraltar 21, Isle of Man 1, Liberia 6, Luxembourg 2, Marshall Islands 8, Netherlands Antilles 38, Panama 14, Paraguay 1, Philippines 23, Portugal 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3, US 1, unknown 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Amsterdam, IJmuiden, Rotterdam, Terneuzen, Vlissingen
Military
Netherlands
Military branches:
Royal Netherlands Army, Royal Netherlands Navy (includes Naval Air
Service and Marine Corps), Royal Netherlands Air Force (Koninklijke
Luchtmacht, KLu), Royal Military Police (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
20 years of age for an all-volunteer force (2004)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 3,950,825 females age 16-49: 3,850,800 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 3,233,773 females age 16-49: 3,150,790 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 105,735 female: 100,747 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.6% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
Netherlands
Disputes - international:
none
Illicit drugs:
major European producer of synthetic drugs, including ecstasy, and cannabis cultivator; important gateway for cocaine, heroin, and hashish entering Europe; major source of US-bound ecstasy; large financial sector vulnerable to money laundering; significant consumer of ecstasy
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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 southern portion is named Sint Maarten and is part of the Netherlands Antilles; its northern portion, called Saint Martin, is an overseas collectivity of France.
Geography
Netherlands Antilles
Location:
Caribbean, two island groups in the Caribbean Sea - composed of five
islands, Curacao and Bonaire located off the coast of Venezuela, and
Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius lie east of the US Virgin
Islands
Geographic coordinates:
Bonaire: 12 12 N, 68 15 W
Curacao: 12 10 N, 69 00 W
Saba: 17 38 N, 63 14 W
Sint Eustatius: 17 30 N, 62 58 W
Sint Maarten: 18 04 N, 63 04 W
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 960 sq km land: 960 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten (Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin)
Area - comparative:
more than five times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
total: 15 km border countries: Saint Martin 15 km
Coastline:
364 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 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% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Natural hazards:
Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius are subject to hurricanes from July to October; Curacao and Bonaire are south of Caribbean hurricane belt and are rarely threatened
Environment - current issues:
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); the island of Saint Martin is the smallest landmass in the world shared by two independent states, the French territory of Saint Martin and the Dutch territory of Sint Maarten
People
Netherlands Antilles
Population:
225,369 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 23.2% (male 26,749/female 25,467) 15-64 years: 67.5% (male 73,319/female 78,842) 65 years and over: 9.3% (male 8,541/female 12,451) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 33.4 years male: 31.6 years female: 35.2 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.754% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
14.37 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
6.43 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 9.36 deaths/1,000 live births male: 10.04 deaths/1,000 live births female: 8.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.45 years male: 74.15 years female: 78.87 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.98 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Nationality:
noun: Dutch Antillean(s) adjective: Dutch Antillean
Ethnic groups:
mixed black 85%, other 15% (includes Carib Amerindian, white, East Asian)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 72%, Pentecostal 4.9%, Protestant 3.5%, Seventh-Day
Adventist 3.1%, Methodist 2.9%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.7%, other
Christian 4.2%, Jewish 1.3%, other or unspecified 1.2%, none 5.2%
(2001 census)
Languages:
Papiamento 65.4% (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect),
English 15.9% (widely spoken), Dutch 7.3% (official), Spanish 6.1%,
Creole 1.6%, other 1.9%, unspecified 1.8% (2001 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.7% male: 96.7% female: 96.8% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 14 years male: 14 years female: 15 years (2002)
Education expenditures:
Government
Netherlands Antilles
Country name:
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Netherlands Antilles local long form: none local short form: Nederlandse Antillen former: Curacao and Dependencies
Dependency status:
an autonomous country within 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:
name: Willemstad (on Curacao) geographic coordinates: 12 06 N, 68 56 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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 and accession to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX), 30 April (1909 and 1980)
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 Frits GOEDGEDRAG (since 1 July 2002) head of government: Prime Minister Emily de JONGH-ELHAGE (since 26 March 2006) cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten (legislature) 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 27 January 2006 (next to be held by 2010) note: government coalition - PAR, PNP, DP-St. M, UPB, WIPM Saba, DP-St. E
Legislative branch:
unicameral States or Staten (22 seats, Curacao 14, Bonaire 3, St. Maarten 3, St. Eustatius 1, Saba 1; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 27 January 2006 (next to be held in 2010) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PAR 5, MAN 3, FOL 2, Forsa Korsou 2, National Alliance 2, PNP 2, UPB 2, DP-St. E 1, DP-St. M 1, PDB 1, WIPM 1 note: the government is a coalition of several parties
Judicial branch:
Joint High Court of Justice (judges appointed by the monarch)
Political parties and leaders:
Bonaire: Democratic Party of Bonaire or PDB [Jopi ABRAHAM];
Patriotic Union of Bonaire or UPB [Ramonsito BOOI]
Curacao: Ban Vota [Norbert GEORGE]; C-93 [Stanley BROWN]; Democratic
Party of Curacao or DP [Errol HERNANDEZ]; E Mayoria [Aurelio PEDRO];
Forsa Korsou [Nelson NAVARRO]; Liste Ni'un Paso Atras [Nelson
PIERRE]; Movemiento Patriotiko Korsou [Reginald LAK]; New Antilles
Movement or MAN [Charles COOPER]; Partido Akshon Pa Prosperidat I
Seguridat [Sonja BERKEMEYER]; Partido Laboral Krusada Popular or
PLKP [Errol COVA]; Party for the Restructured Antilles or PAR [Emily
de JONGH-ELHAGE]; People's National Party or PNP [Ersilia DE
LANNOOY]; Pidjin [Jasmin PINEDO]; Pueblo Soberano [Herman WIELS];
Workers' Liberation Front or FOL [Anthony GODETT]
Saba: Saba Labor Party [Akilah LEVENSTONE]; Windward Islands
People's Movement or WIPM [Ray HASSELL]
Sint Eustatius: Democratic Party of Sint Eustatius or DP-St. E
[Julian WOODLEY]; Progressive Labor Party [Clyde VAN PUTTEN]; St.
Eustatius Alliance [Ingrid HOUTMAN-WHITFIELD]
Sint Maarten: Democratic Party of Sint Maarten or DP-St. M [Sarah
WESCOTT-WILLIAMS]; Freedom Slate of National Democratic Party
[Theophilus PRIEST]; National Alliance or NA [William MARLIN];
People's Progressive Alliance or PPA [Gracita ARRINDELL]; St.
Maarten People's Party [Johan LEONARD]; United People's Labor Party
[Bienvenido RICHARDSON]
note: political parties are indigenous to each island
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Employers Association (VBC); Unions (AVBO)
International organization participation:
Caricom (observer), ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate),
UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCL, WCO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands); note - Mr. Jeffrey CORRION, Minister Plenipotentiary for Aruba at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Consul General Robert E. SORENSON consulate(s) general: J. B. Gorsiraweg #1, Willemstad, Curacao mailing address: P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao telephone: [599] (9) 461-3066 FAX: [599] (9) 461-6489
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 or grown slightly in each of the past eight years, the islands enjoy a high per capita income and a well-developed infrastructure compared with other countries in the region. Most of the oil Netherlands Antilles imports for its refineries come from Venezuela. Almost all consumer and capital goods are imported, the US, Italy, and Mexico being the major suppliers. Poor soils and inadequate water supplies hamper the development of agriculture. Budgetary problems hamper reform of the health and pension systems of an aging population. The Netherlands provides financial aid to support the economy.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$2.8 billion (2004 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
GDP - real growth rate:
1% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$16,000 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1% industry: 15% services: 84% (2000 est.)
Labor force:
83,600 (2005)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 1% industry: 20% services: 79% (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate:
17% (2002 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $757.9 million expenditures: $949.5 million (2004)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.1% (2003 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
NA (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
9.21% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$1.133 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$2.309 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$2.927 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit
Industries:
tourism (Curacao, Sint Maarten, and Bonaire), petroleum refining (Curacao), petroleum transshipment facilities (Curacao and Bonaire), light manufacturing (Curacao)
Industrial production growth rate:
Electricity - production:
1.195 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
992 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - consumption:
67,450 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
206,900 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
277,600 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Exports:
$3.71 billion f.o.b. (2006)
Exports - commodities:
petroleum products
Exports - partners:
US 18.9%, Mexico 13.3%, Panama 11.4%, Singapore 6.9%, Haiti 6.6%,
Bahamas, The 5.3% (2007)
Imports:
$15.74 billion f.o.b. (2006)
Imports - commodities:
crude petroleum, food, manufactures
Imports - partners:
Venezuela 59.1%, US 17.7%, Brazil 7.1% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$21.32 million (2004)
Debt - external:
$2.68 billion (2004)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$488.6 billion (2003)
Currency (code):
Netherlands Antillean guilder (ANG)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Netherlands Antillean guilders (ANG) per US dollar - NA (2007), 1.79 (2006), 1.79 (2005), 1.79 (2004), 1.79 (2003)
Communications
Netherlands Antilles
Telephones - main lines in use:
81,000 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
200,000 (2004)
Telephone system:
general assessment: generally adequate facilities domestic: extensive interisland microwave radio relay links international: country code - 599; the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) and the Americas-2 submarine cable systems provide connectivity to Central America, parts of South America and the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 0 (2003)
Radios:
217,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
3 (there is also a cable service that supplies programs received from various US satellite networks and 4 Venezuelan channels) (2003)
Televisions:
69,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.an
Internet hosts:
47,597 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
6
Internet users:
2,000 (2000)
Transportation
Netherlands Antilles
Airports:
5 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 5 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: 1 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 845
Merchant marine:
total: 147 by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 2, cargo 72, carrier 19, chemical tanker 2, container 8, liquefied gas 1, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 27, roll on/roll off 6, specialized tanker 3 foreign-owned: 123 (Belgium 1, Cuba 1, Cyprus 21, Denmark 2, Germany 43, Hong Kong 2, Netherlands 38, Norway 3, Sweden 1, Turkey 10, US 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Bopec Terminal, Willemstad
Military
Netherlands Antilles
Military branches:
no regular military forces; National Guard (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
16 years of age for National Guard recruitment; no conscription (2004)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 55,365 females age 16-49: 57,060 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 46,102 females age 16-49: 47,219 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 1,855 female: 1,760 (2008 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Transnational Issues
Netherlands Antilles
Disputes - international:
none
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for South American drugs bound for the US and Europe; money-laundering center
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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 ended in the 1998 Noumea Accord, which over a period of 15 to 20 years will transfer an increasing amount of governing responsibility from France to New Caledonia. The agreement also commits France to conduct as many as three referenda between 2013 and 2018, to decide whether New Caledonia should assume full sovereignty and independence.
Geography
New Caledonia
Location:
Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total: 19,060 sq km land: 18,575 sq km water: 485 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than New Jersey
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
2,254 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 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: 0.32% permanent crops: 0.22% other: 99.46% (2005)
Irrigated land:
100 sq km (2003)
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:
224,824 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 27.3% (male 31,376/female 30,064) 15-64 years: 65.6% (male 74,064/female 73,369) 65 years and over: 7.1% (male 7,377/female 8,574) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 28.4 years male: 28 years female: 28.8 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.175% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
17.39 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
5.64 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New Caledonia (2008 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: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 7.19 deaths/1,000 live births male: 7.85 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.75 years male: 71.76 years female: 77.88 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.21 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Nationality:
noun: New Caledonian(s) adjective: New Caledonian
Ethnic groups:
Melanesian 44.1%, European 34.1%, Wallisian & Futunian 9%, Tahitian 2.6%, Indonesian 2.5%, Vietnamese 1.4%, Ni-Vanuatu 1.1%, other 5.2% (1996 census)
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: 96.2% male: 96.8% female: 95.5% (1996 census)
Government
New Caledonia
Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies conventional short form: New Caledonia local long form: Territoire des Nouvelle-Caledonie et Dependances local short form: Nouvelle-Caledonie
Dependency status:
territorial collectivity of France since 1998
Government type:
Capital:
name: Noumea geographic coordinates: 22 16 S, 166 27 E time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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 Province des Iles, Province Nord, and Province 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:
4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system:
based on French civil law; the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy to the islands
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007); represented by High Commissioner Yves DASSONVILLE (since 9 November 2007) head of government: President of the Government Harold MARTIN (since 7 August 2007) cabinet: Cabinet consisting of 11 members elected from and by the Territorial Congress 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 for a five-year term (no term limits); note - last election held 7 August 2007 when Harold MARTIN was elected following the resignation of Marie-Noelle THEMEREAU as president on 24 July 2007 (next to be held in 2012)
Legislative branch:
unicameral Territorial Congress or Congres du territoire (54 seats; members belong to the three Provincial Assemblies or Assemblees Provinciales elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 9 May 2004 (next to be held in 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPCR-UMP 16, AE 16, UNI-FLNKS 8, UC 7, FN 4, others 3 note: New Caledonia currently holds one seat in the French Senate; by 2010, New Caledonia will gain a second seat in the French Senate; elections last held 24 September 2001 (next to be held not later than September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 1; New Caledonia also elects two seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held 10 and 17 June 2007 (next to be held on June 2012); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 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]; Caledonian
Union or UC; Federation des Comites de Coordination des
Independantistes or FCCI [Francois BURCK]; Front National or FN [Guy
GEORGE]; Front Uni de Liberation Kanak or FULK [Ernest UNE]; Kanak
Socialist Front for National Liberation or FLNKS (includes PALIKA,
UNI, UC, and UPM); Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA [Paul
NEAOUTYINE and Elie POIGOUNE]; Rally for Caledonia in the Republic
(anti independence) or RPCR-UMP [Jacques LAFLEUR]; The Future
Together or AE [Harold MARTIN]; 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:
International organization participation:
ITUC, PIF (associate member), SPC, UPU, 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. Only a small amount of the land is suitable for cultivation, and food accounts for about 20% of imports. In addition to nickel, substantial financial support from France - equal to more than 15% of GDP - and tourism are keys to the health of the economy. Substantial new investment in the nickel industry, combined with the recovery of global nickel prices, brightens the economic outlook for the next several years.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$3.158 billion (2003 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$3.3 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$15,000 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 15% industry: 8.8% services: 76.2% (2003)
Labor force:
78,990 (2004)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 20% industry: 20% services: 60% (2002)
Unemployment rate:
17.1% (2004)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $996 million expenditures: $1.072 billion (2001 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.4% (2000 est.)
Agriculture - products:
vegetables; beef, deer, other livestock products; fish
Industries:
nickel mining and smelting
Industrial production growth rate:
-0.6% (1996)
Electricity - production:
1.602 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
1.49 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 76.3% hydro: 23.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
11,560 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
356.2 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
11,780 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Exports:
$1.341 billion f.o.b. (2006)
Exports - commodities:
ferronickels, nickel ore, fish
Exports - partners:
Japan 20.1%, China 14.5%, Taiwan 14.2%, France 11.6%, Belgium 10.4%,
Spain 8.6%, South Africa 6.9% (2007)
Imports:
$1.998 billion f.o.b. (2006)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
France 36.7%, Singapore 14.7%, Australia 12.1%, NZ 5.2%, Germany 4.6% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$524.3 million annual subsidy from France (2004)
Debt - external:
$79 million (1998 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 87.59 (2007), 95.025 (2006), 95.89 (2005), 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003)
Communications
New Caledonia
Telephones - main lines in use:
60,200 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
176,400 (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: NA domestic: a submarine cable network connection between New Caledonia and Australia, completed in 2007, is expected to significantly increase network capacity and improve high-speed connectivity and access to international networks international: country code - 687; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:
107,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
6 (plus 25 repeaters) (1997)
Televisions:
52,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.nc
Internet hosts:
15,487 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)
Internet users:
80,000 (2006)
Transportation
New Caledonia
Airports:
25 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 12 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 2 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 6 (2007)
Heliports:
6 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 5,622 km (2006)
Merchant marine:
total: 2 by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 1 (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Noumea
Military
New Caledonia
Military branches:
no regular indigenous military forces; French Armed Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie); Police Force
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 57,738 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 47,342 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 2,202 female: 2,121 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
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 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@New Zealand
Introduction
New Zealand
Background:
The Polynesian Maori reached New Zealand in about A.D. 800. In 1840, their chieftains entered into a compact with Britain, the Treaty of Waitangi, in which they ceded sovereignty to Queen Victoria while retaining territorial rights. In that same year, the British began the first organized colonial settlement. A series of land wars between 1843 and 1872 ended with the defeat of the native peoples. 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 a number of defense alliances lapsed by the 1980s. In recent years, the government has sought to address longstanding Maori grievances.
Geography
New Zealand
Location:
Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total: 268,680 sq km land: 268,021 sq km water: NA note: includes Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Bounty Islands, Campbell Island, Chatham Islands, and Kermadec Islands
Area - comparative:
about the size of Colorado
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
15,134 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Climate:
temperate with sharp regional contrasts
Terrain:
predominately mountainous with some large coastal plains
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Aoraki-Mount Cook 3,754 m
Natural resources:
natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber, hydropower, gold, limestone
Land use:
arable land: 5.54% permanent crops: 6.92% other: 87.54% (2005)
Irrigated land:
2,850 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
397 cu km (1995)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 2.11 cu km/yr (48%/9%/42%) per capita: 524 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
earthquakes are common, though usually not severe; volcanic activity
Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; native flora and fauna hard-hit by invasive species
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, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Antarctic Seals, 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:
4,173,460 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 20.9% (male 446,883/female 424,240) 15-64 years: 66.5% (male 1,390,669/female 1,385,686) 65 years and over: 12.6% (male 238,560/female 287,422) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 36.3 years male: 35.6 years female: 37.1 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.971% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
14.09 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
7 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
2.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.83 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.99 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.62 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 80.24 years male: 78.33 years female: 82.25 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.11 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1,400 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: New Zealander(s) adjective: New Zealand
Ethnic groups:
European 69.8%, Maori 7.9%, Asian 5.7%, Pacific islander 4.4%, other 0.5%, mixed 7.8%, unspecified 3.8% (2001 census)
Religions:
Anglican 14.9%, Roman Catholic 12.4%, Presbyterian 10.9%, Methodist 2.9%, Pentecostal 1.7%, Baptist 1.3%, other Christian 9.4%, other 3.3%, unspecified 17.2%, none 26% (2001 census)
Languages:
English (official), Maori (official), Sign Language (official)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 19 years male: 19 years female: 20 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
6.2% of GDP (2006)
Government
New Zealand
Country name:
conventional long form: none conventional short form: New Zealand abbreviation: NZ
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: Wellington geographic coordinates: 41 28 S, 174 51 E time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in October; ends third Sunday in March note: New Zealand is divided into two time zones, including Chatham Island
Administrative divisions:
16 regions and 1 territory*; Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Canterbury,
Chatham Islands*, Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, Manawatu-Wanganui,
Marlborough, Nelson, Northland, Otago, Southland, Taranaki, Tasman,
Waikato, Wellington, West Coast
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); ANZAC Day (commemorated as the anniversary of the landing of troops of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps during World War I at Gallipoli, Turkey), 25 April (1915)
Constitution:
consists of a series of legal documents, including certain acts of the UK and New Zealand Parliaments, as well as The Constitution Act 1986, which is the principal formal charter; adopted 1 January 1987, effective 1 January 1987
Legal system:
based on English law, with special land legislation and land courts for the Maori; 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 Anand SATYANAND (since 23 August 2006) head of government: Prime Minister John KEY (since 19 November 2008); Deputy Prime Minister Bill ENGLISH (since 19 November 2008) cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: 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; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general
Legislative branch:
unicameral House of Representatives - commonly called Parliament (usually 120 seats; 69 members elected by popular vote in single-member constituencies including 7 Maori constituencies, and 51 proportional seats chosen from party lists; to serve three-year terms) elections: last held 8 November 2008 (next to be held in 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - NP 45.5%, NZLP 33.8%, Green Party 6.4%, ACT New Zealand 3.7%, Maori 2.2%, Progressive 0.9%, UF 0.9%, other 6.6%; seats by party - NP 59, NZLP 43, Green Party 8, ACT New Zealand 5, Maori 5, Progressive 1, UF 1 note: results of 2008 election saw the total number of seats increase to 122
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; High Court; note - judges appointed by the Governor-General
Political parties and leaders:
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Women's Electoral Lobby or WEL other: apartheid groups; civil rights groups; farmers groups; Maori; nuclear weapons groups; women's rights groups
International organization participation:
ADB, ANZUS (US suspended security obligations to NZ on 11 August
1986), APEC, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C,
CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,
ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, NAM (guest), NSG, OECD, OPCW, PCA, PIF,
Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNMIT,
UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Roy N. FERGUSON chancery: 37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 328-4800 FAX: [1] (202) 667-5227 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador William P. McCORMICK embassy: 29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington mailing address: P. O. Box 1190, Wellington; PSC 467, Box 1, APO AP 96531-1034 telephone: [64] (4) 462-6000 FAX: [64] (4) 499-0490 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
Government - note:
while not an official symbol, the Kiwi, a small native flightless bird, represents New Zealand
Economy
New Zealand
Economy - overview:
Over the past 20 years the government has transformed 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 - and broadened and deepened the technological capabilities of the industrial sector. Per capita income has risen for eight consecutive years and reached $27,300 in 2007 in purchasing power parity terms. Consumer and government spending have driven growth in recent years, and exports picked up in 2006 after struggling for several years. Exports were equal to about 22% of GDP in 2007, down from 33% of GDP in 2001. Thus far the economy has been resilient, and the Labor Government promises that expenditures on health, education, and pensions will increase proportionately to output. Inflationary pressures have built in recent years and the central bank raised its key rate 13 times since January 2004 to finish 2007 at 8.25%. A large balance of payments deficit poses another challenge in managing the economy.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$112.4 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$128.1 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.1% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$27,200 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 4.5% industry: 26.2% services: 69.3% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
2.236 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 7% industry: 19% services: 74% (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate:
3.6% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: %NA highest 10%: %NA
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
36.2 (1997)
Investment (gross fixed):
23.3% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $58.31 billion expenditures: $53.5 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March note: this is the fiscal year for tax purposes
Public debt:
20.7% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.4% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
8.25% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
12.83% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$24.2 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$117.8 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$200.1 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
dairy products, lamb and mutton; wheat, barley, potatoes, pulses, fruits, vegetables; wool, beef; fish
Industries:
food processing, wood and paper products, textiles, machinery, transportation equipment, banking and insurance, tourism, mining
Industrial production growth rate:
1.5% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
42.41 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
38.93 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 31.6% hydro: 57.8% nuclear: 0% other: 10.7% (2001)
Oil - production:
47,850 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
158,400 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - exports:
14,570 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
137,300 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
55 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
4.573 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
4.572 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
29.67 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
-$10.23 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$27.35 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
dairy products, meat, wood and wood products, fish, machinery
Exports - partners:
Australia 22%, US 11.5%, Japan 9.2%, China 5.3%, UK 4.6% (2007)
Imports:
$29.06 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, vehicles and aircraft, petroleum, electronics, textiles, plastics
Imports - partners:
Australia 20.7%, China 13.4%, US 9.7%, Japan 9.5%, Singapore 4.9%,
Germany 4.7% (2007)
Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $259 million (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$17.25 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$51.44 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$71.31 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$40.62 billion (2005)
Currency (code):
New Zealand dollar (NZD)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
New Zealand dollars (NZD) per US dollar - 1.3811 (2007), 1.5408 (2006), 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003)
Communications
New Zealand
Telephones - main lines in use:
1.706 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
4.245 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: excellent domestic and international systems domestic: NA international: country code - 64; the Southern Cross submarine cable system provides links to Australia, Fiji, and the US; satellite earth stations - 8 (1 Inmarsat - Pacific Ocean, 7 other)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 124, FM 290, shortwave 4 (1998)
Radios:
3.75 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
41 (plus about 700 repeaters) (1997)
Televisions:
1.926 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.nz
Internet hosts:
1.72 million (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
36 (2000)
Internet users:
3.36 million (2007)
Transportation
New Zealand
Airports:
121 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 41 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 26 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 80 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 31 under 914 m: 46 (2007)
Pipelines:
condensate 331 km; gas 1,896 km; liquid petroleum gas 172 km; oil 288 km; refined products 260 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 4,128 km narrow gauge: 4,128 km 1.067-m gauge (506 km electrified) (2006)
Roadways:
total: 93,576 km paved: 61,564 km (includes 172 km of expressways) unpaved: 32,012 km (2006)
Merchant marine:
total: 13 by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 2 foreign-owned: 3 (Australia 1, Germany 1, South Africa 1) registered in other countries: 5 (Antigua and Barbuda 2, Cook Islands 1, France 1, UK 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Auckland, Lyttelton, Marsden Point, Tauranga, Wellington, Whangarei
Military
New Zealand
Military branches:
New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF): New Zealand Army, Royal New
Zealand Navy, Royal New Zealand Air Force (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
17 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers cannot be deployed until the age of 18; no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,009,298 females age 16-49: 997,134 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 833,073 females age 16-49: 822,807 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 31,834 female: 30,243 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
New Zealand
Disputes - international:
asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Ross Dependency)
Illicit drugs:
significant consumer of amphetamines
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Nicaragua
Introduction
Nicaragua
Background:
The Pacific coast of Nicaragua was settled as a Spanish colony from Panama in the early 16th century. Independence from Spain was declared in 1821 and the country became an independent republic in 1838. Britain occupied the Caribbean Coast in the first half of the 19th century, but gradually ceded control of the region in subsequent decades. 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 2001, saw the Sandinistas defeated, but voting in 2006 announced the return of former Sandinista President Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra. Nicaragua's infrastructure and economy - hard hit by the earlier civil war and by Hurricane Mitch in 1998 - are slowly being rebuilt.
Geography
Nicaragua
Location:
Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North
Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 129,494 sq km land: 120,254 sq km water: 9,240 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:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: natural prolongation
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: 14.81% permanent crops: 1.82% other: 83.37% (2005)
Irrigated land:
610 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
196.7 cu km (2000)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 1.3 cu km/yr (15%/2%/83%) per capita: 237 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling 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:
5,785,846 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 34.6% (male 1,019,281/female 981,903) 15-64 years: 62.1% (male 1,792,398/female 1,803,133) 65 years and over: 3.3% (male 82,840/female 106,291) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 21.7 years male: 21.3 years female: 22.1 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.825% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
23.7 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
4.33 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-1.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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 (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 25.91 deaths/1,000 live births male: 29.06 deaths/1,000 live births female: 22.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.21 years male: 69.08 years female: 73.44 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.63 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
6,400 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 500 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: dengue fever and malaria water contact disease: leptospirosis (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Nicaraguan(s) adjective: Nicaraguan
Ethnic groups:
mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 69%, white 17%, black 9%, Amerindian 5%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 58.5%, Evangelical 21.6%, Moravian 1.6%, Jehovah's
Witness 0.9%, other 1.7%, none 15.7% (2005 census)
Languages:
Spanish 97.5% (official), Miskito 1.7%, other 0.8% (1995 census) note: English and indigenous languages on Atlantic coast
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 67.5% male: 67.2% female: 67.8% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 11 years male: 11 years female: 11 years (2003)
Education expenditures:
3.1% of GDP (2003)
Government
Nicaragua
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Nicaragua conventional short form: Nicaragua local long form: Republica de Nicaragua local short form: Nicaragua
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Managua geographic coordinates: 12 09 N, 86 17 W time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
15 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 2 autonomous regions* (regiones autonomistas, singular - region autonoma); Atlantico Norte*, Atlantico Sur*, Boaco, Carazo, Chinandega, Chontales, Esteli, Granada, Jinotega, Leon, Madriz, Managua, Masaya, Matagalpa, Nueva Segovia, Rio San Juan, Rivas
Independence:
15 September 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Constitution:
9 January 1987; reforms in 1995, 2000, and 2005
Legal system:
civil law system; Supreme Court may review administrative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
16 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (since 10 January 2007); Vice President Jaime MORALES Carazo (since 10 January 2007); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (since 10 January 2007); Vice President Jaime MORALES Carazo (since 10 January 2007) 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 (eligible for a second term so long as it is not consecutive); election last held 5 November 2006 (next to be held by November 2011) election results: Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra elected president - 38.07%, Eduardo MONTEALEGRE 29%, Jose RIZO 26.21%, Edmundo JARQUIN 6.44%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (92 seats; 90 members are elected by proportional representation and party lists to serve five-year terms; 1 seat for the previous president, 1 seat for the runner-up in previous presidential election) elections: last held 5 November 2006 (next to be held by November 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FSLN 38, PLC 25, ALN 23 (22 plus one for presidential candidate Eduardo MONTEALEGRE, runner-up in the 2006 presidential election), MRS 5, APRE 1 (outgoing President Enrique BOLANOS)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema de Justicia (16 judges elected for five-year terms by the National Assembly)
Political parties and leaders:
Conservative Party or PC [Azalia AVILES Salmeron]; Liberal
Constitutionalist Party or PLC [Jorge CASTILLO Quant]; Nicaraguan
Liberal Alliance or ALN [Eduardo MONTEALEGRE]; Sandinista National
Liberation Front or FSLN [Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra]; Sandinista
Renovation Movement or MRS [Enrique SAENZ Navarrete]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
National Workers Front or FNT (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 (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 (an independent labor union); Superior Council of Private
Enterprise or COSEP (a confederation of business groups)
International organization participation:
BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC,
LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Arturo CRUZ Sequeira, Jr. chancery: 1627 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 939-6570, [1] (202) 939-6573 FAX: [1] (202) 939-6545 consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Paul A. TRIVELLI embassy: Kilometer 5.5 Carretera Sur, Managua mailing address: American Embassy Managua, APO AA 34021 telephone: [505] 252-7100, 252-7888; 252-7634 (after hours) FAX: [505] 252-7304
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 has widespread underemployment, one of the highest degrees of income inequality in the world, and the third lowest per capita income in the Western Hemisphere. While the country has progressed toward macroeconomic stability in the past few years, annual GDP growth has been far too low to meet the country's needs, forcing the country to rely on international economic assistance to meet fiscal and debt financing obligations. In early 2004, Nicaragua secured some $4.5 billion in foreign debt reduction under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative, and in October 2007, the IMF approved a new poverty reduction and growth facility (PRGF) program that should create fiscal space for social spending and investment. The continuity of a relationship with the IMF reinforces donor confidence, despite private sector concerns surrounding ORTEGA, which has dampened investment. The US-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) has been in effect since April 2006 and has expanded export opportunities for many agricultural and manufactured goods. Energy shortages fueled by high oil prices, however, are a serious bottleneck to growth.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$16.17 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$5.723 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.8% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,800 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 16.9% industry: 25.8% services: 57.2% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
2.262 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 29% industry: 19% services: 52% (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate:
4.9% plus underemployment of 46.5% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
48% (2005)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.2% highest 10%: 33.8% (2001)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
43.1 (2001)
Investment (gross fixed):
31.8% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $1.115 billion expenditures: $1.291 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
62.9% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
11.1% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
NA (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
13.04% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$465.1 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$1.802 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$4.133 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
coffee, bananas, sugarcane, cotton, rice, corn, tobacco, sesame, soya, beans; beef, veal, pork, poultry, dairy products; shrimp, lobsters
Industries:
food processing, chemicals, machinery and metal products, textiles, clothing, petroleum refining and distribution, beverages, footwear, wood
Industrial production growth rate:
5% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
3.012 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
2.413 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
63.95 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 83.9% hydro: 7.7% nuclear: 0% other: 8.4% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - consumption:
28,880 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
808.5 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
29,700 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$1.001 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$2.313 billion f.o.b.; note - includes free trade zones (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
coffee, beef, shrimp and lobster, tobacco, sugar, gold, peanuts
Exports - partners:
US 31.7%, El Salvador 14%, Honduras 9.3%, Costa Rica 7.2%, Canada 5.8%, Guatemala 5.5%, Mexico 4.8% (2007)
Imports:
$4.078 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
consumer goods, machinery and equipment, raw materials, petroleum products
Imports - partners:
US 22.5%, Mexico 13.5%, Costa Rica 8.4%, Venezuela 6.4%, Guatemala 6.2%, El Salvador 4.8% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$471 million (2006 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$1.103 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$3.341 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
gold cordoba (NIO)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
gold cordobas (NIO) per US dollar - 18.457 (2007), 17.582 (2006), 16.733 (2005), 15.937 (2004), 15.105 (2003)
Communications
Nicaragua
Telephones - main lines in use:
247,900 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
2.123 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: system being upgraded by foreign investment; nearly all installed telecommunications capacity now uses digital technology, owing to investments since privatization of the formerly state-owned telecommunications company domestic: since privatization, access to fixed-line and mobile-cellular services has improved but teledensity still lags behind other Central American countries; connected to Central American Microwave System international: country code - 505; the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) fiber optic submarine cable provides connectivity to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) and 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 63, FM 32, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios:
1.24 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
3 (plus 7 repeaters) (1997)
Televisions:
320,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.ni
Internet hosts:
58,157 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
3 (2000)
Internet users:
155,000 (2006)
Transportation
Nicaragua
Airports:
163 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 152 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 16 under 914 m: 135 (2007)
Pipelines:
oil 54 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 6 km narrow gauge: 6 km 1.067-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 19,036 km paved: 2,299 km unpaved: 16,737 km (2005)
Waterways:
2,220 km (including lakes Managua and Nicaragua) (2007)
Ports and terminals:
Bluefields, Corinto, El Bluff
Military
Nicaragua
Military branches:
National Army of Nicaragua (ENN; includes Navy, Air Force) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
17 years of age for voluntary military service; tour of duty 18-36 months (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,513,312 females age 16-49: 1,507,999 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,235,400 females age 16-49: 1,302,318 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 72,689 female: 70,452 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.6% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Nicaragua
Disputes - international:
memorials and countermemorials were filed by the parties in Nicaragua's 1999 and 2001 proceedings against Honduras and Colombia at the ICJ over the maritime boundary and territorial claims in the western Caribbean Sea, final public hearings are scheduled for 2007; the 1992 ICJ ruling for El Salvador and Honduras advised a tripartite resolution to establish a maritime boundary in the Gulf of Fonseca, which considers Honduran access to the Pacific; 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 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Niger
Introduction
Niger
Background:
Niger became independent from France in 1960 and experienced single-party and military rule until 1991, when Gen. Ali SAIBOU was forced by public pressure to allow multiparty elections, which resulted in a democratic government in 1993. Political infighting brought the government to a standstill and in 1996 led to a coup by Col. Ibrahim BARE. In 1999 BARE was killed in a coup by military officers who promptly restored democratic rule and held elections that brought Mamadou TANDJA to power in December of that year. TANDJA was reelected in 2004. Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world with minimal government services and insufficient funds to develop its resource base. The largely agrarian and subsistence-based economy is frequently disrupted by extended droughts common to the Sahel region of Africa. A predominately Tuareg ethnic group emerged in February 2007, the Nigerien Movement for Justice (MNJ), and attacked several military targets in Niger's northern region throughout 2007. Events have since evolved into a budding insurrection.
Geography
Niger
Location:
Western Africa, southeast of Algeria
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 1.267 million sq km land: 1,266,700 sq km water: 300 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, molybdenum, gypsum, salt, petroleum
Land use:
arable land: 11.43% permanent crops: 0.01% other: 88.56% (2005)
Irrigated land:
730 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
33.7 cu km (2003)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 2.18 cu km/yr (4%/0%/95%) per capita: 156 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: 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:
13,272,679 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 47% (male 3,174,834/female 3,057,003) 15-64 years: 50.6% (male 3,450,393/female 3,267,496) 65 years and over: 2.4% (male 159,945/female 163,008) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 16.4 years male: 16.5 years female: 16.4 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.878% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
49.62 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
20.26 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.98 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 115.42 deaths/1,000 live births male: 119.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 111.42 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 44.28 years male: 44.3 years female: 44.26 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
7.29 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.2% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
70,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
4,800 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Nigerien(s) adjective: Nigerien
Ethnic groups:
Haoussa 55.4%, Djerma Sonrai 21%, Tuareg 9.3%, Peuhl 8.5%, Kanouri
Manga 4.7%, other 1.2% (2001 census)
Religions:
Muslim 80%, other (includes indigenous beliefs and Christian) 20%
Languages:
French (official), Hausa, Djerma
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 28.7% male: 42.9% female: 15.1% (2005 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 4 years male: 5 years female: 3 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
3.4% of GDP (2006)
Government
Niger
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Niger conventional short form: Niger local long form: Republique du Niger local short form: Niger
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Niamey geographic coordinates: 13 31 N, 2 07 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
8 regions (regions, singular - region) includes 1 capital district* (communite urbaine); Agadez, Diffa, Dosso, Maradi, Niamey*, Tahoua, Tillaberi, Zinder
Independence:
3 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday:
Republic Day, 18 December (1958)
Constitution:
new constitution adopted 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) head of government: Prime Minister Seyni OUMAROU (since 3 June 2007); appointed by the president and shares some executive responsibilities with the president cabinet: 26-member Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); second round of election last held 4 December 2004 (next to be held December 2009) election results: Mamadou TANDJA reelected president; percent of vote - Mamadou TANDJA 65.5%, Mahamadou ISSOUFOU 34.5%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (113 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 4 December 2004 (next to be held in December 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MNSD 47, PNDS 25, CDS 22, RSD 7, RDP 6, ANDP 5, PSDN 1
Judicial branch:
State Court or Cour d'Etat; Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel
Political parties and leaders:
Democratic and Social Convention-Rahama or CDS-Rahama [Mahamane
OUSMANE]; National Movement for a Developing Society-Nassara or
MNSD-Nassara [Hama AMADOU]; Niger Social Democratic Party or PSDN;
Nigerien Alliance for Democracy and Social Progress-Zaman Lahiya or
ANDP-Zaman Lahiya [Moumouni DJERMAKOYE]; Nigerien Party for Autonomy
or PNA-Alouma'a [Sanousi JACKOU]; Nigerien Party for Democracy and
Socialism or PNDS-Tarrayya [Issifou MAHAMADOU]; Nigerien Progressive
Party or PPN-RDA [Abdoulaye DIORI]; Rally for Democracy and Progress
or RDP-jama'a [Hamid ALGABID]; Social and Democratic Rally or
RSD-Gaskiyya [Cheiffou AMADOU]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
The Nigerien Movement for Justice or MNJ, a predominantly Tuareg rebel group
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU,
WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Aminata Djibrilla Maiga TOURE chancery: 2204 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-4224 through 4227 FAX: [1] (202)483-3169
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Bernadette M. ALLEN embassy: Rue Des Ambassades, Niamey mailing address: B. P. 11201, Niamey telephone: [227] 20-72-26-61 thru 64 FAX: [227] 20-73-31-67
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 one of the poorest countries in the world, ranking near last on the United Nations Development Fund index of human development. It is a landlocked, Sub-Saharan nation, whose economy centers on subsistence crops, livestock, and some of the world's largest uranium deposits. Drought cycles, desertification, and a 2.9% population growth rate, have undercut the economy. Niger shares a common currency, the CFA franc, and a common central bank, the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO), with seven other members of the West African Monetary Union. In December 2000, Niger qualified for enhanced debt relief under the International Monetary Fund program for Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) and concluded an agreement with the Fund on a Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF). Debt relief provided under the enhanced HIPC initiative significantly reduces Niger's annual debt service obligations, freeing funds for expenditures on basic health care, primary education, HIV/AIDS prevention, rural infrastructure, and other programs geared at poverty reduction. In December 2005, Niger received 100% multilateral debt relief from the IMF, which translates into the forgiveness of approximately US $86 million in debts to the IMF, excluding the remaining assistance under HIPC. Nearly half of the government's budget is derived from foreign donor resources. Future growth may be sustained by exploitation of oil, gold, coal, and other mineral resources. Uranium prices have increased sharply in the last few years. A drought and locust infestation in 2005 led to food shortages for as many as 2.5 million Nigeriens.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$8.859 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$4.174 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.2% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$700 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 39% industry: 17% services: 44% (2001)
Labor force:
70,000 salaried workers, 60% of whom are employed in the public sector (1995)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 90% industry: 6% services: 4% (1995)
Unemployment rate:
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)
Budget:
revenues: $320 million (includes $134 million from foreign sources) expenditures: $320 million (2002 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
0.1% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
4.25% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
NA (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$604.5 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$193.7 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$318.9 million (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
cowpeas, cotton, peanuts, millet, sorghum, cassava (tapioca), rice; cattle, sheep, goats, camels, donkeys, horses, poultry
Industries:
uranium mining, cement, brick, soap, textiles, food processing, chemicals, slaughterhouses
Industrial production growth rate:
5.1% (2003 est.)
Electricity - production:
240 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
443.2 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
225 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
5,550 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
5,425 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
NA bbl
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$321 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$428 million f.o.b. (2006)
Exports - commodities:
uranium ore, livestock, cowpeas, onions
Exports - partners:
France 57%, Nigeria 26.4%, Ghana 4.1% (2007)
Imports:
$800 million f.o.b. (2006)
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, machinery, vehicles and parts, petroleum, cereals
Imports - partners:
France 15.9%, French Polynesia 8.8%, Nigeria 8.6%, Belgium 8.6%, US 6.9%, Cote d'Ivoire 5.6% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$515.4 million (2005)
Debt - external:
$2.1 billion (2003 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 493.51 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003) note: since 1 January 1999, the XOF franc has been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF francs per euro
Communications
Niger
Telephones - main lines in use:
24,000 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
900,000 (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: inadequate; small system of wire, radio telephone communications, and microwave radio relay links concentrated in the southwestern area of Niger domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity only about 7 per 100 persons; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations and 1 planned international: country code - 227; 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:
5 (2007)
Televisions:
125,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.ne
Internet hosts:
216 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2002)
Internet users:
40,000 (2006)
Transportation
Niger
Airports:
28 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 9 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 19 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 3 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 18,550 km paved: 3,803 km unpaved: 14,747 km (2006)
Waterways:
300 km (the Niger, the only major river, is navigable to Gaya between September and March) (2005)
Military
Niger
Military branches:
Nigerien Armed Forces (Forces Armees Nigeriennes, FAN): Army, Niger
Air Force (Force Aerienne du Niger) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
17-21 years of age for voluntary military service; 2-year service term; women may serve in health care (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,871,868 females age 16-49: 2,696,966 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,665,108 females age 16-49: 1,548,965 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 150,728 female: 143,379 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.3% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Niger
Disputes - international:
Libya claims about 25,000 sq km in a currently dormant dispute in the Tommo region; much of Benin-Niger boundary, including tripoint with Nigeria, remains undemarcated; only Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty which also includes the Chad-Niger and Niger-Nigeria boundaries
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Niger is a source, transit, and destination country for children and women trafficked for forced labor and sexual exploitation; caste-based slavery practices, rooted in ancestral master-slave relationships, continue in isolated areas of the country - an estimated 8,800 to 43,000 Nigeriens live under conditions of traditional slavery; children are trafficked within Niger for forced begging, forced labor in gold mines, domestic servitude, sexual exploitation, and possibly for forced labor in agriculture and stone quarries; women and children from neighboring states are trafficked to and through Niger for domestic servitude, sexual exploitation, forced labor in mines and on farms, and as mechanics and welders tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Niger is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking in 2007; in particular, measures to combat and eliminate traditional slavery practices were weak; the government's overall law enforcement efforts have stalled from 2006; while efforts to protect child trafficking victims were steady, the government failed to provide services to or rescue adult victims subjected to traditional slavery practices, and made poor efforts to educate the public about traditional slavery practices in general (2008)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Nigeria
Introduction
Nigeria
Background:
British influence and control over what would become Nigeria grew through the 19th century. A series of constitutions after World War II granted Nigeria greater autonomy; independence came in 1960. Following nearly 16 years of military rule, a new constitution was adopted in 1999, and a peaceful transition to civilian government was completed. The government continues to face the daunting task of reforming a petroleum-based economy, whose revenues have been squandered through corruption and mismanagement, and institutionalizing democracy. In addition, Nigeria continues to experience longstanding ethnic and religious tensions. Although both the 2003 and 2007 presidential elections were marred by significant irregularities and violence, Nigeria is currently experiencing its longest period of civilian rule since independence. The general elections of April 2007 marked the first civilian-to-civilian transfer of power in the country's history.
Geography
Nigeria
Location:
Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Benin and
Cameroon
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 923,768 sq km land: 910,768 sq km water: 13,000 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:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
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, iron ore, coal, limestone, niobium, lead, zinc, arable land
Land use:
arable land: 33.02% permanent crops: 3.14% other: 63.84% (2005)
Irrigated land:
2,820 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
286.2 cu km (2003)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 8.01 cu km/yr (21%/10%/69%) per capita: 61 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, 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:
146,255,312 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 41.7% (male 31,171,949/female 29,806,204) 15-64 years: 55.3% (male 41,243,003/female 39,611,565) 65 years and over: 3% (male 2,152,318/female 2,270,267) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 18.9 years male: 18.8 years female: 19 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.025% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
37.23 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
16.88 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 95.74 deaths/1,000 live births male: 101.83 deaths/1,000 live births female: 89.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 46.53 years male: 45.78 years female: 47.32 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.01 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
5.4% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
3.6 million (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
310,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria and yellow fever respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: one of the most highly endemic areas for Lassa fever water contact disease: leptospirosis and shistosomiasis note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Nigerian(s) adjective: Nigerian
Ethnic groups:
Nigeria, 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: 68% male: 75.7% female: 60.6% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 8 years male: 9 years female: 7 years (2004)
Education expenditures:
0.9% of GDP (1991)
Government
Nigeria
Country name:
conventional long form: Federal Republic of Nigeria conventional short form: Nigeria
Government type:
federal republic
Capital:
name: Abuja geographic coordinates: 9 05 N, 7 32 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
36 states and 1 territory*; Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra,
Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo,
Ekiti, Enugu, Federal Capital Territory*, 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 5 May 1999; effective 29 May 1999
Legal system:
based on English common law, Islamic law (in 12 northern states), and traditional law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Umaru Musa YAR'ADUA (since 29 May 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Umaru Musa YAR'ADUA (since 29 May 2007) cabinet: Federal Executive Council elections: president is elected by popular vote for a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 21 April 2007 (next to be held in April 2011) election results: Umaru Musa YAR'ADUA elected president; percent of vote - Umaru Musa YAR'ADUA 69.8%, Muhammadu BUHARI 18.7%, Atiku ABUBAKAR 7.5%, Orji Uzor KALU 1.7%, other 2.3%
Legislative branch:
bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (109 seats, 3 from each state plus 1 from Abuja; 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 21 April 2007 (next to be held in April 2011); House of Representatives - last held 21 April 2007 (next to be held in April 2011) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PDP 53.7%, ANPP 27.9%, AD 9.7%, other 8.7%; seats by party - PDP 76, ANPP 27, AD 6; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PDP 54.5%, ANPP 27.4%, AD 8.8%, UNPP 2.8%, NPD 1.9%, APGA 1.6%, PRP 0.8%; seats by party - PDP 76, ANPP 27, AD 6, UNPP 2, APGA 2, NPD 1, PRP 1, vacant 1
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:
Accord Party [Ikra Aliyu BILBIS]; Action Congress or AC [Hassan
ZUMI]; Alliance for Democracy or AD [Mojisoluwa AKINFENWA]; All
Nigeria Peoples' Party or ANPP [Edwin UME-EZEOKE]; All Progressives
Grand Alliance or APGA [Victor C. UMEH]; Democratic People's Party
or DPP [Jeremiah USENI]; Fresh Democratic Party [Chris OKOTIE];
Labor Party [Dan NWANYANWU]; Movement for the Restoration and
Defense of Democracy or MRDD [Mohammed Gambo JIMETA]; National
Democratic Party or NDP [Aliyu Habu FARI]; Peoples Democratic Party
or PDP [vacant]; Peoples Progressive Alliance [Clement EBRI];
Peoples Redemption Party or PRP [Abdulkadir Balarabe MUSA]; Peoples
Salvation Party or PSP [Lawal MAITURARE]; United Nigeria Peoples
Party or UNPP [Mallam Selah JAMBO]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Academic Staff Union for Universities or ASUU; Campaign for
Democracy or CD; Civil Liberties Organization or CLO; Committee for
the Defense of Human Rights or CDHR; Constitutional Right Project or
CRP; Human Right Africa; National Association of Democratic Lawyers
or NADL; National Association of Nigerian Students or NANS; Nigerian
Bar Association or NBA; Nigerian Labor Congress or NLC; Nigerian
Medical Association or NMA; the Press; Universal Defenders of
Democracy or UDD
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT,
MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN,
UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG,
UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Oluwole ROTIMI chancery: 3519 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 986-8400 FAX: [1] (202) 775-1385 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Robin SANDERS embassy: 1075 Diplomatic Drive, Central District Area, Abuja mailing address: P. O. Box 5760, Garki, Abuja telephone: [234] (9) 461-4000 FAX: [234] (9) 461-4036
Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green
Economy
Nigeria
Economy - overview:
Oil-rich Nigeria, long hobbled by political instability, corruption, inadequate infrastructure, and poor macroeconomic management, is undertaking some reforms under a new reform-minded administration. Nigeria's former military rulers failed to diversify the economy away from its overdependence on the capital-intensive oil sector, which provides 20% of GDP, 95% of foreign exchange earnings, and about 80% of budgetary revenues. The largely subsistence agricultural sector has failed to keep up with rapid population growth - Nigeria is Africa's most populous country - and the country, 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. Nigeria pulled out of its IMF program in April 2002, after failing to meet spending and exchange rate targets, making it ineligible for additional debt forgiveness from the Paris Club. In the last year the government has begun showing the political will to implement the market-oriented reforms urged by the IMF, such as to modernize the banking system, to curb inflation by blocking excessive wage demands, and to resolve regional disputes over the distribution of earnings from the oil industry. In 2003, the government began deregulating fuel prices, announced the privatization of the country's four oil refineries, and instituted the National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy, a domestically designed and run program modeled on the IMF's Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility for fiscal and monetary management. In November 2005, Abuja won Paris Club approval for a debt-relief deal that eliminated $18 billion of debt in exchange for $12 billion in payments - a total package worth $30 billion of Nigeria's total $37 billion external debt. The deal requires Nigeria to be subject to stringent IMF reviews. GDP rose strongly in 2007, based largely on increased oil exports and high global crude prices. Newly-elected President YAR'ADUA has pledged to continue the economic reforms of his predecessor and the proposed budget for 2008 reflects the administrations emphasis on infrastructure improvements. Infrastructure is the main impediment to growth. The government is working toward developing stronger public-private partnerships for electricity and roads.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$296.1 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$166.8 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
6.4% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,100 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 17.7% industry: 52.6% services: 29.8% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
50.13 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 70% industry: 10% services: 20% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate:
4.9% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
70% (2007 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.9% highest 10%: 33.2% (2003)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
43.7 (2003)
Investment (gross fixed):
23.7% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $19.43 billion expenditures: $20.36 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
14.4% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.4% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
9.5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
16.94% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$21.72 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$19.07 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$16.15 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
cocoa, peanuts, palm oil, corn, rice, sorghum, millet, cassava (tapioca), yams, rubber; cattle, sheep, goats, pigs; timber; fish
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, small commercial ship construction and repair
Industrial production growth rate:
3.2% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
22.11 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
15.85 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 61.9% hydro: 38.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
2.352 million bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
312,000 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
2.473 million bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
154,300 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
36.22 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
34.1 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
12.9 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
21.2 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
5.21 trillion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
$2.514 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$61.79 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
petroleum and petroleum products 95%, cocoa, rubber
Exports - partners:
US 51.6%, Brazil 8.9%, Spain 7.7% (2007)
Imports:
$38.5 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery, chemicals, transport equipment, manufactured goods, food and live animals
Imports - partners:
China 10.6%, Netherlands 7.9%, US 7.8%, South Korea 6.6%, UK 5.7%,
France 4.3%, Brazil 4.2%, Germany 4.1% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$6.437 billion (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$51.33 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$8.007 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$33.64 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$12.63 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$32.82 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
naira (NGN)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
nairas (NGN) per US dollar - 127.46 (2007), 127.38 (2006), 132.59 (2005), 132.89 (2004), 129.22 (2003)
Communications
Nigeria
Telephones - main lines in use:
1.58 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
40.395 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: further expansion and modernization of the fixed-line telephone network is needed domestic: the addition of a second fixed-line provider in 2002 resulted in faster growth but subscribership remains only about 1 per 100 persons; wireless telephony has grown rapidly, in part responding to the shortcomings of the fixed-line network; multiple service providers operate nationally; mobile-cellular teledensity reached 30 per 100 persons in 2007 international: country code - 234; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and Asia; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 83, FM 36, shortwave 11 (2001)
Radios:
23.5 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
3 (the government controls 2 of the broadcasting stations and 15 repeater stations) (2001)
Televisions:
6.9 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.ng
Internet hosts:
1,048 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
11 (2000)
Internet users:
10 million (2007)
Transportation
Nigeria
Airports:
70 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 36 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 12 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 2 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 34 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 19 (2007)
Heliports:
2 (2007)
Pipelines:
condensate 124 km; gas 3,071 km; liquid petroleum gas 156 km; oil 4,347 km; refined products 3,949 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 3,505 km narrow gauge: 3,505 km 1.067-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 193,200 km paved: 28,980 km unpaved: 164,220 km (2004)
Waterways:
8,600 km (Niger and Benue rivers and smaller rivers and creeks) (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 68 by type: cargo 4, chemical tanker 12, combination ore/oil 1, liquefied gas 2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 46, specialized tanker 2 foreign-owned: 3 (Japan 1, South Africa 1, Spain 1) registered in other countries: 34 (Bahamas 2, Bermuda 11, Cook Islands 1, Georgia 1, Italy 1, Liberia 2, Panama 10, Poland 1, Seychelles 1, Sierra Leone 1, unknown 3) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Bonny Inshore Terminal, Calabar, Lagos
Transportation - note:
the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Niger Delta and Gulf of Guinea as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; numerous commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; crews have been robbed and stores or cargoes stolen
Military
Nigeria
Military branches:
Nigerian Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 31,929,204 females age 16-49: 30,638,979 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 18,556,755 females age 16-49: 17,288,225 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 1,663,025 female: 1,585,224 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.5% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Nigeria
Disputes - international:
Joint Border Commission with Cameroon reviewed 2002 ICJ ruling on the entire boundary and bilaterally resolved differences, including June 2006 Greentree Agreement that immediately cedes sovereignty of the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon with a phase-out of Nigerian control within two years while resolving patriation issues; the ICJ ruled on an equidistance settlement of Cameroon-Equatorial Guinea-Nigeria maritime boundary in the Gulf of Guinea, but imprecisely defined coordinates in the ICJ decision and a sovereignty dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon over an island at the mouth of the Ntem River all contribute to the delay in implementation; only Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty which also includes the Chad-Niger and Niger-Nigeria boundaries
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 5,778 (Liberia) IDPs: undetermined (communal violence between Christians and Muslims since President OBASANJO's election in 1999; displacement is mostly short-term) (2007)
Illicit drugs:
a transit point for heroin and cocaine intended for European, East Asian, and North American markets; consumer of amphetamines; safe haven for Nigerian narcotraffickers operating worldwide; major money-laundering center; massive corruption and criminal activity; Nigeria has improved some anti-money-laundering controls, resulting in its removal from the Financial Action Task Force's (FATF's) Noncooperative Countries and Territories List in June 2006; Nigeria's anti-money-laundering regime continues to be monitored by FATF
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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 an estimated 1,444 in 2008), 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:
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total: 260 sq km land: 260 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
64 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 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: 11.54% permanent crops: 15.38% other: 73.08% (2005)
Irrigated land:
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, Law of the Sea signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
one of world's largest coral islands
People
Niue
Population:
1,444 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate:
-0.032% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
NA (2008 est.)
Death rate:
NA (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
Infant mortality rate:
total: NA male: NA female: NA (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: NA male: NA female: NA (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
NA (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Nationality:
noun: Niuean(s) adjective: Niuean
Ethnic groups:
Niuen 78.2%, Pacific islander 10.2%, European 4.5%, mixed 3.9%,
Asian 0.2%, unspecified 3% (2001 census)
Religions:
Ekalesia Niue (Niuean Church - a Protestant church closely related to the London Missionary Society) 61.1%, Latter-Day Saints 8.8%, Roman Catholic 7.2%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2.4%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.4%, other 8.4%, unspecified 8.7%, none 1.9% (2001 census)
Languages:
Niuean, a Polynesian language closely related to Tongan and Samoan;
English
Literacy:
definition: NA total population: 95% male: NA female: NA
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 12 years male: 12 years female: 12 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
Government
Niue
Country name:
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Niue note: pronounciation falls between nyu-way and new-way, but not like new-wee former: Savage Island
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:
name: Alofi geographic coordinates: 19 01 S, 169 55 W time difference: UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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); represented by Governor General of New Zealand Anand SATYANAND (since 23 August 2006); the UK and New Zealand are represented by New Zealand High Commissioner John BRYAN (since May 2000) head of government: Premier Toke TALAGI (since 18 June 2008) cabinet: Cabinet consists of the premier and three ministers elections: the monarch is hereditary; premier elected by the Legislative Assembly for a three-year term; election last held 18 June 2008 (next to be held in 2011) election results: Toke TALAGI defeats incumbent Young VIVIAN in Legislative Assembly vote; Toke TALAGI - 14, Young VIVIAN - 5
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) elections: last held 7 June 2008 (next to be held in 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - 20 independents
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of New Zealand; High Court of Niue
Political parties and leaders:
Alliance of Independents or AI; Niue People's Action Party or NPP
[Young VIVIAN]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
International organization participation:
ACP, FAO, IFAD, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UNESCO, UPU, 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 star on a blue disk in the center and a smaller star 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 emigration to New Zealand. Efforts to increase GDP include the promotion of tourism and a financial services industry, although the International Banking Repeal Act of 2002 resulted in the termination of all offshore banking licenses. Economic aid from New Zealand in 2002 was US$2.6 million. Niue suffered a devastating typhoon in January 2004, which decimated nascent economic programs. While in the process of rebuilding, Niue has been dependent on foreign aid.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$7.6 million (2000 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$10.01 million (2003)
GDP - real growth rate:
6.2% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$5,800 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 23.5% industry: 26.9% services: 49.5% (2003)
Labor force:
663 (2001)
Labor force - by occupation:
note: most work on family plantations; paid work exists only in government service, small industry, and the Niue Development Board
Unemployment rate:
12% (2001)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $15.07 million expenditures: $16.33 million (FY0405)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4% (2005)
Agriculture - products:
coconuts, passion fruit, honey, limes, taro, yams, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes; pigs, poultry, beef cattle
Industries:
tourism, handicrafts, food processing
Industrial production growth rate:
Electricity - production:
4 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
3.72 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
20 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
26.57 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Exports:
$201,400 (2004)
Exports - commodities:
canned coconut cream, copra, honey, vanilla, passion fruit products, pawpaws, root crops, limes, footballs, stamps, handicrafts
Exports - partners:
New Zealand mainly, Fiji, Cook Islands, Australia (2006)
Imports:
$9.038 million (2004)
Imports - commodities:
food, live animals, manufactured goods, machinery, fuels, lubricants, chemicals, drugs
Imports - partners:
New Zealand mainly, Fiji, Japan, Samoa, Australia, US (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
$2.6 million from New Zealand (2002)
Debt - external:
$418,000 (2002 est.)
Currency (code):
New Zealand dollar (NZD)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
New Zealand dollars (NZD) per US dollar - 1.3811 (2007), 1.5408 (2006), 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003)
Communications
Niue
Telephones - main lines in use:
1,100 (2002 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
400 (2002)
Telephone system:
domestic: single-line telephone system connects all villages on island international: country code - 683 (2001)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:
1,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (1997)
Televisions:
Internet country code:
.nu
Internet hosts:
382,599 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)
Internet users:
900 (2002)
Transportation
Niue
Airports:
1 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 120 km paved: 120 km (2008)
Ports and terminals:
none; offshore anchorage only
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 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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:
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total: 34.6 sq km land: 34.6 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
about 0.2 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
32 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 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% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Natural hazards:
typhoons (especially May to July)
Environment - current issues:
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:
2,128 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 20.2% 15-64 years: 63.9% 65 years and over: 15.9% (2007 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.006% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
NA (2008 est.)
Death rate:
NA (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
Infant mortality rate:
total: NA male: NA female: NA (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: NA male: NA female: NA (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
NA (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Nationality:
noun: Norfolk Islander(s) adjective: Norfolk Islander(s)
Ethnic groups:
descendants of the Bounty mutineers, Australian, New Zealander, Polynesian
Religions:
Anglican 31.8%, Roman Catholic 11.5%, Uniting Church in Australia 10.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3.2%, other Christian 5.6%, none 19.9%, unspecified 16.6% (2006 census)
Languages:
English (official), Norfolk - a mixture of 18th century English and ancient Tahitian
Literacy:
Education expenditures:
Government
Norfolk Island
Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of Norfolk Island conventional short form: Norfolk Island
Dependency status:
self governing territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Attorney-General's Department
Government type:
Capital:
name: Kingston geographic coordinates: 29 03 S, 167 58 E time difference: UTC+11.5 (16.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
none (territory of Australia)
Independence:
none (territory of Australia)
National holiday:
Bounty Day (commemorates the arrival of Pitcairn Islanders), 8 June (1856)
Constitution:
Norfolk Island Act of 1979, as amended in 2005
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); represented by the Australian governor general head of government: Acting Administrator Owen WALSH (since October 2007) 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 elections: the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia
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; to serve three-year terms) elections: last held 21 March 2007 (next to be held by 28 March 2010) election results: seats - independents 9 (note - no political parties)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Court of Petty Sessions
Political parties and leaders:
none
Political pressure groups and leaders:
none
International organization participation:
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):
Labor force:
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 10% industry and services: 90%
Budget:
revenues: $4.6 million expenditures: $4.8 million (FY99/00)
Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June
Agriculture - products:
Norfolk Island pine seed, Kentia palm seed, cereals, vegetables, fruit; cattle, poultry
Industries:
tourism, light industry, ready mixed concrete
Electricity - production:
NA kWh
Electricity - consumption:
NA kWh
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 0% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2002)
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 (2006)
Imports:
$17.9 million c.i.f. (FY91/92)
Imports - commodities:
Imports - partners:
Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia, Europe (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
Debt - external:
Currency (code):
Australian dollar (AUD)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - 1.2137 (2007), 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003)
Communications
Norfolk Island
Telephones - main lines in use:
2,532; note - a mix of analog (2500) and digital (32) circuits (2004)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
0; note - proposed cellular service disallowed in August 2002 island referendum (2002)
Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate domestic: free local calls international: country code - 672; undersea coaxial cable links with Australia and New Zealand; satellite earth station - 1
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2005)
Radios:
2,500 (1996)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (local programming station plus 2 repeaters that air Australian programs by satellite) (2005)
Televisions:
1,200 (1996)
Internet country code:
.nf
Internet hosts:
51 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)
Internet users:
700 (2002 est.)
Transportation
Norfolk Island
Airports:
1 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 80 km paved: 53 km unpaved: 27 km (2008)
Ports and terminals:
none; loading jetties at Kingston and Cascade
Military
Norfolk Island
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of Australia
Transnational Issues
Norfolk Island
Disputes - international:
none
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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, and came into force on 24 March 1976. 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:
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total: 477 sq km land: 477 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes 14 islands including Saipan, Rota, and Tinian
Area - comparative:
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
1,482 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 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: 13.04% permanent crops: 4.35% other: 82.61% (2005)
Irrigated land:
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:
86,616 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 18.4% (male 8,342/female 7,594) 15-64 years: 79.9% (male 27,996/female 41,245) 65 years and over: 1.7% (male 740/female 699) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 29.9 years male: 32 years female: 28.9 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.377% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
19.04 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
2.31 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
7.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.68 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female total population: 0.75 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.72 deaths/1,000 live births male: 6.68 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.5 years male: 73.89 years female: 79.26 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.18 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Nationality:
noun: NA (US citizens) adjective: NA
Ethnic groups:
Asian 56.3%, Pacific islander 36.3%, Caucasian 1.8%, other 0.8%, mixed 4.8% (2000 census)
Religions:
Christian (Roman Catholic majority, although traditional beliefs and taboos may still be found)
Languages:
Philippine languages 24.4%, Chinese 23.4%, Chamorro 22.4%, English 10.8%, other Pacific island languages 9.5%, other 9.6% (2000 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 97% female: 96% (1980 est.)
Education expenditures:
Government
Northern Mariana Islands
Country name:
conventional long form: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands conventional short form: Northern Mariana Islands abbreviation: CNMI former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Mariana Islands District
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:
name: Saipan geographic coordinates: 15 12 N, 145 45 E time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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:
Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands effective 1 January 1978; Covenant Agreement fully effective 4 November 1986
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 Benigno R. FITIAL (since 9 January 2006); Lieutenant Governor Timothy P. VILLAGOMEZ (since 9 January 2006) cabinet: the cabinet consists of the heads of the 10 principal departments under the executive branch who are appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the Senate; other members include Special Assistants to the governor and office heads appointed by and reporting directly to the governor elections: under the US Constitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such as the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; however, they may vote in the Democratic and Republican presidential primary elections; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 5 November 2005 (next to be held in November 2009) election results: Benigno R. FITIAL elected governor in a four-way race; percent of vote - Benigno R. FITIAL 28.07%, Heinz HOFSCHNEIDER 27.34%, Juan BABAUTA 26.6%, Froilan TENORIO 17.99%
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 (20 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 3 November 2007 (next to be held in November 2009); House of Representatives - last held 3 November 2007 (next to be held in November 2009) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Covenant Party 3, Republican Party 3, Democratic Party 1, independents 2; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Party 12, Covenant Party 4, Democratic Party 1, independents 3 note: the Northern Mariana Islands does not have a nonvoting delegate in the US Congress; instead, it has an elected official or "resident representative" in Washington, DC; seats by party - Republican Party 1 (Pedro A. TENORIO)
Judicial branch:
Commonwealth Supreme Court; Superior Court; Federal District Court
Political parties and leaders:
Covenant Party [Benigno R. FITIAL]; Democratic Party [Dr. Carlos S.
CAMACHO]; Republican Party [Juan S. REYES]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
International organization participation:
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 the employment of 17,500 mostly Chinese workers and sizable shipments to the US under duty and quota exemptions.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$900 million note: GDP estimate includes US subsidy (2000 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$633.4 million (2000)
GDP - real growth rate:
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$12,500 (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Labor force:
44,470 total indigenous labor force; 2,699 unemployed; 28,717 foreign workers (2000)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Unemployment rate:
3.9% (2001)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $193 million expenditures: $223 million (FY01/02 est.)
Fiscal year:
1 October - 30 September
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
-0.8% (2000)
Agriculture - products:
coconuts, fruits, vegetables; cattle
Industries:
tourism, construction, garments, handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate:
Electricity - production:
NA kWh
Electricity - consumption:
NA kWh
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Exports:
Exports - commodities:
garments
Exports - partners:
Imports:
$214.4 million (2001)
Imports - commodities:
food, construction equipment and materials, petroleum products
Imports - partners:
US, Japan (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
extensive funding from US
Debt - external:
Currency (code):
US dollar (USD)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
the US dollar is used
Communications
Northern Mariana Islands
Telephones - main lines in use:
21,000 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
20,500 (2004)
Telephone system:
general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: country code - 1-670; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 6, shortwave 1 (2005)
Radios:
Television broadcast stations:
1 (on Saipan; in addition, 2 cable services on Saipan provide varied programming from satellite networks) (2006)
Televisions:
Internet country code:
.mp
Internet hosts:
6 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2001)
Internet users:
10,000 (2003)
Transportation
Northern Mariana Islands
Airports:
5 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Heliports:
1 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 536 km (2007)
Ports and terminals:
Saipan, Tinian
Military
Northern Mariana Islands
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 572 female: 594 (2008 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the US
Transnational Issues
Northern Mariana Islands
Disputes - international:
none
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Norway
Introduction
Norway
Background:
Two centuries of Viking raids into Europe tapered off following the adoption of Christianity by King Olav TRYGGVASON in 994. Conversion of the Norwegian kingdom occurred over the next several decades. In 1397, Norway was absorbed into a union with Denmark that lasted more than four centuries. In 1814, Norwegians resisted the cession of their country to Sweden and adopted a new constitution. Sweden then invaded Norway but agreed to let Norway keep its constitution in return for accepting the union under a Swedish king. Rising nationalism throughout the 19th century led to a 1905 referendum granting Norway independence. Although Norway remained neutral in World War I, it suffered heavy losses to its shipping. Norway proclaimed its neutrality at the outset of World War II, but was nonetheless occupied for five years by Nazi Germany (1940-45). 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:
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 323,802 sq km land: 307,442 sq km water: 16,360 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than New Mexico
Land boundaries:
total: 2,542 km border countries: Finland 727 km, Sweden 1,619 km, Russia 196 km
Coastline:
25,148 km (includes mainland 2,650 km, as well as long fjords, numerous small islands, and minor indentations 22,498 km; length of island coastlines 58,133 km)
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 10 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 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, natural gas, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, titanium, pyrites, nickel, fish, timber, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 2.7% permanent crops: 0% other: 97.3% (2005)
Irrigated land:
1,270 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
381.4 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 2.4 cu km/yr (23%/67%/10%) per capita: 519 cu m/yr (1996)
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-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
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, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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 the world
People
Norway
Population:
4,644,457 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 18.8% (male 446,146/female 426,166) 15-64 years: 66.2% (male 1,559,750/female 1,516,217) 65 years and over: 15% (male 297,175/female 399,003) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 39 years male: 38.2 years female: 39.9 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.35% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
11.12 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
9.33 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
1.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 3.61 deaths/1,000 live births male: 3.96 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.81 years male: 77.16 years female: 82.6 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.78 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
2,100 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 100 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Norwegian(s) adjective: Norwegian
Ethnic groups:
Norwegian 94.4% (includes Sami, about 60,000), other European 3.6%, other 2% (2007 estimate)
Religions:
Church of Norway 85.7%, Pentecostal 1%, Roman Catholic 1%, other
Christian 2.4%, Muslim 1.8%, other 8.1% (2004)
Languages:
Bokmal Norwegian (official), Nynorsk Norwegian (official), small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities; note - Sami is official in six municipalities
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100%
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 17 years male: 17 years female: 18 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
7.2% of GDP (2005)
Government
Norway
Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Norway conventional short form: Norway local long form: Kongeriket Norge local short form: Norge
Government type:
constitutional monarchy
Capital:
name: Oslo geographic coordinates: 59 55 N, 10 45 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
19 counties (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)
Constitution:
17 May 1814; amended many times
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 Jens STOLTENBERG (since 17 October 2005) cabinet: State Council appointed by the monarch with the approval of parliament elections: the monarch is hereditary; following parliamentary elections, the leader of the majority 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 (169 seats; members are elected by popular vote by proportional representation to serve four-year terms); note - in 2009 the number of seats will change to 165 elections: last held 12 September 2005 (next to be held in September 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - Labor Party 32.7%, Progress Party 22.1%, Conservative Party 14.1%, Socialist Left Party 8.8%, Christian People's Party 6.8%, Center Party 6.5%, Liberal Party 5.9%, other 3.1%; seats by party - Labor Party 61, Progress Party 38, Conservative Party 23, Socialist Left Party 15, Christian People's Party 11, Center Party 11, Liberal Party 10 note: for certain purposes, the parliament divides itself into two chambers and elects one-fourth of its membership in the Lagting and three-fourths of its membership in the Odelsting
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Hoyesterett (justices appointed by the monarch)
Political parties and leaders:
Center Party [Aslaug Marie HAGA]; Christian People's Party [Dagfinn
HOYBRATEN]; Conservative Party [Erna SOLBERG]; Labor Party [Jens
STOLTENBERG]; Liberal Party [Lars SPONHEIM]; Progress Party [Siv
JENSEN]; Socialist Left Party [Kristin HALVORSEN]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Norwegian Aid Committee or NORWAC; Norwegian Association of the
Disabled; Pure Salmon Campaign; The Consumer Council (consumer
advocacy group)
other: environmental groups; media; reform movements
International organization participation:
ADB (nonregional members), AfDB (nonregional members), Arctic
Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA,
ESA, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO,
ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS
(observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR, UNMIS, UNRWA,
UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO,
ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Wegger C. STROMMEN chancery: 2720 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-6000 FAX: [1] (202) 337-0870 consulate(s) general: Houston, Minneapolis, New York, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Benson K. WHITNEY embassy: Henrik Ibsens gate 48, 0244 Oslo; note - the embassy will move to Huseby in the near future mailing address: PSC 69, Box 1000, APO AE 09707 telephone: [47] (22) 44 85 50 FAX: [47] (22) 44 33 63, 56 27 51
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, with oil and gas accounting for one-third of exports. Only Saudi Arabia and Russia export more oil than Norway. Norway opted to stay out of the EU during a referendum in November 1994; nonetheless, as a member of the European Economic Area, it contributes sizably to the EU budget. The government has moved ahead with privatization. Although Norwegian oil production peaked in 2000, natural gas production is still rising. Norwegians realize that once their gas production peaks they will eventually face declining oil and gas revenues; accordingly, Norway has been saving its oil-and-gas-boosted budget surpluses in a Government Petroleum Fund, which is invested abroad and now is valued at more than $250 billion. After lackluster growth of less than 1% in 2002-03, GDP growth picked up to 3-5% in 2004-07, partly due to higher oil prices. Norway's economy remains buoyant. Domestic economic activity is, and will continue to be, the main driver of growth, supported by high consumer confidence and strong investment spending in the offshore oil and gas sector. Norway's record high budget surplus and upswing in the labor market in 2007 highlight the strength of its economic position going into 2008.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$246.6 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$391.5 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.7% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$53,300 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2.4% industry: 41.9% services: 55.7% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
2.507 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 4% industry: 22% services: 74% (1995)
Unemployment rate:
2.5% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.9% highest 10%: 23.4% (2000)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
28 (2005)
Investment (gross fixed):
20.8% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $226.3 billion expenditures: $158.7 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
83.1% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
0.8% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
6.25% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
6.65% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
NA (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
NA (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
NA (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
barley, wheat, potatoes; pork, beef, veal, milk; fish
Industries:
petroleum and gas, food processing, shipbuilding, pulp and paper products, metals, chemicals, timber, mining, textiles, fishing
Industrial production growth rate:
0.1% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
135 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
111.5 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
15.32 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
5.284 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 0.4% hydro: 99.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0.4% (2001)
Oil - production:
2.565 million bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
224,500 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - exports:
2.714 million bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
92,650 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
6.865 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
92.6 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
6.5 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
86.1 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
2.241 trillion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
$64.07 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$140.3 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
petroleum and petroleum products, machinery and equipment, metals, chemicals, ships, fish
Exports - partners:
UK 26.3%, Germany 12.3%, Netherlands 10.2%, France 8%, Sweden 6.5%,
US 6.2% (2007)
Imports:
$77.24 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals, foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
Sweden 14.7%, Germany 13.6%, UK 6.9%, Denmark 6.4%, China 6.1%, US 4.8%, Canada 4.3% (2007)
Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $2.954 billion (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$60.84 billion (2006 est.)
Debt - external:
$469.1 billion; note - Norway is a net external creditor (30 June 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$62.63 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$126.1 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$191 billion (2005)
Currency (code):
Norwegian krone (NOK)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Norwegian kroner (NOK) per US dollar - 5.8396 (2007), 6.4117 (2006), 6.4425 (2005), 6.7408 (2004), 7.0802 (2003)
Communications
Norway
Telephones - main lines in use:
1.988 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
5.192 million (2007)
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: country code - 47; 2 buried coaxial cable systems; submarine cables provide links to other Nordic countries and Europe; 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 hosts:
2.995 million (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
13 (2000)
Internet users:
3.8 million (2007)
Transportation
Norway
Airports:
98 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 67 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 12 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 29 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 31 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 25 (2007)
Heliports:
1 (2007)
Pipelines:
condensate 508 km; gas 6,529 km; oil 2,444 km; oil/gas/water 457 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 4,114 km standard gauge: 4,114 km 1.435-m gauge (2,552 km electrified) (2008)
Roadways:
total: 92,946 km paved: 72,033 km (includes 664 km of expressways) unpaved: 20,913 km (2007)
Waterways:
1,577 km (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 688 by type: bulk carrier 46, cargo 141, carrier 3, chemical tanker 137, combination ore/oil 12, container 4, liquefied gas 65, passenger/cargo 117, petroleum tanker 85, refrigerated cargo 14, roll on/roll off 13, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 50 foreign-owned: 199 (Canada 3, Canada 7, Chile 2, China 36, Denmark 25, Estonia 1, Finland 1, France 3, Germany 1, Greece 3, Hong Kong 20, Iceland 3, Italy 4, Japan 29, Lithuania 1, Malaysia 1, Monaco 5, Poland 3, Saudi Arabia 3, Singapore 1, Sweden 34, UK 5, US 8) registered in other countries: 923 (Antigua and Barbuda 8, Australia 1, Bahamas 189, Barbados 38, Belize 3, Bermuda 5, Brazil 5, Canada 3, Cayman Islands 1, China 1, Comoros 1, Cook Islands 5, Cyprus 18, Denmark 1, Denmark 2, Dominica 1, Estonia 2, Faroe Islands 4, Finland 3, France 5, Gibraltar 33, Hong Kong 40, Indonesia 1, Isle of Man 20, Italy 2, South Korea 2, Liberia 40, Libya 1, Malta 93, Marshall Islands 66, Netherlands 12, Netherlands Antilles 3, Panama 89, Philippines 10, Russia 2, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 13, Singapore 143, Spain 5, Sweden 7, Tuvalu 1, UK 31, US 9, unknown 4) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Bergen, Borg Havn, Haugesund, Maaloy, Mongstad, Narvik, Oslo, Sture
Military
Norway
Military branches:
Norwegian Army (Haeren), Royal Norwegian Navy (Kongelige Norske
Sjoeforsvaret, RNoN; includes Coastal Rangers and Coast Guard
(Kystvakt)), Royal Norwegian Air Force (Kongelige Norske
Luftforsvaret, RNoAF), Home Guard (Heimevernet, HV) (2007)
Military service age and obligation:
18-44 years of age for male compulsory military service; 16 years of age in wartime; 17 years of age for male volunteers; 18 years of age for women; 12-month service obligation, in practice shortened to 8 to 9 months; although all males between ages of 18 and 44 are liable for service, in practice they are seldom called to duty after age 30; reserve obligation to age 35-60; 16 years of age for volunteers to the Home Guard, who serve 6-month duty tours (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,078,181 females age 16-49: 1,046,550 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 888,101 females age 16-49: 862,159 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 32,185 female: 30,683 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.9% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
Norway
Disputes - international:
Norway asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Queen Maud Land and its continental shelf); despite dialogue, 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 18 December, 2008
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@Oman
Introduction
Oman
Background:
The inhabitants of the area of Oman have long prospered on Indian Ocean trade. In the late 18th century, a newly established sultanate in Muscat signed the first in a series of friendship treaties with Britain. Over time, Oman's dependence on British political and military advisors increased, but it never became a British colony. In 1970, QABOOS bin Said al-Said overthrew the restrictive rule of his father; he has ruled as sultan ever since. His extensive modernization program has opened the country to the outside world while preserving the longstanding close ties 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:
Map references:
Middle East
Area:
total: 212,460 sq km land: 212,460 sq km water: 0 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:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
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: 0.12% permanent crops: 0.14% other: 99.74% (2005)
Irrigated land:
720 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
1 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 1.36 cu km/yr (7%/2%/90%) per capita: 529 cu m/yr (2000)
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; limited natural fresh water 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, 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:
3,311,640 note: includes 577,293 non-nationals (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 42.7% (male 721,796/female 692,699) 15-64 years: 54.5% (male 1,053,040/female 752,962) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 51,290/female 39,853) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 18.9 years male: 21.3 years female: 16.6 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
3.19% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
35.26 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
3.68 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
0.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.4 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.29 male(s)/female total population: 1.23 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 17.45 deaths/1,000 live births male: 19.95 deaths/1,000 live births female: 14.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.91 years male: 71.64 years female: 76.29 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.62 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1,300 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Omani(s) adjective: Omani
Ethnic groups:
Arab, Baluchi, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan,
Bangladeshi), African
Religions:
Ibadhi Muslim 75%, other (includes Sunni Muslim, Shi'a Muslim,
Hindu) 25%
Languages:
Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Indian dialects
Literacy:
definition: NA total population: 81.4% male: 86.8% female: 73.5% (2003 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 12 years male: 12 years female: 11 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
4% of GDP (2006)
Government
Oman
Country name:
conventional long form: Sultanate of Oman conventional short form: Oman local long form: Saltanat Uman local short form: Uman former: Muscat and Oman
Government type:
monarchy
Capital:
name: Muscat geographic coordinates: 23 37 N, 58 35 E time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
5 regions (manatiq, singular - mintaqat) and 4 governorates* (muhafazat, singular - muhafazat) Ad Dakhiliyah, Al Batinah, Al Buraymi*, Al Wusta, Ash Sharqiyah, Az Zahirah, Masqat (Muscat)*, Musandam*, Zufar (Dhofar)*
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 basic law considered by the government to be a constitution 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:
21 years of age; universal; note - members of the military and security forces are not allowed to vote
Executive branch:
chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said al-Said (sultan since 23 July 1970 and prime minister since 23 July 1972); 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 (sultan since 23 July 1970 and prime minister since 23 July 1972) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch elections: the monarch is hereditary
Legislative branch:
bicameral Majlis Oman consists of Majlis al-Dawla or upper chamber (70 seats; members appointed by the monarch; has advisory powers only) and Majlis al-Shura or lower chamber (84 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms; body has some limited power to propose legislation, but otherwise has only advisory powers) elections: last held 27 October 2007 (next to be held in 2011) election results: new candidates won 46 seats and 38 members of the outgoing Majlis kept their positions; none of the 20 female candidates were elected
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court note: the nascent civil court system, administered by region, has judges who practice secular and Sharia law
Political parties and leaders:
none
Political pressure groups and leaders:
none
International organization participation:
ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory),
IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU,
ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Hunaina bint Sultan bin Ahmad al-MUGHAIRI chancery: 2535 Belmont Road, NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 387-1980 FAX: [1] (202) 745-4933
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Gary A. GRAPPO embassy: Jameat A'Duwal Al Arabiya Street, Al Khuwair area, Muscat mailing address: P. O. Box 202, P.C. 115, Madinat Sultan Qaboos, Muscat telephone: [968] 24-643-400 FAX: [968] 24-699771
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 near the top of the vertical band
Economy
Oman
Economy - overview:
Oman is a middle-income economy that is heavily dependent on dwindling oil resources, but sustained high oil prices in recent years have helped build Oman's budget and trade surpluses and foreign reserves. Oman joined the World Trade Organization in November 2000 and continues to liberalize its markets. It ratified a free trade agreement with the US in September 2006, and, through the Gulf Cooperation Council, seeks similar agreements with the EU, China and Japan. As a result of its dwindling oil resources, Oman is actively pursuing a development plan that focuses on diversification, industrialization, and privatization, with the objective of reducing the oil sector's contribution to GDP to 9 percent by 2020. Muscat is attempting to "Omanize" the labor force by replacing foreign expatriate workers with local workers. Oman actively seeks private foreign investors, especially in the industrial, information technology, tourism, and higher education fields. Industrial development plans focus on gas resources, metal manufacturing, petrochemicals, and international transshipment ports.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$60.89 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$40.06 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.6% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$19,000 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2.2% industry: 38.2% services: 59.6% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
920,000 (2002 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Unemployment rate:
15% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Investment (gross fixed):
20% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $14.02 billion expenditures: $13.68 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
3.7% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.9% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
1.98% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
7.29% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$5.044 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$11.04 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$13.88 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
dates, limes, bananas, alfalfa, vegetables; camels, cattle; fish
Industries:
crude oil production and refining, natural and liquefied natural gas (LNG) production; construction, cement, copper, steel, chemicals, optic fiber
Industrial production growth rate:
3.2% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
13.58 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
10.53 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
714,300 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
69,100 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
722,000 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
15,440 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
5.5 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
24.1 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
11 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
13.1 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
849.5 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
$4.866 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$23.1 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
petroleum, reexports, fish, metals, textiles
Exports - partners:
China 26.8%, South Korea 15.2%, Japan 14.3%, Thailand 10.4%, UAE 7.6%, US 4.3%, Iran 4.1% (2007)
Imports:
$11 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, livestock, lubricants
Imports - partners:
UAE 19.3%, Japan 17.6%, US 7.4%, Germany 5.2%, India 4.1% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$30.68 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$9.524 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$5.297 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$16.16 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
Omani rial (OMR)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Omani rials (OMR) per US dollar - 0.3845 (2007), 0.3845 (2006), 0.3845 (2005), 0.3845 (2004), 0.3845 (2003)
Communications
Oman
Telephones - main lines in use:
268,100 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
2.5 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: modern system consisting of open-wire, microwave, and radiotelephone communication stations; limited coaxial cable domestic: fixed-line phone service gradually being introduced to remote villages using wireless local loop systems; fixed-line and mobile-cellular subscribership both increasing; open-wire, microwave, radiotelephone communications, and a domestic satellite system with 8 earth stations international: country code - 968; the Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) and the SEA-ME-WE-3 submarine cable provide connectivity to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean), 1 Arabsat (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 3, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)
Radios:
1.4 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
13 (plus 25 repeaters) (1999)
Televisions:
1.6 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.om
Internet hosts:
4,785 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)
Internet users:
340,000 (2007)
Transportation
Oman
Airports:
137 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 7 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 130 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 51 914 to 1,523 m: 35 under 914 m: 34 (2007)
Heliports:
2 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 4,126 km; oil 3,558 km (2007)
Roadways:
total: 42,300 km paved: 16,500 km (includes 550 km of expressways) unpaved: 25,800 km (2005)
Merchant marine:
total: 3 by type: chemical tanker 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1 registered in other countries: 2 (Panama 2) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Mina' Qabus, Salalah
Military
Oman
Military branches:
Sultan's Armed Forces (SAF): Royal Army of Oman, Royal Navy of Oman,
Royal Air Force of Oman (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18-30 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 802,455 females age 16-49: 626,841 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 663,881 females age 16-49: 543,410 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 34,238 female: 33,139 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
11.4% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
Oman
Disputes - international:
boundary agreement reportedly signed and ratified with UAE in 2003 for entire border, including Oman's Musandam Peninsula and Al Madhah exclave, but details of the alignment have not been made public
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Oman is a destination country for men and women primarily from Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan who migrate willingly, but some of whom become victims of trafficking when subjected to conditions of involuntary servitude as domestic workers and laborers; mistreatment includes non-payment of wages, restrictions on movement and withholding of passports, threats, and physical or sexual abuse; Oman may also be a destination country for women from Asia, Eastern Europe, and North Africa for commercial sexual exploitation tier rating: Tier 3 - Oman was rated as Tier 3 for the second consecutive year because it did not report any law enforcement efforts to prosecute and punish trafficking offenses in 2007 and continues to lack victim protection services or a systematic procedure to identify victims of trafficking (2008)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@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. The decision by the International Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 to delimit a fifth ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the Pacific Ocean south of 60 degrees south.
Geography
Pacific Ocean
Location:
body of water between the Southern Ocean, Asia, Australia, and the Western Hemisphere
Geographic coordinates:
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, Gulf of Alaska, Gulf of Tonkin, Philippine Sea, Sea of Japan, Sea of Okhotsk, South China Sea, Tasman 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
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 the 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 led to fluctuations in new drillings.
Transportation
Pacific Ocean
Ports and terminals:
Bangkok (Thailand), Hong Kong (China), 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); the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial waters of littoral states and offshore waters in the South China Sea as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; numerous commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargoes stolen; crew and passengers are often held for ransom, murdered, or cast adrift
Transnational Issues
Pacific Ocean
Disputes - international:
some maritime disputes (see littoral states)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Pakistan
Introduction
Pakistan
Background:
The Indus Valley civilization, one of the oldest in the world and dating back at least 5,000 years, spread over much of what is presently Pakistan. During the second millennium B.C., remnants of this culture fused with the migrating Indo-Aryan peoples. The area underwent successive invasions in subsequent centuries from the Persians, Greeks, Scythians, Arabs (who brought Islam), Afghans, and Turks. The Mughal Empire flourished in the 16th and 17th centuries; the British came to dominate the region in the 18th century. The separation in 1947 of British India into the Muslim state of Pakistan (with West and East sections) and largely Hindu India was never satisfactorily resolved, and India and Pakistan fought two wars - in 1947-48 and 1965 - over the disputed Kashmir territory. A third war between these countries in 1971 - in which India capitalized on Islamabad's marginalization of Bengalis in Pakistani politics - resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. In response to Indian nuclear weapons testing, Pakistan conducted its own tests in 1998. The dispute over the state of Kashmir is ongoing, but discussions and confidence-building measures have led to decreased tensions since 2002. Mounting public dissatisfaction with President MUSHARRAF, coupled with the assassination of the prominent and popular political leader, Benazir BHUTTO, in late 2007, and MUSHARRAF?s resignation in August 2008, led to the September presidential election of Asif ZARDARI, BHUTTO?s widower. Pakistani government and military leaders are struggling to control Islamist militants, many of whom are located in the tribal areas adjacent to the border with Afghanistan. The Pakistani government is also faced with a deteriorating economy as foreign exchange reserves decline, the currency depreciates, and the current account deficit widens.
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:
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:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
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: 24.44% permanent crops: 0.84% other: 74.72% (2005)
Irrigated land:
182,300 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
233.8 cu km (2003)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 169.39 cu km/yr (2%/2%/96%) per capita: 1,072 cu m/yr (2000)
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; most of the population does not have access to potable water; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification
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, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note:
controls Khyber Pass and Bolan Pass, traditional invasion routes between Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent
People
Pakistan
Population:
172,800,048 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 37.8% (male 33,617,953/female 31,741,258) 15-64 years: 58% (male 51,292,535/female 48,921,023) 65 years and over: 4.2% (male 3,408,749/female 3,818,533) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 20.5 years male: 20.3 years female: 20.6 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.999% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
28.35 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
7.85 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.51 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.89 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 66.94 deaths/1,000 live births male: 67.04 deaths/1,000 live births female: 66.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 64.13 years male: 63.07 years female: 65.25 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.73 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
74,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
4,900 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria animal contact disease: rabies note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Pakistani(s) adjective: Pakistani
Ethnic groups:
Punjabi 44.68%, Pashtun (Pathan) 15.42%, Sindhi 14.1%, Sariaki 8.38%, Muhagirs 7.57%, Balochi 3.57%, other 6.28%
Religions:
Muslim 95% (Sunni 75%, Shia 20%), other (includes Christian and
Hindu) 5%
Languages:
Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Siraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%, Pashtu 8%, Urdu (official) 8%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2%, Brahui 1%, English (official; 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: 49.9% male: 63% female: 36% (2005 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 7 years male: 7 years female: 6 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
2.6% of GDP (2006)
Government
Pakistan
Country name:
conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Pakistan conventional short form: Pakistan local long form: Jamhuryat Islami Pakistan local short form: Pakistan former: West Pakistan
Government type:
federal republic
Capital:
name: Islamabad geographic coordinates: 33 42 N, 73 10 E time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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 consists of two administrative entities: Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas
Independence:
14 August 1947 (from British India)
National holiday:
Republic Day, 23 March (1956)
Constitution:
12 April 1973; suspended 5 July 1977, restored 30 December 1985; suspended 15 October 1999, restored in stages in 2002; amended 31 December 2003; suspended 3 November 2007; restored on 15 December 2007
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:
18 years of age; universal; joint electorates and reserved parliamentary seats for women and non-Muslims
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Asif Ali ZARDARI (since 6 September 2008) head of government: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza GILANI (since 25 March 2008) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president upon the advice of the prime minister elections: the president is elected by secret ballot through an Electoral College comprising the members of the Senate, National Assembly, and the provincial assemblies for a five-year term; election last held on 6 September 2008 (next to be held not later than 2013); note - any person who is a Muslim and not less than 45 years of age and is qualified to be elected as a member of the National Assembly can contest the presidential election; the prime minister is selected by the National Assembly; election last held on 24 March 2008 election results: ZARDARI elected; ZARDARI 481 votes, SIDDIQUI 153 votes, HUSSAIN 44 votes; GILANI elected prime minister; GILANI 264 votes, Pervaiz ELAHI 42 votes; several abstentions
Legislative branch:
bicameral parliament or Majlis-e-Shoora consists of the Senate (100 seats; members indirectly elected by provincial assemblies and the territories' representatives in the National Assembly to serve six-year terms; one half are elected every three years) and the National Assembly (342 seats; 272 members elected by popular vote; 60 seats reserved for women; 10 seats reserved for non-Muslims; to serve five-year terms) elections: Senate - last held in March 2006 (next to be held in March 2009); National Assembly - last held 18 February 2008 (next to be held in 2013) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PML 38, MMA 18, PPPP 10, MQM 6, PML-N 4, PKMAP 3, ANP 2, PPP-S 2, BNP-A 1, BNP-M 1, JWP 1, NA 1, PML-F 1, independents 12; National Assembly - percent of votes by party - NA; seats by party - PPPP 121, PML-N 91, PML 54, MQM 25, ANP 13, MMA 6, PML-F 5, BNP-A 1, NPP 1, PPP-S 1, independents 18; note - as a result of the 27 June 2008 by-election, PML-N gained 3 seats and PPPP gained 2 seats)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (justices appointed by the president); Federal Islamic or Sharia Court
Political parties and leaders:
Awami National Party or ANP [Asfandyar Wali KHAN]; Balochistan
National Party-Hayee Group or BNP-H [Dr. Hayee BALOCH]; Balochistan
National Party-Awami or BNP-A [Moheem Khan BALOCH]; Balochistan
National Party-Mengal or BNP-M [Sardar Ataullah MENGAL]; Jamhoori
Watan Party or JWP; Jamiat Ahle Hadith or JAH [Sajid MIR]; Jamaat-i
Islami or JI [Qazi Hussain AHMED]; Jamiat Ulema-i Islam Fazlur
Rehman or JUI-F [Fazlur REHMAN]; Jamiat Ulema-i Islam Sami-ul HAQ or
JUI-S [Sami ul-HAQ]; Jamiat Ulema-i Pakistan or JUP [Shah Faridul
HAQ]; Muttahida Majlis-e Amal or MMA [Qazi Hussain AHMED]; Muttahida
Qaumi Movement or MQM [Altaf HUSSAIN]; National Alliance or NA
[Ghulam Mustapha JATOI] (merged with PML); National Peoples Party or
NPP; Pakhtun Khwa Milli Awami Party or PKMAP [Mahmood Khan
ACHAKZAI]; Pakistan Awami Tehrik or PAT [Tahir ul QADRI]; Pakistan
Muslim League-Functional or PML-F [Pir PAGARO]; Pakistan Muslim
League-Nawaz Sharif or PML-N [Nawaz SHARIF]; Pakistan Muslim League
or PML [Chaudhry Shujaat HUSSAIN]; Pakistan Peoples Party-SHERPAO or
PPP-S [Aftab Ahmed Khan SHERPAO]; Pakistan Peoples Party
Parliamentarians or PPPP [Bilawal Bhutto ZARDARI, chairman; Asif Ali
ZARDARI, co-chairman]; Pakistan Tehrik-e Insaaf or PTI [Imran KHAN];
Tehrik-i Islami [Allama Sajid NAQVI]
note: political alliances in Pakistan can shift frequently
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: military (most important political force); ulema (clergy); landowners; industrialists; small merchants
International organization participation:
ADB, ARF, C (reinstated 2004), CP, ECO, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT,
MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP,
SCO (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL,
UNMIS, UNMIT, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Husain HAQQANI chancery: 3517 International Court, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 243-6500 FAX: [1] (202) 686-1544 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Sunnyvale (California)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Anne W. PATTERSON embassy: Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5, Islamabad mailing address: P. O. Box 1048, Unit 62200, APO AE 09812-2200 telephone: [92] (51) 208-0000 FAX: [92] (51) 2276427 consulate(s) general: Karachi consulate(s): Lahore, 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, has suffered from decades of internal political disputes, low levels of foreign investment, and a costly, ongoing confrontation with neighboring India. However, since 2001, IMF-approved reforms - most notably, privatization of the banking sector - bolstered by generous foreign assistance and renewed access to global markets, have generated macroeconomic recovery. Pakistan has experienced GDP growth in the 6-8% range in 2004-07, spurred by gains in the industrial and service sectors. Poverty levels have decreased by 10% since 2001, and Islamabad has steadily raised development spending in recent years, including a 52% real increase in the budget allocation for development in FY07. In 2007 the fiscal deficit - a result of chronically low tax collection and increased spending - exceeded Islamabad's target of 4% of GDP. Inflation remains the top concern among the public, jumping from 7.7% in 2007 to more than 11% during the first few months of 2008, primarily because of rising world commodity prices. The Pakistani rupee has depreciated since the proclamation of emergency rule in November 2007.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$411.9 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$143.8 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.3% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,400 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 20.6% industry: 26.6% services: 52.8% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
48.23 million note: extensive export of labor, mostly to the Middle East, and use of child labor (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 42% industry: 20% services: 38% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate:
5.6% plus substantial underemployment (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
24% (FY05/06 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 4% highest 10%: 26.3% (2002)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
30.6 (2002)
Investment (gross fixed):
21.3% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $18.25 billion expenditures: $24.69 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June
Public debt:
50.6% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
7.6% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
10% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$52.76 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$18.42 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$65.05 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
cotton, wheat, rice, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; milk, beef, mutton, eggs
Industries:
textiles and apparel, food processing, pharmaceuticals, construction materials, paper products, fertilizer, shrimp
Industrial production growth rate:
8% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
93.26 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
68.4 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 68.8% hydro: 28.2% nuclear: 3% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
68,670 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
345,000 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
28,060 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
290,600 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
289.2 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
30.8 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
30.8 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
792.8 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
-$8.255 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$18.12 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
textiles (garments, bed linen, cotton cloth, yarn), rice, leather goods, sports goods, chemicals, manufactures, carpets and rugs
Exports - partners:
US 18%, UAE 10.4%, Afghanistan 8.4%, China 5.2%, UK 4.7% (2007)
Imports:
$28.76 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
petroleum, petroleum products, machinery, plastics, transportation equipment, edible oils, paper and paperboard, iron and steel, tea
Imports - partners:
China 16.2%, Saudi Arabia 10.9%, UAE 10.1%, US 5.7%, Kuwait 4.9%,
Japan 4.4% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$1.666 billion (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$15.69 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$38.8 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$20.01 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$982 million (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$45.52 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
Pakistani rupee (PKR)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Pakistani rupees (PKR) per US dollar - 60.6295 (2007), 60.35 (2006), 59.515 (2005), 58.258 (2004), 57.752 (2003)
Communications
Pakistan
Telephones - main lines in use:
4.546 million (2008)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
88.02 million (2008)
Telephone system:
general assessment: the telecommunications infrastructure is improving dramatically with foreign and domestic investments into fixed-line and mobile networks; mobile-cellular subscribership has skyrocketed, reaching some 88 million in 2008, up from only about 300,000 in 2000; fiber systems are being constructed throughout the country to aid in network growth; main line availability has risen only marginally over the same period and there are still difficulties getting main line service to rural areas domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable, cellular, and satellite networks international: country code - 92; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 and SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable systems that provide links to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; 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 (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 31, FM 68, shortwave NA (2006)
Radios:
13.5 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
20 (5 state-run channels and 15 privately-owned satellite channels) (2006)
Televisions:
3.1 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.pk
Internet hosts:
197,264 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
30 (2000)
Internet users:
17.5 million (2007)
Transportation
Pakistan
Airports:
146 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 92 over 3,047 m: 16 2,438 to 3,047 m: 19 1,524 to 2,437 m: 29 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 10 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 54 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 24 (2007)
Heliports:
18 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 10,398 km; oil 2,076 km (2007)
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 (2006)
Roadways:
total: 259,758 km paved: 162,879 km (includes 711 km of expressways) unpaved: 96,879 km (2005)
Merchant marine:
total: 15 by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 10, petroleum tanker 4 registered in other countries: 19 (Comoros 4, Malta 2, Marshall Islands 1, Panama 9, Saint Kitts and Nevis 3) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Karachi, Port Muhammad Bin Qasim
Military
Pakistan
Military branches:
Army (includes National Guard), Navy (includes Marines and Maritime
Security Agency), Pakistan Air Force (Pakistan Fiza'ya) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
16 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers cannot be deployed for combat until age of 18; the Pakistani Air Force and Pakistani Navy have inducted their first female pilots and sailors (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 42,633,765 females age 16-49: 40,114,017 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 32,453,913 females age 16-49: 31,369,057 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 2,062,065 female: 1,936,916 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
3% of GDP (2007 est.)
Transnational Issues
Pakistan
Disputes - international:
various talks and confidence-building measures cautiously have begun to defuse tensions over Kashmir, particularly since the October 2005 earthquake in the region; Kashmir nevertheless remains the site of the world's largest and most militarized territorial dispute with portions under the de facto administration of China (Aksai Chin), India (Jammu and Kashmir), and Pakistan (Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas); UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) has maintained a small group of peacekeepers since 1949; India does not recognize Pakistan's ceding historic Kashmir lands to China in 1964; India and Pakistan have maintained their 2004 cease fire in Kashmir and initiated discussions on defusing the armed stand-off in the Siachen glacier region; Pakistan protests India's fencing the highly militarized Line of Control and construction of the Baglihar Dam on the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir, which is part of the larger dispute on water sharing of the Indus River and its tributaries; to defuse tensions and prepare for discussions on a maritime boundary, India and Pakistan seek technical resolution of the disputed boundary in Sir Creek estuary at the mouth of the Rann of Kutch in the Arabian Sea; Pakistani maps continue to show the Junagadh claim in India's Gujarat State; by 2005, Pakistan, with UN assistance, repatriated 2.3 million Afghan refugees leaving slightly more than a million, many of whom remain at their own choosing; Pakistan has proposed and Afghanistan protests construction of a fence and laying of mines along portions of their porous border; Pakistan has sent troops into remote tribal areas to monitor and control the border with Afghanistan and to stem terrorist or other illegal activities
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 1,043,984 (Afghanistan) IDPs: undetermined (government strikes on Islamic militants in South Waziristan); 34,000 (October 2005 earthquake; most of those displaced returned to their home villages in the spring of 2006) (2007)
Illicit drugs:
significant transit area for Afghan drugs, including heroin, opium, morphine, and hashish, bound for Iran, Western markets, the Gulf States, Africa, and Asia; financial crimes related to drug trafficking, terrorism, corruption, and smuggling remain problems; opium poppy cultivation estimated to be 2,300 hectares in 2007 with 600 of those hectares eradicated; federal and provincial authorities continue to conduct anti-poppy campaigns that utilizes forced eradication, fines, and arrests
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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:
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total: 458 sq km land: 458 sq km water: 0 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:
territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November
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: 8.7% permanent crops: 4.35% other: 86.95% (2005)
Irrigated land:
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, Wetlands, Whaling 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:
21,093 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 25.8% (male 2,797/female 2,637) 15-64 years: 69.4% (male 7,864/female 6,779) 65 years and over: 4.8% (male 482/female 534) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 32.3 years male: 33.3 years female: 31.3 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.157% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
17.4 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
6.73 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
0.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.16 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 13.69 deaths/1,000 live births male: 15.37 deaths/1,000 live births female: 11.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71 years male: 67.82 years female: 74.36 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.45 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Nationality:
noun: Palauan(s) adjective: Palauan
Ethnic groups:
Palauan (Micronesian with Malayan and Melanesian admixtures) 69.9%,
Filipino 15.3%, Chinese 4.9%, other Asian 2.4%, white 1.9%,
Carolinian 1.4%, other Micronesian 1.1%, other or unspecified 3.2%
(2000 census)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 41.6%, Protestant 23.3%, Modekngei 8.8% (indigenous to Palau), Seventh-Day Adventist 5.3%, Jehovah's Witness 0.9%, Latter-Day Saints 0.6%, other 3.1%, unspecified or none 16.4% (2000 census)
Languages:
Palauan 64.7% official in all islands except Sonsoral (Sonsoralese
and English are official), Tobi (Tobi and English are official), and
Angaur (Angaur, Japanese, and English are official), Filipino 13.5%,
English 9.4%, Chinese 5.7%, Carolinian 1.5%, Japanese 1.5%, other
Asian 2.3%, other languages 1.5% (2000 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92% male: 93% female: 90% (1980 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 15 years male: 14 years female: 15 years (2000)
Education expenditures:
10.3% of GDP (2002)
Government
Palau
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Palau conventional short form: Palau local long form: Beluu er a Belau local short form: Belau former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Palau District
Government type:
constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 1 October 1994
Capital:
name: Melekeok geographic coordinates: 7 29 N, 134 38 E time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
16 states; Aimeliik, Airai, Angaur, Hatohobei, Kayangel, Koror, Melekeok, Ngaraard, Ngarchelong, Ngardmau, Ngatpang, Ngchesar, Ngeremlengui, Ngiwal, Peleliu, Sonsorol
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; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. (since 19 January 2001); Vice President Camsek CHIN (since 1 January 2005); 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); Vice President Camsek CHIN (since 1 January 2005) cabinet: NA elections: president and vice president elected on separate tickets by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2012) election results: Johnson TORIBIONG (51%) defeats Elias Camsek CHIN (49%) for president; Kerai MARIUR elected vice president
Legislative branch:
bicameral National Congress 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 2 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2008); House of Delegates - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2008) election results: Senate - percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 9; House of Delegates - percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 16
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Court of Common Pleas; Land Court
Political parties and leaders:
none
Political pressure groups and leaders:
International organization participation:
ACP, ADB, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC,
IPU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Hersey KYOTA chancery: 1700 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20006 telephone: [1] (202) 452-6814 FAX: [1] (202) 452-6281 consulate(s) general: Honolulu consulate(s): Tamuning (Guam)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires Mark BEZNER embassy: Koror (no street address) mailing address: P. O. Box 6028, Republic of Palau 96940 telephone: [680] 488-2920, 2990 FAX: [680] 488-2911
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. The Compact of Free Association with the US, entered into after the end of the UN trusteeship on 1 October 1994, provided Palau with up to $700 million in US aid for the following 15 years in return for furnishing military facilities. Business and tourist arrivals numbered 63,000 in 2003. The population enjoys a per capita income roughly 50% higher than 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):
$124.5 million note: GDP estimates includes US subsidy (2004 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$145 million (2005)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.5% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$7,600 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 6.2% industry: 12% services: 81.8% (2003)
Labor force:
9,777 (2005)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 20% industry: NA% services: NA%
Unemployment rate:
4.2% (2005 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $72.07 million expenditures: $72.43 million (FY04/05 est.)
Fiscal year:
1 October - 30 September
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.7% (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products:
coconuts, copra, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes; fish
Industries:
tourism, craft items (from shell, wood, pearls), construction, garment making
Industrial production growth rate:
Electricity - production by source:
Current account balance:
$15.09 million (FY03/04)
Exports:
$5.882 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:
shellfish, tuna, copra, garments
Exports - partners:
US, Japan, Singapore (2006)
Imports:
$107.3 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, fuels, metals; foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
US, Singapore, Japan, South Korea (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
$23.46 million (2005)
Debt - external:
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
US dollar (USD)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
the US dollar is used
Communications
Palau
Telephones - main lines in use:
6,700 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
1,000 (2002)
Telephone system:
general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: country code - 680; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)
Radios:
12,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (cable) (2005)
Televisions:
11,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.pw
Internet hosts:
0 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2002)
Transportation
Palau
Airports:
3 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2007)
Roadways:
note: estimated to have 60 km of roads as of 1996
Ports and terminals:
Koror
Military
Palau
Military branches:
no regular military forces; Palau National Police (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 5,973 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 4,397 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 179 female: 165 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
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, but it has not stationed any military forces there (2008)
Transnational Issues
Palau
Disputes - international:
maritime delineation negotiations continue with Philippines, Indonesia
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Panama
Introduction
Panama
Background:
Explored and settled by the Spanish in the 16th century, Panama broke with Spain in 1821 and joined a union of Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela - named the Republic of Gran Colombia. When the latter dissolved in 1830, Panama remained part of Colombia. 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. In 1977, an agreement was signed for the complete transfer of the Canal from the US to Panama by the end of the century. Certain portions of the Zone and increasing responsibility over the Canal were turned over in the subsequent decades. 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 transferred to Panama by the end of 1999. In October 2006, Panamanians approved an ambitious plan to expand the Canal. The project, which began in 2007 and could double the Canal's capacity, is expected to be completed in 2014-15.
Geography
Panama
Location:
Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North
Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 78,200 sq km land: 75,990 sq km water: 2,210 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:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or edge of continental margin
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 Baru 3,475 m
Natural resources:
copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 7.26% permanent crops: 1.95% other: 90.79% (2005)
Irrigated land:
430 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
148 cu km (2000)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.82 cu km/yr (67%/5%/28%) per capita: 254 cu m/yr (2000)
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, 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:
3,309,679 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 29.6% (male 499,254/female 479,242) 15-64 years: 63.8% (male 1,066,915/female 1,043,499) 65 years and over: 6.7% (male 102,937/female 117,832) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 26.7 years male: 26.3 years female: 27.1 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.544% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
20.68 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
4.71 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 13.4 deaths/1,000 live births male: 14.35 deaths/1,000 live births female: 12.42 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.88 years male: 74.08 years female: 79.81 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.57 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.9% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
16,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 500 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A vectorborne disease: dengue fever and malaria water contact disease: leptospirosis (2008)
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: 91.9% male: 92.5% female: 91.2% (2000 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 13 years male: 13 years female: 14 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
3.8% of GDP (2004)
Government
Panama
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Panama conventional short form: Panama local long form: Republica de Panama local short form: Panama
Government type:
constitutional democracy
Capital:
name: Panama geographic coordinates: 8 58 N, 79 32 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
11 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 territory* (comarca); Bocas del Toro, Comarca Kuna Yala, Comarca Ngobe-Bugle, Chiriqui, Cocle, Colon, Darien, Herrera, Los Santos, Panama, San Blas*(Kuna Yala), 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, 1994, and 2004
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 Martin TORRIJOS Espino (since 1 September 2004); First Vice President Samuel LEWIS Navarro (since 1 September 2004); Second Vice President Ruben AROSEMENA Valdes (since 1 September 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Martin TORRIJOS Espino (since 1 September 2004); First Vice President Samuel LEWIS Navarro (since 1 September 2004); Second Vice President Ruben AROSEMENA Valdes (since 1 September 2004) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms (not eligible for immediate reelection; president and vice presidents must sit out two additional terms (10 years) before becoming eligible for reelection); election last held 2 May 2004 (next to be held on 3 May 2009); note - beginning in 2009, Panama will have only one vice president election results: Martin TORRIJOS Espino elected president; percent of vote - Martin TORRIJOS Espino 47.5%, Guillermo ENDARA Galimany 30.6%, Jose Miguel ALEMAN 17%, Ricardo MARTINELLI 4.9% note: government coalition - PRD (Democratic Revolutionary Party), PP (Popular Party)
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (78 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - in 2009, the number of seats will change to 71 elections: last held 2 May 2004 (next to be held 3 May 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PRD 41, PA 17, PS 9, MOLIRENA 4, CD 3, PLN 3, PP 1 note: legislators from outlying rural districts are chosen on a plurality basis while districts located in more populous towns and cities elect multiple legislators by means of a proportion-based formula
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:
Democratic Change or CD [Ricardo MARTINELLI]; Democratic
Revolutionary Party or PRD [Hugo GUIRAUD]; Nationalist Republican
Liberal Movement or MOLIRENA [Gisela CHUNG]; Panamenista Party or PA
[Juan Carlos VARELA] (formerly the Arnulfista Party); Patriotic
Union Party or PU (combination of the Liberal National Party or PLN
and the Solidarity Party or PS)[Jose Raul MULINO and Anibal
GALINDO]; Popular Party or PP [Rene ORILLAC] (formerly Christian
Democratic Party or PDC)
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Chamber of Commerce; National Civic Crusade; National Council of Organized Workers or CONATO; National Council of Private Enterprise or CONEP; National Union of Construction and Similar Workers (SUNTRACS); Panamanian Association of Business Executives or APEDE; Panamanian Industrialists Society or SIP; Workers Confederation of the Republic of Panama or CTRP
International organization participation:
BCIE, CAN (observer), CSN (observer), FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA
(observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UN Security
Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO,
UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Federico HUMBERT Arias chancery: 2862 McGill Terrace NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-1407 FAX: [1] (202) 483-8416 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Honolulu, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Diego, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Tampa
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador William A. EATON embassy: Edificio 783, Avenida Demetrio Basilio Lakas Panama, Apartado Postal 0816-02561, Zona 5, Panama City mailing address: American Embassy Panama, Unit 0945, APO AA 34002 telephone: [507] 207-7000 FAX: [507] 317-5568
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 dollarized economy rests primarily on a well-developed services sector that accounts for two-thirds of GDP. Services include operating the Panama Canal, banking, the Colon Free Zone, insurance, container ports, flagship registry, and tourism. Economic growth will be bolstered by the Panama Canal expansion project that began in 2007 and should be completed by 2014 at a cost of $5.3 billion (about 30% of current GDP). The expansion project will more than double the Canal's capacity, enabling it to accommodate ships that are now too large to transverse the transoceanic crossway and should help to reduce the high unemployment rate. The government has implemented tax reforms, as well as social security reforms, and backs regional trade agreements and development of tourism. Not a CAFTA signatory, Panama in December 2006 independently negotiated a free trade agreement with the US, which, when implemented, will help promote the country's economic growth.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$34.81 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$19.74 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
11.2% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$10,700 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 6.6% industry: 16.4% services: 77% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
1.362 million note: shortage of skilled labor, but an oversupply of unskilled labor (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 15% industry: 18% services: 67% (2006)
Unemployment rate:
6.4% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
37% (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 0.7% highest 10%: 43% (2003)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
56.1 (2003)
Investment (gross fixed):
20.2% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $5.505 billion expenditures: $4.822 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
53% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.2% (2007 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
8.25% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$3.054 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$14.26 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$17.4 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
bananas, rice, corn, coffee, sugarcane, vegetables; livestock; shrimp
Industries:
construction, brewing, cement and other construction materials, sugar milling
Industrial production growth rate:
10.5% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
5.805 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
4.768 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
124.9 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
8.74 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 37% hydro: 61.3% nuclear: 0% other: 1.7% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
92,790 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
4,447 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
88,790 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$1.577 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$9.312 billion f.o.b.; note - includes the Colon Free Zone (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
bananas, shrimp, sugar, coffee, clothing
Exports - partners:
US 35.6%, Netherlands 10.2%, China 6%, Sweden 5.5%, UK 5.4%, Costa
Rica 5.1%, Spain 5% (2007)
Imports:
$12.62 billion f.o.b. note: includes the Colon Free Zone (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods, chemicals
Imports - partners:
US 32.8%, Netherlands Antilles 7.6%, China 5.6%, Japan 5.1%, Costa
Rica 5.1%, South Korea 4.1% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$19.54 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$1.935 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$10.45 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$5.074 billion (2005)
Currency (code):
balboa (PAB); US dollar (USD)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
balboas (PAB) per US dollar - 1 (2007), 1 (2006), 1 (2005), 1 (2004), 1 (2003)
Communications
Panama
Telephones - main lines in use:
491,900 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
2.392 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: domestic and international facilities well developed domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is approaching 90 per 100 persons international: country code - 507; landing point for the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1), the MAYA-1, and PAN-AM submarine cable systems that together provide links to the US and parts of the Caribbean, Central America, and South America; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to the Central American Microwave System (2007)
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 hosts:
7,858 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
6 (2000)
Internet users:
525,200 (2007)
Transportation
Panama
Airports:
116 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 54 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 29 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 62 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 50 (2007)
Heliports:
2 (2007)
Railways:
total: 355 km standard gauge: 77 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 278 km 0.914-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 11,978 km paved: 4,300 km unpaved: 7,343 km (2002)
Waterways:
800 km (includes 82 km Panama Canal) (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 6,323 by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 2,143, cargo 1,208, carrier 13, chemical tanker 565, combination ore/oil 6, container 790, liquefied gas 189, passenger 44, passenger/cargo 71, petroleum tanker 557, refrigerated cargo 265, roll on/roll off 128, specialized tanker 29, vehicle carrier 313 foreign-owned: 5,394 (Albania 2, Argentina 8, Australia 4, Azerbaijan 1, Bahamas 9, Bangladesh 2, Belgium 2, British Virgin Islands 1, Bulgaria 3, Burma 1, Canada 18, Chile 12, China 532, Colombia 4, Croatia 3, Cuba 10, Cyprus 19, Denmark 40, Dominican Republic 1, Ecuador 4, Egypt 17, Estonia 5, Finland 2, France 5, Gabon 1, Germany 44, Gibraltar 1, Greece 510, Hong Kong 130, India 27, Indonesia 31, Iran 7, Israel 3, Italy 28, Japan 2,335, Jordan 13, North Korea 1, South Korea 303, Kuwait 2, Latvia 8, Lebanon 5, Lithuania 7, Malaysia 12, Maldives 1, Malta 3, Mexico 2, Monaco 16, Netherlands 14, Nigeria 10, Norway 89, Oman 2, Pakistan 9, Peru 16, Philippines 7, Poland 11, Portugal 9, Qatar 1, Romania 7, Russia 18, Saudi Arabia 16, Singapore 100, Spain 50, Sri Lanka 1, Sweden 6, Switzerland 25, Syria 32, Taiwan 320, Thailand 10, Tunisia 1, Turkey 94, Turks and Caicos Islands 1, Ukraine 10, UAE 109, UK 59, US 126, Venezuela 10, Vietnam 30, Yemen 6) registered in other countries: 3 (Marshall Islands 1, Sierra Leone 1, Venezuela 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Balboa, Colon, Cristobal
Military
Panama
Military branches:
no regular military forces; Panamanian Public Forces or PPF includes the Panamanian National Police (PNP), National Maritime Service (NMS), and National Air Service (NAS) (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 851,044 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 673,103 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 31,042 female: 29,969 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1% of GDP (2006)
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:
organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia operate within the remote border region with Panama
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Panama is a source, transit, and destination country for women and children trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation; the majority of victims are Panamanian women and children trafficked within the country into the sex trade; rural children in Panama may be trafficked internally to urban areas for labor exploitation tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Panama is on the Tier 2 Watch List for failing to show evidence of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking, particularly with respect to prosecuting, convicting, and sentencing human traffickers for their crimes, and for failing to provide adequate victim assistance (2008)
Illicit drugs:
major cocaine transshipment point and primary money-laundering center for narcotics revenue; money-laundering activity is especially heavy in the Colon Free Zone; offshore financial center; negligible signs of coca cultivation; monitoring of financial transactions is improving; official corruption remains a major problem
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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:
Oceania, 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:
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: 0.49% permanent crops: 1.4% other: 98.11% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Total renewable water resources:
801 cu km (1987)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.1 cu km/yr (56%/43%/1%) per capita: 17 cu m/yr (1987)
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
shares island of New Guinea with Indonesia; one of world's largest swamps along southwest coast
People
Papua New Guinea
Population:
5,931,769 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 37.3% (male 1,124,174/female 1,086,478) 15-64 years: 58.7% (male 1,791,342/female 1,690,089) 65 years and over: 4% (male 111,023/female 128,663) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 21.5 years male: 21.6 years female: 21.4 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.118% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
28.14 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
6.96 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA (2008 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: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 46.67 deaths/1,000 live births male: 50.68 deaths/1,000 live births female: 42.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 66 years male: 63.76 years female: 68.35 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.71 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.6% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
60,000 (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
600 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Papua New Guinean(s) adjective: Papua New Guinean
Ethnic groups:
Melanesian, Papuan, Negrito, Micronesian, Polynesian
Religions:
Roman Catholic 27%, Evangelical Lutheran 19.5%, United Church 11.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 10%, Pentecostal 8.6%, Evangelical Alliance 5.2%, Anglican 3.2%, Baptist 2.5%, other Protestant 8.9%, Bahai 0.3%, indigenous beliefs and other 3.3% (2000 census)
Languages:
Melanesian Pidgin serves as the lingua franca, English spoken by 1%-2%, Motu spoken in Papua region note: 820 indigenous languages spoken (over one-tenth of the world's total)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 57.3% male: 63.4% female: 50.9% (2000 census)
Education expenditures:
Government
Papua New Guinea
Country name:
conventional long form: Independent State of Papua New Guinea conventional short form: Papua New Guinea local short form: Papuaniugini former: Territory of Papua and New Guinea abbreviation: PNG
Government type:
constitutional parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: Port Moresby geographic coordinates: 9 30 S, 147 10 E time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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; 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 Paulius MATANE (since 29 June 2004) head of government: Prime Minister Sir Michael SOMARE (since 2 August 2002); Deputy Prime Minister Puka TEMU (since 29 August 2007) cabinet: National Executive Council appointed by governor general on recommendation of prime minister elections: monarch is hereditary; governor general nominated by parliament and appointed by chief of state; following legislative elections, leader of majority party or leader of majority coalition usually is appointed prime minister by governor general
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Parliament (109 seats, 89 filled from open electorates and 20 from provinces and national capital district; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); constitution allows up to 126 seats elections: last held from 30 June to 10 July 2007; next to be held in June 2012 election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - National Alliance 27, PNGP 8, PAP 6, URP 6, PANGU 5, PDM 5, independents 19, others 33; note - election to 1 seat was nullified note: 15 other parties won 4 or fewer seats; association with political parties is 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:
National Alliance Party or NA [Michael SOMARE]; Papua and Niugini
Union Party or PANGU PATI [Andrew KUMBAKOR]; Papua New Guinea Party
or PNGP [Sir Mekere MORAUTA]; People's Democratic Movement or PDM
[Michael OGIO]; People's Action Party or PAP [Gabriel KAPRIS];
United Resources Party or URP [William DUMA] (2007)
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Ahora [Andrew MAMOKO] (represents local tribes); Centre for
Environment Law and Community Rights or Celcor [Damien ASE];
Community Coalition Against Corruption
International organization participation:
ACP, ADB, APEC, ARF, ASEAN (observer), C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM
(observer), IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW,
PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Evan Jeremy PAKI chancery: 1779 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 805, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 745-3680 FAX: [1] (202) 745-3679
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Leslie V. ROWE embassy: Douglas Street, Port Moresby, N.C.D. mailing address: 4240 Port Moresby PI, US Department of State, Washington DC 20521-4240 telephone: [675] 321-1455 FAX: [675] 321-3423
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 copper, gold, and oil, account for nearly two-thirds of export earnings. The government of Prime Minister SOMARE has expended much of its energy remaining in power. He was the first prime minister ever to serve a full five-year term. The government also brought stability to the national budget, largely through expenditure control; however, it relaxed spending constraints in 2006 and 2007 as elections approached. Numerous challenges still face the government including regaining investor confidence, restoring integrity to state institutions, promoting economic efficiency by privatizing moribund state institutions, and balancing relations with Australia, its former colonial ruler. Other socio-cultural challenges could upend the economy including a worsening HIV/AIDS epidemic and chronic law and order and land tenure issues. Australia will supply more than $300 million in aid in FY07/08, which accounts for nearly 20% of the national budget.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$12.05 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$6.001 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
6% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,100 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 34% industry: 37.3% services: 28.7% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
3.557 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 85% industry: NA% services: NA% (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate:
1.9% up to 80% in urban areas (2004)
Population below poverty line:
37% (2002 est.)
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)
Investment (gross fixed):
19.3% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $2.363 billion expenditures: $2.21 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
40.1% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
0.9% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
7.38% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
9.78% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$1.685 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$1.482 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.486 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
coffee, cocoa, copra, palm kernels, tea, sugar, rubber, sweet potatoes, fruit, vegetables, vanilla; shell fish, poultry, pork
Industries:
copra crushing, palm oil processing, plywood production, wood chip production; mining of gold, silver, and copper; crude oil production, petroleum refining; construction, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
6.4% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
2.875 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
2.674 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 54.1% hydro: 45.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
42,100 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Oil - consumption:
29,050 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
39,310 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
24,150 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
88 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
140 million cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
140 million cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
226.5 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
$125.8 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$4.686 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
oil, gold, copper ore, logs, palm oil, coffee, cocoa, crayfish, prawns
Exports - partners:
Australia 27.3%, Japan 9.5%, China 5.7% (2007)
Imports:
$2.629 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, fuels, chemicals
Imports - partners:
Australia 51.3%, Singapore 11.6%, China 7.9%, Japan 5.7% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$266.1 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$2.087 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$1.646 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$4.863 billion (2005)
Currency (code):
kina (PGK)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
kina (PGK) per US dollar - 3.03 (2007), 3.0643 (2006), 3.08 (2005), 3.2225 (2004), 3.5635 (2003)
Communications
Papua New Guinea
Telephones - main lines in use:
60,000 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
300,000 (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: services are minimal; facilities provide radiotelephone and telegraph, coastal radio, aeronautical radio, and international radio communication services domestic: access to telephone services is not widely available; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is 6 per 100 persons international: country code - 675; submarine cables to Australia and Guam; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); international radio communication service (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 28 (1998)
Radios:
410,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
3 (all in the Port Moresby area; stations at Mt. Hagen, Goroka, Lae, and Rabaul are planned) (2004)
Televisions:
59,841 (1999)
Internet country code:
.pg
Internet hosts:
3,422 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
3 (2000)
Internet users:
110,000 (2006)
Transportation
Papua New Guinea
Airports:
578 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 21 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 557 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 58 under 914 m: 489 (2007)
Heliports:
2 (2007)
Pipelines:
oil 264 km (2007)
Roadways:
total: 19,600 km paved: 686 km unpaved: 18,914 km (2000)
Waterways:
11,000 km (2006)
Merchant marine:
total: 21 by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 17, petroleum tanker 2 foreign-owned: 6 (UAE 6) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Kimbe, Lae, Madang, Rabaul, Wewak
Military
Papua New Guinea
Military branches:
Papua New Guinea Defense Force (PNGDF; includes Maritime Operations
Element, Air Operations Element) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
16 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,481,417 females age 16-49: 1,385,040 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,080,466 females age 16-49: 1,092,040 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 62,865 female: 61,102 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.4% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
Papua New Guinea
Disputes - international:
relies on assistance from Australia to keep out illegal cross-border activities from primarily Indonesia, including goods smuggling, illegal narcotics trafficking, and squatters and secessionists
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 10,177 (Indonesia) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Papua New Guinea is a country of destination for women and children from Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and China trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation; internal trafficking of women and children for the purposes of sexual exploitation and involuntary domestic servitude occurs as well tier rating: Tier 3 - Papua New Guinea does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; the current legal framework does not contain elements of crimes that characterize trafficking; the government lacks victim protection services or a systematic procedure to identify victims of trafficking; the government did not prosecute anyone in 2007 for trafficking; Papua New Guinea has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)
Illicit drugs:
major consumer of cannabis
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Paracel Islands
Introduction
Paracel Islands
Background:
The Paracel Islands are 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. China built a military installation on Mischief Reef in 1999. The islands are claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam.
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:
Map references:
Southeast Asia
Area:
total: NA sq km land: NA sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
518 km
Maritime claims:
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% (2005)
Irrigated land:
0 sq km
Natural hazards:
typhoons
Environment - current issues:
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
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
Airports:
1 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Ports and terminals:
small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island being expanded
Military
Paracel Islands
Military - note:
occupied by China
Transnational Issues
Paracel Islands
Disputes - international:
occupied by China, also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Paraguay
Introduction
Paraguay
Background:
In the disastrous War of the Triple Alliance (1865-70) - between Paraguay and Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay - 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, Paraguay won large, economically important areas from Bolivia. The 35-year military dictatorship of Alfredo STROESSNER ended in 1989, and, despite a marked increase in political infighting in recent years, Paraguay has held relatively free and regular presidential elections since then.
Geography
Paraguay
Location:
Central South America, northeast of Argentina
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
South America
Area:
total: 406,750 sq km land: 397,300 sq km water: 9,450 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than California
Land boundaries:
total: 3,995 km border countries: Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,365 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:
lowest point: junction of Rio Paraguay and Rio Parana 46 m highest point: Cerro Pero (Cerro Tres Kandu) 842 m
Natural resources:
hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone
Land use:
arable land: 7.47% permanent crops: 0.24% other: 92.29% (2005)
Irrigated land:
670 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
336 cu km (2000)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.49 cu km/yr (20%/8%/71%) per capita: 80 cu m/yr (2000)
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 pose 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: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
landlocked; lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil; population concentrated in southern part of country
People
Paraguay
Population:
6,831,306 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 36.9% (male 1,283,311/female 1,240,769) 15-64 years: 57.9% (male 1,988,256/female 1,968,869) 65 years and over: 5.1% (male 161,811/female 188,290) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 21.7 years male: 21.5 years female: 22 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.39% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
28.47 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
4.49 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 25.55 deaths/1,000 live births male: 29.74 deaths/1,000 live births female: 21.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.56 years male: 72.99 years female: 78.26 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.8 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.5% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
15,000 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
600 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: dengue fever and malaria (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Paraguayan(s) adjective: Paraguayan
Ethnic groups:
mestizo (mixed Spanish and Amerindian) 95%, other 5%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 89.6%, Protestant 6.2%, other Christian 1.1%, other or unspecified 1.9%, none 1.1% (2002 census)
Languages:
Spanish (official), Guarani (official)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 94% male: 94.9% female: 93% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 12 years male: 12 years female: 12 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
4% of GDP (2004)
Government
Paraguay
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Paraguay conventional short form: Paraguay local long form: Republica del Paraguay local short form: Paraguay
Government type:
constitutional republic
Capital:
name: Asuncion geographic coordinates: 25 16 S, 57 40 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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 (observed 15 May)
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; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory up to age 75
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Fernando Armindo LUGO Mendez (since 15 August 2008); Vice President Federico FRANCO (since 15 August 2008); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Fernando Armindo LUGO Mendez (since 15 August 2008); Vice President Federico FRANCO (since 15 August 2008) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held 20 April 2008 (next to be held April 2013) election results: Fernando Armindo LUGO Mendez elected president; percent of vote - Fernando Armindo LUGO Mendez 40.8%, Blanca OVELAR 30.6%, Lino OVIEDO 21.9%, Pedro FADUL 2.4%, other 4.3%
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) elections: Chamber of Senators - last held 20 April 2008 (next to be held in April 2013); Chamber of Deputies - last held 20 April 2008 (next to be held in April 2013) election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ANR 15, PLRA 14, UNACE 9, PPQ 4, other 3; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ANR 30, PLRA 27, UNACE 15, PPQ 3, APC 2, other 3
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (nine judges appointed on the proposal of the Council of Magistrates or Consejo de la Magistratura)
Political parties and leaders:
Alianza Patriotica por el Cambio (Patriotic Alliance for Change) or
APC [Fernando LUGO]; Asociacion Nacional Republicana - Colorado
Party or ANR [Jose Alberto ALDERETE]; Movimiento Union Nacional de
Ciudadanos Eticos or UNACE [Enrique GONZALEZ Quintana]; Patria
Querida (Beloved Fatherland Party) or PPQ [Pedro Nicolas Maraa FADUL
Niella]; Partido del Movimiento al Socialismo or P-MAS; Partido
Encuentro Nacional or PEN [Emilio CAMACHO Paredes]; Partido Liberal
Radical Autentico or PLRA [Blas LLANO]; Partido Pais Solidario or
PPS [Carlos Alberto FILIZZOLA Pallares]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Ahorristas Estafados or AE; National Coordinating Board of Campesino
Organizations or MCNOC [Luis AGUAYO]; National Federation of
Campesinos or FNC [Odilon ESPINOLA]; National Workers Central or CNT
[Secretary General Juan TORRALES]; Paraguayan Workers Confederation
or CPT; Roman Catholic Church; Unitary Workers Central or CUT [Jorge
Guzman ALVARENGA Malgarejo]
International organization participation:
CAN (associate), FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO
(correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA,
MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA,
RG, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMIS,
UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador James SPALDING Hellmers chancery: 2400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-6960 through 6962 FAX: [1] (202) 234-4508 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, Miami, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
Ambassador Liliana AYALDE 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) 228-603
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:
Landlocked Paraguay has a market economy marked by a large informal sector. This 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, especially in rural areas, derives its living from agricultural activity, often on a subsistence basis. On a per capita basis, real income has stagnated at 1980 levels. Most observers attribute Paraguay's poor economic performance to political uncertainty, corruption, limited progress on structural reform, and deficient infrastructure. The economy rebounded between 2003 and 2007, posting modest growth each year, as growing world demand for commodities combined with high prices and favorable weather to support Paraguay's commodity-based export expansion.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$26.7 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$10.87 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
6.6% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$4,000 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 22.7% industry: 17.6% services: 59.7% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
2.787 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 31% industry: 17% services: 52% (2007)
Unemployment rate:
5.6% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
32% (2005 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 0.7% highest 10%: 46.1% (2003)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
56.8 (2008)
Investment (gross fixed):
18.9% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $2.159 billion expenditures: $2.042 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
27% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
8.1% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
20% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
25.03% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$1.943 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$1.368 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$2.457 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
cotton, sugarcane, soybeans, corn, wheat, tobacco, cassava (tapioca), fruits, vegetables; beef, pork, eggs, milk; timber
Industries:
sugar, cement, textiles, beverages, wood products, steel, metallurgic, electric power
Industrial production growth rate:
-1% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
70 billion kWh (2007)
Electricity - consumption:
6 billion kWh (2007)
Electricity - exports:
64 billion kWh (2007)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 0% hydro: 99.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0.1% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
27,410 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007)
Oil - imports:
25,940 bbl/day (2007)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2007 est.)
Current account balance:
$119 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$5.463 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
soybeans, feed, cotton, meat, edible oils, electricity, wood, leather
Exports - partners:
Argentina 28.1%, Uruguay 15.2%, Brazil 12.7%, Chile 5.9%, Germany 4.9%, Russia 4.5% (2007)
Imports:
$6.094 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
road vehicles, consumer goods, tobacco, petroleum products, electrical machinery, tractors, chemicals, vehicle parts
Imports - partners:
Brazil 30.4%, US 22.8%, Argentina 14.4%, China 8.6% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$51.09 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$2.463 billion (31 December 2007)
Debt - external:
$3.492 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$2.057 million (2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$233.8 million (2005)
Currency (code):
guarani (PYG)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
guarani (PYG) per US dollar - 5,031 (2007), 5,672.8 (2006), 6,178 (2005), 5,974.6 (2004), 6,424.3 (2003)
Communications
Paraguay
Telephones - main lines in use:
453,800 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
4.33 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: meager telephone service; principal switching center is in Asuncion domestic: the fixed-line market is a state monopoly; deficiencies in provision of fixed-line service have resulted in a rapid expansion of mobile-cellular services fostered by competition among multiple providers international: country code - 595; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 41, FM 121, shortwave 6 (3 inactive) (2006)
Radios:
925,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
5 (2007)
Televisions:
990,000 (2001)
Internet country code:
.py
Internet hosts:
19,691 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
4 (2000)
Internet users:
280,000 (2007)
Transportation
Paraguay
Airports:
838 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 13 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 5 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 825 1,524 to 2,437 m: 26 914 to 1,523 m: 267 under 914 m: 532 (2007)
Railways:
total: 36 km standard gauge: 36 km 1.435-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 29,500 km paved: 14,986 km unpaved: 14,514 km (2000)
Waterways:
3,100 km (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 23 by type: cargo 18, carrier 1, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 6 (Argentina 5, Netherlands 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Asuncion, Villeta, San Antonio, Encarnacion
Military
Paraguay
Military branches:
Army, National Navy (Armada Nacional, includes Naval Aviation,
Marine Corps, General Naval Prefecture), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea
Paraguay, FAP) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 12 months for Army, 24 months for Navy (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,589,873 females age 16-49: 1,585,573 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,327,730 females age 16-49: 1,356,989 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 72,109 female: 70,509 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1% of GDP (2006 est.)
Transnational Issues
Paraguay
Disputes - international:
unruly region at convergence of Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay borders is locus of money laundering, smuggling, arms and illegal narcotics trafficking, and fundraising for extremist organizations
Illicit drugs:
major illicit producer of cannabis, most or all of which is consumed in Brazil, Argentina, and Chile; transshipment country for Andean cocaine headed for Brazil, other Southern Cone markets, and Europe; weak border controls, extensive corruption and money-laundering activity, especially in the Tri-Border Area; weak anti-money-laundering laws and enforcement
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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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 conquistadors 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, which led to his ouster in 2000. A caretaker government oversaw new elections in the spring of 2001, which ushered in Alejandro TOLEDO as the new head of government - Peru's first democratically elected president of Native American ethnicity. The presidential election of 2006 saw the return of Alan GARCIA who, after a disappointing presidential term from 1985 to 1990, returned to the presidency with promises to improve social conditions and maintain fiscal responsibility.
Geography
Peru
Location:
Western South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between
Chile and Ecuador
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
South America
Area:
total: 1,285,220 sq km land: 1.28 million sq km water: 5,220 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Alaska
Land boundaries:
total: 7,461 km border countries: Bolivia 1,075 km, Brazil 2,995 km, Chile 171 km, Colombia 1,800 km, Ecuador 1,420 km
Coastline:
2,414 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 200 nm continental shelf: 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: 2.88% permanent crops: 0.47% other: 96.65% (2005)
Irrigated land:
12,000 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
1,913 cu km (2000)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 20.13 cu km/yr (8%/10%/82%) per capita: 720 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake, with Bolivia; a remote slope of Nevado Mismi, a 5,316 m peak, is the ultimate source of the Amazon River
People
Peru
Population:
29,180,900 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 29.7% (male 4,409,227/female 4,253,836) 15-64 years: 64.7% (male 9,501,597/female 9,381,139) 65 years and over: 5.6% (male 770,389/female 864,711) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 25.8 years male: 25.5 years female: 26.1 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.264% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
19.77 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
6.16 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 1.01 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 29.53 deaths/1,000 live births male: 32.02 deaths/1,000 live births female: 26.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.44 years male: 68.61 years female: 72.37 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.42 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.5% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
82,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
4,200 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: dengue fever, malaria, Oroya fever, and yellow fever water contact disease: leptospirosis (2008)
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 81%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.4%, other Christian 0.7%, other 0.6%, unspecified or none 16.3% (2003 est.)
Languages:
Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara, and a large number of minor Amazonian languages
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 87.7% male: 93.5% female: 82.1% (2004 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 14 years male: 14 years female: 14 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
2.5% of GDP (2006)
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:
name: Lima geographic coordinates: 12 03 S, 77 03 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
25 regions (regiones, singular - region) and 1 province* (provincia); Amazonas, Ancash, Apurimac, Arequipa, Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Callao, Cusco, Huancavelica, Huanuco, Ica, Junin, La Libertad, Lambayeque, Lima, Lima*, Loreto, Madre de Dios, Moquegua, Pasco, Piura, Puno, San Martin, Tacna, Tumbes, Ucayali
Independence:
28 July 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 28 July (1821)
Constitution:
29 December 1993
Legal system:
based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory until the age of 70; note - for the first time in recent elections, members of the military and national police were eligible to vote in the 2006 elections
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Alan GARCIA Perez (since 28 July 2006); First Vice President Luis GIAMPIETRI Rojas; Second Vice President Lourdes MENDOZA del Solar (since 28 July 2006); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Alan GARCIA Perez (since 28 July 2006); First Vice President Luis GIAMPIETRI Rojas; Second Vice President Lourdes MENDOZA del Solar (since 28 July 2006) note: Prime Minister Yehude SIMON Munaro (since 14 October 2008) does not exercise executive power; this power is in the hands of the president cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a nonconsecutive reelection); presidential and congressional elections held 9 April 2006 with runoff election held 4 June 2006; next to be held in April 2011 election results: Alan GARCIA elected president in runoff election; percent of vote - Alan GARCIA 52.5%, Ollanta HUMALA Tasso 47.5%
Legislative branch:
unicameral Congress of the Republic of Peru or Congreso de la Republica del Peru (120 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 9 April 2006 (next to be held in April 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - UPP 21.2%, PAP 20.6%, UN 15.3%, AF 13.1%, FC 7.1%, PP 4.1%, RN 4.0%, other 14.6%; seats by party - UPP 45, PAP 36, UN 17, AF 13, FC 5, PP 2, RN 2
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:
Alliance For Progress (Alianza Para El Progreso) [Cesar ACUNA
Peralta]; Alliance For The Future (Alianza Por El Futuro) or AF (a
coalition of pro-FUJIMORI parties including Cambio 90, Nueva
Mayoria, and Si Cumple); Central Front (Frente Del Centro) or FC (a
coalition of Accion Popular, Somos Peru, and Coordinadora Nacional
de Independientes) [Victor Andres GARCIA Belaunde]; National
Renovation Party (Partido Renovacion Nacional) [Rafael REY];
National Restoration Party (Restauracion Nacional) or RN [Humberto
LAY Sun]; National Unity (Unidad Nacional) or UN (a coalition of
Partido Popular Cristiano and Partido Solidaridad Nacional) [Lourdes
FLORES Nano]; Peru Possible (Peru Posible) or PP [Alejandro TOLEDO
Manrique]; Peruvian Aprista Party (Partido Aprista Peruano) or PAP
[Alan GARCIA] (also referred to by its original name Alianza Popular
Revolucionaria Americana or APRA); Peruvian Nationalist Party
(Partido Nacionalista Peruano) or PNP [Ollanta HUMALA Tasso]; Union
for Peru (Union por el Peru) or UPP [Aldo ESTRADA Choque]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Shining Path [Abimael GUZMAN Reynoso (imprisoned), Gabriel MACARIO
(top leader at-large)] (leftist guerrilla group); Tupac Amaru
Revolutionary Movement or MRTA [Victor POLAY (imprisoned), Hugo
AVALLENEDA Valdez (top leader at-large)] (leftist guerrilla group)
International organization participation:
APEC, CAN, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur
(associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG,
UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMIS,
UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Felipe ORTIZ de Zevallos chancery: 1700 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 833-9860 through 9869 FAX: [1] (202) 659-8124 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Hartford, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Paterson (New Jersey), San Francisco, Washington, DC
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador P. Michael MCKINLEY 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) 618-2397
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:
Peru's economy reflects its varied geography - an arid coastal region, the Andes further inland, and tropical lands bordering Colombia and Brazil. Abundant mineral resources are found in the mountainous areas, and Peru's coastal waters provide excellent fishing grounds. However, overdependence on minerals and metals subjects the economy to fluctuations in world prices, and a lack of infrastructure deters trade and investment. After several years of inconsistent economic performance, the Peruvian economy grew by more than 4% per year during the period 2002-06, with a stable exchange rate and low inflation. Growth jumped to 7.5% in 2007, driven by higher world prices for minerals and metals. Risk premiums on Peruvian bonds on secondary markets reached historically low levels in late 2004, reflecting investor optimism regarding the government's prudent fiscal policies and openness to trade and investment. Despite the strong macroeconomic performance, underemployment and poverty have stayed persistently high. Growth prospects depend on exports of minerals, textiles, and agricultural products, and by expectations for the Camisea natural gas megaproject and for other promising energy projects. Upon taking office, President GARCIA announced Sierra Exportadora, a program aimed at promoting economic growth in Peru's southern and central highlands.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$219.6 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$109.1 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
9% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$7,600 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 8.4% industry: 25.6% services: 66% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
9.839 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 9% industry: 18% services: 73% (2001)
Unemployment rate:
6.9% in metropolitan Lima; widespread underemployment (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
44.5% (2006)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.3% highest 10%: 40.9% (2003)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
52 (2003)
Investment (gross fixed):
23% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $32.54 billion expenditures: $29.15 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
29.2% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.8% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
5.75% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
22.86% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$14.66 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$19.95 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$17.88 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
asparagus, coffee, cotton, sugarcane, rice, potatoes, corn, plantains, grapes, oranges, coca; poultry, beef, dairy products; fish, guinea pigs
Industries:
mining and refining of minerals; steel, metal fabrication; petroleum extraction and refining, natural gas; fishing and fish processing, textiles, clothing, food processing
Industrial production growth rate:
9.8% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
24.92 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
22.37 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 14.5% hydro: 84.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0.8% (2001)
Oil - production:
125,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Oil - consumption:
167,900 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
69,090 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - imports:
115,600 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
382.9 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
1.78 billion cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
1.78 billion cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
337.8 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
$1.516 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$27.96 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
copper, gold, zinc, crude petroleum and petroleum products, coffee, potatoes, asparagus, textiles, guinea pigs
Exports - partners:
US 19.5%, China 12.7%, Canada 7.6%, Japan 7.5%, Chile 5.9%,
Switzerland 4.2%, Spain 4.1% (2007)
Imports:
$19.6 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
petroleum and petroleum products, plastics, machinery, vehicles, iron and steel, wheat, paper
Imports - partners:
US 20.5%, China 10.8%, Brazil 9%, Ecuador 6.1%, Argentina 5.6%,
Chile 5%, Colombia 4.8% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$397.8 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$27.78 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$32.83 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$24.72 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$1.476 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$59.66 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
nuevo sol (PEN)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
nuevo sol (PEN) per US dollar - 3.1731 (2007), 3.2742 (2006), 3.2958 (2005), 3.4132 (2004), 3.4785 (2003)
Communications
Peru
Telephones - main lines in use:
2.673 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
15.417 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate for most requirements domestic: fixed-line teledensity is only about 9 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity, spurred by competition among multiple providers, has increased to roughly 55 telephones per 100 persons; nationwide microwave radio relay system and a domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations international: country code - 51; the South America-1 (SAM-1) and Pan American (PAN-AM) submarine cable systems provide links to parts of Central and South America, the Caribbean, and US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
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 hosts:
271,745 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
10 (2000)
Internet users:
7.636 million (2007)
Transportation
Peru
Airports:
237 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 54 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 20 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 3 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 183 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 40 under 914 m: 117 (2007)
Heliports:
1 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 1,181 km; gas/liquid petroleum gas 61 km; liquid natural gas 106 km; liquid petroleum gas 517 km; oil 1,749 km; refined products 13 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 1,989 km standard gauge: 1,726 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 263 km 0.914-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 78,829 km paved: 11,351 km (includes 276 km of expressways) unpaved: 67,478 km (2004)
Waterways:
8,808 km note: 8,600 km of navigable tributaries of Amazon system and 208 km of Lago Titicaca (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 8 by type: cargo 3, chemical tanker 1, petroleum tanker 4 foreign-owned: 1 (Bahamas 1) registered in other countries: 17 (Belize 1, Panama 16) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Callao, Iquitos, Matarani, Paita, Pucallpa, Yurimaguas; note -
Iquitos, Pucallpa, and Yurimaguas are on the upper reaches of the
Amazon and its tributaries
Military
Peru
Military branches:
Army of Peru (Ejercito Peruano), Navy of Peru (Marina de Guerra del
Peru, MGP (includes naval air, naval infantry, and Coast Guard)),
Air Force of Peru (Fuerza Aerea del Peru, FAP) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18-30 years of age for voluntary male and female military service; no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 7,653,898 females age 16-49: 7,531,329 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 5,796,449 females age 16-49: 6,217,524 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 306,260 female: 296,819 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.5% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Peru
Disputes - international:
Chile and Ecuador rejected Peru's November 2005 unilateral legislation to shift the axis of their joint treaty-defined maritime boundaries along the parallels of latitude to equidistance lines which favor Peru; organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia have penetrated Peru's shared border; Peru rejects Bolivia's claim to restore maritime access through a sovereign corridor through Chile along the Peruvian border
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 60,000-150,000 (civil war from 1980-2000; most IDPs are indigenous peasants in Andean and Amazonian regions) (2007)
Illicit drugs:
until 1996 the world's largest coca leaf producer, Peru is now the world's second largest producer of coca leaf, though it lags far behind Colombia; cultivation of coca in Peru declined to 36,000 hectares in 2007; second largest producer of cocaine, estimated at 210 metric tons of potential pure cocaine in 2007; 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, Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia for use in the Southern Cone or transshipment to Europe and Africa; increasing domestic drug consumption
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Philippines
Introduction
Philippines
Background:
The Philippine Islands became a Spanish colony during the 16th century; they were ceded to the US in 1898 following the Spanish-American War. In 1935 the Philippines became a self-governing commonwealth. Manuel QUEZON was elected president and was tasked with preparing the country for independence after a 10-year transition. In 1942 the islands fell under Japanese occupation during World War II, and US forces and Filipinos fought together during 1944-45 to regain control. On 4 July 1946 the Republic of the Philippines attained its independence. The 20-year rule of Ferdinand MARCOS ended in 1986, when a "people power" movement in Manila ("EDSA 1") forced him into exile and installed Corazon AQUINO as president. Her presidency was hampered by several coup attempts, which prevented a return to full political stability and economic development. Fidel RAMOS was elected president in 1992 and his administration was marked by greater stability and progress on economic reforms. In 1992, the US closed its last military bases on the islands. Joseph ESTRADA was elected president in 1998, but was succeeded by his vice-president, Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, in January 2001 after ESTRADA's stormy impeachment trial on corruption charges broke down and another "people power" movement ("EDSA 2") demanded his resignation. MACAPAGAL-ARROYO was elected to a six-year term as president in May 2004. The Philippine Government faces threats from three terrorist groups on the US Government's Foreign Terrorist Organization list, but in 2006 and 2007 scored some major successes in capturing or killing key wanted terrorists. Decades of Muslim insurgency in the southern Philippines have led to a peace accord with one group and an ongoing cease-fire and peace talks with another.
Geography
Philippines
Location:
Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Philippine Sea and the
South China Sea, east of Vietnam
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Southeast Asia
Area:
total: 300,000 sq km land: 298,170 sq km water: 1,830 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Arizona
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
36,289 km
Maritime claims:
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 continental shelf: to depth of exploitation
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: 19% permanent crops: 16.67% other: 64.33% (2005)
Irrigated land:
15,500 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
479 cu km (1999)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 28.52 cu km/yr (17%/9%/74%) per capita: 343 cu m/yr (2000)
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 especially in watershed areas; soil erosion; air and water pollution in major urban centers; coral reef degradation; increasing pollution of coastal mangrove swamps that are important fish breeding grounds
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants
Geography - note:
the Philippine archipelago is made up of 7,107 islands; 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:
96,061,680 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 35.5% (male 17,392,780/female 16,708,255) 15-64 years: 60.4% (male 28,986,232/female 29,076,329) 65 years and over: 4.1% (male 1,682,485/female 2,215,602) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 22.3 years male: 21.8 years female: 22.8 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.991% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
26.42 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
5.15 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-1.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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 (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 21.2 deaths/1,000 live births male: 23.86 deaths/1,000 live births female: 18.42 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.8 years male: 67.89 years female: 73.85 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.32 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
9,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 500 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Filipino(s) adjective: Philippine
Ethnic groups:
Tagalog 28.1%, Cebuano 13.1%, Ilocano 9%, Bisaya/Binisaya 7.6%, Hiligaynon Ilonggo 7.5%, Bikol 6%, Waray 3.4%, other 25.3% (2000 census)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 80.9%, Muslim 5%, Evangelical 2.8%, Iglesia ni Kristo 2.3%, Aglipayan 2%, other Christian 4.5%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.6%, none 0.1% (2000 census)
Languages:
Filipino (official; based on Tagalog) and English (official); eight major dialects - Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon or Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Pampango, and Pangasinan
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.6% male: 92.5% female: 92.7% (2000 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 12 years male: 11 years female: 12 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
2.5% of GDP (2005)
Government
Philippines
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of the Philippines conventional short form: Philippines local long form: Republika ng Pilipinas local short form: Pilipinas
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Manila geographic coordinates: 14 35 N, 121 00 E time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
81 provinces and 136 chartered cities
provinces: Abra, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Aklan, Albay,
Antique, Apayao, Aurora, Basilan, Bataan, Batanes, Batangas,
Biliran, Benguet, Bohol, Bukidnon, Bulacan, Cagayan, Camarines
Norte, Camarines Sur, Camiguin, Capiz, Catanduanes, Cavite, Cebu,
Compostela, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Dinagat
Islands, Eastern Samar, Guimaras, Ifugao, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur,
Iloilo, Isabela, Kalinga, Laguna, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, La
Union, Leyte, Maguindanao, Marinduque, Masbate, Mindoro Occidental,
Mindoro Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Mountain
Province, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, North Cotabato,
Northern Samar, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Palawan, Pampanga,
Pangasinan, Quezon, Quirino, Rizal, Romblon, Samar, Sarangani,
Shariff Kabunsuan, Siquijor, Sorsogon, South Cotabato, Southern
Leyte, Sultan Kudarat, Sulu, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur,
Tarlac, Tawi-Tawi, Zambales, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur,
Zamboanga Sibugay
chartered cities: Alaminos, Angeles, Antipolo, Bacolod, Bago,
Baguio, Bais, Balanga, Batac, Batangas, Bayawan, Baybay, Bayugan,
Bislig, Bogo, Borongan, Butuan, Cabadbaran, Cabanatuan, Cadiz,
Cagayan de Oro, Calamba, Calapan, Calbayog, Candon, Canlaon, Carcar,
Catbalogan, Cauayan, Cavite, Cebu, Cotabato, Dagupan, Danao,
Dapitan, Davao, Digos, Dipolog, Dumaguete, Escalante, El Salvador,
Gapan, General Santos, Gingoog, Guihulngan, Himamaylan, Iligan,
Iloilo, Isabela, Iriga, Kabankalan, Kalookan, Kidapawan, Koronadal,
La Carlota, Lamitan, Laoag, Lapu-Lapu, Las Pinas, Legazpi, Ligao,
Lipa, Lucena, Maasin, Makati, Malabon, Malaybalay, Malolos,
Mandaluyong, Mandaue, Manila, Marawi, Marikina, Masbate, Mati,
Meycauayan, Muntinlupa, Munoz, Naga (Camarines Sur), Naga (Cebu),
Navotas, Olongapo, Ormoc, Oroquieta, Ozamis, Pagadian, Palayan,
Panabo, Paranaque, Pasay, Pasig, Passi, Puerto Princesa, Quezon,
Roxas, Sagay, Samal, San Carlos (in Negros Occidental), San Carlos
(in Pangasinan), San Fernando (in La Union), San Fernando (in
Pampanga), San Jose, San Jose del Monte, San Juan, San Pablo, Santa
Rosa, Santiago, Silay, Sipalay, Sorsogon, Surigao, Tabaco, Tabuk,
Tacloban, Tacurong, Tagaytay, Tagbilaran, Taguig, Tagum, Talisay (in
Cebu), Talisay (in Negros Occidental), Tanauan, Tandag, Tangub,
Tanjay, Tarlac, Tayabas, Toledo, Tuguegarao, Trece Martires,
Urdaneta, Valencia, Valenzuela, Victorias, Vigan, Zamboanga (2007)
Independence:
12 June 1898 (independence proclaimed from Spain); 4 July 1946 (from the US)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 12 June (1898); note - 12 June 1898 was date of declaration of independence from Spain; 4 July 1946 was date of independence from 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); note - president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO (since 20 January 2001) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with consent of Commission of Appointments elections: president and vice president (Manuel "Noli" DE CASTRO) elected on separate tickets by popular vote for a single six-year term; election last held on 10 May 2004 (next to be held in May 2010) election results: Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO elected president; percent of vote - Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO 40%, Fernando POE 37%, three others 23%
Legislative branch:
bicameral Congress or Kongreso consists of the Senate or Senado (24 seats - one-half elected every three years; members elected at large by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Kapulungan Ng Mga Kinatawan (as a result of May 2007 election it has 239 seats including 218 members representing districts and 21 sectoral party-list members representing special minorities elected on the basis of 1 seat for every 2% of the total vote but limited to 3 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; note - the Constitution prohibits the House of Representatives from having more than 250 members) elections: Senate - last held on 14 May 2007 (next to be held in May 2010); House of Representatives - elections last held on 14 May 2007 (next to be held in May 2010) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Lakas-Kampi 4, LP 4, NPC 3, Nacionalista 2, independents 4, others 6; note - there are 23 rather than 24 sitting senators because one senator was elected mayor of Manila; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Lakas 86, Kampi 46, NPC 29, LP 21, Party-list 21, others 36
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (15 justices are appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Judicial and Bar Council and serve until 70 years of age); Court of Appeals; Sandigan-bayan (special court for hearing corruption cases of government officials)
Political parties and leaders:
Genuine Opposition or GO (coalition of oppositon parties formed to
contest the 2007 elections); Kabalikat Ng Malayang Pilipino or Kampi
[Ronaldo PUNO]; Laban Ng Demokratikong Pilipino (Struggle of
Filipino Democrats) or LDP [Edgardo ANGARA]; Lakas Ng Edsa (National
Union of Christian Democrats) or Lakas [Jose DE VENECIA]; Liberal
Party or LP [Manuel ROXAS]; Nacionalista [Manuel VILLAR]; National
People's Coalition or NPC [Frisco SAN JUAN]; PDP-Laban [Aquilino
PIMENTEL]; People's Reform Party [Miriam Defensor SANTIAGO]; PROMDI
[Emilio OSMENA]; Pwersa Ng Masang Pilipino (Party of the Philippine
Masses) or PMP [Joseph ESTRADA]; Reporma [Renato DE VILLA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
AKBAYAN [Etta ROSALES, Mario AGUJA, and Risa HONTIVEROS-BARAQUIEL];
ALAGAD [Rodante MARROLITA]; ALIF [Acmad TOMAWIS]; An Waray [Horencio
NOEL]; Anak Mindanao [Mujiv HATAMIN]; ANAKPAWIS [Crispin BELTRAN and
Rafael MARIANO]; Association of Philippine Electric Cooperatives
(APEC) [Sunny Rose MADAMBA, Ernesto PABLO, and Edgar VALDEZ]; AVE
[Eulogio MAGSAYSAY]; Bayan Muna [Satur OCAMPO, Joel VIRADOR, and
Teodoro CASINO, Jr.]; BUHAY [Rene VELARDE and Hans Christian
SENERES]; BUTIL [Benjamin CRUZ]; CIBAC [Emmanuel Joel VILLANUEVA];
COOP-NATCO [Guillermo CUA]; GABRIELA [Liza MAZA]; Partido Ng
Manggagawa [Renato MAGTUBO]; Veterans Federation of the Philippines
[Ernesto GIDAYA]
International organization participation:
ADB, APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN, BIS, CP, EAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC,
MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, PIF (partner), UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMIT,
UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Willy C. GAA chancery: 1600 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 467-9300 FAX: [1] (202) 467-9417 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands), Tamuning (Guam)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Kristie A. KENNEY embassy: 1201 Roxas Boulevard, Ermita 1000, Manila mailing address: PSC 500, FPO AP 96515-1000 telephone: [63] (2) 301-2000 FAX: [63] (2) 301-2399
Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of blue (top; representing peace and justice) and red (representing courage); a white equilateral triangle based on the hoist side represents equality; the center of the triangle displays a yellow sun with eight primary rays, each representing one of the first eight provinces that sought independence from Spain; each corner of the triangle contains a small, yellow, five-pointed star representing the three major geographical divisions of the country: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao; the design of the flag dates to 1897; in wartime the flag is flown upside down with the red band at the top
Economy
Philippines
Economy - overview:
The Philippine economy grew at its fastest pace in three decades with real GDP growth exceeding 7% in 2007. Higher government spending contributed to the growth, but a resilient service sector and large remittances from the millions of Filipinos who work abroad have played an increasingly important role. Economic growth has averaged 5% since President MACAPAGAL-ARROYO took office in 2001. Nevertheless, the Philippines will need still higher, sustained growth to make progress in alleviating poverty, given its high population growth and unequal distribution of income. MACAPAGAL-ARROYO averted a fiscal crisis by pushing for new revenue measures and, until recently, tightening expenditures. Declining fiscal deficits, tapering debt and debt service ratios, as well as recent efforts to increase spending on infrastructure and social services have heightened optimism over Philippine economic prospects. Although the general macroeconomic outlook has improved significantly, the Philippines continues to face important challenges and must maintain the reform momentum in order to catch up with regional competitors, improve employment opportunities, and alleviate poverty. Longer-term fiscal stability will require more sustainable revenue sources, rather than non-recurring revenues from privatization.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$300.1 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$144.1 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
7.3% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$3,200 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 13.8% industry: 31.7% services: 54.5% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
36.22 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 35% industry: 15% services: 50% (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate:
7.3% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
30% (2003 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.4% highest 10%: 31.2% (2006)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
45.8 (2006)
Investment (gross fixed):
14.8% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $24.63 billion expenditures: $24.9 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
55.8% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.8% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
4.28% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
8.69% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$21.27 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$65.85 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$65.66 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
sugarcane, coconuts, rice, corn, bananas, cassavas, pineapples, mangoes; pork, eggs, beef; fish
Industries:
electronics assembly, garments, footwear, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, wood products, food processing, petroleum refining, fishing
Industrial production growth rate:
7.1% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
56.51 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
47.04 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 55.6% hydro: 17.5% nuclear: 0% other: 26.9% (2001)
Oil - production:
23,930 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
340,100 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
41,160 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
355,800 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
138.5 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
2.2 billion cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
2.2 billion cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
98.54 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
$6.351 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$49.32 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
semiconductors and electronic products, transport equipment, garments, copper products, petroleum products, coconut oil, fruits
Exports - partners:
US 17%, Japan 14.5%, Hong Kong 11.5%, China 11.4%, Netherlands 8.2%,
Singapore 6.2%, Malaysia 5%, Germany 4.3% (2007)
Imports:
$57.56 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
electronic products, mineral fuels, machinery and transport equipment, iron and steel, textile fabrics, grains, chemicals, plastic
Imports - partners:
US 14.1%, Japan 12.3%, Singapore 11.2%, Taiwan 7.3%, China 7.2%, Saudi Arabia 6.4%, South Korea 5.9%, Malaysia 4.1%, Thailand 4.1% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
ODA, $451.4 million in commitments (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$33.75 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$61.78 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$19.88 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$5.584 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$103.4 billion (2007)
Currency (code):
Philippine peso (PHP)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Philippine pesos (PHP) per US dollar - 46.148 (2007), 51.246 (2006), 55.086 (2005), 56.04 (2004), 54.203 (2003)
Communications
Philippines
Telephones - main lines in use:
3.633 million (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
51.795 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: good international radiotelephone and submarine cable services; domestic and interisland service adequate domestic: domestic satellite system with 11 earth stations; cellular communications now dominate the industry; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone density about 60 telephones per 100 persons international: country code - 63; a series of submarine cables together provide connectivity to Asia, US, the Middle East, and Europe; multiple international gateways (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 381, FM 628, shortwave 4 (each shortwave station operates on multiple frequencies in the language of the target audience) (2007)
Radios:
11.5 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
250 (plus 1,501 CATV networks) (2007)
Televisions:
3.7 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.ph
Internet hosts:
283,579 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
33 (2000)
Internet users:
5.3 million (2007)
Transportation
Philippines
Airports:
255 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 84 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 26 914 to 1,523 m: 36 under 914 m: 10 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 171 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 68 under 914 m: 99 (2007)
Heliports:
2 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 565 km; oil 135 km; refined products 105 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 897 km narrow gauge: 897 km 1.067-m gauge (492 km are in operation) (2006)
Roadways:
total: 200,037 km paved: 19,804 km unpaved: 180,233 km (2003)
Waterways:
3,219 km (limited to vessels with draft less than 1.5 m) (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 391 by type: bulk carrier 75, cargo 125, carrier 16, chemical tanker 17, container 6, liquefied gas 5, passenger 6, passenger/cargo 68, petroleum tanker 36, refrigerated cargo 15, roll on/roll off 11, vehicle carrier 11 foreign-owned: 161 (Bermuda 34, China 4, Greece 4, Hong Kong 1, Japan 81, Malaysia 1, Netherlands 23, Norway 10, Singapore 1, Taiwan 1, UAE 1) registered in other countries: 11 (Comoros 1, Cyprus 1, Hong Kong 1, Indonesia 1, Panama 7) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Liman, Manila, Nasipit Harbor
Transportation - note:
the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the South China Sea as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; numerous commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargo diverted to ports in East Asia; crews have been murdered or cast adrift
Military
Philippines
Military branches:
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP): Army, Navy (includes Marine
Corps), Air Force (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18-25 years of age (officers 21-29) for compulsory and voluntary military service; applicants must be single male or female Philippine citizens (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 23,547,252 females age 16-49: 23,177,487 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 18,232,050 females age 16-49: 19,827,538 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 1,012,779 female: 977,030 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.9% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
Philippines
Disputes - international:
Philippines claims sovereignty over certain of the Spratly Islands, known locally as the Kalayaan (Freedom) Islands, also claimed by China, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam; the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea," has eased tensions in the Spratly Islands but falls short of a legally binding "code of conduct" desired by several of the disputants; in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands; Philippines retains a dormant claim to Malaysia's Sabah State in northern Borneo based on the Sultanate of Sulu's granting the Philippines Government power of attorney to pursue a sovereignty claim on his behalf; maritime delimitation negotiations continue with Palau
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 300,000 (fighting between government troops and MILF and Abu
Sayyaf groups) (2007)
Illicit drugs:
domestic methamphetamine production has been a growing problem in recent years despite government crackdowns; major consumer of amphetamines; longstanding marijuana producer mainly in rural areas where Manila's control is limited
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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:
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total: 47 sq km land: 47 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
51 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical; hot and 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
Irrigated land:
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:
48 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate:
0% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
NA (2008 est.)
Death rate:
NA (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
Infant mortality rate:
total: NA male: NA female: NA (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: NA male: NA female: NA (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
NA (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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), Pitkern (mixture of an 18th century English dialect and a Tahitian dialect)
Literacy:
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:
Capital:
name: Adamstown geographic coordinates: 25 04 S, 130 05 W time difference: UTC-9 (4 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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:
30 November 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 George FERGUSSON (since April 2006); Commissioner (nonresident) Leslie JAQUES (since September 2003) serves as liaison between the governor and the Island Council head of government: Governor George FERGUSSON (since April 2006); Mayor and Chairman of the Island Council Mike WARREN (since 1 January 2008) cabinet: NA elections: the monarchy is hereditary; governor and commissioner appointed by the monarch; island mayor elected by popular vote for a three-year term; election last held December 2004 (next to be held in December 2007) election results: Jay WARREN elected mayor and chairman of the Island Council
Legislative branch:
unicameral Island Council (10 seats; 5 members elected by popular vote, 1 nominated by the 5 elected members, 2 appointed by the governor including 1 seat for the Island Secretary, the Island Mayor, and a commissioner liaising between the governor and council; elected members serve one-year terms) elections: last held 24 December 2006 (next to be held in December 2007) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - all independents
Judicial branch:
Magistrate's Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Judicial
Officers are appointed by the Governor
Political parties and leaders:
none
Political pressure groups and leaders:
none
International organization participation:
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 isolated 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. In October 2004, more than one-quarter of Pitcairn's small labor force was arrested, putting the economy in a bind, since their services were required as lighter crew to load or unload passing ships.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
Labor force:
15 able-bodied men (2004)
Labor force - by occupation:
note: no business community in the usual sense; some public works; subsistence farming and fishing
Budget:
revenues: $746,000 expenditures: $1.028 million (FY04/05)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Agriculture - products:
honey; wide variety of fruits and vegetables; goats, chickens, fish
Industries:
postage stamps, handicrafts, beekeeping, honey
Electricity - production:
NA kWh; note - electric power is provided by a small diesel-powered generator
Exports:
Exports - commodities:
fruits, vegetables, curios, stamps
Imports:
Imports - commodities:
fuel oil, machinery, building materials, flour, sugar, other foodstuffs
Economic aid - recipient:
$3.465 million (2004)
Currency (code):
New Zealand dollar (NZD)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
New Zealand dollars (NZD) per US dollar - 1.3811 (2007), 1.5408 (2006), 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003)
Communications
Pitcairn Islands
Telephones - main lines in use:
1 (there are 17 telephones on one party line); (2004)
Telephone system:
general assessment: satellite phone services domestic: domestic communication via radio (CB) international: country code - 872; satellite earth station - 1 (Inmarsat)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (15 Ham radio operators (VP6)) (2004)
Radios:
Televisions:
Internet country code:
.pn
Internet hosts:
12 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
Internet users:
Transportation
Pitcairn Islands
Ports and terminals:
Adamstown (on Bounty Bay)
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 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Poland
Introduction
Poland
Background:
Poland is an ancient nation that was conceived near the middle of the 10th century. Its golden age occurred in the 16th century. During the following century, the strengthening of the gentry and internal disorders weakened the nation. In a series of agreements between 1772 and 1795, Russia, Prussia, and Austria partitioned Poland amongst themselves. 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 state following the war, but its government 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, but Poland still faces the lingering challenges of high unemployment, underdeveloped and dilapidated infrastructure, and a poor rural underclass. Solidarity suffered a major defeat in the 2001 parliamentary elections when it failed to elect a single deputy to the lower house of Parliament, and the new leaders of the Solidarity Trade Union subsequently pledged to reduce the Trade Union's political role. Poland joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004. With its transformation to a democratic, market-oriented country largely completed, Poland is an increasingly active member of Euro-Atlantic organizations.
Geography
Poland
Location:
Central Europe, east of Germany
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 312,679 sq km land: 304,459 sq km water: 8,220 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than New Mexico
Land boundaries:
total: 3,047 km border countries: Belarus 605 km, Czech Republic 615 km, Germany 456 km, Lithuania 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 432 km, Slovakia 420 km, Ukraine 428 km
Coastline:
440 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: defined by international treaties
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: near Raczki Elblaskie -2 m highest point: Rysy 2,499 m
Natural resources:
coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, amber, arable land
Land use:
arable land: 40.25% permanent crops: 1% other: 58.75% (2005)
Irrigated land:
1,000 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
63.1 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 11.73 cu km/yr (13%/79%/8%) per capita: 304 cu m/yr (2002)
Natural hazards:
flooding
Environment - current issues:
situation has improved since 1989 due to decline in heavy industry and increased environmental concern by post-Communist 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; pollution levels should continue to decrease as industrial establishments bring their facilities up to EU code, but at substantial cost to business and the government
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, 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, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94
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:
38,500,696 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 15.2% (male 3,013,109/female 2,849,977) 15-64 years: 71.4% (male 13,681,481/female 13,808,412) 65 years and over: 13.4% (male 1,964,477/female 3,183,240) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 37.6 years male: 35.8 years female: 39.5 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
-0.045% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
10.01 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
9.99 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 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 (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.93 deaths/1,000 live births male: 7.66 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.41 years male: 71.42 years female: 79.65 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.27 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1%; note - no country specific models provided (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
14,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
100 (2001 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea vectorborne disease: tickborne encephalitis note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Pole(s) adjective: Polish
Ethnic groups:
Polish 96.7%, German 0.4%, Belarusian 0.1%, Ukrainian 0.1%, other and unspecified 2.7% (2002 census)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 89.8% (about 75% practicing), Eastern Orthodox 1.3%,
Protestant 0.3%, other 0.3%, unspecified 8.3% (2002)
Languages:
Polish 97.8%, other and unspecified 2.2% (2002 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.8% male: 99.8% female: 99.7% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 15 years male: 15 years female: 16 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
5.5% of GDP (2005)
Government
Poland
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Poland conventional short form: Poland local long form: Rzeczpospolita Polska local short form: Polska
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Warsaw geographic coordinates: 52 15 N, 21 00 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
16 provinces (wojewodztwa, singular - wojewodztwo); Dolnoslaskie
(Lower Silesia), Kujawsko-Pomorskie (Kuyavia-Pomerania), Lodzkie,
Lubelskie (Lublin), Lubuskie (Lubusz), Malopolskie (Lesser Poland),
Mazowieckie (Masovia), Opolskie, Podkarpackie (Subcarpathia),
Podlaskie, Pomorskie (Pomerania), Slaskie (Silesia), Swietokrzyskie,
Warminsko-Mazurskie (Warmia-Masuria), Wielkopolskie (Greater
Poland), Zachodniopomorskie (West Pomerania)
Independence:
11 November 1918 (republic proclaimed)
National holiday:
Constitution Day, 3 May (1791)
Constitution:
adopted by the National Assembly 2 April 1997; passed by national referendum 25 May 1997; effective 17 October 1997
Legal system:
based on a 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, but rulings of the Constitutional Tribunal are final; court decisions can be appealed to the European Court of Justice in Strasbourg; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Lech KACZYNSKI (since 23 December 2005) head of government: Prime Minister Donald TUSK (since 16 November 2007); Deputy Prime Ministers Waldemar PAWLAK (since 16 November 2007) and Grzegorz SCHETYNA (since 16 November 2007) 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 elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 9 and 23 October 2005 (next to be held in the fall 2010); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the Sejm election results: Lech KACZYNSKI elected president; percent of popular vote - Lech KACZYNSKI 54%, Donald Tusk 46%
Legislative branch:
bicameral legislature consists of an upper house, the Senate or Senat (100 seats; members are elected by a majority vote on a provincial basis to serve four-year terms), and a lower house, the Sejm (460 seats; members are elected under a complex system of proportional representation to serve four-year terms); the designation of National Assembly or Zgromadzenie Narodowe is only used on those rare occasions when the two houses meet jointly elections: Senate - last held 21 October 2007 (next to be held by October 2011); Sejm elections last held 21 October 2007 (next to be held by October 2011) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PO 60, PiS 39, independents 1; Sejm - percent of vote by party - PO 41.5%, PiS 32.1%, LiD 13.2%, PSL 8.9%, other 4.3%; seats by party - PO 209, PiS 166, LiD 53, PSL 31, German minorities 1; note - seats by party as of February 2008 - PO 209, PiS 159, LiD 53, PSL 31, German minorities 1, nonaffiliated 7 note: one seat is assigned to ethnic minority parties in the Sejm only
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:
Civic Platform or PO [Donald TUSK]; Democratic Left Alliance or SLD
[Grzegorz NAPIERALSKI]; Democratic Party or PD [Janusz
ONYSZKIEWICZ]; German Minority of Lower Silesia or MNSO [Henryk
KROLL]; Law and Justice or PiS [Jaroslaw KACZYNSKI]; League of
Polish Families or LPR [Sylwester CHRUSZCZ]; Left and Democrats or
LiD [Wojciech OLEJNICZAK] (a coalition formed by the SLD, PD, SDPL,
and UP); Polish People's Party or PSL [Waldemar PAWLAK]; Samoobrona
or SO [Andrzej LEPPER]; Social Democratic Party of Poland or SDPL
[Bartosz DOMINIK, acting]; Union of Labor or UP [Andrzej SPYCHALSKI]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
All Poland Trade Union Alliance or OPZZ (trade union) [Jan GUZ];
Roman Catholic Church [Cardinal Stanislaw DZIWISZ, Archbishop Jozef
MICHALIK]; Solidarity Trade Union [Janusz SNIADEK]
International organization participation:
Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer),
CBSS, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA (cooperating state), EU,
FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC,
MIGA, MINURCAT, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS
(observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen
Convention, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR,
UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Robert KUPIECKI chancery: 2640 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 234-3800 through 3802 FAX: [1] (202) 328-6271 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Victor ASHE embassy: Aleje Ujazdowskie 29/31 00-540 Warsaw mailing address: American Embassy Warsaw, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5010 (pouch) telephone: [48] (22) 504-2000 FAX: [48] (22) 504-2688 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 pursued a policy of economic liberalization since 1990 and today stands out as a success story among transition economies. In 2007, GDP grew an estimated 6.5%, based on rising private consumption, a jump in corporate investment, and EU funds inflows. GDP per capita is still much below the EU average, but is similar to that of the three Baltic states. Since 2004, EU membership and access to EU structural funds have provided a major boost to the economy. Unemployment is falling rapidly, though at roughly 12.8% in 2007, it remains well above the EU average. Tightening labor markets, and rising global energy and food prices, pose a risk to consumer price stability. In December 2007 inflation reached 4.1% on a year-over-year basis, or higher than the upper limit of the National Bank of Poland's target range. Poland's economic performance could improve further if the country addresses some of the remaining deficiencies in its business environment. An inefficient commercial court system, a rigid labor code, bureaucratic red tape, and persistent low-level corruption keep the private sector from performing up to its full potential. Rising demands to fund health care, education, and the state pension system present a challenge to the Polish government's effort to hold the consolidated public sector budget deficit under 3.0% of GDP, a target which was achieved in 2007. The PO/PSL coalition government which came to power in November 2007 plans to further reduce the budget deficit with the aim of eventually adopting the euro. The new government has also announced its intention to enact business-friendly reforms, reduce public sector spending growth, lower taxes, and accelerate privatization. However, the government does not have the necessary three-fifths majority needed to override a presidential veto, and thus may have to water down initiatives in order to garner enough support to pass its pro-business policies.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$623.1 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$420.3 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
6.6% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$16,200 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 4.1% industry: 31.6% services: 64.4% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
16.86 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 16.1% industry: 29% services: 54.9% (2002)
Unemployment rate:
12.8% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
17% (2003 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.1% highest 10%: 27% (2002)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
36 (2005)
Investment (gross fixed):
21.7% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $85.39 billion expenditures: $91.16 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
43.1% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.5% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
5.48% (31 December 2006)
Stock of money:
$137.4 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$93.99 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$223.2 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
potatoes, fruits, vegetables, wheat; poultry, eggs, pork, dairy
Industries:
machine building, iron and steel, coal mining, chemicals, shipbuilding, food processing, glass, beverages, textiles
Industrial production growth rate:
8.9% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
149.3 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
126.2 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
13.11 billion kWh (2007)
Electricity - imports:
7.761 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 98.1% hydro: 1.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0.4% (2001)
Oil - production:
37,670 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
524,000 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - exports:
57,920 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
499,200 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
96.38 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
6.025 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
16.38 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
45 million cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
10.12 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
164.8 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
-$15.91 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$144.6 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment 37.8%, intermediate manufactured goods 23.7%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 17.1%, food and live animals 7.6% (2003)
Exports - partners:
Germany 25.9%, Italy 6.6%, France 6.1%, UK 5.9%, Czech Republic 5.5%, Russia 4.6% (2007)
Imports:
$160.2 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment 38%, intermediate manufactured goods 21%, chemicals 14.8%, minerals, fuels, lubricants, and related materials 9.1% (2003)
Imports - partners:
Germany 29%, Russia 8.7%, Italy 6.6%, Netherlands 5.7%, France 5.1%,
China 4.2% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$1.524 billion in available EU structural adjustment and cohesion funds (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$65.75 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$169.8 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$143 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$19.69 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$149.1 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
zloty (PLN)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
zlotych (PLN) per US dollar - 2.81 (2007), 3.1032 (2006), 3.2355 (2005), 3.6576 (2004), 3.8891 (2003) note: zlotych is the plural form of zloty
Communications
Poland
Telephones - main lines in use:
10.336 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
41.389 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: modernization of the telecommunications network has accelerated with market based competition finalized in 2003; fixed-line service, dominated by the former state-owned company, is dwarfed by the growth in wireless telephony domestic: mobile-cellular service available since 1993 and provided by three nation-wide networks with a fourth provider beginning operations in late 2006; cellular coverage is generally good with some gaps in the east; fixed-line service is growing slowly and still lags in rural areas international: country code - 48; international direct dialing with automated exchanges; satellite earth station - 1 with access to Intelsat, Eutelsat, Inmarsat, and Intersputnik (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 14, FM 777, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios:
20.2 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
40 (2006)
Televisions:
13.05 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.pl
Internet hosts:
7.808 million (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
19 (2000)
Internet users:
16 million (2007)
Transportation
Poland
Airports:
123 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 83 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 30 1,524 to 2,437 m: 39 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 3 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 40 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 22 (2007)
Heliports:
7 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 13,552 km; oil 1,384 km; refined products 777 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 23,072 km broad gauge: 629 km 1.524-m gauge standard gauge: 22,443 km 1.435-m gauge (20,555 km operational; 11,910 km electrified) (2006)
Roadways:
total: 423,997 km paved: 295,356 km (includes 662 km of expressways) unpaved: 128,641 km (2006)
Waterways:
3,997 km (navigable rivers and canals) (2006)
Merchant marine:
total: 15 by type: cargo 8, chemical tanker 4, passenger/cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1, vehicle carrier 1 foreign-owned: 2 (Cyprus 1, Nigeria 1) registered in other countries: 98 (Antigua and Barbuda 2, Bahamas 17, Cyprus 18, Liberia 13, Malta 24, Norway 3, Panama 11, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Slovakia 2, Vanuatu 7) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Gdansk, Gdynia, Swinoujscie, Szczecin
Military
Poland
Military branches:
Polish Armed Forces: Land Forces (includes Navy (Marynarka Wojenna,
MW)), Polish Air Force (Sily Powietrzne Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej,
SPRP) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
17 years of age for male compulsory military service after January 1st of the year of 18th birthday; 17 years of age for voluntary military service; conscript service obligation shortened from 12 to 9 months in 2005; by 2008, plans call for at least 60% of military personnel to be volunteers; only soldiers who have completed their conscript service are allowed to volunteer for professional service; as of April 2004, women are only allowed to serve as officers and noncommissioned officers (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 9,741,508 females age 16-49: 9,514,843 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 7,937,840 females age 16-49: 7,949,677 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 257,605 female: 245,832 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.71% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
Poland
Disputes - international:
as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Poland has implemented the strict Schengen border rules to restrict illegal immigration and trade along its eastern borders with Belarus and Ukraine
Illicit drugs:
despite diligent counternarcotics measures and international information sharing on cross-border crimes, a major illicit producer of synthetic drugs for the international market; minor transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and Latin American cocaine to Western Europe
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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 is a founding member of NATO and entered the EC (now the EU) in 1986.
Geography
Portugal
Location:
Southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, west of
Spain
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 92,391 sq km land: 91,951 sq km water: 440 sq km note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Indiana
Land boundaries:
total: 1,214 km border countries: Spain 1,214 km
Coastline:
1,793 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
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), iron ore, copper, zinc, tin, tungsten, silver, gold, uranium, marble, clay, gypsum, salt, arable land, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 17.29% permanent crops: 7.84% other: 74.87% (2005)
Irrigated land:
6,500 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
73.6 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 11.09 cu km/yr (10%/12%/78%) per capita: 1,056 cu m/yr (1998)
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, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Environmental
Modification
Geography - note:
Azores and Madeira Islands occupy strategic locations along western sea approaches to Strait of Gibraltar
People
Portugal
Population:
10,676,910 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.4% (male 912,995/female 835,715) 15-64 years: 66.2% (male 3,514,905/female 3,555,097) 65 years and over: 17.4% (male 764,443/female 1,093,755) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 39.1 years male: 37 years female: 41.3 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.305% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
10.45 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
10.62 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
3.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.85 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.31 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.04 years male: 74.78 years female: 81.53 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.49 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.4% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
22,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 1,000 (2003 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 84.5%, other Christian 2.2%, other 0.3%, unknown 9%, none 3.9% (2001 census)
Languages:
Portuguese (official), Mirandese (official - but locally used)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93.3% male: 95.5% female: 91.3% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 15 years male: 15 years female: 16 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
5.5% of GDP (2005)
Government
Portugal
Country name:
conventional long form: Portuguese Republic conventional short form: Portugal local long form: Republica Portuguesa local short form: Portugal
Government type:
republic; parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: Lisbon geographic coordinates: 38 43 N, 9 08 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
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 (Lisbon), Madeira*, Portalegre, Porto, Santarem, Setubal, Viana do Castelo, Vila Real, Viseu
Independence:
1143 (Kingdom of Portugal recognized); 5 October 1910 (republic proclaimed)
National holiday:
Portugal Day (Day of Portugal), 10 June (1580); note - also called Camoes Day, the day that revered national poet Luis de Camoes (1524-80) died
Constitution:
adopted 2 April 1976; note - subsequent revisions of the Constitution placed the military under strict civilian control, trimmed the powers of the president, and laid the groundwork for a stable, pluralistic liberal democracy; as well, they allowed for the privatization of nationalized firms and the government-owned communications media
Legal system:
based on 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:
chief of state: President Anibal CAVACO SILVA (since 9 March 2006) head of government: Prime Minister Jose SOCRATES Carvalho Pinto de Sousa (since 12 March 2005) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister note: there is also a Council of State that acts as a consultative body to the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 22 January 2006 (next to be held in January 2011); 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: Anibal CAVACO SILVA elected president; percent of vote - Anibal CAVACO SILVA 50.6%, Manuel ALEGRE 20.7%, Mario Alberto Nobre Lopes SOARES 14.3%, Jeronimo DE SOUSA 8.5%, Franciso LOUCA 5.3%
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: last held 20 February 2005 (next to be held in Fall 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - PS 45.1%, PSD 28.7%, CDU 7.6%, CDS/PP 7.3%, BE 6.4%, other 4.9%; seats by party - PS 121, PSD 75, CDU 14, CDS/PP 12, BE 8
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal de Justica (judges appointed for life by the Conselho Superior da Magistratura)
Political parties and leaders:
Democratic and Social Center/Popular Party or CDS/PP [Paulo PORTAS];
Green Ecologist Party (The Greens) or PEV [leadership commission
elected by members]; Portuguese Communist Party or PCP [Jeronimo DE
SOUSA]; Portuguese Socialist Party or PS [Jose SOCRATES Carvalho
Pinto de Sousa]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Manuela FERREIRA
Leite]; The Left Bloc or BE [Franciso Anacleto LOUCA]; Unitarian
Democratic Coalition or CDU [Jeronimo DE SOUSA] (includes PCP and
PEV)
Political pressure groups and leaders:
the media
International organization participation:
ADB (nonregional members), AfDB (nonregional members), Australia
Group, BIS, CE, CERN, CPLP, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO,
IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU,
ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURCAT, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG,
OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI
(observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina,
UNMIT, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Joao DE VALLERA chancery: 2012 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 350-5400 FAX: [1] (202) 462-3726 consulate(s) general: Boston, New York, Newark (New Jersey), San Francisco consulate(s): New Bedford (Massachusetts), Providence (Rhode Island)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas F. STEPHENSON embassy: Avenida das Forcas Armadas, 1600-081 Lisbon mailing address: Apartado 43033, 1601-301 Lisboa; PSC 83, APO AE 09726 telephone: [351] (21) 727-3300 FAX: [351] (21) 726-9109 consulate(s): Ponta Delgada (Azores)
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 two decades, 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 the euro on 1 January 2002 along with 11 other EU member economies. Economic growth had been above the EU average for much of the 1990s, but fell back in 2001-07. GDP per capita stands at roughly two-thirds of the EU-27 average. 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. The budget deficit surged to an all-time high of 6% of GDP in 2005, but the government reduced the deficit to 2.6% in 2007 - a year ahead of Portugal's targeted schedule. Nonetheless, the government faces tough choices in its attempts to boost Portugal's economic competitiveness while keeping the budget deficit within the eurozone's 3%-of-GDP ceiling.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$232.3 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$223.3 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
1.8% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$21,800 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 8.2% industry: 25.4% services: 66.4% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
5.618 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 10% industry: 30% services: 60% (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate:
8% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
18% (2006)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.1% highest 10%: 28.4% (1995 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
38.5 (2007)
Investment (gross fixed):
21.7% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $96.01 billion expenditures: $101.9 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
63.6% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.4% (2007 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
7.92% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
NA note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the Euro Area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 15 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi money circulating within their own borders
Stock of quasi money:
NA (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$451.9 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
grain, potatoes, tomatoes, olives, grapes; sheep, cattle, goats, swine, poultry, dairy products; fish
Industries:
textiles, clothing, footwear, wood and cork, paper, chemicals, auto-parts manufacturing, base metals, diary products, wine and other foods, porcelain and ceramics, glassware, technology, telecommunications; ship construction and refurbishment; tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
2.3% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
44.83 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
48.02 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
2.153 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
9.641 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 64.5% hydro: 31.3% nuclear: 0% other: 4.1% (2001)
Oil - production:
6,281 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
301,000 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - exports:
50,490 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
390,300 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
NA bbl
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
4.112 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
4.095 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$21.75 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$51.5 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
agricultural products, food products, oil products, chemical products, plastics and rubber, skins and leather, wood and cork, wood pulp and paper, textile materials, clothing, footwear, minerals and mineral products, base metals, machinery and tools, vehicles and other transport material, and optical and precision
Exports - partners:
Spain 27.1%, Germany 12.9%, France 12.3%, UK 5.9%, US 4.8%, Angola 4.5%, Italy 4% (2007)
Imports:
$75.3 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
agricultural products, food products, oil products, chemical products, plastics and rubber, skins and leather, wood and cork, wood pulp and paper, textile materials, clothing, footwear, minerals and mineral products, base metals, machinery and tools, vehicles and other transport material, and optical and precision instruments, computer accessories and parts, semi-conductors and related devices, household goods, passenger cars new and used, and wine products
Imports - partners:
Spain 29.5%, Germany 12.9%, France 8.4%, Italy 5.2%, Netherlands 4.6% (2007)
Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $396 million (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$11.55 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$461.2 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$91.19 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$54.85 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$66.98 billion (2005)
Currency (code):
euro (EUR)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003)
Communications
Portugal
Telephones - main lines in use:
4.139 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
13.413 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: Portugal's telephone system has achieved a state-of-the-art network with broadband, high-speed capabilities domestic: integrated network of coaxial cables, open-wire, microwave radio relay, and domestic satellite earth stations international: country code - 351; a combination of submarine cables provide connectivity to Europe, North and East Africa, South Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and the US; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), NA Eutelsat; tropospheric scatter to Azores (1998)
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; includes Azores and Madeira Islands) (1995)
Televisions:
3.31 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.pt
Internet hosts:
1.858 million (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
16 (2000)
Internet users:
3.549 million (2007)
Transportation
Portugal
Airports:
66 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 44 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 12 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 22 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 21 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 1,098 km; oil 11 km; refined products 188 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 2,786 km broad gauge: 2,603 km 1.668-m gauge (1,351 km electrified) narrow gauge: 183 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 82,900 km paved: 71,294 km (includes 2,300 km of expressways) unpaved: 11,606 km (2005)
Waterways:
210 km (on Douro River from Porto) (2006)
Merchant marine:
total: 117 by type: bulk carrier 10, cargo 36, carrier 1, chemical tanker 15, container 6, liquefied gas 9, passenger 10, passenger/cargo 9, petroleum tanker 4, roll on/roll off 1, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 15 foreign-owned: 84 (Bahamas 1, Belgium 7, Belgium 1, Denmark 3, Germany 20, Greece 4, Hong Kong 2, Italy 12, Japan 15, Mexico 1, Netherlands 1, Spain 11, Sweden 3, Switzerland 2, US 1) registered in other countries: 15 (Cyprus 1, Hong Kong 1, Italy 1, Malta 3, Panama 9) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Leixoes, Lisbon, Setubal, Sines
Military
Portugal
Military branches:
Portuguese Army (Exercito Portugues), Portuguese Navy (Marinha
Portuguesa; includes Marine Corps), Portuguese Air Force (Forca
Aerea Portuguesa, FAP) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; compulsory military service ended in 2004; women serve in the armed forces, on naval ships since 1993, but are prohibited from serving in some combatant specialties; reserve obligation to age 35 (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,573,913 females age 16-49: 2,498,262 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,099,647 females age 16-49: 2,060,559 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 64,910 female: 58,599 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
2.3% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
Portugal
Disputes - international:
Portugal does not recognize Spanish sovereignty over the territory of Olivenza based on a difference of interpretation of the 1815 Congress of Vienna and the 1801 Treaty of Badajoz
Illicit drugs:
seizing record amounts of Latin American cocaine destined for Europe; a European gateway for Southwest Asian heroin; transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Europe; consumer of Southwest Asian heroin
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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. 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 not to alter the existing political status.
Geography
Puerto Rico
Location:
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic
Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 13,790 sq km land: 8,870 sq km water: 4,921 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
501 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 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 1,339 m
Natural resources:
some copper and nickel; potential for onshore and offshore oil
Land use:
arable land: 3.69% permanent crops: 5.59% other: 90.72% (2005)
Irrigated land:
400 sq km (2003)
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:
3,958,128 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 20.5% (male 415,141/female 396,782) 15-64 years: 66% (male 1,254,416/female 1,358,229) 65 years and over: 13.5% (male 229,727/female 303,833) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 35.6 years male: 33.8 years female: 37.3 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.369% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
12.61 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
7.88 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-1.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 8.65 deaths/1,000 live births male: 9.15 deaths/1,000 live births female: 8.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.58 years male: 74.64 years female: 82.73 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.76 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
7,397 (1997)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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 4.2%, other 6.7% (2000 census)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant and other 15%
Languages:
Spanish, English
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 94.1% male: 93.9% female: 94.4% (2002 est.)
Education expenditures:
Government
Puerto Rico
Country name:
conventional long form: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico conventional short form: Puerto Rico
Dependency status:
unincorporated, organized territory of the US with commonwealth status; policy relations between Puerto Rico and the US conducted under the jurisdiction of the Office of the President
Government type:
commonwealth
Capital:
name: San Juan geographic coordinates: 18 28 N, 66 07 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
none (territory of the US with commonwealth status); 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 (territory of the US with commonwealth status)
National holiday:
US Independence Day, 4 July (1776); Puerto Rico Constitution Day, 25
July (1952)
Constitution:
ratified 3 March 1952; approved by US Congress 3 July 1952; effective 25 July 1952
Legal system:
based on Spanish civil code and within the US Federal system of justice
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal; island residents 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 Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA (since 2 January 2005) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor with the consent of the legislature elections: under the US Constitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such as Puerto Rico, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; however, they may vote in Democratic and Republican presidential primary elections; governor elected by popular vote for a four-year term (no term limits); election last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2012) election results: Luis FORTUNO elected governor with 52.8% of the vote, he will take office on 2 January 2009
Legislative branch:
bicameral Legislative Assembly consists of the Senate (at least 27 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives (51 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held November 2012); House of Representatives - last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2012) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PNP 22, PPD 5; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA 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 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2012); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PNP 1
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 [Roberto PRATS]; National Republican Party
of Puerto Rico [Dr. Tiody FERRE]; New Progressive Party or PNP
[Pedro ROSSELLO] (pro-US statehood); Popular Democratic Party or PPD
[Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA] (pro-commonwealth); Puerto Rican Independence
Party or PIP [Ruben BERRIOS Martinez] (pro-independence)
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Boricua Popular Army or EPB (a revolutionary group also known as Los Macheteros); note - the following radical groups are considered dormant by Federal law enforcement: Armed Forces for National Liberation or FALN, Armed Forces of Popular Resistance, Volunteers of the Puerto Rican Revolution
International organization participation:
Caricom (observer), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ITUC, UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCL, WFTU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (territory of the US with commonwealth status)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (territory of the US with commonwealth status)
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 far 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 2004. Growth fell off in 2001-03, largely due to the slowdown in the US economy, recovered in 2004-05, but declined again in 2006-07.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$72.61 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$NA (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
-1.2% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$18,400 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1% industry: 45% services: 54% (2002 est.)
Labor force:
1.3 million (2000)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 3% industry: 20% services: 77% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate:
12% (2002)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $6.7 billion expenditures: $9.6 billion (FY99/00)
Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6.5% (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products:
sugarcane, coffee, pineapples, plantains, bananas; livestock products, chickens
Industries:
pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food products, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
Electricity - production:
23.84 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
22.17 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 99.2% hydro: 0.8% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
1,354 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
215,000 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - exports:
10,610 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
230,700 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
736.2 million cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
736.2 million cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Exports:
$46.9 billion f.o.b. (2001)
Exports - commodities:
chemicals, electronics, apparel, canned tuna, rum, beverage concentrates, medical equipment
Exports - partners:
US 90.3%, UK 1.6%, Netherlands 1.4%, Dominican Republic 1.4% (2006)
Imports:
$29.1 billion c.i.f. (2001)
Imports - commodities:
chemicals, machinery and equipment, clothing, food, fish, petroleum products
Imports - partners:
US 55.0%, Ireland 23.7%, Japan 5.4% (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
Debt - external:
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
US dollar (USD)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
the US dollar is used
Communications
Puerto Rico
Telephones - main lines in use:
1.038 million (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
3.354 million (2005)
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: country code - 1-787, 939; submarine cables provide connectivity to the US, Caribbean, Central and South America; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 74, FM 53, shortwave 0 (2005)
Radios:
2.7 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
32 (2006)
Televisions:
1.021 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.pr
Internet hosts:
404 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
76 (2000)
Internet users:
1 million (2007)
Transportation
Puerto Rico
Airports:
29 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 17 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 5 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 12 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 10 (2007)
Railways:
total: 96 km narrow gauge: 96 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 26,186 km paved: 24,877 km (includes 427 km of expressways) unpaved: 1,309 km (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 3 by type: roll on/roll off 3 foreign-owned: 3 (US 3) registered in other countries: 1 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Guayanilla, Mayaguez, San Juan
Military
Puerto Rico
Military branches:
no regular indigenous military forces; paramilitary National Guard, Police Force
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 30,760 female: 29,469 (2008 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the US
Transnational Issues
Puerto Rico
Disputes - international:
increasing numbers of illegal migrants from the Dominican Republic cross the Mona Passage to Puerto Rico each year looking for work
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@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. His son, the current Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al-Thani, overthrew him in a bloodless coup in 1995. In 2001, Qatar resolved its longstanding border disputes with both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. As of 2007, oil and natural gas revenues had enabled Qatar to attain the highest per capita income in the world.
Geography
Qatar
Location:
Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Middle East
Area:
total: 11,437 sq km land: 11,437 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Connecticut
Land boundaries:
total: 60 km border countries: Saudi Arabia 60 km
Coastline:
563 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: as determined by bilateral agreements or the median line
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: 1.64% permanent crops: 0.27% other: 98.09% (2005)
Irrigated land:
130 sq km (2002)
Total renewable water resources:
0.1 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.29 cu km/yr (24%/3%/72%) per capita: 358 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major petroleum deposits
People
Qatar
Population:
824,789 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 21.8% (male 92,896/female 87,201) 15-64 years: 76.8% (male 451,127/female 182,330) 65 years and over: 1.4% (male 6,545/female 4,690) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 30.7 years male: 32.8 years female: 25.4 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.093% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
15.69 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
2.47 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-2.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 2.47 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.4 male(s)/female total population: 2.01 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 13.09 deaths/1,000 live births male: 13.99 deaths/1,000 live births female: 12.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.19 years male: 73.5 years female: 76.98 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.47 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.09% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Nationality:
noun: Qatari(s) adjective: Qatari
Ethnic groups:
Arab 40%, Indian 18%, Pakistani 18%, Iranian 10%, other 14%
Religions:
Muslim 77.5%, Christian 8.5%, other 14% (2004 census)
Languages:
Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 89% male: 89.1% female: 88.6% (2004 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 13 years male: 13 years female: 14 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
3.3% of GDP (2005)
Government
Qatar
Country name:
conventional long form: State of Qatar conventional short form: Qatar local long form: Dawlat Qatar local short form: Qatar note: closest approximation of the native pronunciation falls between cutter and gutter, but not like guitar
Government type:
emirate
Capital:
name: Doha geographic coordinates: 25 17 N, 51 32 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
10 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ad Dawhah, Al Ghuwayriyah, Al Jumayliyah, Al Khawr, Al Wakrah, Ar Rayyan, Jarayan al Batinah, Madinat ash Shamal, Umm Sa'id, Umm Salal
Independence:
3 September 1971 (from UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 3 September (1971); also observed is National Day, 18 December
Constitution:
ratified by public referendum on 29 April 2003, endorsed by the Amir on 8 June 2004, effective on 9 June 2005
Legal system:
based on Islamic and civil law codes; discretionary system of law controlled by the Amir, although civil codes are being implemented; Islamic law dominates family and personal matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al-Thani (since 27 June 1995 when, as heir apparent, he ousted his father, Amir KHALIFA bin Hamad Al-Thani, in a bloodless coup); Heir Apparent TAMIM bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, fourth son of the monarch (selected Heir Apparent by the monarch on 5 August 2003); note - Amir HAMAD also holds the positions of Minister of Defense and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces head of government: Prime Minister HAMAD bin Jasim bin Jabir Al-Thani (since 3 April 2007); Deputy Prime Minister Abdallah bin Hamad al-ATIYAH (since 3 April 2007) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch elections: the monarch is hereditary note: in April 2007, Qatar held nationwide elections for a 29-member Central Municipal Council (CMC), which has limited consultative powers aimed at improving the provision of municipal services; the first election for the CMC was held in March 1999
Legislative branch:
unicameral Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura (35 seats; members appointed) note: no legislative elections have been held since 1970 when there were partial elections to the body; Council members have had their terms extended every year since the new constitution came into force on 9 June 2005; the constitution provides for a new 45-member Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura; the public would elect two-thirds of the Majlis al-Shura; the Amir would appoint the remaining members; preparations are underway to conduct elections to the Majlis al-Shura
Judicial branch:
Courts of First Instance, Appeal, and Cassation; an Administrative Court and a Constitutional Court were established in 2007; note - all judges are appointed by Amiri Decree based on the recommendation of the Supreme Judiciary Council for renewable three-year terms
Political parties and leaders:
none
Political pressure groups and leaders:
none
International organization participation:
ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM,
IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC,
IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC,
OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ali Fahad al-Shahwany al-HAJRI chancery: 2555 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 274-1600 and 274-1603 FAX: [1] (202) 237-0061 consulate(s) general: Houston
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph E. LEBARON embassy: Al-Luqta District, 22 February Road, Doha mailing address: P. O. Box 2399, Doha telephone: [974] 488 4161 FAX: [974] 488 4150
Flag description:
maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the hoist side
Economy
Qatar
Economy - overview:
Qatar is in the midst of an economic boom supported by its expanding production of natural gas and oil. Economic policy is focused on development of Qatar's nonassociated natural gas reserves and increasing private and foreign investment in non-energy sectors. Oil and gas account for more than 60% of GDP, roughly 85% of export earnings, and 70% of government revenues. Oil and gas have made Qatar the highest per-capita income country and one of the world's fastest growing. Sustained high oil prices and increased natural gas exports in recent years have helped build Qatar's budget and trade surpluses and foreign reserves. Proved oil reserves of more than 15 billion barrels should ensure continued output at current levels for 22 years. Qatar's proved reserves of natural gas are roughly 25 trillion cubic meters, about 15% of the world total and third largest in the world. Qatar has permitted substantial foreign investment in the development of its gas fields during the last decade and became the world's top liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporter in 2007.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$71.42 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$67.76 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
8.4% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$87,600 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 0.1% industry: 77.8% services: 22.1% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
881,000 (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate:
0.7% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Investment (gross fixed):
43.3% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $27.12 billion expenditures: $22.55 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Public debt:
11% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
13.7% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
7.43% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$9.718 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$22.6 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$30.52 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
fruits, vegetables; poultry, dairy products, beef; fish
Industries:
crude oil production and refining, ammonia, fertilizers, petrochemicals, steel reinforcing bars, cement, commercial ship repair
Industrial production growth rate:
8% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
14.41 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
13.19 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
1.125 million bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
108,900 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
1.026 million bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
15.21 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
59.8 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
20.5 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
39.3 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
25.63 trillion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
$10.41 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$42.02 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
liquefied natural gas (LNG), petroleum products, fertilizers, steel
Exports - partners:
Japan 39.9%, South Korea 19.9%, Singapore 9.9%, India 5.1%, Thailand 4.9%, UAE 4% (2007)
Imports:
$19.86 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, food, chemicals
Imports - partners:
US 13.3%, Italy 10.8%, Japan 8.9%, France 7.9%, Germany 7.3%, UK 5.7%, South Korea 5.6%, UAE 5.1%, Saudi Arabia 4.3% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$2.18 million (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$9.752 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$33.09 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$11.18 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$5.625 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$61.56 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
Qatari rial (QAR)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Qatari rials (QAR) per US dollar - 3.64 (2007), 3.64 (2006), 3.64 (2005), 3.64 (2004), 3.64 (2003)
Communications
Qatar
Telephones - main lines in use:
237,400 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.264 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: modern system centered in Doha domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone density is roughly 165 telephones per 100 persons international: country code - 974; landing point for the Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) submarine cable network that provides links to Asia, Middle East, Europe, and the US; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and the 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 3 repeaters) (2001)
Televisions:
230,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.qa
Internet hosts:
563 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)
Internet users:
351,000 (2007)
Transportation
Qatar
Airports:
5 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Heliports:
1 (2007)
Pipelines:
condensate 322 km; condensate/gas 209 km; gas 1,970 km; liquid petroleum gas 87 km; oil 741 km (2007)
Roadways:
total: 7,790 km (2006)
Merchant marine:
total: 22 by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 2, chemical tanker 2, container 8, liquefied gas 4, petroleum tanker 4 foreign-owned: 7 (Kuwait 7) registered in other countries: 5 (Liberia 4, Panama 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Doha, Ra's Laffan
Military
Qatar
Military branches:
Qatari Amiri Land Force (QALF), Qatari Amiri Navy (QAN), Qatari
Amiri Air Force (QAAF) (2007)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 320,383 females age 16-49: 167,475 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 258,159 females age 16-49: 143,999 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 6,224 female: 4,845 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
10% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
Qatar
Disputes - international:
none
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Qatar is a destination country for men and women from South and Southeast Asia who migrate willingly, but are subsequently trafficked into involuntary servitude as domestic workers and laborers, and, to a lesser extent, commercial sexual exploitation; the most common offense was forcing workers to accept worse contract terms than those under which they were recruited; other conditions include bonded labor, withholding of pay, restrictions on movement, arbitrary detention, and physical, mental, and sexual abuse tier rating: Tier 3 - Qatar failed, for the second consecutive year, to enforce criminal laws against traffickers, or to provide an effective mechanism to identify and protect victims; it continues to detain and deport victims rather than providing them protection; the government made little progress to increase prosecutions for trafficking in a meaningful way in 2007; workers complaining of working conditions or non-payment of wages were sometimes penalized (2008)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Romania
Introduction
Romania
Background:
The principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia - for centuries under the suzerainty of the Turkish Ottoman Empire - secured their autonomy in 1856; they united in 1859 and a few years later adopted the new name of Romania. The country gained recognition of its independence in 1878. It joined the Allied Powers in World War I and acquired new territories - most notably Transylvania - following the conflict. In 1940, Romania allied with the Axis powers and participated in the 1941 German invasion of the USSR. Three years later, overrun by the Soviets, Romania signed an armistice. The post-war Soviet occupation led to the formation of a Communist "people's republic" in 1947 and the abdication of the king. The decades-long rule of dictator Nicolae CEAUSESCU, who took power in 1965, 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. Romania joined NATO in 2004 and the EU in 2007.
Geography
Romania
Location:
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and
Ukraine
Geographic coordinates:
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, Serbia 476 km, Ukraine (north) 362 km, Ukraine (east) 169 km
Coastline:
225 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
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: 39.49% permanent crops: 1.92% other: 58.59% (2005)
Irrigated land:
30,770 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
42.3 cu km (2003)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 6.5 cu km/yr (9%/34%/57%) per capita: 299 cu m/yr (2003)
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, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, 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, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
controls most easily traversable land route between the Balkans, Moldova, and Ukraine
People
Romania
Population:
22,246,862 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 15.6% (male 1,778,864/female 1,687,659) 15-64 years: 69.7% (male 7,718,125/female 7,791,102) 65 years and over: 14.7% (male 1,337,915/female 1,933,197) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 37.3 years male: 35.9 years female: 38.7 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
-0.136% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
10.61 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
11.84 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 23.73 deaths/1,000 live births male: 26.81 deaths/1,000 live births female: 20.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.18 years male: 68.69 years female: 75.89 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.38 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
6,500 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
350 (2001 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Romanian(s) adjective: Romanian
Ethnic groups:
Romanian 89.5%, Hungarian 6.6%, Roma 2.5%, Ukrainian 0.3%, German 0.3%, Russian 0.2%, Turkish 0.2%, other 0.4% (2002 census)
Religions:
Eastern Orthodox (including all sub-denominations) 86.8%, Protestant (various denominations including Reformate and Pentecostal) 7.5%, Roman Catholic 4.7%, other (mostly Muslim) and unspecified 0.9%, none 0.1% (2002 census)
Languages:
Romanian 91% (official), Hungarian 6.7%, Romany (Gypsy) 1.1%, other 1.2%
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.3% male: 98.4% female: 96.3% (2002 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 14 years male: 14 years female: 14 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
3.5% of GDP (2005)
Government
Romania
Country name:
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Romania local long form: none local short form: Romania
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Bucharest geographic coordinates: 44 26 N, 26 06 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
41 counties (judete, singular - judet) and 1 municipality* (municipiu); Alba, Arad, Arges, Bacau, Bihor, Bistrita-Nasaud, Botosani, Braila, Brasov, Bucuresti (Bucharest)*, 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 the Ottoman Empire; independence recognized 13 July 1878 by the Treaty of Berlin); 26 March 1881 (kingdom proclaimed); 30 December 1947 (republic proclaimed)
National holiday:
Unification Day (of Romania and Transylvania), 1 December (1918)
Constitution:
8 December 1991; revision effective 29 October 2003
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 Traian BASESCU (since 20 December 2004); note - President Traian BASESCU was suspended by vote of parliament on 19 April 2007, but resumed his duties on 23 May 2007 after a popular referendum confirmed that his impeachment should not stand head of government: Prime Minister Calin Popescu-TARICEANU (since 29 December 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 28 November 2004 with runoff between the top two candidates held 12 December 2004 (next to be held in November-December 2009); prime minister appointed by the president with the consent of the Parliament election results: percent of vote - Traian BASESCU 51.23%, Adrian NASTASE 48.77%
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Senate or Senat (137 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camera Deputatilor (334 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 30 November 2008 (next expected to be held in November 2012); Chamber of Deputies - last held 30 November 2008 (next expected to be held November 2012) election results: Senate - percent of vote by alliance/party - PSD-PC 34.2%, PDL 33.6%, PNL 18.7%, UDMR 6.4%, other 7.1%; seats by alliance/party - PSD-PC 49, PDL 51, PNL 28, UDMR 9; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by alliance/party - PSD-PC 33.1%, PDL 32.4%, PNL 18.6%, UDMR 6.2%, ethnic minorities 3.6%, other 6.1%; seats by alliance/party - PSD-PC 114, PDL 115, PNL 65, UDMR 22, ethnic minorities 18
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Justice (comprised of 11 judges appointed for three-year terms by the president in consultation with the Superior Council of Magistrates, which is comprised of the minister of justice, the prosecutor general, two civil society representatives appointed by the Senate, and 14 judges and prosecutors elected by their peers); a separate body, the Constitutional Court, validates elections and makes decisions regarding the constitutionality of laws, treaties, ordinances, and internal rules of the Parliament; it is comprised of nine members serving nine-year terms, with three members each appointed by the president, the Senate, and the Chamber of Deputies
Political parties and leaders:
Conservative Party or PC [Daniela POPA] (formerly Humanist Party or PUR); Democratic Liberal Party or PDL [Emil BOC]; Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania or UDMR [Bela MARKO]; National Liberal Party or PNL [Calin Popescu-TARICEANU]; Romania Mare Party (Greater Romania Party) or PRM [Corneliu Vadim TUDOR]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Mircea Dan GEOANA] (formerly Party of Social Democracy in Romania or PDSR)
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: various human rights and professional associations
International organization participation:
Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA
(cooperating state), EU (new member), FAO, G-9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer),
MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW,
OSCE, PCA, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina,
UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate
partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Adrian Cosmin VIERITA chancery: 1607 23rd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-4846, 4848, 4851, 4852 FAX: [1] (202) 232-4748 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Nicholas F. TAUBMAN embassy: Strada Tudor Arghezi 7-9, Bucharest mailing address: pouch: American Embassy Bucharest, US Department of State, 5260 Bucharest Place, Washington, DC 20521-5260 (pouch) telephone: [40] (21) 200-3300 FAX: [40] (21) 200-3442
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, which joined the European Union on 1 January 2007, began the transition from Communism in 1989 with a largely obsolete industrial base and a pattern of output unsuited to the country's needs. The country emerged in 2000 from a punishing three-year recession thanks to strong demand in EU export markets. Domestic consumption and investment have fueled strong GDP growth in recent years, but have led to large current account imbalances. Romania's macroeconomic gains have only recently started to spur creation of a middle class and address Romania's widespread poverty. Corruption and red tape continue to handicap its business environment. Inflation rose in 2007 for the first time in eight years, driven in part by the depreciation of the currency, rising energy costs, a nation-wide drought affecting food prices, and a relaxation of fiscal discipline. Romania hopes to adopt the euro by 2014.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$247.1 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$166 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
6% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$11,100 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 7.9% industry: 35.6% services: 56.5% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
9.3 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 29.7% industry: 23.2% services: 47.1% (2006)
Unemployment rate:
4.1% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
25% (2005 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.2% highest 10%: 20.8% (2006)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
31 (2005)
Investment (gross fixed):
28% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $52.13 billion expenditures: $56.01 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
13% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.8% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
13.35% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$25.17 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$34.96 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$58.76 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, sunflower seed, potatoes, grapes; eggs, sheep
Industries:
electric machinery and equipment, textiles and footwear, light machinery and auto assembly, mining, timber, construction materials, metallurgy, chemicals, food processing, petroleum refining
Industrial production growth rate:
10.6% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
58.25 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
48.43 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
3.362 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
1.277 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 62.5% hydro: 27.6% nuclear: 9.9% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
112,400 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
238,200 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
125,200 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
219,000 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
600 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
12.5 billion cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
17.09 billion cu m (2007)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
4.8 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
63 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
-$23.02 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$40.32 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, textiles and footwear, metals and metal products, machinery and equipment, minerals and fuels, chemicals, agricultural products
Exports - partners:
Italy 17.2%, Germany 16.9%, France 7.7%, Turkey 7%, Hungary 5.6%, UK 4.1% (2007)
Imports:
$64.54 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, fuels and minerals, chemicals, textile and products, metals, agricultural products
Imports - partners:
Germany 17.2%, Italy 12.8%, Hungary 6.9%, Russia 6.3%, France 6.2%,
Turkey 5.4%, Austria 4.8% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$914.3 million (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$39.96 billion (31 December 2007)
Debt - external:
$74.54 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$60.82 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$915 million (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$45.42 billion (2007)
Currency (code):
"new" leu (RON) was introduced in 2005; "old" leu (ROL) was phased out in 2006; note - because of currency revaluation, 10,000 ROL = 1 RON
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
lei (RON) per US dollar - 2.43 (2007), 2.809 (2006), 3 (2005), 3 (2004), 3 (2003)
Communications
Romania
Telephones - main lines in use:
4.3 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
22.875 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: domestic and international service improving rapidly, especially in wireless telephony domestic: more than 90 percent of telephone network is automatic; liberalization in 2003 is transforming telecommunications; fixed-line teledensity is roughly 20 telephones per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity now slightly exceeds 100 telephones per 100 persons international: country code - 40; the Black Sea Fiber Optic System provides connectivity to Bulgaria and Turkey; satellite earth stations - 10; digital, international, direct-dial exchanges operate in Bucharest (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
698 (frequency type NA) (2006)
Radios:
7.2 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
623 (plus 200 repeaters) (2006)
Televisions:
5.25 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.ro
Internet hosts:
2.195 million (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
38 (2000)
Internet users:
12 million (2007)
Transportation
Romania
Airports:
61 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 25 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 36 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 22 (2007)
Heliports:
2 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 3,674 km; oil 2,424 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 11,385 km broad gauge: 60 km 1.524-m gauge standard gauge: 10,898 km 1.435-m gauge (3,888 km electrified) narrow gauge: 427 km 0.760-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 198,817 km paved: 60,043 km (includes 228 km of expressways) unpaved: 138,774 km (2004)
Waterways:
1,731 km note: includes 1,075 km on Danube River, 524 km on secondary branches, and 132 km on canals (2006)
Merchant marine:
total: 17 by type: cargo 11, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 1 registered in other countries: 49 (Cambodia 1, Georgia 16, North Korea 4, Liberia 2, Malta 8, Marshall Islands 1, Moldova 3, Panama 7, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Sierra Leone 3, Syria 2) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Braila, Constanta, Galati, Tulcea
Military
Romania
Military branches:
Land Forces, Naval Forces, Romanian Air Force (Fortele Aeriene
Romane, FAR), Special Operations (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription officially ended October 2006; all military inductees (including women) contract for an initial 5-year term of service; subsequent voluntary service contracts are for successive 3-year terms until the age of 36 (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 5,682,299 females age 16-49: 5,557,098 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 4,572,017 females age 16-49: 4,644,474 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 127,706 female: 121,852 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.9% of GDP (2007 est.)
Transnational Issues
Romania
Disputes - international:
the ICJ gave Ukraine until December 2006 to reply, and Romania until June 2007 to issue a rejoinder, in their dispute submitted in 2004 over Ukrainian-administered Zmiyinyy/Serpilor (Snake) Island and Black Sea maritime boundary delimitation; Romania also opposes Ukraine's reopening of a navigation canal from the Danube border through Ukraine to the Black Sea
Illicit drugs:
major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin transiting the Balkan route and small amounts of Latin American cocaine bound for Western Europe; although not a significant financial center, role as a narcotics conduit leaves it vulnerable to laundering, which occurs via the banking system, currency exchange houses, and casinos
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Russia
Introduction
Russia
Background:
Founded in the 12th century, the Principality of Muscovy, was able to emerge from over 200 years of Mongol domination (13th-15th centuries) and to gradually conquer and absorb surrounding principalities. In the early 17th century, a new Romanov Dynasty continued this policy of expansion across Siberia to the Pacific. Under PETER I (ruled 1682-1725), hegemony was extended to the Baltic Sea and the country was renamed the Russian Empire. During the 19th century, more territorial acquisitions were made in Europe and Asia. Defeat in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05 contributed to the Revolution of 1905, which resulted in the formation of a parliament and other reforms. Repeated devastating defeats of the Russian army in World War I led to widespread rioting in the major cities of the Russian Empire and to the overthrow in 1917 of the imperial household. The Communists under Vladimir LENIN seized power soon after and formed the USSR. The brutal rule of Iosif STALIN (1928-53) strengthened Communist rule and 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 Russia and 14 other independent republics. Since then, Russia has shifted its post-Soviet democratic ambitions in favor of a centralized semi-authoritarian state whose legitimacy is buttressed, in part, by carefully managed national elections, former President PUTIN's genuine popularity, and the prudent management of Russia's windfall energy wealth. Russia has severely disabled a Chechen rebel movement, although violence still occurs throughout the North Caucasus.
Geography
Russia
Location:
Northern Asia (the area west of the Urals is considered part of
Europe), bordering the Arctic Ocean, between Europe and the North
Pacific Ocean
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Asia
Area:
total: 17,075,200 sq km land: 16,995,800 sq km water: 79,400 sq km
Area - comparative:
approximately 1.8 times the size of the US
Land boundaries:
total: 20,241.5 km border countries: Azerbaijan 284 km, Belarus 959 km, China (southeast) 3,605 km, China (south) 40 km, Estonia 290 km, Finland 1,313 km, Georgia 723 km, Kazakhstan 6,846 km, North Korea 17.5 km, Latvia 292 km, Lithuania (Kaliningrad Oblast) 227 km, Mongolia 3,441 km, Norway 196 km, Poland (Kaliningrad Oblast) 432 km, Ukraine 1,576 km
Coastline:
37,653 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
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: 7.17% permanent crops: 0.11% other: 92.72% (2005)
Irrigated land:
46,000 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
4,498 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 76.68 cu km/yr (19%/63%/18%) per capita: 535 cu m/yr (2000)
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; spring floods and summer/autumn forest fires throughout Siberia and parts of European Russia
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; urban solid waste management; abandoned stocks of obsolete pesticides
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulfur 94
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 El'brus is Europe's tallest peak
People
Russia
Population:
140,702,096 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 14.6% (male 10,577,858/female 10,033,254) 15-64 years: 71.2% (male 48,187,807/female 52,045,102) 65 years and over: 14.1% (male 6,162,400/female 13,695,673) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 38.3 years male: 35.1 years female: 41.4 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
-0.474% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
11.03 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
16.06 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
0.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.45 male(s)/female total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 10.81 deaths/1,000 live births male: 12.34 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 65.94 years male: 59.19 years female: 73.1 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.4 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
860,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
9,000 (2001 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A vectorborne disease: Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever and tickborne encephalitis note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Russian(s) adjective: Russian
Ethnic groups:
Russian 79.8%, Tatar 3.8%, Ukrainian 2%, Bashkir 1.2%, Chuvash 1.1%, other or unspecified 12.1% (2002 census)
Religions:
Russian Orthodox 15-20%, Muslim 10-15%, other Christian 2% (2006 est.) note: estimates are of practicing worshipers; Russia has large populations of non-practicing believers and non-believers, a legacy of over seven decades of Soviet rule
Languages:
Russian, many minority languages
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.4% male: 99.7% female: 99.2% (2002 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 14 years male: 13 years female: 14 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
3.8% of GDP (2005)
Government
Russia
Country name:
conventional long form: Russian Federation conventional short form: Russia local long form: Rossiyskaya Federatsiya local short form: Rossiya former: Russian Empire, Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic
Government type:
federation
Capital:
name: Moscow geographic coordinates: 55 45 N, 37 35 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October note: Russia is divided into 11 time zones
Administrative divisions:
46 oblasts (oblastey, singular - oblast), 21 republics (respublik, singular - respublika), 4 autonomous okrugs (avtonomnykh okrugov, singular - avtonomnyy okrug), 9 krays (krayev, singular - kray), 2 federal cities (goroda, singular - gorod), and 1 autonomous oblast (avtonomnaya oblast') oblasts: Amur (Blagoveshchensk), Arkhangel'sk, Astrakhan', Belgorod, Bryansk, Chelyabinsk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Kaliningrad, Kaluga, Kemerovo, Kirov, Kostroma, Kurgan, Kursk, Leningrad, Lipetsk, Magadan, Moscow, Murmansk, Nizhniy Novgorod, Novgorod, Novosibirsk, Omsk, Orenburg, Orel, Penza, Pskov, Rostov, Ryazan', Sakhalin (Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk), Samara, Saratov, Smolensk, Sverdlovsk (Yekaterinburg), Tambov, Tomsk, Tula, Tver', Tyumen', Ul'yanovsk, Vladimir, Volgograd, Vologda, Voronezh, Yaroslavl' republics: Adygeya (Maykop), Altay (Gorno-Altaysk), Bashkortostan (Ufa), Buryatiya (Ulan-Ude), Chechnya (Groznyy), Chuvashiya (Cheboksary), Dagestan (Makhachkala), Ingushetiya (Magas), Kabardino-Balkariya (Nal'chik), Kalmykiya (Elista), Karachayevo-Cherkesiya (Cherkessk), Kareliya (Petrozavodsk), Khakasiya (Abakan), Komi (Syktyvkar), Mariy-El (Yoshkar-Ola), Mordoviya (Saransk), North Ossetia (Vladikavkaz), Sakha [Yakutiya] (Yakutsk), Tatarstan (Kazan'), Tyva (Kyzyl), Udmurtiya (Izhevsk) autonomous okrugs: Chukotka (Anadyr'), Khanty-Mansi (Khanty-Mansiysk), Nenets (Nar'yan-Mar), Yamalo-Nenets (Salekhard) krays: Altay (Barnaul), Kamchatka (Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy), Khabarovsk, Krasnodar, Krasnoyarsk, Perm', Primorskiy (Vladivostok), Stavropol', Zabaykal'skiy (Chita) federal cities: Moscow (Moskva), Saint Petersburg (Sankt-Peterburg) autonomous oblast: Yevrey [Jewish] (Birobidzhan) 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; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Dmitriy Anatolyevich MEDVEDEV (since 7 May 2008) head of government: Premier Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN (since 8 May 2008); First Deputy Premiers Igor Ivanovich SHUVALOV and Viktor Alekseyevich ZUBKOV (since 12 May 2008); Deputy Premiers Sergey Borisovich IVANOV (since 12 May 2008), Dmitriy Nikolayevich KOZAK (since 14 October 2008), Aleksey Leonidovich KUDRIN (since 24 September 2007), Igor Ivanovich SECHIN (since 12 May 2008), Sergey Semenovich SOBYANIN (since 12 May 2008), Aleksandr Dmitriyevich ZHUKOV (since 9 March 2004), and Dmitry Nikolayevich KOZAK (since 14 October 2008) cabinet: Ministries of the Government or "Government" composed of the premier and his deputies, ministers, and selected other individuals; 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 elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 2 March 2008 (next to be held in March 2012); note - no vice president; if the president dies in office, cannot exercise his powers because of ill health, is impeached, or resigns, 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 election results: Dmitriy MEDVEDEV elected president; percent of vote - Dmitry MEDVEDEV 70.2%, Gennady ZYUGANOV 17.7%, Vladimir ZHIRINOVSKY 9.4%, Andrey BOGDONOV 1.3%
Legislative branch:
bicameral Federal Assembly or Federalnoye Sobraniye consists of an upper house, the Federation Council or Sovet Federatsii (168 seats; as of July 2000, members appointed by the top executive and legislative officials in each of the 84 federal administrative units - oblasts, krays, republics, autonomous okrugs and oblasts, and the federal cities of Moscow and Saint Petersburg; to serve four-year terms) and a lower house, the State Duma or Gosudarstvennaya Duma (450 seats; as of 2007, all members elected by proportional representation from party lists winning at least 7% of the vote; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: State Duma - last held 2 December 2007 (next to be held in December 2011) election results: State Duma - United Russia 64.3%, CPRF 11.5%, LDPR 8.1%, Just Russia 7.7%, other 8.4%; total seats by party - United Russia 315, CPRF 57, LDPR 40, Just Russia 38
Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court; Supreme Court; Supreme Arbitration Court; judges for all courts are appointed for life by the Federation Council on the recommendation of the president
Political parties and leaders:
Communist Party of the Russian Federation or CPRF [Gennadiy
Andreyevich ZYUGANOV]; Just Russia [Sergey MIRONOV]; Liberal
Democratic Party of Russia or LDPR [Vladimir Volfovich
ZHIRINOVSKIY]; Patriots of Russia [Gennadiy SEMIGIN]; People's Union
[Sergey BABURIN]; Right Cause [Leonid Yakovlevich GOZMAN, Boris
Yuriyevich TITOV, and Georgiy Georgiyevich BOVT] (registration
pending; formed from merger of Union of Right Forces, Democratic
Party of Russia, and Civic Force); United Russia [Vladimir
Vladimirovich PUTIN]; Yabloko Party [Sergey Sergeyevich MITROKHIN]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Levada Center (conducts polls); Memorial (human rights group; Movement Against Illegal Migration; Pamjat (preservation of historical monuments and recording of history); Russian Orthodox Church; Russian-Chechen Friendship Society other: ecology groups; human rights groups; nationalist pragmatists (no foreign influence over Central Eurasia); neo-Eurasianists (against Western influence for the area); religious groups; westernizers (lean towards the West)
International organization participation:
APEC, Arctic Council, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIS, BSEC,
CBSS, CE, CERN (observer), CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, G-8, GCTU,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO,
ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest), NSG,
OAS (observer), OIC (observer), OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP,
SCO, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR,
UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer), ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Yuriy Viktorovich USHAKOV chancery: 2650 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 298-5700, 5701, 5704, 5708 FAX: [1] (202) 298-5735 consulate(s) general: Houston, New York, San Francisco, Seattle
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador John R. BEYRLE embassy: Bolshoy Deviatinskiy Pereulok No. 8, 121099 Moscow mailing address: PSC-77, APO AE 09721 telephone: [7] (495) 728-5000 FAX: [7] (495) 728-5090 consulate(s) general: Saint Petersburg, Vladivostok, Yekaterinburg
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red
Economy
Russia
Economy - overview:
Russia ended 2007 with its ninth straight year of growth, averaging 7% annually since the financial crisis of 1998. Although high oil prices and a relatively cheap ruble initially drove this growth, since 2003 consumer demand and, more recently, investment have played a significant role. Over the last six years, fixed capital investments have averaged real gains greater than 10% per year and personal incomes have achieved real gains more than 12% per year. During this time, poverty has declined steadily and the middle class has continued to expand. Russia has also improved its international financial position since the 1998 financial crisis. The federal budget has run surpluses since 2001 and ended 2007 with a surplus of about 3% of GDP. Over the past several years, Russia has used its stabilization fund based on oil taxes to prepay all Soviet-era sovereign debt to Paris Club creditors and the IMF. Foreign debt is approximately one-third of GDP. The state component of foreign debt has declined, but commercial debt to foreigners has risen strongly. Oil export earnings have allowed Russia to increase its foreign reserves from $12 billion in 1999 to some $470 billion at yearend 2007, the third largest reserves in the world. During President PUTIN's first administration, a number of important reforms were implemented in the areas of tax, banking, labor, and land codes. These achievements have raised business and investor confidence in Russia's economic prospects, with foreign direct investment rising from $14.6 billion in 2005 to approximately $45 billion in 2007. In 2007, Russia's GDP grew 8.1%, led by non-tradable services and goods for the domestic market, as opposed to oil or mineral extraction and exports. Rising inflation returned in the second half of 2007, driven largely by unsterilized capital inflows and by rising food costs, and approached 12% by year-end. In 2006, Russia signed a bilateral market access agreement with the US as a prelude to possible WTO entry, and its companies are involved in global merger and acquisition activity in the oil and gas, metals, and telecom sectors. Despite Russia's recent success, serious problems persist. Oil, natural gas, metals, and timber account for more than 80% of exports and 30% of government revenues, leaving the country vulnerable to swings in world commodity prices. Russia's manufacturing base is dilapidated and must be replaced or modernized if the country is to achieve broad-based economic growth. The banking system, while increasing consumer lending and growing at a high rate, is still small relative to the banking sectors of Russia's emerging market peers. Political uncertainties associated with this year's power transition, corruption, and lack of trust in institutions continue to dampen domestic and foreign investor sentiment. PUTIN has granted more influence to forces within his government that desire to reassert state control over the economy. Russia has made little progress in building the rule of law, the bedrock of a modern market economy. The government has promised additional legislative amendments to make its intellectual property protection WTO-consistent, but enforcement remains problematic.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$2.097 trillion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.29 trillion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
8.1% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$14,800 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 4.7% industry: 39.1% services: 56.2% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
75.1 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 10.8% industry: 28.8% services: 60.5% (November 2007 est.)
Unemployment rate:
6.2% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
15.8% (November 2007)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.9% highest 10%: 30.4% (September 2007)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
41.3 (September 2007)
Investment (gross fixed):
21% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $299 billion expenditures: $262 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
5.9% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
9% annual average note: 12% at year-end (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
10% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
10.03% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$303.7 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$292.5 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$339.1 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, vegetables, fruits; beef, milk
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; defense industries including radar, missile production, and advanced electronic components, 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:
7.4% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
964.2 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
819.6 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
15.81 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
5.67 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 66.3% hydro: 17.2% nuclear: 16.4% other: 0.1% (2003)
Oil - production:
9.876 million bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
2.858 million bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - exports:
5.08 million bbl/day (2007)
Oil - imports:
73,140 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
60 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
656.2 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
610 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
237.2 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
58.3 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
47.57 trillion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
$78.31 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$355.5 billion (2007 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:
Netherlands 12.2%, Italy 7.8%, Germany 7.5%, Turkey 5.2%, Belarus 5%, Ukraine 4.7%, China 4.5% (2007)
Imports:
$223.4 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, consumer goods, medicines, meat, sugar, semifinished metal products
Imports - partners:
Germany 13.3%, China 12.2%, Ukraine 6.7%, Japan 6.4%, US 4.8%,
Belarus 4.4%, South Korea 4.4%, Italy 4.3% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$982.7 million in FY06 from US, including $847 million in non-proliferation subsidies
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$476.4 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$356.5 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$271.6 billion (2006)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$209.6 billion (2006)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$1.322 trillion (2006)
Currency (code):
Russian ruble (RUB)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Russian rubles (RUB) per US dollar - 25.659 (2007), 27.19 (2006), 28.284 (2005), 28.814 (2004), 30.692 (2003)
Communications
Russia
Telephones - main lines in use:
43.9 million (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
170 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: the telephone system is experiencing significant changes; 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; the estimated number of mobile subscribers jumped from fewer than 1 million in 1998 to 170 million in 2007; a large demand for main line service remains unsatisfied, but fixed-line operators continue to grow their services 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: country code - 7; Russia is connected internationally by 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 323, FM 1,500 est., shortwave 62 (2004)
Radios:
61.5 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
7,306 (1998)
Televisions:
60.5 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.ru; note - Russia also has responsibility for a legacy domain ".su" that was allocated to the Soviet Union and is being phased out
Internet hosts:
4.822 million (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
300 (June 2000)
Internet users:
30 million (2007)
Transportation
Russia
Airports:
1,260 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 601 over 3,047 m: 51 2,438 to 3,047 m: 197 1,524 to 2,437 m: 129 914 to 1,523 m: 102 under 914 m: 122 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 659 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 13 1,524 to 2,437 m: 69 914 to 1,523 m: 89 under 914 m: 484 (2007)
Heliports:
47 (2007)
Pipelines:
condensate 122 km; gas 158,699 km; oil 72,347 km; refined products 13,658 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 87,157 km broad gauge: 86,200 km 1.520-m gauge (40,300 km electrified) narrow gauge: 957 km 1.067-m gauge (on Sakhalin Island) note: an additional 30,000 km of non-common carrier lines serve industries (2006)
Roadways:
total: 933,000 km paved: 754,984 km (includes 30,000 km of expressways) unpaved: 178,016 km note: includes public, local, and departmental roads (2006)
Waterways:
102,000 km (including 33,000 km with guaranteed depth) note: 72,000 km system in European Russia links Baltic Sea, White Sea, Caspian Sea, Sea of Azov, and Black Sea (2006)
Merchant marine:
total: 1,074 by type: bulk carrier 25, cargo 663, carrier 2, chemical tanker 27, combination ore/oil 34, container 11, passenger 14, passenger/cargo 7, petroleum tanker 217, refrigerated cargo 59, roll on/roll off 10, specialized tanker 5 foreign-owned: 112 (Belgium 4, Cyprus 2, Germany 1, Greece 1, Italy 4, South Korea 1, Latvia 2, Norway 2, Switzerland 3, Turkey 80, Ukraine 11, US 1) registered in other countries: 486 (Antigua and Barbuda 4, Bahamas 4, Belize 31, Bulgaria 1, Cambodia 83, Comoros 12, Cyprus 50, Dominica 3, Georgia 12, Hong Kong 2, Jamaica 3, Liberia 94, Malaysia 2, Malta 58, Marshall Islands 9, Moldova 3, Mongolia 9, Panama 18, Saint Kitts and Nevis 19, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 21, Sierra Leone 11, Slovakia 1, Tuvalu 2, Ukraine 1, Vanuatu 2, unknown 31) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Azov, Kaliningrad, Kavkaz, Nakhodka, Novorossiysk, Primorsk, Saint
Petersburg, Vostochnyy
Military
Russia
Military branches:
Ground Forces (SV), Navy (VMF), Air Forces (Voyenno-Vozdushniye Sily, VVS); Airborne Troops (VDV), Strategic Rocket Troops (Raketnyye Voyska Strategicheskogo Naznacheniya, RVSN), and Space Troops (KV) are independent "combat arms," not subordinate to any of the three branches; Russian Ground Forces include the following combat arms: motorized-rifle troops, tank troops, missile and artillery troops, air defense of ground troops (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18-27 years of age for compulsory or voluntary military service; males are registered for the draft at 17 years of age; service obligation - 1 year; reserve obligation to age 50; as of July 2008, a draft military strategy called for the draft to continue up to the year 2030 (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 36,219,908 females age 16-49: 37,019,853 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 21,488,878 females age 16-49: 28,760,976 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 821,103 female: 781,570 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
3.9% of GDP (2005)
Transnational Issues
Russia
Disputes - international:
China and Russia have demarcated the once disputed islands at the Amur and Ussuri confluence and in the Argun River in accordance with the 2004 Agreement, ending their centuries-long border disputes; the sovereignty dispute over the islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan, and the Habomai group, known in Japan as the "Northern Territories" and in Russia as the "Southern Kurils," occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945, now administered by Russia, and claimed by Japan, remains the primary sticking point to signing a peace treaty formally ending World War II hostilities; Russia and Georgia agree on delimiting all but small, strategic segments of the land boundary and the maritime boundary; OSCE observers monitor volatile areas such as the Pankisi Gorge in the Akhmeti region and the Kodori Gorge in Abkhazia; Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia signed equidistance boundaries in the Caspian seabed but the littoral states have no consensus on dividing the water column; 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; various groups in Finland advocate restoration of Karelia (Kareliya) and other areas ceded to the Soviet Union following the Second World War but the Finnish Government asserts no territorial demands; in May 2005, Russia recalled its signatures to the 1996 border agreements with Estonia (1996) and Latvia (1997), when the two Baltic states announced issuance of unilateral declarations referencing Soviet occupation and ensuing territorial losses; Russia demands better treatment of ethnic Russians in Estonia and Latvia; Estonian citizen groups continue to press for realignment of the boundary based on the 1920 Tartu Peace Treaty that would bring the now divided ethnic Setu people and parts of the Narva region within Estonia; Lithuania and Russia committed to demarcating their boundary in 2006 in accordance with the land and maritime treaty ratified by Russia in May 2003 and by Lithuania in 1999; Lithuania operates a simplified transit regime for Russian nationals traveling from the Kaliningrad coastal exclave into Russia, while still conforming, as an EU member state with an EU external border, where strict Schengen border rules apply; preparations for the demarcation delimitation of land boundary with Ukraine have commenced; the dispute over the boundary between Russia and Ukraine through the Kerch Strait and Sea of Azov remains unresolved despite a December 2003 framework agreement and on-going expert-level discussions; Kazakhstan and Russia boundary delimitation was ratified on November 2005 and field demarcation should commence in 2007; Russian Duma has not yet ratified 1990 Bering Sea Maritime Boundary Agreement with the US
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 18,000-160,000 (displacement from Chechnya and North Ossetia) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Russia is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for various purposes; it remains a significant source of women trafficked to over 50 countries for commercial sexual exploitation; Russia is also a transit and destination country for men and women trafficked from Central Asia, Eastern Europe, and North Korea to Central and Western Europe and the Middle East for purposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation; internal trafficking remains a problem in Russia with women trafficked from rural areas to urban centers for commercial sexual exploitation, and men trafficked internally and from Central Asia for forced labor in the construction and agricultural industries; debt bondage is common among trafficking victims, and child sex tourism remains a concern tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Russia is on the Tier 2 Watch List for a fifth consecutive year for its failure to show evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking over the previous year, particularly in providing assistance to victims of trafficking; comprehensive trafficking victim assistance legislation, which would address key deficiencies, has been pending before the Duma since 2003 and was neither passed nor enacted in 2007 (2008)
Illicit drugs:
limited cultivation of illicit cannabis and opium poppy and producer of methamphetamine, mostly for domestic consumption; government has active illicit crop eradication program; used as transshipment point for Asian opiates, cannabis, and Latin American cocaine bound for growing domestic markets, to a lesser extent Western and Central Europe, and occasionally to the US; major source of heroin precursor chemicals; corruption and organized crime are key concerns; major consumer of opiates
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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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 (RPF), 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, but several thousand remained in the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC; the former Zaire) and formed an extremist insurgency bent on retaking Rwanda, much as the RPF tried in 1990. Despite substantial international assistance and political reforms - including Rwanda's first local elections in March 1999 and its first post-genocide presidential and legislative elections in August and September 2003 - the country continues to struggle to boost investment and agricultural output, and ethnic reconciliation is complicated by the real and perceived Tutsi political dominance. Kigali's increasing centralization and intolerance of dissent, the nagging Hutu extremist insurgency across the border, and Rwandan involvement in two wars in recent years in the neighboring DRC continue to hinder Rwanda's efforts to escape its bloody legacy.
Geography
Rwanda
Location:
Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 26,338 sq km land: 24,948 sq km water: 1,390 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: 45.56% permanent crops: 10.25% other: 44.19% (2005)
Irrigated land:
90 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
5.2 cu km (2003)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.15 cu km/yr (24%/8%/68%) per capita: 17 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands 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:
10,186,063 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 41.9% (male 2,143,479/female 2,124,588) 15-64 years: 55.7% (male 2,826,557/female 2,842,020) 65 years and over: 2.4% (male 99,721/female 149,698) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 18.7 years male: 18.5 years female: 18.9 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.779% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
39.97 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
14.46 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
2.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.67 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 83.42 deaths/1,000 live births male: 88.53 deaths/1,000 live births female: 78.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 49.76 years male: 48.56 years female: 51 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.31 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
5.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
250,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
22,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Rwandan(s) adjective: Rwandan
Ethnic groups:
Hutu (Bantu) 84%, Tutsi (Hamitic) 15%, Twa (Pygmy) 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: 70.4% male: 76.3% female: 64.7% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 9 years male: 8 years female: 9 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
3.8% of GDP (2005)
People - note:
Rwanda is the most densely populated country in Africa
Government
Rwanda
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Rwanda conventional short form: Rwanda local long form: Republika y'u Rwanda local short form: Rwanda former: Ruanda, German East Africa
Government type:
republic; presidential, multiparty system
Capital:
name: Kigali geographic coordinates: 1 57 S, 30 04 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
4 provinces (in French - provinces, singular - province; in Kinyarwanda - intara for singular and plural) and 1 city* (in French - ville; in Kinyarwanda - umujyi); Est (Eastern), Kigali*, Nord (Northern), Ouest (Western), Sud (Southern)
Independence:
1 July 1962 (from Belgium-administered UN trusteeship)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 1 July (1962)
Constitution:
new constitution passed by referendum 26 May 2003
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
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Paul KAGAME (since 22 April 2000) head of government: Prime Minister Bernard MAKUZA (since 8 March 2000) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: President elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (eligible for a second term); elections last held 25 August 2003 (next to be held in 2010) election results: Paul KAGAME elected president in first direct popular vote; Paul KAGAME 95.05%, Faustin TWAGIRAMUNGU 3.62%, Jean-Nepomuscene NAYINZIRA 1.33%
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of Senate (26 seats; 12 members elected by local councils, 8 appointed by the president, 4 by the Political Organizations Forum, 2 represent institutions of higher learning; to serve eight-year terms) and Chamber of Deputies (80 seats; 53 members elected by popular vote, 24 women elected by local bodies, 3 selected by youth and disability organizations; to serve five-year terms) elections: Senate - members appointed as part of the transitional government (next to be held in 2011); Chamber of Deputies - last held 15 September 2008 (next to be held September 2013) election results: percent of vote by party - RPF 78.8%, PSD 13.1%, PL 7.5%; seats by party - RPF 42, PSD 7, PL 4, additional 27 members indirectly elected
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; High Courts of the Republic; Provincial Courts;
District Courts; mediation committees
Political parties and leaders:
Centrist Democratic Party or PDC [Alfred MUKEZAMFURA]; Democratic
Popular Union of Rwanda or UDPR [Adrien RANGIRA]; Democratic
Republican Movement or MDR [Celestin KABANDA] (officially banned);
Islamic Democratic Party or PDI [Andre BUMAYA]; Liberal Party or PL
[Protais MITALI]; Party for Democratic Renewal (officially banned);
Rwandan Patriotic Front or RPF [Paul KAGAME]; Social Democratic
Party or PSD [Vincent BIRUTA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
IBUKA (association of genocide survivors)
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, COMESA, EAC, EADB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO
(correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, NAM, OIF, OPCW,
UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador James KOMONYO chancery: 1714 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 232-2882 FAX: [1] (202) 232-4544
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador W. Stuart SYMINGTON embassy: 2657 Avenue de la Gendarmerie, Kigali mailing address: B. P. 28, Kigali telephone: [250] 596-400 FAX: [250] 596-591
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 poor rural country with about 90% of the population engaged in (mainly subsistence) agriculture. It is the most densely populated country in Africa and is landlocked with few natural resources and minimal industry. Primary foreign exchange earners 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 substantial progress in stabilizing and rehabilitating its economy to pre-1994 levels, although poverty levels are higher now. GDP has rebounded and inflation has been curbed. Despite Rwanda's fertile ecosystem, food production often does not keep pace with population growth, requiring food imports. Rwanda continues to receive substantial aid money and obtained IMF-World Bank Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) initiative debt relief in 2005-06. Rwanda also received Millennium Challenge Account Threshold status in 2006. The government has embraced an expansionary fiscal policy to reduce poverty by improving education, infrastructure, and foreign and domestic investment and pursuing market-oriented reforms, although energy shortages, instability in neighboring states, and lack of adequate transportation linkages to other countries continue to handicap growth.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$8.057 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$3.32 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
6% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$800 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 36.9% industry: 21.7% services: 41.4% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
4.6 million (2000)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 90% industry and services: 10% (2000)
Unemployment rate:
Population below poverty line:
60% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.1% highest 10%: 38.2% (2000)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
46.8 (2000)
Investment (gross fixed):
22% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $801.8 million expenditures: $878.3 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
9.1% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
12.5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
15.84% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$233.6 million (31 December 2005)
Stock of quasi money:
$227.4 million (31 December 2005)
Stock of domestic credit:
$209.2 million (31 December 2005)
Agriculture - products:
coffee, tea, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums), bananas, beans, sorghum, potatoes; livestock
Industries:
cement, agricultural products, small-scale beverages, soap, furniture, shoes, plastic goods, textiles, cigarettes
Industrial production growth rate:
13.1% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
134 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
234.6 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
10 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
130 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 2.3% hydro: 97.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
5,320 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
5,597 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
56.63 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
-$147 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$184 million f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
coffee, tea, hides, tin ore
Exports - partners:
China 8.9%, Germany 6.8%, US 4.9%, Hong Kong 4.8% (2007)
Imports:
$637 million f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, steel, petroleum products, cement and construction material
Imports - partners:
Kenya 19.6%, Uganda 6.9%, Germany 6.2%, Belgium 5.9%, China 5% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$576 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$552.8 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$1.4 billion (2004 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
Rwandan franc (RWF)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Rwandan francs (RWF) per US dollar - 585 (2007), 560 (2006), 610 (2005), 574.62 (2004), 537.66 (2003)
Communications
Rwanda
Telephones - main lines in use:
23,100 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
635,100 (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: small, inadequate telephone system primarily serves business and government domestic: the capital, Kigali, is connected to the centers of the provinces by microwave radio relay and, recently, by cellular telephone service; much of the network depends on wire and HF radiotelephone; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone density is only about 7 telephones per 100 persons international: country code - 250; 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 8 (two main FM programs are broadcast through a system of repeaters, three international FM programs include the BBC, VOA, and Deutchewelle), shortwave 1 (2005)
Radios:
601,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
2 (2004)
Televisions:
NA; probably less than 1,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.rw
Internet hosts:
2,363 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2002)
Internet users:
100,000 (2007)
Transportation
Rwanda
Airports:
9 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 3 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 14,008 km paved: 2,662 km unpaved: 11,346 km (2004)
Waterways:
Lac Kivu navigable by shallow-draft barges and native craft (2006)
Ports and terminals:
Cyangugu, Gisenyi, Kibuye
Military
Rwanda
Military branches:
Rwandan Defense Forces: Army, Air Force
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,430,469 females age 16-49: 2,392,933 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,404,066 females age 16-49: 1,403,700 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 111,791 female: 112,131 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
2.9% of GDP (2006 est.)
Transnational Issues
Rwanda
Disputes - international:
fighting among ethnic groups - loosely associated political rebels, armed gangs, and various government forces in Great Lakes region transcending the boundaries of Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda - abated substantially from a decade ago due largely to UN peacekeeping, international mediation, and efforts by local governments to create civil societies; nonetheless, 57,000 Rwandan refugees still reside in 21 African states, including Zambia, Gabon, and 20,000 who fled to Burundi in 2005 and 2006 to escape drought and recriminations from traditional courts investigating the 1994 massacres; the 2005 DROC and Rwanda border verification mechanism to stem rebel actions on both sides of the border remains in place
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 46,272 (Democratic Republic of the Congo); 4,400 (Burundi) (2007)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Saint Barthelemy
Introduction
Saint Barthelemy
Background:
Discovered in 1493 by Christopher COLUMBUS who named it for his brother Bartolomeo, St. Barthelemy was first settled by the French in 1648. In 1784, the French sold the island to Sweden, who renamed the largest town Gustavia, after the Swedish King GUSTAV III, and made it a free port; the island prospered as a trade and supply center during the colonial wars of the 18th century. France repurchased the island in 1878 and placed it under the administration of Guadeloupe. St. Barthelemy retained its free port status along with various Swedish appelations such as Swedish street and town names, and the three-crown symbol on the coat of arms. In 2003, the populace of the island voted to secede from Guadeloupe and in 2007, the island became a French overseas collectivity.
Geography
Saint Barthelemy
Location:
located approximately 125 miles northwest of Guadeloupe
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
21 sq km
Area - comparative:
less than an eighth of the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Climate:
tropical, with practically no variation in temperature; has two seasons (dry and humid)
Terrain:
hilly, almost completely surrounded by shallow-water reefs, with 20 beaches
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Ocean 0 m highest point: Morne du Vitet 286 m
Natural resources:
has few natural resouces, its beaches being the most important
Environment - current issues:
with no natural rivers or streams, fresh water is in short supply, especially in summer, and provided by desalinization of sea water, collection of rain water, or imported via water tanker
People
Saint Barthelemy
Population:
7,492 (July 2008 est.)
Ethnic groups:
white, Creole (mulatto), black, Guadeloupe Mestizo (French-East Asia)
Religions:
Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jehovah's Witness
Languages:
French (primary), English
Government
Saint Barthelemy
Country name:
conventional long form: Overseas Collectivity of Saint Barthelemy conventional short form: Saint Barthelemy local long form: Collectivite d'outre mer de Saint-Barthelemy local short form: Saint-Barthelemy
Dependency status:
overseas collectivity of France
Capital:
name: Gustavia geographic coordinates: 17 53 N, 62 51 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Independence:
none (overseas collectivity of France)
National holiday:
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789); note - local holiday is St. Barthelemy
Day, 24 August
Constitution:
4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system:
the laws of France, where applicable, apply
Suffrage:
18 years of age, universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007), represented by Prefect Dominique LACROIX (since 21 March 2007) head of government: President of the Territorial Council Bruno MAGRAS (since 16 July 2007) cabinet: Executive Council; note - there is also an advisory, economic, social, and cultural council 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; president of the Territorial Council is elected by the members of the Council for a five-year term election results: Bruno MAGRAS unanimously elected president by the Territorial Council on 16 July 2007
Legislative branch:
unicameral Territoria